When one comes to the end of his good fortune, no strategy whatsoever will avail. When one's blessings are exhausted, even his retainers will no longer follow him. You survived because you still possess good fortune. Moreover, in the Zokurui chapter, the heavenly gods pledged to protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra. Of all the guardian deities in heaven, it is the gods of the sun and moon who visibly protect us. How can we doubt their protection? Marishiten in particular serves the god of the sun. Could the vassal Marishiten abandon the votary of the Lotus Sutra when her lord, the god of the sun, protects him? In the first chapter, Taishaku appears with his twenty thousand retainer gods. The god of the moon, the god of the stars, the god of the sun and the Four Heavenly Kings were seated together with their ten thousand retainer gods. Marishiten must be among the thirty thousand heavenly gods who were present at the ceremony. Otherwise, she could only abide in hell.

You must have escaped death because of this deity's protection. She gave you skill in swordsmanship, while Nichiren has bestowed upon you the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. Never doubt that all gods protect those who embrace the Lotus Sutra. Marishiten also embraces the Lotus Sutra and thus helps all people. Even the incantation, "Those who join the battle are all on the front line," is related to the Lotus Sutra, where it says, "...learning, government, language and daily living will accord with the True Law." Therefore you must summon up the power of faith more than ever. Do not blame the heavenly gods if you exhaust your good fortune and lose their protection.

Masakado was renowned as a brave general who had mastered the art of war, yet he was defeated by the emperor's armies. Fan K'uai and Chang Liang also failed in the end. Faith alone is what really matters. No matter how earnestly Nichiren prays for you, if you lack faith, it will be like trying to set fire to wet tinder. Spur yourself to muster the power of faith. Regard your survival as wondrous. Employ the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other. Then, just as the sutra says, "All enemies are crushed." These golden words will never prove false. Believe them wholeheartedly. The heart of strategy and swordsmanship derives from the Mystic Law. A coward cannot have any of his prayers answered.

With my deep respect,
Nichiren

The twenty-third day of the tenth month
 
 

Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 245.

 

Kada nekog napusti sreća, nema te strategije koja će koristiti. Kada su nečiji blagoslovi iscrpljeni, čak ni njegovi vazali ga neće dalje slediti. Preživeo si jer te još uvek prati sreća. Štaviše, u Zokurai poglavlju, nebeski bogovi su se zavetovali da štite sledbenika Lotos Sutre. Od svih zaštitničkih božanstava na nebesima bogovi sunca i meseca su oni koji nas vidljivo štite. Kako možemo sumnjati u njihovu zaštitu? Marišiten posebno služi bogu sunca. Da li bi vazal Marišiten mogla napustiti sledbenika Lotos Sutre ako ga njegov gospodar, bog sunca, štiti? U prvom poglavlju, Taišaku se pojavljuje sa svojih dvadeset hiljada vazala bogova. Bog meseca, bog zvezda, bog sunca i Četiri Nebeska Kralja behu seli zajedno sa svojih deset hiljada vazala bogova. Marišiten je morala biti među trideset hiljada nebeskih bogova koji behu prisutni na toj ceremoniji. Inače bi boravila jedino u paklu.

Mora da si izbegao smrt usled zaštite ovog božanstva. Ona ti je dala veštinu u mačevalaštvu, dok ti je Ničiren darovao pet karaktera Mjoho-renge-kjoa. Nikada ne sumnjaj u to da svi bogovi štite one koji prihvataju Lotos Sutru. Marišiten takođe prihvata Lotos Sutru i tako pomaže svim ljudima. Čak se i bajanje "Svi oni koji se pridružuju borbi su u prvim borbenim redovima" odnosi na Lotos Sutru, gde se kaže "...učenje, vlada, jezik i svakodnevni život će biti u skladu sa Istinskim Zakonom". Prema tome, moraš prizvati moć vere više no ikad. Ne krivi nebeske bogove ako te je napustila sreća i ako si izgubio njihovu zaštitu.

Masakado je bio poznat kao hrabar general koji je bio ovladao umetnošću ratovanja, pa ipak beše poražen od strane carske vojske. Fan K'uai i Čang Liang su takođe propali na kraju. Sama vera je ono što stvarno ima značaj. Bez obzira koliko iskreno Ničiren moli za tebe, ako ti nedostaje vera, to će biti kao da pokušava da kresne vlažno ognjilo. Podstakni sebe da ovladaš snagom vere. Gledaj na  svoje preživljenje kao na nešto čudesno. Koristi strategiju Lotos Sutre pre svake druge. Tada, baš kao što Sutra kaže, "Svi neprijatelji su smoždeni". Ove zlatne reči nikada se neće pokazati lažnim. Veruj im svim srcem. Suština strategije i mačevalaštva proističu iz Mističnog Zakona. Kukavici neće biti odgovoreno ni na jednu njegovu molitvu.

Uz moje duboko poštovanje,
Ničiren

Dvadeset treći dan desetog meseca
 
 

Preveo Mića Mijatović 24. 12. 1999. u Beogradu Izvor: Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 245.