Reply to the lay nun Myoichi 妙一尼御前御返事

Reply to the Nun Myoichi

Original Text.

■Time of writing: Koan 3 (1280) May 18, aged 59.

■Location: In a thatched hut on Mt. Minobu.

■Background of the writing: This writing is the letter sent to devout believer the nun Myoichi who had sent messenger Takiomaru to Daishonin in Sado and Minobu.

Daishonin is encouraged in this letter by quoting an easy analogy about faith.

He further quotes the sutras "Honestly discard expedient means" in the Expedient chapter of the Lotus Sutra and "Not accept a single verse of the other sutras" in the Parable chapter, and encourages, "You should ponder without the slightest thought of casting them away as a woman does not part with her mirror."

■Autographs: None exist.

[The text.]

What is called faith is nothing unusual. Faith means putting one’s trust in the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni, Buddha Many Treasure, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, and the gods of heaven and earth, and chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, as like a woman cherishes her husband, as like a man lays down his life for his wife, as like parents refuse to abandon their children, or as like a child do not leave from its mother.

Not only that, but one should ponder the passages “Honestly discard expedient means” (Note.1) and “Not accept a single verse of the other sutras” (Note.2) without the slightest thought of casting them away, as a woman does not part with her mirror, or as a man wears his sword.

Respectfully,

Nichiren

The eighteenth day of the fifth month

Reply to the lay nun Myoichi

(Note.1)

Chapter 2 in the Lotus Sutra, Expedient Means.

"Shariputra, you should understand that persons of dull capacity and small wisdom, who are attached to appearances, proud and overbearing, are incapable of believing in this Law. Now I, joyful, fearless, in the midst of the bodhisattvas, honestly discarding expedient means, will preach only the unsurpassed way. When the bodhisattvas hear this Law, they will be released from all entanglements of doubt. The twelve hundred arhats, they too will all attain Buddhahood."

(Note.2)

Chapter 3 in the Lotus Sutra, Simile and Parable.

　”If there are monks who, for the sake of comprehensive wisdom, seek the Law in every direction, pressing palms together, gratefully accepting, desiring only to accept and embrace the sutra of the great vehicle and not accepting a single verse of the other sutras, to persons such as this it is permissible to preach it. If a person, earnest in mind, seeks this sutra as though he were seeking the Buddha’s relics, and having gained and gratefully accepted it, that person shows no intention of seeking other sutras and has never once given thought to the writings of the non-Buddhist doctrines, to a person such as this it is permissible to preach it. I tell you, Shariputra, if I described all the characteristics of those who seek the buddha way, I could exhaust a kalpa and never be done. People of this type are capable of believing and understanding. Therefore for them you should preach the Lotus Sutra.”

Original Text. 　Table of Contents.