Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra

In our modern world, we are constantly navigating a sea of information and advice. From experts and influencers to friends and family, everyone has an opinion on how we should live, work, and find happiness. This endless stream of conflicting guidance can leave us feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. Who should we trust? Where can we find a reliable compass to guide our actions and decisions?

In his writings, the Buddhist sage Nichiren offers what appears to be a stark and uncompromising answer. He suggests that a true spiritual practitioner should disregard what people say and rely only on the teachings of the Buddha. On the surface, this sounds like a call for rigid dogmatism—a command to close our ears to the world and retreat into the safety of ancient scripture.

But what if this interpretation misses the point entirely? What if this seemingly rigid instruction isn’t about who we should ignore, but about how we should listen to everyone?

The True Meaning of Relying on the Buddha’s Words

The central teaching from Nichiren’s writings is this:

“True practicers of Buddhism should not rely on what people say, but solely on the golden words of the Buddha.”

A first reading might suggest that we should dismiss the words of others and dogmatically adhere to a fixed teaching. This interpretation sets up a conflict between sacred texts and human interaction, demanding that we choose one over the other.

However, a deeper interpretation reveals a far more profound and challenging practice. The teaching is not about ignoring people, but about learning to “see the world as the Buddha does.” To see this way is to look past the surface-level personality—the ego, the fears, the biases—and recognize the shared human condition beneath. It is an act of radical compassion, first for the speaker, and ultimately for ourselves. The core distinction lies in intent. People often speak from a place of “delusion and selfish desires,” their words colored by personal attachments. In contrast, the Buddha’s sole purpose is to “lead us to his enlightenment and help us to remove our attachments.” This distinction is the key: it reframes every conversation not as a transaction of personal opinions, but as a potential revelation of universal truth.

This practice invites an act of inner alchemy. It means that when you receive anxious advice from a friend, you listen beneath their words for the universal human desire for safety. When you hear a boast, you listen for the deep-seated need for acceptance. This inner work asks you to sift through the noise of human desire and delusion to find the underlying lesson that can help you become free. You stop reacting to the person and start receiving the lesson.

A New Way of Listening

Ultimately, Nichiren’s teaching is not a passive rule but an active, moment-to-moment choice. It moves us from a posture of judgment (“Is this person right or wrong?”) to one of profound inquiry (“What truth is trying to reach me through this person?”). It challenges us to stop judging the speaker and start listening for the timeless wisdom that can be found anywhere, if only we know how to hear it.

What might change if you decided to listen for the Buddha’s wisdom in every conversation you have today?