"THE ULTIMATE LAW OF LIFE"

"Myo represents death, and Ho, life. Living beings that pass through the two phases of life and death are the entities of the *Ten Worlds*, or the entities of Myoho-renge-kyo."

"T'ien-t'ai says that one should understand that living beings and their environments, and the causes and effects at work within them, are all the Law of RENGE (the lotus). Here where life and death exist, cause and effect, or the Law of the Lotus is at work".

"For one who summons up one's faith and chants Name-myoho-renge-kyo with the profound insight that NOW is the last moment of one's life, the sutra proclaims:'When the lives of these persons come to an end, they will be received into the hands of a thousand Buddhas, who will free them from all fear and keep them from falling into the evil paths of existence.'"

"The function of fire is to burn and give light. The function of water is to wash away filth. The winds blow away dust and breathe life into plants, animals and human beings. The earth produces the grasses and trees and heaven provides nourishing moisture. The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo are also like that. "

"Be resolved to summon forth the great power of faith, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyowith the prayer that your faith will be steadfast and correct at the moment of death. "


"Never seek any other way to inherit the ultimate law of life and death, and manifest it in your life. Only then will you realize that earthly desires are enlightenment and that the suffering of birth and death are nirvana. Even embracing the Lotus Sutra would be useless with the heritage of faith."


*The 10 worlds (from lowest to highest) The 10 worlds are also interpreted as States of Life:

1. HELL
2. HUNGER (HUNGRY SPIRITS)
3. ANIMALS (ANIMALITY)
4. ASURA (a type of contentious and billigerent by nature, demons who fights continuallyu witrh the God Shakra or Indra. The world of auras constitutes one of the 6 Paths of existence**)
5. HUMAN BEINGS
6. HEAVENLY BEINGS
7. VOICE HEARERS
8. CAUSE AWAKENED ONES
9. BODHISATTVAS
   
10. BUDDHAS (NIRVANA)
    

**The Six Paths of Existence are the realms or worlds in which unenlightened beings transmigrate. They are Hell and the realms of hungry spirits, animals, asuras, human beings and heavenly beings.

Nichiren Daishonin
"THE HERITAGE OF THE ULTIMATE LAW OF LIFE"