The Four Powers of the Mystic Law

Myohoji Chief Priest Reverend Takano

 The vital points in the practice of Nichiren Shoshu are to revere Nichiren Daishonin as the True Buddha, to believe in the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Honmon (Essential) Teaching [the ultimate purpose of the Daishonin’s advent], and to practice for oneself and for others by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Only through these key practices can everyone attain Buddhahood. 

 There are four essential powers required to accomplish the attainment of Buddhahood, the ultimate goal of our lives, and to have our other desires realized. They are called the “Four Powers of the Mystic Law.” 

These four kinds of powers and functions are present in the Gohonzon, the object of worship. They are: the power of the Buddha, the power of the Law, the power of faith, and the power of practice. The power of the Buddha and the power of the Law are the two powers that we solely rely upon for our enlightenment, whereas the powers of faith and practice refer to our own power or effort.  When the powers of the Buddha and the Law inherent in the Gohonzon fuse with the powers of faith and practice exerted by us, we can enjoy the great benefit of Buddhahood. 

 An extreme, one-sided approach will not bring us merit. If we completely rely upon ourselves alone or conversely, depend entirely on the Gohonzon for everything, benefits cannot be realized. 

 Faith in God, as taught in Christianity, is an example of an extreme, one-sided teaching. It propounds complete reliance on the power of God, who is worshipped as absolute. Before God, human beings are all but powerless. Thus, Christianity teaches that all things, whether good or bad, are controlled by the will of God. 

 The same is true of the Nembutsu teachings such as the Jodo-Shu and the Jodo-Shinshu sects, which aspire for rebirth in a fictitious pure land. The more one practices this teaching, the more indolent one becomes and the more easily one gives up on life. Since this teaching is based on escaping this world, many Nembutsu believers commit suicide.

 Another example of a one-sided teaching is Zen. This sect claims that people can become awakened to their Buddha nature by looking into their own minds, so they meditate to perceive their minds. This, however, is extreme because it concentrates only on self power.  

Today’s Soka Gakkai has also become a sect with a one-sided view. It claims that the object of worship (honzon) exists only in one’s faith. In counterfeiting and selling honzons, the SGI promotes a theory substituting the common mortal for the True Buddha. It teaches that the power of faith and practice of the common mortal is the cause of the honzon’s power of the Buddha and the Law. This idea comes from minds of great arrogance which incorrectly put the cart before the horse.

All of these distorted teachings clearly become the causes of falling into hell instead of having one’s desires fulfilled.

It is essential to have both the absolute power of the Buddha, which we common mortals rely upon, and our own efforts, in order to see the manifestation of benefits. It is only through the interaction of these two powers that our desires will be realized.In the Gosho,  “The True Object of Worship,” the Daishonin states:

Shakyamuni’s practices and the virtues he consequently attained are all contained within the single phrase, Myoho-Renge-Kyo. If we believe in that phrase, we shall naturally be granted the same benefits that he was.  (Gosho, p.653)

This Gosho passage teaches the benefit of believing in the Mystic Law. The 26thHigh Priest Nichikan Shonin clarifies the functions of the four powers of the Mystic Law in his, “Exegesis on The True Object of Worship”: 

 This passage reveals four kinds of powers. “We believe in” means the power of faith and the power of practice. “The single phrase” means the power of the Law. “Naturally be granted” means the power of the Buddha. (Nichikan Shonin MondanShu, p.486)

         Now let us take a closer look at these four powers. In “The Entity of the Mystic Law,” the Daishonin states:

Those who honestly discard the expedient means, put faith in the Lotus Sutra alone, and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, will transform the three paths of earthly desires, karma and suffering into the three virtues of the Dharma body, wisdom and emancipation. The threefold contemplation and the three truths will immediately become manifest in their minds, and the place where they live will become the Land of Eternal Tranquil Light. Such persons embody the true entity of Myoho-Renge-Kyo. These are the meritorious workings that the spontaneous transcendental powers inherent in it display. (Gosho, p.694)

The Daishonin’s statement,  “Put faith in the Lotus Sutra alone,” refers to the Gohonzon, the Three Great Secret Laws of the Honmon teaching, which is the Lotus Sutra of the Latter Day of the Law. Nichikan Shonin interprets the above Gosho passage as follows:

“Put faith in the Lotus Sutra alone” means the power of faith. “Chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo” means the power of practice. “The true entity of Myoho-Renge-Kyo” means the power of the Law. “The spontaneous transcendental power” means the power of the Buddha. Thus, one should know that one who diligently exerts the powers of faith and practice, perceives the truth within oneself through the powers of the Buddha and the Law.  (Kanjin no Honzon Sho Mondan, p.455) 

         The “power of faith” means to sincerely believe in the Gohonzon with the conviction that faith in the Gohonzon is the only path to Buddhahood. The “power of practice” means to devote one’s entire life to conducting Gongyo earnestly in front of the Gohonzon of the Honmon Teaching and chanting Daimoku for oneself and for others. The “power of the Law” means the boundless powers and functions of the Mystic Law inherent in the Gohonzon of the True Cause. The “power of the Buddha” is the compassion and power of the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, inherent in the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary, which has the sole purpose of saving all humankind.

In the Gosho, “The True Object of Worship,” Nichiren Daishonin states, “The supreme object of worship will be established on the earth.”  (Gosho, p.661)  He further states in“The True Entity of Life,” “ … take faith in the Gohonzon, the supreme object of worship in the world.”  (Gosho, p.667)

As you can see from these Gosho passages, the Gohonzon of Nichiren Shoshu is the supreme object of worship in the world possessing the boundless merit inherent within the entire universe. But whether or not we can receive this merit depends on the strength of our faith and practice.

 The four powers of the Mystic Law never exist independently of each other. Nichikan Shonin discussed the relationship of the four powers by comparing the lotus flower to the power of faith, the lotus root to the power of practice, the water to the power of the Law and the sunshine to the power of the Buddha. He stated:

The lotus grows in the water, just as our powers of faith and practice are invariably brought forth by the power of the Law. Although the lotus is produced by the water, without the sunshine, it would undoubtedly die. Similarly, even if we call forth the powers of faith and practice under the influence of the power of the Law, without the power of the Buddha, our faith and practice will undoubtedly regress.  (MondanShu, p.487)

This means that our powers of faith and practice can only be brought about through the power of the Law from the Gohonzon, and correct faith can be established by receiving the power of the Buddha. Nichikan Shonin went on to say in “The Meaning Hidden in the Depths” (MonteiHichinSho):

The Gohonzon is the object of worship for all the people to embrace in their practice (of Buddhism). This object of worship arouses wisdom from within the people. This wisdom stimulates practice. Thus, if the object of worship is wrong, the wisdom and practice will accordingly be erroneous. Therefore, choose the correct object of worship upon which you base your endeavors to carry out faith and practice.  (Rokkan Sho, p.42)

Nichikan Shonin clearly teaches that where faith and practice are concerned, the true effect and power from chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo can be manifested only by basing everything on the Gohonzon.

The power of the Buddha and the power of the Law are contained within the Gohonzon that is transmitted by the successive High Priests who have received the correct Heritage of the Law. Therefore, wholeheartedly believing in the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin and sincerely chanting to the Gohonzon of Nichiren Shoshu are the faith and practice to attain enlightenment in one’s present form. 

Today, the priests and lay believers of Nichiren Shoshu are the only harmonious group who embrace the True Object of Worship, the Gohonzon, and are guided by the successive High Priests who have inherited the Heritage of the Law. We should be convinced of this fact. Let us muster our powers of faith and practice so that we can strive from this day onward to do shakubuku.