The Buddha Sakyamuni expounded the Lotus Sutra during his last eight years. He appointed us, the Nichiren's followers, to expound the teaching of the Lotus Sutra on this earth after his death. In Chapter 11 of the Lotus Sutra, Buddha Sakyamuni says, "Who will preach the Lotus Sutra in this Saha-World after my death?"
Responding his request, 500 monks arose and said in Chapter 13 of the sutra, "Don't worry, the World-Honored One, we will keep, read, recite, and expound this sutra after your extinction. But we will expound it in some other worlds rather than on this earth."
The reasons for not expounding it in this Saha-World are because people in this world will speak ill of the preachers, abuse them, threaten them with swords or sticks and because they will drive the preachers out of their monasteries."
The Buddha Sakyamuni did not response to their proposal. Therefore, in Chapter 15 of the sutra, the Bodhisattvas from the other worlds rose, joined their hands together in gassho towards the Buddha, bowed to him and said, "World-Honored One! If you permit us to protect, keep, read, recite and copy this sutra in this world after your extinction, we will expound it in this Sara-World."
Thereupon, the Buddha said to the Bodhisattvas from the other worlds, "I do not need you here. Because there are Bodhisattvas sixty thousand times as many as the sand of the River Ganges in this Sara-World."
As soon as he said this, the ground of the Saha-World quaked and cracked, and many thousands of billions of Bodhisattvas sprang up from underground. Those Bodhisattvas had four leaders: Superior-Practice, Limitless-Practice, Pure-Practice, and Steadily-Established-Practice.
It is said that the Great Sage Nichiren was reincarnation of the Superior-Practice Bodhisattva and we, Nichiren's followers, are the Bodhisattvas who sprang up from underground.
St. Nichiren says that we who practice the teachings of the Lotus Sutra are the Bodhisattvas from the underground because we are not from the other planets. We are born on this earth. Many many years ago in the past lives, we have had practiced the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. We might have listened to the Buddha Sakyamuni. With this relationship between the Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, we are here to expound the Lotus Sutra.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo - Namu Myoho Renge Kyo - Namu Myoho Renge Kyo

Thank you...

With Gassho,

Kanai Shonin