Gosho 秋元殿御返事 On the Five Seasonal Festivals

法華経の行者をば一切の諸天・不(ふ)退(たい)に守護すべき経文分明(ふんみょう)なり、

Sutra passages make it perfectly clear that all the heavenly beings are bound to diligently protect practitioners of the Lotus Sutra.

The sutra clearly states that all guardian deities will continually protect the votaries of the Lotus Sutra.

経の第五に云く「諸天昼(ちゅう)夜(や)に常に法の為の故に而(しか)も之を衛(えい)護(ご)す」云云、

The fifth volume of the Lotus Sutra says, “The heavenly beings day and night will for the sake of the Law constantly guard and protect them.

The fifth volume of the Lotus Sutra states,“Night and Day, guardian deities shall protect those who constantly preach the Law.”

又云く「天の諸(もろもろ)の童(どう)子(じ)以て給使(きゅうじ)を為(な)し刀(とう)杖(じょう)も加えず毒も害する能(あた)わず」云云、

Again, it says,“The young sons of heavenly beings will wait on him and serve him. Swords and staves will not touch him and poison will have no power to harm him.”

Furthermore, another passage in the sutra states,“Various attendants of the guardian deities in the heavens will serve [the votaries of the Lotus Sutra], so that nobody can attack them with swords and staves, or kill them with poison.

諸天とは梵天(ぼんてん)・帝釈(たいしゃく)・日月・四大天王等なり、

The “heavenly beings” refer to Brahmā, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four great heavenly kings, and others like them.

The guardian deities are Heavenly King Daibon, Heavenly King Taishaku, the deity of the sun, the deity of the moon, the Four Heavenly Kings, and so on.

法とは法華経なり、童子とは七曜(しちよう)・二十八宿・摩(ま)利支(りし)天等なり

The “Law” refers to the Lotus Sutra. The “young sons” refer to the seven luminaries, the twenty-eight constellations, Marīchi, and the like.

The Law that is referred to here is the Lotus Sutra. Attendants of the guardian deities indicate the seven planets, 28 constellations, Heavenly Deity Marici, and so forth.


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