[A Guide to HBS -part2-] The Teachings and Practices of HBS
A Guide to HBS -part2-

[A Guide to HBS -part2-]
The Teachings and Practices of HBS
Rev. Nisso Fukuoka

[Chapter 3]
An Outline of Nichiryu Shonin's Doctrine

In this Chapter, I give an outline of Nichiryu Shonin's doctrine. He systematized Nichiren Shonin's writings, an enormous volume, into more than 300 books. Among these books, his major writings are as follows: Shijyo Sho, Jyusan Mondo Sho, Ichijyo Sho, Shishin Jyo, Kaishakukenpon Syuyo Jyu, Rokusoku Shiki, Goji Shikyo Myomoku Kenmon.
Most of his writings are on doctrine regarding Nichiren Buddhism. Through his writings, we understand his serious feeling as a seeker after truth and an indomitable desire to spread Nichiren Shonin's true intention and pure sincere wish to protect the fine Dharma.
The writings of Nichiren Shonin which Nichiryu Shonin attached importance to elucidate the doctrine of Nichiren Buddhism. They are as follows;

Kanjin Honzon Sho, Treatise of the True Object of worship in Contemplation.
(ST page 702)

Nyosetsu Shugyo Sho, Practice in strict Accordance with the Buddha's teaching.
(ST page 731)

Shishingohon Sho, The Treatise of the Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice.
(ST page 1294)

Honzon Mondo Sho, A Summary of Questions and Answers Concerning the Object of Worship.
(ST page 1573)

Kaimoku Sho, The Opening of One's Eyes to the Lotus Sutra.
(ST page 535)

Hoon jo, On Repaying Debts of Gratitude.
(ST page 1192)

Senji Sho, Selecting the Right Time.
(ST page 1003)

Shugokokka Ron
(ST page 89)

Jibyo—sho, Reply to Toki Nyudo.
(ST page 1517)

Hokke Shuyo Sho
(ST 810)

Soya Nyudo Moto Gosho
(ST 895)

Ichidai Shyokyo Taii
(ST page 57)

Hokke Daimoku Sho
(ST page 391)

Jussho Sho
(ST page 488)

Hokke Shu Naisho Gonjitsu Imoku
(ST page 691)

Totaigi Sho, The Entity of the Mystic Law
(ST page 757)

Rissho kanjo
(ST page844)

Among these Nichiren Shonin writings, Nichiryu Shonin especially regarded Kanjin Honzon Sho, Nyosetsu Shugyo Sho, and Shishin Gohon Sho, these three treatises, as the most important writings of all Nichiren Shonin's writings.
He stated, “Great Master Tendai and Great Master Myoraku had set up the Provisional School of the Lotus Sutra, but the spirit of the Lotus Sutra which these two masters of old times had enshrined in their hearts and had not talked about was revealed by Nichiren Shonin in his three books, that is, Kanjin Honzon Sho, Shishin Gohon Sho, and Nyosetsu Shugyo Sho. These three books clearly explain that what is most important is the religious practice based on chanting the Daimoku, and to preach the easy practice which allows human beings attain enlightenment by the first and probably the last scriptural power, and declare that the Fine Dharma plants the Buddhaseed in the minds of the most ordinary people and enables them to attain Buddhahood."

—Gojo Sho—written by Nichiryu Shonin—819

Through those writings of Nichiren Shonin, The doctorial conclusion of Nichiryu Shonin's study was that the Odaimoku which was entrusted to Bodhisattva Jyogyo (Visistacaritra) in the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra to plant in the minds of all living beings the seed, the genuine cause of Buddhahood should be chanted with pure faith single—mindedly as our main practice.
Now, I would like to point out the specific characteristics of Nichiryu Shonin's doctrine through the phrases, “Revealed in The Primordial eight chapters" (Honmon Happon Shoken)", Entrusted to Boddhisattva Jyogyo" (Jyogyo Shoden ), “Plant in the minds of living beings the seed, the genuine cause of Buddhahood" (Honin Geshu) and to follow up with the writings of Nichiryu Shonin.
In Nichiryu Shonin's view of the eight chapters he placed emphasis and esteem on the eight chapters 15 to 22 of the Essential Section (Honmon) of the Lotus Sutra and compared them to a clear mirror for the people of the Last Dharma Period (Mappo) to provide the true practice to the world. The reason that Nichiryu Shonin's placed emphasis the eight chapters of Essential Section (Honmon Happon) was based on the instructions of Nichiren Shonin as follows.
“This truth was not revealed in the fourteen chapters of the provisional teaching portion of the Lotus Sutra, probable because the time was not yet ripe even in the Lotus Sutra. The Buddha did not even entrust the sacred five syllables NamuMyohRengeKyo, the quintessence of the primordial teaching portion of the Lotus Sutra, to such great Bodhisattvas as Manjusri or Bhaisajyaraja, not to mention the lesser Bodhisattvas, until after he had summoned Bodhisattvas of a thousand worlds welling up out of the earth and revealed to them the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra."

(Kanjin Honzon Sho)

Shakamuni Buddha's aim was to provide the teachings of the Lotus Sutra for the attainment of enlightenment to his disciples. But he also intended to provide the teachings to the world of the Mappo Period (the period of the Last Dharma).
Nichiren Shonin considered that among the 28 chapters the Lotus Sutra, Chapter 15 to 22 are considered the most important teachings for us.
The reason Nichiren Shonin places emphasis and esteem on the eight chapters is because they expounded how the religion should be practiced and upheld by the people born in the Mappo Period.

18. The Genealogy of HBS [Chapter 3]
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[Chapter 3]
A brief summary of what was elucidated in those eight — Essential Section chapters is as follows

Chapter 15 illustrated dramatically the burden placed on Jyogyo Bodhisattva and other Bodhisattvas to circulate and spread its teachings to the people of the Mappo Period.
Chapter 16 revealed Shakamuni Buddha to be the Eternal Buddha, and the Odaimoku he preached to contain the merits of enlightenment of the Eternal Buddha.
Chapter 17, 18 and 19 elucidated that practitioners should place faith in the religion and abide by the methods of practices to gain virtuous deeds and good fortunes.
Chapter 20 elucidated that Bodhisattva Never Disparaging (Fukyo Bosatsu) should be a model for Lotus Sutra practitioners in the Mappo Period.
Chapter 21 and 22 elucidated that the Eternal Buddha entrusted Jyogyo Bodhisattva and other Boddhisattvas to propagate the Odaimoku and spread its teachings to the minds of the people of the Mappo Period.
The aforementioned is a synopsis of the circumstances and developments of the eight essential chapters.
After Nichiren Shonin's death, some Nichiren related sects gradually began to consider the teachings of the Provisional Section and the Essential Sections of the Lotus Sutra on an equal basis, and some considered Chapter 16 the only important chapter.
After the death of Nichiren Shonin some priests began to equally emphasize the importance of the Provisional and Essential Sections of the Lotus Sutra. The reason is that, a part of Nichiren Shonin's doctrine was generally based on Great Master Tendai's writings. And because the priests of Nichiren related sects were required to have some knowledge of Great Master Tendai's doctrines, they visited Tendai Shu's temples and studied his teachings. And through this influence, some priests considered the Provisional and Essential Sections equally important.
After gaining some background knowledge of Great Master Tendai's teachings, there were some priests who began to advocate the relative importance of both the Provisional and Essential Sections of the Lotus Sutra.
Since the Tendai Shu sect was extremely influential, the priests may have just wanted to flatter themselves. In any case, Nichiren Shonin stated: “The difference of the Essential Section compared to the Provisional Section is like water from fire and heaven from earth. There is a great difference between the Theoretical Section and the Essential Section. To advocate that those two sections are equal is a hindrance to the Essential Section. The Tendai Shu sect preaches the Provisional Section of the Lotus Sutra only, because the teachings of the Theoretical Section were spread to the people in the period before Mappo. During that period, only that section was necessary. There are some Nichiren sects (for example, Nichiren Shoshu or Sokagakkai) that only expound the teachings of the latter half of Chapter 15, the entire Chapter 16, and the first half of Chapter 17. They stress Chapter 16 only. It is true that Chapter 16 contains the Eternal Buddha's practices to gain religious merits and to attain the state of enlightenment. There is no doubt that Chapter 16 is important within the 28 chapters of the Lotus Sutra, but to advocate Chapter 16 only is the teaching for the people during age of Buddha Shakamuni.
Chapter 16 elucidated the Eternal Buddha's law of the “Three Thousand Realms Contained in One Thought" (Ichinen Sanzen). Ichinen means a life of one instant or a life of exceedingly short period of time, and Sanzen means all phenomena in this world are included in both our thought of one instant and even in a minute grain of sand). Thus, if it were not included among the eight essential chapters, it would not be a beneficial teaching for the Mappo Period.
I shall give an example. Chapter 16 is similar to an excellent ingredient for nourishment. However, common people of the Mappo Period are unable to grasp even a small portion of enlightenment on their own. In other words, we are infants from the standpoint of religion, unable to take nourishment by ourselves. Therefore, the Buddha, like a good cook, prepared the food so that even a child could digest, and entrusted it to Jyogyo Bodhisattva to deliver it to the children of the Mappo Period. This is the process of the eight chapter's teachings.
The theory of Chapter 16 was a teaching that enlightened the people of the Shakamuni Buddha's period to harvest the seed of enlightenment. On the other hand, the Odaimoku is the seed of enlightenment to be sowed in the Mappo Period for the people to receive its merits. The teachings of Chapter 15 through 22 explicitly emphasized the planting of the seed of the Odaimoku in the Mappo Period.
Nichiren Shonin stated, “The Essential Section's eight chapters are teachings for the people of the Mappo Period to sow the seeds of Buddhahood. The latter half of Chapter 16 and the first half of Chapter 17 were teachings of harvesting the seed of enlightenment during Shakamuni Buddha's lifetime. And, for the benefit of the common people in the Mappo Period, the Eternal Buddha wrapped the Law of “Ichinen Sanzen" and the merits of enlightenment into the Odaimoku and entrusted it to Jyogyo Bodhisattva to spread it among the people of the Mappo Period".
Due to Buddha's entrustment of the Odaimoku and the true teachings of the Dharma to Jyogyo Bodhisattva, we, the children people in the Mappo Period, are able to attain the merits of the Odaimoku by just chanting it.
So that is why Nichiren Shonin stated in his writing Kanjin Honzon Sho that “such a sublime Sacred Object, NamuMyohoRengeKyo, was never revealed by Buddha Shakamuni during the forty plus years of his life as a preacher, and even during the eight years that he taught his teachings consisted of only the primordial eight chapters.
Nichiren Shonin also considered that the Odaimoku which is revealed in the eight chapters is the seed to be planted in the minds of all living beings as the genuine cause of Buddhahood. The seeds of Buddhahood are planted in the mind by chanting the Odaimoku faithfully. This is referred to as “to plant in the minds of all living beings the seeds of Buddhahood" (Honnin Geshu) because this seed is the primordial seed of the Bodhisattva's path that the Buddha Shakamuni in the remote past had practiced in order to attain enlightenment.
So the merits of the attainment of Buddhahood are inherent in the Odaimoku, NamuMyohoRengeKyo, as the seed. That is why, Nichiren Shonin highly considered the Odaimoku, Honnin Geshu, planting in the minds of all beings the seed, the genuine cause of Buddhahood.
Nichiryu Shonin stated, “How should a correct interpretation of Buddhist scriptures be given? It is to realize that the Buddhist mission was entrusted to Bodhisattva Jogyo in the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra. To put it another way, we should understand that the Buddhist mission is to plant in the minds of us, all beings, the seed of the Fine Dharma, the genuine cause of Buddhahood, after the Buddha's decease. By interpreting it like this, the true intention of the Lotus Sutra is clearly and completely understood. This Buddhist mission is the only reason that would describe the appearances of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas as well as Buddha Shakamuni in the Saha World. The essential point of Kanjin Honzon Sho is nothing but this."

—Shijo sho—767

18. The Genealogy of HBS [Chapter 3]
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[Chapter 3]
Nichiryu Shonin's view of attaining Buddhood

As mentioned above, Nichiryu Shonin considered that chanting the Odaimoku faithfully without any doubt is the real path to and state of Buddhahood (Jyobutsu) for the people in period of the Last Dharma (Mappo) based on the teachings of Nichiren Shonin, especially, Shishin Gohon Sho.
In Shishin Gohon Sho written at the age of 56 in April in the third year of Kenji (1277) at Mt. Minobu, Nichiren Shonin gave the directions of how to practice the Lotus Sutra, on the basis of the teaching of Shishin Gohon expounded in Chapter 17 Discrimination of Merits of the Lotus Sutra.
Nichiren Shonin provided in the treatise, Shishin Gohon Sho, that “The Single Moment's Faith and Understanding" and “Rejoicing Upon First Hearing of the Lotus Sutra" is the starting point of the “Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice". This teaching is elucidated in “Discrimination of Merits", Chapter 17 of the Lotus Sutra.
The “Four Stages of Faith" was the practice during Shakamuni Buddha's lifetime for those who embraced the Lotus Sutra. The “Five Stages of Practice" is the practice for believers to follow after Shakamuni Buddha's death. Following is a chart on the “Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice."

[ Four Stages of Faith ]

Shakamuni Buddha's Life (Zaise) Stage 1: Ichinen Shinge - A Single Moment's Faith and Understanding
Stage 2: Ryakuge Gonshu - Understanding the Sutra
Stage 3: Koi Tasetsu - Spreading the Teachings
Stage 4: Jinshin Kanjo - Observance of Truth with Deep Faith

[ Five Stages of Practice ]

After Shakamuni Buddha's Death (Metsugo) Stage 1: Shozuiki - Rejoicing Upon First Hearing the Teachings of the Lotus Sutra
Stage 2: Dokuju - To Read and Recite the Sutra
Stage 3: Seppo - To Expound the Sutra to Others
Stage 4: Kengyo Rokudo - To Embrace and Practice the Sutra
Stage 5: Shogyo Rokudo - To Perfect One's Six Pamamitas

Nichiren Shonin stated that “within the first stages of the `Four Stages of Faith' and the `Five Stage of Practice' is the casket containing merits of enlightenment of the one hundred worlds and thousand factors and three thousand realms in a single life's moment (Ichinen Sanzen) and it is the gate from which all buddhas of ten directions and three existence emerged"
During Nichiren Shonin's lifetime the priests of the Tendai Hokke sect censured followers of Nichiren Shonin. They claimed that the followers of Nichiren Shonin were only chanting the Odaimoku and not abiding by the three practices of Buddhism — the precept, meditation, and wisdom.
In response, Nichiren Shonin wrote the “Treatise on the Four Stages of Faith" and “Five Stages of Practice"
The three types of learning are standard practices to be followed by one who is aspiring to engage in Buddhism. But, there are five other fundamental precepts established in Buddhism for priests. They are, not to kill, not to steal, not to commit unlawful sexual intercourse, not to lie, and not to drink intoxicants, and approximately 250 other practices. The core of Buddhist rule on moral practice was meditation in a regulated environment. The purpose was to realize a higher level of spiritual development. Thus, abiding by the rules of moral conduct was supposed to be an indispensable condition to attain enlightenment.
However, Nichiren Shonin, in the “Four Stages of Faith" and “Five Stages of Practice", sublimated the three orthodox types of learning.
Nichiren Shonin refuted that concept. He stated “in the Period of the Last Dharma, there are no precepts". Nichiren Shonin's contention was that people in the period of the Last Dharma did not have the ability to attain Buddha enlightenment through the power of oneself. Nichiren Shonin wanted to point out that there was another path to attain enlightenment, but the people who could not understand his true intention just disregarded it. Naturally, priests who attached importance to the Buddhist precepts rebelled against Nichiren Shonin.
The pattern of rapprochement to observation, to meditation and to wisdom were the practices of the remote past when various Buddhas attempted to have former practitioners, who disengaged themselves from the religion to once again return to it. That practice is not applicable to people in the period of the Last Dharma because they have not as yet been exposed to Buddhism. The “Theory of the Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice" is the manuscript that describes the path to attain enlightenment without abiding by Buddhist precepts. The quintessence of the primordial teaching is the sacred words “NamuMyoho‐RengeKyo", which includes all merits of Buddha. By upholding and chanting the Odaimoku, one is taking part in and preserving the precepts derived from the power of the Eternal Buddha and not by the power of oneself. Thus, there is no need to rely on Buddhist precepts. A precept is a non—entity in this world. It does not mean it is unwanted, but there is no necessity to uphold it. The precept that the original Buddha is providing to non—competent people with the power of a great teaching from the stage of sowing Buddha seeds to the stage of harvest is a mistaken expression. It is just the reverse. It is to receive support from the Gohonzon through faith and reverence.
Chanting the Odaimoku is the way of faith of Jyogyo Bodhisattva that was delegated to Nichiren Shonin, the rebirth of Jyogyo Bodhisattva, to spread the teachings of the Eternal Buddha in this world of the Last Dharma. Consequently, there is no need to turn your soul to other religions. Not chanting the Odaimoku and placing emphasis on other religions is a violation. Not believing the Odaimoku and the teachings of the Lotus Sutra is disparaging the Dharma. To correct that disorder is repentance. By not undoing those, one can understand Nichiren Shonin's intention to unravel it by way of the “Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice".
Nichiren Shonin stated that all three types of learning are included in chanting of the Odaimoku, as clarified in the “Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice". Why then do such theories exist? To describe it in few words, the purpose of Buddhism is to attain enlightenment. Enlightenment is correcting our delusions and warding off anger in order to become a Buddha. That is, cutting off the soul of greed, the soul of anger, and the soul of stupidity. It is to obtain the truth in one's soul in this universe and to observe oneself honestly without exaggeration.
The religion that Nichiren Shonin left us is to discontinue the soul of doubt and to create an unadulterated environment in order to again Buddhahood. It was to disregard religions that proclaimed enlightenment that could be attained through one's own effort. Nichiren Shonin stated that the condition to attain enlightenment could be found in the “Third Judgment of Three Kinds of Doctrinal Aspect". The practice of the primordial past that the Eternal Buddha delegated to Jyogyo Bodhisattva was the condition of enlightenment.
There are three kinds of judgments on the doctrine of the Lotus Sutra, which are known as “Sanju Kyoso" (theories originated by Great Master Tendai). HBS's teaching is based on the third judgment, the teachings of the Eternal Buddha in the remote past. The Eternal Buddha, who completed the esoteric practices, known as the genuine cause of Buddhahood, arrived at the world of enlightenment known as the effect of Buddhahood. The Eternal Buddha Shakamuni, who acquired the two merits of “Honnin Myo and Honga Myo", summoned Jogyo Bodhisattva, and gave him lessons on the remote past and wrapped the two merits into the Odaimoku and, thereafter, the Eternal Buddha instructed Jogyo Bodhisattva to spread the teachings of the remote past as the law of planting the seeds of Buddhahood into the minds of mankind in the remote past.
Among the people who had received the seeds of Buddhahood were some who faithfully believed in the religion and there were those who become disparaged and had gone astray. These people who fell by the wayside were people who only tried to understand religion by logic rather than by faith.
The state of religion that Jogyo Boddhisattava wanted to bestow on mankind, in lieu of the Eternal Buddha, was only the teachings of the eight chapters, 15 through 22, of the Lotus Sutra, which he received from the Eternal Buddha. They were teachings to be faithful to the Odaimoku, to chant it and to spread its merits to others as the religion of the remote past.
As elucidated, the “Four Stages of Faith" and the “Five Stages of Practice", which are considered to be the most important documents, are a condition of mind and enlightenment. An obedient practice is to reverently chant the Odaimoku and refrain from using one's mind. Nichiren Shonin stated: “When we revere the Law of MyohoRengeKyo, the essence of our own life, and chant Namu‐MyohoRengeKyo, we simultaneously manifest the Buddha nature, both in ourselves and in the world around us". People who became dispirited and moved away are those who disagreed with the teachings of Honmon and confided, instead, in the teachings of Shakumon. These people will fall into the delusionary world of the six lower stages of existence. However, the Eternal Buddha who possessed a soul of benevolence, once again attempts to have those people return to the state of the original religion of the remote past.
To lead people to return to the state of the original religion of the remote past begins with the Eternal Buddha appearing in the form of Daitsu Buddha in the age of three thousand dust—atom kalpas. Between the period of Daitsu Buddha and the period of the appearance of Shakamuni Buddha, the Eternal Buddha transformed his figure into various Buddhas and preached his teachings to guide and lead mankind to return to the original religious teachings of the remote past. These were the teachings preached by various Buddhas.
Soon after Shakamuni in the teachings of Honmon in which he revealed in Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra, “The Lifespan of the Tathagata", that he was the Eternal Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past, and, we mankind, had received his teachings of planting Buddha seeds of the remote past. Mankind, who had heard the teachings contained in Chapter 16, exclaimed, “Ah, so", and proclaimed that they understood it. This juncture was known as the fruition stage of the planted Buddha seeds, or “Datsu". However, this fruition is not, as yet, considered enlightenment. The fruition was nothing more than a stage of mind. Enlightenment is returning to the original teachings of “Kuon", the remote past. That is attainment of enlightenment.
The theory of the eight chapters—15 through 22—of the Lotus Sutra is to return, once again, to the stage of the original religious practices of the remote past. Why is it the eight chapters? It is because Jogyo Boddhisattva was exposed only to the teachings of those eight chapters. The conditions of enlightenment elucidated in those eight chapters are of the first stage of the “Four Stages of Faith" and “Five Stages of Practice." In other words, it is the practice of producing a moment's faith, understanding, and rejoicing. To put it simply, it is impossible to attain enlightenment through one's own efforts alone.
I would like to elaborate on the relationship of Buddha nature and Buddha seeds from Nichiryu Shonin's viewpoint. Our souls contain Buddha nature, and the Odaimoku is Buddha seeds. It is commonly said that the relationship between Buddha nature and Buddha seeds is as follows: Buddha nature is commonly referred to as the sleeping soul. It is like an unpolished, dull diamond stone. A blow to the soul must be given to awaken it. The Odaimoku will awaken it. It must then be polished. The process of polishing is looked upon as enlightenment. However, it is not so from the viewpoint of Nichiryu Shonin. If the Odaimoku is a mere tool to awaken the sleeping soul and to polish Buddha nature, there may be other ways to achieve the same results. Maybe an excellent practitioner can devise other tools to awaken Buddha nature and polish it. But this is a wrong idea.
On the theory of planting Buddha seeds into the minds, we do not consider the Odaimoku a mere tool. The Odaimoku we chant contains the merits of cause and effect of the Eternal Buddha. Enlightenment cannot be attained unless one sows Buddha seeds by chanting the Odaimoku. In other words, one should not rely on Buddha nature, but must emphasize that the Odaimoku is the core practice of planting Buddha seeds. There is no substitute for Buddha seeds other than chanting the Odaimoku.
What does Nichiryu Shonin's doctrine which said that practitioners can instantly become Jogyo Boddhisattva; becoming a Buddha with one's present body? It means that practitioners participating in the religion granted to us by Jogyo Bosatsu became a family of Jogyo Boddhisattva, who is the manifestation of the primordial Eternal Buddha.
Why is Jogyo Boddhisattva an instantaneous Buddha? An instantaneous Buddha means to become a Buddha for the genuine cause of Buddhahood. For example, people are transported across a large river by a boat from one shore to the other. In this instance, the boatman is transporting people from the Saha World and dropping them off in the Buddha Land. The boatman, once again, returns to the Saha World with an empty boat. This act of repeated practices is the way of Buddha and is the true form of enlightenment. In other words, chanting the Odaimoku by oneself and recommending the practices of the way of Buddha to others are enlightenment and the moment to moment practices of building merits of Buddhahood are indications of instantaneous enlightenment. So, enlightenment is not only the result of practice, but practice itself through chanting the Odaimoku.

18. The Genealogy of HBS [Chapter 3]
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[Chapter 3]
Nichiryu Shonin's view of Gohonzon (The Object of Worship)

The Ichinen Sanzen Theory of Nichiryu Shonin isn't the only factor. Rather, everything is based on Ji or “active". For example, Ji no Ichinen Sanzen, Ji no Honzon, Ji no Goriyaku.
The Ji no Honzon is “The Active Object of Worship of the Ten Worlds", the ten realms of living beings. Nichiren Shonin inscribed the Odaimoku in the center of the mandala, which is flanked by Shakamuni Buddha on the right of it and Taho Nyorai on the left. The names of future buddhas and Guardian Kings of Heaven are also inscribed on the mandala. The mandala illustrates that all buddhas, future buddhas and Guardian Kings of Heaven are all gathered together on the first stage of the “Four Stages of Faith" and “Five Stages of Practice" as faithful beginners are in the state of faith, understanding, and rejoicing. They are all facing the Odaimoku and chanting NamuMyohoRengeKyo.
In the case of the Nichiren Shu sects, they maintain that the scripture is not NamuMyohoRengeKyo but MyohoRengeKyo and “Namu" is just a prefix added to MyohoRengeKyo inscribed in the center of the Gohonzon which is the Gohonzon of the Odaimoku, and not the scripture of MyohoRengeKyo. To define it in another way, the mandala itself is chanting the Odaimoku. The mandala itself is active. Both the mandala and the practitioners are chanting the Odaimoku in unison. The buddhas, future buddhas and Guardian Kings of Heaven are all gathered together on the First Stage of the Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice known as faithful beginners who are chanting the Odaimoku together. This aspect is the mandala of the Ten Worlds. This is the condition of Ji no Gohonzon.
The One Session of Fine Congregation, (Myoko Ichiza), which was edited by Nissen Shonin states: “May all the saints to be invoked from the ten worlds, who leave their position as saints and recite as faithful beginners the sacred syllables, NamuMyohoRengeKyo, intensify the light of their wisdom, be adorned with the pleasure of the Buddha, become one with the Buddha mind and embrace us with compassion."
This is the form of the original religion of the Eternal Buddha. It is an example for us to follow. To accept this religious form of practices is indeed the substance of planting the seeds of Buddhahood. Facing the Ji no Gohonzon and chanting NamuMyohoRengeKyo is Ji no Ichinen Sanzen and by doing so, we enter into the Gohonzon and accomplish the Honnin Myo no Jobutsu and Ji no Jobutsu, and, thus, can receive the Ji no Goriyaku (Merits). This is Nichiryu Shonin's theory of planting into the minds of all living beings, the genuine cause of Buddhahood.
There is an expression, “Kyochi Myogo", the object and subject being united as one. What is HBS's stand on the relationship of “Kyo" (the object) and “Chi" (the subject)?
The scripture, which is revered by priests and practitioners, generally is the mirror, an object. The priests and the practitioners who worship the Gohonzon by chanting the Odaimoku are the subject. According to Tendai Shu sect's logic, the law of society embodied in the souls is the mirror, the object, and the persons who are observing are the subject. However, it is just the opposite of HBS's concept. The Gohonzon is the subject and we, the practitioners who practice the religion are the object. The Gohonzon emits rays of light toward us. The various buddhas, future buddhas, and the Guardian Kings of Heaven who are our saviours embodied in the Gohonzon are the subject. In other words, according to Nichiryu Shonin's teachings, the Theories on the Scripture, Enlightenment, Practices and Emancipation were all based on the teachings of the eight chapters—15 through 22— of the Lotus Sutra producing a single moment's faith of understanding and rejoicing by chanting the Odaimoku in unison by the practitioners.

18. The Genealogy of HBS [Chapter 3]
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