Has Your Mentor or Teacher Died? What Nichiren Daishonin Wrote When He Lost His Own Teacher

When the person who guided you is gone

They believed in you before you believed in yourself. Their words shaped how you think, how you live, how you face hardship. Maybe it was a teacher, a coach, a senior in faith who sat with you through your hardest times. Or a mentor you never met in person, whose words you read every day.

For many members, this grief arrived on November 15, 2023, with the passing of Ikeda Sensei. Many wrote afterwards that they felt shattered, empty or suddenly unsure how to go on.

Losing a mentor is a particular kind of grief. It can feel like losing a compass. If you are feeling it, the Daishonin knew it from both sides: as a disciple who lost his own teacher, and as a teacher who knew his disciples would one day lose him.

What does the Gosho say about losing a mentor?

When Nichiren Daishonin's first teacher, Dozen-bo, died, he wrote a long work to repay his debt of gratitude, saying that the benefit of his efforts "will surely accumulate in the life of the late Dozen-bo" (WND-1, 737). A disciple's life carries the teacher forward. And to followers who missed him, he wrote, "If you find that you miss me, always look at the sun that rises in the morning and the moon that rises in the evening. Whatever the time, I will be reflected in the sun and the moon" (WND-1, 596).

The flower returns to the root

Dozen-bo had been the Daishonin's teacher when he entered a temple as a boy of twelve. When news of his death reached the Daishonin, he wrote On Repaying Debts of Gratitude, one of his most important works, to express his gratitude. Near the end he wrote:

> "Thus the flower will return to the root, and the essence of the plant will remain in the earth. The benefit that I have been speaking of will surely accumulate in the life of the late Dozen-bo." > — On Repaying Debts of Gratitude, WND-1, 737

A flower grows from its root. When it blooms fully, its life returns to the root that nourished it.

That is the Buddhist view of a disciple's relationship to a mentor. When you live out what your mentor taught you, when you encourage others as they encouraged you, the benefit returns to them. Your life becomes their continuing presence in the world.

Look at the sun and the moon

To the lay nun of Ko, a follower on Sado Island who longed to see him, the Daishonin wrote:

> "If you find that you miss me, always look at the sun that rises [in the morning] and the moon that rises in the evening. Whatever the time, I will be reflected in the sun and the moon. And in our next life, let us meet in the pure land of Eagle Peak." > — Letter to the Lay Nun of Ko, WND-1, 596

He wrote this while still alive, to someone far away. But his words speak to every disciple separated from their teacher: the mentor is not truly absent. They are there in the morning sun, in the evening moon, in everything they taught you.

One small step for today

Write down three things your mentor taught you that changed your life. Then choose one to put into action this week, for someone else.

Chant with gratitude for your mentor, and renew your own vow. Many members find that the best way to honour a mentor is to become, for someone else, what that mentor was for them.

Grief for a mentor is real grief. If it's making it hard to function, please talk to someone you trust, or a counsellor.

Standing up as "that one disciple"

When news of Ikeda Sensei's passing reached Nikhil, he was deeply shaken. At the same time, he felt a strong inner determination arise: now was the time to stand up as "that one disciple." He resolved to contribute wholeheartedly to his organisation's goals and immersed himself in supporting others. Many members describe the same turn: from a sense of loss to a renewed sense of mission, carrying forward what their mentor gave them.

His story, and others like it, are below.

Frequently asked questions

How do I cope with the death of my mentor?

Allow yourself to grieve, then let gratitude guide you into action. The Daishonin wrote that a disciple's efforts "will surely accumulate in the life" of the teacher (WND-1, 737).

I feel lost without my mentor's guidance. What should I do?

Return to their words: their writings, guidance, the advice they gave you. And remember the Daishonin's words: "I will be reflected in the sun and the moon" (WND-1, 596). The guidance remains.

What should I chant for after my mentor has died?

Chant with gratitude, for your mentor's eternal happiness, and to carry forward their vision through your own life and actions.

Is it okay to grieve so much for someone I never met?

Yes. A mentor's influence can be as profound as any personal relationship. Your grief reflects how much their life meant to yours.

Which Gosho should I read after losing a mentor?

On Repaying Debts of Gratitude (WND-1, 690–745) and Letter to the Lay Nun of Ko (WND-1, 595–597).

Sources

All passages are from The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume I (WND-1):

- On Repaying Debts of Gratitude, p. 737 - Letter to the Lay Nun of Ko, p. 596 - Background on Dozen-bo: Background section of On Repaying Debts of Gratitude