Gosho Passage - March 22, 2026

"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, 2026

"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 - March 20, 2026

"And yet, though one might point at the earth and miss it, though one might bind up the sky, though the tides might cease to ebb and flow and the sun rise in the west, it could never come about that the prayers of the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra would go unanswered."

From Gosho "On Prayer" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 345)

Gosho Passage - March 19, 2026

"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 - March 18, 2026

"And 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? [...] I would like simply to quote the words of Bodhisattva Nagarjuna, the thirteenth of the Buddha’s successors and founder of the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s line, who in explaining the word myo, or “wonderful,” in the term myoho says it is “like a great physician who can change poison into medicine.”"

From Gosho "What It Means to Hear the Buddha Vehicle" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 743)

Gosho Passage - March 17, 2026

"A good teacher is a priest who is free from any fault in secular affairs, who never fawns upon others even in the slightest, who desires and is satisfied with little, and who is compassionate; a priest who reads and upholds the Lotus Sutra precisely as it teaches and also encourages and leads others to embrace it. Such a priest the Buddha has praised among all priests as the finest teacher of the Law. A good believer is one who does not depend upon persons of eminence or despise those of humble station; who does not rely on the backing of superiors or look down on inferiors; who, not relying upon the opinions of others, upholds the Lotus Sutra among all the sutras. Such a person the Buddha has called the best of all people. As for a good teaching, the Buddha has told us that this sutra, the Lotus, represents the foremost among all doctrines. Among all the sutras the Buddha “has preached,” among those he “now preaches,” and among those he “will preach,” this sutra is designated as foremost, and therefore it is a good teaching."

From Gosho "Those Initially Aspiring to the Way [...]" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 880)

Gosho Passage - March 16, 2026

"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. Two thousand years of propagating Buddhism during the Former and Middle Days of the Law are inferior to an hour of propagation in the Latter Day of the Law. [...] “After I [the Buddha] have passed into extinction, in the last five-hundred-year 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!”"

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

Gosho Passage - March 15, 2026

"When in one’s heart one takes faith in Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the heart becomes a dwelling and Shakyamuni Buddha takes up residence there. At first one is not aware of this, but gradually, as the months go by, the Buddha in the heart begins to appear as in a dream, and one’s heart becomes bit by bit ever more joyful. "

From Gosho "The Buddha Resides in a Pure Heart" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 885)

Gosho Passage - March 14, 2026

"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 13, 2026

"The Buddha taught that one, from the very moment of one’s birth, is accompanied by two messengers, Same Birth and Same Name, who are sent by heaven and who follow one as closely as one’s own shadow, never parting from one even for an instant. These two take turns ascending to heaven to report one’s offenses and good deeds, both great and small, without overlooking the slightest detail. "

From Gosho "The Gods Same Birth and Same Name" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 316)

Gosho Passage - March 12, 2026

"There is no true happiness for human beings other than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The sutra reads, “. . . where living beings enjoy themselves at ease.” How could this passage mean anything but the boundless joy of the Law? Surely you are included among the “living beings.” “Where” means Jambudvipa, and Japan lies within Jambudvipa. Could “enjoy themselves at ease” mean anything but that both our bodies and minds, lives and environments, are entities of three thousand realms in a single moment of life and Buddhas of limitless joy?"

From Gosho "Happiness in This World" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 681)

Gosho Passage - March 11, 2026

"Now, if you wish to attain Buddhahood, you have only to lower the banner of your arrogance, cast aside the staff of your anger, and devote yourself exclusively to the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra. Worldly fame and profit are mere baubles of your present existence, and arrogance and prejudice are ties that will fetter you in the next one. Ah, you should be ashamed of them! And you should fear them, too!"

From Gosho "Embracing the Lotus Sutra" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 58-59)

Gosho Passage - March 10, 2026

"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, 2026

"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, 2026

"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, 2026

"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, 2026

"When the people all chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the wind will no longer buffet the branches, and the rain will no longer break the clods of soil. The world will become as it was in the ages of Fu Hsi and Shen Nung. In their present existence the people will be freed from misfortune and disasters and learn the art of living long. Realize that the time will come when the truth will be revealed that both the person and the Law are unaging and eternal. There cannot be the slightest doubt about the sutra’s promise of “peace and security in their present existence.”"

From Gosho "On Practicing the Buddha’s Teachings" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 392)

Gosho Passage - March 5, 2026

"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 4, 2026

"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 3, 2026

""This Gohonzon is the essence of the Lotus Sutra and the eye of all the scriptures. It is like the sun and the moon in the heavens, a great ruler on earth, the heart in a human being, the wish-granting jewel among treasures, and the pillar of a house."

From Gosho "On Upholding Faith in the Gohonzon" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 624)

Gosho Passage - March 2, 2026

"Worthy persons deserve to be called so because they are not carried away by the eight winds: prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor, praise, censure, suffering, and pleasure. They are neither elated by prosperity nor grieved by decline. The heavenly gods will surely protect one who is unbending before the eight winds. But if you nurse an unreasonable grudge against your lord, they will not protect you, not for all your prayers."

From Gosho "The Eight Winds" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 794)

Gosho Passage - March 1, 2026

"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 - February 28, 2026

"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 - February 27, 2026

"A passage from the Lotus Sutra reads that it is “the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.” Many hear about and accept this sutra, but when great obstacles arise, just as they were told would happen, few remember it and bear it firmly in mind. 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 - February 26, 2026

"Whether you chant the Buddha’s name, recite the sutra, or merely offer flowers and incense, all your virtuous acts will implant benefits and roots of goodness in your life. With this conviction you should strive in faith. The Vimalakirti Sutra states that, when one seeks the Buddhas’ emancipation in the minds of ordinary beings, one finds that ordinary beings are the entities of enlightenment, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana. It also states that, if the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds."

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

Gosho Passage - February 25, 2026

"The Nirvana Sutra teaches the principle of lessening one’s karmic retribution. If one’s heavy karma from the past is not expiated within this lifetime, one must undergo the sufferings of hell in the future, but if one experiences extreme hardship in this life [because of the Lotus Sutra], the sufferings of hell will vanish instantly. And when one dies, one will obtain the blessings of the human and heavenly worlds, as well as those of the three vehicles and the one vehicle. Bodhisattva Never Disparaging was not abused and vilified, stoned and beaten with staves without reason. He had probably slandered the correct teaching in the past. "

From Gosho "Lessening One’s Karmic Retribution" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 199)

Gosho Passage - February 24, 2026

"[...] even those who lack understanding, so long as they chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, can avoid the evil paths. This is like lotus flowers, which turn as the sun does, though the lotus has no mind to direct it, or like the plantain that grows with the rumbling of thunder, though this plant has no ears to hear it. Now we are like the lotus or the plantain, and the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra is like the sun or the thunder."

From Gosho "The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 142)

Gosho Passage - February 23, 2026

"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 - February 22, 2026

"[...] in the sixth volume of Miao-lo’s Annotations on “The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra,” in the passage that reads: “While the three thousand realms remain latent [in ordinary beings], they are all designated by the term ‘ignorance.’ But when the three thousand realms all manifest themselves as the result [of], then they are all designated by the term ‘eternal happiness.’"

From Gosho "The Entity of the Mystic Law" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 418-419)

Gosho Passage - February 21, 2026

"Both of you have continued believing in the Lotus Sutra; thus you are now ridding yourselves of your grave offenses from the past. For example, the flaws in iron come to the surface when it is forged. Put into flames, a rock simply turns to ashes, but gold becomes pure gold. This trial, more than anything else, will prove your faith genuine, and the ten demon daughters of the Lotus Sutra will surely protect you."

From Gosho "Letter to the Brothers" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 497)

Gosho Passage - February 20, 2026

"[...] what is meant by the observation of the mind? Answer: The observation of the mind means to observe one’s own mind and to find the Ten Worlds within it. This is what is called observing the mind. For example, though we can see the six sense organs of other people, we cannot see our own. Only when we look into a clear mirror do we see, for the first time, that we are endowed with all six sense organs. Similarly, various sutras make reference here and there to the six paths and the four noble worlds [that constitute the Ten Worlds], but only in the clear mirror of the Lotus Sutra and of the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s Great Concentration and Insight can one see one’s own Ten Worlds, hundred worlds and thousand factors, and three thousand realms in a single moment of life."

From Gosho "The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 356)

Gosho Passage - February 19, 2026

"The large carriages drawn by white oxen described in the Lotus Sutra are the carriages that we and others who are votaries of the Lotus Sutra ride in. These carriages are described in detail in the “Simile and Parable” chapter of the Lotus Sutra. But when Kuma-raji-va translated that passage in the sutra he somewhat abbreviated the original, and the description is thus not given in full. The Sanskrit text from India describes in greater detail the adornments on the carriages and similar matters as well as 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. [...] Those persons who come after me will ride in these carriages and journey to Eagle Peak. And I, Nichiren, riding in the same kind of carriage, will come out to greet them."

From Gosho "On the Large Carriages Drawn by White Oxen" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 976)

Gosho Passage - February 18, 2026

"One who studies the teachings of Buddhism must not fail to repay the four debts of gratitude. According to the Contemplation on the Mind-Ground Sutra, the first of the four debts is that owed to all living beings. Were it not for them, one would find it impossible to make the vow to save innumerable living beings. Moreover, but for the evil people who persecute bodhisattvas, how could those bodhisattvas increase their merit?"

From Gosho "The Four Debts of Gratitude" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 43)

Gosho Passage - February 17, 2026

"It is impossible to fathom one's karma. Iron, when heated in the flames and pounded, becomes a fine sword. Worthies and sages are tested by abuse. My present exile is not because of any secular crime. It is solely so that I may expiate in this lifetime my past grave offenses and be freed in the next from the three evil paths."

From Gosho "Letter from Sado" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 303)

Gosho Passage - February 16, 2026

"The Lotus Sutra is made up of 69,384 characters. Though in our eyes each individual character may appear to be no more than a character in black ink, in the Buddha’s eyes, each one is a Buddha. For example, a ruler called King Golden Grains turned sand into gold. A man named Mahanama turned rocks into gems. Wood immersed in the Spring of Jewels changes into lapis lazuli. Waters that enter the sea all become salty. Birds that approach Mount Sumeru turn golden-hued. Agada medicine changes poison into medicine. And the wonder of the Lotus Sutra is also like that; it changes ordinary people into Buddhas."

From Gosho "Offerings for the Object of Devotion" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 671)

Gosho Passage - February 15, 2026

"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 - February 14, 2026

"White face powder has the power to make black lacquer as white as snow. Any color approaching Mount Sumeru takes on a golden hue. One who upholds the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra transforms the black lacquer of the evil deeds of a lifetime, and of countless kalpas of lifetimes in the past, into the great merit of good deeds. All the more so is this true of one’s good roots from the beginningless past, which all take on a golden hue."

From Gosho "The Importance of the Moment of Death" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, page 760)

Gosho Passage - February 13, 2026

"Though I may be a person of little ability, I have reverently given myself to the study of the Mahayana. A blue fly, if it clings to the tail of a thoroughbred horse, can travel ten thousand miles, and the green ivy that twines around the tall pine can grow to a thousand feet. I was born as the son of the one Buddha, Shakyamuni, and I serve the king of scriptures, the Lotus Sutra. How could I observe the decline of the Buddhist Law and not be filled with emotions of pity and distress?"

From Gosho "On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 17)

Gosho Passage - February 12, 2026

"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 - February 11, 2026

"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 Volume I, page 3)

Gosho Passage - February 10, 2026

"I have carefully read your letter, in which you described the recent skirmish with powerful enemies. So they have finally attacked you. It is a matter of rejoicing that your usual prudence and courage, as well as your firm faith in the Lotus Sutra, enabled you to survive unharmed. When one comes to the end of one’s good fortune, no strategy whatsoever avails. When one’s karmic rewards are exhausted, even one’s retainers no longer follow one. You survived because you still have both good fortune and rewards. Moreover, in the “Entrustment” chapter, the heavenly gods and benevolent deities pledged to protect the votaries of the Lotus Sutra."

From Gosho "The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 1000)

Gosho Passage - February 9, 2026

"Be diligent in developing your faith until the last moment of your life. Otherwise you will have regrets. For example, the journey from Kamakura to Kyoto takes twelve days. If you travel for eleven but stop with only one day remaining, how can you admire the moon over the capital? No matter what, stay close to the priest who knows the heart of the Lotus Sutra, keep learning from him the principles of Buddhism, and continue your journey of faith."

From Gosho "Letter to Niike" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1027)

Gosho passage - February 8, $year$

"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 - February 7, 2026

"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 - February 6, 2026

"The men with whom you have exchanged marriage vows over the course of all your previous lifetimes must outnumber even the grains of sand in the ocean. Your vows this time, however, were ones made with your true husband. The reason is that it was due to his encouragement that you became a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra. Thus you should revere him as a Buddha. When he was alive, he was a Buddha in life, and now he is a Buddha in death. He is a Buddha in both life and death. This is what is meant by that most important doctrine called attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form. The fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra states, “If one can uphold this [sutra], one will be upholding the Buddha’s body.”"

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

Gosho Passage - February 5, 2026

"I have offered prayers to the Gohonzon of Myoho-renge-kyo. Though this mandala has but five or seven characters, it is the teacher of all Buddhas throughout the three existences and the seal that guarantees the enlightenment of all women. It will be a lamp in the darkness of the road to the next world and a fine horse to carry you over the mountains of death. It is like the sun and moon in the heavens or Mount Sumeru on earth. It is a ship to ferry people over the sea of the sufferings of birth and death. It is the teacher who leads all people to Buddhahood and enlightenment."

From Gosho "On Offering Prayers to the Mandala of the Mystic Law" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 414)

Gosho Passage - February 4, 2026

"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 - February 3, 2026

"The mind is like a skilled painter, who creates various forms made up of the five components. Thus of all the phenomena throughout the entire world, there is not a single one that is not created by the mind. The Buddha is the same in nature as the mind, and living beings are the same in nature as the Buddha. The mind, the Buddha, and all living beings these three are without distinction."

From Gosho "Errors of the Eight Schools" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume II, pages 419-420)

Gosho Passage - February 2, 2026

"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 - February 1, 2026

"You absolutely must not lament over my exile. It says in the “Encouraging Devotion” chapter and in the “Never Disparaging” chapter [that the votary of the Lotus Sutra will meet with persecution]. Life is limited; we must not begrudge it. What we should ultimately aspire to is the Buddha land."

From Gosho "Aspiration for the Buddha Land" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 214)