P04-part(3)：About Nichiren's view of the principal image "honzon"

■About Nichiren's view of the principal image "honzon"

　Back to the topic.
In what follows, I will once again discuss Nichiren's view of the principal image.

Nichiren defined the law he named Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as the principal image "honzon".
The meaning of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo(南無妙法蓮華経) as defined by Nichiren is as follows.
Looking at the meaning of the Chinese characters, Namu(南無) means to return to life, to return one's life, to take refuge, to devote one's life, to believe, to offer one's life, to give one's life, and Myoho-renge-kyo(妙法蓮華経) is a law.
Myoho(妙法) is a strange law, a strange sutra like lotus(蓮華).
Kumaraju translated 'Sadarumapundarika Sutra' as it is.
In other words, it means to entrust all one's life to the law called Myoho-renge-kyo.
To recite this over and over again means to perform this intention and oath over and over again.

Nichiren defined this as the way to practice to attain Buddhahood and to attain Buddhahood in one's present form, it is named sokushin-jyobutsu即身成仏.
　Nichiren also referred to this as "honzon," (=the law to be most respected and returned to one's destiny) equal to the law that is most respected to, devoted to, and attributed to for one's life.
　The term "honzon" refers to the fundamental respect, or the object of respect and devotion as the root.

Incidentally, the effects of this action have gained some objective consensus in modern science as the placebo effect or semantic response. However, there is no unified view on whether there is religious merit or not, or conversely, whether there is punishment or not, etc.

Let me examine some of the references.
Nichiren says:
``Ask the common man of the last days of evil, what should be the principal image?The answer is, ``The title of the Lotus Sutra should be the principal image.''（本尊問答抄、Gosho P365）
"UESTION: In the evil world of the latter age, what should ordinary men and women take as their object of devotion?
Answer: They should make the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra their object of devotion."(Questions and Answers on the Object of Devotion, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin P787)

The point is, that is, the title of the Lotus Sutra is Myoho-renge-kyo, and by adding Namu, which gives birth to life, it becomes Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Nichiren called this the principal image. After all, it is ``Dharma (=law)'', not Buddha, people, or objects.
Moreover, this does not mean Nichiren himself.

Following this,
I ask, "What is the basis for this? And in whose interpretation of the Lotus Sutra is it found?
I answer, "The Lotus Sutra. In the tenth chapter of the fourth book of the Lotus Sutra, it is written as follows.
"Bodhisattva Medicine King, you must preach, read, recite, or copy this Lotus Sutra in any place.
Or, wherever this sutra scroll exists, you should build a pagoda of seven treasures and make offerings to it in the highest and most solemn manner.
Do not treat the Buddha's relics carelessly
Because in this Lotus Sutra, everything about the Tathagata is revealed and disclosed."（本尊問答抄、Gosho P365）
The equivalent English translation in "The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin" is as follows.
"Question: In what sutra passage or what commentary of the Buddhist teachers is this view expressed?
Answer: The “Teacher of the Law” chapter in the fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra states: “Medicine King, in any place whatsoever where this sutra is preached, where it is read, where it is recited, where it is copied, or where a roll of it exists, in all such places there should be erected towers made of the seven kinds of gems, and they should be made very high and broad and well adorned. There is no need to enshrine the relics of the Buddha there. Why? Because in such towers the entire body of the Thus Come One is already present.”(Questions and Answers on the Object of Devotion, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin P787)

Continue,
"The “Nature of the Thus Come One” chapter in the fourth volume of the Nirvana Sutra states.
And I say this, Kāshyapa. The teacher of all the Buddhas is the so-called the law "Dharma," and for this reason the Buddhas honor and offer offerings to it.
For this reason, Buddhas respect and make offerings to the Dharma(law).
Since the Dharma(law) is ever-living, the Buddhas who have realized it are also ever-living, and there will also be Buddhas who emerge forever.
In the Tendai Daishi's Lotus Samādhi, he states,
"In the Buddhist dojo, you should set up a magnificent throne and enshrine only the Lotus Sutra, and never enshrine Buddhist statues, stupas, or sutras other than the Lotus Sutra. Enshrine only the Lotus Sutra."（本尊問答抄、Gosho P365）

"The “Nature of the Thus Come One” chapter in the fourth volume of the Nirvana Sutra states: “And I say this, Kāshyapa. What the Buddhas take as their teacher is the Law. Therefore, the Thus Come Ones honor, respect, and make offerings to it. Since the Law is eternally abiding, the Buddhas [who became enlightened to the Law] are also eternally abiding.”
And the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai in his Method of Repentance through the Lotus Meditation says: “In the place of practice one should erect a suitably fashioned dais and place a copy of the Lotus Sutra on it. One need not adorn it with any statues of the Buddha, his relics, or copies of other scriptures. Simply place a copy of the Lotus Sutra there.”"(Questions and Answers on the Object of Devotion, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin P787)

In short, this Lotus Sutra is the whole body of the Tathagata,
(Because in this Lotus Sutra, everything about the Tathagata is revealed and disclosed.)

And the teacher of all the Buddhas is the "law" or Myoho-renge-kyo (the Lotus Sutra).
（The teacher of all the Buddhas is the so-called the law.)

In other words, all Buddhas are not Buddhas from the beginning, but are Buddhas because they have practiced with the "law" as their master, in other words, in accordance with the "law".

This is part of Nichiren's original view of the principal image, the view of becoming a Buddha, and the view of master and disciple.

Nichiren then listed the principal images of other Japanese religions, all of which have "statues of Buddha" as their principal image. And as the reason why only the Tendai sect has the Lotus Sutra as its principal image, he stated, "While they take the Buddha as their principal object of worship, Nichiren Buddhism takes the sutra as its principal object of worship "honzon".
He stated clearly that the principal object of worship "honzon", the Object of Devotion, is the Lotus Sutra.

The basis for this is that the principal object of worship should be the one that is superior, and in Buddhism, "Shakyamuni should be the principal object of worship," he continued. If that is the case, why do you (Nichiren) take the title of the Lotus Sutra as the principal object of worship and not Shakyamuni as the principal object of worship?
The answer to this question is not his own righteousness, but "Shakyamuni and Tendai determined that the Lotus Sutra is the principal object of worship."
The reason is that "the Lotus Sutra is "the eye"(眼目) of Buddha's parents and all the Buddhas."
"In general, the Buddhas of the ten directions, including Sakyamuni Buddha and Dainichi Tathagata, became Buddhas after learning the Lotus Sutra and being empowered by it.　Therefore, the Dharma that has the power to bring about Buddhahood is the principal object of worship.."（本尊問答抄）
"I do so because the Lotus Sutra is the father and mother of Shakyamuni Buddha, the eye of the Buddhas. Shakyamuni, Mahāvairochana, and all the other Buddhas of the ten p.789directions were born from the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, as the object of devotion I now take that which is capable of bringing forth such life force."( 'The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin',p788-789)

Thus, the Lotus Sutra is the principal object of worship "honzon", the Object of Devotion, based on clear proof and reason.

The statement, "While they take the Buddha as their principal object of worship, Nichiren's Buddhism takes the sutra (law) as its principal object of worship," will shine as a scientific truth as a matter of faith not only today but also forever.

The teaching that Nichiren established is not faith in the Absolute (Buddha, the lord of Creator, etc.), but in the true law (i.e., Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo). And he takes that law as his mentor and master.

This is what makes it different from all other religions.
Faith in "God," "Buddha," "mandalas as a matter," "Buddhist statues," etc., is a belief in the power of others, a belief in which one is ``submissive'', and is so-called "the submissive (note, absolute dependence)" no matter what.

On the other hand, the return of one's life to the Dharma(the law) is a vow of self-reliance, a belief and commitment to effort that one will make everything one's own responsibility.
　The only question is whether the Dharma(the law) to which one has entrusted one's life is in fact "right.

Determination of "correctness" in reality requires actual experimentation and proof.
This is the case from each individual unit to the group as a whole.
This is the same principle as the discovery and development of scientific theories.
　Therefore, there is no need for religion to part company with science.
It is enough if it faithfully follows the logic of "dependent on the law and not dependent on others.

However, in Nichiren's time, science was still underdeveloped, so there was no choice but to believe.
　That is why "belief" was emphasized　and enforced.
Science has developed considerably, but as long as human beings continue to exist, they will continue to develop no matter how far they go.
　Therefore, Nichiren's teachings, too, were originally of this nature, that is, laws that, if passed down correctly, would be tested and proven more deeply as time went on.
Nichiren's teachings are inherently of this nature; if passed down correctly, they are laws that will become more deeply experimentally proven as time progresses.

"In the Reply for Nichinyogozen (日女御前御返事,本尊相貌抄 Honzon Somyo sho) Gosho, p.1244, it reads as follows.
"Do not seek this Gohonzon anywhere else.
It is only in the fleshly body and mind of the people of the world who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo only with the sole aim of attaining Buddhahood.
This is the capital of the Nine Senses of the Heart King Shinnyo(九識心王真如の都),
The ten realms are all present in one world, not even in the ten realms of the world,
Mandala is the name of Jersey,
Mandala is the name of Jerusalem, and it is also called the "the perfect endowing(輪円具足)" or "perfect collection of merits and virtues,
This Gohonzon is also known as the two words "pure faith".
This is what it means "you will gain entry only with faith"."(日女御前御返事（本尊相貌抄）Gosho P1244)

"This Gohonzon must not be sought elsewhere.
This Gohonzon is not to be sought anywhere else, but only in the fleshly body and mind of our sentient beings who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo only with the sole aim of attaining Buddhahood.
This is called the "capital of the Nine Senses of the Heart King Shinnyo(九識心王真如の都,the palace of the ninth consciousness, the ever-living reality reigning over all of everything functions).
The ten realms of the world are all one without any of the ten realms being missing.
This is why the Gohonzon is called a mandala.
Mandala is a Sanskrit word, and it is also called "the perfect endowing(輪円具足)," or "perfect collection of merits and virtues.
This Gohonzon is also solely based on your "pure faith".
This is what is meant by the phrase, "By pure faith you will gain entry."(modern translation of Reply for Nichinyogozen,
Gosho,P1244)
The equivalent English translation in "The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin" is as follows.
"Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The body is the palace of the ninth consciousness, the unchanging reality that reigns over all of life’s functions. To be endowed with the Ten Worlds means that all ten, without a single exception, exist in one world. Because of this it is called a mandala. Mandala is a Sanskrit word that is translated as “perfectly endowed” or “a cluster of blessings.” This Gohonzon also is found only in the two characters for faith. This is what the sutra means when it states that one can “gain entrance through faith alone.”"(The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin p832)

hese indicate the following: That is,
The principal image (law) resides in the "fleshly body and mind (note, the entire physical body and mind)" of the person who chants Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo only with the sole aim of attaining Buddhahood.
The Gohonzon "exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."

This means that the life of the person who chants Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo (the fleshly body and mind) itself is the principal object of worship.

This part means that the state of life of the believer at the moment of chanting is the Gohonzon itself, which is the ultimate state of becoming a Buddha.

This is the ultimate state of becoming a Buddha for all sentient beings who are ordinary beings.
This is the true Buddhism of Nichiren.
This is the true theory of the Buddha, which states that ordinary people become Buddhas while remaining ordinary people.
This is just the scientific law that transcends time and space.

To repeat for the sake of confirmation, the essential condition is to "aim solely at attaining Buddhahood" without seeking worldly gain or reward.

The following is also found in Gosho P1358-1359 of the Shoho Jisso Sho 諸法実相抄:
"The common man is the body (note, main body), three bodies (note, three-body Tathagata), and is the original Buddha.
The Buddha has three bodies (note, action) and is a provisional Buddha.
Therefore, everyone thinks that Shakyamuni Buddha is endowed with the three virtues of lord, master, and parent for us sentient beings, but this is not the case; on the contrary, it is the ordinary people who make the Buddha possess the three virtues.(諸法実相抄 Gosho P1358-1359)
"A common mortal is an entity of the three bodies, and a true Buddha. A Buddha is a function of the three bodies, and a provisional Buddha. In that case, though it is thought that Shakyamuni Buddha possesses the three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent for the sake of all of us living beings, that is not so. On the contrary, it is common mortals who endow him with the three virtues."
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, The True Aspect of All Phenomena pp.383)

""That is why Tendai Daishi's term for the Tathagata is a phrase from the Lotus, and he interprets it in this way.
"The Tathagata refers to all the Buddhas of the three worlds of the ten directions, the two Buddhas of the True Buddha and the Religious Buddha（the physical manifestation of a Buddha）, the three bodies of the Dharmakaya(truth body), the Retributive Body(Enjoyment body), and the Reactive Buddha(Transformation body), the Original Buddha and the Transparent Buddha(provisional Buddha), all of which are called the Tathagata."
In this interpretation, "Original Buddha" is an ordinary person, and "False Buddha(provisional Buddha)" is a Buddha.
However, delusion and enlightenment are not the same. This is why there is a difference between sentient beings and Buddhas. And for this reason, sentient beings do not know "kutai-kuyu倶体倶用"that they have a collective body and function as "Original Buddha"(note: "kutai-kuyu", the body and function of a living being as a Buddha are both (together)).
That is why Tendai named the Ten Realms (Ten Worlds) in the term "All phenomena" and preached that these were the reality.
"Reality(Jisso 実相)" is another name for Myoho-renge-kyo.
"All phenomena(諸法)" refers to Myoho-Renge-kyo.
The real aspect of hell is to see the appearance of hell.
Once it turns into a hungry ghost, it is no longer in its true form of hell fruit.
Buddhas have the appearance of Buddhas, and ordinary people have the appearance of ordinary people.
And the fact that the essence of the Ten Thousand Laws is the essence of the Myoho-Renge Sutra is called "the reality of the various dharmas" or
“the true aspect of all phenomena.”
Tendai Daishi said, ``The profound truth of reality is the original Myoho-renge-kyo.''
The meaning of this interpretation is that the famous saying "Reality(Jisso 実相)" was said from the standpoint of the main gate, and "the original Myoho-renge-kyo" is the Dharma gate above the main gate.
Please consider carefully the meaning of this interpretation.""(諸法実相抄 Gosho P1358-1359)
"The “Thus Come One” is explained clearly in T’ien-t’ai’s commentary as follows: “The Thus Come One is a general designation for the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three existences, for the two Buddhas, the three Buddhas, the true Buddha, and provisional Buddhas.” The “true Buddha” here means common mortals, whereas “provisional Buddhas” means Buddhas. However, because of the difference between ordinary people and Buddhas that stems from the disparity between delusion and enlightenment, ordinary people are unaware that they are endowed with both the entity and the functions of the three bodies.
"“All phenomena” in the sutra refers to the Ten Worlds, and the “true aspect,” to what they actually are. The “true aspect” is another name for Myoho-renge-kyo; hence all phenomena are Myoho-renge-kyo. Hell’s displaying the form of hell is its true aspect. When hell changes into the realm of hungry spirits, that is no longer the true form of hell. A Buddha displays the form of a Buddha, and a common mortal, that of a common mortal. The entities of all phenomena are entities of Myoho-renge-kyo. That is the meaning of “the true aspect of all phenomena.” T’ien-t’ai states that the profound principle of the true aspect is the originally inherent Myoho-renge-kyo. This interpretation identifies the phrase “true aspect” with the theoretical teaching and “the originally inherent Myoho-renge-kyo” with the essential teaching. You should ponder this interpretation deep in your heart.""
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, The True Aspect of All Phenomena p.384)

This is the part that describes the principles of the reality of various laws.
" A common mortal is an entity of the three bodies, and a true Buddha. A Buddha is a function of the three bodies, and a provisional Buddha. In that case, though it is thought that Shakyamuni Buddha possesses the three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent for the sake of all of us living beings, that is not so. On the contrary, it is common mortals who endow him with the three virtues."

The meaning of this part is that, in reality, ordinary people are the true Buddha.
Shakyamuni Buddha is merely a virtual, imaginary, expedient Buddha.
Until now, everyone has thought that Shakyamuni Buddha was able to guide us sentient beings because he possessed the ideal three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent.
But that's not the case; quite the opposite.
In other words, it is ordinary people who praise Shakyamuni Buddha by setting up an ideal image of him as perfect and perfect, the three virtues.
It is precisely because we, ordinary people, have wanted the Buddha to be a perfect, flawless, ideal figure, and this desire has given rise to an ideal image that is impossible in reality.

Nichiren said, "But now that civilization has advanced and we have entered the last days of the Law, that ideal image is no longer valid. You must know the truth."
In short, Shakyamuni Buddha, who is the embodiment of the three virtues of the Lord, Master, and Parent, is, like the other hue and majesty of the buddhas, a virtual and imaginary image of perfection for the sake of ordinary people who are lost, and to answer the wishes of ordinary people!
It is, so to speak, a virtual, imaginary figure!

Thus, Nichiren revealed the truth here.
　This is the ultimate theory of ordinary people being the original Buddha (the theory that ordinary people are just originally the true Buddha).
　It is a "law" and "instruction" that tells you to return to your original purpose, to return to self-reliance and independence without depending on anything else.
This is also the reason why Nichiren broke away from other religions and from Nembutsu in the beginning after the founding of the sect..
This is because all of the teachings that Nichiren broke were the teachings that "Don't obey the truth and law. Obey other people's arbitrary assertions," or in other words, the teachings of "other power and pride" in relying on the Absolute、and the teachings of self-indulgence and arrogance.

In conclusion, for Nichiren, Shakyamuni Buddha, whom he looked up to as his mentor, was in fact the Absolute whom he himself had imagined and fantasized about. And his awareness of himself as the rebirth of Bodhisattva Superior Practices (the first of the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth who appear from beneath the earth), was also a expedient of explaining that ordinary people are just the true Buddha.
　That is why he taught that the Gohonzon is not in the mandala, but only in the fleshly body and mind of the "person" who chants Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo only with the sole aim of attaining Buddhahood.

To repeat for the sake of confirmation, the essential condition is to "aim solely at attaining Buddhahood" without seeking worldly benefits or rewards, such as worldly gain,escaping from various difficulties and suffering,gaining and maintaining one's power and concession,e.t.c.

And Nichiren dedicated his own head (his life) to this "Dharma (law)," in other words, to "propagating and spreading the Dharma" to all sentient beings.
In other words, Nichiren used the same methods and expedients as Shakyamuni Buddha, Dainichi Nyorai, and Amida Buddha.
　His life, when viewed at the third generation perspective level, may be said to have been a near-perfect theatrical performance, including joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.

Moreover, in Sado, Nichiren preached laws that are permeable to modern science.
"The spirit of the Lotus Sutra is that, as a principle of nature, all sentient beings must possess the ten realms of living beings.
...In the "Two Laws of one's ciecumstances, and true body and mind," not only that, but everything, even down to the ruthless plants and the slightest speck, fulfills the ten realms." (Hinayana Mahayana Separate Excerpt, Gosho P521)

Here, "in the "Two Laws of one's ciecumstances, and true body and mind" means the self, the universe, and their relationship, regardless of whether they can be observed or not.
And since "the slightest speck" means the smallest physical unit that cannot be further divided at that time, it corresponds to the "elementary particle" in modern science.
He also states that all of these "have the ten worlds in them".

Furthermore, before preaching this, in his book written on Sado Island, called Plants and Trees Reaching Buddha(草木成仏口決), he mentioned and assumed that all things, even the most compassionate or unfeeling particle, will become Buddhas, in other words, all things will become Buddhas.

Gosho P1338-1399 of "The Oral Tradition:Plants and Trees Reaching Buddha(草木成仏口決)" says as follows.
"Ask and say. Which type of Buddhahood does the attainment of Buddhahood of plants and trees refer to: sentient beings (note: things with mental activity) or non-feelings (note: substances without mental activity)?
Answer and say. The Buddhahood of plants and trees is the Buddhahood of non-feelings (note: matter without mental activity).
That's what I'm asking. Can both things with mental activity and substances without mental activity attain Buddhahood in this Lotus Sutra?
Answer and say. That's right, both can attain Buddhahood.
That's what I'm asking. What is the evidence in the literature?
Answer and say. These are the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo.
"The Mystic Law(妙法)" is the attainment of Buddhahood in something that has mental activity, and "the lotus(蓮華)" is the attainment of Buddhahood in matter that has no mental activity.
Also, things with mental activity attain Buddhahood in life, and substances without mental activity attain Buddhahood in death.
The attainment of Buddhahood in life and death refers to the attainment of Buddhahood in things that have mental activity and in matter that does not exist."
The equivalent English translation in "The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin" is as follows.
"Question: Does the enlightenment of plants pertain to sentient beings or to insentient beings?
Answer: The enlightenment of plants pertains to insentient beings.
Question: Are both sentient and insentient beings assured of attaining enlightenment in the Lotus Sutra?
Answer: That is correct.
Question: What proof of this can be cited?
Answer: The proof is in the words Myoho-renge-kyo. The word myōhō represents the attainment of enlightenment by sentient beings; the word renge represents the attainment of enlightenment by insentient beings. Sentient beings attain enlightenment in life, insentient beings attain enlightenment in death. The attainment of enlightenment in life and death refers to the attainment of enlightenment by sentient and insentient beings. "
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, 223 The Oral Tradition regarding the Enlightenment of Plants, P.429)

Also,
"There is a saying that there is a Buddha who can become both grass and trees.
This Buddha refers to the Buddha of the Lotus Sutra, who has become a ruthless plant.
It is said in the "Tathagata's secret divine power" in the "Tathagata", but in all the worlds of ten ways, there is nothing that is not the body of Shakyamuni Buddha."
(The Oral Tradition:Plants and Trees Reaching Buddha(草木成仏口決),Gosho P1338)
"The oral tradition says that the Buddha can become grass and trees. This means that the Shakyamuni Buddha of the “Life Span” chapter can manifest himself in grass and trees.3 The Lotus Sutra speaks of “the Thus Come One’s secret and his transcendental powers.”There is nothing in the entire realm of phenomena that is not the manifestation of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni.
The principle of the dormant Buddha nature to be manifested by ordinary people represents death; it represents myōhō, or the wonderful Law. The actual fact of the Buddha manifesting his original state represents life; it represents renge, or the lotus. The principle of the dormant Buddha nature, representing death, presides over sentient beings. The actual fact of the Buddha manifesting his original state, representing life, presides over insentient beings. What we living beings rely on, are dependent upon, are the insentient beings of renge. The words and sounds uttered by us living beings, which pertain to life, are manifestations of myōhō as it is embodied in sentient beings."
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume I, 223 The Oral Tradition regarding the Enlightenment of Plants, P.430)

These indicate the following: That is, there is an image of Shakyamuni Buddha being reborn, becoming both grass and a tree, and attaining Buddhahood.
And all of these are the true forms of the Buddha.
Here, the subject of attaining Buddhahood expanded from a tiny speck of dust to the entire world, according to the worldview of the time.
These are called all sentient beings.
This corresponds to the fact that in today's worldview, where science has developed, the subject of attaining Buddhahood has expanded from elementary particles to the infinite size of the unobservable universe.
These are all surprising things in this age when science and philosophy are still in their infancy.

However, nowadays, theories of ○○ Buddhism (theory that ○○ is the ultimate original Buddha, so called "○○-honbutsu-ron", for example, Shakyamuni-honbutsu-ron, Nichiren-honbutsu-ron, Ita-mandara-honbutsu-ron, Hossu(the preast)-honbutsu-ron,
DAISAKU IKEDA-honbutsu-ron, etc.,These will be discussed on the following pages of this article.), which are the opposite of this theory of ordinary people's Buddhism, are flying around.
Within the Nichiren Sect, these groups claim to be the orthodox and engage in various conflicts with each other.
Among these people, how many believers truly understand Nichiren's teachings?

Even now, teachings such as "Nichiren Daishonin, the original Buddha, said:..." are widespread.
Nichiren said, "Even if the nation adopts such a noble Nichiren, the nation will surely die if it respects me unjustly" in a book of "Various actions of Nichiren, the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra"（Shuju ofurumai gosho,種種御振舞御書） Gosho P919)
The result of "an unjustly respect for Nichiren" is the current conflict.
The current conflict is the result of following the false doctrine of "respecting Nichiren unjustly" as above.
This is truly unfortunate.
Nichiren in heaven will no doubt be frowning.