Gosho Passage - December 14, 2025

"The sun is brilliant, and the moon, clear. The words of the Lotus Sutra are brilliant and clear, clear and brilliant, like the reflection of a face in a bright mirror, or the image of the moon on clear water. Yet could the Thus Come One’s pronouncement “In this present existence they will gain the reward of good fortune,” or his proclamation “In this present existence he will have manifest reward for it” possibly be empty only for Nanjo Shichiro Jiro? It is certain that, even if there were an age when the sun rises in the west, or a time were to come when the moon emerges from the ground, the Buddha’s words would never prove false. Judging from this, there cannot be the least doubt that your late father is now in the presence of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, and that you will receive great blessings in your present existence. How wonderful, how splendid!"

From Gosho "Good Fortune in This Life" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, pages 654-655)

Gosho Passage - December 13, 2025

"Gold can be neither burned by fire nor corroded or swept away by water, but iron is vulnerable to both. A worthy person is like gold, a fool like iron. You are like pure gold because you embrace the “gold” of the Lotus Sutra. The sutra states, “Just as among all the mountains, Mount Sumeru is foremost, so this Lotus Sutra is likewise.” It also states, “The good fortune you gain thereby . . . cannot be burned by fire or washed away by water.”"

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

Gosho Passage - December 12, 2025

"Bodhisattva Never Disparaging’s age was the Middle Day of the Law, whereas this age is the defiled Latter Day of the Law. He was a practitioner at the initial stage of rejoicing, and I, Nichiren, am an ordinary practitioner at the stage of hearing the name and words of the truth. He sowed the seeds of Buddhahood with the twenty-four characters, while I do so with only the five characters [of Myoho-renge-kyo]. Although the ages are different, the process of attaining Buddhahood is exactly the same."

From Gosho "The Teaching, Practice, and Proof" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 474)

Gosho Passage - December 11, 2025

"When we revere Myoho-renge-kyo inherent in our own life as the object of devotion, the Buddha nature within us is summoned forth and manifested by our chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is what is meant by “Buddha.” To illustrate, when a caged bird sings, birds who are flying in the sky are thereby summoned and gather around, and when the birds flying in the sky gather around, the bird in the cage strives to get out. When with our mouths we chant the Mystic Law, our Buddha nature, being summoned, will invariably emerge. The Buddha nature of Brahma and Shakra, being called, will protect us, and the Buddha nature of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, being summoned, will rejoice. This is what the Buddha meant when he said, “If one can uphold it [the Mystic Law] even for a short while I will surely rejoice and so will the other Buddhas."

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

Gosho Passage - December 10, 2025

"When things are going smoothly in this world of ours, we suppose there is nothing to worry about, but these days the situation seems very threatening indeed. Whatever happens, however, you must not despair. Be firm in your approach, and if things should not go as you wish with regard to your lands, then determine to be more contented than ever, [...]"

From Gosho "On Polished Wheat" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 576)

Gosho Passage - December 9, 2025

"The sutra states, “The wisdom of the Buddhas is infinitely profound and immeasurable.” [...] What is meant by this “wisdom”? It is the entity of the true aspect of all phenomena, and of the ten factors of life that lead all beings to Buddhahood. What then is that entity? It is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. A commentary states that the profound principle of the true aspect is the originally inherent Myoho-renge-kyo. We learn that that true aspect of all phenomena is also the two Buddhas Shakyamuni and Many Treasures [seated together in the treasure tower]. “All phenomena” corresponds to Many Treasures, and “the true aspect” corresponds to Shakyamuni. These are also the two elements of reality and wisdom. Many Treasures is reality; Shakyamuni is wisdom. It is the enlightenment that reality and wisdom are two, and yet they are not two. These are teachings of prime importance. These are also what is called “earthly desires are enlightenment,” and “the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana.”"

From Gosho "Earthly Desires Are Enlightenment" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 317-318)

Gosho Passage - December 8, 2025

"A man who offered a mud pie to the Buddha was reborn as a king. Because the Lotus Sutra is a teaching superior to the Buddha, having made offerings to it, how could you possibly fail to both enjoy benefit in this lifetime and attain Buddhahood in the next?"

From Gosho "Daimoku as the Seed of Buddhahood" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, page 805)