Key Passages From The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings (Part 10)

In the darkness before dawn
I advance  
In search of light.
To dispel the dark clouds in my mind,
To seek a great tree unbowed by the storm,
I spring from the earth. 

At the time, I didn’t know anything about the Lotus Sutra’s depiction of bodhisattvas emerging from the earth; my poem was simply inspired by the life force of trees and plants springing to life from the barren earth of a devastated postwar land. 

Ten days later, on August 24, in the scorching summer heat, I received the Gohonzon, determined to follow Mr. Toda as my mentor and press forward on the path I had chosen. Now, 76 years have passed since I began my journey of mentor and disciple. 

In this month of August, the starting point of that shared struggle of mentor and disciple, I would like to explore The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings section on “Emerging from the Earth,” the 15th chapter of the Lotus Sutra.^[1] As we focus on the bonds of mentor and disciple and the mission of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, let us reaffirm Mr. Toda’s guidance. I know he would be delighted by the growing ranks of Bodhisattvas of the Earth who have emerged in this new era of kosen-rufu. 

The Start of the Essential Teaching of the Lotus Sutra 

Let’s begin with a quick review of the events in the Lotus Sutra related to this chapter. 

“Emerging from the Earth,” the 15th chapter, is the start of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. The major difference between the theoretical teaching (the first 14 chapters) and the essential teaching (the latter 14 chapters) is the shift from Shakyamuni’s standpoint as the Buddha who first attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree in India to the Buddha who originally attained enlightenment in the remote past.^[2] In addition, it depicts the great vow or wish of the Buddha in his true identity and the bodhisattvas who are his disciples to eternally strive to guide people to enlightenment in this suffering-filled saha world.^[3]

The “Emerging from the Earth” chapter opens with the bodhisattvas already gathered at the assembly asking Shakyamuni to entrust them with the mission of propagating the Lotus Sutra in the saha world after his death. Since Shakyamuni had called for this undertaking in “The Emergence of the Treasure Tower,” the 11th chapter, and the bodhisattvas had vowed to carry it out in “Encouraging Devotion,” the 13th chapter—fully aware of the daunting persecutions they would face in the process—they naturally assumed that he would acknowledge their vow and entrust them with this mission. But instead, he declares: “Leave off!” (see The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 252). And he makes an astonishing declaration: “There is no need for you to protect and embrace this sutra. Why? Because in this saha world of mine there are bodhisattvas mahasattva^[4] who are as numerous as the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. … After I have entered extinction these people will … widely preach this sutra” (LSOC, 252).

After Shakyamuni speaks these words, one of the most remarkable scenes of the Lotus Sutra unfolds: 

The earth of all the billion lands of the saha world trembled and split open, and out of it emerged at the same instant immeasurable thousands, ten thousands, millions of bodhisattvas mahasattva. … Each one of these bodhisattvas … brought … a retinue equal in number to the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers. … They each one proceeded to the wonderful tower … where Many Treasures Thus Come One and Shakyamuni Buddha were [and showed their respect and praise]. … These bodhisattvas [filled] the sky over immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, and millions of lands. (see LSOC, 252–54) 

The sutra also says: 

The bodies of these bodhisattvas were all golden in hue, with the thirty-two features^[5] and an immeasurable brightness. Previously they had all been dwelling in the world of empty space^[6] underneath the saha world. But when these bodhisattvas heard the voice of Shakyamuni Buddha speaking [about them], they came up from below. (LSOC, 252–53) 

Maitreya,^[7] representing the astonished assembly, says he is struck by these bodhisattvas’ magnificent appearance and asks who they are and why they have emerged. 

Shakyamuni replies that they are his disciples whom he has been teaching and converting since the distant past (see LSOC, 261). In doing so, he causes them to question their previous assumptions and to entertain doubts^[8] in preparation for revealing his original attainment of enlightenment in the remote past in the subsequent “Life Span,” 16th chapter. 

Nichiren Daishonin’s Disciples Are the Bodhisattvas of the Earth 

[Chapter Fifteen: Emerging from the Earth
One important point]

Point One, on the passage “Among these bodhisattvas were four leaders. The first was called Superior Practices, the second was called Boundless Practices, the third was called Pure Practices, and the fourth was called Firmly Established Practices. These four bodhisattvas were the foremost leaders and guiding teachers among all the group” [LSOC, 254].

The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings says: This chapter, “Emerging from the Earth,” is devoted entirely to matters pertaining to the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching, those who were taught and converted by the Buddha in his true identity.^[9] The action carried out by the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is referred to in the character sho [“advocating” in the compound shodo, or “advocating and guiding”]. The character do signifies that they will lead and guide all the living beings of the country of Japan to the Pure Land of the Holy Mountain [Eagle Peak]. As for these guiding teachers of the Latter Day of the Law, the term “teachers” can only be applied to the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching. …  

Nichiren and his followers, who now chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, are all followers of [or people counted among] these bodhisattvas who emerged from the earth. (OTT, 117–18)

Now, let us examine the first half of The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings section on the “Emerging from the Earth” chapter. 

The first point of emphasis is “The action carried out by the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (OTT, 117)—in other words, all of the actions of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are directed toward spreading the fundamental Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The same theme appears in the second half of The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings section on this chapter, which once again confirms that only the Bodhisattvas of the Earth of the essential teaching possess or embrace the daimoku of the Mystic Law, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, while the bodhisattvas of the theoretical teaching do not. To put it another way, only the Bodhisattvas of the Earth chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and help all people attain Buddhahood in their present lifetime. 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the fundamental Law pervading the universe and life. It is also the very essence of the life of Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. Likewise, it is the workings of the worlds or life states of Buddhahood and bodhisattva within us, as practitioners directly connected to the Daishonin. It also functions to harmonize all of the Ten Worlds. 

Only by embracing the Mystic Law can we ultimately bring forth the courage and strength to overcome the six difficult and nine easy acts^[10] and vanquish the three powerful enemies.^[11]

The “Emerging from the Earth” chapter identifies the four representatives of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth—bodhisattvas Superior Practices, Boundless Practices, Pure Practices and Firmly Established Practices—as the “guiding teachers” (LSOC, 254)—that is, unparalleled leaders. 

In The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Nichiren explains that the word “guiding” (Jpn shodo)—comprising the Chinese character sho meaning “advocate” or “chant” and do meaning “lead” or “guide”—expresses the function of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and guide all living beings to the pure land of Eagle Peak, or the life state of Buddhahood (see OTT, 117). He then clarifies that these bodhisattvas who embrace the Mystic Law are the guiding teachers of the Latter Day of the Law.

Embracing the Mystic Law, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are awakened to their unsurpassed worth and dignity. Believing fully in others’ limitless inner potential, they brim with compassion to realize happiness for both themselves and others and realize a world in which people can coexist in peace and harmony.  

This section concludes: “Nichiren and his followers, who now chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, are all followers of [or people counted among] these bodhisattvas who emerged from the earth” (OTT, 118). This is an unassailable assertion that, in the Latter Day of the Law, Nichiren Daishonin and each of us, his disciples, are Bodhisattvas of the Earth. 

Heroic Bodhisattvas of the Earth Active All Over the Globe

Being aware of our identity as Bodhisattvas of the Earth is the fundamental Soka spirit. This originated in President Toda’s awakening while in prison under state oppression. 

The moment Mr. Toda realized that he was a Bodhisattva of the Earth, the Lotus Sutra was revived in modern times. Without the emergence of people who base themselves on this awareness, the sutra passages teaching the propagation of the Lotus Sutra after Shakyamuni’s death would be empty and meaningless. Likewise, we could not carry on the Daishonin’s persevering struggle amid great hardships to open the way for kosen-rufu in the Latter Day of the Law. 

After his release from prison, Mr. Toda spoke of the profound awakening he had experienced, saying: “Our life is eternal, without beginning and without end. I am now aware that we have all appeared in this world with the great mission to propagate the seven-character Lotus Sutra [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo],^[12] in the Latter Day of the Law. If I define our status in accord with this conviction, we are all Bodhisattvas of the Earth.”^[13]

This awareness of being a Bodhisattva of the Earth—which Mr. Toda alone had first affirmed to his late mentor and our founding President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi—eventually spread throughout the Soka Gakkai. And it ultimately led to the fulfillment of Mr. Toda’s vow to achieve a membership of 750,000 households. 

Mr. Toda often said to the youth: “I’ll take care of kosen-rufu. I’ll achieve this goal of 750,000 member households through my own efforts. Do you want to help me?” This impassioned cry of a Bodhisattva of the Earth, arising from the depths of his being, instilled the profound eternal mission of kosen-rufu in the hearts of one member after another. 

Today, members around the world are standing up with the conviction that they are Bodhisattvas of the Earth. We have entered an age when heroic Bodhisattvas of the Earth are active all over the globe, illuminating people everywhere with the light of hope. The Soka Gakkai has seen to it that the story of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth recorded in the Lotus Sutra has become a reality and has spread throughout the entire world. 

Voluntarily Taking on Challenges

Nichiren Daishonin states, “Nichiren and his followers, who now chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, are all followers of [or people counted among] these bodhisattvas who emerged from the earth” (OTT, 118). These words indicate that we, the mentors and disciples of Soka, are Bodhisattvas of the Earth. All people, whatever their situation or circumstances, who awaken to their mission and take action to spread the Mystic Law “are all followers of [or people counted among] these bodhisattvas who emerged from the earth.” As the Daishonin puts it elsewhere, “If you are of the same mind as Nichiren, you must be a Bodhisattva of the Earth” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 385).

The “Emerging from the Earth” chapter enumerates from various perspectives the special characteristics of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth—all of which Nichiren himself perfectly embodied. They are also the qualities that we, too, acquire when we strive in Buddhist practice upholding faith in the Mystic Law. For instance, we find the following passages: 

—“Unfathomable in wisdom, firm in their intent and thought, with the power of great perseverance, the kind living beings delight to see” (LSOC, 256).

—“In order that day and night with constant diligence they may seek the Buddha way” (LSOC, 260).  

—“Firm in the power of will and concentration, with constant diligence seeking wisdom, they expound various wonderful doctrines and their minds are without fear” (LSOC, 260).

—“Skillfully learning the bodhisattva way, unsoiled by worldly things like the lotus flower in the water” (LSOC, 263).

—“They are clever at difficult questions and answers, their minds know no fear. They have firmly cultivated persevering minds, upright in dignity and virtue. They are praised by the buddhas of the ten directions” (LSOC, 263–64).

As these words indicate, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth remain strong and undeterred in the face of every trial. They leap directly into the turbulent age of the Latter Day of the Law, making boundless contributions amid the challenges of this saha world.  

In “The Opening of the Eyes,” the Daishonin writes of them: “Solemn, dignified, they were beings of great and lofty stature. Aside from Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the emanations of Shakyamuni from the ten directions, they were worthy of being good friends upon whom all beings could rely” (WND-1, 253).

Nichiren Daishonin also describes the Bodhisattvas of the Earth as having forged themselves into champions of kosen-rufu in the Latter Day of the Law: “These bodhisattvas are the ones who had thoroughly forged their resolve” (WND-1, 953).

Demonstrating this powerful life force of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, we are engaged in a great, unprecedented struggle to vanquish the fundamental ignorance^[14] of humankind, plagued as it is by endless conflict and suffering.

To explore this further, let us now move on to the second part of this section of The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings. 

The Soka Gakkai Is the Organization That Accords With the Buddha’s Intent

Again, the Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings says that, of all the thousand plants and ten thousand trees in the world, there are none that are not in essence bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth. Thus we may say that the bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth are the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching [those whom the Buddha taught and converted first after his attainment of enlightenment in the remote past]. The word “essential” or “original” represents the merits [or benefits] handed down from the past of numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago, the merits that are without beginning and without end.

These bodhisattvas are possessors of the essential or original Law. The original Law is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This daimoku, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, is something that is without exception possessed by the bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth, but it is not possessed by the bodhisattvas of the theoretical teaching, those who were taught and converted by the Buddha in his transient status. From the substance of this original Law is derived the function that is propagated as the [Great Teacher T’ien-tai’s] practice of concentration and insight, and is called the principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life [which T’ien-t’ai formulated]. In effect, all the explanations given by great and ordinary teachers are directed toward the propagation of this function of the Wonderful Law.

The accepting and upholding of this original Law is expressed in the single word “belief” or “faith.” (OTT, 119)

Nichiren Daishonin states: “Of all the thousand plants and ten thousand trees in the world, there are none that are not in essence bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth” (OTT, 119). This expresses the profound principle that all living things on our planet, including even plants and trees, are essentially Bodhisattvas of the Earth. 

Mr. Toda once said that all phenomena in the universe are the workings of compassion.^[15] All living things, even plants and trees, are expressions of the compassion of the Mystic Law and are in actuality Bodhisattvas of the Earth. They are the disciples taught and converted in the distant past by the Buddha in his true identity. They are bodhisattvas who devote their lives to teaching the “original Law” to others and conferring on them “the merits that are without beginning and without end” (OTT, 119) in the Latter Day of the Law.

The reason for this is that “these bodhisattvas are possessors of the essential or original Law” (OTT, 119). As noted earlier, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth embrace the great teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the fundamental and eternal Law without beginning or end. They are the true and correct disciples who dedicate their lives to kosen-rufu in the Latter Day of the Law. All of their compassionate efforts to spread the Mystic Law are workings derived from “the substance of this original Law” (see OTT, 119).

How noble are these bodhisattvas who embrace the Mystic Law—the “original Law”—and propagate it while demonstrating its enormous benefit! 

We of the Soka Gakkai dedicate ourselves to this great mission. There is no grander or nobler way to live than this, grounded in the fundamental concept of the eternity of life. 

Mr. Toda once said to the effect: “On this Earth, after Shakyamuni’s Buddhism [of maturing and harvest] came to an end, the Daishonin’s Buddhism [of sowing] was solidly established. At present, I have opened the path of transmission for the realization of kosen-rufu. The future is all up to you. That’s because [in my next life] I’ll be going to another planet to work in the same way for kosen-rufu!” 

He made these comments in a speech at a meeting for young people, and I remember them vividly today. 

Mr. Toda also often said to the effect: “The Soka Gakkai is a gathering of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth entrusted by Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, to realize kosen-rufu in the present age, the Latter Day of the Law. It is an organization acting in complete accord with the Buddha’s intent.” 

Faith Is the Key to Upholding and Spreading the Mystic Law

At the end of The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings section on the “Emerging from the Earth” chapter, Nichiren Daishonin states that the single word “belief” or “faith” is key to upholding and spreading the Mystic Law. 

He also says: “The single word ‘belief’ [or faith] is the sharp sword with which one confronts and overcomes fundamental darkness or ignorance” (OTT, 119–20). To vanquish the fundamental ignorance that gives rise to distrust and disrespect, belief in our own and others’ Buddha nature is absolutely essential. 

As Soka Gakkai members, we actively reach out in dialogue, believing not only in our Buddha nature but also that of others. Our efforts shine with the supreme conviction that all people deserve respect and have a profound mission. 

The Roots of Humanity

When we awaken to our mission, we can tap great strength from deep inside. When we devote ourselves to the path of our mission, the power to remain steadfast and persevere arises within us, giving us the strength to overcome any obstacle. When we are dedicated to fulfilling our mission, our lives are positive and exhilarating. Like true champions, we will have not a single regret and our hearts will be as vast and open as the clear blue sky.  

There is no greater mission than living for the great vow of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Those who give their all as Bodhisattvas of the Earth are building supreme happiness. 

I once wrote in a poem that the life state of bodhisattvas emerging from the earth constitutes the “fundamental roots” of our humanity. 

I meant that we should not limit our search for our roots to our ethnic origins, but rather extend it to the origins of our shared humanity, our common “home.” There we will discover our “primordial roots” in the life state of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.^[16] As I wrote in these lines of poetry:

Continue your uncompromising quest
for your truer roots
in the deepest regions of your lives.
Seek out the primordial “roots” of humankind.
Then you will without fail discover
the stately expanse of  jiyu
unfolding in the depths of your life.^[17]

There is no discrimination or exclusion in the realm of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Nichiren says, “Of all the thousand plants and ten thousand trees in the world, there are none that are not in essence bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth” (OTT, 119). The bonds of life unite all people and things. The primordial life possessed by all people—which the Daishonin describes as “the utmost depth of the essential nature of phenomena and the ultimate of profound Buddhist principles” (“The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas,” WND-2, 843)—is the true identity of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. 

When people awaken to the fundamental essence of life characterized by compassion and harmony, an age will arrive when all respect their own and everyone’s true value and dignity. At that time, people will bring forth their inherent life state as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, while revering and drawing forth that potential in others.

An Unprecedented Struggle to Vanquish Humanity’s Fundamental Ignorance

Kosen-rufu is a great and unprecedented spiritual struggle to vanquish humanity’s fundamental ignorance and transform its karma. Let us take pride in that powerful conviction and advance with power and dignity. Bodhisattvas of the Earth are afraid of nothing.

Let’s always boldly advance on the vast ground of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and joyfully fulfill our noble mission in this lifetime as mentor and disciples united in beautiful diversity like the cherry, plum, peach and damson (see OTT, 200)!

From the June 2024 Living Buddhism