A Treatise for Changing Society

On July 16, 1260, prompted by the widespread suffering wrought by the great earthquake that struck Kamakura, Japan, in 1257, Nichiren Daishonin wrote his treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” and submitted it to the most influential figure in the government, Hojo Tokiyori.

In this treatise, written as a dialogue between a host and his guest, the Daishonin cites various Buddhist scriptures to reveal that the root cause of the calamities plaguing the country lies in slandering the correct teaching. He warns that if people continue following erroneous teachings that devalue the dignity inherent in the lives of all people, the country will continue to decline, putting it at risk of foreign invasion and internal strife. He emphasizes the need for a fundamental change in people’s hearts and minds, in transforming deep-seated beliefs that cause suffering.

The concept of “establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land” is rooted in the Lotus Sutra’s philosophy of respect for the dignity of life, which is grounded in the idea that all people possess Buddhahood, that they can reveal it in this life. The sutra sets forth the fundamental principle for changing society: that the real world we live in, just as it is, can become an indestructible Buddha land. Nichiren declares that faith in the Mystic Law—the essence of the Lotus Sutra—enables each person to elevate their state of life and create lasting happiness. 

In the treatise, as the dialogue progresses, the guest, who initially opposed the host’s perspective, eventually admits his mistake in putting faith in teachings that denigrated the value of people’s lives. The guest readily vows to join the host to “set about as quickly as possible” to spread the principles of the Lotus Sutra “to bring peace to the world without delay” (“On Establishing the Correct Teaching,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 26).

Today, the efforts of each Soka Gakkai member to apply Nichiren Buddhism to their daily lives and share it with others move the world closer to realizing Nichiren’s ideal of creating a peaceful world.