Gosho passage - March 31, 2014

"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 Volume I, page 217)

Gosho passage - March 30, 2014

"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 - March 29, 2014

"There should be no discrimination among those who propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo in the Latter Day of the Law, be they men or women. Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku. At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well. Does this not signify “emerging from the earth”?"

From Gosho "The True Aspect of All Phenomena" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 385)

Gosho passage - March 28, 2014

"You have neither sons nor reliable brothers. You have only your two fiefs. This life is like a dream. One cannot be sure that one will live until tomorrow. However wretched a beggar you might become, never disgrace the Lotus Sutra."

From Gosho "A Warning against Begrudging One’s Fief" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 824)

Gosho passage - March 27, 2014

"As for the meaning of Myoho-renge-kyo: The Buddha nature inherent in us, ordinary people; the Buddha nature of Brahma-, Shakra, and the other deities; the Buddha nature of Sha-riputra, Maudgalya-yana, and the other voice-hearers; the Buddha nature of Manjushri-, Maitreya, and the other bodhisattvas; and the Mystic Law that is the enlightenment of the Buddhas of the three existences, are one and identical. This principle is called Myoho-renge-kyo."

From Gosho "Those Initially Aspiring to the Way" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 887)

Gosho passage - March 26, 2014

"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 Volume I, page 1002)

Gosho passage - March 25, 2014

"Wise men can perceive the cause of things, as snakes know the way of snakes. When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs"

From Gosho "The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind " (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 376)

Gosho passage - March 24, 2014

"To accept is easy; to continue is difficult. But Buddhahood lies in continuing faith. Those who uphold this sutra should be prepared to meet difficulties. It is certain, however, that they will “quickly attain the unsurpassed Buddha way.” To “continue” means to cherish Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the most important principle for all the Buddhas of the three existences."

From Gosho "The Difficulty of Sustaining Faith" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 471)

Gosho passage - March 23, 2014

"The characters of this sutra are all without exception living Buddhas of perfect enlightenment. But because we have the eyes of ordinary people, we see them as characters. For instance, hungry spirits perceive the Ganges River as fire, human beings perceive it as water, and heavenly beings perceive it as amrita. Though the water is the same, it appears differently according to one’s karmic reward from the past."

From Gosho "Reply to the Lay Priest Soya" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 486)

Gosho passage - March 21, 2014

"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 Volume I, page 299)

Gosho passage - March 20, 2014

"Concerning prayer, there are conspicuous prayer and conspicuous response, conspicuous prayer and inconspicuous response, inconspicuous prayer and inconspicuous response, and inconspicuous prayer and conspicuous response. But the only essential point is that, if you believe in this sutra, all your desires will be fulfilled in both the present and the future. "

From Gosho "Letter to the Lay Priest Domyo" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 750)

Gosho passage - March 19, 2014

"Were it not for the presence of the “Life Span” chapter among all the teachings of Shakyamuni, they would be like the heavens without the sun and moon, a kingdom without a king, the mountains and seas without treasures, or a person without a soul. This being so, without the “Life Span” chapter, all the sutras would be meaningless. Grass without roots will die in no time, and a river without a source will not flow far. [...] Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the heart of the “Life Span” chapter, is the mother of all Buddhas throughout the ten directions and the three existences."

From Gosho "The Essence of the “Life Span” Chapter" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 184)

Gosho passage - March 18, 2014

"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 - March 17, 2014

"The mighty warrior General Li Kuang, whose mother had been devoured by a tiger, shot an arrow at the stone he believed was the tiger. The arrow penetrated the stone all the way up to its feathers. But once he realized it was only a stone, he was unable to pierce it again. Later he came to be known as General Stone Tiger. This story applies to you. Though enemies lurk in wait for you, your resolute faith in the Lotus Sutra has forestalled great dangers before they could begin. Realizing this, you must strengthen your faith more than ever."

From Gosho "General Stone Tiger" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 953)

Gosho passage - March 15, 2014

"Because the Lotus Sutra is difficult to believe, the Buddha assumes various forms, such as that of one’s child, parent, or wife, to enable one to take faith in it. However, you have no children and live alone as husband and wife. The sutra states, “The living beings in it [the threefold world] are all my children.” If this is so, then Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, must be a compassionate father to both of you. I, Nichiren, must be your child [...] The meritorious deeds you have accumulated in previous existences are indeed precious."

From Gosho "Reply to the Lay Priest of Ko" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 491)

Gosho passage - March 14, 2014

"The old fox never forgets the hillock where he was born; the white turtle repaid the kindness he had received from Mao Pao. If even lowly creatures know enough to do this, then how much more should human beings! [...] What can we say, then, of persons who are devoting themselves to Buddhism? Surely they should not forget the debts of gratitude they owe to their parents, their teachers, and their country. But if one intends to repay these great debts of gratitude, one can hope to do so only if one learns and masters Buddhism, becoming a person of wisdom. "

From Gosho "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 690)

Gosho passage - March 13, 2014

"Thus, if it is for the sake of the Lotus Sutra, no matter what may occur, one should never turn one’s back. The Buddha “in a loud voice addressed all the four kinds of believers, saying, ‘Who is capable of broadly preaching the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law in this saha- world?’” When they responded with the thought, “I am, I am!” the Buddha admonished the nuns and laywomen as many as three times, saying that, if they desired to repay their debt to all the Buddhas, they should persevere through any difficulty to spread the Lotus Sutra in this saha- world after his passing."

From Gosho "Reply to the Lay Nun Myoho" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1105)

Gosho passage - March 12, 2014

"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 Volume I, page 756)

Gosho passage - March 11, 2014

"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 Volume I, page 452)

Gosho passage - March 10, 2014

"It is rare to be born a human being. The number of those endowed with human life is as small as the amount of earth one can place on a fingernail. Life as a human being is hard to sustain—as hard as it is for the dew to remain on the grass. But it is better to live a single day with honor than to live to 120 and die in disgrace. Live so that all the people of Kamakura will say in your praise that Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon-no-jo is diligent in the service of his lord, in the service of Buddhism, and in his concern for other people. More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the 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!"

From Gosho "The Three Kinds of Treasure" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 851)

Gosho passage - March 9, 2014

" It is said that, if a teacher has a good disciple, both will gain the fruit of Buddhahood, but if a teacher fosters a bad disciple, both will fall into hell. If teacher and disciple are of different minds, they will never accomplish anything. [...] You should always talk with each other to free yourselves from the sufferings of birth and death and attain the pure land of Eagle Peak, where you will nod to each other and speak in one mind."

From Gosho "Flowering and Bearing Grain" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 909)

Gosho passage - March,8 2014

"A woman who makes offerings to such a Gohonzon invites happiness in this life, and in the next, the Gohonzon will be with her and protect her always. Like a lantern in the dark, like a strong guide and porter on a treacherous mountain path, the Gohonzon will guard and protect you, Nichinyo, wherever you go."

From Gosho "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 832)

Gosho passage - March 7, 2014

"When one gives things to others, one livens people’s complexions, gives them strength, and enables them to prolong life. When one lights a torch for someone at night, one brings light not only to another person but to oneself as well. Likewise, when one livens other people’s complexions, one livens one’s own too, when one gives them strength, one gives oneself strength too, when one prolongs their lives, one prolongs one’s own life as well. "

From Gosho "On Clothing and Food" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 1066)

Gosho passage - March 6, 2014

"The sage said: “The human heart is like water that assumes the shape of whatever vessel it occupies, and the nature of beings is like the reflection of the moon undulating on the waves. Now you insist that you will be firm in this faith, but another day you are bound to waver. Though devils and demons may come to tempt you, you must not allow yourself to be distracted. The heavenly devil hates the Buddha’s Law, and the non-Buddhist believers resent the path of the Buddhist teachings. But you must be like the golden mountain that glitters more brightly when scraped by the wild boar, like the sea that encompasses all the various streams, like the fire that burns higher when logs are added, or like the ka-lakula insect that grows bigger when the wind blows. If you follow such examples, then how can the outcome fail to be good?”"

From Gosho "A Sage and an Unenlightened Man" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 134)

Gosho passage - March 5, 2014

"Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago, the Lotus Sutra that leads all people to Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way different or separate from one another. To chant Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the ultimate Law of life and death. This is a matter of the utmost importance for Nichiren’s disciples and lay supporters, and this is what it means to embrace the Lotus Sutra."

From Gosho "The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 216)

Gosho passage - March 4, 2014

"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 Volume I, page 444)

Gosho passage - March 3, 2014

"The Lotus Sutra is the staff that helps all the Buddhas of the three existences as they set their minds on enlightenment. However, you should rely on Nichiren as your staff and pillar. When one uses a staff, one will not fall on treacherous mountain paths or rough roads, and when led by the hand, one will never stumble. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will be your staff to take you safely over the mountains of death."

From Gosho "The Swords of Good and Evil" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 451)

Gosho passage - March,1 2014

"Continue your practice without backsliding until the final moment of your life, and when that time comes, behold! When you climb the mountain of perfect enlightenment and gaze around you in all directions, then to your amazement you will see that the entire realm of phenomena is the Land of Tranquil Light. The ground will be of lapis lazuli, and the eight paths will be set apart by golden ropes. Four kinds of flowers will fall from the heavens, and music will resound in the air. All Buddhas and bodhisattvas will be present in complete joy, caressed by the breezes of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. The time is fast approaching when we too will count ourselves among their number. But if we are weak in faith, we will never reach that wonderful place. " 

From Gosho "The Fourteen Slanders" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 761)