This is the passage of the Lotus Sutra, Chapter 20. The Never-Despising Bodhisattva.

Before giving a sermon, I’d like to explain about Shobo, Zobo, Mappo, the three ages or periods in Buddhism revolve around a cosmological view of the appearance of a Buddha into a world system.

Shobo is the Righteous Law, in this first age of Buddhist Dharma, the Buddhist doctrines, Practices and Enlightenment all exist. According to the tradition accepted by NICHIREN Dai Shonin this period lasts for one thousand years.

Zobo is the Imitative Law. The age where both doctrine and practices still exist, but true enlightenment can no longer be accomplished. Only lesser degrees of salvation can be attained. While the teachings in this period may “resemble” the true Dharma, they are in name only. This period is also accepted to run about one thousand years.

Mappo is the Last Law. This is the age where doctrine alone is still alive, but there is neither practice nor enlightenment. Mappo is translated here as the Declining Latter Age of Dharma. NICHIREN Dai Shonin repeatedly reminds us that the third age is the time of reckoning and a time offered to pay for the favours that we have received from others in the past. This period is said to last for ten thousand years and beyond. This modem society is called the Mappo Period.

Today, I’d like to give a Sermon about The Never-Despising Bodhisattava. Sakyamuni Buddha taught us that our minds are constantly changing, and it seems that they are both substantial and insubstantial. This is the very reason, he preached why we should lay the foundation for happiness in society by putting into practice the spirit of compassion, spirit of having sympathy with suffering people, being of benefit to others, praying for happiness of others, and serving others. How should people after the death of the Buddha seek the Buddha’s teachings? The Lotus Sutra was prepared to answer this question. The uniqueness of the Sutra is that it is preached for those after the Buddha passed away. The Twentieth Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, The Never Despising Bodhisattva. relates the following story of a Bodhisattva.

A long time ago, there lived a Buddha called Powerful-Voice-King in a State of Great Achievement. During the Age of ~bo, the second millennium after the death of this Buddha, arrogant monks became influential and powerful. Then appeared a Bodhisaftva named Never Despising.

Whenever this Bodhisattva met people, he would bow to them in veneration, saying, “I deeply respect you. I do not dare despise you. Why ? Because someday you will practice the way of Bodhisattvas and become Buddhas.” Without reciting Sutras, Never-Despising Bodhisattva just went up to people, bowing before them and praising them. People became angry and accused him of being a liar who gave a false assurance of their future Buddhahood. Some of them even beat him with sticks and threw stones at him, but Never-Despising Bodhisattva kept on repeating his practice of bowing and praising. When this Bodhisattva was about to pass away, he heard a voice in the sky reciting the Lotus Sutra and was able to purify his body and mind. As a result he was able to extend his lifetime by innumerable years and teach the Sutra to others. Thanks to his teaching, the same arrogant monks and people who had persecuted him before came to believe in the Lotus Sutra. And The Eternal Sakyamuni Buddha said to the Great-Power-Obtainer Bodhisattva. What do you think of this? The Never-Despising Bodhisattva at that time was no one but myself If I had not kept, read or recited this Sutra or expounded it to others in my previous existence, I should not have been able to attain Anokutara-Sammyaku-Sambodai that is perfect enlightenment so quickly. Because I kept, read and recited this Sutra, and expounded it to others under those past Buddhas, I attained

This story of never-Despising Bodhisattva shows us the spirit of mutual respect among all human beings. Further more, NICHIREN Dai Shonin is known as the practicer of the Lotus Sutra because he followed the example set by Never-Despising Bodhisattva and experienced many persecutions just as it is predicted in the Lotus Sutra. History of mankind has long sought an ideal person and an ideal society. In whatever society we live in, I think that we cannot do without the spirit of respect for humanity.