Gosho Zenshu - Part 01
"Bad friends use honeyed words to deceive and flatter.
They are so skilled in the use of words as to know instinctively how to
pander to the ignorance in people's hearts and destroy their goodness
and integrity."
(Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho, GZ-7)
"All Buddhas and bodhisattvas are our compassionate parents. You should understand that the ultimate principle of compassion that these Buddhas and bodhisattvas use to instruct living beings is contained nowhere but in the Lotus Sutra.... This is the reason why the Lotus Sutra is superior to all other sutras."
(Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho, GZ-9)
"One should not base judgment of the validity of a religion on the supernatural or occult powers of its followers."
(Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho, GZ-16)
"... deaf to the cries of the people"
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-36)
"In the Nirvana Sutra, Shakyamuni says, 'Bodhisattvas, have no fear in your hearts because of such things as wild elephants. But evil friends -- they are what you should fear! For a mad elephant destroys only one's body; it cannot destroy one's heart. An evil friend, however, destroys both.... If you are killed by a wild elephant you will not fall into any of the three evil paths. But if evil friends lead you to your death, you are certain to fall into one of them."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-65)
"In the latter age, one can encounter the true 'good friends,' that is, the Lotus and Nirvana Sutras."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-66)
"Lay people, without having any special wisdom or practice, can escape from the sufferings of birth and death, [that is, attain Buddhahood] through the benefit that comes from reprimanding persons of slander."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-68)
"The place where those who practice the Lotus Sutra dwell is itself the Pure Land. Why should one bother to search for it elsewhere?"
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-72)
"Belief is like [the money equal to] the price and wisdom is like the treasure [to be bought with it]."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-75)
[D]evil-Buddhas [appearing] after the Buddha's passing"
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-76)
"All the non-Buddhist teachings of society explain Buddhism; they are not explanations of non-Buddhist teachings."
(Sainan Taiji Sho, GZ-84)
"Nam-Amidabutsu is a sound of sadness."
(Nenbutsusha Tsuiho Senshiji, GZ-95)
"... the melancholy drone of the Nembutsu"
(Nenbutsu Muken Jigoku Sho, GZ-97)
The Devil of the Sixth Heaven has entered his body"
(Nenbutsu Muken Jigoku Sho, GZ-100)
"It is owing to their great slander of the Law that the final moments of persons held to be wise and enlightened fall short of their expectations."
(Daimoku Mida Myogo Shoretsuji, GZ-112)
"Those disciples of mine who spread word that Nichiren is begging for a pardon are guilty of impiety [toward their master]."
(Shingon Shoshu Imoku, GZ-139)
"If one befriends another person but lacks the mercy to correct him, he is in fact his enemy."
(Shingon Shoshu Imoku, GZ-139)
"There is a mighty Ashura King who can battle with Bonten, Taishaku and the Four Heavenly Kings. He has entered the minds of the leaders of the Zen, Nembutsu and Ritsu schools of Buddhism, and from there entered the minds of the nation's leaders and its people, driving all sages to extinction....
"Even Bonten and Taishaku are unable to deter such great evil. How much less then are the weak, minor deities who guard Japan equipped to do so. Only the protection offered by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, innumerable as the grains of dust from a thousand pulverized worlds, and that of Shakyamuni, Taho and the many other Buddhas is sufficient to obstruct it."
(["The Errors of Shingon and Other Schools"], Shingon Shoshu Imoku, GZ-141).
"The Buddha saves people through words [of the sutras]."
(Renjo Sho, GZ-153)
"My prayer is that all people will receive and embrace the sacred words [of Buddhism]."
(Renjo Sho, GZ-153)
"Everyone from the ruler above to the people below quaked and trembled with fear."
(?,GZ-172)
"Since the prophecy [of foreign invasion] which I made in the 'Rissho Ankoku Ron' has come true, I am surely deserving of Japan's highest honors."
(?,GZ-175)
"Do not think of your wife and children or your close kinfolk."
(?,GZ-177)
"The Buddha appeared solely to save all living beings."
(Issakujitsu Gosho, GZ-183)
"[The generals in a tumultuous age] develop strategy behind drawn curtains, and victory is decided thousands of miles away [from the field of battle]."
(Issakujitsu Gosho, GZ-183)
"... the cause and effect of the material and spiritual aspects of life."
(Kanjin no Honzon Sho, GZ-239)
"... the most evil person in the entire world."
(Senji Sho, GZ-286)
"The Latter Day is the focus of the Lotus Sutra, and Nichiren is the focus of the Latter Day.
(Hokke Shuyo Sho, GZ-334)
"Although the Buddha previously had seemed to be talking about events of the past, when we examine this passage, we can see that he is in fact addressing himself primarily to the period after his passing. He is explaining events of the past as a precedent."
(Hokke Shuyo Sho, GZ-335)
"I, Nichiren, have abandoned the comprehensive and the abbreviated, and selected the essential. The essence is the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo transmitted by Bodhisattva Superior Practices."
(Hokke Shuyo Sho, GZ-336)
The ruler who unquestioningly heeds the false accusations of slanderous priests of incorrigible disbelief, men who are actually enemies of the country, wantonly distorts the workings of government. By his actions, the ruler seems purposely intent on bringing calamity to the country. This is most pitiful. Most pitiful."
(Shimoyama Goshosoku, GZ-355)
"The Nembutsu priests and their followers, as well as others in power, concluded that since I was not supported by the government, they would not be punished for attacking me, and so several thousands of them attacked my dwelling by night, seeking to kill me."
(Shimoyama Goshosoku, GZ-355)
"The votary more important than Shakyamuni ... Nichiren."
(Shimoyama Goshosoku, GZ-363)
"Nichiren, too, as did the Buddha and T'ien-t'ai, makes the Lotus Sutra the object of worship. This is because the Lotus Sutra is the father and mother of Shakyamuni and it is the eyes of all Buddhas... The Buddha is that which is born, the Lotus Sutra is that which gives birth; the Buddha is the body, the Lotus Sutra is the soul."
(Honzon Mondo Sho, GZ-366)
"The offering of the 'Opening of the Eyes' for wooden or painted images can be performed using the Lotus Sutra only."
(Honzon Mondo Sho, GZ-366) [NST translation SEE MW-6, 161-162]
"You should debate with [the Shingon sect which espouses the teachings of Dainichi Buddha], questioning them in detail as to who Dainichi Buddha's parents were and where he himself was born and where he died."
(Shoshu Mondo Sho, GZ-381)
"The words [of the sutras] are the life of all Buddhas over the three existences."
(Shoshu Mondo Sho, GZ-38
(Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho, GZ-7)
"All Buddhas and bodhisattvas are our compassionate parents. You should understand that the ultimate principle of compassion that these Buddhas and bodhisattvas use to instruct living beings is contained nowhere but in the Lotus Sutra.... This is the reason why the Lotus Sutra is superior to all other sutras."
(Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho, GZ-9)
"One should not base judgment of the validity of a religion on the supernatural or occult powers of its followers."
(Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho, GZ-16)
"... deaf to the cries of the people"
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-36)
"In the Nirvana Sutra, Shakyamuni says, 'Bodhisattvas, have no fear in your hearts because of such things as wild elephants. But evil friends -- they are what you should fear! For a mad elephant destroys only one's body; it cannot destroy one's heart. An evil friend, however, destroys both.... If you are killed by a wild elephant you will not fall into any of the three evil paths. But if evil friends lead you to your death, you are certain to fall into one of them."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-65)
"In the latter age, one can encounter the true 'good friends,' that is, the Lotus and Nirvana Sutras."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-66)
"Lay people, without having any special wisdom or practice, can escape from the sufferings of birth and death, [that is, attain Buddhahood] through the benefit that comes from reprimanding persons of slander."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-68)
"The place where those who practice the Lotus Sutra dwell is itself the Pure Land. Why should one bother to search for it elsewhere?"
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-72)
"Belief is like [the money equal to] the price and wisdom is like the treasure [to be bought with it]."
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-75)
[D]evil-Buddhas [appearing] after the Buddha's passing"
(Shugo Kokka Ron, GZ-76)
"All the non-Buddhist teachings of society explain Buddhism; they are not explanations of non-Buddhist teachings."
(Sainan Taiji Sho, GZ-84)
"Nam-Amidabutsu is a sound of sadness."
(Nenbutsusha Tsuiho Senshiji, GZ-95)
"... the melancholy drone of the Nembutsu"
(Nenbutsu Muken Jigoku Sho, GZ-97)
The Devil of the Sixth Heaven has entered his body"
(Nenbutsu Muken Jigoku Sho, GZ-100)
"It is owing to their great slander of the Law that the final moments of persons held to be wise and enlightened fall short of their expectations."
(Daimoku Mida Myogo Shoretsuji, GZ-112)
"Those disciples of mine who spread word that Nichiren is begging for a pardon are guilty of impiety [toward their master]."
(Shingon Shoshu Imoku, GZ-139)
"If one befriends another person but lacks the mercy to correct him, he is in fact his enemy."
(Shingon Shoshu Imoku, GZ-139)
"There is a mighty Ashura King who can battle with Bonten, Taishaku and the Four Heavenly Kings. He has entered the minds of the leaders of the Zen, Nembutsu and Ritsu schools of Buddhism, and from there entered the minds of the nation's leaders and its people, driving all sages to extinction....
"Even Bonten and Taishaku are unable to deter such great evil. How much less then are the weak, minor deities who guard Japan equipped to do so. Only the protection offered by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, innumerable as the grains of dust from a thousand pulverized worlds, and that of Shakyamuni, Taho and the many other Buddhas is sufficient to obstruct it."
(["The Errors of Shingon and Other Schools"], Shingon Shoshu Imoku, GZ-141).
"The Buddha saves people through words [of the sutras]."
(Renjo Sho, GZ-153)
"My prayer is that all people will receive and embrace the sacred words [of Buddhism]."
(Renjo Sho, GZ-153)
"Everyone from the ruler above to the people below quaked and trembled with fear."
(?,GZ-172)
"Since the prophecy [of foreign invasion] which I made in the 'Rissho Ankoku Ron' has come true, I am surely deserving of Japan's highest honors."
(?,GZ-175)
"Do not think of your wife and children or your close kinfolk."
(?,GZ-177)
"The Buddha appeared solely to save all living beings."
(Issakujitsu Gosho, GZ-183)
"[The generals in a tumultuous age] develop strategy behind drawn curtains, and victory is decided thousands of miles away [from the field of battle]."
(Issakujitsu Gosho, GZ-183)
"... the cause and effect of the material and spiritual aspects of life."
(Kanjin no Honzon Sho, GZ-239)
"... the most evil person in the entire world."
(Senji Sho, GZ-286)
"The Latter Day is the focus of the Lotus Sutra, and Nichiren is the focus of the Latter Day.
(Hokke Shuyo Sho, GZ-334)
"Although the Buddha previously had seemed to be talking about events of the past, when we examine this passage, we can see that he is in fact addressing himself primarily to the period after his passing. He is explaining events of the past as a precedent."
(Hokke Shuyo Sho, GZ-335)
"I, Nichiren, have abandoned the comprehensive and the abbreviated, and selected the essential. The essence is the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo transmitted by Bodhisattva Superior Practices."
(Hokke Shuyo Sho, GZ-336)
The ruler who unquestioningly heeds the false accusations of slanderous priests of incorrigible disbelief, men who are actually enemies of the country, wantonly distorts the workings of government. By his actions, the ruler seems purposely intent on bringing calamity to the country. This is most pitiful. Most pitiful."
(Shimoyama Goshosoku, GZ-355)
"The Nembutsu priests and their followers, as well as others in power, concluded that since I was not supported by the government, they would not be punished for attacking me, and so several thousands of them attacked my dwelling by night, seeking to kill me."
(Shimoyama Goshosoku, GZ-355)
"The votary more important than Shakyamuni ... Nichiren."
(Shimoyama Goshosoku, GZ-363)
"Nichiren, too, as did the Buddha and T'ien-t'ai, makes the Lotus Sutra the object of worship. This is because the Lotus Sutra is the father and mother of Shakyamuni and it is the eyes of all Buddhas... The Buddha is that which is born, the Lotus Sutra is that which gives birth; the Buddha is the body, the Lotus Sutra is the soul."
(Honzon Mondo Sho, GZ-366)
"The offering of the 'Opening of the Eyes' for wooden or painted images can be performed using the Lotus Sutra only."
(Honzon Mondo Sho, GZ-366) [NST translation SEE MW-6, 161-162]
"You should debate with [the Shingon sect which espouses the teachings of Dainichi Buddha], questioning them in detail as to who Dainichi Buddha's parents were and where he himself was born and where he died."
(Shoshu Mondo Sho, GZ-381)
"The words [of the sutras] are the life of all Buddhas over the three existences."
(Shoshu Mondo Sho, GZ-38
