Gosho Passage - September 2, 2025

"During the Former Day of the Law, Bodhisattva Vasubandhu and Bodhisattva Nagarjuna chanted the daimoku, but they did this solely as a practice for themselves and went no further than that. In the Middle Day of the Law Nan-yüeh and T’ien-t’ai likewise chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; they did so as a practice for their own benefit, but they did not expound it widely for others. [...] Now, however, we have entered the Latter Day of the Law, and the daimoku that I, Nichiren, chant is different from that of earlier ages. This Nam-myoho-renge-kyo encompasses both practice for oneself and the teaching of others."

From Gosho "Receiving of the Three Great Secret Laws" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 986)

Gosho Passage - September 1, 2025

"for the matter of becoming a Buddha, ordinary people keep in mind the words “earnest resolve” and thereby become Buddhas. When we carefully consider what exactly earnest resolve refers to, it is the doctrine of observing the mind. When we inquire into what exactly the doctrine of observing the mind refers to, it means that offering one’s only robe to the Lotus Sutra is equivalent to peeling off one’s skin; and that in a time of famine, offering the food that is the only means for sustaining one’s life that day to the Buddha is offering one’s life to the Buddha."

From Gosho "The Gift of Rice" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1125)

Gosho Passage - August 31, 2025

"Moreover, the Lotus Sutra states that it is “good medicine for the ills of the people of Jambudvipa.” The people of this world of Jambudvipa are suffering from illness, but they have the medicine of the Lotus Sutra. Now in your case, the three requirements are already present, so how could you fail to recover? But if you have doubts, I am powerless to help you."

From Gosho "Reply to the Lay Priest Takahashi" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 610)

Gosho Passage - August 30, 2025

"Now surely the peace of the world and the stability of the nation are sought by both ruler and subject and desired by all the inhabitants of the country. The nation achieves prosperity through the Buddhist Law, and the Law is proven worthy of reverence by the people who embrace it."

From Gosho "On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 18)

Gosho Passage - August 29, 2025

"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 - August 28, 2025

"Now, at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, Day of the Law, I, Nichiren, am the first to embark on propagating, throughout Jambudvipa, the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo, which are the heart of the Lotus Sutra and the eye of all Buddhas. During the 2,220 or more years since the Buddha’s passing, not even Mahakashyapa, Ananda, Ashvaghosha, Nagarjuna, Nan-yüeh, T’ient’ai, Miao-lo, or Dengyo has propagated them. My disciples, form your ranks and follow me, and surpass even Mahakashyapa or Ananda, T’ien-t’ai or Dengyo! If you quail before the threats of the ruler of this little island country [and abandon your faith], how will you face the even more terrible anger of Yama, the lord of hell? If, while calling yourselves the Buddha’s messengers, you give way to fear, you will be the most despicable of persons!"

From Gosho "The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pages 764-765)

Gosho Passage - August 27, 2025

"the Contemplation on the Mind-Ground Sutra states: “If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present."

From Gosho "The Opening of the Eyes" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 279)

Gosho Passage - August 26, 2025

"In this age, it is as natural for a woman to change her fixed karma by practicing the Lotus Sutra as it is for rice to ripen in fall or chrysanthemums to bloom in winter. When I prayed for my mother, not only was her illness cured, but her life was prolonged by four years. Now you too have fallen ill, and as a woman, it is all the more timely for you to establish steadfast faith in the Lotus Sutra and to see what it will do for you."

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

Gosho Passage - August 25, 2025

"[...] though one may be ignorant and make meager offerings, if one presents those offerings to a person who upholds the truth, one’s merit will be great. How much more so in the case of people who in all sincerity make offerings to the correct teaching! In addition, we live today in a time of trouble, when there is little that ordinary people can do. And yet, busy as you are, in your sincerity you have sent me thick-stemmed bamboo shoots of the moso variety as offerings to the Lotus Sutra here in the mountains. Surely you are sowing good seeds in a field of fortune. My tears never cease to flow when I think of it."

From Gosho "The Bodies and Minds of Ordinary Beings" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1134)

Gosho Passage - August 24, 2025

"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 - August 23, 2025

"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 Volume I, page 451)

Gosho Passage - August 22, 2025

"There was once a ruler in India named Ashoka the Great. He reigned over a quarter of the land of Jambudvipa and, accompanied by the dragon kings,[...] On inquiring into the previous lifetime of this great sovereign, we find that in the days of Shakyamuni Buddha there were two little boys called Virtue Victorious and Invincible who once offered the Buddha a mud pie. Because of this act of sincerity, the boy Virtue Victorious was reborn within one hundred years as King Ashoka. The Buddha is of course respectworthy, but when compared with the Lotus Sutra he is like a firefly beside the sun or moon. The superiority of the Lotus Sutra to Shakyamuni Buddha is as great as the distance from heaven to earth. Presenting offerings to the Buddha produces benefits like that. How much more so is this true of the Lotus Sutra? If such a marvelous reward was brought about by the mere offering of a mud pie, how much more will come about as a result of all your various gifts!"

From Gosho "The Two Kinds of Faith" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 899)

Gosho Passage - August 21, 2025

"The lion king is said to advance three steps, then gather himself to spring, unleashing the same power whether he traps a tiny ant or attacks a fierce animal. [...] This is what the sutra means by “the power [of the Buddhas] that has the lion’s ferocity."

From Gosho "Reply to Kyo’o" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 412)

Gosho Passage - August 20, 2025

"What is called faith is nothing unusual. Faith means putting one’s trust in the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, and the heavenly gods and benevolent deities, and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a woman cherishes her husband, as a man lays down his life for his wife, as parents refuse to abandon their children, or as a child refuses to leave its mother."

From Gosho "The Meaning of Faith" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1036)

Gosho Passage - August 19, 2025

"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 Na-ga-rjuna and Maha-ka-shyapa. 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 Volume I, page 736)

Gosho Passage - August 18, 2025

"The Lotus Sutra is both the teaching of the Buddha and the embodiment of the Buddha wisdom. If one puts sincere faith in each character and brushstroke in it, then one will become a Buddha in one’s present form. For example, a piece of white paper becomes black when dipped in black ink, and black lacquer turns white when white liquid is poured into it. Just as poison turns into medicine, so do ordinary individuals change into Buddhas. Accordingly we call it the wonderful Law."

From Gosho "The Teaching That Accords with the Buddha’s Mind" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 969)

Gosho Passage - August 17, 2025

"There is nothing to lament when we consider that we will surely become Buddhas. Even if one were to become an emperor’s consort, of what use would it be? Even if one were to be reborn in heaven, what end would it serve? Instead, you will follow the way of the dragon king’s daughter and rank with the nun Mahaprajapati. How wonderful! How wonderful! Please chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."

From Gosho "The Bow and Arrow" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 657)

Gosho Passage - August 16, 2025

"Believe in the Gohonzon, the supreme object of devotion in all of Jambudvipa. Be sure to strengthen your faith, and receive the protection of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions. Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase."

From Gosho "The True Aspect of All Phenomena" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 386)

Gosho Passage - August 15, 2025

"“As practice progresses and understanding grows, the three obstacles and four devils emerge in confusing form, vying with one another to interfere . . . One should be neither influenced nor frightened by them. If one falls under their influence, one will be led into the paths of evil. If one is frightened by them, one will be prevented from practicing the correct teaching.” This statement not only applies to me, but also is a guide for my followers. Reverently make this teaching your own, and transmit it as an axiom of faith for future generations."

From Gosho "Letter to the Brothers" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 501)

Gosho Passage - August 14, 2025

"The heart of the Lotus Sutra is the revelation that one may attain supreme enlightenment in one’s present form without altering one’s status as an ordinary person. This means that without casting aside one’s karmic impediments one can still attain the Buddha way. Thus T’ien-t’ai said, “The other sutras only predict Buddhahood . . . for the good, but not for the evil; . . . This [Lotus] sutra predicts Buddhahood for all.” And Miao-lo said, “The meaning of the perfect teaching lies solely in the fact that those who oppose can be saved as well as those who follow. In the other three teachings, the fate of these two types of people is fixed.”"

From Gosho "Reply to Hakiri Saburo" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 410)

Gosho Passage - August 13, 2025

"Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs. [...] Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month. Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils will take advantage."

From Gosho "On Persecutions Befalling the Sage" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 997)

Gosho Passage - August 12, 2025

"Today there are people who have faith in the Lotus Sutra. The belief of some is like fire while that of others is like water. When the former listen to the teachings, their passion flares up like fire, but as time goes on, they tend to discard their faith. To have faith like water means to believe continuously without ever regressing."

From Gosho "The Two Kinds of Faith" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 899)

Gosho Passage - August 11, 2025

"As for your wife’s prayers, even though she does not doubt the Lotus Sutra, I suspect that her faith may be weak. I have found that even those who appear to believe just as the sutra teaches may not actually have strong faith at all, as you are already well aware. [...]The fact that her prayers have gone unanswered is like a strong bow with a weak bowstring, or a fine sword in the hands of a coward."

From Gosho "The Royal Palace" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 489)

Gosho Passage - August 10, 2025

"A woman who embraces the lion king of the Lotus Sutra never fears any of the beasts of hell or of the realms of hungry spirits and animals. All the offenses committed by a woman in her lifetime are like dry grass, and the single character myo of the Lotus Sutra is like a small spark. When a small spark is set to a large expanse of grass, not only the grass but also the big trees and large stones will all be consumed. Such is the power of the fire of wisdom in the single character myo. Not only will all offenses vanish, but they will become sources of benefit. This is what changing poison into amrita means. For example, black lacquer will turn white when white powder is added. A woman’s offenses are like the lacquer, and the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, like the white powder."

From Gosho "The Drum at the Gate of Thunder" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 949)

Gosho Passage - August 9, 2025

"We ordinary people can see neither our own eyelashes, which are so close, nor the heavens in the distance. Likewise, we do not see that the Buddha exists in our own hearts."

From Gosho "New Year’s Gosho" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1137)

Gosho Passage - August 8, 2025

"One who listens to even a sentence or phrase of the sutra and cherishes it deep in one’s heart may be likened to a ship that crosses the sea of the sufferings of birth and death. The Great Teacher Miao-lo stated, “Even a single phrase cherished deep in one’s heart will without fail help one reach the opposite shore."

From Gosho "A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 33)

Gosho Passage - August 7, 2025

"Because I have expounded this teaching, I have been exiled and almost killed. As the saying goes, “Good advice grates on the ear.” But still I am not discouraged. The Lotus Sutra is like the seed, the Buddha like the sower, and the people like the field."

From Gosho "The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 748)

Gosho Passage - August 6, 2025

"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 Volume I, page 909)

Gosho Passage - August 5, 2025

"The wonderful means of truly putting an end to the physical and spiritual obstacles of all living beings is none other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."

From Gosho "The Wonderful Means of Surmounting Obstacles" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 842)

Gosho Passage - August 4, 2025

"When we examine this wide variety of sutras, we find that they all stress how grave a matter it is to slander the correct teaching. How pitiful that people should all go out of the gate of the correct teaching and enter so deep into the prison of these distorted doctrines! How stupid that they should fall one after another into the snares of these evil doctrines and remain for so long entangled in this net of slanderous teachings! They lose their way in these mists and miasmas, and sink down amid the raging flames of hell. How could one not grieve? How could one not suffer? Therefore, you must quickly reform the tenets that you hold in your heart and embrace the one true vehicle, the single good doctrine [of the Lotus Sutra]. If you do so, then the threefold world will become the Buddha land, and how could a Buddha land ever decline? The regions in the ten directions will all become treasure realms, and how could a treasure realm ever suffer harm? If you live in a country that knows no decline or diminution, in a land that suffers no harm or disruption, then your body will find peace and security, and your mind will be calm and untroubled. You must believe my words; heed what I say!"

From Gosho "On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 25)

Gosho Passage - August 3, 2025

"It is the nature of beasts to threaten the weak and fear the strong. Our contemporary scholars of the various schools are just like them. They despise a wise man without power, but fear evil rulers. They are no more than fawning retainers. Only by defeating a powerful enemy can one prove one’s real strength. When an evil ruler in consort with priests of erroneous teachings tries to destroy the correct teaching and do away with a man of wisdom, those with the heart of a lion king are sure to attain Buddhahood. Like Nichiren, for example. I say this not out of arrogance, but because I am deeply committed to the correct teaching."

From Gosho "Letter from Sado" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 302)

Gosho Passage - August 2, 2025

"[...] we know that the prayers offered by a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra will be answered just as an echo answers a sound, as a shadow follows a form, as the reflection of the moon appears in clear water, as a mirror collects dewdrops, as a magnet attracts iron, as amber attracts particles of dust, or as a clear mirror reflects the color of an object."

From Gosho "On Prayer" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 340)

Gosho Passage - August 1, 2025

"Though I might be offered the rulership of Japan if I would only abandon the Lotus Sutra, accept the teachings of the Meditation Sutra, and look forward to rebirth in the Pure Land, [...] whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never yield! All other troubles are no more to me than dust before the wind. I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it!"

From Gosho "The Opening of the Eyes" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 280-281)

Gosho Passage - July 31, 2025

"Every being, from the highest sage on down to the smallest mosquito or gnat, holds life to be its most precious possession. To deprive a being of life is to commit the gravest kind of sin. When the Thus Come One appeared in this world, he made compassion for living things his basis. And as an expression of compassion for life, to refrain from taking life and to provide sustenance for living beings are the most important precepts. In providing another with sustenance, one obtains three kinds of benefit. First, one sustains one’s own life. Second, one brings color to one’s face. Third, one gains strength."

From Gosho "The Blessings of the Lotus Sutra" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 667)

Gosho Passage - July 30, 2025

"Little streams come together to form the great ocean, and tiny particles of dust accumulate to form Mount Sumeru. When I, Nichiren, first took faith in the Lotus Sutra, I was like a single drop of water or a single particle of dust in all the country of Japan. But later, when two people, three people, ten people, and eventually a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, and a million people come to recite the Lotus Sutra and transmit it to others, then they will form a Mount Sumeru of perfect enlightenment, an ocean of great nirvana. Seek no other path by which to attain Buddhahood!"

From Gosho "The Selection of the Time" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 579-580)

Gosho Passage - July 29, 2025

"The deeper the roots, the more luxuriant the branches. The farther the source, the longer the stream. All sutras other than the Lotus Sutra have shallow roots and short streams, while the Lotus Sutra has deep roots and a distant source. That is why the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai stated that the Lotus Sutra would survive and spread even in the evil latter age."

From Gosho "The Farther the Source, the Longer the Stream" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 941)

Gosho Passage - July 28, 2025

"The Buddha states: “Have no fear of mad elephants. What you should fear are evil friends! Why? Because a mad elephant can only destroy your body; it cannot destroy your mind. But an evil friend can destroy both body and mind. A mad elephant can destroy only a single body, but an evil friend can destroy countless bodies and countless minds."

From Gosho "Reply to Hoshina Goro Taro" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 159)

Gosho Passage - July 27, 2025

"We ordinary beings are fettered by evil karma, earthly desires, and the sufferings of birth and death. But due to the three inherent potentials of the Buddha nature—innate Buddhahood, the wisdom to perceive it, and the actions to manifest it — we can without doubt reveal the Buddha’s three bodies — the Dharma body, the reward body, and the manifested body. The Great Teacher Dengyo states, “Through the power of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law they can do so in their present form.” He is referring to the example of the dragon king’s daughter, who achieved Buddhahood in her reptilian form through the power of the Lotus Sutra. Do not doubt this in the least."

From Gosho "The One Essential Phrase" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 923)

Gosho Passage - July 26, 2025

"if we inquire into the root of the suffering that is inflicted upon our persons, we find that it derives from the three poisons of greed, anger, and foolishness. Through the two paths of earthly desires and suffering, karma is created. And this path of karma is none other than what binds us to the realm of birth and death. We are like birds shut up in a cage. How can these three paths of earthly desires, karma, and suffering be called three causes leading to Buddhahood? You may gather together turds and try to make sandalwood of them, but they will never have the aroma of sandalwood! Answer: Your objection is quite reasonable. And rather than try to address it, I would like simply to quote the words of Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna, the thirteenth of the Buddha’s successors and founder of the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s line, who in explaining the word myō, or “wonderful,” in the term myōhō says it is “like a great physician who can change poison into medicine.” What is the poison? It is the three paths of earthly desires, karma, and suffering that are our lot. What is the medicine? It is the Dharma body, wisdom, and emancipation. And what does it mean to change poison into medicine? It means to transform the three paths into the three virtues: the Dharma body, wisdom, and emancipation. [...] This is what the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form means"

From Gosho "What It Means toHear the Buddha Vehicle for the First Time" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 743)

Gosho Passage - July 25, 2025

"If you continue living as you are now, there can be no doubt that you will be practicing the Lotus Sutra twenty-four hours a day. Regard your service to your lord as the practice of the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by “No worldly affairs of life or work are ever contrary to the true reality.” I hope you will deeply consider the meaning of this passage."

From Gosho "Reply to a Believer" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 905)

Gosho Passage - July 24, 2025

"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. It is the treasure tower adorned with the seven kinds of treasures—hearing the correct teaching, believing it, keeping the precepts, engaging in meditation, practicing assiduously, renouncing one’s attachments, and reflecting on oneself. You may think you offered gifts to the treasure tower of the Thus Come One Many Treasures, but that is not so. You offered them to yourself. You, yourself, are a Thus Come One who is originally enlightened and endowed with the three bodies. "

From Gosho "On the Treasure Tower" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, pages 299-300)

Gosho Passage - July 23, 2025

"Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are as if in winter, but winter always turns to spring. Never, from ancient times on, has anyone heard or seen of winter turning back to autumn. Nor have we ever heard of a believer in the Lotus Sutra who turned into an ordinary person. The sutra reads, “If there are those who hear the Law, then not a one will fail to attain Buddhahood.”"

From Gosho "Winter Always Turns to Spring" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 536)

Gosho Passage - July 22, 2025

"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 Volume I, page 250)

Gosho Passage - July 21, 2025

"Great events never have minor omens. When great evil occurs, great good follows. Since great slander already exists in our land, the great correct Law will spread without fail. What could any of you have to lament? Even if you are not the Venerable Mahakashyapa, you should all perform a dance. Even if you are not Shariputra, you should leap up and dance. When Bodhisattva Superior Practices emerged from the earth, did he not emerge dancing?"

From Gosho "Great Evil and Great Good" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1119)

Gosho Passage - July 20, 2025

"In essence, the entity of Myoho-renge-kyo is the physical body that the disciples and followers of Nichiren who believe in the Lotus Sutra received from their fathers and mothers at birth. Such persons, who honestly discard expedient means, put faith in the Lotus Sutra alone, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, will transform the three paths of earthly desires, karma, and suffering into the three virtues of the Dharma body, wisdom, and emancipation. The threefold contemplation and the three truths will immediately become manifest in their minds, and the place where they live will become the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light."

From Gosho "The Entity of the Mystic Law" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 420)

Gosho Passage - July 19, 2025

"A fire burns higher when logs are added, and a strong wind makes a kalakula grow larger. The pine tree lives for ten thousand years, and therefore its boughs become bent and twisted. The votary of the Lotus Sutra is like the fire and the kalakula, while his persecutions are like the logs and the wind. The votary of the Lotus Sutra is the Thus Come One whose life span is immeasurable; no wonder his practice is hindered, just as the pine tree’s branches are bent or broken. From now on, always remember the words “This sutra is hard to uphold.”"

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

Gosho Passage - July 18, 2025

"[...] when once we chant Myoho-renge-kyo, with just that single sound we summon forth and manifest the Buddha nature of all Buddhas; all existences; all bodhisattvas; all voice-hearers; all the deities such as Brahma, Shakra, and King Yama; the sun and moon, and the myriad stars; the heavenly gods and earthly deities, on down to hell-dwellers, hungry spirits, animals, asuras, human and heavenly beings, and all other living beings. This blessing is immeasurable and boundless."

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

Gosho Passage - July 17, 2025

"One’s acts of great good are nothing to rely on. If one fails to encounter the Lotus Sutra, of what avail can they be? Nor should one lament having committed acts of great evil. For if only one practices the one vehicle, then one can follow in the footsteps of Devadatta [in attaining Buddhahood]. All this is because the sutra passage that declares, “not a one will fail to attain Buddhahood,” was not spoken in vain. Some may wonder where the spirit of the late Abutsu-bo may be at this moment. But by using the clear mirror of the Lotus Sutra to reflect his image, I, Nichiren, can see him among the assembly on Eagle Peak, seated within the treasure tower of Many Treasures Buddha and facing toward the east."

From Gosho "The Treasure of a Filial Child" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1042)

Gosho Passage - July 16, 2025

"The “Expedient Means” chapter in volume one of the Lotus Sutra states, “The Buddhas wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings.” This refers to the world of Buddhahood inherent in the nine worlds. The “Life Span” chapter states: “Thus, since I attained Buddhahood, an extremely long period of time has passed. My life span is an immeasurable number of asamkhya kalpas, and during that time I have constantly abided here without ever entering extinction. Good men, originally I practiced the bodhisattva way, and the life span that I acquired then has yet to come to an end but will last twice the number of years that have already passed.” Here the sutra refers to the nine worlds inherent in Buddhahood. The sutra states, “Devadatta will be called the Thus Come One Heavenly King.” This indicates that the world of hell also contains Buddhahood"

From Gosho "The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 357)

Gosho Passage - July 15, 2025

"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. [...] As for the others, let them clamor against you far and wide. Then, if you submit the petition, it may spread throughout Kamakura, and perhaps even reach the regent himself. This would be misfortune changing into fortune. I explained the teachings of the Lotus Sutra to you before. Matters of minor importance arise from good, but when it comes to a matter of great importance, great disaster without fail changes into great fortune."

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