I have received your offerings to the Gohonzon of five kan¹ of coins, one horse-load of rice, and fruit. Of the fifty years of teachings in the Buddha's lifetime, only during his last eight was this teaching revealed. The Lotus Sutra, which was expounded during that period, explains the Gohonzon in the eight chapters from the Yujutsu through the Zokurui chapter. After the Buddha's death, in the two thousand years of the Former and Middle Days of the Law, not even the term "object of worship of the essential teaching" was mentioned, let alone the object itself being inscribed. Nor was there anyone capable of inscribing it. T'ien-t'ai, Miao-lo and Dengyo perceived it in their hearts but for some reason never expounded it, just as Yen Hui² realized the true meaning of Confucius' teaching but kept it secret. Yet the sutra itself as well as T'ien-t'ai and Miao-lo's annotations explicitly state that the Gohonzon will appear in the first five hundred years of the Latter Day of the Law, a little more than two thousand years after the Buddha's death.

Now, over two hundred years have passed since the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law. How awesome that Nichiren was the first to inscribe this great mandala as the banner of propagation of the Lotus Sutra, when even such great masters as Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T'ien-t'ai and Miao-lo were unable to do so! This mandala is in no way Nichiren's invention. It is the object of worship which perfectly depicts Lord Shakyamuni in the Treasure Tower and all the other Buddhas who were present, as accurately as the print matches the woodblock. The five characters of the Lotus Sutra's title are inscribed in the center of the Treasure Tower, while the Four Heavenly Kings are seated at the four corners. Shakyamuni and Taho Buddhas, as well as the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, are lined across the top. Seated below them are the Bodhisattvas Fugen and Monju, and men of Learning, including Shariputra and Maudgalyayana. Beside them are posted the gods³ of the sun and the moon, the Devil of the Sixth Heaven, the Dragon King and ashura; Fudo and Aizen take up their stations to the south and north, respectively. The devilishly treacherous Devadatta and the Dragon King's ignorant daughter attend, too. The demon Kishimojin appears with her ten daughters, who sap the lives of people throughout the universe. Also present are the guardian deities of Japan: Tensho Daijin and Bodhisattva Hachiman, representing the seven ranks of heavenly gods, the five ranks of earthly gods, and all other major and minor gods in general. As all the gods appear in their essence, so must they appear in their manifestations. The Hoto chapter states, "All the assembly were lifted and present in the air." Dwelling in the Gohonzon are all the Buddhas, bodhisattvas and great saints, as well as the eight groups of sentient beings of the two realms⁴ who appear in the first chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Illuminated by the five characters of the Mystic Law, they display the enlightened nature they inherently possess. This is the true object of worship. 

This manifestation is what the sutra means by "all phenomena reveal the true entity."⁵ Miao-lo states, "The true entity is invariably revealed in all phenomena, and all phenomena invariably possess the Ten Factors. The Ten Factors invariably function within the Ten Worlds, and the Ten Worlds invariably entail both life and its environment."⁶ T'ien-t'ai states, "The profound principle of 'true entity' is the original Law of Myoho-renge-kyo."⁷ The Great Teacher Dengyo wrote, "The entity of ichinen sanzen is the Buddha who obtained enlightenment for himself, and that Buddha assumes no august attributes."⁸ Therefore this Gohonzon is the supreme mandala never before known, for it has not appeared until more than twenty-two hundred and twenty years after the Buddha's death.

A woman who devotes herself to the Gohonzon invites happiness in this life; and in the next, the Gohonzon will be with her and protect her always. Like a lantern in the dark, like a strong supporting arm on a treacherous path, the Gohonzon will protect you, Lady Nichinyo, wherever you go. Therefore you should ward off slanderers as you would prevent a courtesan from entering your house. That is the meaning of "Part with bad friends and seek out good ones."⁹

Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The body is the palace of the ninth consciousness¹⁰, the unchanging reality which reigns over all life's functions. To be "endowed with the Ten Worlds" means that all the Ten Worlds without exception are contained in the one world of Buddhahood. That is why the Gohonzon is called a mandala. Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning "perfectly endowed" or "cluster of blessings." The Gohonzon is found in faith alone. As the sutra states, "Only with faith can one enter Buddhahood."¹¹

Since Nichiren's disciples, both priests and laymen, believe in the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra, which states, "...honestly discarding the provisional teachings"¹² and "Never accept even a single phrase from other sutras,"¹³ they can enter the Treasure Tower of the Gohonzon. How reassuring! Make every possible effort for the sake of your next life. The most important thing is to chant only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and attain enlightenment. All depends on the strength of your faith. To have faith is the basis of Buddhism. That is why the fourth volume of the Maka Shikan states, "Buddhism is a vast ocean, but only those with faith can enter." In interpreting this passage, Miao-lo writes in the fourth volume of his Guketsu, "Even Confucius teaches that faith is first and foremost. This is all the more true with the profound doctrines of Buddhism! Without faith, how can one possibly approach them? That is why the Kegon Sutra defines faith as the basis of practice and the mother of blessings." The first volume of the Maka Shikan further states, "How does one hear, believe in and practice the perfect teaching to attain perfect enlightenment?" Volume One of the Guketsu interprets this: "To 'believe in the perfect teaching' means to awaken faith through doctrine and make faith the basis of practice." A classical document tells of the Emperor of Han, who so implicitly believed his aide's report that he found the river actually frozen. Another relates how Li Kuang¹⁴, eager to revenge his father, pierced with his arrow a boulder hidden in the grass. T'ien-t'ai and Miao-lo's annotations make it absolutely clear that faith is the cornerstone. Because the Han emperor believed without doubt in his retainer's words, the river froze over. And Li Kuang was able to pierce a rock with his arrow because he fully believed it to be the tiger which had killed his father. Faith is still more powerful in the world of Buddhism.

Embracing the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo encompass all five practices which the Great Teacher Dengyo personally inherited from Priest Tao-sui¹⁵ when he journeyed to China. This is the primary teaching for Nichiren's disciples and believers. It is the practice which appears in the Jinriki chapter. I will give you more details later.

Respectfully,
Nichiren 

The twenty-third day of the eighth month in the third year of Kenji (1277) 
 
 

Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin; Vol. 1, p. 211.

Gosho background information

Primio sam tvoje ponude Gohonzonu, pet kana¹ novčića, jedan tovar pirinča i voće. Od pedeset godina podučavanja u Budinom životu, jedino tokom poslednjih osam ovo učenje beše obelodanjeno. Lotos Sutra, koja beše izložena tokom tog perioda, objašnjava Gohonzon u osam poglavlja, od poglavlja Juđutsu do poglavlja Zokurai. Posle Budine smrti, tokom dve hiljade godina Pređašnjih i Srednjih Dana Zakona, nije pomenut čak ni izraz "predmet poštovanja suštinskog učenja", a kamoli da je ovaj predmet zapisan. Niti iko beše umešan da ga zapiše. Tjen-tai, Miao-lo i Dengjo su ga opazili u srcu, ali iz nekog razloga nikada ga nisu izložili, baš kao što je Jen Hui² shvatio istinsko značenje Konfučijevog učenja ali ga je zadržao tajnim. Čak i sutra, kao i Tjen-taieve i Miao-loove zabeleške, eksplicitno tvrdi da će se Gohonzon pojaviti tokom prvih pet stotina godina Potonjeg Dana Zakona, malo više nego dve hiljade godina posle Budine smrti. 

Upravo sada, prošlo je preko dve stotine godina od početka Potonjeg Dana Zakona. Kako je strašno to što je Ničiren bio prvi koji je ispisao veliku mandalu kao barjak propagiranja Lotos sutre, kad čak ni takvi veliki majstori kao Nagarđuna, Vasubandu, Tjen-tai i Miao-lo ne behu umešni da to učine! Ova mandala ni na koji način nije Ničirenov izum. To je predmet poštovanja koji savršeno opisuje Gospodina Šakjamunija u Tvrđavi s Blagom i sve druge bude koje behu prisutne, tako tačno kao što otisak odgovara pečatu. Pet karaktera naslova Lotos sutre su ispisani u centru Tvrđave s Blagom, dok Četiri Nebeska Kralja sede u četiri ugla. Bude Šakjamuni i Taho, baš kao i četiri vođe Bodisatvi Zemlje, poređani su s vrha na dole. Sedevši ispod njih su Bodisatve Fugen i Monđu, kao i ljudi Nauke, uključujući Šariputru i Maudgaljajanu. Pored njih su utvrđeni bogovi³ sunca i meseca, Đavo Šestog Neba, Zmajski kralj i asura; Fudo i Aizen zauzimaju svoja mesta na jugu i severu. Đavolski podmukao Devadata i neuka kćer Zmajskog Kralja takođe prisustvuju. Demon Kišimođin se pojavljuje sa svojih deset kćeri, koje podrivaju živote ljudi širom univerzuma. Takođe su prisutna zaštitnička japanska božanstva: Tenšo Daiđin i Bodisatva Hačiman, predstavljajući sedam kategorija nebeskih bogova, pet kategorija zemaljskih bogova i sve druge veće i manje bogove uopšte. Pošto se svi bogovi pojavljuju u svojoj  suštini, moraju se pojaviti i u svojim manifestacjama. Poglavlje Hoto tvrdi: "Ceo skup beše podignut i predstavljen u vazduhu". Boraveći u Gohonzonu su sve bude, bodisatve i veliki sveci, kao i osam grupa bića dva kraljevstva⁴ koja osećaju, koja se pojavljuju u prvom poglavlju Lotos sutre. Osvetljeni sa pet karaktera Mističnog Zakona, oni pokazuju prosvetljenu prirodu koju suštinski poseduju. To je istinski predmet poštovanja. 

Ova manifestacija je ono što sutra misli pod "sve pojave otkrivaju istinsko biće".⁵ Miao-lo tvrdi: "Istinsko biće je nepromenljivo i stalno obelodanjeno u svim pojavama i sve pojave nepromenljivo i stalno imaju Deset Faktora. Deset Faktora nepromenljivo i stalno funkcionišu u Deset Svetova, a Deset Svetova nepromenljivo i stalno iziskuju i život i njegovu okolinu".⁶ Tjen-tai tvrdi: "Dubokosmisleni princip "istinskog bića" je izvorni Zakon Mjoho-renge-kjoa".⁷ Veliki Učitelj Dengjo napisa: "Biće ičinen sanzena je Buda koji se izborio za svoje prosvetljenje i taj Buda ne prisvaja arogantno atribute veličanstvenosti".⁸ Prema tome, ovaj Gohonzon je vrhovna mandala nikada ranije poznata, jer se nije pojavila do pre više od dvadeset i dve stotine i dvadeset godina posle Budine smrti. 

Žena koja se posvećuje Gohonzonu poziva sreću u ovom životu, a u sledećem, Gohonzon će biti s njom i štitiće je uvek. Kao fenjer u tami, kao snažna ruka podrške na podmukloj izdajničkoj stazi, Gohonzon će te štititi, gospo Ničinjo, gde god da ideš. Prema tome, treba da odbiješ klevetnike kao što bi sprečila neku kurtizanu da uđe u tvoju kuću. To je značenje rečenice "Odvoj se od loših prijatelja i traži dobre".⁹ 

Nikada ne traži ovaj Gohonzon izvan sebe. Gohonzon postoji jedino u smrtnom telu nas, običnih ljudi, koji prihvataju Lotos sutru i recituju Nam-mjoho-renge-kjo. Telo je palata devete svesti¹⁰, nepromenljive stvarnosti koja vlada svim životnim funkcijama. Biti "obdaren sa Deset Svetova" znači da je svih Deset Svetova bez izuzetka sadržano u jednom svetu Budastva. Eto zašto se Gohonzon zove mandala. Mandala je sanskritska reč koja znači "savršeno obdaren" ili "kita blagoslova". Gohonzon se temelji na samoj veri.Kao što sutra tvrdi: "Samo s verom može se pristupiti budastvu".¹¹ 

Pošto Ničirenovi učenici, i sveštenici i laici, veruju u nadmoć Lotos Sutre, koja tvrdi: "...iskreno odbacujući prethodna privremena učenja"¹² i "Nikada nemoj prihvatati čak ni jednu jedinu rečenicu iz drugih sutri",¹³ oni mogu ući u Tvrđavu s Blagom Gohonzona. Kako uveravajuće! Učini svaki moguć napor za dobro svog sledećeg života. Najvažnija stvar je recitovati samo Nam-mjoho-renge-kjo i dostići prosvetljenje. Sve zavisi od snage tvoje vere. Imati veru je temelj budizma. Eto zašto četvrti tom Maka Šikan tvrdi: "Budizam je jedan prostran okean, ali jedino oni sa verom mogu mu pristupiti". Tumačeći ovaj odeljak, Miao-lo piše u četvrtom tomu svog Guketsua: "Čak i Konfučije podučava da je vera prva i glavna. Sve je to još istinskije u dubokosmislenim budističkim doktrinama! Bez vere, kako je moguće pristupiti im? Eto zašto Kegon Sutra definiše veru kao osnovu praktikovanja i stvar blagoslova". Prvi tom Makke Šikan dalje tvrdi: "Kako se čuje, veruje u to i praktikuje savršeno učenje za dostizanje savršenog prosvetljenja?" Prvi tom Guketsua tumači ovo: "'Verovati u savršeno učenje' znači probuditi veru kroz doktrinu i učiniti veru osnovom praktikovanja". Jedan klasični dokument govori o Hanskom caru, koji je tako implicitno verovao izveštaju svog ađutanta da je našao reku zaista smrznutu. Drugi se odnosi na to kako je Li Kuang¹⁴, revnostan da osveti svog oca, pogodio strelom oblutak skriven u travi. Tjen-taieve i Miao-loove zabeleške čine apsolutno jasnim da je vera kamen temeljac. Stoga što je car Hana verovao bez sumnje rečima svog najamnika, reka se smrzla. A Li Kuang beše sposoban da pogodi kamen strelom jer je sasvim verovao da je to tigar koji je bio ubio njegovog oca. Vera je još moćnija u svetu budizma. 

Prihvatanje Lotos sutre i recitovanje Nam-mjoho-renge-kjo obuhvata svih pet praksi koje je Veliki Učitelj Dengjo lično nasledio od Sveštenika Tao-suia¹⁵ kada je putovao u Kinu. To je primarno učenje za Ničirenove učenike i vernike. To je praksa koja se pojavljuje u poglavlju Đinriki. Daću ti više detalja kasnije. 

S poštovanjem, 
Ničiren 

Dvadeset treći dan osmog meseca treće godine Kenđia (1277.) 
 

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