Gosho - Letter to the Sage Nichimyo

Describing us, the votaries of the Lotus Sutra - all shapes and sizes and all true lion kings...

"A cub sired by a lion king will become a lion king."

(Letter to the Sage Nichimyo - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 323) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=321 Selection source: Buddhist study, Seikyo Shimbun, August 21st, 2012


Background
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter while at Ichinosawa on Sado Island and addressed it to a follower in Kamakura, a woman who had separated from her husband at a young age. Little is known about her except that she undertook the long and perilous journey from Kamakura with her infant daughter Oto to visit the Daishonin during his exile on Sado. The Daishonin was so impressed with this demonstration of faith that he wrote this letter, giving her the Buddhist name Sage Nichimyo (Sun Wonderful).
After the Daishonin went to live at Minobu, she again visited him there, and later, in the eighth month of 1275, the Daishonin sent her a letter addressed to her daughter, which was later given the title The Supremacy of the Law, suggesting that she was welcome to stay at Minobu should there be the need.
In the beginning of this letter, the Daishonin cites seven stories of Shakyamuni’s bodhisattva practices in his past existences. By carrying out such severe practices in pursuit of Buddhism, Shakyamuni was able to attain Buddhahood. In effect, the Daishonin likens Nichimyo’s efforts in journeying to Sado to these bodhisattva austerities, and implies that her seeking spirit will ensure her enlightenment.
In the next part, Nichiren Daishonin explains that the practice of his Buddhism is not as difficult as that of Shakyamuni’s Buddhism, because Nam-myoho-renge-kyo contains all the benefits that Shakyamuni Buddha accumulated through lifetimes of bodhisattva austerities. Therefore, by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we ordinary people can in this lifetime attain the same virtues and benefits as Shakyamuni Buddha himself. This is the central theme of this letter, in which the Daishonin explains the essence of his teaching: By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, an ordinary person can become a Buddha.
In the final portion, the Daishonin praises her strong faith and confers upon her the title of sage, indicating that she will become a Buddha.