妙法尼御前御返事 

Myoho-ama Gozen Gohenji

A Reply to My Lady, the Nun Myoho

(ST 1535, l3-l5) 御消息、めうほうれんぐゑきやう（妙法蓮華經）をよるひる（夜晝）となへまいらせ、すでにちかくなりて二聲かうしゃう（高聲）にとなへ、乃至いきて候し時よりもなをいろもしろく、かたちもそむせずと云云。

According to your letter, [your late husband] chanted Myoho Renge Kyo (Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma) day and night, and approaching the last moment, he chanted it twice in a loud voice. He looked more fair than when he was alive, and his countenance did not change.

(ST 1535, l6-l8) 法華經云如是相乃至本末究竟等云。大論云臨終之時色黑者墮地獄等云云。守護經云地獄に堕に十五の相・餓鬼に八種の相・畜生に五種の相等云云。天台大師の摩訶止顴云身黒色譬地獄陰等云云。

The Lotus Sutra says, “Suchness is this appearance … is this beginning and end ultimately equal.” The Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise says, “Those whose complexions turn dark at the last moment of life go to hell upon death.” The Guardian Sutra says, “There are fifteen marks for those who fall into hell, eight marks for those who fall into the realm of hungry ghosts, and five marks for those who fall into the realm of animals. The Great Calming and Contemplation of Great Master Tiantai says, “The color black is comparable to the aggregates of hell.”

(ST 1535, l8-l13) 夫以ば日蓮幼少の時より佛法を學し候しが念願すらく、人の壽命は無常也。出る氣は入る氣を待事なし。風の前の露尙譬にあらず。かしこきも、はかなきも、老たるも、若きも定め無き習也。されば先臨終の事を習て後に他事を習べしと思て、一代聖敎の論師・人師の書釋あらくかんがへあつめ（勘集）て、此を明鏡として、一切の諸人の死する時と竝に臨終の後とに引向てみ候へば、すこしもくもりなし。

As I reflect upon my life, I, Nichiren, have studied Buddhism ever since I was a child with an earnest wish [to understand it], [since] human life is impermanent. Exhaling one’s breath one moment does not guarantee drawing it the next. It is as transient as dew before the wind. Whether wise or foolish, aged or young, it is the way of things that nothing is certain. I thought I should study the matter of the last moment of life first of all, before studying anything else. In this endeavor I collected commentaries and interpretations of the holy teachings [of the Buddha] written by treatise masters and ordinary teachers. Using them as a spotless mirror, I held it up to the moment of death and the time immediately following it for all people, and I found no discrepancies.

(ST 1535-1536, l13-l3) 此人は地獄に堕ぬ乃至人天とはみへて候を、世間の人々或は師匠父母等の臨終の相をかくして西方浄土往生とのみ申候。悲哉師匠は悪道に堕て多苦しのびがたければ、弟子はとゞまりゐて師の臨終をさんだんし、地獄の苦を増長せしむる。譬へばつみ（罪）ふかき者を口をふさいできうもん（糾問）し、はれ物のの口をあけずしてやま（病）するがごとし。

Though it clearly appears that someone has fallen into hell or, at best, the human or heavenly realm, people in the world hide the appearance of their deceased teachers and parents at the last moment of life, spreading stories that they had been reborn in the Pure Land in the west. Alas, while teachers have gone to evil destinies and been subject to unbearable suffering, disciples in this world sing the praises of their teachers’ last moments in life and only intensify the suffering of hell. This is like cross-examining a gagged prisoner, or trying to heal a boil without lancing it.

(ST 1536, l3-l4) しかるに今の御消息に云いきて候し時よりもなをいろしろく、かたちもそむせずと云云。

According to your letter, [your husband’s] complexion upon death looked more fair than when he was alive, and his countenance was not changed.

(ST 1536, l4-l8) 天台云白白譬天。大論云赤白端正者得天上云云。天台大師臨終記云色白。玄奘三蔵御臨終を記云色白。一代聖敎の定る名目云黒業は六道にとどまり、白業は四聖となる。此等の文證と現をもつてかんがへて候に、此人は天に生ぜるか、はた又法華經の名號を臨終に二反となうと云云。

Tiantai said, “white is comparable to the heavens.” The Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise says, “Those who are red or white in color and maintain their countenance upon death will be reborn in the heavens.” The record of Great Master Tiantai’s last moment of life says that his complexion was white. The record of Tripitaka Master Xuanzang’s last moment also states that his complexion was white. The established terminology of all the holy teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime states, “Those with black karma will remain in the six destinies, while those with white karma will go on to the four noble states. Considering these scriptural passages as well as factual evidence, I can conclude that [your late husband] has been reborn in the heavenly realm. Moreover, he is said to have chanted the title of the Lotus Sutra twice at the last moment of his life.

(ST 1536, l8-l13) 法華經の第七の卷云於我滅度後應受持此經是人於佛道決定無有疑云云。一代の聖教いづれも〱をろかなる事は候はず。皆我等が親父、大聖教主釋尊の金言也。皆眞實也。皆實語也。其中にをいて又小乗・大乗・顯教・密教・權大乗・實大乗あいわかれて候。佛説と申は二天・三仙・外道・道士の經々にたいし候へば此等は妄語、佛説は實語にて候。此實語の中に妄語あり、實語あり、綺語も悪口もあり。其中に法華經は實語の中の實語なり。眞實の中の眞實なり。

In the Lotus Sutra, fascicle seven, it says, “After my extinction, [they] should receive this sutra. These people will attain the Buddha Way definitely and doubtlessly.” None of the holy teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime are in any way frivolous. They are all the golden words of our father, the Great Sage, the Lord Teacher Shakyamuni. They are all true. They are all words of truth. Nevertheless, they are divided into several categories such as hinayana, Mahayana, exoteric, esoteric, provisional Mahayana, and true Mahayana. As for the Buddha’s teachings, when compared to the sutras of the two gods, three hermits, and non-Buddhists [of India], and the Taoist priests [of China], these latter are all lies, whereas the Buddha’s teachings are truthful. Within this truthful speech are lies, truths, idle chatter, and harsh speech. Among them, the Lotus Sutra is the truest of all true words, the utmost of all truth.

(ST 1536-1537, l13-l5) 眞言宗と華嚴宗と三論と法相と俱舍・成實と律宗と念佛宗と禪宗等は實語の中の妄語より立出せる宗々なり。法華宗は此等の宗々にはたるべくもなき實語なり。法華經の實語なるのみならず、一代妄語の經々すら法華經の大海に入ぬれば、法華經の御力にせめられて實語となり候。いわうや法華經の題目をや。白粉の力は漆を變じて雪のごとく白くなす。須彌山に近づく衆色は皆金色なり。法華經の名號を持人は、一生乃至過去遠々劫の黒業の漆變じて白業の大善となる。いわうや無始の善根皆變じて金色となり候なり。

The Mantra school, Flower Garland school, Three Treatises, Dharma Characteristics, Abhidharma Treasury, Completion of Reality, Discipline school, Nembutsu school, and Zen school are all schools established on the lies within the truth. The Lotus school, compared to these other schools, is incomparable because it is the truth. Not only does the Lotus Sutra consist of true words, but even the false sutras of the [Buddha’s] lifetime, upon flowing into the great ocean of the Lotus Sutra, are all converted by the power of the Lotus Sutra into truthful ones. How much more so does the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra [do this]! This is like the power of face powder which makes lacquer as white as snow, or Mt. Sumeru which makes the color [of the various birds] approaching it all golden. Likewise, those who uphold the title of the Lotus Sutra can change their black karma, which they committed in this life or during numerous kalpas in the past, into the great good of white karma. How much more so the good roots from the beginningless past, which will all be changed to a golden color.

(ST 1537, l5-l7) しかれば故聖靈、最後臨終に南無妙法蓮華經ととなへさせ給しかば、一生乃至無始の悪業變じて佛の種となり給。煩惱卽菩提、生死卽涅槃、卽身成佛と申法門なり。

Therefore, because the sacred spirit of your late [husband] chanted Namu Myoho Renge Kyo at the last moment of his life, the evil karma which he committed during his life or innumerable kalpas from the beginningless past will be fully transformed into the seed of buddhahood. This is the Dharma-gate of “defilements are themselves awakening,” “samsara is itself nirvana,” and “attaining buddhahood with one’s present body.”

(ST 1537, l7-l12) かゝる人の緣の夫妻にならせ給へば又女人成佛も疑なかるべし。若此事虚事ならば釋迦・多寶・十方分身の諸佛は妄語の人、大妄語の人、悪人也。一切衆生をたぼらかして地獄におとす人なるべし。提婆達多は寂光浄土の主となり、教主釋尊は阿鼻大城のほのをにむせび給べし。日月は地に落ち、大地はくつがへり、河は逆に流れ、須彌山はくだけをつべし。

As you married a man such as this, there is no doubt of the attainment of buddhahood by a woman. If this were a lie, Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the emanation buddhas of the ten directions would be liars and evildoers. They would be people who would deceive all sentient beings and lead them into hell. Devadatta would then be the lord of the Pure Land of Tranquil Light, and the Lord Teacher Shakyamuni would be choked by the flames in the Avichi Hell. The sun and moon would fall to the ground, the great earth would be overturned, rivers would flow backwards, and Mt. Sumeru would be smashed to pieces.

(ST 1537, l12-l13) 日蓮が妄語にはあらず、十方三世の諸佛の妄語也。いかでか其義候べきとこそをぼへ候へ。委は見参の時申べく候。

This would not be Nichiren’s lie; it would be the lie of the buddhas of the ten directions and three times. How can there be such a foolish thing? I will explain it to you in detail when I see you next time.

七月十四日

The fourteenth day of the seventh month

日蓮花押

Nichiren (seal)