On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice

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FaithCorrect TeachingLotus SutraPrayerWisdom

Background

Written To

Toki Jōnin, one of Nichiren's most learned and devoted disciples who had sent questions about correct practice

When

April 10, 1277, during the Kenji era when Nichiren was in exile on Sado Island

Why It Was Written

Toki was concerned about how to carry out correct Buddhist practice amid conflicting teachings. Buddhist scholars of the time insisted that practitioners must master three types of learning: precepts, meditation, and wisdom. Toki needed clarity on what was truly necessary for people in the Latter Day of the Law.

Significance

This is one of Nichiren's ten major writings that establishes the supremacy of faith and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo over complex practices, making Buddhism accessible to ordinary people

Key Passages

"And because our wisdom is inadequate, he teaches us to substitute faith for wisdom, making this single word 'faith' the foundation. Disbelief is the cause for becoming an icchantika and for slander of the Law, while faith is the cause for wisdom."

Nichiren is saying that people today don't need to be Buddhist scholars or meditation masters. Since our wisdom is limited, we should rely on faith instead. Having faith in the Mystic Law becomes the foundation for developing true wisdom, while doubt and disbelief lead us away from enlightenment.

"Such persons are restricted from practicing almsgiving, the keeping of the precepts, and the others of the five pāramitās, and are directed to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo exclusively. This practice corresponds to the capacity of persons at the stages of 'producing even a single moment of belief and understanding.'"

This is revolutionary teaching for its time. Nichiren says beginners don't need to practice complex Buddhist disciplines like formal charity, strict precepts, or advanced meditations. Simply chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with faith is the complete practice for people in our current age.

"When a baby drinks milk, it has no understanding of its taste, and yet its body is naturally nourished. Who ever took the wonderful medicines of Jīvaka knowing of what they were compounded? Water has no intent, and yet it can put out fire."

Nichiren uses beautiful analogies to show that chanting works even without intellectual understanding. Just as a baby benefits from milk without knowing nutrition, or medicine heals without the patient understanding chemistry, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo naturally develops our Buddha nature even when we don't fully comprehend its meaning.

"The truer the teaching, the lower the stage [of those it can bring to enlightenment]. Conversely, the more provisional the teaching, the higher must be the stage [of those who embrace it in order to attain enlightenment]."

This profound principle means that the most authentic Buddhist teachings can save people at the most basic level of spiritual development. Lesser teachings require you to already be advanced to benefit from them. The Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are so powerful they can help anyone, regardless of their spiritual sophistication.

"They are like an infant emperor wrapped in swaddling clothes, or a great dragon who has just been born. Do not despise them! Do not look on them with contempt!"

Nichiren is defending his followers who simply chant without deep study. He says even though they appear ordinary, they possess incredible spiritual potential - like a baby emperor who will rule nations, or a dragon hatchling that will soar through the heavens. We shouldn't judge people's spiritual worth by external appearances.

What This Writing Is Really Saying

Nichiren is addressing one of the most fundamental questions in spiritual practice: What do ordinary people really need to do to achieve enlightenment? The Buddhist establishment of his time insisted that serious practitioners had to master complex disciplines - strict moral codes, advanced meditation techniques, and profound philosophical study. This created an almost impossible barrier for regular people with jobs, families, and daily responsibilities.

Nichiren revolutionizes this understanding by teaching that faith is more important than knowledge, and that simple practice is more powerful than complex rituals. He argues that we live in an age where people's spiritual capacity is limited, so the Buddha provided a practice that matches our actual condition rather than our idealistic aspirations. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with sincere faith contains all other practices within it - like how saying 'Japan' contains all the people, animals, and wealth of the entire country within those two simple characters.

The deeper principle here is that the most profound truths are often the most accessible. Rather than making Buddhism more elite and exclusive, Nichiren shows how the ultimate teaching makes enlightenment available to everyone. This isn't about lowering standards - it's about recognizing that the highest truth transcends the need for complicated prerequisites. A mother's love for her child doesn't require a PhD in psychology to be real and transformative.

This teaching also addresses the universal human tendency to complicate things that are essentially simple. We often think that if something is easy to do, it can't be that powerful. Nichiren challenges this assumption by showing that the most fundamental forces in life - like love, hope, and the life force itself - operate through simple, natural principles that don't require expert knowledge to access.

How This Applies to Your Life Today

This teaching is incredibly relevant for our achievement-obsessed, information-overloaded world. Many people feel they need advanced degrees, certifications, expensive courses, or years of therapy before they can make real changes in their lives. Nichiren's message is that transformation begins with simple faith and consistent practice, not perfect understanding. Whether you're dealing with career uncertainty, relationship problems, or personal growth challenges, you don't need to wait until you have it all figured out to start moving forward.

For example, someone struggling with anxiety doesn't need to become an expert in neuroscience or meditation before they can experience relief. They can start chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo daily while still learning and growing. A person wanting to improve their relationships doesn't need to read every self-help book first - they can begin with faith in their own Buddha nature and the other person's potential for growth. The practice supports and enhances other efforts rather than requiring you to master everything else first.

This applies especially to our tendency to judge ourselves and others based on external accomplishments or spiritual sophistication. Nichiren's teaching reminds us that someone who appears ordinary but maintains sincere daily practice may be developing far greater life force and wisdom than someone with impressive credentials but no consistent spiritual foundation. It encourages us to value authentic effort over polished performance, and to see potential rather than just current limitations in ourselves and others.

Read the Full Writing

This is a simplified explanation. For the complete text, visit the Nichiren Library.

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