1.Modern Translation
Considering these teachings, we must never slander one another, regardless of what happens, concerning those who believe in and practice the Lotus Sutra.
The reason is that all who embrace the Lotus Sutra are beings who are certain to attain Buddhahood.
Slandering a person who is destined to become a Buddha is, exactly as it is, the offense of slandering the Buddha.
1.Lecture
This passage clearly manifests Nichiren Daishonin’s teaching of kosen-rufu: “respecting one another as Buddhas.”
The admonition to “never slandering one another,” regardless of the circumstances, can be called a fundamental norm for building human peace.
People sometimes lose their way and make mistakes.
However, in the depths of their lives, there is always the potential to become a Buddha.
Believing in this single point to the very end is the essence of faith in the Lotus Sutra.
President Ikeda made Nichiren Daishonin’s spirit his own, stating: “To respect and value all people is the fundamental posture for how a Buddhist should live. One must never scold others based on emotion or lord it over one’s juniors.”
To have firm conviction that an infinite potential to become a Buddha exists within one’s own heart as well as in the hearts of our friends—this is the path of human revolution.
2.Modern Translation
The benefit of the Daimoku chanted with such understanding is entirely the same as the benefit of Shakyamuni Buddha.
The sutra teaches: “The suffering of the Avīci hell is all contained within the life-state of the Buddha, and the body and land of Vairochana Buddha do not exceed a single moment of life of an ordinary person.”
Concerning the heart of the Fourteen Slanders, you must gauge it according to the words of the sutra.
2.Lecture
This passage shows Nichiren Daishonin’s ultimate “Declaration of Equality,” stating that the benefit of the Daimoku we chant is exactly the same as the benefit of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Taking the heart of the Daishonin as his own, President Ikeda says, “The benefit of the Daimoku chanted by anyone is entirely equal.”
3.Modern Translation
That you inquire about the Buddhist Law in this way truly shows you are a person who aspires for the next life.
The sutra teaches: “One who is able to hear this Law is also hard to find.”
This sutra implies that not only is it difficult for the true messenger of the Buddha to appear in the world and preach this sutra according to the Buddha’s original intent, but it is also hard to find someone who questions the meaning of this sutra, dispels doubt, and possesses deep belief.
3.Lecture
Nichiren Daishonin praised his followers’ “spirit of seeking the Buddhist Law” as an attitude of “aspiring for the future.”
This teaches us that the “seeking spirit” to explore the truth is what truly matters.
President Ikeda says, “It is important to always keep the seeking spirit burning brightly.”
4.Modern Translation
Even the person of the lowest social status should, without hesitation, inquire about the meaning of this sutra to someone who is even slightly superior in wisdom.
However, the people of the Latter Day of the Law are trapped by arrogance, attachment, fame, and profit, thinking, “How can I become that person’s disciple? If I receive their teaching, will I be looked down upon by others?”
They constantly remain in evil thoughts and ultimately fall into the evil paths.
The Hōshi chapter teaches: “Compared to the merit of exhausting all treasures to make offerings to the Buddha for eight billion kalpas of time, if one makes offerings to a priest who preaches the Lotus Sutra, and subsequently listens to the Law of this sutra even for a very short time, I should rejoice, for I will gain great benefit and merit.”
Even those without wisdom can gain benefit by serving the one who preaches this sutra.
Following the principle that even any demon or beast “must surely rise and greet them from afar, and should be reverenced as one reverences the Buddha”
when they preach a single verse or phrase of the Lotus Sutra, we should mutually revere each other as Buddhas.
This should be done, for example, just as Shakyamoni Buddha and Many Treasures Buddha revered each other in the Hōtō chapter.
4.Lecture
This passage shows that a “humble attitude” and “respect for all people” are the true paths of seeking the Law.
It strictly warns that roots of evil—such as arrogance, attachment to fame, or social status—hinder growth and push happiness away.
President Ikeda upheld this spirit of humble seeking, stating: “‘You should rise and greet him from afar, showing him the same respect you would a Buddha’—this attitude of respecting practitioners of the Lotus Sutra is the eternal spirit of Soka in welcoming fellow members and all those who seek the Law.”
5.Modern Translation
Although this person, Sanmi-bō, is of low status, if he is one who preaches even a small portion of the doctrine of the Lotus Sutra, you should revere him as you would the Buddha and inquire of him concerning the Law.
You must keep in mind the teaching, “Rely on the Law and not upon the person.”
5.Lecture
This passage clearly shows the fundamental principle of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism: “Rely on the Law and not upon persons.”
Therefore, no matter who speaks of the Law, if the heart of the Daishonin is present, we should listen with humility.
President Ikeda stated: “In order to build peace and happiness in Japan, there is no other way than through the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. I wish to say that criticizing and attempting to destroy the Soka Gakkai, which spreads this Great Law, is equivalent to toppling the very pillar of Japan.”
6.Modern Translation
Now, long ago, there was a man who lived on a mountain called Snow Mountain.
His name was Snow Mountain boy (Sessen Dōji).
He sustained his life by gathering bracken and picking nuts, wore clothes made of deer hide, and quietly practiced the Buddhist path.
6.Lecture
The story of Sessen Doji teaches us how noble the “seeking spirit” is in pursuing the truth and upholding the Buddhist path.
In the harsh nature of the Snow Mountains, he devoted himself purely to Buddhist practice, valuing it far above worldly fame or profit.
President Ikeda explains: “What we must not overlook in the tale of Sessen Doji is that the being to whom he offered his life appeared as a fierce demon (rakshasa). This contains a warning that, in seeking the Law, we must never be swayed or distracted by the other person’s character, social status, or position.”
7.Modern Translation
Snow Mountain boy contemplated:
“Observing the world closely, one understands that life and death follow the principle of impermanence, so those who are born must surely die.
Therefore, the transience of this world, which is full of suffering, is momentary, like a flash of lightning, or like morning dew that instantly vanishes in the sunlight.
It is no different from a lamp before the wind being easily extinguished, or a banana leaf being easily torn.
All people are unable to escape this impermanence, and eventually, everyone must embark on the journey to the next world.
Thinking of that path after death, it is dark and pitch black, without the light of the sun, moon, or stars, not even a lamp.
On that dark road, there is no one to accompany me.
In this world, relatives, siblings, wife, children, and kin gather, the father’s compassion is deep, the mother’s sorrowful affection is profound, and husband and wife share a bond like that of shrimp living in the same hole, spending their lives together and never separating.
They are intimate, like mandarin ducks playing side by side under the same quilt, yet they will not accompany one another on the journey after death.
One walks that dark road utterly alone.
Who will come to guide their good and evil deeds?
Moreover, in this world where it is unknown whether the old or the young will die first, sometimes the old precede, and the young remain, which is the natural order.
Even amidst that lament, there is at least some consolation.
However, there are also cases where the old remain, and the young precede.
The most painful is the child who precedes the parent in youth, and the most lamentable is the parent who precedes the child in old age.
In this way, life and death are impermanent, and this world, where it is unknown whether the old or the young will die first, is fleeting.
Yet, people dedicate themselves day and night solely to actions for worldly benefits, neither revering the Buddha, nor believing the Law, possessing neither practice nor wisdom, and thus spend their days in vain.
When they are dragged to the judgment hall of Yama after death, what will they use as provisions to travel the long journey of the Three Realms, and what will they use as a boat or raft to cross the wide sea of life and death, to reach the Buddha-land of True Reward and Eternal Tranquility?”
He thought: “The deluded life is a ‘dream.’ The life awakened to enlightenment is the ‘reality.’ Therefore, I must abandon this dream-like, painful world and seek the reality of enlightenment.”
With this resolve, he sequestered himself in Snow Mountain, dispelling delusion and illusion from his seat of contemplation, and sought the Buddhist Law with single-minded devotion.
Shakra looked down upon his form from afar in the heavens and thought: “The spawn of fish are many, but those who become fish are few; the flowers of the mango tree bloom abundantly, but those that bear fruit are few.
People are the same. Many people awaken the aspiration for enlightenment, but few do not regress and enter the true path.
The Bodhi-citta of all ordinary people is easily misled by many evil influences and is prone to change with every encountered situation.
There are many soldiers who wear armor, but few who do not fear battle. I will test this person’s resolve.”
With this thought, Shakra appeared in the form of a fearsome ogre and stood beside the boy.
7.Lecture
This passage shows Sessen Doji’s “fundamental inquiry into life and death” and his “determination to seek the true Law without clinging to the dream-like present world.”
His view of impermanence is a stern yet warm question to modern people who have lost sight of life’s purpose.
President Ikeda guided us: “If we stand on the view of life over the three existences, we were born in this world to purify our past karma and enter the orbit of eternal happiness. In your next life, you will definitely be born in happiness.”
Thank you for reading.
To be continued in [Reply to Lord Matsuno – Modern Translation and Lecture, Part 4].
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