|
The Meaning of Faith
What we call faith is nothing extraordinary. As a woman cherishes her husband, as a man will give his
life for his wife, as parents will not abandon their children, or as a child refuses to leave his mother, so should we put
our trust in the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni, Taho, and all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, as well as the
heavenly gods and benevolent deities, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is what is meant by faith. Moreover, you should
ponder the sutra passages, "Honestly discarding the provisional teachings" and "Not accepting even a single verse from any
of the other sutras" and never be of a mind to abandon them, just as a woman will not throw away her mirror or as a man always
wears his sword.
Respectfully,
Nichiren
The eighteenth day of the fifth month
|
