"Shakyamuni Buddha laid down a rule for future conduct when he said that we should “rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says that one should rely on treatises that are faithful to the sutras, but not rely on those that distort the sutras. T’ien-t’ai states, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” And the Great Teacher Dengyo says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.”
If one attends to such statements in the sutras, treatises, and commentaries, then one should not make dreams a basis for evaluating the Buddhist teachings. Rather, one should pay particular attention to those sutras and treatises that make clear the relative superiority of the Lotus Sutra and the MahÄvairochana Sutra .
As for the assertion that the eye-opening ceremony for wooden and painted images cannot be carried out without the use of True Word mudras and mantras, this is the sheerest nonsense! Are we to suppose that, before the True Word school appeared on the scene, wooden and painted Buddhist images could not be consecrated? In the period before the appearance of the True Word school , there were wooden and painted images in India, China, and Japan that walked about or preached the teachings or spoke aloud. It would rather appear that, since people have begun to use True Word mudras and mantras in consecrating the Buddha images, the effectiveness of the ceremony has been completely lost."
We have shown that throughout the Gosho Nichiren Daishonin repeats that we should "Rely on the law and not Persons. Below in the green Mr. Alan Billups says that the Buddha Shakyamuni Buddha means he is referring to common mortals. Please note that Buddhism got to Japan 1100 years after the Buddha Shakyamuni's death and we come to realize that Shakamuni was only referring to "common mortals" This is nonsense. The Lotus Sutra is the law for everybody. There is nothing in the "Lotus Sutra about a "sacred untterance" in fact Shakyamuni Buddha warns that is such things are not in the text do not give it credence. In Nichiren Shoshu they disrespect and disregard the "Lotus Sutra." In the green background below are the words of Alan Billups.
When one considers the words relay on the Law and not persons, it specifically refers to common mortals. This does not apply to Buddhas since they are all one (Fused )with the Law. That means their words are the Law. The High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu is granted the sacred utterance by the previous High Priest, which is an act of Spiritual Law or the Buddhas divine work,i.e. turning the wheels of the Law. We also use our voice to activate our relationship with the Law through Gongyo and Daimoku. When you reference the Gosho, you must also understand that less than 30% of what the True Buddha has written is translated to English at this time and the number of Goshos that are in existence is reported to be around 500 or so! So if you state you can not find reference to a source there is good reason and your references are therefore incomplete in your statement of it not being in the Gosho anywhere that you know of. Buddhahood is not a teaching, it is a reality experienced. The Hoben chapter is the theory of Enlightenment i.e. the principle is Ichinen Sanzen, but there is no other thing but actual proof, meaning attaining Buddhahood.
Even an ignorant person can obtain blessings by serving someone who expounds the Lotus Sutra . No matter if he is a demon or an animal, if someone proclaims even a single verse or phrase of the Lotus Sutra , you must respect him as you would the Buddha. This is what the sutra means when it says, “You should rise and greet him from afar, showing him the same respect you would a Buddha.”You should respect one another as Shakyamuni and Many Treasures did at the ceremony in the “ Treasure Tower ” chapter.
The priest Sammi-ba may be lowly, but since he can explain even a little about the teachings of the Lotus Sutra , you should respect him as you would the Buddha and ask him about the teachings. “Rely on the Law and not upon persons” should be your guideline." In the writing above of Mr. Alan Billups he deals with things that are not of the "Lotus Sutra." In Nichiren Shoshu Alan mentions about 500 Gosho. We go on and on to show that Nichiren Daishonin writes that we should put faith in the law and not persons. Moreover we dispel the theory that Nichiren Daishonin was specifically referring to common mortal that Alan promulgates.
The Fourteen Slanders
How Those Initially Aspiring to the Way Can Attain Buddhahood through the Lotus Sutra
"The various other schools were founded by bodhisattvas or teachers in the period after the Buddha had entered nirvana . Should we now turn our backs upon the Buddha’s decree and follow the schools established by the bodhisattvas and teachers? Or should we ignore the words of the bodhisattvas and teachers and follow the school established by the Buddha? Or should we entrust ourselves to either course as the feeling strikes us, and uphold whatever sutra or doctrine suits our inclination? The Buddha knew long ago that we would have doubts of this kind, and therefore he clearly designated the sutra to be embraced by those who are truly aspiring to the way in this defiled and evil age of the Latter Day of the Law .
A sutra says: “Rely on the Law and not upon persons. Rely on the meaning of the teaching and not on the words. Rely on wisdom and not on discriminative thinking. Rely on sutras that are complete and final and not on those that are not complete and final.” The meaning of this passage is that one should not rely upon the words of the bodhisattvas and teachers, but should heed what was established by the Buddha. It further means that one should not rely upon the teachings of the True Word, Zen, and Nembutsu schools, which are based upon the sutras of the Flower Garland, Ä€gama, Correct and Equal, and Wisdom periods, but should uphold the sutras that are complete and final. And by relying upon “sutras that are complete and final,” it means upholding the Lotus Sutra .
"If you practice to this object, will are planting a great seed to fall into hell. Spiritual law is very strict. There is no master guiding your life or actions at this time, which means your mind is now your master. There is no objective destination for you in this condition. The Nirvana Sutra states,"the impediment of all karma's is produced from ones false imagination"
At times when great confusion prevails within the teachings, the only exact and true path exist and is held by one single person, the High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu. A special transmission of the teachings only exist within his life on a very profound level, this is beyond the level of human comprehension. As a believer develops deep and profound faith and practice to the true object of devotion, The Great Entity of the Mystic Law, The Gohonzon, the wisdom of the Buddha opens up within the life of the believer. At this stage of faith the believer will receive profound insight and a transmission of the Law that provides the wisdom to act in the appropriate capacity to transmit the teachings of the Buddha in it's purest form.
