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On Recommending This Teaching to Your Lord
I have received two kan of coins.
The foremost treasure of sentient beings is nothing other
than life itself. Those who take life are doomed to fall
into the three evil paths. Wheel-turning kings observed
the precept of "not to kill" as the first of the
ten good precepts. The Buddha preached the five precepts
at the starting point of the Hinayana sutras and made "not
to kill" the first of them. The Buddha also taught
"not to kill" as the first of the ten major precepts
in the Bommo Sutra of Mahayana. The Juryo
chapter of the Lotus Sutra contains the blessings of Shakyamuni
Buddha's precept "not to kill." Consequently,
those who take life will be forsaken by all the Buddhas
in the three existences, and the gods of the six heavens
of the world of desire will not protect them. The scholars
of our time are aware of this, and I, Nichiren, also have
a general understanding of it.
However, the circumstances of killing vary, and the offense
of the person killed may be heavy or light. If one kills
the murderer of his parents, sovereign or teacher, then
although he commits the same offense of killing, his grave
sin will in effect become a lighter one. This, too, is something
our contemporary scholars know. But even bodhisattvas with
their great compassion, if they make offerings to the enemies
of the Lotus Sutra, are certain to fall into the hell of
incessant suffering. On the other hand, even those who commit
the five cardinal sins, if they hate those enemies, will
definitely be reborn in the human or heavenly realms. King
Sen'yo and King Utoku, who had respectively destroyed five
hundred and innumerable enemies of the Lotus Sutra, became
the Shakyamuni Buddha of this world. Shakyamuni's disciples,
such as Mahakashyapa, Ananda, Shariputra, Maudgalyayana
and other countless followers, were those who, at that time
had been in the vanguard of the battle and had scattered
the enemy, killing them, injuring them, or rejoicing in
the fight. The monk Kakutoku became Kasho Buddha. He was
a most compassionate votary of the Lotus Sutra who at that
time urged King Utoku to attack the enemies of the sutra
as he would one who has been betraying his father and mother
since a previous lifetime.
Our present day corresponds to that time. If the ruler
would accept Nichiren's words, he would become like the
two kings. Yet he not only rejected them but actually sided
with the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, so that the entire
nation attacks me, Nichiren. From the ruler down to the
common people, all have become slanderers whose offense
exceeds even the five cardinal sins. All of you belong to
the side of the ruler. Although in your heart you are of
the same mind as Nichiren, your person is in service to
your lord; thus it would seem extremely difficult for you
to avoid the offense of complicity in slander. Nevertheless,
you have communicated this teaching to your lord and urged
him to take faith in it. How admirable! Even though he may
not accept it now, you have been able to avoid the offense
of complicity. From now on, you should be careful in what
you say. The heavenly gods will protect you without fail,
and I myself will tell them to do so.
Please take every possible precaution. Those who hate you
will be all the more vigilant in watching for a chance to
do you harm. Don't attend any further drinking parties at
night. What dissatisfaction can there be in drinking in
your wife's company alone? Even if you attend banquets with
others in the daytime, never relax your guard. Your enemies
will have no opportunity to attack you, unless they take
advantage of a time when you are drinking. You cannot be
too careful.
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The twenty-sixth day of the ninth month
Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin,
Vol. 6, page 89.
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