Monday, January 26, 2026

Gosho Passage - January 26, 2026

"Myo means to revive, that is, to return to life. [...] Because it [the Lotus Sutra] can cure what is thought to be incurable, it is called myo-, or wonderful.”"

From Gosho "The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 149)

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Gosho Passage - January 25, 2026

"What inspired Shakyamuni to devote himself to religious practice over kalpas equal in number to dust particles in an effort to attain Buddhahood? It was nothing other than the ideal of filial devotion. All the living beings of the six paths and the four forms of birth are our fathers and mothers. Therefore, as long as Shakyamuni was unable to treat them all with filial devotion, he refrained from becoming a Buddha. [...] Among the living beings of the six paths and the four forms of birth there are both men and women. And these men and women all were our parents at some point in our past existences. Therefore, as long as even one of these fails to attain Buddhahood, then we ourselves cannot become Buddhas."

From Gosho "Letter to Horen" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 512)

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Gosho Passage - January 24, 2026

"If you are unwilling to make efforts to heal yourself, it will be very difficult to cure your illness. One day of life is more valuable than all the treasures of the major world system, so first you must muster sincere faith. This is the meaning of the passage in the seventh volume of the Lotus Sutra that states that burning a finger as an offering to the Buddha and the Lotus Sutra is better than donating all the treasures of the major world system. A single life is worth more than the major world system."

From Gosho "On Prolonging One’s Life Span" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 955)

Friday, January 23, 2026

Gosho Passage - January 23, 2026

"The Law that is without distinctions is the wonderful Law of the one vehicle. It is the Law that makes no distinctions between good or evil, the Law that preaches that grass and trees, forests, mountains and rivers, the great earth or even one particle of dust all possess within themselves the full Ten Worlds. This one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law present in one’s mind pervades all the pure lands of the ten directions without exception. The blessings that adorn the living beings and the environment in the pure lands of the ten directions are present within one’s own mind and never depart from it for an instant. This is the Thus Come One of original enlightenment, the three bodies that are a single unity, and outside of this there is no Law. This single Law exists within the pure lands of the ten directions, and no other Law exists. Hence it is called a Law without distinctions."

From Gosho "The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas [...]" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 840)

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Gosho Passage - January 22, 2026

"How wondrous it is that, around two hundred years and more into the Latter Day of the Law, I was the first to reveal as the banner of propagation of the Lotus Sutra this great mandala that even those such as Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu, T’ien-t’ai and Miao-lo were unable to express. This mandala is in no way my invention. It is the object of devotion that depicts Shakyamuni Buddha, the World-Honored One, seated in the treasure tower of Many Treasures Buddha, and the Buddhas who were Shakyamuni’s emanations as perfectly as a print matches its woodblock."

From Gosho "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 831)

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Gosho Passage - January 21, 2026

"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)

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Gosho Passage - January 20, 2026

"Neither the pure land nor hell exists outside oneself; both lie only within one’s own heart. Awakened to this, one is called a Buddha; deluded about it, one is called an ordinary person. The Lotus Sutra reveals this truth, and one who embraces the Lotus Sutra will realize that hell is itself the Land of Tranquil Light."

From Gosho "Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 456)