Value To The World
Founding Day – Nichiren Proclaims the Superiority of Lotus Sutra
On April 28, 1253 Nichiren proclaimed that the most efficacious way to practice Buddhism in this time period was the single adherence to the teachings contained in the Lotus Sutra. Further he advocated that the simplest and most effective way to carry this out was through the chanting of the sacred title of the Lotus Sutra, known as Odaimoku, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.
Chanting Odaimoku was not new and was not particularly unique to Nichiren prior to this day. According to scholars the practice of chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo had existed prior to Nichiren, but it had been used principally as a death-bed ritual and not something engaged in to any great degree.
The significance of April 28, 1253 to us is that it was from this point forward that Nichiren taught that this obscure practice of chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo should be engaged in, and form the core of Buddhist practice for all people. He advocated that this single act of continually invoking the sacred title was the easiest way to attain enlightenment in the age after the death of the Buddha.
“A man’s value to the community depends primarily on how far his feelings, thoughts, and actions are directed towards promoting the good of his fellows.” (Einstein)
Nichiren reflects in some of his later writings that he was aware of the great difficulty he would endure by teaching the importance of the Lotus Sutra. He even notes that it would have been much easier if he had just kept silent and kept the practice to himself. Yet because he was more concerned over the sufferings of the people of Japan at the time he decided that his personal comfort and safety was a small price to pay if he could enable all people to attain enlightenment.
I occasionally reflect on how freely we append the title of hero to people today who while may have achieved some remarkable goal or accomplishment have in fact done little or nothing to eliminate suffering from their fellow humans.
“You, the Great Hero, the World-Honored One, wish to give peace to all the people of the world.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter VI)
The Buddha was called the hero of the world as one of many titles. He gained this title not by merely attaining enlightenment, but because he then devoted his life to making that enlightenment available to all living beings.
“You, the Hero of the World, are unequalled. Adorned with the marks of one hundred merits, you have obtained unsurpassed wisdom. Expound the Dharma and save us and other living beings of the world!” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter VII)
