The Object of Worship

The following is from my Kempon Hokke archives and is a translation of a Kempon Hokke work by H. Graham Lamont and may not be reprinted without permission:

Kanjin Honzon Sho. “Entrustment means: it is this Sutra that is only entrusted to the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang Forth From Beneath the Earth . . .” (STN, v.1, 717)

The meaning is clear. The Daimoku is the Dharma entrusted to the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth. Such an interpretation agrees entirely with the Sutra, as cited above, and is reasonable. The Eternal Buddha, who is ever present but hides His Presence, entrusts His Dharma, “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” to His Own Disciples from the most distant past.

Daimoku is Dharma, not the Buddha “On Upbraiding Blasphemy Against the Dharma and Extinguishing sins” (Kashaku hobo metsuzai sho) says, “During more than two thousand two hundred years it is the painted images and wooden images of the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya that worthy kings and saintly rulers have taken as the Object of Worship. However, although it was only the Buddhas of the Lesser Vehicle, and of the Kegon, the Nehan (Nirvana), the Kangyo, the Manifestation Doctrine (Shakumon) of the Hokekyo, the Fugengyo, of the Great Vehicle, the Buddha of the Dainichikyo in the Shingon, and Shakya and Taho of the Chapter of the Jeweled Stupa that they wrote, the Lord Shakya of the Chapter of the Measure of Life is not yet in the temples and monastic residences.” (STN, v. 1, 784).

The Object of Worship, not yet actually installed in Buddhist temples, is to be none other than the Eternal Lord Shakya. The Dharma is the Daimoku and the ones who are entrusted with that Dharma are the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth. The Daimoku is especially formed as the Essence of the Sutra by the Buddha, Lord Shakya, and he has specifically summoned the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth and given His Own Inner Realization (the unity of Wisdom and its Field or Object) in the form of “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” to them to spread at the beginning of this age of the Latter Dharma.

It is obvious then (to everyone but Nichiren Shoshu and SGI):

1) The source of the Daimoku which contains the Buddha’s Inner Realization is
Lord Shakya

2) That same Lord Shakya transfers this Daimoku to the Bodhisattva Jogyo and
his fellow Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth;

3) This transfer has already taken place as described in the undeniable Sutra
text referring to, forming the Essence, and its Entrustment. In other words, the
doctrine was Sutra based;

4) Nichiren Shonin modestly denies that he is actually that Bodhisattva but
indicates he is at least their forerunner.

Despite Nichiren Shonin’s modesty, it is obvious from the other documents cited
above that he and his immediate followers identified him as being precisely
that Bodhisattva, who had received the Daimoku from Lord Shakyamuni.