The THREE GREAT 
SECRET DHARMAS

by Rev. Shokai Kanai

The Three Great Secret Dharmas are quite unique. However, the great masters, T'ien-t'ai of China and Dengyo of Japan did not propagate them even though these two high priests were famous for their practice of the Lotus Sutra. The Three Great Secret Dharmas are what Sakyamuni Buddha bequeathed to those in the Latter Age of the Decadent Dharma. Nichiren Shonin revealed them to us in the Era of the Decadent Dharma.

He stated in Ho-on-jo,

"The first is the Object of Veneration (Honzon). All people throughout Japan as well as the rest of the whole world should revere the Original and Eternal Sakyamuni Buddha revealed in the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra as the Object of Veneration. ... The second is the Platform for the Receipt of the Precepts based on the doctrine of the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra. The third is the Title of the Lotus Sutra. All people throughout Japan, China and the entire world should single-mindedly chant "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo."

The Structure of the Great Secret Dharmas

Religious ideals should correspond to reality. In other words, the Original Buddha, Sakyamuni, as an ideal and human beings as the sons of the Buddha, must correspond to each other in our daily lives. The Odaimoku unifies both the reality and the ideal.

The five syllables of the Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo are the Essential Teachings of the eternal enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha. When we truly realize this, we too can attain the same state as the original Buddha. However, in this materialistic world, we have forgotten this fact which we originally knew profoundly within our lives in the infinite past and are no longer able to recognize this truth.

The subjective and the objective are often separated in daily life and some religions, but Nichiren Buddhism stands to realize the unity of both the subjective and the objective.

The Three Great Secret Dharmas originates in "The Duration of the Life of the Tathagata," the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. They are:

1. Honmon no Honzon (the Object of Veneration of the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra)
2. Honmon no Daimoku (the Sacred Title of the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra)
3. Honmon no Kaidan (the Platform for the Receipt of the Precepts and Place of Practice of the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra)

Let us discuss more detail about them.

  Honmon no Honzon is the Most Venerable One we revere as the Original Buddha Sakyamuni, who saves all human beings from suffering and the bonds of the endless cycle of birth and death. In the Sixteenth Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Sakyamuni Buddha reveals that he is the only Buddha who attained Enlightenment in the eternal past. He further explains that he was the only one who saved, continues to save and will also save all human and other living beings in the Future.

  Honmon no Daimoku is "Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo," the Sacred Title of the Lotus Sutra which reveals the truth never previously taught in any of the other sutras. The Odaimoku or the Sacred Title was granted to us as the Bodhisattvas of the Earth Who Sprung From the Ground. We receive, keep, trust in, and chant the Odaimoku. The Odaimoku is the connector between the Original Buddha and those who chant it.

  Honmon no Kaidan is the state or the place where the subjective Buddha joins with the objective human beings.

The Facilities of the Three Great Secret Dharma

The facilities of the Three Great Secret Dharmas are the facilities with which we practice the Odaimoku. The Honzon is the object we worship and offer veneration. The Most Venerable Ones are, therefore, often symbolized in pictures, statues, crafts or illustrative forms. They require an artistic sense of solemnity. The Odaimoku which we chant requires our voice. The voice must be clear, harmonized, and pure, so that the person reciting the Odaimoku and the listener both feel comfortable, relaxed and solemn. It also requires a musical sense. If one chants the sutra and the Odaimoku in front of the people, he or she needs an artistic sense of performance. The Kaidan is the place where one chants the Odaimoku. It is this sanctuary where the Buddha and the person reciting the Odaimoku become united as one; therefore, it requires a feeling of clean and beauty. The Kaidan may be considered an illustration of Vulture Peak where the Sakyamuni Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra. This sacred sanctuary is therefore physically expressed through religious architecture, craftsmanship and landscape.

The Origin of the Three Great Secret Dharmas

The Three Great Secret Dharmas are revealed within the Lotus Sutra. With sincere faith in this sutra, Nichiren Shonin adapted the teachings of this sutra and developed them into the Three Great Secret Dharmas. The Honzon or the Object of Veneration is the Original Buddha Sakyamuni revealed in the sixteenth Chapter. The Odaimoku is the medicine which the wise physician created by pounding and sieving herbs for his sick children in the Sixteenth Chapter. The Kaidan symbolizes the state of preaching the Lotus Sutra at the Vulture Peak and in space described in Chapters 11 through 22.

Nichiren's Process of Revealing the Three Great Secret Dharmas

Nichiren Shonin first proclaimed the Odaimoku of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo atop Mt. Kiyosumi on April 28, 1253. But he did not explain the real significance of the Odaimoku. During the Izu Exile (1261-63), he received a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha from the Lord of Izu. Since that time, he continually worshipped this statue as the Most Venerable One until his death. However, Nichiren Shonin did not explain the Eternal Buddha until he was exiled to Sado Island. In his Kaimoku-sho written on Sado, Nichiren Shonin explains the principle of the Most Venerable One and Odaimoku; that is, the relationship between the Eternal Sakyamuni Buddha and the Three Thousand Existence in One Thought, the principal teaching of the Sixteenth Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. One year later after composing the Kaimoku Sho, he wrote the Honzon Sho and revealed the true meaning of the Odaimoku and the style of the Object of Veneration.

On January 14, 1274, Nichiren Shonin wrote the phrases:

"The Honmon no Honzon, the Four Bodhisattvas, the Kaidan, and the five characters of Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo."

At this time, the Kaidan was revealed for the first time.

In May, 1274, after Nichiren Shonin entered Mt. Minobu, he wrote a letter to Lady Toki, in which Nichiren Shonin mentions "Kaidan" in the phrase "the Most Venerable One, Kaidan, and Daimoku of the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra."

In the following year, he writes in Ho-on-jo:

"The Three Great Secret Dharmas were never propagated even by T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo."

He continues,

"The first is the Honmon no Honzon. ... The second is the Honmon no Kaidan. The third is the Honmon no Daimoku. All people in Japan, China, and throughout the entire world, regardless of whether they are wise or foolish, should chant "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" with conviction."

One year before his death, Nichiren Shonin sent a letter entitled The Three Great Secret Dharmas to Lord Otah dated April 8, 1281.

While Nichiren Shonin preached in Kamakura, he revealed the Honzon and the Odaimoku, but he did not speak about their real significance. During his Sado Exile, he explained the true meaning of the Odaimoku and revealed a form of the Honzon. Finally after entering Mt. Minobu, he revealed the style of Kaidan.

HONMON NO HONZON

Substance of the Most Venerable One

As already mentioned above, the substance of the Honzon or the Most Venerable One is the Eternal Sakyamuni Buddha revealed in the Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Shonin explains in the Ho-On-Jo that all the people in Japan as well as the rest of the whole world should revere the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni revealed in the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra as the object of veneration. For Nichiren Shu members, there is only Sakyamuni Buddha. All other Buddhas are manifestations or replicas of the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni.

Different Forms of the Object of Veneration

There are five different forms to express the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni. Let's examine them as they appear in sequence in Nichiren Shonin's writings.

1. Daimoku as the Object of Veneration: Nichiren Shonin says in Sho Hokke Daimoku Sho on May 28, 1260:

"The Object of Worship should be the inscription of the Daimoku, or the eight volumes, or one volume or a single Chapter of the Lotus Sutra."

Senchu Murano in his booklet, The Gohonzon, says,

"The Odaimoku is the symbol of the Lotus Sutra. When one sees the Odaimoku inscribed on a flag, banner, or stone monument, therein one can see the Buddha at once and receive the protection of Nichiren Shonin"

2. Sakyamuni Buddha's Statue as the Object of Veneration

Nichiren Shonin always carried a small statue of Sakyamuni Buddha with him. The statue was presented to him by Lord Izu in appreciation for curing the lord's illness. Nichiren Shonin says in Zen Mui Sanzo Sho,

"If you want to worship the Go-Honzon, be sure to carve an image of Sakyamuni Buddha in wood. The statue (of Sakyamuni Buddha) must be the Go-Honzon."

The letter was given to Gijobo, Nichiren's co-disciple, dated 1270, one year before Nichiren Shonin was exiled to Sado Island.

3. The Mandala Honzon

Nichiren Shonin describes in detail how the Mandala Honzon should be formed and arranged within his work, the Kanjin Honzon Sho,

"The form of the Honzon is to be as follows: A Stupa suspended in the sky above the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni's Saha World. Inside this stupa, Sakyamuni Buddha and Taho Buddha sit to the left and right of "Myoho Renge Kyo. They are waited on by four bodhisattvas such as Jogyo. ..."

Kanjin Hon Zon Sho was written at Sado on April 25, 1273. Nichiren Shonin states his purpose for writing this treatise and cautions the readers of this document to pay careful attention to his intention. For Nichiren Shonin, this writing was "of the utmost importance."

The first Mandala Honzon was revealed on July 8, 1273. Later, Nichiren Shonin inscribed a number of these honzons and bestowed them upon many of his disciples and followers. Over one hundred mandala honzons written by Nichiren Shonin are still in existence today, kept within various Nichiren temples.

Minobusan Kuon-ji Temple of Nichiren Shu enshrines its Honzon or Object of Veneration in the form of statues representing the ten realms described in the Mandala. The altar requires a lot of space for these statues, so most Nichiren temples enshrine the calligraphic form Mandala Honzon. Nichiren members should enshrine the Mandala Honzon in their home Butusdan.

Mandala means a circle which symbolizes this Saha World and universe, and also one's mind. The description of the Mandala is the ideal purified state of one's mind, world, and universe.

4. The Buddha and Four Great Bodhisattva as the Object of Veneration.

The Honden (Main Sanctuary) of Ikegami Honmon-ji Temple in Tokyo enshrines statues of the Buddha accompanied by the Four Great Bodhisattvas. Sakyamuni Buddha sits in the center flanked by the Four Great Bodhisattvas. Nichiren Shonin is seated in front of the Buddha.

5. Daimoku and Two Buddhas as the Object of Veneration

This Honzon is quite common in temples and members' Butsudans. A stupa is erected at the center and Odaimoku is written on it. A statue of Sakyamuni Buddha sits on the left side of the stupa as you face them and Taho Buddha sits on the right. In this case, a scroll of the Mandala Gohonzon is always placed behind the statues, and in front of the stupa a statue of Nichiren Shonin is also enshrined.

As you see, the Odaimoku as the Object of Veneration and the Statue of Sakyamuni Buddha as the Object of Veneration were revealed before Nichiren Shonin was exiled to Sado Island. The Mandala Honzon was revealed after the Sado exile, although Nichiren Shonin kept his statue of Sakyamuni Buddha with him all his life.

HONMON NO DAIMOKU

The Ten Realms

The Mandala Honzon is often called the Jikkai Mandala Go-Honzon. "Go" is a honorific term to the Honzon, while Jikkai means the ten realms of existences which are:

All of these ten existences are revealed on the Go-Honzon. The Mandala Go-Honzon of the Ten Realms symbolizes universal salvation, even for Devadatta trapped in the world of hell, when he receives and accepts the rays of the Odaimoku. This is also applied to all other nine realms.

One Hundred Realms:

The ten realms of existence also signify the ten different stages of one's mind which are:

Each of the one hundred realms has its own ten aspects. Therefore, multiplying one hundred realms by ten aspects come to a total of one thousand aspects.

The one thousand aspects extend over three realm categories which are:

Multiplying one thousand by three makes three thousands realms.

We should understand that both our mind, body and the land on which we live are all part of the 3,000 modes of existence contained within our minds. Consequently, upon attaining Buddhahood, our lives come into complete agreement with the truth of 3,000 existences contained within one thought, and our single body and single thought permeate all worlds throughout the universe.

Three Thousand Existence in One Thought and Odaimoku

Nichiren Shonin says in the Kanjin Honzon Sho,

"Without the seed of Buddhahood established on the basis of the "3,000 existences contained in one thought" doctrine, attainment of Buddhahood by all sentient beings or the worship of wooden statues and portraits is an empty name without reality."

Because of the doctrine of the 3,000 Existences in One Thought, we are able to worship the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and the scroll of the Mandala Gohonzon. As a result, we are able to attain Enlightenment through chanting the Odaimoku facing a statue or Mandala. This is not idol worship.

To prove that, Nichiren Shonin stated,

"Sakyamuni Buddha's merit of practicing the Bodhisattva way leading to Buddhahood, as well as that of preaching and saving all living beings since His attainment of Buddhahood are fully contained within the five letters of 'Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo.' Consequently, when we uphold these five letters, the merits which He accumulated before and after His attainment of Buddhahood are naturally transferred to us."

Because we are sons of the Original Buddha, when we chant the Odaimoku, we inherit all His merit. We do not have to enter the priesthood nor read every single page of the Lotus Sutra, but merely embrace and maintain faith in the Gohonzon, trust in the Odaimoku and chant Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. Then the Original Buddha Sakyamuni as an ideal and human beings as the sons of the Buddha, in reality correspond with each other. The Odaimoku unifies both the reality and the ideal.

In a parable of the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, a physician left a remedy of good color, good taste and good fragrance in order to save his children who were suffering from poison sickness. The remedy is the five letters of "Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo" which the Buddha left for us. We do not need to know the content of the remedy, nor do we need to read all the Chapters of the sutra. We need only embrace and maintain faith and practice.

Nichiren Shonin said in the Shoho Jisso Sho:

"Have faith in the Great Mandala Gohonzon, the most superlative in the world, Endeavor! Endeavor to strengthen your faith, so that you may be blessed with the protective powers of all Buddhas. Learn and practice to strengthen your faith. Without learning and practice, there is no Buddhism. Follow these yourself and influence others to do the same. Learning and practice should come from faith. Even if only a word or a phrase, spread it to others.

HONMON NO KAIDAN

Honmon no Kaidan is the place where we recite the Odaimoku. Kaidan literally means a place to keep the precepts of Buddhism. In Buddhism, there are the five precepts for a lay person to keep. However, Nichiren Shonin did not emphasize keeping these precepts because they dealt more with issues of morality rather than being religious precepts. The only precepts in Nichiren Buddhism are to keep the Honzon, the Daimoku and the Kaidan, and also to propagate the Odaimoku to others.

CONCLUSION

Concluding this lecture, I would like quote one of the most important messages in the Kanjin Honzon Sho.

"The Saha-world is the world of the Original Buddha and is the Eternal Pure Land, which is free from the three calamities and the four kalpas."

From the Buddha's view point, this earth is already the Eternal Pure Land. Since our minds are covered with a thick cloud, we can not perceive this world as being the pure land.

"In the eternal world, the Buddha never disappeared in the past, nor will he appear in the Future."

This means that the Original Buddha has existed ever since the eternal past and will exist on into the eternal Future. In other words, Siddhartha Gautama who was born in Kapila Palace and later became the Buddha was the manifestation of the Original Buddha. The Original Buddha has no beginning nor end.

"In consequence, all living beings under the Buddha in this Saha-world are one with Him and are eternal. This is because those who believe in the Lotus Sutra, live in the land where they have united themselves with the Buddha and attained the truth of the Three Thousand Existence in One Thought."

It may be hard to believe, but we must have faith in Nichiren Shonin's words; that is, we are also eternal Buddhas when we believe in the Lotus Sutra and chant the Odaimoku.

There are five different forms of the Go-Honzon, but only Mandala Gohonzon is able to reveal Nichiren Shonin's important message quoted above.

Thus, when we face the Go-Honzon and chant the Odaimoku, ideals correspond to reality and our prayers come true.