The Dai-Gohonzon

Every Buddha appears with the primary purpose called "hongai" (the last bosom), e.g. the Lotus Sutra for Shakuson. Nichiren Daishonin had been waiting the time to attain his primary purpose as the Original Buddha of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.

The notice of the Atuhara reached him; three belibers had been killed without throwing away the Lotus Sutra and the others were liberated. The four major honans, i.e. the Matsubaga-yatsu, the Izu, the Komatsubara, the Tatsunokuchi and the Sado, had been of Nichiren Daishonin, however, the Atsuhara was of just farmers who had not been awarded go-honzon and could not read even charactors.

Nichiren Daishonin felt the time for his primary purpose then, in his age of 58. The go-sho called "Shonin Go-nanji" said "In the case of Shakuson, it was around 40 years (to preach "Lotus Sutra"), in the case of Tendai Daishi, it was around 30 years (to preach "Makashikan"), in the case of Dengyo Daishi, it was around 20 years (to establish the kaidan of shakumon, overcoming a lot of dificulties as I told you. In the case of mine, it is 27 years (to establish the Dai-Gohonzon), overcoming a lot of dificulties as you know."

He chose a thick hard boad of camphor tree for the eternal salvation of the all beings and established the go-honzon, pouring His soul into the charactors. Nippo took charge of the sculpture, he also made Daishonin's statue from a remainder of the board, called "saisho-butsu" (the first statue).

The go-honzon is specially called "Dai-Gohonzon" because this is Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo itself: the source of the three great secret treasures, namely honzon of honmon, kaidan of honmon, and daimoku of honmon. And this is the secret bottom of the Lotus Sutra, i.e. how Shakuson had realized the first enlightenment that his body consisted of chi (earth), sui (water), ka (fire), fu (wind), and ku (space) and in which mystic law a cause and an effect of Buddha were simultaneous.