041 Letter to Gijō-bō

041 Letter to Gijō-bō

Author: The Ignorant Trio July 9, 2023 Duration: 6:15

This letter was written at Ichinosawa on Sado Island in the fifth month, 1273, to Gijō-bō, who had been the Daishonin’s senior at Seichō-ji temple in Awa Province. Nearly a month earlier, Nichiren Daishonin had written The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, in which he had explained both the object of devotion in terms of the Law and the correct practice for attaining enlightenment in the Latter Day. This letter briefly restates the profound contents of The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind.


Nichiren Daishonin says that, of all the chapters of the Lotus Sutra, the “Life Span” chapter is particularly important to him. He quotes a passage, “ . . . single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha . . . ,” and notes, “As a result of this passage, I have revealed the Buddhahood in my own life.” He declares that in his capacity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law he has realized and embodied Nam-myoho-renge-kyo of the Three Great Secret Laws, which is implied in the depths of the “Life Span” chapter.


This is one of the earliest references in his writings to the Three Great Secret Laws: the invocation (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo), the object of devotion (the Gohonzon), and the place of worship (the sanctuary).


https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/41


Finding quiet moments for study and reflection can feel nearly impossible in the rush of daily life. Gosho Reading (Nichiren Buddhism) offers a simple, accessible way to engage with the writings of Nichiren Daishonin, turning mundane tasks into opportunities for spiritual nourishment. Hosted by The Ignorant Trio-three women who approach the material with genuine curiosity rather than scholarly authority-each episode features a clear, thoughtful reading of passages from the Gosho. You might hear them while commuting, cooking, or folding laundry, allowing the teachings to settle into the rhythm of your day. The hosts, occasionally joined by guests, read the letters and treatises with a focus on clarity and presence, creating a shared space for listening rather than academic analysis. This podcast doesn’t aim to lecture or interpret heavily; instead, it provides the text itself, spoken aloud, so listeners can absorb the wisdom directly and find their own connections. It’s a companion for those seeking to integrate practice into a busy schedule, making the profound teachings of Nichiren Buddhism available in a practical, auditory format. Join The Ignorant Trio for these readings and discover how listening can become its own form of daily practice.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 57

Gosho Reading (Nichiren Buddhism)
Podcast Episodes
139 The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:31
In the tenth month of the second year of Kōan (1279), this letter was written in reply to a letter to Nichiren Daishonin from Shijō Kingo, informing him that Kingo had been ambushed by enemies among his fellow samurai, b…
130 The One-eyed Turtle and the Floating Log [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:24
This letter was written at Minobu to the wife of the late lay priest Matsuno Rokurō Saemon who lived at Matsuno in Ihara District of Suruga Province. Their daughter had married Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō, and gave birth to nine…
032 Letter from Sado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:38
This letter was written on the twentieth day of the third month, 1272, some five months after Nichiren Daishonin had arrived on the island of Sado to begin his exile there. He addressed it to Toki Jōnin, a samurai servin…
006 The Four Debts of Gratitude [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:17
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter while he was in exile in Itō on the Izu Peninsula. It was addressed to Kudō Sakon-no-jō Yoshitaka, known also as Kudō Yoshitaka, the lord of Amatsu in Awa Province.Kudō Yoshitaka is s…
072 The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:41
This letter was written to Toki Jōnin, a learned and dedicated disciple who lived in Shimōsa Province. In it Nichiren Daishonin stresses the extreme seriousness of the offense of slander and also the importance of embrac…
096 The Workings of Brahmā and Shakra [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:05
This letter, written at Minobu in 1277, is entitled The Workings of Brahmā and Shakra, because it contains the passage, “The time will certainly come when, by the workings of Brahmā, Shakra, and other gods, the entire Ja…
158 General Stone Tiger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:49
This letter was written at Minobu in 1278 to Shijō Nakatsukasa Saburō Saemon, commonly called Shijō Kingo. Kingo was accomplished in both the practice of medicine and the martial arts. For nearly the entire first half of…
149 The Treasure of a Filial Child [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:21
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter at Minobu in the seventh month of the third year of Kōan (1280) to the lay nun Sennichi, who lived on Sado Island. Sennichi was the wife of Abutsu-bō Nittoku, who had passed away the…