Gosho passage - November 29, 2013

"If Nichiren’s compassion is truly great and encompassing, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread for ten thousand years and more, for all eternity, for it has the beneficial power to open the blind eyes of every living being in the country of Japan, and it blocks off the road that leads to the hell of incessant suffering. Its benefit surpasses that of Dengyo and T’ien-t’ai, and is superior to that of Nagarjuna and Mahakashyapa. A hundred years of practice in the Land of Perfect Bliss cannot compare to the benefit gained from one day’s practice in the impure world."

From Gosho "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 736)

Gosho passage - November 28, 2013

"How, then, are you to go about nurturing faith in the Lotus Sutra? For if you try to practice the teachings of the sutra without faith, it would be like trying to enter a jeweled mountain without hands [to pick up its treasures], or like trying to make a thousand-mile journey without feet. The answer is simply to examine the proof that is close at hand, and thus to take hold of faith that is far off."

From Gosho "Letter to Horen" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 511)

Gosho passage - November 27, 2013

"The more gold is heated in the flames, the brighter will be its color; the more a sword is whetted, the sharper it will become. And the more one praises the blessings of the Lotus Sutra, the more one’s own blessings will increase. Bear in mind that the twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra contain only a few passages elucidating the truth, but a great many words of praise."

From Gosho "The Blessings of the Lotus Sutra" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 673)

Gosho passage - November 26, 2013

"For one who summons up one’s faith and chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the profound insight that now is the last moment of one’s life, the sutra proclaims: “When the lives of these persons come to an end, they will be received into the hands of a thousand Buddhas, who will free them from all fear and keep them from falling into the evil paths of existence.” How can we possibly hold back our tears at the inexpressible joy of knowing that not just one or two, not just one hundred or two hundred, but as many as a thousand Buddhas will come to greet us with open arms!"

From Gosho "The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 217)

Gosho passage - November 25, 2013

"The function of fire is to burn and give light. The function of water is to wash away filth. The winds blow away dust and breathe life into plants, animals, and human beings. The earth produces the grasses and trees, and heaven provides nourishing moisture. The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo are also like that. They are the cluster of blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, disciples of the Buddha in his true identity."

From Gosho "The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 218)

Gosho passage - November 24, 2013

"Explaining the heart of the Lotus Sutra, the Universal Worthy Sutra says, “Without either cutting off earthly desires or separating themselves from the five desires . . .” And the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s Great Concentration and Insight reads, “Earthly desires are enlightenment; the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana.” Explaining how the Lotus Sutra surpasses all the rest of the Buddha’s lifetime of teachings, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna’s Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom says, “[The Lotus Sutra is] like a great physician who can change poison into medicine.” This passage means that while a lesser physician cures illness with medicine, a great physician cures grave illness with virulent poison."

From Gosho "The Receipt of New Fiefs" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 946)

Gosho passage - November 23, 2013

"Ultimately, all phenomena are contained within oneâ??s life, down to the last particle of dust. The nine mountains and the eight seas are encompassed in oneâ??s body, and the sun, moon, and myriad stars are found in oneâ??s life. We, however, are like a blind person who is incapable of seeing the images reflected in a mirror, or like an infant who has no fear of water or fire."

From Gosho "The Mongol Envoys" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 628)

Gosho passage - November 22, 2013

"You must never think that any of the eighty thousand sacred teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha’s lifetime or any of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions and three existences are outside yourself. Your practice of the Buddhist teachings will not relieve you of the sufferings of birth and death in the least unless you perceive the true nature of your life. If you seek enlightenment outside yourself, then your performing even ten thousand practices and ten thousand good deeds will be in vain. It is like the case of a poor man who spends night and day counting his neighbor’s wealth but gains not even half a coin."

From Gosho "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 3)

Gosho passage - November 20, 2013

"Money serves various purposes according to our needs. The same is true of the Lotus Sutra. It is a lantern in the dark or a boat at a crossing. At times it is water and, at times, fire. This being so, the Lotus Sutra assures us of “peace and security in our present existence and good circumstances in future existences.”"

From Gosho "The Swords of Good and Evil" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 452)

Gosho passage - November 19, 2013

"Myo means perfect endowment. [...] In the phrase “perfect endowment,” endowment refers to the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, while perfect means that, since there is mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, then any one world contains all the other worlds, indicating that this is “perfect.” "

From Gosho "The Opening of the Eyes" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 250)

Gosho passage - November 18, 2013

"All those who keep faith in the Lotus Sutra are most certainly Buddhas, and one who slanders a Buddha commits a grave offense."

From Gosho "The Fourteen Slanders" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 756)

Gosho passage - November 17, 2013

"My heart is where all Buddhas enter nirvana; my tongue, where they turn the wheel of the Law; my throat, where they are born into this world; and my mouth, where they attain enlightenment. Because this mountain is where this wondrous votary of the Lotus Sutra dwells, how can it be any less sacred than the pure land of Eagle Peak? This is what [The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra means when] it says, "Since the Law is wonderful, the person is worthy of respect; since the person is worthy of respect, the land is sacred.""

From Gosho "The Person and the Law" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1097)

Gosho passage - November 16, 2013

"In essence, the appearance of the treasure tower indicates that on hearing the Lotus Sutra the three groups of voice-hearers perceived for the first time the treasure tower within their own lives. Now Nichiren's disciples and lay supporters are also doing this. In the Latter Day of the Law, no treasure tower exists other than the figures of the men and women who embrace the Lotus Sutra. It follows, therefore, that whether eminent or humble, high or low, those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.are themselves the treasure tower, and, likewise, are themselves the Thus Come One Many Treasures. No treasure tower exists other than Myoho-renge-kyo. The daimoku of the Lotus Sutra is the treasure tower, and the treasure tower is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."

From Gosho "On the Treasure Tower" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 299)

Gosho passage - November 15, 2013

"I am praying that, no matter how troubled the times may become, the Lotus Sutra and the ten demon daughters will protect all of you, praying as earnestly as though to produce fire from damp wood, or to obtain water from parched ground. "

From Gosho "On Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 444)

Gosho passage - November 14, 2013

"You should not have the slightest fear in your heart. It is lack of courage that prevents one from attaining Buddhahood, although one may have professed faith in the Lotus Sutra many times since innumerable kalpas ago."

From Gosho "The Three Obstacles and Four Devils " (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 637)

Gosho passage - November 13, 2013

"In this impure and evil age, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo of the “Life Span” chapter, the heart of the essential teaching, should be planted as the seeds of Buddhahood for the first time in the hearts of all those who commit the five cardinal sins and slander the correct teaching. This is what is indicated in the “Life Span” chapter where it states, “I will leave this good medicine here. You should take it and not worry that it will not cure you.”"

From Gosho "The Teaching, Practice, and Proof " (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 473)

Gosho passage - November 12, 2013

"The eighth volume of the Lotus Sutra says, “Their wishes will not be in vain, and in this present existence they will gain the reward of good fortune.” It also states, “In this present existence he will have manifest reward for it. [...] f there are any falsehoods in the Lotus Sutra, what then can people believe in?"

From Gosho "Good Fortune in This Life" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 654)

Gosho passage - November 11, 2013

"The daimoku of the Lotus Sutra is the treasure tower, and the treasure tower is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. At present the entire body of the Honorable Abutsu is composed of the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and space. These five elements are also the five characters of the daimoku. Abutsu-bo is therefore the treasure tower itself, and the treasure tower is Abutsu-bo himself. No other knowledge is purposeful."

From Gosho "On the Treasure Tower" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 299)

Gosho passage - November 10, 2013

"Therefore, the best way to attain Buddhahood is to encounter a good friend. How far can our own wisdom take us? If we have even enough wisdom to distinguish hot from cold, we should seek out a good friend. But encountering a good friend is the hardest possible thing to do. For this reason, the Buddha likened it to the rarity of a one-eyed turtle finding a floating log with a hollow in it the right size to hold him, or to the difficulty of trying to lower a thread from the Brahma heaven and pass it through the eye of a needle on the earth. Moreover, in this evil latter age, evil companions are more numerous than the dust particles that comprise the land, while good friends are fewer than the specks of dirt one can pile on a fingernail."

From Gosho "Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 598)

Gosho passage - November 9, 2013

"Though numerous, the Japanese will find it difficult to accomplish anything, because they are divided in spirit. In contrast, although Nichiren and his followers are few, because they are different in body, but united in mind, they will definitely accomplish their great mission of widely propagating the Lotus Sutra. Though evils may be numerous, they cannot prevail over a single great truth, just as many raging fires are quenched by a single shower of rain."

From Gosho "Many in Body, One in Mind" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 618)

Gosho passage - November 8, 2013

"Question: The “Expedient Means” chapter in the first volume of the Lotus Sutra states, “The true aspect of all phenomena [can only be understood and shared between Buddhas. This reality consists of the appearance, nature . . . and] their consistency from beginning to end.” What does this passage mean? Answer: It means that all beings and environments in the Ten Worlds, from hell, the lowest, to Buddhahood, the highest, are without exception manifestations of Myoho-renge-kyo."

From Gosho "The True Aspect of All Phenomena" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 383)

Gosho passage - November 7, 2013

"After I [the Buddha] have passed into extinction, in the last fivehundredyear period you must spread it abroad widely throughout Jambudvipa and never allow it to be cut off, nor must you allow evil devils, the devils’ people, heavenly beings, dragons, yakshas, or kumbhanda demons to seize the advantage! [...] Since the sutra’s prediction was not made in vain, then it is certain that all the people of Japan will chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!"

From Gosho "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 736-737)

Gosho passage - November 6, 2013

"A waterfall called the Dragon Gate exists in China. Its waters plunge a hundred feet, swifter than an arrow shot by a strong warrior. It is said that a great many carp gather in the basin below, hoping to climb the falls, and that any that succeeds will turn into a dragon. Not a single carp, however, out of a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand, can climb the falls, not even after ten or twenty years. Some are swept away by the strong currents, some fall prey to eagles, hawks, kites, and owls, and others are netted, scooped up, or even shot with arrows by fishermen who line both banks of the falls ten cho wide. Such is the difficulty a carp faces in becoming a dragon. [...] Attaining Buddhahood is no easier than for men of low status to enter court circles, or for carp to climb the Dragon Gate."

From Gosho "The Dragon Gate" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1002)

Gosho passage - November 5, 2013

"If we understand that our life at this moment is myo, then we will also understand that our life at other moments is the Mystic Law. This realization is the mystic kyo, or sutra. The Lotus Sutra is the king of sutras, the direct path to enlightenment, for it explains that the entity of our life, which manifests either good or evil at each moment, is in fact the entity of the Mystic Law. If you chant myoho-renge-kyo with deep faith in this principle, you are certain to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime."

From Gosho "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 4)

Gosho passage - November 4, 2013

"Shakyamuni Buddha, who has attained perfect enlightenment, is our own flesh and blood. His practices and the resulting virtues are our bones and marrow. [...] Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions represent the world of Buddhahood within ourselves. By searching them out within us, we can receive the benefits of all these Buddhas."

From Gosho "The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind " (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 365)

Gosho passage - November 3, 2013

"Among my disciples, those who think themselves well versed in Buddhism are the ones who make errors. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the heart of the Lotus Sutra. It is like the soul of a person. [...] It can only be a cause for disaster. This teaching was not propagated in the Former or Middle Day of the Law because the other sutras had not yet lost their power of benefit. Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, neither the Lotus Sutra nor the other sutras lead to enlightenment. Only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can do so. "

From Gosho "The Teaching for the Latter Day" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 903)

Gosho passage - November 2, 2013

"As I have often mentioned before, it is said that, where there is unseen virtue, there will be visible reward. Your fellow samurai all slandered you to your lord, and he also has wondered if it was true, but because you have for some years now honestly maintained a strong desire for your lord’s welfare in his next life, you received a blessing like this. This is just the beginning; be confident that the great reward also is sure to come."

From Gosho "Unseen Virtue and Visible Reward" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 907)

Gosho passage - November 1, 2013

"If you truly fear the sufferings of birth and death and yearn for nirvana, if you carry out your faith and thirst for the way, then the sufferings of change and impermanence will become no more than yesterday’s dream, and the awakening of enlightenment will become today’s reality. If only you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, then what offense could fail to be eradicated? What blessing could fail to come? This is the truth, and it is of great profundity. You should believe and accept it."

From Gosho "Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 130)