Revitalizing all people from the very depths of their lives, changing the world into a true realm of happiness and peace—these are the fundamental objectives of the Lotus Sutra. And those who strive throughout their lives with a personal commitment to realize these goals are Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
In the defiled age of the Latter Day of the Law, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth impart the light of hope to those who are suffering, tirelessly reaching out to each individual with compassion and courage until fresh life force wells forth. With an unwavering belief in the potential for good that resides in each person, they persevere in conducting sincere dialogue and never cease in their efforts to awaken others’ Buddha nature. Because the Bodhisattvas of the Earth themselves embody the power of the Mystic Law, they are able to press on tenaciously with their noble work amid the great sea of humanity and, through the brilliance of their character and integrity, awaken the Buddha nature of others. The Lotus Sutra proclaims that countless such genuine practitioners are sure to appear in the Latter Day of the Law.
The Bodhisattvas of the Earth are experts in the art of life who help people transform themselves on the most fundamental level and gain true inner happiness. Their wisdom and actions are based on the profound philosophy that both they and others possess the Buddha nature. This belief enables them to overcome self-centeredness and negative karma and bring the power of compassion inherent in the universe to flow forth abundantly. This is the source of their shining and infinitely inspiring character as well as their unceasing efforts to lead others to enlightenment.
This is the true reason for the transmission of the heritage of the ultimate Law of life and death—to enable all people to attain Buddhahood. If someone misses this key point, then however much they might read the Lotus Sutra, they effectively shut themselves off from the heritage of attaining Buddhahood. Therefore, only when one has a deep inner awareness that one is a Bodhisattva of the Earth—a protagonist in the effort to enable all people to attain enlightenment and stands up with the mentor in faith to carry out this mission—can one be said to have truly internalized the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
The crux of the heritage of the ultimate Law of life and death can be found in the practice of mentor and disciple demonstrated by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, who are led by Bodhisattva Superior Practices. In this … installment, we will look at passages in which Nichiren Daishonin discusses the profound meaning behind this.
Practice Is the Lifeline of Buddhism
How admirable that you have asked about the transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death! I have never heard of anyone who has asked such a question. I have answered in complete detail in this letter, so please take it deeply to heart. The important point is to carry out your practice confident that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo alone is the heritage that was transferred from Shakyamuni and Many Treasures to Bodhisattva Superior Practices.
The function of fire is to burn and give light. The function of water is to wash away filth. The winds blow away dust and breathe life into plants, animals, and human beings. The earth produces the grasses and trees, and heaven provides nourishing moisture. The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo are also like that. They are the cluster of blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, disciples of the Buddha in his true identity. The Lotus Sutra says that Bodhisattva Superior Practices will appear now, in the Latter Day of the Law, to propagate this teaching, but has this happened? Whether or not Bodhisattva Superior Practices has appeared in this world, Nichiren has already made a start in propagating this teaching. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 217–18)
In Buddhism, practicing the teachings based on the relationship of mentor and disciple is essential.
Many bodhisattvas appear in the Lotus Sutra. However, only the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are the true disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha as he is depicted in the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. There, Shakyamuni is revealed as the eternal Buddha, having attained enlightenment in the infinite past. The leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth is Bodhisattva Superior Practices. The Lotus Sutra was transmitted from Shakyamuni to Superior Practices (as the representative of all the Bodhisattvas of the Earth)—namely, from the teacher embodying the eternal state of Buddhahood to his genuine disciples.
In the passage above, Nichiren Daishonin begins by praising Sairen-bo’s seeking spirit, saying: “How admirable that you have asked about the transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death! I have never heard of anyone who has asked such a question” (WND-1, 217). Then, he recommends the practice of chanting and spreading Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, stating, “The important point is to carry out your practice confident that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo alone is the heritage that was transferred from Shakyamuni and Many Treasures to Bodhisattva Superior Practices.”
In this passage, Nichiren specifically addresses Sairen-bo’s question from the standpoint of practice. He clarifies that the key to inheriting the ultimate Law of life and death lies in spreading Nam-myoho-renge-kyo following the example of Bodhisattva Superior Practices. Nichiren underlines the necessity for disciples to practice in the same spirit as Bodhisattva Superior Practices.
Next, by drawing parallels with the functions of the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind and space,[1] Nichiren outlines the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Disciples manifest this power when they practice with the same dedicated spirit as Bodhisattva Superior Practices. These functions represent the power of compassion inherent in the universe, which was believed to be composed of the five elements.
The functions of the five elements, he says, are the functions of Myoho-renge-kyo as well as “the cluster of blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, disciples of the Buddha in his true identity” (WND-1, 218). Through the wondrous workings inherent in life itself, these bodhisattvas propagate Myoho-renge-kyo and benefit people.
Nichiren goes on to allude that he himself is Bodhisattva Superior Practices, the first to carry out these practices and manifest the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. By doing so, he is urging Sairen-bo to practice Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in the same spirit as himself and in accord with his teachings.
Practice is the lifeline of Buddhism. A religion that lacks practice becomes nothing but an intellectual pastime.
Nichiren indicates that in order to partake of the heritage for attaining Buddhahood, it is essential to practice Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—the Law entrusted to Bodhisattva Superior Practices. There is no such heritage outside of this. On the basis of this point alone, it is abundantly clear just how much the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood has deviated from Nichiren Buddhism by teaching a mystical transmission of the heritage and demanding blind obedience based thereupon.
The Latter Day of the Law
The Latter Day of the Law is the last of the three periods following the death of Shakyamuni Buddha. In the first period, the Former Day, the teaching, practice and proof of Shakyamuni’s Buddhism were present, and it is said that numerous people attained enlightenment. The second period, the Middle Day, is when the teachings of Shakyamuni became formalized, and the emphasis was on the meditative practices of philosophers such as Nagarjuna and T’ien-t’ai. Very few people attained enlightenment. The third period, the Latter Day of the Law, is defined in the Great Collections Sutra as an “age of quarrels and disputes,” in which Shakyamuni’s teachings are “obscured and lost.”
During Nichiren’s time in the Latter Day, many Buddhist leaders responded by emphasizing teachings that this world is a place devoid of hope and to be despised, and that one should aspire for rebirth in a pure realm after death.
The Lotus Sutra, however, looks at the Latter Day as a time when the other Buddhist teachings have lost their power to save people. It is a time when this ultimate Law, inherent in the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, will prevail. The Lotus Sutra teaches that this is the age in which the Bodhisattvas of the Earth will successfully propagate the essential teaching, leading people away from misery and toward enlightenment. It also teaches that this world itself equates to the pure land. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra represents a message of hope amid the conflict and suffering said to characterize the Latter Day of the Law.
The Beneficial Workings of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and the Functions of the Five Elements
Just what does it mean to practice Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in accord with Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings? To clarify this, Nichiren refers to the functions of the five elements. Let us look at them one by one.
“The function of fire is to burn and give light”—fire burns things and produces light, which illuminates. “The function of water is to wash away filth”—water cleanses and purifies. “The winds blow away dust and breathe life into plants, animals, and human beings”—wind clears away dust. The additional statement that it “breathes life into plants, animals, and human beings” was no doubt added because wind was viewed as an animating force by the ancients. “The earth produces the grasses and trees”—grasses and trees grow and thrive in the earth; this indicates the function of nurturing life. And finally, “Heaven provides nourishing moisture”—heaven, meaning the sky, causes rain to fall, nourishing and sustaining all things.
“Heaven,” mentioned last, corresponds to “space” in the five elements. Nichiren here refers to the inherent functions of nature represented by the five elements that compose the universe.
After indicating the innate value-creative functions of the five elements, Nichiren says: “The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo are also like that. They are the cluster of blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, disciples of the Buddha in his true identity” (WND-1, 218). He is declaring that the functions of the five elements are themselves the functions of the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo and that they constitute the blessings, or the beneficial workings, of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
In other words, the compassionate workings inherent in the universe itself are the essence of the functions of Myoho-renge-kyo, and the Bodhisattvas of the Earth benefit others by means of these inherent functions of the Mystic Law.
From Nichiren’s words, we can conclude that the true nature of the benefit of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth is to enable people to substantively express, in their own character and behavior, the compassionate functions that are innate in life.
In The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, after identifying the functions of the four elements of earth, water, fire and wind,[2] Nichiren explains that these are the blessings, or beneficial workings, of the four bodhisattvas who are the leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth (see OTT, 118). According to this passage as well as the commentary of Nichikan and other writings, when the functions of the four bodhisattvas are correlated to the four elements, Superior Practices corresponds to fire, Pure Practices to water, Boundless Practices to wind and Firmly Established Practices to earth. These functions of the four bodhisattvas are themselves the functions of Myoho-renge-kyo.
The Mystic Law has the power to burn away earthly desires that give rise to suffering, to illuminate the darkness of ignorance in people’s lives and to dispel the clouds of karma. This aspect is symbolized by Bodhisattva Superior Practices. The Mystic Law also has the power to bring forth the pure life state of Buddhahood unsullied by the evils and impurities of the world; this is represented by Bodhisattva Pure Practices. Bodhisattva Boundless Practices symbolizes the power to sweep away all delusions and worries and establish a brilliant state of absolute freedom that is never deadlocked. Bodhisattva Firmly Established Practices represents the power to sweep away the sufferings caused by earthly desires and eliminate the illusions of birth and death, and to nurture all things with abundant life force, unperturbed by any obstacle.
Therefore, Nichiren, citing a passage from Tao-hsien’s Supplement to “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra,”[3] correlates the four bodhisattvas with the four virtues of eternity, happiness, true self and purity (see OTT, 118). Thus the practices of the four bodhisattvas, the universal practices of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, transcend the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death and manifest the four virtues of eternity, happiness, true self and purity.
Also, citing The Supplement to “The Words and Phrases”—Nichiren describes the life state embodied in each of the names of the four bodhisattvas. When all of these spiritual characteristics or enlightened attributes are combined, they comprise an unsurpassed state of being in which “the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana” and “earthly desires are enlightenment.”[4] For reference, I’d like to discuss this particular passage from The Supplement to “The Words and Phrases” indicating the four bodhisattvas’ relationship to birth and death: “There are times when a single person possesses all four of these principles [namely, the four virtues of eternity, happiness, true self and purity]. To transcend the two types of death [birth and death in the six paths and birth and death in the higher realms] is known as Superior Practices. To go beyond the two opposing views that life is cut off after one existence or that it is eternally the same is called Boundless Practices. Because one overcomes the five categories of illusions and entanglements,[5] that state is designated Pure Practices. And because one is as perfect in virtue as [the Buddha who attained enlightenment under] the bodhi tree, that state is named Firmly Established Practices” (OTT, 118).
“Two types of death” here specifically refers to the “transmigration with differences and limitations”[6] that living beings in the six paths undergo and the “transmigration with change and advance”[7] that people of the two vehicles (voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones) and bodhisattvas undergo. “Transcending the two types of death” means moving beyond these two forms of transmigration and instead repeating the cycle of birth and death in the realm of Buddhahood,[8] which we have already discussed at length earlier in this series. Put another way, this is the state of being in which both life and death are filled with joy, in which one undergoes the cycle of birth and death with a real and profound sense of life’s eternity. The Bodhisattvas of the Earth can reside in this truly autonomous state of life because they live in accord with the eternal Mystic Law.
Next, “to go beyond the two opposing views” indicates a state of life that is free of attachment to life or fear of death, transcending the mistaken views of existence characterized by the views of annihilation and permanence.[9] “Overcoming the five categories of illusions and entanglements” means freeing oneself of the five types of abiding earthly desires that cause living beings in the threefold world to become attached to life. And “[being] as perfect in virtue as [the Buddha who attained enlightenment under] the bodhi tree” means basing oneself on the complete and perfect life state of the Buddha’s enlightenment.
In short, these characteristics express the transformative functions within people’s own lives, which underlie the principles of “earthly desires are enlightenment” and “the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana.” Indeed, the word “practices” in the names of the four bodhisattvas alludes to efforts that are directed toward inner transformation.
The Leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth
Nichiren Daishonin ascribes various traits to the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. These symbolic traits are important, as they represent traits inherent in us all. The four leaders also appear on the Gohonzon. 
A: Superior Practices
Virtue: True Self
Element: Fire (which burns)
B: Boundless Practices
Virtue: Eternity
Element: Wind (which blows away dust)
C: Pure Practices
Virtue: Purity
Element: Water (which purifies)
D: Firmly Established Practices
Virtue: Happiness
Element: Earth (which nourishes plants and trees)
The Life State of ‘Bodhisattva-Buddhas’
In “The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life,” Nichiren refers to “the cluster of blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, disciples of the Buddha in his true identity” (WND-1, 218).
“Disciples of the Buddha in his true identity” means disciples instructed by Shakyamuni as the Buddha enlightened since the remote past described in the “Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Because the Bodhisattvas of the Earth possess as their inner enlightenment the eternal Mystic Law that is one with that Buddha, they can stand up alone and propagate that Law even in the evil age after Shakyamuni’s passing.
The Lotus Sutra explains that the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are bodhisattvas who have emerged from the world of truth that lies in the lower region beneath the earth.[10] The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai says this world of truth means “the depths of the Dharma nature, the ultimate region of the profound source” (OTT, 119), indicating that the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are enlightened to the ultimate truth. Nevertheless, these bodhisattvas persist in carrying out bodhisattva practice—that is, they continually strive in an evil age to transform their own lives and the lives of others with the goal of achieving kosen-rufu. But in terms of their inner enlightenment, they already possess the life state of Buddhahood that is awakened to the Mystic Law. As such, they could be called “bodhisattva-Buddhas.” Nichiren revealed and spread Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in order to make it possible for all people to achieve this state of life. By deeply believing in Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and practicing exactly as Nichiren teaches, any person can attain the life state of a “bodhisattva-Buddha.”
Nichiren states: “Thus we may say that the bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth are the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching. The word ‘essential’ or ‘original’ represents the merits [blessings] handed down from the past of numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago, the merits [blessings] 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” (OTT, 119).
The Bodhisattvas of the Earth who practice Nam-myoho-renge-kyo already possess the Mystic Law. Since that is the case, they can propagate the Mystic Law through one-to-one, life-to-life interaction—reaching out to the Buddha nature of others with their own Buddhahood.
No matter what karma others may be struggling with, one can only really lead them to enlightenment by awakening them to the fact that the power to break through that karma already exists within their lives. Only Bodhisattvas of the Earth possessing the essential or original Law are able to bring about this awakening.
In the Latter Day of the Law, there is utterly no possibility that salvation will come “from above,” that is to say, by the grace of a transcendent Buddha who descends from the heavens. People can only become aware of the infinite power existing within their own lives by encountering Bodhisattvas of the Earth who have emerged from the lower region that is the world of truth, in other words, “from below.”
A Global Gathering of Bodhisattvas of the Earth
The Soka Gakkai has revived this bodhisattva practice in the modern age through its practice of Nichiren Buddhism.
Soka Gakkai founding president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, once remarked: “We must clearly distinguish between believers and practitioners. While there is no dispute about the fact that someone who believes [in the Mystic Law] will have their prayers answered and realize benefit, this alone does not constitute bodhisattva practice. There is no such thing as a self-centered Buddha who simply accumulates personal benefit and does not work for the well-being of others. Unless we carry out bodhisattva practice, we cannot attain Buddhahood.”[11]
Mr. Makiguchi understood that bodhisattva practice is the heart of Nichiren Buddhism, and he embodied it in his own actions. This practice was missing from the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood of the day. Mr. Makiguchi recognized that the power of Buddhism can only be demonstrated through the actual proof of faith shown by practitioners in their daily lives. He also keenly perceived that Buddhist salvation was not about the Buddha saving people by means of his resplendent appearance,[12] but rather about people bringing forth their own inner potential through personally challenging themselves in bodhisattva practice and inspiring others to do the same.
Mr. Makiguchi’s staunch disciple, Josei Toda, who accompanied him to prison, had a spiritual awakening in his prison cell to his original identity as a Bodhisattva of the Earth. After his release from prison, he went on to call forth 750,000 courageous Bodhisattvas of the Earth; and it is they who built the foundations of the Soka Gakkai.
Indeed, the members of the Soka Gakkai alone have persevered in the practice of chanting and spreading Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with a profound awareness of their mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. As Nichiren Daishonin writes, “Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” WND-1, 385).
Today, countless intrepid bodhisattvas have emerged from “the great earth of the Dharma nature”[13] in 190 [now 192] countries and territories around the world in order to realize kosen-rufu. The emergence of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth as expounded in the Lotus Sutra is being reenacted in the present age by none other than the SGI.
Bodhisattvas of the Earth are unhindered by such distinctions as nationality, culture or race. In fact, our global network of Bodhisattvas of the Earth is today forging deep mutual understanding and sympathy transcending differences of ideology, creed and religion. All people are equal, and everyone is worthy of respect. When we awaken to the incredible power that lies within us, we can change our world.
The solidarity of awakened people can help others realize their highest potential and thus make the world a better place. We have now entered an age when our gathering of Bodhisattvas of the Earth is attracting praise far and wide. The time has come when people everywhere are earnestly seeking the egalitarian and humanistic “Buddhism of the people” of Nichiren Daishonin.
Based on the mentor-disciple spirit of Soka, let us now show the world the real “power of the people” that is the hallmark of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
From the January 2025 Living Buddhism
References
- Five elements: According to ancient Indian belief, the five constituents of all things in the universe. They are earth, water, fire, wind and space. Space is interpreted as integrating and harmonizing the other four elements. ↩︎
- Four elements: earth, water, fire and wind. Each corresponds to a quality of matter: earth to solidity, water to moisture, fire to heat and wind to motion. Their respective functions correspond to four intrinsic functions of the universe itself: to sustain and preserve, to gather and contain, to mature and to cause growth. Disharmony among the four elements in the human body was said to cause illness. ↩︎
- Tao-hsien: An eighth-century priest of the T’ien-t’ai school in China. Said to have been a disciple of Miao-lo, he wrote The Supplement to “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra,” a commentary on both T’ien-t’ai’s Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra and Miao-lo’s Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra.” ↩︎
- “The sufferings of birth and death are nirvana” means that the Buddha’s enlightened life state of true peace and tranquility (nirvana) manifests in the lives of ordinary people who undergo the sufferings of birth and death. “Earthly desires are enlightenment” means that the wisdom for awakening to the ultimate truth for attaining Buddhahood manifests in the lives of ordinary people who are ruled by earthly desires. ↩︎
- The five categories of illusions and entanglements: Also, the five types of abiding earthly desires. Five types of earthly desires found in living beings transmigrating through the six paths of the threefold world, which consists of the world of desire, the world of form and the world of formlessness. They represent a further subdivision of the three illusions of perception, thought and ignorance: 1) illusions of perception of the threefold world (the abiding earthly desires arising from seeing things as they seem, not as they really are); 2) illusions of thought of the world of desire (the abiding earthly desires in the world of desire); 3) illusions of thought of the world of form (the abiding earthly desires in the world of form); 4) illusions of thought of the world of formlessness (the abiding earthly desires in the world of formlessness); and 5) illusions of ignorance of the threefold world (the abiding earthly desires arising from ignorance in the threefold world). ↩︎
- Transmigration with differences and limitations: The transmigration of unenlightened beings among the six paths. In this cycle of rebirth, living beings are said to be born with limited life spans and in different forms according to their karma. ↩︎
- Transmigration with change and advance: The transmigration that voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones and bodhisattvas undergo on the way to emancipation. It refers to becoming free from transmigration in the realm of delusion, and advancing to higher stages of practice until one attains emancipation. ↩︎
- Birth and death in the realm of Buddhahood: To freely undergo the cycle of birth and death based on the realization that our lives are entities of the all-pervasive Law of Myoho-renge-kyo, and that life and death are inherent functions of Myoho-renge-kyo. Further, it is to embody the immense compassion and life force inherent in the universe and practice the Buddha way in lifetime after lifetime in order to lead all living beings to enlightenment. ↩︎
- This refers to two erroneous ways of viewing death—two extremes. The view of annihilation is the mistaken attachment to the notion that life begins with birth and ends with death. According to this view, there is only the present life, and death represents a complete cessation of existence both physical and spiritual. The view of permanence is also the mistaken notion that what exists here in the present is permanent and unchanging. This view rejects causality, so that neither practicing good nor practicing evil produces any change in one’s condition. ↩︎
- The Lotus Sutra states: “The bodies of these bodhisattvas were all golden in hue, with the thirty-two features and an immeasurable brightness. Previously they had all been dwelling in the world of empty space underneath the saha world” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, pp. 252–53). ↩︎
- Translated from Japanese. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Makiguchi Tsunesaburo zenshu (Collected Works of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi) ↩︎
- This refers to the remarkable characteristics, such as the thirty-two features, attributed to Buddhas and bodhisattvas. ↩︎
- Nichiren Daishonin says: “Concerning the passage ‘Unsoiled by worldly things like the lotus flower in the water, they emerge from the earth” [see LSOC, 263]. ‘[Unsoiled by] worldly things’ means being completely unsullied by such things as greed, just as the lotus flower born in the water is not stained by mud. The lotus flower is a metaphor for the bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth. ‘Earth’ means the great earth of the Dharma nature, or enlightenment. In other words, the votary of the Lotus Sutra is like the lotus flower that is unsullied by the muddy water” (Gosho zenshu, p. 833). ↩︎
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