T2689 Kaimokushō or Liberation from Blindness

Chapter III

The Five Testimonies to the

Truthfulness of My Faith

The First Testimony

Question: Why do you say that the priests of the Nembutsu and Zen Sects are enemies of he Saddharmapundarika-sutra and that they are evil friends of all living beings? Answer: I have no intention of expressing my own opinion. I will just quote from sutras and commentaries on the sutras. The sutras and commentaries will be a mirror that reflects the ugly faces of the slanderers of the Dharma, and shows us their faults. You will be able to see their faults unless you are blind from birth. It says in the "Chapter on Beholding the Stupa of Treasures" in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, Volume IV: Thereupon Many Treasures Buddha in the stupa of treasures offered half of his seat to Sakyamuni Buddha__The great multitude saw the two Tathagatas sitting cross-legged on the lion seat in the stupa of the seven treasures. ... Sakyamuni Buddha... said to the four kinds of devotees [monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen] in a loud voice, "Who will expound the Sutra of he Lotus Flower of he Wonderful Dharma in this Saha world? Now is the time to do this. I shall enter into nirvana before long. I wish to transmit the Sutra of he Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma to someone so that this sutra may be preserved. " This is the first testimony to the truthfulness of my faith. 79

The Second Testimony

It also says in the same chapter:

Thereupon the World-honored One, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang ingathas, "The Saintly Master, the Worldhonored One, who had passed away a long time ago, came riding in the stupa of treasures to hear the Dharma direct from me. Could anyone who sees him not make efforts to hear the Dharma?... The Replica-Buddhas as innumerable as there are sands in the Ganges River also came here from their wonderful worlds, parting from their disciples, and giving up the offerings made to them by gods, men, and dragons, in order to hear the Dharma... and to have the Dharma preserved forever.... Wonderful fragrance is sent forth from the bodies of those Buddhas to the worlds of the ten quarters. The living beings of those worlds smell the fragrance joyfully just as the branches of a tree bend before a strong wind. Those Buddhas employ these expedients in order to have the Dharma preserved forever. " [The Buddha said to the great multitude,] "Who will protect, keep, read, and recite this sutra after my extinction? Make a vow before me to do this!"

This is the second testimony to the truthfulness of my faith. The Third Testimony

It goes on to say:

Many Treasures Tathagata and I, and the Replica-Buddhas who have assembled here, wish to know who will do all this.... Good men! Think this over clearly! It is difficult to expound this sutra. Make a great vow to do this! It is not difficult to expound all the other sutras, as many as there are sands in the Ganges River. It is not difficult to grasp Mount Sumeru and hurl it to a distance of countless 80

Chapter III

Buddha worlds.... It is difficult to expound this sutra in the evil world after my extinction.... It is not difficult to shoulder a load of hay and stay unburned in the fire at the end of the kalpa of destruction. It is difficult to keep this sutra and expound it to even one person after my extinction.... Good men! Who will keep, read, and recite this sutra after my extinction? Make a vow before me to do all this! This is the third testimony to the truthfulness of my faith. The fourth and fifth testimonies will be quoted from the "Chapter on Devadatta, " as you will see later.

The meaning of these three testimonies is as clear as the sun in the blue sky or as moles on a white face. But it is difficult for a blind-born, squint-eyed, or one-eyed man, or one who thinks that his teacher is the wisest, or a prejudiced man, to understand it. Therefore, to those who seek enlightenment, I will explain it in more detail no matter how much I may be persecuted for doing so. [It is very difficult to meet the true teaching of the Buddha.] It is more difficult than it is for the peach plants of Queen Hsi-wangmu (Sei-o-bo) to bear fruit or for the udumbara flowers of he wheelturning holy king to bloom.

[History tells us that there were heated controversies between the propagators of the true teaching of the Buddha and those who did not know the true teaching of the Buddha.] In China, F'ei-kung fought with Hsiang-yii (Ko-u) for eight years. In Japan, Yoritomo fought with Munemori for seven years. Asuras fought with Sakra. Garudas fought with dragons at the Anavatapta Pond. But these fights were not so severe [as the controversies between the advocates of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra and the slanderers of it].

You should know that the true teaching of the Buddha has been revealed twice in Japan, at the time of Dengyo Daishi and at this time of Nichiren. Men of no eyes may doubt this. That cannot be helped. I believe that the above-mentioned three testimonies show that Sakyamuni, Prabhutaratna, and the Buddhas of the 81

224c worlds of the ten quarters assembled and determined the ranking in value of all the sutras propagated in Japan, China, India, the palaces of dragons, heaven, and the worlds of the ten quarters. Question: [In the third testimony, the expression "difficult" is repeated six times in connection with the keeping of this sutra, and the expression "not difficult" is repeated nine times in connection with doing other things. Therefore, we can say that there are two kinds of sutras, the sutras of six difficulties and the sutras of nine easinesses.] Are the Avatarhsaka-sutra, the Vaipulya sutras, the Mahaprajnaparamita-sutra, the Samdhinirmocana-sutra, the Lahkavatara-sutra, the Mahavairocanasutra, and the Mahaparinirvana-sutra among the sutras of nine easinesses or among the sutras of six difficulties? Answer: The teachers of the Kegon Sect who had the title of San-tsang or Ta-shih conferred on them, such as Tu-shun, Chihyen, Fa-tsang, and Ch'eng-kuan, read this part of the sutra and said that the Saddharmapundarika-sutra and the Avatarhsakasutra are among the sutras of six difficulties and that both sutras are the same in purpose and theory, just as the four theories—(1) the truth that everything exists, (2) the truth that nothing exists, (3) the truth that everything exists while nothing exists, and (4) the truth that both the truth that everything exists and the truth that nothing exists are negative—lead us to one and the same truth.

Hsuan-tsang San-tsang and Tz'u-en Ta-shih of the Hosso Sect say that both the Samdhinirmocana-sutra and the Saddharmapundarika-sutra expound the teaching of the Yuishiki (Vijnaptimatra) [or Hosso] Sect, and that the two sutras were expounded in the last of the three periods of the teaching of the Buddha, and accordingly, that the two sutras are among the sutras of six difficulties.

Chi-tsang (Kiehizo) and others of the Sanron Sect say that the Mahaprajhaparamita-sutra and the Saddharmapundarika-sutra are identical to each other in content, and expound one and the same teaching.

82

Chapter III

Subhakarasimha San-tsang, Vajrabodhi San-tsang, and Amoghavajra San-tsang say that the J\rl(ihcii'ciirocciiid sutra is equal to the Saddharmapundarika-sutra in theory, and that both sutras are among the sutras of six difficulties. Kobo of Japan says: The Mahavairocana-sutra is not a sutra of six difficulties or of nine easinesses. It was not expounded by Sakyamuni. It was expounded by the dharmakaya of Mahavairocana Tathagata.

Some say that the Avatamsaka-sutra was expounded by the sambhogakaya, and therefore that it is not a sutra of six difficulties or of nine easinesses.

The founders and other teachers of these four sects had these views. Thousands of students who follow them today do not go beyond the views of their predecessors.

I lament all this. If I criticize these teachers, the people of today will shun me. They will do more and more wrongs to me. They will finally slander me before the government, and I shall be killed. But our Compassionate Father said on his deathbed between the two trees, "Depend on the Dharma, not on a person! "A person" means any of the four kinds of ersons on whom people can depend for a peaceful life. "Do not depend on a person means that we should not listen even to those bodhisattvas equal to Buddhas, such as Samantabhadra or Manjusri, unless they expound the Dharma carrying sutras in their hands. The Buddha also says, "Depend on a sutra in which a teaching is thoroughly expounded, not on a sutra in which the expounding of a teaching is not completed!" We should believe and receive a sutra after we see that the sutra completely expounds a teaching. It says in Nagarjuna Bodhisattva's Dasabhittyiivibhasa-sastra, A theory not based on sutras is wrong. A theory based on sutras is right. T'ien-t'ai Ta-shih says, "A theory consistent with sutras should be recorded for use. We should not believe or receive a theory which is not mentioned or implied in sutras." Dengyo Daishi says, "Depend on the words of the Buddha, not on oral instructions of 225a

83

persons other than the Buddha!" Enchin Chicho Daishi says, "Transmit the Dharma according to the words of the sutra!" It appears that these teachers determined the value of a theory according to the words of sutras and sastras, but the reality is that they clung to their own sects and did not rectify the faults of their predecessors. Therefore, their evaluation of a theory was ust a product of their distortion and prejudice, and their teaching is for the purpose of defending their own views. The Vatsiputriya and the Vaipulya Sects after the extinction of the Buddha were more spiteful and more cunning in argumentation than Brahmanism before the Buddha. Confucians after the Later Han dynasty were also more so than in the time of he three Huang emperors and the five Ti emperors. Because the priests of the Kegon, Hosso, and Shingon Sects are jealous of he true teachings of the Tendai Sect, they ever more persistently "distort the meaning of the sutra of True Mahayana and utilize it to justify the sutra of Provisional Mahayana. " Those who wish to attain the enlightenment of the Buddha should abandon prejudice, refrain from controversies between sects, and not despise persons of the other sects.

The Buddha says in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra: I have expounded many sutras. I am now expounding this sutra. I will also expound many sutras in the future__This Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand. This means that the Saddharmapundarika-sutra is the most excellent of all the sutras ever expounded, being expounded, or to be expounded.

Miao-le says:

Some sutras have the statement, "This is the king of all sutras. " But none of hem has the statement, "This is the most excellent of all the sutras ever expounded, being expounded, or to be expounded— " Those who slander the most excellent 84

Chapter III

of all the sutras ever expounded, being expounded, or to be expounded will suffer in hell for many kalpas. I was astonished to find these words of the sutra and this commentary on them. I studied many sutras and also commentaries written by various scholars, and finally my doubts have been cleared. The foolish priests of the Shingon Sect of today treasure mudras and mantras, and follow Jikaku Daishi and others who say that the Shingon Sect is superior to the sect of the Saddharmapundarika-sütra. The words of those Shingon people are not worth noting.

It says in the Ghanavyüha-sütra:

The Jüji-kyd (Shih-ti-ching), Avatamsaka-sUtra, Daijukinnara-kyd (Ta-shu-chin-na-lo-ching), JinzU-kyd (Shent'ung-ching), Srimâlâsimhanâda-sütra, and other sutras come from this sutra. This Ghanavyüha-sütra is the most excellent of all the sutras.

It says in the Daiun-kyd (Ta-yü-ching):

This sutra is the wheel-turning holy king of all the sutras because the Dharma storefhouse], including the true nature of all living beings, the Buddha-nature of all living beings, and the eternity of ll living beings, is expounded in this sutra. It says in the Ropparamitsu-kyd (Liu-po-lo-mi-ching): The right teachings expounded by the innumerable Buddhas in the past, and the eighty-four thousand wonderful teachings which I am expounding now, are composed of the five storehouses: (1) Sutra, (2) Vinaya, (3) Abhidharma, (4) Prajnàpàramitâ sutras, and (5) Dhâranls. The Buddha teaches all living beings with these five storehouses. To those who cannot receive the first four storehouses, or to those who have committed the four grave sins, the eight grave sins, or the five hell-bound sins, or to the icchantikas who have slandered the Mahayana sutras, the Buddhas expound 225b

85

the storehouse of dharanis in order to have them expiate their grave sins, to emancipate themselves from suffering quickly, and to attain nirvana instantly. These five storehouses of the Dharma are like the five tastes of milk: fresh milk, cream, curdled milk, butter, and ghee. Dharanis can be likened to ghee, which is the most wonderful taste. Dharanis can eliminate all diseases, and give peace of mind and body to all living beings. Dharanis are the most excellent storehouse of the Dharma. Dharanis cause all living beings to expiate their grave sins

It says in the Samdhinirmocana-sutra:

Thereupon Superior Truth-Born Bodhisattva said to the Buddha again:

"World-honored One! At Saranganatha Grove in the city of Varanasi, you for the first time turned the wheel of the Dharma in the form of the Four Noble Truths for those who sought the sravaka vehicle. The teaching was very strange and rare to hear because it had never been expounded by any god or man in the world before. But there was something more to be added to it. The teaching was not yet final. There was room for further discussion.

"World-honored One! In the second period of our teachin§> y°n implicitly turned the wheel of he Dharma for those who aspired to the Great Vehicle with the teaching that nothing has its own nature, that nothing is born or extinguished, that all things are calm and tranquil from the outset, and that all things are nirvana by themselves. This teaching was more strange and rarer to hear than the teaching expounded in the first period. But there was something more to be added to it. This teaching was not yet final. There was room for further discussion.

"World-honored One! Now in the third [and last] period of your teaching, you have explicitly turned the wheel of the Dharma for those who aspire to the vehicle of all living 86

Chapter III

beings with the teaching that nothing has its own nature, that nothing is born or extinguished, that all things are calm and tranquil from the outset, that all things are nirvana by themselves, and that there is no nature that can be called the nature of a thing. This teaching is the most strange and rarest to hear. Now the wheel of the Dharma turned by you, the World-honored One, has no more excellent teaching. Nothing more is to be added to it. This teaching is final. There is no room for further discussion." It says in the Mahaprajnâpâramitâ-sütra:

Those who have prajnâ can skillfully enter the profound truth, that is, the Dharma-nature, by hearing any teaching, spiritual or secular. Those who do secular things with prajnâ can enter the Dharma-nature. They see nothing that is not the Dharma-nature.

It says in the Mahâvairocana-sütra, Volume I: [Mahâvairocana, the World-honored One, said to Vajrapàni, the Master of Mystery:]

"Master of Mystery! There is a practice of the Great Vehicle. It is to see that nothing exists outside the mind. Nothing has its own self. Why is that? It is because one who performed this practice saw that the âlaya-vijnâna [storehouse consciousness] was like a phantom— Master of ystery! By this practice, he was able to abandon the conception of self, obtain freedom of mind, and realize that from the very beginning his mind had never been born— The so-called emptiness of the mind means that the mind is free from the sense organs and sense objects, and that it is empty of form and realms, that it transcends fruitless discussions about relativities, and it is like the sky— It is the perfect state of non-self. "

Mahâvairocana, the World-honored One, said to the Master of Mystery, "Master of Mystery! What is bodhi?" 225c

87

The Master of one's own mind as it is. "

ystery answered, "Bodhi means to know

It says in the Avatamsaka-sutra:

Few people in the world wish to seek the sravaka vehicle. Fewer people seek thepratyekabuddha vehicle. Much fewer seek the Great Vehicle. It is not difficult to seek the Great Vehicle. But it is very difficult to believe in this teaching. Needless to say, it is more difficult to keep it, remember it correctly, act according to it, and understand it without error. It is not difficult to place one thousand million Sumeru worlds on one's head and remain motionless for a kalpa. But it is very difficult to believe in this teaching. Many merits will be given to anyone who offers things for pleasure for a kalpa to the living beings who are as many as the particles of dust in one thousand million Sumeru worlds. But more merits will be given to the person who believes in this teaching. It is not difficult to grasp ten Buddha worlds and stay m the sky for a kalpa. But it is very difficult to believe in this teaching. Many merits will be given to the person who offers things for pleasure for a kalpa to the living beings who are as many as the particles of dust in ten Buddha worlds. But more merits will be given to the person who believes in this teaching. Many merits will be given to the person who respectfully makes offerings for a kalpa to the Tathagatas who are as many as the particles of dust in ten Buddha worlds. But more merits will be given for keeping this chapter.

It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra:

Although these Mahayana Vaipulya sutras have innumerable merits, this sutra has more merits, not one hundred times more, not one thousand million times more, but beyond any calculation or explanation by similes. Good men! Milk comes from a cow. Cream comes from milk. Curdled milk comes from cream. Butter comes from curdled milk.

Chapter III

Ghee comes from butter. Ghee has the best taste. Those who take ghee will eliminate all diseases because ghee includes all medicines in itself. Good men! The same can be said of the Buddha. The Sutra of Twelve Elements [Avatamsaka-sutra] comes from the Buddha. The Agama sutras come from the Sutra of Twelve Elements. The Vaipulya sutras come from the Agama sutras. The Mahaprajndpciramita-sutra comes from the Vaipulya sutras. The Mahdparinirvdna-sutra comes from the Mahaprajnaparamita-sutra. The Mahdparinirvdna-sutra is like ghee. Here ghee is compared to Buddha-nature.

When compared with "the most excellent of all the sutras ever expounded, being expounded, or to be expounded" or "the sutras of six difaculties against the sutras of nine easinesses" stated m the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, the words of these sutras are as insignificant as the stars compared with the moon or as the nine mountains compared with Mount Sumeru. But even persons who seemed to have the eyes of the Buddha, such as Ch'eng-kuan of the Kegon Sect, Tz'u-en of the Hosso Sect, Chia-hsiang of the Sanron Sect, and Kobo of the Shingon Sect, could not find this difference. Needless to say, the scholars of today, who are like blind men, cannot judge which is superior. They cannot distinguish black from white, or Mount Sumeru's size from a poppy seed's size. Needless to say, they cannot tell right from wrong in regard to the Dharma world, which is as vast as the sky. One cannot see the profundity of a teaching without knowing the status of the sutra in which the teaching is expounded.

I quoted from these sutras to help foolish people understand the difference between these sutras and the Saddharmapundarikasutra. It would be difficult to understand this difference if I at first quoted from the sutras expounded later, and then quoted from the sutras expounded earlier.

It says in the Daiun-kyo that the Daiun-kyo is the king of sutras. We should bear in mind that there are two kinds of kings, the king of a large country and the king of a small country. 226a

89

226b It says in the Ghanavyuha-sutra that the Gh navyuh i sutra is the most excellent of all the sutras. "All" is sometimes applied to a limited number.

The simile of the five tastes of milk is applied to some part of the teachings of the Buddha, not to the whole of them, in the Ropparamitsu-kyd. According to the Ropparamitsu-kyd, those who have Buddha-nature can become Buddhas, but those who do not have Buddha-nature cannot become Buddhas. [This is different from the Mahaparinirvana-sutra, in which those living beings without Buddha-nature also are allowed to become Buddhas.] The simile of he five tastes of ilk is applied to all the teachings of he Buddha in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra. Needless to say, the Ropparamitsuky° does not refer to the eternity of Sakyamuni Buddha. The eternity of Sakyamuni Buddha is expounded only in the "Discourse" [of the Original Buddha] of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, not in the "Discourse of the Historical Buddha" in the sutra. _ But K°b° Daishi of Japan was misled by the Ropparamitsukyo. He likened the Saddharmapundarika-sutra to butter, which is the fourth of he five tastes of ilk. Even the teaching otdharanis in the Ropparamitsu-kyd, which he compared to ghee, the fifth and best taste, is inferior to the Mahaparinirvana-sutra. I do not know why Kobo Daishi made such a big mistake. He said, "The scholars of China competed with each other to take the taste of ghee from the Ropparamitsu-kyd," treating T'ien-t'ai and his followers as thieves. Furthermore, he praised his own sect, saying, It is regrettable that the wise men in the past did not taste ghee. " I will stop discussing all this for now.

Now I will write for my followers. Other people will not believe me. They will be against us.

Know whether water is seawater or not by licking a drop of t! Know whether spring has come or not by seeing a flower! You can see whether a sutra is superior or not even though you do not cross the sea often thousand miles to go to Sung, even though you do not spend three years to visit Mount Sacred Eagle, even though you do not enter the palace of dragons like Nagarjuna, even though 90

Chapter III

you do not see Maitreya Bodhisattva like Asanga Bodhisattva, even though you do not join the three sessions at the two locations of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. Snakes foresee the coming of a flood within seven days because they are followers of dragons. Crows can tell fortunes and misfortunes throughout the year because they were fortune-tellers in their previous existences. Birds fly better than men. Nichiren knows the superiority of a sutra better than Ch'eng-kuan of the Kegon Sect, Chia-hsiang of the Sanron Sect, Tz'u-en of the Hosso Sect, and Kobo of the Shingon Sect, because I am the follower of T'ien-t'ai and Dengyd. Unless they follow T'ien-t'ai and Dengyd, they will not be able to expiate their sin of slandering the Dharma.

I may be the richest man in Japan today. I have dedicated myself to the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. I shall be remembered forever. The god of the ocean is followed by the gods of rivers. The god of Mount Sumeru is followed by the gods of other mountains. If you understand the difference between the sutras of six difficulties and the sutras of nine easinesses expounded in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, you will be able to understand all the sutras without reading them.

We have already seen the three testimonies quoted from the "Chapter on Beholding the Stupa of Treasures. " Now I will show you two other testimonies, which are given in the "Chapter on Devadatta. "

The Fourth Testimony

Devadatta was an icchantika but was assured of becoming Devaraja Tathagata in the "Chapter on Devadatta. " Icchantikas' attainment of Buddhahood is assured only verbally in the Mahdparinirvana-sutra compiled in forty volumes. [There is no mention of he fact that a particular icchantika attained Buddhahood.] Icchantikas' attaining Buddhahood materialized for the first time in this chapter of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. Sunakkhatta Bhiksu, King Ajatasatru, and innumerable other evil persons who 91

had committed the five sins and the sin of slandering the Dharma, were represented here in this chapter by one person, Devadatta, the gravest sinner. Here ten thousand people were represented by one person; minor sinners, by the gravest one. All the people who had committed the five sins, the seven sins, and the sin of slandering the Dharma as well as icchantikas were assured of Buddhahood when Devadatta was given the name of evaraja Tathagata. Poison changed to nectar, the most delicious drink. 226c The Fifth Testimony

The daughter of a dragon king became a Buddha in this chapter. This does not mean that only one woman became a Buddha. It means that all women can become Buddhas. No woman is allowed to become a Buddha in the Hinayana sutras expounded before the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. It seems that some Mahayana sutras admit that women can become Buddhas or go to a Buddha world, but the Buddhahood or admittance into a Buddha world allowed to women in those sutras is only nominal because in those sutras women are required to perform the bodhisattva practices for a long time, while the teaching of ne mind-three thousand assures them of [instant] attainment of Buddhahood.

A proverb says, "One represents many." The fact that the daughter of a dragon king became a Buddha paved the way for all women living in the Age of Degeneration to attain Buddhahood or enter into a Buddha world.

The filial piety of Confucian ethics is a virtue to be practiced only by those whose parents are still alive. Confucian saints and sages are such in name only because they cannot save their parents in the afterworld. Brahmans know the past and future, but they do not know how to save their parents in the future. Buddhist saints and sages deserve to be called so because they can save their parents in their future lives. But it is difficult to attain even one's own Buddhahood by following the Hinayana and Mahayana sutras expounded before the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. Needless 92

Chapter III

to say, it is more difficult to have one's parents attain Buddhahood. The statement in some other sutras that anyone can attain Buddhahood is not confirmed in reality. When a woman became a Buddha in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, a mother's attainment of Buddhahood was assured. When Devadatta, the evil man, became a Buddha, a father's attainment of Buddhahood was guaranteed. This sutra is the Book of ilial Piety (Kokyo, Hsiao-ching) of Buddhism.

The salvation of evil men is the fourth testimony to the truthfulness of my faith; and the salvation of women, the fifth. Astonished at these five testimonies, the bodhisattvas vowed to propagate this sutra in the "Chapter on Encouragement of eeping the Sutra. " The words of these bodhisattvas show us that the leaders of the Zen, Ritsu, and Nembutsu Sects and adherents of these sects today are slandering the Dharma.

93

Chapter IV

The Age of Degeneration

The Three Kinds of Arrogant People

A man called Nichiren was beheaded at the time of rat and cow at midnight on the twelfth day of he ninth month last year. What is writing this is his soul. His soul came to this country of Sado, and is now writing this for his followers. This is the second month. It is snowing. This writing appears to be dreadful, but it is not so. Some of is followers may be afraid of eing persecuted when they read this. This is written according to the prophecy given by Sakyamuni, Prabhutaratna, and the Buddhas of he worlds of he ten quarters. You should regard this as a memento of Nichiren. The bodhisattvas say to the Buddha in the "Chapter on Encouragement of Keeping the Sutra":

Do not worry! We will expound this sutra in the dreadful, evil world after your extinction. Ignorant people will speak ill of us, abuse us, and threaten us with swords or sticks. But we will endure all this. Some bhiksus in the evil world will be cunning. They will be ready to flatter others. Thinking that they have obtained what they have not, their minds will be filled with arrogance. Some bhiksus will live in aranyas [secluded places] and wear patched pieces of cloth. Thinking that they are practicing the true way, they will despise others. Being attached to worldly profits, they will expound the Dharma to men in white robes. They will be respected by the people of he world as arhats who have the 95

227a

six supernatural powers. They will have evil thoughts. They will always think of worldly things. Even when they live in aranyas, they will take pleasure in saying that we have faults— In order to speak ill of us, in order to slander us before the great multitude, in order to say that we are evil, they will say to kings, ministers, brahmans, and also to householders and other bhiksus, "They have wrong views. They are expounding heretical views." .. .Many dreadful things will occur in the evil world of he kalpa of efilements. Devils will enter the bodies of those bhiksus and cause them to abuse and insult us— Evil bhiksus in the defiled world will not know the expedient teachings that you expounded according to the capacities of all living beings. They will speak ill of us, or frown on us, or drive us out of our monasteries from time to time.

It says in the Hokkemongu-ki (Fa-Hua-wen-chii-chi), Volume VIII:

This quotation shows the three kinds of arrogant people: 1. Arrogant laymen are referred to in the statement, "Ignorant people... but we will endure all this." 2. Arrogant bhiksus are referred to in the statement, Some bhiksus in the evil world.. .filled with arrogance." 3. Arrogant would-be saints are referred to in the statement, "Some bhiksus will live in aranyas___They are expounding the teachings of heretics. "

The first kind of rrogant people may be endurable. The second kind is less endurable. The third kind is the least endurable. It is more difficult to detect the evils of the second kind than those of he first kind, and is the most difficult to detect the evils of the third kind. It is harder to detect the evils of the kind mentioned later than those of the kind mentioned earlier.

Chih-tu Fa-shih of Tung-ch'un says:

96

Chapter IV

The statement, "Ignorant people... but we will endure all this," means, "Ignorant people... but we will endure the three kinds of acts of evil men except evil bhiksus." The statement, "Some bhiksus in the evil world" means, "Arrogant bhiksus in the evil worlds."

The statement, "Some bhiksus will live in aranyas... in saying that we have faults," means, "All evil men will live in aranyas... in saying that we have faults. The statement, "In order to speak ill of us— They are expounding the teachings of heretics," means that they will approach the government and slander the Dharma and the keeper of the Dharma.

It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra, Volume IX: Good man! Suppose an icchantika takes the form of an arhat, and slanders the Mahay na Vaipulya sutras in a secluded place. Ordinary men who see him will think that he is a real arhat and great bodhisattva.... This sutra will be propagated in Jambudvipa. At that time many evil bhiksus will erase the good color, smell, and taste of the right teachings of the Buddha by reshuffling the contents of this sutra, or dividing this sutra into many parts. Although they read and recite this sutra, they will eliminate the profound teachings of the Tathagata by decorating this sutra with senseless words from the secular world, or by moving words which are placed at the beginning of this sutra to the end of this sutra, from the end to the beginning, from the beginning or the end to the middle, or from the middle to the beginning or the end. Know this! These evil bhiksus are colleagues of Mara. It says in the Hatsunaion-gyo (Pan-ni-yuan-ching), compiled in six volumes:

An icchantika took the form of an arhat and did evil. An arhat took the form of an icchantika and had compassion 227b

97

toward others. The icchantika in the form of an arhat slandered the Vaipulya sutras before the multitude. The arhat in the form of n icchantika abused srauakas and expounded the Vaipulya sutras, saying to the people, "You and I are bodhisattvas because all living beings have the nature of the Tathagata. " But the people who heard this thought that the person who said this was an icchantika. It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra:

The Age of the Right Teachings of the Buddha will come after my extinction. The Age of he Counterfeit of he Right Teachings of the Buddha will come after the Age of the Right Teachings of the Buddha. In that age will appear a bhiksu who will pretend to keep the precepts. He will read and recite sutras a little, keep his health by devouring food and drink, and wear a priestly robe. He will always say, "I have attained arhatship," as carefully as a hunter approaches game or as a cat watches a rat. He will pretend to be wise and good although he is greedy and jealous in his heart. He will be like a brahman who practices silence. He will not be a sramana although he will look like one. He will have many wrong views and slander the right teachings of the Buddha.

The teachings of he Buddha expounded in the sutra on Mount Sacred Eagle and the sutra on the Buddha's deathbed between the two trees are as bright as the sun and the moon. The meaning of the words given by Miao-le of P'i-t'an (Bidan) and Chih-tu of Tung-ch un is as clear as a stainless mirror. In that mirror are clearly reflected the ugly faces of the teachers of the Zen, Ritsu, and Nembutsu Sects in this country today.

It says in the Myohorenge-kyd, "in the dreadful, evil world after your extinction. "

The "Chapter on Peaceful Practices" reads:

[I]n the evil world after your extinction... in the Age of 98

Chapter IV

Degeneration... in the latter days after my extinction when the teachings are about to be destroyed—

The "Chapter on the Variety of Merits" says, "in the evil world in the Age of Degeneration. " In the "Chapter on the Previous Life of Medicine King Bodhisattva," it says, "in the latter five hundred years after— "

The Tembon-myohorenge-kyo (T'ien-p'in-miao-fa-lien-huaching) also has the same expressions. In the "Chapter on Encouragement of Expounding the Dharma" of the Shohoke-kyo, the expression "in the latter days after that" is repeated. The Enemies of the Saddharmapundarlka-siitra T'ien-t'ai says:

The three sects in South China and the seven sects in North China are the enemies of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra in the Age of the Counterfeit of the Right Teachings of the Buddha.

Dengyo says:

The scholars of the sects of Nara are the enemies of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra toward the end of the Age of the Counterfeit of the Right Teachings of the Buddha. But the enemies of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra in the times of 'ien-t'ai and Dengyo were not so conspicuous as those of today. In the presence of the Lord Teacher Sakyamuni, the Worldhonored One, and Prabhutaratna Buddha, both of whom were sitting side by side in the stupa of treasures just like the sun and the moon, and also in the presence of he Replica-Buddhas of he worlds of the ten quarters who were sitting under trees like the stars, the eighty billion nayutas of bodhisattvas prophesied that the three kinds of enemies of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra would appear 227c

99

at the beginning of the Age of Degeneration. They said that the Age of Degeneration would come two thousand years after the extinction of the Buddha, that is to say, after one thousand years of the Age of the Right Teachings of the Buddha and one thousand years of the Age of the Counterfeit of the Right Teachings of the Buddha. Was the prophecy of those bodhisattvas false? Now is two thousand two hundred-odd years after the extinction of the Tathagata. It is quite easy to point to the ground with a finger. It is quite natural for a flower to bloom in spring. But even if we cannot point to the ground with our fingers, or even if a flower does not bloom in spring, it cannot be that the three kinds of enemies of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra do not exist in Japan. Who are they? Who is the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra? I wonder. Are we among the three kinds of enemies? Or are we among the practitioners of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra? I am quite anxious about all this. At midnight on the eighth day of the fourth month of the twenty-fourth regnal year of King Chao-wang (Sho-o), who was the fourth king of he Chou dynasty, five-colored rays of ight were emitted from the southern sky to the northern sky, making the whole sky like day. The earth quaked in the six ways. The water of rivers, wells, and ponds rose in spite of no rainfall. All the trees and grasses blossomed and bore fruits. It was very strange. The king was astonished. Prime Minister Su-yu (Soyu) divined and said, A saint was born in the west." The king asked him, "Does his birth have any connection with our country?" Su-yu answered, Not now. But one thousand years from now, the words of the saint will be introduced here for the benefit of the people of this country. "

Su-yu was a Confucian. He had not yet eliminated any illusion caused by false judgment or evil desire, but was able to foretell an event to take place one thousand years later. As he prophesied, Buddhism was introduced into China in the tenth year of Yung-p'ing of the second Emperor Ming-ti of the Later Han dynasty.

100

Chapter IV

Not comparable with the fortune-telling of this minor Confucian, the prophecy of the bodhisattvas was made in the presence of Sakyamuni, Prabhutaratna, and the Replica-Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters. How can it be that the three kinds of enemies of the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra are not living in Japan today? The Buddha said in the Fuhozo-kyd and in other sutras that his right teachings would be propagated by twenty-four persons in succession during the Age of the Right Teachings of the Buddha, that is, one thousand years after his extinction. The twenty-four persons included Kasyapa and Ananda, both of hom lived in the time of the Buddha. Parsva Bhiksu appeared one hundred years after his extinction. Asvaghosa appeared six hundred years after that. Nagarjuna appeared seven hundred years after that. All of them appeared as had been prophesied. The prophecy of the bodhisattvas must prove to be true. Otherwise, the whole of this sutra will lose its truthfulness. The Buddha's prophecy that Sariputra will become Padmaprabha Tathagata, or that Kasyapa will become Rasmiprabhasa Tathagata, will become a lie. If the sutras expounded before the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra become true, srdvakas will never have a chance to become Buddhas. If so, we shall be able to make offerings to dogs or foxes, but not to Ananda and other sravakas. This is unreasonable.

The First Kind of Enemy of the

Saddharmapundarlka-sutra

The first kind of enemy of the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra is the first kind of arrogant people, called "ignorant people." They support the second kind of arrogant people, mentioned as some hhiksus in the evil world," and the third kind of arrogant people, given as "some bhiksus who will live in aranyas. The first kind of arrogant people were called laymen by Miaole Ta-shih. Chih-tu of Tung-ch'un said that they would "approach the government."

101

228a

The Second Kind of Enemy of the

Saddharmapundarika-sutra

The second kind of enemy of the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra is some bhiksus in the following Quotation.* Some bhiksus in the evil world will be cunning. They will be ready to flatter others. Thinking that they have obtained what they have not, their minds will be filled with arrogance. They^are the "evil bhiksus" in the following quotation from the Mahaparinirvana-sutra:

At that time there will be evil bhiksus.... Although they read and recite this sutra, they will eliminate the profound teachings of the Tathagata.

It says in the Makashikan:

Those who do not believe the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra say, This sutra is for saints. We are too ignorant to understand it. ' Those who do not have wisdom are arrogant and think that they are equal to the Buddha. Tao-ch o Ch'an-shih (Doshaku Zenji) says, "Second, the way of saints is difficult to understand because the teaching is too profound for people to understand."

Honen says, The practices of the way of saints are not suitable to the people of today."

It says in the Hokkemongu-ki, Volume X: It is most probable that they misunderstand this sutra because they do not know that the merits for beginners in bodhisattva practices are great. Therefore, I will now show them the power of this sutra by telling them that the beginners have great merits although they practice little. Dengyo Daishi says:

The Age of the Right Teachings of the Buddha already passed a long time ago. The Age of the Counterfeit of the 102

Chapter IV

Right Teachings of the Buddha is about to end. The Age of Degeneration is near at hand. Now is the time for the people to be saved by the One Vehicle expounded in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. Why is that? It is because it says in the "Chapter on Peaceful Practices," "in the latter days... when the teachings are about to be destroyed." Eshin says, "None of the people of Japan can be saved by any teaching other than the Perfect Mahayana Teaching. Which is more reliable, Tao-ch'o or Dengyo, Honen or Eshin? The words of Tao-ch'o and Honen are not testified to in any sutra, while Dengyo and Eshin speak according to the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. Furthermore, Dengyo Daishi of Hieizan was the founder of the institute for initiation into monkhood to be joined by all the monks of Japan. Why do they follow Honen, who was possessed by Mara, and desert the leader of all monks? If Honen was wise, why did he not criticize these comments of Dengyo and Eshin in his Senchaku-hongan-nembutsu-shul Honen ignored the right views of others. The second kind of enemies of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, who are described as "some bhiksus in the evil world," are Honen and others who observe no precepts and have wrong views.

It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra, "Kasyapa Bodhisattva and others said that they had had wrong views before they heard this sutra."

Miao-le says, "This statement means that the teachings oi Specialized Mahayana, Hinayana, and Mahayana-cum-Hinayana are wrong views. "

It says in the Makashikan:

"Wrong" means "evil." Therefore, know this! Only the Perfect Mahayana is good. There are two kinds of good, relative and absolute. To follow the Perfect Mahayana is the relative good. It is against the relative evil, which opposes the Perfect Mahayana. To adhere to anything is the absolute evil. The absolute good is not to adhere to the Perfect 228b

103

Mahayana. We should emancipate ourselves from evil. To adhere even to the Perfect Mahayana is evil. Needless to say, it is evil to adhere to the other teachings. The good of rahmanism is evil when compared with the good of the Hinayana teachings. The good of the Hinayana teachings and of the teachings of the first four of the five tastes, and of the first three of the four teachings, is evil when compared with the good of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. Only the Saddharmapundarika-sutra is right and good. The element of Perfect

Mahayana found in the sutras expounded before the Saddharmapundarika-sutra is the relative good, which is evil when compared with the absolute good. Some say that the element of Perfect Mahayana found in the earlier sutras is not Perfect Mahayana at all. If so, the element of Perfect Mahayana found in the earlier sutras is evil because it is not regarded even as the relative good. To practice the teachings of he Avatamsaka-sutra and the Mahaprajhaparamita-sutra is evil because these sutras, although excellent, were expounded before the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. Needless to say, to practice the teachings of less excellent sutras such as the Kammuryoju-kyo is evil. Honen said that it is not necessary to read the Saddharmapundarika-sutra because the teachings of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra are included in the Kammuryoju-kyo, and that we should say the nembutsu, and give up, shut, desert, and abandon the Saddharmapundarikasutra. Honen and his disciples and supporters are the slanderers of the right teachings of the Buddha, are they not? Prabhutaratna and the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters "came here... in order to have the Dharma preserved forever." Honen and the followers of the Nembutsu Sect of Japan say that the Saddharmapundarika-sutra will perish and the nembutsu will remain in the Age of Degeneration. Are they not the enemy of he "three saints": Sakyamuni, Prabhutaratna, and the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters?

104

Chapter IV

The Third Kind of Enemy of the

Saddharmapundarika-sutra

The third kind of nemy of he Saddharmapundarika-sutra is some bhiksus who "will live in aranyas." It says in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra: Some bhiksus will live in aranyas or retired places, and wear patched pieces of cloth.... They will expound the Dharma to men in white robes. They will be respected by the people of the world as arhats who have the six supernatural powers. It says in the Hatsunaion-gyo compiled in six volumes: An icchantika took the form of an arhat and did evil. An arhat took the form of an icchantika and had compassion toward others. The icchantika in the form of an arhat slandered the Vaipulya teachings before the multitude. The arhat in the form of an icchantika abused sravakas and expounded the Vaipulya teachings, saying to the people, "You and I are bodhisattvas because all living beings have the nature of the Tathagata." But the people who heard this thought that the person who said this was an icchantika. It says in the Mahaparinirvdna-sutra:

In the Age of the Counterfeit of the Right Teachings of the Buddha after my extinction, there will appear a bhiksu who will pretend to keep the precepts. He will read and recite sutras a little, keep his health by devouring food and drink, and wear a priestly robe. He will always say, "I have attained arhatship," as carefully as a hunter approaches game or as a cat watches a rat. He will pretend to be wise and good although he is greedy and jealous in his heart. He will be like a brahman who practices silence. He will not be a sramana, although he looks like one. He will have many wrong views and slander the right teachings of the Buddha.

228c

105

Miao-le says, "The third kind is the least endurable. It is harder to detect the evils of the kind mentioned later than those of the kind mentioned earlier. "

During the period from the time of he dream of mperor Mingti of the Later Han dynasty to the time of the Ch'en dynasty, a person transmitted the Dharma from the Buddha and introduced Zen to China.

It says in the Hokke-sandaibu-fuchu (Fa-hua-san-ta-pu-puchu), '"The person who transmitted the Dharma from the Buddha' means Bodhidharma. "

It says in the Makashikan, Volume V, "Some Zen teachers and their followers are either blind because they have no wisdom or lame because they have no practice. They will fall into hell." It says in the Makashikan, Volume VII:

Tendai priests are required to perform ten practices. One of the ten practices is translation. They are not good at translation, but their nine other practices are satisfactory. They are different from the priests who know only letters or the Zen teachers who only practice. Some Zen teachers do nothing but introspection into their minds, and their mind introspection is not deep or true. They do none of the nine other practices. What I say is not false. Those who have eyes should know all this.

It says in the Shikan-guketsu, Volume VII:

The priests who know only letters" are the priests who read books but do not introspect their minds. "The Zen teachers who only practice" are those who care for their noses and chests but do not study the theory of onsciousness Their meditation does not eliminate fundamental illusions. The expression: Some Zen teachers do nothing but introspection into their minds" is not adequate. Strictly speaking, they practice neither textual study nor introspection of ind. The Zen priests of today only play with words. They do not 106

Chapter IV

memorize sutras. They form their own opinions and ignore sutras. They say that the number sixteen, which indicates the height of a statue of the Buddha, combines the number eight of the eight wrongdoings against the Eightfold Path and the number eight of the eight things to arouse our attention, or that the number eight of the eight wrongdoings against the Eightfold Path combines the number five of the five aggregates and the number three of the three poisons, or that the number six of the six sense organs means the number six of the six supernatural powers, or that the number four of the four elements means the number four of the Four Noble Truths. Such capricious interpretations of words are neither deep nor shallow, but deceptive and misleading.

It says in the Makashikan, Volume VII:

A Zen Master of Yeh-lo (Gyoraku) was famous throughout China. While he stayed there, many people came to see him. When he left there, many people followed him. He was very famous, but for what profit? His followers regretted on their deathbeds that they had followed him.

It says in the Shikan-guketsu, Volume VII: Yeh is in Hsiang-chou (Soshu) Province. It was the capital city of Chi'i and Wei (Gi). Buddhism flourished there. Bodhidharma founded the Zen Sect there and propagated it throughout the district. T'ien-t'ai did not mention Bodhidharma by name, thinking that mentioning him would trouble his followers. Lo is the present Lo-yang. It says in the Hatsunaion-gyo compiled in six volumes, "It says that it is difficult to see 'the final thing. ' It means that it is difficult to see the worst karmas of icchantikas. " Miao-le says, "The third kind is the least endurable. It is harder to detect the evils of the kind mentioned later." 107

229b Blind men, one-eyed men, or men of wrong views cannot see the three kinds of nemies of he Saddharmapundarika-sutra who appear at the beginning of the Age of Degeneration. Only those who have part of the eyes of the Buddha will be able to see them. It says in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, "they will say to kings, ministers, and brahmans, and also to householders...." Chih-tu Fa-shih of Tung-ch'un says, "They will approach the government and slander the Dharma and the keeper of he Dharma before the government. "

Toward the end of the Age of the Counterfeit of the Right Teachings of the Buddha, Gomyo, Shuen, and others submitted their appeal to the government and slandered Dengyo Daishi. Now at the beginning of the Age of Degeneration, Ryokan, Nen-a, and others have submitted their appeals full of alsehood to the shogun. Are they not the third kind of nemy of he Saddharmapundarikasutra? The followers of the Nembutsu Sect of today say to the "kings, ministers, and brahmans, and also to householders" who support the Tendai Hokke Sect, that the Saddharmapundarika-sutra is too profound for us to understand, " and that its teaching is deep while the hearers are shallow-brained. Are they not the people who do not believe the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, saying, This sutra is for saints. We are too ignorant to understand it"? The teachers of the Zen Sect say:

The Saddharmapundarika-sutra is the finger pointing to the moon. Zen is the moon. After you see the moon, a finger is unnecessary. Zen is the mind of the Buddha. The Saddharmapundarika-sutra is the words of the Buddha. After he expounded the Saddharmapundarika-sutra and all the other sutras, the Buddha gave a flower to Kasyapa, and transmitted the Dharma to him. The Dharma was transmitted successively to the twenty-eighth patriarch, Bodhidharma, and then to the sixth Chinese Zen Patriarch [Hui-neng],

108

Chapter IV

This false statement has already been deceiving the people of this country for a long time.

The high priests of the Tendai and Shingon Sects today are not well versed in the teachings of their own sects although they are famous in the circles of their own sects. They are greedy. They are afraid of obles and samurai, and not only admit but also praise the teachings of the Nembutsu and Zen Sects. Prabhutaratna and the Replica-Buddhas proved the truthfulness of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra "in order to have the Dharma preserved forever. " Now the high priests of the Tendai Sect side with the Nembutsu and Zen Sects, saying, "The Saddharmapundarika-sutra is too profound for us to understand." Therefore, the Saddharmapundarika-sutra exists only in name in Japan today. No one practices this sutra to attain enlightenment.

Who is to be called the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra? Countless monks were exiled because they

burned down temples and towers. Many high priests were hated by the commoners because they flattered nobles and samurai. Are these priests to be called the practitioners of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra? The words of the Buddha are not false, therefore, the three kinds of enemies of the Saddharmapundarikasutra are now found everywhere in this country. But, as if to disprove the truthfulness of the words of the Buddha, there is no sign appearing of the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarikasutra. Why is that? Who was spoken ill of and abused by laymen? What priest was threatened with swords and sticks? What priest was reported to nobles and samurai because of practicing the Saddharmapundarika-sutra? What priest was driven out of his monastery

"from time to time"? There is no such priest except me, Nichiren. But I am not the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra because no god protects me. Whom shall we call the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra in order to verify the words of the Buddha?

109

229c

Chapter V: Die a Martyr for the Cause of the Saddharmapundarïka-sütra!

The Buddha lived with Devadatta just as a man lives with his shadow. Crown Prince Shotoku lived with Moriya ust as the flower of a lotus grows with its fruit at the same time. In the same manner the practitioner of he Saddharma ust l wi h the three kinds of enemies of the sutra. The three kinds of enemies have already appeared. Who is the practitioner of the Saddharmapuridarika-sutra?If there is any, I will respect him as my teacher. It will be very difficult to find him, just as it is difficult for a one-eyed turtle to find a hole in a floating piece of wood. 110

Chapter V

Die a Martyr for the Cause of the

Saddharmapundarïka-sütral

The Three Great Vows

Question: It seems that the three kinds of enemies of the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra exist today. But there is no practitioner of the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra. I cannot say that you are the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra because this sutra states in many places that the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra will be peaceful. It says in this sutra:

Celestial pages will serve him (anyone who reads this sutra). He will not be struck with swords or sticks. He will not be poisoned If nyone speaks ill of im, the speaker's mouth will be shut__[Those who hear the Dharma] will be peaceful in their present lives. In their future lives, they will be reborn in good places Anyone who troubles the expounder of the Dharma shall have his head split into seven pieces just like the branches of the arjaka trees__He [the keeper of this sutra] will be able to obtain the reward of his merits in his present life__Those who, upon seeing the keeper of this sutra, blame him justly or unjustly, will suffer from white leprosy in their present lives.

Answer: I understand what you say. Let me clear up your doubts. It says in the "Chapter on Never Despising Bodhisattva," 111

230a "Some of the four kinds of devotees spoke ill of him... struck him with a stick, a piece of wood, a piece of tile or a stone." It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra, "[Those who became bhiksus in order to get food] killed or hurt pure bhiksus." The Buddha says in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, "Many people hate this sutra with jealousy even in my lifetime." One of the toes of the Buddha bled due to the attack of Devadatta. He had nine such incidents altogether. Was the Buddha not the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra? Can we not say that Never Despising Bodhisattva was the practitioner of the teaching of the One Vehicle? Maudgalyayana was killed by Dandapani after he was assured of is attainment of uddhahood. Deva Bodhisattva, the fourteenth patriarch, and the Venerable Siriiha, the twenty-fifth patriarch, were also killed. Were they not the practitioners of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra? Chu-taosheng (Jiksu Dosho) was exiled to Su-shan (Sozan). Fa-tao (Hodo) was branded on the face and sent to Chiang-nan (Konan). Were they not the keepers of the teaching of the One Vehicle? Tenjin of Kitano (Sugawara-no-Michizane) and Pai-chii-i (Hakukyoi) were also exiled. Were they not sages?

I think that a person who did not commit the sin of slandering the Saddharmapundarika-sutra in his previous existence can practice the sutra in his present life. Those who persecute the practitioner of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra on the charge of a petty offense in the secular world, even though he is innocent, will be punished just as asuras who shot arrows at Sakra were punished at once, or as garudas who entered the Anavatapta Pond to eat the dragon king were killed instantly.

T'ien-t'ai says, "My present suffering was caused in the past. My good deeds in my present life will be rewarded in my future life. " It says in the Shinjikan-gyo (Hsin-ti-kuan-ching), "If ou want to know the cause in the past, see the effect in the present. If you want to know the effect in the future, see the cause in the present. " It says in the "Chapter on Never Despising Bodhisattva, " "Thus he expiated his sin." It seems that Never Despising Bodhisattva 112

Chapter V

was struck with pieces of tile or stones because he had slandered the Saddharmapundarika-sutra in his previous existence. The person who is destined to fall into hell in his next life is not punished in the present even when he commits serious sins because he is an icchantika. It says in the Mahaparinirvdna-sutra: Kasyapa Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, "World-honored One! You say that the light of Great Nirvana enters the bodies of ll living beings through their pores.... Some people have not yet aspired to bodhi. How can they obtain the cause of bodhi?"

The Buddha said to Kasyapa, "Suppose someone hears this Mahaparinirvdna-sutra and slanders my right teachings, saying that he does not need to aspire to bodhi. He will have a dream that night. In his dream, he will be surprised to see a raksasa. The raksasa will say to him, 'Alas, good man! If you do not aspire to bodhi right now, I will kill you.' Frightened at hearing this, he will aspire to bodhi. You should know that he will become a great bodhisattva. As long as he is not terribly evil, he will dream of a raksasa when he slanders the right teachings of the Buddha, and will aspire to bodhi. But an icchantika cannot have this dream, just as a dead tree or a stone mountain" cannot hold rainwater, as a "scorched seed" cannot bring forth a bud "even after a gentle rain," as "the most brilliant gem cannot clear muddy water," as "a hand grasp- ing poison cannot refrain from being poisoned when it has a scar, or as "the heaviest rain cannot stay in the sky." There are many other similes. In a word, the worst icchantika is not punished in the present because it is certain that he will fall into the Hell of Incessant Suffering in his next life. King Chieh of the Hsia dynasty and King Chou of he Yin dynasty committed serious crimes, but there were no calamities in their countries because the downfall of their dynasties was already predestined.

I think that the worst person is not punished in the present also because the guardian gods have left this country. The guardian 230b

113

gods do not protect but leave a country where the people slander the Dharma. Therefore, the worst person is not punished while the practitioner of the right teachings of the Buddha is put under great difficulties. It says in the Suvarnaprabhasa-sutra, "Those who do good karmas are decreasing in number day after day." The same can be said of Japan today. The country is not good. The time is not good, either. I dealt with all this in my Risshoankoku-ron. After all this, I should say, "Let the gods leave our country! Let any difficulty come to me!" I will stop practicing the Saddharmapundarika-sutra only when my life expires. Sariputra retired from his bodhisattva practices, which he had performed for sixty kalpas, because he could not bear the insult of the eye-begging brahman. Many people today have not yet been saved because they have abandoned the Saddharmapundarika-sutra at the instigation of their evil friends although they were given the seeds of Buddhahood by Mahabhijnajnanabhibhu Buddha three thousand great thousand worlds dust particles kalpas ago, and also by Sakyamuni Buddha five hundred thousand billion nayuta asamkhya worlds dust particles kalpas ago. For whatever reason, good or bad, to abandon the Saddharmapundarika-sutra is to go to hell. I will make great vows. Even if I am told, "The throne of Japan will be yours if you say the nembutsu. Abandon the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, and put your hopes for your next life in practicing the Kammuryoju-kyo and other sutras! If ou do not say the nembutsu, your parents will be beheaded," I will resist all these threats unless my faith is refuted by a wise man. All the other persecutions will be just a particle of dust before the wind. I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great vessel of Japan. I will not break these vows. The Expiation of My Sins

Question: Why do you say that your exiles and other persecutions are the effects of your deeds in your previous existence? 114

Chapter V

Answer: A mirror made of copper reflects everything in itself. The king of the Ch'in dynasty had a mirror that could detect any falsehood by his subjects. All the crimes of his attendants were reflected in that mirror. The mirror of the teachings of the Buddha manifests the deeds in the past. It says in the Hatsunaiongyo: 230c

Good men! The person who committed innumerable crimes and did various evil karmas in his previous existence will have his retribution in his present life. He will be despised by others. His appearance will be ugly. He will be short of clothing. His food and drink will be scanty. He will not be able to get profits although he seeks fortune. He will be born poor and to a family with wrong views. He will be persecuted by the government. He will also suffer in many other ways. He will receive these retributions in his present life. But his retributions will be less than the retributions he will receive if he does not protect the Dharma. This statement of the sutra exactly describes what I am now. All my doubts are cleared up. All questions have become groundless. Let me read this statement word by word and think of myself. Now I will comment on it.

"He will be despised by others." It says in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, "They will hate him, and look at him with jealousy." I have been despised by others for the past twenty-odd years.

"His appearance will be ugly. He will be short of clothing. This exactly fits me.

"His food and drink will be scanty." This refers to me. "He will not be able to get profits although he seeks fortune. This fits me.

"He will be born poor." This expresses what I was. "He will be persecuted by the government." How can I doubt this statement? It says in the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra [that others will] "drive us out of our monasteries from time to time." 115

[He will also suffer] "in many other ways___But his retributions will be less than the retributions he will receive if he does not protect the Dharma. " Because I protect the Dharma, I shall be punished less, although I did evil karmas in my previous existence. As long as I protect the Dharma, I shall finally be able to cut off the bonds of birth and death.

It says in the Makashikan, Volume V:

There are two kinds of good, the good of ordinary men and the good from meditation. The good of ordinary men is too weak to eliminate the effects of evil karmas in the past. Practice the shikari and meditate on the health and illness of your minds, and you will be able to cut off the cycle of birth and death.... [When you pursue the Right Way,] the three obstacles [passions, karma, and karmic results,] and the four devils [defilements, the five skandhas causing suffering, death, and mara] will occur, competing with one another, to disturb us.

I think I was born as an evil king and plundered food, clothing, land, and so forth from practitioners of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra countless times during my previous consecutive existences since the beginningless past, just as the people of Japan today are destroying the temples of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. I also think that I beheaded practitioners of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra countless times during my previous consecutive existences.

I may have already expiated some of these serious sins. But even the sins that I think I have already expiated may not have been expiated satisfactorily. In order to eliminate the bonds of birth and death, I must completely expiate all the sins I have committed.

My merits are trifling while my sins are serious. When I practiced Provisional Mahayana sutras, I did not have to commit these serious sins. When you forge a sword, the scar of the sword is not visible until the iron is red enough for forging and hammering is 116

Chapter V

repeated. When you press sesame seeds with more power, you get more oil from them.

Now I am vehemently criticizing the slanderers of he Dharma in this country. I am persecuted probably because my protection of the Dharma has caused me to expiate the great sins that I had committed in my previous existences. Iron is black without fire, and red in fire. When a stream is checked abruptly by logs, mountainous waves will be made. When disturbed, a sleeping lion will roar.

It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra:

A poverty-stricken woman was pregnant. She had no house, no protectors. She was ill in health, hungry, and thirsty. She wandered about, begging food. She stayed at an inn, and gave birth to a boy. The master of the inn drove away the mother and her son. Before long, after the birth, the mother left for another country, carrying her baby in her arms. On the way, they met a heavy storm. It was terribly cold. Furthermore, they were attacked by many mosquitoes, horseflies, bees, and other vermin. She crossed the Ganges River with her baby in her arms. The current was very rapid. She held her baby fast, but both mother and son were drowned. She was reborn in the Brahma Heaven because she was so compassionate toward her baby.

Manjusri! If a good man wishes to protect the right teachings of he Buddha, he should act like the poor woman, who died in the Ganges River because of her love for her baby. Good man! Like her, the bodhisattva who protects the Dharma should not spare his life. Then he will be able to be emancipated automatically even though he does not seek it, just as the poor woman reached the Brahma Heaven even though she did not seek to go there.

Chang-an Ta-shih (Shoan Daishi) commented on this statement with the theory of three obstacles. Observe his interpretation. 117

231b

Poverty-stricken" means "not yet having received the teachings of the Buddha." "Woman" means "a person who has a small amount of ompassion. " "Inn" means "a defiled world. " "Boy" means the seed of Buddhahood obtained by faith in the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra. "To drive away" means "to exile." "Before long after birth" means "before long after a person embraces the faith. " A heavy storm" means a sentence of banishment. "Attacked by vermin means "spoken ill of and abused by ignorant people." Both mother and son were drowned" means "the person who did not give up his faith in the Saddharmapundarlka-sUtra was beheaded." "Brahma Heaven" should be read as "the [Pure] World of the Buddha."

The truth that karma causes rebirth in another world can be applied to any of the ten regions, from hell up to the world of the Buddha. One who kills people in any country, including Japan and China, will suffer for many years in the evil regions except in the Hell of Incessant Suffering, unless he commits the five sins and the sin of slandering the Dharma.

One cannot be reborn in the realm of form and become a Brahma if e practices only the good of rdinary men, even though the good of rdinary men requires observing innumerable precepts and practicing innumerable good deeds.

In order to become a Brahma, one should practice at least the first state of meditation, that is, the meditation still accompanied by illusions, and in addition should accumulate merits of compassion. The poor woman did not practice any meditation, but was reborn in the Brahma Heaven because she thought of her son. This did not accord with that requirement. Chang-an interpreted this irregularity in two ways. Judging from Changan s view, I think I can say the following. The mind of the mother was entirely occupied by her love for her son. The concentration of mind on this occasion resembles meditation. To think solely of her son is akin to the compassion of the Buddha. Therefore, she was reborn in the Brahma Heaven although she did nothing else.

118

Chapter V

The way to attain Buddhahood is explained variously by various sects. The Kegon Sect holds that it is by seeing the truth that the mind is all. The Sanron Sect says that it is by seeing the truth that the eight negations are the Middle Way. The Hosso Sect contends that it is by realizing the truth that what is, is only consciousness. The Shingon Sect declares that it is by realizing the truth that everything is composed of the five elements. It does not seem, however, that any of these views expresses the reality of all things.

Only the teaching of one mind-three thousand of the Tendai Sect is the way to Buddhahood. I do not have even a bit of wisdom to understand this teaching, but I am convinced that only one sutra, only the Saddharmapundarlka-sutra, contains the gem of one mind-three thousand in itself. The teachings of the other sutras are just yellow stones that look like gems. You cannot get oil by pressing grains of sand. A sterile woman cannot have a child. Even wise men cannot become Buddhas by means of the other sutras. Even ignorant people can plant the seeds of Buddhahood by means of this sutra. Ignorant people will be able to become Buddhas automatically, just as the person who protects the Dharma will be able "to be emancipated even though he does not seek it." I said to my disciples day and night:

We shall be able to reach the world of the Buddha automatically if we have no doubts even when we have difficulties. Have no doubt that the gods will not protect us! Do not lament that we are not peaceful!

But many of them doubted me and left me. Ordinary people are apt to forget what they promised when their promises were needed. I think that they do not like to part from their wives and children, whom they love. However, during the past innumerable kalpas in their previous consecutive existences, they parted from their wives and children repeatedly. Did they part from them peacefully? Did they part from them for the cause of the teachings of the Buddha? They must have parted from them in tears m any case. 23ic

119

Go to the Pure World of Mount Sacred Eagle without giving up your faith in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, and lead your wives and children there!

Submissive and Aggressive

Question: You say that the followers of the Nembutsu and Zen Sects will be sent to the Hell of Incessant Suffering. You are aggressive. You will fall into the region of asuras. It says in the Chapter on Peaceful Practices" in the Saddharmapundarikasutra, You should not point out the faults of other persons or sutras. You should not despise other teachers of the Dharma." I think that you are deserted by the gods because you go against this warning of the Buddha.

Answer: It says in the Makashikan:

There are two ways of propagating the Dharma, the submissive way and the aggressive way. It says in the "Chapter on Peaceful Practices," "You should not speak of the good points or bad points...." This is the submissive way. The Mahaparinirvana-sutra reads, "You should carry a sword or a stick... behead him. " This is the aggressive way. Although different from each other, both ways benefit all living beings.

It says in the Shikan-guketsu:

It says in the Makashikan, "There are two ways...." The Mahaparinirvana-sutra reads, "You should carry a sword or a stick----" The Mahaparinirvana-sutra, Volume III, says, "The person who protects the right teachings of the Buddha will be able to be reborn in the World of Aksobhya even though he does not keep the five precepts or practice proper deportments.... King Seer Prophet beheaded the slanderers of the Dharma— The king prohibited the use of older medicine, which was found to be poisonous, and ordered that those who used the older medicine should be 120

Chapter V

beheaded...." All this shows the aggressive way of eliminating the destroyers of the Dharma. In any sutra or sastra, we cannot find any other way of propagating the Dharma than these two.

It says in the Hokkemongu-ki:

Question: It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra, "Approach the king, take up swords and arrows, and defeat evil persons!" But it says in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra that we should not approach kings and nobles, and that we should be humble, modest, and compassionate toward others. The former is hard while the latter is soft. How can we say that the two ways are the same in benefiting all living beings? Answer: The Mahaparinirvana-sutra deals with the aggressive way, but it also says that all living beings are like Rahula, the only son of the Buddha. This indicates that the Mahaparinirvana-sutra also has the submissive way of propagating the Dharma. The Saddharmapundarika-sutra emphasizes the submissive way, but it also says, "Anyone who ... troubles the expounder of the Dharma shall have his head split into seven pieces." This shows that the Saddharmapundarika-sutra also has the aggressive way. Each of the two sutras emphasizes one or the other way of propagating the Dharma to meet the needs of the time. It says in the Nehangyo-sho (Nieh-p'an-ching-su): It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra that any monk or layman who wishes to protect the Dharma should propagate the great teaching by keeping his original intention, that is, by forsaking formalism and preserving fundamental principles. By doing so, he can "protect the right teachings of the Buddha." He should not be attached to trivial matters. Therefore, he does "not practice proper deportments." In the olden days the Dharma was propagated peacefully, and the monks had only to observe the precepts. They did not have to carry sticks. But now the world is not peaceful, and 121

232a the Dharma is ignored. Therefore, monks should carry sticks. They should not observe the precepts. When the world is not peaceful, they should carry sticks. When the world is peaceful, they should observe the precepts. They should choose one according to the needs of he time. They should not constantly cling to either of the two.

The scholars of today will think that your doubts are quite reasonable. Even my disciples think so because they are like icchantikas. Therefore, I quoted from the writings of 'ien-t'ai and Miao-le to clear up their doubts.

The submissive way is as different from the aggressive way as water is from fire. Fire dislikes water. Water hates fire. Submissive men laugh at aggressive men. Aggressive men feel sorry for submissive men. When a country is filled with ignorant and evil people, the submissive way should be used first, as is shown in the Chapter on Peaceful Practices. " When many people have wrong views and slander the Dharma, the aggressive way should be applied first, as is given in the "Chapter on Never Despising Bodhisattva." When the weather is hot, we use cold water. When it is cold, we like fire. Plants are followers of the sun. They suffer under the winter moon. Waters are followers of he moon. When it is hot, they lose their natural coldness.

In the Age of Degeneration, both ways are necessary because there are two kinds of ountries, evil countries where many people are ignorant and evil, and Dharma-destroying countries where many people have wrong views and slander the Dharma. You should know whether present-day Japan is an evil country or a Dharma-destroying country.

Question. Is it efficient to practice the aggressive way when the submissive way is needed, or to practice the submissive way when the aggressive way is needed?

Answer: It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra: Kasyapa Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, "World-honored One! I know that the dharmakaya of the Tathagata is 122

Chapter V

indestructible like a diamond. I do not know why. Please explain it! "

The Buddha said, "Kasyapa! I was able to obtain this diamond-like body because I protected the right Dharma. Kasyapa! I was able to obtain this eternally indestructible diamond-like body because I protected the Dharma in the past. Good man! Those who protect the right teachings of the Buddha do not have to keep the five precepts, or practice proper deportments, but have to carry swords, bows, arrows, and halberds...." The bhiksus who keep the five precepts will expound the Dharma, but they will not be able to make a lion's roar, defeat unjust and evil men, or benefit themselves or others. Know this! They are idle and lazy. Although they keep the precepts and protect pure deeds, know this, they will not be able to do anything else-----Suppose a teacher of the Dharma does not keep the precepts but makes a lion's roar and criticizes unjust bhiksus. Hearing his criticism, those bhiksus will get angry and kill the teacher of the Dharma. Even if he is dead, he should be considered to be keeping the precepts, and benefiting himself and others.

Chang-an says, "They should choose one according to the needs of the time. They should not constantly cling to either of the two." T'ien-t'ai says, "to meet the needs of the time." It is difficult to harvest a crop of ice if e sow the seeds and till the soil at the end of autumn.

Honen and Dainichi appeared in the years of Kennin, and propagated the Nembutsu and Zen Sects. Honen said, In the Age of Degeneration, no one has attained Buddhahood by the Saddharmapundarika-sutra... not one among a thousand people. Dainichi said, "Zen was transmitted from the Buddha to us without sutras. "

These two sects are now popular all over this country. The scholars of the Tendai and Shingon Sects flatter the supporters of the Nembutsu and Zen Sects just as a dog wags its tail before its 123

232b

master, or fear them just as a rat shudders before a cat. They obtain positions in the government and tell emperors and shoguns their views, which will eventually destroy Buddhism and this country. They are now like hungry spirits. They will be sent to the Hell of ncessant Suffering in their future lives. Even if hey sit in mountains and forests and meditate on the teaching of one mind-three thousand, or even if they sit in secluded places and keep unspilled the water of the three mystic things, they will not be able to get rid of birth and death because they do not know the needs of the time and the difference between the submissive way and the aggressive way.

Question: What profit can we expect when we criticize the people of the Nembutsu and Zen Sects and are hated by them? Answer: It says in the Mahaparinirvana-sutra: Suppose a good bhiksu, upon seeing people who destroy the Dharma, does not reproach them, drive them away, or punish them. Know this! He is an enemy of the teachings of the Buddha. If e drives them away, reproaches, or punishes them, he is my disciple, my hearer in the true sense of the word. Chang-an says:

Those who destroy the teachings of he Buddha are enemies of the teachings of the Buddha. The person who pretends to be their friend is their enemy. He has no compassion toward them. If he criticizes them, he is a Dharma-protecting hearer, who is to be called my true disciple. He will be their true friend when he removes their evils. He will be my true disciple when he reproaches them. If he does not drive them away, he will become an enemy of the teachings of the Buddha.

In the "Chapter on Beholding the Stupa of Treasures" in the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, Sakyamuni, Prabhutaratna, and all the Replica-Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters assembled in this Saha world. For what purpose? I think that those Buddhas 124

Chapter V

assembled for the purpose of giving the Saddharmapundarikasutra to all the sons of the Buddha in the future. It seems that their compassion toward all living beings is greater than the com- passion of parents toward their only son who is suffering much. But Honen did not think of the minds of those Buddhas, and shut the gate to the Saddharmapundarika-sutra against the people, saying that the Saddharmapundarika-sutra is useless in the Age of Degeneration. He had the people abandon the Saddharmapundarika-sutra, just as a poor and evil man had the perverted

son of a rich man throw away his treasures by deceiving the son. Honen was merciless, indeed.

Do you not tell your parents when you realize that someone is attempting to kill them? Do you not stop a drunken son from killing his parents? Do you not keep an evil man from setting fire to temples and towers? Do you not treat your son with moxa when he is seriously ill? Those who do not admonish the followers of the Zen and Nembutsu Sects of Japan are like those who do nothing on these occasions. Chang-an says, "The person who pretends to be their friend is their enemy. He has no compassion toward them. " I am the dear parent of all the people of Japan. All the people of the Tendai Sect today are their great enemies. Chang-an says, "He will be their true friend when he removes their evils." They have no aspiration for enlightenment. They cannot get rid of birth and death.

The Lord Teacher Sakyamuni, the World-honored One, was abused as the most vicious man by all brahmans. T'ien-t'ai Tashih was spoken ill of by the three sects in South China and the seven sects in North China, and was criticized by Tokuichi, who said, "The five-foot body of T'ien-t'ai was mutilated by the threeinch tongue. " Dengyo Daishi was reproached by the priests of [the sects of] Nara, who said, "Saicho has not yet visited the capital city ofT'ang." Sakyamuni, T'ien-t'ai, and Dengyo were treated so badly. It was not a shame, however, because they suffered for the cause of the Saddharmapundarika-sutra. It is the greatest shame to be praised by ignorant people. The priests of the Tendai and 232c

125