自行 (jigyō) - "practice for oneself" - chanting Daimoku and doing Gongyo with deep faith to the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws
化他 (keta) - "practice for the sake of others" - the salvation of others and society as a whole through widespread propagation of the Mystic Law
Nichiren Daishonin states in the gosho "On the Transmission of the Three Great Secret Laws" ("Sandai hiho bonjo ji")
Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, the Daimoku that Nichiren chants is different from that of previous ages. It is the Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo of the practice for oneself (jigyō), and the practice for others (keta).
(Shinpen, p. 1594)
This gosho was written on the eighth day of the fourth month of the fifth year of Kō'an (April 8th, 1282), when Nichiren Daishonin was 61 years of age, 4 months before he passed away. It was sent in the form of a will to Lord Ota Kingo, a wealthy believer and samurai, based in Nakayama in Shimosa Province.
Nichiren Daishonin teaches that the true Law that he preaches is be propagated wide and far to save all beings in the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law. The great aspiration of the Daishonin is the achievement of Kosen-rufu and the establishment of the Buddha-land. Thus, it is important to not only chant Daimoku for our personal enlightenment, but to share this Law with others. This is where true compassion lies.
Shakubuku should always come from compassion, a deep desire for the enlightenment of all beings. When refuting an erroneous teaching or remonstrating with others, the point is not to just be right or to win the debate or argument. The point is to teach this person the Law that can lead them to transform their sufferings into happiness and their delusions into enlightenment.
How do we develop this deep compassion to save others? The 26th High Priest Nichikan Shonin states in "Exegesis on the True Object of Worship" ("Kanjin no Honzon sho Mondan"),
If the practice for oneself (jigyō) is fulfilled, the practice for others (keta) will exist without fail. The practice for others is none other than compassion.
(Gosho mondan, p. 219)
Thus by maintaining a consistent practice, where we chant Daimoku with strong faith to the Gohonzon, we will develop deep compassion in our heart to share the teaching with others, following in the footsteps of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin.
Both practice for ourselves and practice for others are necessary and crucial elements for attaining Buddhahood in our present form. If we only focus on our own happiness, we can develop self-centered and egotistical viewpoints about Buddhism, that will eventually impede our practice. Furthermore, in conjunction with the Daishonin's great aspiration, we should strive for the establishment of Buddha-land, where all people can enjoy "peace and security in this lifetime and good circumstances in the next." The Daishonin states in the Rissho ankoku-ron,
If you truly desire your own peace and security, should you not first pray for peace of the entire nation?
(Gosho, p. 249)
Now more than ever with the covid-19 pandemic rampant, I hope we can all take these golden words to heart in order to achieve the peace and security of the land through the propagation of True Buddhism
Thank you!
Nichiren Daishonin's first lecture at Seichoji Temple where he refuted the errors of the other sects