His Reverence Nichiren Daishonin is the BODHISATTVA JOGYO, the messenger the Tathagata Shakya, Lord
of the Three Worlds, Father and Mother of All Beings.""I believe it is preached in the HOKEKYO that His Reverence Nichiren
Daishonin is the BODHISATTVA JOGYO, the messenger the Tathagata Shakya, Lord
of the Three Worlds, Father and Mother of All Beings." (STN v.2 1358 and
note 1).The capitalized part, the words THE BODHISATTVA JOGYO are in the revised
edition from Nikko's old age.Clearly in the revised edition Nichiren Daishonin himself went to the
trouble of adding the words "the Bodhisattva Jogyo" to the text. Even if
Nikko long after Nichiren s death added those words here and in the other
revised sections, it shows how Nikko regarded Nichiren Daishonin.This is proof of how Nichiren Daishonin or, at the very least Nikko, saw his
true identity. This identity, which he sometimes modestly hid, was that of
the Bodhisattva Jogyo, Not that of the Buddha.Now the infidels form Taisekiji will denounce this is significant or they
will misread it, but let us look at another passage in the some work. In
examining the plots of "elder of Gokurakuji," that is Ryokanbo Nisho,
against Nichiren Daishonin, the unrevised account refers the attempt to Kill
Nichiren and the obstacles to him and his disciples on Sado but says noting
about Nichiren Daishonin s religious personality.However, in the REVISED EDITION:
"Nichiren Daishonin, if it is as it is preached in the Sutra, is the Sage
who is the Messenger of the Tathagata Who Attained in the Distant Past (kujo
nyorai no onzukai), the Descent (suijaku) of the Bodhisattva Jogyo, the
Practicer (gyoja) of the Original Doctrine (or Aspect - Hommon) of the
Hokke, the Great Guiding Teacher of the fifth five hundred years" (STN v.2,
1352)Why should Nichiren or Nikko bother to include these words which clearly
illustrate that Nichiren Daishonin is the emissary from the Eternal Buddha
and the worldly manifestation of Bodhisattva Jogyo, unless they were
attempting to show that he authentically is the Bodhisattva Jogyo sent by
the Buddha Shakyamuni?In the Minobu period letters there is no evidence that Nichiren Daishonin
felt himself to be the Buddha, although he is certain of his attainment of
Buddhahood. Rather it is clear that, as he had said in the treatise "On
Practicing According to the Preaching" (Nyosetsu shugyo sho STN, v. 1, 733
1, 2),"I Nichiren, received the Buddha's Proclamation and was born in this land .
." He also says he has engaged in his crusade of shakubuku "because the
Decree of the Dharma King is difficult to defy." (ibid) (Note that this
Nyosetsu Shugyo Sho survives only in the manuscript of Nikko s disciple Tayu
Nichizon (1265-1345), copied in 1297 (the fifth year of Einin).)Revised edition below.
"I believe it is preached in the HOKEKYO that His Reverence Nichiren
Daishonin is the BODHISATTVA JOGYO, the messenger the Tathagata Shakya, Lord of the Three Worlds, Father and Mother of All Beings." (STN v.2 1358 and
note 1).The capitalized part, the words THE BODHISATTVA JOGYO are in the revised
edition from Nikko's old age.Clearly in the revised edition Nichiren Daishonin himself went to the
trouble of adding the words "the Bodhisattva Jogyo" to the text. Even if
Nikko long after Nichiren s death added those words here and in the other
revised sections, it shows how Nikko regarded Nichiren Daishonin.This is proof of how Nichiren Daishonin or, at the very least Nikko, saw his true identity. This identity, which he sometimes modestly hid, was that of the Bodhisattva Jogyo, Not that of the Buddha Shakyamuni.
Many Nichiren sects will denounce this as insignificant or they
will misread it.However, in the REVISED EDITION:
"Nichiren Daishonin, is as it is preached in the Sutra, is the Sage
who is the Messenger of the Tathagata Who Attained in the Distant Past (kujo nyorai no onzukai), the Descent (suijaku) of the Bodhisattva Jogyo, the Practicer (gyoja) of the Original Doctrine (or Aspect - Hommon) of the
Hokke, the Great Guiding Teacher of the fifth five hundred years" (STN v.2,
1352)Why should Nichiren or Nikko bother to include these words which clearly
illustrate that Nichiren Daishonin is the emissary from the Eternal Buddha
and the worldly manifestation of Bodhisattva Jogyo, unless they were
attempting to show that he authentically is the Bodhisattva Jogyo sent by
the Buddha Shakyamuni?In the Minobu period letters there is no evidence that Nichiren Daishonin
felt himself to be the Buddha, although he is certain of his attainment of
Buddhahood. Rather it is clear that, as he had said in the treatise "On
Practicing According to the Preaching" (Nyosetsu shugyo sho STN, v. 1, 733
1, 2),"I Nichiren, received the Buddha's Proclamation and was born in this land." He also says he has engaged in his crusade of shakubuku "because the Decree of the Dharma King is difficult to defy." (ibid) (Note that this Nyosetsu Shugyo Sho survives only in the manuscript of Nikko s disciple Tayu Nichizon (1265-1345), copied in 1297 (the fifth year of Einin).
There is indisputable doctrinal evidence from St. Nichiren's own hand that he regarded himself as BODHISATTVA JOGYO not the true Buddha of Kuon Ganjo. No where in the letters of St. Nichiren's works, major writings etc. can we find this concept Kuon Ganjo, or do we find any reference that states that the Daishoinin thinks he is the True Buddha.