Published by Soka Spirit Editor
Posted on August 11, 2009
Ted Morino
SGI-USA Study Department Senior Adviser
Nichiren Buddhism is well characterized by the opening sentence of “On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime,” which appears at the very beginning of The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin. This writing is a letter the Daishonin wrote to his samurai believer, Toki Jonin, in 1255, only two years after establishing Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as the basis of his teaching.
The first sentence of this writing reads, “If you wish to free yourself from the sufferings of birth and death you have endured since time without beginning and to attain without fail unsurpassed enlightenment in this lifetime, you must perceive the mystic truth that is originally inherent in all living beings. This truth is Myoho-renge-kyo. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 3). It is significant that the Daishonin first of all draws our attention to the splendor of our inner realm. This fact shows that Nichiren Buddhism is a life-philosophy that elucidates the universality of the beauty of each individual life, rather than dogmatism that focuses on the supremacy of one particular individual.
Unlike the essential teaching of Nichiren Daishonin, the primary orientation of the current Nichiren Shoshu teaching is dominated by the emphasis on the high priest’s sole possession of the “Living Essence of the Buddha,” as indicated in the following statement: “The direct inheritance of the essence of the Lotus Sutra, the personal transmission of the Living Essence of the Buddha and the Law to a sole heir, is the source of the perpetual true master within the context of Buddhism” (Nichiren Shoshu Monthly, November 2005).
While Nichiren Buddhism is a continuing development of our inner enlightenment, Nichiren Shoshu stresses the special life-condition of enlightenment that the school claims the high priest alone possesses, simply because he holds the position of high priest. We need to realize that this claim by Nichiren Shoshu is diametrically opposed to the Daishonin’s ultimate exhortation that every individual is equally open to attaining Buddhahood by tapping the mystic truth of their innate Buddhahood. It has nothing to do with the “Living Essence” of the high priest that exists outside of his or her life.
Nichiren Buddhism consistently explains that one has to first perceive one’s inherent Buddha nature to free oneself from the fundamental sufferings in life and death. His Buddhism thus encourages us to practice for ourselves and others. What matters in this context of Nichiren Buddhism is not the worshipping of a title like high priest but the strength of our faith and practice.
When we are ignorant of this truth, we are enveloped by our fundamental darkness (Jpn. mumyo ). Nichiren Daishonin writes, “This word ‘belief’ is a sharp sword that cuts off fundamental darkness or ignorance. Therefore with regard to belief, Words and Phrases says, ‘Belief means to be without doubt.’ It is a sharp sword that cuts away doubt and perplexity” (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, p. 54). It is not one’s title but one’s faith that counts in Nichiren Buddhism. In this respect, Nichiren Daishonin emphasizes the “heritage of faith” in the Mystic Law within more than anything else (WND, p. 218).
The teaching of absolute obedience to the high priest is an act of blind faith, a faith in something outside of our lives, which goes against the practice of Nichiren Buddhism, and essentially results in disrespecting our inherent Buddhahood.