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The Meaning of Faith
What we call faith is nothing extraordinary. As a woman
cherishes her husband, as a man will give his life for his wife, as parents will not abandon their children, or as a child
refuses to leave his mother, so should we put our trust in the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni, Taho, and all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas
of the ten directions, as well as the heavenly gods and benevolent deities, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is what is
meant by faith. Moreover, you should ponder the sutra passages, "Honestly discarding the provisional teachings" and "Not accepting
even a single verse from any of the other sutras" and never be of a mind to abandon them, just as a woman will not throw away
her mirror or as a man always wears his sword.
Respectfully,
Nichiren
The eighteenth day of the fifth month
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