In your letter you write: "Since I took faith in this sutra (The Lotus), I have continued to recite the ten factors of Life and the verse section of the Life Span chapter and chant the daimoku without the slightest neglect. But how great is the difference between the blessings received when a sage chants the daimoku and the blessings received when we chant it?" To reply, one is no way superior to the other. The gold that a fool posseses is no different from the gold that a wise man posseses; a fire made by a fool is the same as the fire made by a wise man.
However, there is a difference if one chants the daimoku while acting against the intent of this sutra. There are various stages in the practice of this sutra [and various forms of slander exist accordingly]. Let me sum them up by quoting from volume five of The Annotations on "The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra": "In defining the types of evil, The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra states briefly, 'Expound among the wise but not among the foolish.' One scholar enumerates the types of evil as follows: 'I will first list the evil causes and then their effects. There are fourteen evil causes: (1) Arrogance, (2) Negligence, (3) Wrong Views of the Self, (4) Shallow Understanding, (5) Attachment to Earthly Desires, (6) Not Understanding, (7) Not Believing, (8) Scowling with Knitted Brows, (9) Harbouring Doubts, (10) Slandering, (11) Despising, (12) Hating, (13) Envying and (14) Bearing Grudges .' " Since these fourteen slanders apply equally to priesthood and laity, you must be on guard against them.
(WND-1, 755-756).
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