Gosho Study #17: The True Aspect of All Phenomena

Believe in the Gohonzon, the supreme object of devotion in all of Jambudvipa. Be sure to strengthen your faith, and receive the protection of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions. Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself: you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin-1, p 386)

The “Two Ways of Practice and Study” Is the Way to Happiness

Nichiren wrote this letter to Sairen-bo Nichijo while at Ichinosawa on Sado Island in the fifth month of the tenth year of Bun’ei (1273). For some reason, Sairen-bo was also in exile on Sado, where he had been converted by Nichiren in the second month 1272. A former Tendai priest, he was a disciple with a strong seeking mind and passionately asked Nichiren on the significance and meaning of various important Buddhist doctrines.

In response, Nichiren explained many fundamental and important doctrines in his reply to Sairen-bo, including Buddhist doctrinal thesis such as “The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life” (WND-1, p 216) and “The Oral Tradition regarding the Enlightenment of Plants” (WND-2, p 429). “The True Aspect of All Pheomena” is also Nichiren’s reply to Sairen-bo’s request for Nichiren to explain the term, “true aspect of all phenomena”.

Right at the outset of this passage, Nichiren declares that the Gohonzon, the mandala he inscribed with his life, as “the supreme object of devotion in all of Jambudvipa”. In modern terms, it means “the foremost object of devotion in the world”. The Gohonzon is the manifestation of great teaching that enables all people, regardless of who they are or how harsh their current circumstances may be, to manifest their Buddhahood, a life state of supreme victory. It is for this reason that Nichiren states that the Gohonzon is “the foremost in the world”.

However, there is one important point to remember. No matter how great the power, there is no way of tapping it without strong faith. This is why Nichiren says: “Be sure to strengthen your faith, and receive the protection of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions.” Nichiren is encouraging us that the greater the adversities, the stronger our faith should be. Only by summoning forth such firm faith will we be able to activate the protective forces of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions.

And in order to cultivate such strong faith, one must exert oneself in the two ways of practice and study. Faith is not simply an issue of having a positive mindset. Without carrying out the concrete practice of sharing Buddhism with others, chanting daimoku and reciting the gongyo, studying Buddhism, there can be no Buddhism.

On top of this, what is most important in our practice is not only carrying out these Buddhist practice ourselves but to enable others to do the same. With the spirit of compassion and courage, we can strive to encourage others to stand up on their feet again and together, we advance towards victory. This is what our Buddhist practice entails.

Faith, practice and study is enhanced and works in mutual synchronization with faith as its axis. It is faith that motivates one to practise and study while the enhancement of practice and study in turn strengthens one’s faith. Furthermore, contact with the vibrant life states of fellow practitioners will serve as stimulus that accelerates the momentum of one’s practice.

In concluding this passage, Nichiren states: “Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase.” Nichiren is urging us to share Buddhism with others to the best of our ability, in whatever way we can. Summoning forth the courage to take this first step will help open up a refreshing life state and a new way forward in kosen-rufu.

Key points of the Gosho passage:

1. The Gohonzon is the manifestation of the great teaching that enables all people, regardless of who they are or how harsh their current circumstances may be, to manifest their Buddhahood, a life state of supreme victory. It is for this reason that Nichiren states that the Gohonzon is “the foremost in the world”.
2. No matter how great the power, there is no way of tapping it without strong faith.
3. In order to cultivate such strong faith, one must exert oneself in “the two ways of practice and study”. Faith is not simply an issue of having a positive mindset. Without carrying out the concrete practice of sharing Buddhism with others, chanting daimoku and reciting the gongyo, studying Buddhism, there can be no Buddhism. On top of this, what is most important in our practice is not only carrying out these Buddhist practice ourselves but to enable others to do the same. This is what our Buddhist practice entails.
4. Nichiren is urging us to share Buddhism with others to the best of our ability, in whatever way we can. Summoning forth the courage to take this first step will help open up a refreshing life state and a new way forward in kosen-rufu.