Gongyo—which includes reciting portions of the “Expedient Means” and “Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapters of the Lotus Sutra morning and evening—is part of daily practice for Nichiren Buddhists. This series carries Ikeda Sensei’s explanations of gongyo, section by section. The full text can be found in The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, pp. 71–78.
Sho-i sha ga. Nyorai hoben. Chi-ken hara-mitsu. Kai i gu-soku.
Literal translation: “Why is this? Because the Thus Come Ones are fully possessed of both expedient means and the paramita of wisdom.” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 56)
Ikeda Sensei:
“Distinctions in Benefits,” the 17th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, explains that the benefit of those who understand and believe in the Lotus Sutra when they hear it expounded is great beyond measure. It says that their benefit will be a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million times greater than the benefit of practicing the five paramitas (i.e., excluding the paramita of obtaining wisdom) for a period of “eight hundred thousand million nayutas of kalpas” (LSOC, 278).
The paramita of obtaining wisdom is excluded because this is the fundamental paramita; it is in a class by itself relative to the other five paramitas. It might also be said that the five paramitas are practiced to attain the paramita of wisdom. Buddhism always places great importance on wisdom.
Therefore, Nichiren Daishonin says that practitioners in the Latter Day of the Law “who have just aroused the aspiration for enlightenment” need not practice the five paramitas (see “On the Four Stages of Faith,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 786). This view of Buddhist practice—expressed at a time when making offerings to priests, upholding the precepts and the other paramitas were being promoted in earnest—represents a great religious revolution.
Moreover, Nichiren Buddhism teaches the principle of substituting faith for wisdom. Correct faith itself becomes wisdom. Through believing in the Gohonzon, we in the Latter Day of the Law can gain the same benefit as we would by carrying out all of the six paramitas, including the paramita of obtaining wisdom.
In conclusion, those who now believe in the Gohonzon and advance toward kosen-rufu together with the SGI can gain the benefit of the six paramitas. Those who persevere in carrying out activities for kosen-rufu with others lead lives of the highest wisdom. The examples of your many seniors in faith attest to this. When we look back on our lives later on, we can see this clearly. Because we practice faith, let us strive to live most wisely each day based on the principles of faith finds expression in daily life and action for kosen-rufu brings about good health.
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