The lion king is said to advance three steps, then gather himself to spring, unleashing the same power whether he traps a tiny ant or attacks a fierce animal. In inscribing this Gohonzon for her protection, Nichiren was like the lion king. This is what the sutra means by “the power [of the Buddhas] that has the lion’s ferocity.” Believe in this mandala (1) with all your heart.
(Passage from “Reply to Kyo’o”, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p412-413)
Background
Written on the 15th day of the eighth month in 1273, this letter was sent from Sado Island by Nichiren Daishonin to Shijo Kingo in Kamakura. It was written in response to Kingo’s report to Nichiren Daishonin that his one-year-old daughter (or son, according to some accounts), Kyo’o, had fallen gravely ill.
Nichiren Daishonin was in his third year of exile in Sado Island then and he had just been shifted from Tsukahara to Ichinosawa. The Daishonin wrote many letters to encourage his disciples from Ichinosawa.
Explanation
This letter was a reply to Shijo Kingo’s report to Nichiren Daishonin that Kingo’s daughter, Kyo’o, had become seriously ill. Nichiren Daishonin had already conferred upon Kingo earlier the Gohonzon, the object of devotion in Nichiren Buddhism. In this letter, the Daishonin explained the significance of inscribing the Gohonzon and said that he was seriously praying for Kyo’o to overcome her sickness.
The Daishonin wrote, “The lion king is said to advance three steps, then gather himself to spring, unleashing the same power whether he traps a tiny ant or attacks a fierce animal.”
Through the example of the lion, the Daishonin explains the importance of exerting our utmost effort in any endeavour.
He went on to say, “In inscribing this Gohonzon for her protection, Nichiren was like the lion king.” In other words, like the lion king, the Daishonin had exerted every ounce of his energy in inscribing the Gohonzon. The Gohonzon is the manisfestation of Nichiren Daishonin’s life, the original Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. Therefore, it can be said that revering the Gohonzon is equivalent to meeting the Daishonin himself.
The Mystic Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the fundamental seed of Buddhahood in all of us. By expressing the Mystic Law in the form of the Gohonzon, the Daishonin opened up the path to enlightenment for all people. By embracing faith in the Gohonzon and exerting ourselves in chanting daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) and carrying out the practice for oneself and others, we will be able to establish the Buddha’s life state of absolute happiness through the powers of the Buddha and the Law embodied in the Gohonzon.
The Gohonzon, the object of devotion of the essential teaching, is endowed with the Three Great Secret Laws. The Three Great Secret Laws are the object of devotion of the essential teaching, the sanctuary of the essential teaching and the daimoku of the essential teaching. For this reason, it can be said that the entirety of Nichiren Buddhism is contained in the Gohonzon, the core of the Three Great Secret Laws.
This great power of the Gohonzon, however, is manifested in direct proportion to our power of faith and practice. In this sense, the Gohonzon’s power will not be manifested with weak faith. Thus, the Daishonin urged Kingo, “Believe in this mandala with all your heart.”
The significance and benefits that accrue from the Gohonzon is the same whether it is the Gohonzon enshrined at home or at the Soka activity centres. The difference in benefits is merely the result of the power of our individual’s faith and practice.
The SGI had all along been practicing faith based on the Gohonzon and the one that is directly connected to Nichiren Daishonin. With strong faith based on the profound conviction that “no prayers will go unanswered”, lets continue to exert ourselves in chanting earnest daimoku and achieve victories in all aspects of our lives.
Footnotes:
1. Mandala – Refers to the Gohonzon.
(Passage from “Reply to Kyo’o”, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p412-413)
Background
Written on the 15th day of the eighth month in 1273, this letter was sent from Sado Island by Nichiren Daishonin to Shijo Kingo in Kamakura. It was written in response to Kingo’s report to Nichiren Daishonin that his one-year-old daughter (or son, according to some accounts), Kyo’o, had fallen gravely ill.
Nichiren Daishonin was in his third year of exile in Sado Island then and he had just been shifted from Tsukahara to Ichinosawa. The Daishonin wrote many letters to encourage his disciples from Ichinosawa.
Explanation
This letter was a reply to Shijo Kingo’s report to Nichiren Daishonin that Kingo’s daughter, Kyo’o, had become seriously ill. Nichiren Daishonin had already conferred upon Kingo earlier the Gohonzon, the object of devotion in Nichiren Buddhism. In this letter, the Daishonin explained the significance of inscribing the Gohonzon and said that he was seriously praying for Kyo’o to overcome her sickness.
The Daishonin wrote, “The lion king is said to advance three steps, then gather himself to spring, unleashing the same power whether he traps a tiny ant or attacks a fierce animal.”
Through the example of the lion, the Daishonin explains the importance of exerting our utmost effort in any endeavour.
He went on to say, “In inscribing this Gohonzon for her protection, Nichiren was like the lion king.” In other words, like the lion king, the Daishonin had exerted every ounce of his energy in inscribing the Gohonzon. The Gohonzon is the manisfestation of Nichiren Daishonin’s life, the original Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. Therefore, it can be said that revering the Gohonzon is equivalent to meeting the Daishonin himself.
The Mystic Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the fundamental seed of Buddhahood in all of us. By expressing the Mystic Law in the form of the Gohonzon, the Daishonin opened up the path to enlightenment for all people. By embracing faith in the Gohonzon and exerting ourselves in chanting daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) and carrying out the practice for oneself and others, we will be able to establish the Buddha’s life state of absolute happiness through the powers of the Buddha and the Law embodied in the Gohonzon.
The Gohonzon, the object of devotion of the essential teaching, is endowed with the Three Great Secret Laws. The Three Great Secret Laws are the object of devotion of the essential teaching, the sanctuary of the essential teaching and the daimoku of the essential teaching. For this reason, it can be said that the entirety of Nichiren Buddhism is contained in the Gohonzon, the core of the Three Great Secret Laws.
This great power of the Gohonzon, however, is manifested in direct proportion to our power of faith and practice. In this sense, the Gohonzon’s power will not be manifested with weak faith. Thus, the Daishonin urged Kingo, “Believe in this mandala with all your heart.”
The significance and benefits that accrue from the Gohonzon is the same whether it is the Gohonzon enshrined at home or at the Soka activity centres. The difference in benefits is merely the result of the power of our individual’s faith and practice.
The SGI had all along been practicing faith based on the Gohonzon and the one that is directly connected to Nichiren Daishonin. With strong faith based on the profound conviction that “no prayers will go unanswered”, lets continue to exert ourselves in chanting earnest daimoku and achieve victories in all aspects of our lives.
Footnotes:
1. Mandala – Refers to the Gohonzon.
