~ u sas

t poisonous compounds are changed into medicine, so these

five charactek of Alyoho-renge-kyokhange evil into good. The Spring
of-Jewels is so called because, in this" spring, stones are changed into
jewels. In the same way; these five characters can change ordinary
human beings into Buddhas.
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p 1064)

Praying with the Resolve to Remain

Undefeated No Matter What Happens

T his letter was sent from Minobu in

1280 to a follower known as "the
lady of Utsubusa" who lived in Utsubusa
in Ihara District of Suruga Province.
Nichiren Daishonin's letter is a reply to
the offerings and declarations that the
lady of Utsubusa sent in commemoration
of the hundredth-day anniversary of her
father's passing.
Judging from the fact that she sent the
Daishonin ten thousand coins (a fairly
large amount) and from the contents of
her personal vow, it is quite likely that she
was a refined woman of some means.
In this letter, the Daishonin teaches
that that the Lotus Sutra is the king of
all sutras. Through this, the Daishonin
reveals the magnificent benefit of
chanting daimoku.
The Daishonin further assures his
follower that, because her father chanted
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo while he was alive,
he had certainly attained Buddhahood
in his present form. The Daishonin also
praises lady of Utsubusa that her actions
to lead her father to the Mystic Law are
the very height of filial piety (cf WND, p
1064).
The passage we are studying this
month is the portion where Nichiren
Daishonin elucidates the remarkable
beneficial power of Myoho-renge-kyo.
The Daishonin uses the example of
poison being transformed into medicine
to illustrate the point that Myoho-renge-
kyo can change evil into good.
The Daishonin also uses the
illustration of the Spring of Jewels that
transforms stones into jewels to portray
the point that these five characters has
the beneficial power to change ordinary
human beings into Buddhas.
The Daishonin is teaching through
these illustrations that no matter what
happens in life, as long as we continue
maintaining faith in Myoho-renge-kyo,
pray thoroughly to the end without
giving up and exert our utmost for kosen-
CL October 2008
I CL October 2008
 42 Gosho In Daily Life
MplSYFi

circumstances, Mrs Honma tenaciously contributing her home for kosen-rufu

visited her members one by one to activities throughout these years and now
encourage them to courageously live out she has been able to purchase a land for
their lives in the Soka Gakkai together a carpark huge enough to accommodate
with President Ikeda and not be swayed several dozens of cars.
by unfounded rumours. Mr Honma, presently a vice zone
As aresult, her members strengthened leader is also the prefectural chief of the
their faith and her districts are Soka Gakkai Arts Division. Their elder
growing vibrantly today. The circle of daughter is now married after fulfilling
understanding towards the activities of her responsibilities as a vice YWD
the Soka Gakkai is expanding. The public prefectural leader while their younger
and grassroot leaders have extended daughter is a chapter leader in the Kansai
their utmost support in various activities area.
organized by the Soka Gakkai in Sado, The women disciples of Sado, such
including President Ikeda's "Dialogue as lay nun Sennichi and lay nun Kofu,
with Nature" photographic exhibition. who single-mindedly strove to protect
Moreover, 70% of the residents in Mrs Nichiren Daishonin are great models for
Honma's village are subscribers of the the women division to follow.
Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai's daily Let us contipue to advance joyfully on
paper. the path of mentor and disciple with faith
Mrs Honma has served as women that transforms poison into medicine. @
division district leadkr gver a period
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 Key points of the Gosho passage:
1. What is the greatest beneficial power of the Gohonzon? It is to change
our lives and our circumstances, even from the worst possible state to one of
great happiness.
2. But this change of our lives and our circumstances is not due to some
magical or supernatural power of the Gohonzon. This change comes about
because when we chant with faith, our life manifest the state of Buddhahood
which then gives us wisdom, courage, lifeforce and also attracts the Buddhist
gods (protective functions in one's life and environment) to assist us. All the
wonderful benefits we experience such as overcoming sickness, financial
difficulties, family or work problems and achieving human revolution, etc,
are all derived from our Buddha nature.
3. In other words,benefits come afterwe manifest the state of Buddhahood
when we chant daimoku with faith to the Gohonzon. This is what the
Daishonin means when he says that the power of daimoku can change 'poison
into medicine," "evil into good," "stones into jewels" and "human beings into
Buddha." But we must remember that Buddhahood will not stay manifested
permanently in our life, and that is why we need to practice our daimoku and
gongyo consistently and strive for kosen-rufu.