Il Linguaggio Del Cuore

The Language of
the Heart
An Introduction to
Nichiren Daishonin’s
True Buddhism
Udumbara Foundation
Westport, Connecticut
Sanbo-in Temple
Fukuyama City, Japan
udumbarafoundation.org
2009
Printed in USA
PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com

CONTENTS
Foreword 7
I. The Fundamentals 11
The Purpose of Religion 12
Buddhism in General and Specific 12
The Law 14
Buddha 16
Buddha Nature 17
II. The Lineage of Buddhism 19

The Life of Shakyamuni 20
The Four Noble Truths 23
Lotus Sutra 27
The True Buddha 29
III. Nichiren Shoshu 37

The Teachings of Nichiren Shoshu 38
The Practice 39
Why We Chant rather than Meditate 41
Odaimoku 43
Gongyo 44
Gohonzon 49
Jigyo Keta 50
IV. Elements of Practice 53

The Altar 54
Green Leaves 55

Candles 56
Incense 56
Water 57
Other Offerings 58
Bell 59
Prayer Beads 59
V. Holidays 63
Oeshiki 64
Oko 65
Risshu 65
New Year’s Day 66
VI. Other Concepts and Thoughts 67

Enlightenment 68
Life and Death 69
Reincarnation and Karma 73
Desires are Enlightenment 78
On Vegetarianism 82
What Happens if We don’t Practice ? 83
VII. A Parable 85
Kankucho 86
Sources 89

THE LANGUAGE
OF THE HEART

FOREWORD
I want to express my deepest gratitude to those

people who inspired me to put this work together. They
are the people who asked me time and again to
recommend a book about the Buddhism I practice, and
that simply explains what Buddhism is all about. This is an
attempt to do that. I have tried within these pages to
explain the basic principles of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism
to someone who knows nothing or very little about
Buddhism. It is only an attempt, because while the
Buddhist practice is easy, Buddhist concepts are profound
and broad, and difficult to explain and simplify. This little
book is an overview. It only skims the surface of Nichiren
Shoshu Buddhism.
Though I have practiced true Buddhism for more
than 35 years, and notwithstanding Nichiren Daishonin’s
words, “teach others to the best of your ability,” I do not
feel that I am a qualified authority on Buddhism. I have
therefore primarily relied on the words of Nichiren Shoshu
Shoshin-kai priest Reverend Raido Hirota to form the basis
of this little book.

This book is a compilation of Reverend Hirota’s
lectures and thoughts, as well as a few words from lectures
of other Shoshin-kai priests, and a few thoughts and words
of my own. I have organized and edited the various
Buddhist concepts in a way that I hope make them more
accessible and understandable to the non-practitioner and
someone new to Buddhism. Still, the concepts may be too
rich. In my eagerness to convey this wonderful Buddhism
to others, I may have provided too much information for
newcomers. Read it slowly, in small doses. Let it find its
way to your heart. My wish is that the teachings will touch
your heart, as they have mine for these many years, and
inspire you to take the first steps towards your own
enlightenment.
With heartfelt appreciation I thank Kay Dubitsky
for her translation, Patrick Quinn and Art Shapiro for
proofreading, and above all Reverend Raido Hirota for his
support, encouragement and tireless endeavor as a teacher
of the True Law.
Gassho, 1
Peach Pair Glendenning
Editor
September 21, 2009
1 Gassho – hands clasped together in veneration or respect.

8

I respect everyone deeply,
I do not despise anyone,
not even a little,
or look down on anyone with contempt,
because everyone has the capacity to
become a Buddha of
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo,
if they believe in
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo,
and practice.
Bodhisattva Jofukyo2
Lotus Sutra
20th Chapter
2 Bodhisattva Jofukyo – Bodhisattva Never Despise.

9

10

I
Fundamentals
What is Buddhism? What is a Buddha? What is the

Buddha’s Dharma?
11

The Purpose of Religion
What is religion?
A religion is something that one relies on to define
life and to guide one in life.
The purpose of a religion should be to provide a
system of beliefs that eliminates delusion, awakens all
people to the true reality of life, and saves all living things.
A true religion is one that does not discriminate against
anyone, and leads all living things—whether human, plant
or animal; whether feeling or non-feeling; whether good or
evil—to achieve the highest state of awareness. A true
religion is one that affects everyone the same, whether one
believes it or not.
Buddhism in General and Specific
Generally speaking, Buddhism is a system of

beliefs based on the teachings of a Buddha—an
enlightened One. The difference between Buddhism and
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hindu, and the other major
religions of the world, is that Buddhism does not believe in
God. In addition to their belief in God, Christianity, Islam,
Hindu and Judaism also believe that God has existed
12

forever, and is the creator of everything. Buddhism differs
greatly from these religions.
In general, Buddhism teaches that no one created
life. That said, there are many different Buddhist sects, and
many different Buddhist beliefs. The specific Buddhism
under discussion in this text is Nichiren Shoshu. The
fundamental belief of the religion of Nichiren Shoshu
Buddhism is that there is one ultimate Law governing all
things. This Law has always existed; the Buddha did not
create it. The Buddha is a person – a human being just like
you and me – who realized that such a law existed. Thus in
Buddhism the Law existed first, and has existed since the
infinite past – the Buddha came later.
Another important belief in Buddhism is that there
is a reason for everything. To explain this briefly, the
emergence—or the coming into existence—of all things,
such as human life, animals, plant life, even stars, planets,
sky, water, and so on, is a result of a complex series of
causes and conditions that occur in time and space. Thus it
can be said that Buddhism is the study of life.
13

The Law
Dharma is a Sanskrit word, which means Ho in

Japanese and “Law” in English. The Dharma or Law is the
Buddha’s ultimate truth. What is the ultimate truth? It is
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo3, the ultimate Law of life and death
throughout the universe. It is called the Mystic Law, and it
is the center of belief in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. What does this phrase
mean?
Namu means devotion with one’s whole mind
and with one’s whole life.
Myo is the mystery and wonder of the life of all
people. This concept of myo means that even selfish,
egotistical people, such as us, who are common mortals,
also have Buddha-nature and therefore can realize
enlightenment. Myo indicates that everything, even insects,
plants and dead wood have a soul.
Ho refers to the Law. This Law constitutes all
living things on this earth as well as all things throughout
the entire universe. To teach the mystery of life is to teach
about the Law.
3 Pronounced- Nanmeo – ho – ren – gay – key-o.

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Renge is the lotus flower. In the case of most
flowers the male stamen and the female pistil pollinate,
fertilize, and later, after the blossoms have perished,
produce seeds. This is not the case with the lotus plant.
The lotus plant is quite unusual in that its flower and seed
exist at the same time, as the seed pod is the center part of
the blossom. Because the blossom and seed exist at the
same time, the lotus flower is used as a metaphor to
illustrate a unique and wonderful aspect of the Law, which
is that cause and effect are present simultaneously. As
human beings we were conceived by two parents, our
mothers and fathers. Children exist because a man and
women came together. The parents are the cause, the
children are the effect. Cause…effect. Cause…effect.
Cause…effect. Cause and effect go on and on and on. It
continues forever.
Kyo means teaching or sutra. It refers to the
Buddha’s teaching. It is the Buddha’s preaching of the Law.
Kyo indicates the “pure and far-reaching voice” of the
Buddha.
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo is the expression of life’s
dynamic continuum in one phrase. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
is actually life condensed. It can be compared to
concentrated orange juice; it is life concentrate. Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo is our life.
15

The concepts and teachings inherent in the Law
of Namu-myoho-renge-kyo are set forth in the scripture
known as the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra was one of
Shakyamuni Buddha’s last teachings. Namu-myoho-renge-
kyo is the only religion that teaches about life – what life is.
It teaches that life itself is the Law; that the Law is within
us, and that the Law is inherent in every living thing. It
also teaches that the seed of Buddhahood is the fruit of
Buddhahood. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo is both the seed and
the fruit of Buddhahood. It is both cause and effect.
The Law is above and beyond any god. It is an
intangible that cannot be grasped or seen. It is
incomparable; there is no other Law like it. There is only
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, the Mystic
Law of cause and effect, works the same in everyone’s life
whether one believes it or not.
Buddha
When the Law and the person merge, and the

person embodies the Law—incorporates the Law into his
or her life, and his or her behavior demonstrates that he or
she is living with full awareness of the Law—this is
Buddha. One who understands the Law of Myoho-renge-
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kyo is a Buddha. Such a person is awakened to the true
reality of existence and the ultimate truth of life, and helps
others achieve the same realization. A Buddha teaches
everyone without discrimination.
Buddha-nature
Christians believe that man is basically evil, and

can only be saved if Jesus enters into one’s heart.
Buddhism believes that man is basically good because all
people have Buddha-nature at the core of their lives.
Yes, you have Buddha-nature within you. Would
you believe that a rug has Buddha-nature? Trees have
Buddha-nature, so do flowers and grass. Even the gravel
in a driveway and the asphalt on a road have Buddha-
nature. The birds and bees have Buddha-nature, as do rats
and vermin. The air and water have Buddha-nature too.
As you’ve probably surmised, everything has Buddha-
nature, even the dead.
What is Buddha-nature? Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
is Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is the life of Buddha. It
is the seed of Buddhahood contained within all life. It is
what gives all life the potential to realize Buddhahood or
become enlightened. Since everything has the seed of
17

Buddhahood, anyone and anything can become
enlightened.
There are not different kinds of Buddha-natures;
there is only one Buddha-nature. The Buddha-nature is the
same in all things.
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II
The Lineage of Buddhism
It is generally believed that there is only one

Buddha—Shakyamuni Gautuma Buddha from India who
lived nearly three thousand years ago. That however, is
not true. Over the course of eternity throughout the
universe there have been an uncountable number of
Buddhas. Out of all those Buddhas, only two will be
discussed here: Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin.
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The Life of Shakyamuni
During the prehistoric ages of this world—before

any records were kept and human life was primitive—six
ancient Buddhas made their advent to teach and guide
people. The world’s religions developed from these early
Buddhist teachings. The historical Buddha, Shakyamuni of
India, was the seventh ancient Buddha on this planet. He
was the first Buddha of recorded time. And it is his
teachings that are the basis of all Buddhisms today.
Shakyamuni literally means sage of the Shakya
tribe. There is much dispute as to when Shakyamuni was
born. Some say he lived about twenty-five hundred years
ago, while the traditions of China and Japan record
Shakyamuni’s birth as being on the 8th day of the fourth
month in the year 1029 B.C.E., in, what is today, Nepal,
and passing away in the middle of the night on the 15th
day of the second month in the year 949 B.C.E. He was
born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama son of King
Shuddhodana of the Shakya tribe.
As a young prince, Siddhartha was surrounded by
luxury and grandeur, and was protected from witnessing
the misfortunes of others. Despite the care the palace took
to protect him, Siddhartha, as a young man, became aware
of the poverty beyond the royal gates. The misery he
20

witnessed was so troubling that it aroused in him an
intense desire to understand the cause of human suffering,
and the cause of the four sorrows of birth, old age, sickness
and death. While still a young man he renounced the
secular world—which meant leaving his wife, the beautiful
Princess Yasodhara, and child, Rahula, and giving up all
rights to his inheritance—to pursue religious life.
He first studied Hinduism and yogic meditation
with the Brahmins. Not finding the answers to the
troubling dilemma of the human condition, Siddhartha left
the Brahmins after a few years to pursue severe ascetic
practices such as fasting and self-mortification. He
undertook these assiduous practices more vigorously and
rigorously than anyone, because his pursuit of the true
meaning of life was more earnest than others. But when he
realized these practices did not lead to the awakening he
so desired, he rejected all them. Then he went and sat
under a papal tree (now referred to as the Bodhi tree)
where he entered into deep meditation, and in a matter of
days realized enlightenment. At this time he would have
been between the ages of 29 and 35.
After he had attained enlightenment, Shakyamuni
wanted to pass on to everyone what he himself had
realized. The status of the persons he instructed did not
matter to him. Whether it was a man or a woman, a king
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or a pauper, a doctor or a leper, he taught everyone
equally. He taught so many teachings over the course of
his lifetime to everyone he met, that it is said he taught
altogether some eighty thousand teachings. The most
significant of his teachings was the Lotus Sutra (Sanskrit:
Saddharma Pundarika Sutra) which he taught in the last
eight years of his life. The Lotus Sutra was the crown jewel
of his lifetime achievements.
For the ninety days following Shakyamuni’s death,
from the 8th day of the fourth month to the 15th day of the
seventh month, one thousand of the Buddha’s most
learned disciples were brought together to discuss and
compile all of the sutras he had taught over the fifty years
of his preaching life. This gathering of scholars and wise
men was called the Chamber of the First Council. The
Council was organized by Ajatashatru, King of Magadha.
That the Council was held in Magadha was not so unusual
since it was on Eagle Peak in the Kingdom of Magadha
that Shakyamuni Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra. But
what is truly extraordinary and miraculous is that King
Ajatshatru organized and sponsored it, inasmuch as he
had spent the early half of his life as one of Shakyamuni’s
most vehement adversaries. Ajatashatru obstructed the
progress of Buddhism every chance he could. He plotted
against the Buddha and caused harm and even death to
22

some of Shakyamuni’s disciples. Not until just prior to the
time Shakyamuni began teaching the Lotus Sutra did King
Ajatashatru begin to come around and have a change of
heart. Still, it took another eight years for him to
completely relinquish his evil ways, repent of his sins and
surrender his heart to Buddhism. That transformation took
place on the 15th day of the second month in the year 949
B.C.E., the last day of Shakaymuni Buddha’s life. So it is
due to the transformation of this one-time foe of the
Buddha that we have Lotus Sutra today.
The Four Noble Truths
Many people who are not familiar with Buddhism

have heard of the four noble truths. The concept of the
four noble truths and the eightfold path was taught by
Shakyamuni not long after his enlightenment. These
concepts are a part of the Hinayana4 sutras.
The four noble truths are: 1) all existence is
suffering; 2) suffering is caused by desire; 3) eliminating
desire eradicates suffering and brings about emancipation;
4) eradication of desire can be achieved by the eightfold
4Hinayana – Theravada Buddhism (Lesser Vehicle) primarily

concerned with self-salvation and elimination of desires.
23

path. The eightfold path is: right views, right thinking,
right speech, right action, right way of life, right endeavor,
right mindfulness and right meditation.
In the first three weeks after his enlightenment
Shakyamuni taught the The Flower Garland Sutra5. In this
sutra he spoke about the mysteries of life: the
interrelatedness of all things. These teachings were so
esoteric no one could understand them. Because
Shakyamuni at first taught the Flower Garland Sutra—
teachings that were obscure and unfathomable—it was as
if his audience was blind and deaf. They could neither see
nor hear the teachings. His words meant nothing to them.
Yet, because the teachings were so impressive and
scholarly they were like a bauble, a sparkly thing that
captured people’s attention, and gave people a sense of the
greatness of Buddhism. Once Shakyamuni had attracted
an audience, he began to teach on the lowest level—the
place where the people of that ancient time were at. These
were the Hinayana teachings, such as the four noble truths
and the eightfold path. With these teachings he began to
slowly cultivate the people’s minds so that they could
gradually understand deeper concepts.
5The Flower Garland Sutra – (Skt) Avatamasaka Sutra. (Jp) Kegon

Sutra.
24

The Hinayana sutras were similar to thoughts,
philosophies and ideas the people already knew, and
could therefore easily understand. In these sutras
Shakyamuni laid out very specific and direct causes and
effects and punishments: If you did this, such and such
would happen. If you did that, you would have such and
such effect. Shakyamuni taught the people as though they
were children, telling them to have right thinking, right
actions, etc. Just as parents teach their children right and
wrong, he told the people not to cheat, not to steal, not to
lie, not to do bad things. This was something anyone could
understand, even those who did not have knowledge or
deep comprehension. During the Hinayana period people
thought that Buddhism was nothing more than moral
values. But not everyone could be saved by these teachings.
Gradually, in time, and as the people’s capacity to
understand increased, Shakyamuni moved on to higher
teachings. The Buddha was determined to save everyone,
even those who committed crimes. The earlier teachings
did not grant this. They did not offer salvation to all – to
the learned, to women, to evil people, to insentient beings.
The Lotus Sutra is the only teaching in which Shakyamuni
promised that everyone could be saved. It took
Shakyamuni more than forty years to prepare the people
of his time for the teachings that would save all mankind.
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It was not until the last eight years of his life that he finally
taught the Lotus Sutra.
Particularly in the Western world, people tend to
think that there is only one Buddhism. But because the
Buddha taught differently depending on the audience, on
the circumstances of the people he was addressing, and on
the time period in which he was teaching, there are
various teachings and various levels of teachings. For
example, Zen Buddhism, which relies on wordless
transmission of concepts from mind to mind and not on
doctrinal study, is completely different from the Lotus
Sutra. The Lotus Sutra was taught at the end of the
Buddha’s life. It was only at the end of his life that
Shakyamuni was able to teach the teaching that he had in
truth wanted to teach at the very beginning. In the Lotus
Sutra he explains his own enlightenment, and the way for
all living beings to realize enlightenment. So to be clear,
the four noble truths, the eightfold path, and meditation
on the “void” do not lead to enlightenment. Such teachings
were early teachings of Shakyamuni, intended to cultivate,
discipline, awe inspire, and prepare people for the highest
teachings.
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Lotus Sutra
All of Shakyamuni’s teachings over the course of

his entire lifetime are united in the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus
Sutra is the reason for his advent in this world. In chapter 2
of this august work Shakyamuni announced, “The World-
Honored One6 has long expounded his doctrines and now
must reveal the truth.” 7 In the 11th chapter the Buddha
declared, “Since I attained the enlightenment of the
Buddha, I have expounded many sutras in innumerable
worlds. This sutra is the most excellent. To keep this sutra
is to keep me.”8 And in chapter 23 he proclaimed, “Just as
the sea is larger than the rivers, this Sutra of the Lotus
Flower of the Wonderful Law is more profound than any of
the other sutras expounded by Buddhas. . . . Just as the
Buddha is the king of the Law, this sutra is the king of all
sutras. . . . This sutra saves all living beings.”9
Among the principles illuminated in the Lotus
Sutra are:
6 World Honored One – an honorific title of the Buddha

7 The Lotus Sutra, Translated by Burton Watson, Columbia
University Press, New York, p. 26
8 The Lotus Sutra, Translated by Senchu Murano, Nichiren Shu
Headquarters, Tokyo, pp. 175-176

9 Idem, pp. 277
27

§ The true reality of all existence is
that all life contains the life of
Buddha, therefore all life is equal.
§ The one great reason for all
Buddhas to appear in the world is
to open the wisdom of the Buddha
for all living things, to show the
Buddha wisdom to all living things,
to cause living beings to be
enlightened, and to encourage all
living beings to enter the path of
Buddha wisdom.
§ All people regardless of gender or
status or condition of life, can
realize Buddhahood through faith
in the Lotus Sutra
§ The existence of Buddha is eternal,
the Buddhist Laws of truth are
never-ending, and all people
possess eternal life.
The Lotus Sutra also predicts that a votary would
come along during the 500 year period following the
second millennium after the death of Shakyamuni and
reveal the true teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
28

The True Buddha
The Eternal Buddha made his appearance about

2200 years after Shakyamuni Buddha’s passing. He was
born in a fishing village in Chiba Prefecture on the east
coast of Japan on the 16th day of the second month in the
year 1222, and was named Zennichimaro. (Later he would
be known as Nichiren Daishonin.) Unlike Shakyamuni
Buddha who was born a prince in a royal family,
Zennichimaro was born of poor lineage, and openly spoke
of it. “In this life,” he said, “I was born in poverty of
humble parentage; I grew up in the house of a candala.” In
the Indian caste system the candala is the meanest or lowest
class. This class consists of fishermen, jailers, slaughterers
and followers of other “unclean” trades. Yet, despite
having been born into such mean circumstances,
Zennichimaro’s parents saw to it that he was granted an
education.
Between the ages of 12 and 16 Zennichimaro
attended a temple school, Seicho-ji on Mount Kiyosumi
near his home. Initially he studied the fundamentals of
Buddhism, and received a general education. He was
exceptionally mature and precocious for his age, for as
early as age 12 he began to pray for wisdom. He was also
troubled by the magnitude of the people’s suffering, and
29

wanted to understand why it was so, and how it could be
eliminated. Remarkably in those early years he had a great
realization and perceived truths about the essence of life.
Nevertheless he was not satisfied. He knew that he would
need to support his realizations with theory and
documentary proof, and that would require study.
At age 16, Zennichimaro shaved his head and took
his vows as a priest. At his ordination he changed his
name to Zesho-bo Rencho which held a deeper meaning
for him. (Zesho means sacred person under the sun; Rencho
means lotus growth or sprouting from a lotus). Soon after,
he left Mount Kiyosumi in pursuit of knowledge to
support his realizations. He traveled to Kamakura, Kyoto
and Nara. These were Japan’s three great learning centers
of the 13th-century. At these centers Zesho-bo Rencho
endeavored to study and practice the Great Vehicle,
Mahayana Buddhism which was followed in the countries
of northeast Asia, namely India, China, and Japan. In
addition, in searching for the teaching that defined and
proclaimed the supreme Law he had realized in his youth,
he also studied the doctrines of Hinayana Buddhism and
other major Buddhist sects, as well as Confucianism.
Rencho was very structured and systematic in his
studies. He carefully documented his progress and his
realizations about the teachings of the various sects and
30

their relative merit. One by one he theorized, compared,
and refuted them. In the end, he rejected all of the major
Buddhist sects of the day, including Shingon, Zen, Jodo
and Ritsu. He found their doctrines and scriptures to be
incomplete, borrowed, partial or completely wrong.
Having read all of the Buddhist texts, he gradually became
convinced that the true religion of Shakyamuni Buddha
was contained in the Lotus Sutra. He realized that all
teachings of Buddhism could be found united within this
one scripture. Thus he embraced the Lotus Sutra
wholeheartedly, and championed it as the only teaching
containing the truth he had perceived in his youth.
Rencho concluded that the Lotus Sutra, with its
laws, offered complete salvation and absolute mercy. Its
doctrine teaches that all living things may be granted a
way of life the same as that of Buddha. He also perceived
that the essence of the sutra was contained in its title.
As many know, formal Japanese uses Chinese
characters as its alphabet. In Japanese this alphabet is
called kanji. When Rencho read the Lotus Sutra he was
reading the Chinese characters, or kanji but pronouncing
them in Japanese. Thus when Rencho read the Chinese title
of Lotus Sutra he pronounced it Myoho-renge-kyo. Hence
Myoho-renge-kyo is the Japanese transliteration of the
Chinese title of the Lotus Sutra. This title, he concluded
31

was the essential part of the Lotus Sutra, because it was the
supreme Law.
At age 32, after sixteen long years of intense study,
and armed with the absolute certainty of the Lotus Sutra’s
veracity, Rencho returned to Seicho-ji temple, where he
sought to officially announce his findings. To prepare his
presentation he secluded himself. No one, not his
colleagues, teachers, or family, had any idea of what he
was about to do, which was to turn Buddhism on its head.
On the 28th day of the fourth month in the year 1253
Zesho-bo Rencho left his sanctum at Seicho-ji just before
dawn and climbed to the hilltop in the Kasagamori forest.
As he reached the summit the sun’s rays appeared on the
horizon. Immediately he raised his voice and spoke
“Namu-myoho-renge-kyo” in salutation. That was, then
and there, mankind’s first invocation of the supreme Law.
The true practice of Buddhism for this age was now
proclaimed.
In later years, Nichiren Daishonin would explain
the significance of this phrase in his writing, “The One
Essential Phrase”:
…The Lotus Sutra defines our life as the
Buddha’s life, our mind as the Buddha’s wisdom and our actions
as the Buddha’s behavior….Namu-myoho-renge-kyo is only one
phrase but it contains the essence of the entire
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sutra….Everything has its essential point, and the heart of the
Lotus Sutra is its title, Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. Truly, if you
chant this in the morning and evening, you are correctly reading
the entire Lotus Sutra….A Law this easy to embrace and this
easy to practice was taught for the sake of all mankind in this evil
age of the Latter Day of the Law.10
Rencho returned to Seichoji temple grounds to
disclose to his peers, his family, and local town folk what
he had learned during his years of dedicated study. As he
stood before his audience, one might imagine him pressing
his palms together reverentially as he uttered with full
resolve, “Namu-myoho-renge-kyo” for other human ears
to hear for the first time. After invoking the Law, he
lectured on his findings and realizations, and pointed out
the errors in the teachings of the other major Buddhist
sects. When he concluded his discussion he announced
that he was changing his name to “Nichiren.” The
significance of the name “Nichiren” – meaning sun-lotus –
suggests that Nichiren attained enlightenment by himself.
Negative passions were aroused by the speech. The
audience was up in arms. They thought Nichiren’s ideas
were radical. How could someone, who was no more than
an itinerant priest at best, disparage their beliefs and
advocate belief in ideas they had never heard before? It
10 The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. One, pp. 221-222.

33

was outrageous. All at once, at what was expected to be a
tranquil and celebratory occasion, chaos ensued.
Nichiren’s parents must have sensed the tension
rising in the air, and feared for their son’s life. The local
lord of the district, Tojo Kagenobu, was roiling with anger.
As a devout believer of one of the other Buddhist sects,
Kagenobu decided Nichiren was a dangerous threat that
had to be dealt with immediately. He summoned his
samurai and devised a plot to kill him.
Dozenbo was a senior priest at Seichoji and
Nichiren’s former teacher. He was also an ardent believer
in one of the Buddhist sects Nichiren had refuted in his
lecture. Feeling the anger mounting against his former
student, Dozenbo, as a cleric of one of the other sects,
could have very readily joined the angry crowd in plotting
against Nichiren, had Nichiren not been one of his favorite
students with such bright prospects. Instead, Dozenbo
took pity on him. In an act of mercy, he hastily summoned
two junior priests and organized a plan of escape. The two
priests rushed into action, escorting Nichiren through a
secret passage that led into the woods, and allowed him to
get away.
It was twilight as Nichiren ran for his life along a
foot path in the woods. Only a few hours earlier he had
34

proclaimed the true Buddhism for the modern age that
would save all mankind. How ironic!
This was the beginning of Nichiren Daishonin’s
turbulent life as the votary of the Lotus Sutra. The
circumstances and events of his life fulfilled the prophecies
of the Lotus Sutra. Twenty-two years later, following two
exiles, a foiled execution, and numerous attempts on his
life, the Daishonin would write:
It would be easier to walk naked in a raging fire, easier to
take up Mt. Sumeru in one’s hands and toss it away, easier to
hoist a great stone on one’s back and walk across the ocean than
to do what I have done. To establish the True Law in this
country of Japan is indeed a difficult thing.11
Nichiren Daishonin passed away peacefully at the
age of 61 on the 13th day of the 10th month in the year 1282.
During his lifetime he revealed the direct path to
enlightenment that has, since the infinite past, lead all
Buddhas to enlightenment; and he provided the true
teachings, the true object of worship, and a concise practice
to achieve that enlightenment. None of this was
accomplished by Shakyamuni Buddha. On the day that
Shakyamuni died, he issued a warning: “Follow the Law,
not the person.” However, Shakyamuni himself did not
identify the Law which he had realized and been
11The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 3, “On the

Selection of the Time,” Gosho Zenshu, p. 256
35

enlightened by. Instead, he described it, praised it and
alluded to it in the Lotus Sutra. His life’s purpose was to
teach the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Daishonin’s life’s purpose
was to unlock the secrets in the depths of the Lotus Sutra,
identify and establish the universal Law, and provide a
simple and direct means for all living things to realize
enlightenment. That is why Nichiren Daishonin is
considered the true Buddha. Even so, the warning that
Shakyamuni Buddha issued on his deathbed, to “Follow
the Law, not the person,” remains the guiding principle in
Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. It is through the Law that
one becomes enlightened. Thus the Law is supreme, not
the Buddha. The Law is worshipped, not the person.
36

III
Nichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shoshu means Nichiren’s true teachings,

or the true teachings of Nichiren. Nichiren Shoshu is a
Japanese Buddhism. It is a religion dedicated to teaching
the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism believes in the absolute
equality of all life—that all things possess Buddha-nature.
The objective of this Buddhism is the enlightenment of all
living things.
37

The Teachings of Nichiren Shoshu
The basic teachings of Nichiren Shoshu are

represented in the doctrine of the Three Great Secret Laws.
The Three Great Secret Laws are the only precepts of the
religion. They are: 1) the object of worship of the Eternal
Buddha, 2) the sanctuary of the Eternal Buddha and, 3) the
invocation of the Eternal Buddha.
The Gohonzon is the object of worship. Honzon is a
Japanese world that means object of respect, and Go is an
honorific title. The Gohonzon is a mandala that allows one
to view one’s mind and see all the various states of being
within, including the condition of Buddha. The Gohonzon
is a physical representation of the Law.
The sanctuary is the place where the Gohonzon is
enshrined. It is an area removed from evil.
The invocation is Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
intoned by believers.
It is the study and practice of these three basic
ideals which form the essence of the Buddhism of Nichiren
Shoshu.
To explain these a little further, the Gohonzon of
the Eternal Buddha represents the soul of Buddha.
According to the teachings of Buddhism, it is by chanting
38

Namu-myoho-renge-kyo to Gohonzon in the sanctuary that
one can open the wisdom of Buddha and perceive eternal
life. Through this simple practice one can experience an
inner peace and tranquility in daily life.
However, the invocation of Namu-myho-renge-kyo in
Nichiren Shoshu is a form of chanting which is performed
not only for oneself, it is also for leading others to
enlightenment. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo must be chanted for
others, for society and for the sake of righteousness. It is
only by believing in the Three Great Secret Laws and their
study and practice, that one can gain the same heart as the
true Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin.
The Practice
The practice of Nichiren Shoshu is the recitation of

the title and two chapters (2nd and 16th) of the Lotus Sutra.
The basis for this can be found in Nichiren Daishonin’s
writings. He wrote, “Among the entire twenty-eight
chapters, the Hoben [2nd] and Juryo [16th] chapters are
particularly outstanding. The remaining are all in a sense
the branches and leaves of these two chapters. Therefore I
39

recommend that you practice reading the prose sections of
the Hoben and Juryo chapters.”12
To recite these two chapters from the Lotus Sutra in
the morning and evening is considered the secondary
practice. To chant and protect the title of the Lotus Sutra,
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, is the essential and primary
practice.
The reason for having faith and practicing this
Buddhism is to realize that the Buddha’s life is within.
True value in life comes from seeking enlightenment. The
purpose of life is to realize the Buddha-nature within, and
to make Namu-myoho-renge-kyo the basis of every life
activity. Striving to have Namu-myoho-renge-kyo in the
heart and the mind, and trying to achieve a life that is
appropriate for the condition of Buddha that is within each
human being is the true Way of the practitioners of
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.
The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. Six, pp.10,

12
Nichiren Shoshu International Center, “The Recitation of the

Hoben and Juryo Chapters of the Lotus Sutra.”
40

Why We Chant rather than Meditate
1. In meditation only the individual who meditates

benefits. This Buddhism is not only for the
individual’s enlightenment, it is for the
enlightenment of all mankind and all other life
forms. The only way non-human forms of life can
become enlightened is by being exposed to the
chanting of Namu-myoho-renge-kyo – hearing it, so
to speak, by osmosis. When human beings chant
they sow the seed of Buddhahood in all the various
objects in their environment.
2. One chants so that other human beings can hear it
and thus receive the seed of Buddhahood.
3. The Buddha-nature in all life throughout the
universe is summoned when one chants.
4. Chanting is unifying. One can chant with people of
any nation because they are chanting in the
Buddha’s language and not in the language of any
one country. When two or more people chant
together there is harmony at that moment—world
peace is achieved at that moment in that
environment.
41

5. In meditation one closes one’s eyes and tries to
control one’s thoughts in an effort to separate
oneself from the outside world. By contrast, in true
Buddhism all the senses are engaged in the practice,
because enlightenment exists in all conditions of
life.
a. Seeing. The eyes are open to see the
Gohonzon (which represents Buddha) and
the altar (“sanctuary”). This is also an
expression of seeing clearly.
b. Hearing. The ears hear the chanting, which
is enlightenment itself and the ringing of
the bell is the music offered to the Buddha
c. Smelling. The nose smells the fragrant
incense which is offered to purify the
environment for the Buddha
d. Tasting. Fruit is placed on the altar as an
offering of food to the Buddha
e. Touching. The prayer beads represent the
body of the Buddha and the body of human
beings which are held in our hands. This
signifies that Buddha exists within our
human bodies.
f. Thinking. From our scattered thoughts
arise the pure mind of Buddhahood.
42

Odaimoku
Daimoku is a Japanese word meaning the title of a

sutra. In Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism “O,” an honorific
prefix, is added to the word to create the term Odaimoku
which means the sacred invocation or chanting of Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo¸ the title of the Lotus Sutra. The essence of
the entire sutra is contained in its title. Therefore, chanting
Odaimoku is equivalent to chanting the entire sutra. The
chanting of Odaimoku is the primary practice, for Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo is the Mystic Law and the Buddha-
nature.
Namu is derived from Sanskrit, meaning devotion
or dedication with one’s whole life. Myo means mystic. Ho
means Law. Ren means cause; Ge means effect. Kyo means
teaching or sutra. Simply speaking this phrase means
devotion with one’s whole life to the teaching of the mystic
Law of cause and effect.
Since Namu-myoho-renge-kyo is both the seed
and the fruit of Buddhahood, Nichiren Daishonin wrote,
“When with our mouths we chant the Mystic Law, our
Buddha-nature, being summoned, will invariably
emerge.” 13 This means that if one chants Namu-myoho-
The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. Six, p. 208,

13
Nichiren Shoshu International Center, Tokyo, “How Those

43

renge-kyo only one time, one is guaranteed enlightenment
because the cause has been made that at once sets into
motion the realization of Buddhahood at some point, now
or in the future.
Gongyo
Gongyo is a conversation between oneself and the

Buddha. It is the recitation of the 2nd and 16th chapters of
the Lotus Sutra. This is the liturgy of Nichiren Shoshu
Buddhism.
Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra has 28 chapters. So why
do we recite only the 2nd and the 16th chapters and no
other? The Lotus Sutra is divided in two significant parts.
The first 14 chapters contain the theoretical teachings; the
second 14 chapters contain the essential or true teachings.
The most important chapter of the theoretical teachings is
chapter two, entitled “Tactfulness” (Hoben-pon). This
chapter teaches that everything in the universe is equal, no
life form is superior to any other life form, and that not
only human beings can be saved, but all living things have
the same potential to realize enlightenment. It also
Initially Aspiring to the Way can Attain Buddhahood through

the Lotus Sutra.”
44

explains the only reason why Buddhas appear in the world,
which, as mentioned earlier, is to open, show, awaken and
cause all living beings to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.
Of the essential teachings, it is chapter sixteen,
entitled “The Life-span of the Tathagata” 14 (Juryo-hon),
which is the most important. This chapter explains why all
life is equal. It reveals that the state of Buddhahood is
eternal; that all states of existence have always existed in
infinite Buddhahood, and Buddhahood has always been
present in all the infinite states of existence.
One might assume that the language of Gongyo is
Japanese because it sounds like Japanese, but it is not.
Japanese language speakers have as much difficulty
understanding Gongyo as non-Japanese speakers. That is
because the liturgy of Nichiren Shoshu is actually not in
one language. It is a compilation of languages, reflecting
the path Buddhism took as it traveled from India through
Central Asia to China to Japan.
The Lotus Sutra itself was an oral conversation
between the Buddha and the people. In India during
Shakyamuni Buddha’s time, there were many different
tribes of people, all speaking their own languages, and all
illiterate because systems of writing had not yet been
Tathagata – a Sanskrit word that is an honorific title of the

14
Buddha.
45

established. The only means of communication was orally.
The only means of learning was by sound—by hearing it
and by rote. After the Buddha’s passing, the most
scholarly disciples came together to discuss and compile
the teachings. These monks were from the various tribes of
India, and China and other outlying countries. Each one
would begin his statement by saying, “Thus I heard,” and
then say the sound in his own language or dialect that he
heard the Buddha speak. Others may have disagreed and
would say, no, “I heard thus,” then in their own language
or dialect say what they heard the Buddha speak. The
sutra was compiled by sounds and not by words in such a
painstaking manner, and was carefully passed down from
generation to generation in just such a way.
The Lotus Sutra was completed only after a system
of writing had been developed. Monks and priests
ultimately came to a consensus on what the Buddha had
said and how it should be written. They wrote the sutra to
suit the sounds that the Buddha conveyed using phonetics,
which they decided was the best way to create proximate
sounds. This process of transcribing the sounds—not
words—took a thousand years.
It is not known what the first language of the Lotus
Sutra was in because there is no record of the original
language. Most likely it was written in one of the local
46

dialects of Central Asia, and later formalized into Sanskrit.
Then as early as 255 C.E. the first Chinese translation was
made. As the Lotus Sutra was transmitted from country to
country words were added, subtracted or compounded by
putting a Sanskrit prefix with a Chinese suffix, for example.
The Nichiren Shoshu liturgy recited today—the 2nd
and 16th chapters—is derived from a Chinese translation of
the Lotus Sutra made in 406 C.E. by Kumarjiva, a Central
Asian Buddhist monk and scholar. The liturgy consists of
Chinese characters with Japanese pronunciation, which
has further been phonetically transcribed into the various
languages of the world. Therefore, no matter what the
native language of the speaker, the sound of Gongyo is
virtually the same. Thus the language of Gongyo is
universal.
In one sense, as has been established above, Gongyo
and Odaimoku are not in one language. But on the other
hand they are in one language. They are in the Buddha’s
language. They are in the language of the heart.
Gongyo must be recited sincerely. When Gongyo is
recited slowly, or at a reasonable pace, one feels one’s own
Buddha-nature. One feels the peace of mind and joy of the
sutra. It’s important that one puts one’s heart into Gongyo,
after all it is a personal conversation between the
individual and the Buddha.
47

Inherent in the rhythm of Gongyo is the spirit of all
that Gongyo is supposed to be. If Gongyo is not done at a
reasonable pace, pronouncing every word, one cannot feel
the Buddha-nature—one just can’t.
Centuries ago, when Gongyo was first established,
there were no metronomes to keep a consistent rhythm.
The sound of the rainfall— the consistent tat – tat – tat
– tat – tat of the falling rain was used to set the rhythm.
It was not the words so much as the rhythm that was
learned. Once the rhythm was mastered the sounds came.
The sounds were matched to the rhythm. The meanings of
the words are not the focus; it is the sound.
Why do we need to do Gongyo if the Odaimoku is
the essence of the entire sutra? Because Gongyo is like an
instruction manual while the Odaimoku (Namu-myoho-
renge-kyo) is the device, the crucial element, the thing itself.
We need the instruction manual to know how to put the
device together and how to operate it. We need to be
reminded everyday that we have Buddha-nature, and how
to behave as a Buddha.
48

Gohonzon
Gongyo and Odaimoku are chanted to a mandala

called Gohonzon.
Gohonzon is a piece of rice paper representing the
Law. The Law, however, is not the paper. Looking at the
front of Gohonzon one sees the kanji characters of Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo. When the Gohonzon is turned over one
cannot see the written Law. The Law is neither the front
nor the back of Gohonzon; the Law is Myoho-renge-kyo. But
to see Myoho-renge-kyo is difficult. When one looks at a
mirror one thinks one is looking at oneself, but it is only an
image of one’s physical self that one is viewing. We cannot
see inside ourselves—our thoughts, or our spiritual aspect.
Gohonzon is the mirror of our heart—a window to our
soul. We need to see inside our soul. We need a mirror so
that we know what we look like in our heart.
Unlike travel on this earth where, if you travel east
you will go on until you arrive where you started, in
Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism if you travel east you will
go on forever. Thus Gohonzon represents all physical
phenomena and spiritual phenomena in the universe,
across the three time periods of past, present and future.
These elements are also written on Gohonzon.
49

Each human life is also included in the universe.
The Gohonzon is a small scroll that represents all aspects
of life. Down the center of Gohonzon is written the Law of
Myoho-renge-kyo. It is this Law which governs everything
including the protective forces of Buddhism (often referred
to as Buddhist gods). Because Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
encompasses everything, including ourselves, we are not
searching for Buddha or gods outside ourselves. We must
realize that we have Buddha-nature within us, and
Buddha-nature is one of the elements that is common to
everything.
The most significant aspect of Gohonzon is Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo-Nichiren, which is written down the center.
Everything else that appears on Gohonzon is secondary.
The Gohonzon must be handled with the same care one
has for oneself.
Jigyo Keta
Jigyo keta is the practice of Nichiren Shoshu

Buddhism. Jigyo means that one seeks enlightenment for
oneself by practicing the true Law. Keta means one seeks
enlightenment for others by teaching them and
enlightening them to the true Law.
50

There is no distinction between oneself and others.
Just as fish are inseparable from the water in which they
swim, so too is man and his environment inseparable.
Man’s environment consists of everything around him that
is not him, including other people he comes in contact with.
Moreover, since man cannot become enlightened in a
vacuum—he cannot become enlightened unless his
environment s necessary for man to enlighten his
environment for he himself to become enlightened. One
person’s enlightenment is dependent on the enlightenment
of others. Therefore, practicing for others, leading others to
enlightenment, is just as important as seeking
enlightenment for oneself. Jigyo and keta are of equal value.
There is no greater gift that one can give another than the
Law of Namu-myoho-renge-kyo.
The keta practice, that is telling others about Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo, is also known as shakubuku. (Further
discussion of this concept can be found in the article “Life
and Death” within these pages.)
51

IV
Elements of Practice
53

The Altar
In Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism the altar is the place

of practice in one’s home or in a temple. As mentioned
earlier, it is a place free of evil. It consists of a cabinet, in
which the Gohonzon is enshrined, and a table or altar,
which is placed in front of the cabinet. On the altar is
placed either a single candle on the right side, a vase of
green leaves on the left side and an incense burner in the
center, or two candles and two vases of greens, one of each
placed on either side.
Every element on the altar is an expression of
offering to Gohonzon, and a reflection of one’s faith. To
receive the true benefit of the practice of Nichiren
Daishonin’s Buddhism, it is important to uphold the
traditions of practice as directed. As Daishonin himself
explained, “Whether you chant the Buddha’s name, recite
the sutra or merely offer flowers and incense, all your
virtuous acts will implant benefits and good fortune in
your life. With this conviction you should put your faith
into practice.”15
15The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. One, Nichiren

Shoshu International Center, Tokyo,1979, “On Attaining
Buddhahood,” p. 4.
54

Green Leaves
Evergreens are offered to Gohonzon as they are

symbolic of eternal life. The formal name of the evergreens
is shikimi, and is similar to mountain laurel.
Pretty, colorful flowers express the transient states
of vitality and decline. When flowers are in bloom they
express beauty, robustness and vigor, the vital aspects of
life. When flowers die, they look ugly and have a foul
smell—the declining aspect of life—and the foul smell
permeates the air, making flowers unsuitable as an
offering to Gohonzon. The fleeting beauty of a flower
represents impermanence and uncertainty. By contrast,
evergreens, being green in all seasons, express the eternity
of the Mystic Law (Myoho) and the life of all living things.
Additionally, the shikimi, itself, is both an evergreen and an
aromatic tree.
At the time Buddhism was imported to Japan from
China by way of Korea the only evergreen in Japan was
the aromatic shikimi, which was green all year round.
Pretty, colorful flowers came to appear in the markets of
villages and towns only after Japan opened up to trading
with other countries. Therefore, the shikimi was offered to
Gohonzon because it was available year around, even in
the cold season.
55

Candles
Candles represent death. They also symbolize the

Buddha’s wisdom which illuminates the darkness of the
world of death. White candles are used rather than colored
candles as they indicate purity.
Incense
Incense represents the Middle Way between the

worlds of life and death. Thus it represents the reality of
the Buddha’s life. Because it is an aromatic tree, the shikimi
is also used as an ingredient in incense sticks. Although
shikimi withers and dies, its scent remains, which is also an
expression of eternal life. Even if the fire in the stick of
incense goes out, the scent lingers in the room. This too is
an expression of eternal life.
The shikimi incense, which is symbolic of the realm
of life, is lit with the flame of a candle, symbolic of the
realm of death, and burnt in an incense burner. The
blending of the realms of life and death represent the
56

Middle Way.16 The fragrance of the incense purifies the air
in front of the Gohonzon.
Three sticks of incense are usually offered. This
symbolizes the Three Treasures: the Buddha, the Law and
the Priest. However, if one cannot burn three sticks of
incense because the smell is too harsh, it is acceptable to
burn just one.
Water
Water is the source of life. Offer a cup of water

every morning before breakfast, keeping it uncovered
during morning Gongyo and during the rest of the day.
Before evening Gongyo, empty the water cup and put the
cover back on. If the water cup does not have a cover, turn
the cup upside down. The Sanskrit word for water is
arghah. This is the root from which the Latin word “aqua”
was derived. As it is so hot in India, it is the custom to
serve water to an honored guest. This is how the custom of
offering water to the Buddha arose. Water is the most
valuable offering to the Gohonzon, therefore it is
16The Middle Way – life is neither existence nor non-existence,

the reality of life is that it is both. It is the mystic entity of Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo that is the reality of all things.
57

customary to place it higher than the other elements of the
altar.
Other Offerings
In “The Gift of Rice”17 Nichiren Daishonin wrote,

“…Life itself is the most precious of all treasures. Even the
treasures of the entire universe cannot equal the value of a
single human life. Life is like a lamp, and food like oil.
When the oil is gone, the flame will die out, and without
food, life will cease.” Thus in Japan cooked rice and fruit
are placed on the altar as an offering to the Buddha. The
grain does not have to be rice. It should be whatever the
individual eats: oatmeal, toast, granola, etc. A small
amount of grain is offered in the morning, and is placed
next to the water. It should be removed after morning
Gongyo and eaten. Fresh fruit is placed in a bowl, and
placed on the altar. It should be eaten before it becomes
over-ripe.
The offerings of grains and fruit express the
attitude of sustaining the life of the Buddha.
Bell
17 The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. One, p.267

58

Just as incense represents an offering of fragrance
to the Buddha, ringing the bell represents an offering of
music. For this reason it should be struck in a way that is
aesthetically pleasing to the person who is doing Gongyo.
Traditionally, priests ring the bell as follows: the
bell is not rung during the first prayer. For the second
prayer, ring the bell seven times before the recitation of the
2nd (Hoben ) chapter. Ring the bell three times at the end of
the 2nd chapter. And ring the bell seven times at the
beginning of Odaimoku. Ring the bell five times to
conclude Odaimoku.
Lay believers should respect the tradition, but it is
not necessary to strike the bell an exact number of times.
Prayer Beads
We call the prayer beads juzu. The juzu represents

the Law. The beads are perfectly round. Their roundness
symbolizes the mystical cycle of life and the universe. The
juzu consist of 108 beads of equal size in the body of the
juzu, which represent 108 sufferings and desires of human
existence. The four smaller beads strung within the 108
beads represent the Four Great Bodhisattvas (Jogyo,
59

Muhengyo, Jyogyo, and Anryugyo), signifying the four
noble qualities of true self, eternity, purity and happiness,
respectively. It was predicted that after the 2000 years
following Shakyamuni’s passing, the four bodhisattvas
would spread the Law of Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. That is
why Nichren Daishonin is so important. He was the first to
introduce the Law and spread it.
The two large beads at each end of the juzu
indicate the two Buddhas, Taho18 and Shakyamuni, who
represent two parents, as well as the principles of reality
(all phenomena) and wisdom (the Law), respectively.
To hold the prayer beads correctly, place the end
with two tassels on the middle finger of the left hand, twist
the beads once in the middle and place the end with the
three tassels on the middle finger of the right hand. Put
your palms together and place them in front of your chest.
You twist the juzu once so they don’t slip out of your
hands. The juzu represent the body but their shape was not
intended to suggest the shape of the human body. That
suggestion was added later.
When we puts beads on our hands and put our
palms together in prayer position, the beads clothe our
18Taho – Many Treasures Buddha. He is a Buddha who appears

in chapter 11 of the Lotus Sutra to lend credence to
Shakyamuni’s teaching of the Law.
60

sufferings and desires. That is the duty of the juzu, to
envelop our delusions inside our palm. We have worries,
anxieties, passions, our minds are constantly troubled, and
that is why we carry beads.
The juzu are as important as the Gohonzon 19 .
Don’t put them on the floor. Don’t play with them as toys.
Don’t wear them, or use them as ornamentation. Even
though we use our hands to hold them and touch them,
we must handle them respectfully. If they are broken, even
a little, some people may fix them and continue using
them, but they should not do that.
If someone were to put the juzu in his or her
hands, even though he or she did not believe in Nichiren
Shoshu Buddhism, such a person would have the same
potential as a believer to become enlightened. That is
because all life is equal.
19Gohonzon – the true object of worship representing the

universal Law and Buddha-nature in all things, Namu-myoho-
renge-kyo.
61

62

V
Holidays
The most important religious holidays in Nichiren

Shoshu are Oeshiki, Risshu, Oko and New Years. In addition
the national holidays of the country in which believers live
are also celebrated. For example, in the United States
believers celebrate Thanksgiving or the 4th of July,
birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s and Father’s Day, etc.
63

Oeshiki
October 13
Oeshiki is the most important ceremony in
Nichiren Shoshu. It is a celebration of the eternal life of
Nichiren Daishonin and our own eternal life.
On the 13th day of the 10th month in the 5th year of
Koan (1282), Nichiren Daishonin’s body, which was the
same as any human body, passed away at the age of 61.
Nevertheless, the Buddha-nature within Daishonin’s life
and all life—the life of Namu-myoho-renge-kyo itself—did
not die. It never dies; it is eternal. That is why we celebrate
Oeshiki: to affirm the eternal life of the Buddha.
At the time the Daishonin passed away, the 13th
day of the 10th month, according to the lunar calendar,
would have actually fallen at the end of November rather
than in October. It would have been late fall or even
wintery then. Yet, throughout Japan the cherry blossoms
bloomed. So for Oeshiki paper cherry blossoms are made
and placed on either side of Gohonzon.
Oeshiki is a festive day. Believers gather together
on October 13th for a great celebration to honor the
occasion. It is a day when gifts are exchanged, special
foods are prepared, and Buddhism is discussed. Oeshiki is
as important to Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism as Christmas
64

is to Christianity. The intent of the Oeshiki holiday is to
celebrate the eternal Buddha-nature, and remind us that it
is ever-present.
Oko
13th of Every Month

Because Nichiren Daishonin passed away on the
13th day of the month, we express our appreciation to
Daishonin with the Oko ceremony on the 13th day of every
month to remind us that the eternal Buddha is always
present.
Risshu
April 28
The 28th day of the 4th month in the year 1253,
Nichiren Daishonin first proclaimed Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
as the true teaching for all mankind. This day is celebrated
because it is the birthday of Namu-myoho-renge-kyo.
65

New Year’s Day
January 1
Nichiren Daishonin wrote, “New Year’s Day marks
the first day, the first month, the beginning of the year and
the start of spring. A person who celebrates this day will
gain virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes
full gradually, moving from west to east, and the sun
shines more brightly traveling from east to west.”20 This
day is celebrated because it represents the eternal cycle of
renewal.
The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin¸Vol. One, pp.279,

20
Nichiren Shoshu International Center, Tokyo. 1979, “The New

Year’s Gosho.”
66

VI
Other Concepts and Thoughts

from
Reverend Raido Hirota
How is the practice of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism applied

and experienced in daily life?
67

Enlightenment
You may think that the condition or state of

Buddhahood does not enter into your mind, and that it is
unrealistic to think that you can experience Buddha in
your life. That is not at all the case. Deep, deep joy is a very
real feeling that you may have experienced. But the feeling
of Buddhahood is unlikely to happen out of nowhere.
Most likely it will not happen while one is eating or having
tea, for example. And it is less likely to happen when one
is suddenly feeling happy. But when I chant in front of
Gohonzon, sometimes I am overcome with a feeling of
appreciation coming from deep within myself. I would say
that feeling is probably the nature of Buddha, or the closest
to enlightenment that I have experienced.
Buddhahood is not a concrete thing, nor something
that everyone experiences in exactly the same way. It is
difficult to describe what enlightenment is as a reality,
because it is different for each person. Your experience will
depend on who you are and what the situation is. The life
condition of Buddha can come in all kinds of forms, all
kinds of feelings, all kinds of realizations. When you find
some kind of standard you can rely on, then you might be
able to judge when you are experiencing the life of Buddha,
or what the life condition of Buddha should be.
68

Enlightenment does not have a fixed form. It
cannot be explained as a discrete entity. Nichiren
Daishonin explains it like this in his writing “The Three
Kinds of Treasure,” “More valuable than treasures in the
storehouse are treasures of the body, and the treasures of
the heart are the most valuable of all. From the time you
read this letter on, strive to accumulate the treasures of the
heart.” 21 Treasures of the storehouse are money, jewels,
property. Treasures of the body are education, social status,
and attractive appearance. Treasures of the heart are when
you recognize that you have the Buddha-nature of Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo within you. Even if it is for only one
second that you have this feeling or realization, that is
enlightenment.
Life and Death
When we human beings look at life and death they

seem different. But from the point of view of Nichiren
Daishonin life and death are the same condition; there is
no difference between the two. If you look at the eyes of a
human being before and after death you notice a
21 The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. Two, p. 279.

69

difference; that a change has taken place—a change from
life to death. With the human body there is a definite
difference between life and death. But the essence of life
never changes, not even in death. It is constant. It is always
the same. In death there is life, and in life there is death
(dead skin on our bodies, fingernails, hair). The spirit,
however, never dies; even in death the spirit is alive. And
of course, in life it is alive.
The human body can be compared to a bottle of
water. The form is there and the content is there. If the
body dies it would be as if the bottle fell over and the
water spilled out. This water is never going to return to the
way it was. Water is water. It runs down mountains to the
ocean, evaporates and becomes gas, condenses and
becomes rain or snow on the mountain, then flows back
down to the ocean. It’s a cycle. The property of water—
H2O—never changes. But never again will it be the same
water—the same river, the same ocean. The essence of
water is Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. When water changes form
its essence stays the same. The same is true of human
beings. Humans change form, but their essence never
changes. It will always be Namu-myoho-renge-kyo.
The sutras expounded before the Lotus Sutra
addressed only the life of human beings. With the Lotus
Sutra came the teaching that humans cannot exist without
70

the environment. Humans live within air, water, earth, and
light. Humans exist within the environment of these four
elements. Without these four elements and without other
forms of life humans could not exist. The Lotus Sutra
shows us that other things are essential for our existence.
Without these others things we would not exist. We
connect with the environment, that is why we are living at
this moment. So when you talk about the enlightenment of
human beings you must include the environment in that
enlightenment. Everything in the entire universe must be
included in your enlightenment.
Let’s take fish for example, people eat fish. Once
eaten, the fish is no longer a fish; it becomes a part of a
human being. Man cannot become enlightened if the fish
does not become enlightened. When a person breaths in air,
the air becomes a part of that person. The air has to
become enlightened if man is to become enlightened. Are
we humans so superior that we can live without air?
In Buddhism there is a principle called ichinen
sanzen. 22 When I am the “single life entity” (ichinen)
everyone else, as well as the environment, are “all
phenomena” or everything (sanzen). When someone else is
22
Ichinen Sanzen – a single life moment contains three
thousand realms of existence, or more simply ichinen equals a
single life and sanzen equals everything.
71

the “single life entity” (ichinen), I and everyone else,
including the environment, are “all phenomena” (sanzen).
Life alternates between ichinen and sanzen (the single life
entity and all phenomena). The Lotus Sutra is the first
scripture to reveal this concept. Each one of us is a little
piece of the whole fabric of life. If it weren’t for “all
phenomena” (sanzen), each one of us would not exist.
There is no difference between all the molecules of our
body and the environment around us. We are the
environment and the environment is us. We are the single
life entity and all phenomena. All life is a part of the same
thing.
There is only one source of life. That is Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo is ichinen sanzen.
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo comprises everything. It is
everything. It is all that there ever was…all that there ever
will be. It has always been, and it always will be. Life has
never come from any other source. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
is permanent and constant. It is only the form of Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo which changes.
72

Reincarnation and Karma
Many Buddhist sutras teach about people dying

and being reborn as someone else. There are many
examples in the sutra and sacred writings of Nichiren
Daishonin 23 where Shakyamuni speaks of his previous
lives. For instance, in one of his previous lives he was born
as Bodhisattva Jofukyo24 , and at another time as Sessen
Doji.25 When we hear these stories we may think, “I, myself
will reincarnate as a particular human being.” But I don’t
think that’s the case.
Someone asked me whether the butterflies which
appeared emerging out of the rubble of the World Trade
Center a month after 9/11 were an incarnation of the
human beings who had died on 9/11. To be honest, as a
human being, I don’t know if they were or not.
Back in the 13th century, during Nichiren
Daishonin’s time, there were three farmers from Atushara
Village who were persecuted for being followers of the
Daishonin. They were eventually beheaded by the
23 Sacred writings of Nichiren Daishonin – the Buddhist term is

gosho.
24 Bodhisattva Jofukyo – (or Fukyo) Bodhisattva Never Despise
whose story appears in the 20th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

25 Sessen Doji – a hermit who in practicing austerities in pursuit
of enlightenment encountered a demon who taught him the Law.

73

government for their beliefs. Their lives disappeared from
this world, but their spirits merged into the greater
universe, which includes all physical aspects of the
universe as well as all spiritual, unseen aspects of the
universe within the three time periods of past, present and
future. In Buddhism this “greater universe” is known as
sanzen daisen sekai. The lives of the three farmers fused with
this greater universe, and from there manifested into a
different form of life. That different form of life could be
human or any other form of life. This is Nichiren
Daishonin’s teaching of the disappearance and
manifestation of life.
There is not a direct linkage between one person
dying and another person appearing; it is more dynamic
than that. One life disappears, merges into the life of the
greater universe, and then from the greater universe
another life will re-form and appear as a human being.
When we die and disappear from this physical
world and merge into the universe, we lose our identity as
a particular life form, a particular shape, a particular color,
a particular smell, etc. Everything disappears and our
spirit merges into the greater universe. This is a difficult
concept to explain, but here is an example: If I were to
smash a cookie, it would disintegrate into small, tiny
particles which we call atoms and molecules. The same
74

would happen if we were to smash, let’s say a radio. If we
smashed a radio, it would also be reduced to atoms and
molecules, as well. Can the atoms resulting from the
smashing of the radio and the atoms resulting from the
smashing of the cookie be distinguished, one from the
other? I would have to say, no.
Likewise, the particles that compose the form of
one human being or an object will merge into the universe
and lose their individual identity. Hence no longer will I
have the identity of myself, and no longer will you have
the identity of who you are in this life.
One might wonder how karma figures into all of
this. Karma consists of many, many, factors. Karma is not
just you in isolation. Many components make us who we
are, such as parents, family, society, country, history, etc.
The same is true of karma. I am one member of a family.
Being a member of a particular family contributes one type
of karma to me. A cluster of karmas make us who we are.
Or one may ask what about collective karma as
opposed to individual karma?
Even though we use such terms as “collective
karma” and “individual karma”, there are not clear lines
between the two. In terms of what we call ichinen sanzen, it
all comes down to one large entity of karma. Individual
karma can be considered as part of it.
75

Let me explain further. If you are in a family, you
look at other members of your family and say, “That’s my
family.” Another member of your family looks at you and
the other members and says, “That’s my family.” In that
sense the individual and the collective or the whole are
indistinguishable. Yet all your combined factors make you
very unique. The same can be said of karma.
The lives of different individuals merge into the
universe without discrimination between believers of
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism and non-believers, or how one
lived in a previous life. We all merge into a collective
whole. If we approached our daily prayer from
Daishonin’s perspective, our attitude would be that we
want to positively influence others. It is not our aspiration
to make a distinction between those who chant and those
who do not, with the attitude that those who chant are
superior to others. We are all the same. When we chant,
we are not chanting just for ourselves. We are chanting for
others to chant with us so that the power we gain from
chanting can be shared with others. The intention being
that when we all fuse into the greater universe, the
collective whole will have a greater infusion of Namu-
myoho-renge-kyo.
We all live in this society as individuals and have
points of view different from one another. The Namu-
76

myoho-renge-kyo which we chant is so powerful that it can
influence not only the limited environment in which we
live, but can influence the entire universe. One may not
necessarily want to merge into a collective group with
others, but each of us has enough power to influence
others. We don’t have to be influenced by others; we can
be more dynamic than others and thus influence them.
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo is more influential than anything.
That entity that is the core of our hearts, the core of
our lives is the thing that connects each of us to the life of
Buddha when we chant Namu-myoho-renge-kyo to
Gohonzon. For instance, sometimes we may feel that we
don’t want to do Gongyo but we do it anyway. Because we
do it, our lives begin to feel energized. That feeling comes
about because the core of our hearts has been activated
and energized as a result of connecting to Gohonzon. That
life or that core, which I am attempting to describe,
unfortunately cannot be described in a succinct way.
That’s why I made reference to atoms and molecules. The
core of our hearts is an intangible. That feeling of being
energized is the feeling we want to achieve when we chant.
We chant to become closer to the Buddha in our hearts.
77

Desires are Enlightenment
(Bono Soku Bodai)
The essential nature of this age is good and evil.

Good and evil are as intermingled as milk in coffee. When
you add milk to coffee, the milk mixes and becomes
inseparable. Desires (bonno) and enlightenment (bodai) are
the same. They are inseparable. This Buddhist principle is
referred to as bono soku bodai – desires are enlightenment.
A single statement made by an individual can be
taken as a great declaration by one person, and an
outrageous lie by another person. Just one single
statement can be viewed in very different ways.
In his early teachings, Shakyamuni taught that
negative thoughts had to be eliminated and, that one
needed to purify one’s mind to attain enlightenment. But
in the Lotus Sutra, taught at the very end of Shakyamuni’s
teachings, he said there needs to be a law by which anyone
can become enlightened, because no one can separate good
and evil from one’s life. The law, therefore, has to be
powerful enough to enlighten life where good and evil co-
exist indivisibly.
Shakyamuni illustrated this well in the 12th chapter
of the Lotus Sutra. As the story goes, Shakyamuni’s cousin,
78

Devadatta 26 was jealous of the Buddha and tried on
numerous occasions to kill him and usurp his position. On
one occasion Devadatta tried to roll a boulder on the
Buddha to crush him. At another time he unleashed a wild
elephant in an attempt to trample him. While he never
succeeded at killing Shakyamuni, Devadatta committed
himself to the path of evil until the very last day of his life.
In the end, while attempting to kill the Buddha with
fingernails saturated with snake venom, Devadatta
plunged into a crevice in the earth created during an
earthquake. Just before he fell Shakyamuni urged him to
take faith. Perhaps out of fear Devadatta tried, but
unfortunately only managed to utter, “Namu” 27 as he
plunged to his death. It is said he went straight to hell.
Shakyumuni, with his supernatural powers, visited
Devadatta in hell and encouraged him to follow the Law.
The Buddha predicted that Devadatta would become
Heavenly King Buddha in a future life. And as Heavenly
26 Devadatta – In their youth Siddhartha (Shakyamuni) and

Devadatta fell in love with the same woman, the beautiful
princess Yashodhara. Siddhartha won her hand in marriage.
Devadatta never forgave him, hence discord ensued between
them.
27 Namu- devotion
79

King Buddha he would live in a world called Heavenly
Way and abide there for 20 kalpas.28
Shakyamuni’s followers were surprised and even
angered at Shakyamuni’s treatment of Devadatta.
Devadatta had attempted to kill the Buddha on numerous
occasions, and yet, the Buddha tried to save him. This the
disciples could not understand. Shakyamuni explained his
actions, saying, “Devadatta was my teacher in a past life.
Thanks to his guidance I was able to become enlightened.
Now I can show my appreciation to him.”
We learn from this that within the three existences
of past, present and future good and evil have an
inseparable nature. Thus, it is not just in the present time,
it is consistent through the three existences.
There are many, many parables throughout the
sutras of Shakyamuni that emphasize this point. Another
28Kalpa – In “Letter to Horen” (Major Writings Vol. 7) Nichiren

Daishonin defines kalpa as follows. “Suppose that the span of
human life is eighty thousand years, and that it decreases one
year every hundred years, or ten years every thousand years. Let
us suppose that it decreases at this rate until the life span has
reached ten years….Then the process would reverse, and after a
hundred years, the life span would increase to eleven years, and,
after another hundred years to twelve years. After a thousand
years it would have increased to twenty years, and this would
continue until it once more reached eighty thousand years. The
time required to complete this combined process of decrease and
increase is called a kalpa.”
80

example is Kishibojin, 29 who had countless children.
Although she herself was a mother of many children, she
kidnapped the children of other mothers and ate them, or
fed them to her own children. Shakyamuni Buddha taught
her a lesson by kidnapping and hiding one of her children.
Through the agony she suffered from the loss of her own
child Kishibojin came to realize the pain she had inflicted
on other parents. From that moment on she vowed to be a
protector of children. As a result, she became a Buddhist
god30, protecting the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra.
There are many stories of transformations from bad
to good. Even within the same individual’s lifetime there
can be actions taken that lead in a completely different
direction. So again there is this indivisible nature of good
and evil within our lives.
By the same measure can we view the indivisibility
and interrelatedness of our desires and enlightenment.
That is the meaning of bonno soku bodai (desires are
enlightenment). This concept, that one individual has an
inseparable good and evil nature, was only taught in the
29 Kishibojin – also Kishimojin – the mother-of-devils or the

goddess of children. She appears in the 26th chapter of the Lotus
Sutra.
30 Buddhist god – force of nature.
81

Lotus Sutra. The idea of desires are enlightenment may
sound like a contradiction, but it’s not. It is true.
On Vegetarianism
Vegetables are like people. It is not right to think

that you can eat vegetables but not animals. Vegetables,
animals, they are all life. If you are concerned about eating
a living thing, you have to realize that all things that we
need to nourish our bodies are alive or have had life. If you
think this way, you would have to eliminate everything.
There is scientific proof that when a cabbage, for example,
is being cut, the cabbage signals telepathically through
electric energy that it hurts. A plant has the same life value
as an animal. It is wrong to think that you can eat a
vegetable, but should not eat an animal, unless of course it
is for medical reasons.
82

What happens to our life if we don’t
practice true Buddhism?
Let’s compare electricity to the Law of Namu-

myoho-renge-kyo. For those who practice, the flow of the
ultimate Law of life is always turned on. Namu-myoho-
renge-kyo is there. It’s always there, even in death. But if
you don’t know how to turn on the switch, you can’t see.
You are operating in the dark and you don’t know which
way to go. You will therefore be relegated to a lower state
of existence in your next life. That’s why it is so important
for us to chant for those who have passed away—to open
their lives, or to keep their lives open to the flow of this
electricity—the flow of the Law.
83

84

VII
A Parable
85

Kankucho
High, high above miles and miles of untamed

wilderness rises the impossible to reach Snow Mountains.
Here bears roam freely, snagging fish from clear mountain
streams. Snow leopards prey on deer. Snakes and vipers
slither through trees and glide over the forest floor.
Without warning, geysers shoot sky-high streams
of steamy mist, while unseen pools of quicksand lie in wait
under fallen leaves to swallow up unsuspecting victims.
What cathedral could look more majestic, or look
more dominant? What cathedral could be more pure than
these ever-white mountains, whose peaks are solid gold
spires when reflecting the rising and setting sun? These
mountains are bewitching, and awesome, beckoning all to
come see.
Living atop a tree, high above the dangers of these
incomparable mountains is a bird named Kankucho. His
name reflects his extraordinary beauty; a beauty which is
as fleeting as the brief but vivid life of a butterfly.
When the sun goes down in the Snow Mountains,
bitter cold sets in. The winds swirl the heavily falling snow,
and lash and twist and eventually snap the brittle bows of
trees. Kankucho sits at the end of a wisp of a branch,
shivering and quaking as if he is permanently locked in
86

the eight freezing hells. Ice forms on his back. And when
he cries, frozen tears quickly pile up like stalactites down
his face.
Kankucho’s shrill and plaintive cries pierce the
night. “My suffering is the deepest suffering of all,” he
laments. “My plight in this world is the most dreadful.”
His agony is intense. So overwhelmed by it is he that he
promises himself, “Tomorrow, at day break, I will build a
warm, comfortable nest. This I will do without fail. Never,
ever will I freeze again!”
In the morning the sun rises. Its glow turns the icy
mountain peaks to golden spires and caresses Kankucho.
Gradually the bird thaws out and falls asleep. His sleep is
deep and untroubled. As the day grows longer, Kankucho
awakens content and warm, and trills a song of
cheerfulness. He fluffs his downy feathers, and hops along
his bow to locate a more comfortable place. Looking down
below in the tangled jungle thicket, he searches for what
will entertain him for the rest of day. Yonder a bear catches
a fish. Nearby a leopard claws a rabbit. From high up on
his perch Kankucho witnesses other creatures playing
games of life and death throughout the forest. Sitting at the
top of the world on his wisp of a branch, Kankucho finds
all is safe and secure, right and warm in the world. There
is nothing that threatens or distresses him.
87

Day in and day out, this is what Kankucho does.
He spends his days in comfort, and never gives a thought
to building his nest. When evening descends on the Snow
Mountains the bitter cold sets in, and Kankucho’s shrill,
woeful cries are heard piercing the white nights all the rest
of his life.
Nichiren Daishonin used Kankucho as a metaphor
to exemplify the life of human beings who are negligent
and squander their lives pursuing meaningless things such
as fame and fortune. We should use our lives instead to
practice the Buddha’s Law, seek the Buddha-nature within,
and follow the principles of Buddhism to live a fulfilling
and purposeful life. If we don’t, we will repeat our
sufferings again and again and again.
88

SOURCES
Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts, Nichiren Shoshu

International Center, Tokyo, 1983.
Discussions with Nichiren Shoshu Shoshin-kai priest

Reverend Raido Hirota.
The Life of Nichiren Daishonin, Yasuji Kirimura, Nichiren

Shoshu International Center, Tokyo, 1980.
The Lotus Sutra, Senchu Murano, Nichiren Shu, Tokyo,

1974.
The Lotus Sutra, Translated by Burton Watson, Columbia

University Press, New York, 1993
The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volumes 1-7,

Nichiren Shoshu International Center, Tokyo, 1979-1994.
The Middle Way, Udumbara Foundation, Westport, CT.,

1995-2009
www.udumbarafoundation.org
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The Language of

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II. The Lineage of Buddhism 19

III. Nichiren Shoshu 37

IV. Elements of Practice 53

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VI. Other Concepts and Thoughts 67

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I want to express my deepest gratitude to those

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1 Gassho – hands clasped together in veneration or respect.

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2 Bodhisattva Jofukyo – Bodhisattva Never Despise.

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What is Buddhism? What is a Buddha? What is the

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Buddhism in General and Specific

Generally speaking, Buddhism is a system of

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Dharma is a Sanskrit word, which means Ho in

3 Pronounced- Nanmeo – ho – ren – gay – key-o.

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When the Law and the person merge, and the

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Christians believe that man is basically evil, and

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The Lineage of Buddhism

It is generally believed that there is only one

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During the prehistoric ages of this world—before

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The Four Noble Truths

Many people who are not familiar with Buddhism

4Hinayana – Theravada Buddhism (Lesser Vehicle) primarily

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5The Flower Garland Sutra – (Skt) Avatamasaka Sutra. (Jp) Kegon

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All of Shakyamuni’s teachings over the course of

6 World Honored One – an honorific title of the Buddha

Headquarters, Tokyo, pp. 175-176

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The Eternal Buddha made his appearance about

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10 The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. One, pp. 221-222.

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