Overcoming Obstacles in Nichiren Buddhism | Three Obstacles & Four Devils
Faith for Overcoming Obstacles
Can anyone claim that they have no problems in life?
As long as we are alive, there will be problems and challenges.
And the greater the good we want to accomplish, the greater the challenges we may encounter.
Therefore, getting intimidated or frightened by problems is not an option—especially when we are striving to spread what we believe to be the greatest good: kosen-rufu .
The important thing is not to expect a life without obstacles.
Instead, we need to understand, perceive and categorize the obstacles we encounter so that we are better equipped to face and overcome them.
We should not allow them to frighten or control us.
Obstacles Are Bound to Appear
Buddhism teaches that as we continue to persevere in our practice, obstacles and difficulties will arise to obstruct us.
It is therefore crucial to be prepared for them and establish a faith that cannot be compromised by problems or adversity.
Nichiren Daishonin states:
“There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, the rising and setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter, and spring give way to each other. Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood. At such a time, the three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat.”
The Lotus Sutra not only teaches that obstacles will arise; it also describes the forms these obstacles can take.
Understanding these concepts allows us to recognize what we are facing and maintain confidence in our Buddhist practice.
There are two important concepts we will explore:
Three Obstacles and Four Devils
Three Powerful Enemies
Three Obstacles and Four Devils
The Three Obstacles and Four Devils describe functions that hinder us in our faith and Buddhist practice.
The Three Obstacles can be understood as obstacles that manifest through circumstances and our external environment.
The Four Devils, in contrast, describe challenges arising through workings within the hearts and minds of those who believe in and practice Buddhism.
Let us look at them one by one.
The Three Obstacles
1. Obstacle of Earthly Desires
The first obstacle is the Obstacle of Earthly Desires .
Earthly desires and impulses can include the three poisons :
Greed
Anger
Foolishness
These desires can become obstacles to our Buddhist practice.
2. Obstacle of Karma
The second is the Obstacle of Karma .
This relates to evil acts or causes created in this life and the resulting circumstances.
One example can be opposition from people close to us, such as:
Spouse
Children
3. Obstacle of Retribution
The third is the Obstacle of Retribution .
This relates to evil acts committed in past lives and the difficult circumstances into which we are born or have come to live.
Examples include opposition from:
Sovereign
Parents
What Do the Three Obstacles Have in Common?
If we look at the three obstacles together, we can see that they are described as manifesting through our external environment .
They may arise through:
Our earthly desires and the three poisons
Causes created in this life
Causes from past lives
Circumstances and relationships around us
However, the external circumstances themselves are not automatically obstacles.
What matters is how they function in relation to our faith and life condition .
The Four Devils
In contrast to the Three Obstacles, the Four Devils describe challenges that arise through workings within the hearts and minds of those who believe in and practice Buddhism.
The four are:
Hindrance of the Five Components
Hindrance of Earthly Desires
Hindrance of Death
Hindrance of the Devil King
1. Hindrance of the Five Components
The Hindrance of the Five Components refers to disharmony among the workings of our body and mind.
It can manifest through:
Sensual desires — seeking pleasure through the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and physical sensation
Ill will — malice, hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness
Apathy and laziness — half-hearted behavior with little or no effort or concentration
Anxiousness — inability to calm the mind and focus our energy
Doubt — lack of certainty or confidence in our own abilities
These inner workings can interfere with our ability to maintain strong faith and consistent practice.
2. Hindrance of Earthly Desires
The second is the Hindrance of Earthly Desires .
This refers to greed, anger and foolishness—the three poisons —arising from within.
Rather than simply being external circumstances, these desires can function internally and hinder our Buddhist practice.
3. Hindrance of Death
The third is the Hindrance of Death .
This can occur when a person's Buddhist practice is cut short because of their own death.
It can also occur when the death of another practitioner, or someone close to us, causes us to doubt our Buddhist faith .
4. Hindrance of the Devil King
The fourth is the Hindrance of the Devil King , also called the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven .
It is described as one of the most fundamental kinds of devilish function in Buddhism.
The Devil King creates confusion in our minds.
For example, it may cause us to question:
“Do I really have Buddhahood?”
Or:
“Does this other person really possess Buddhahood?”
This gives rise to fundamental darkness .
The workings of the Devil King can also create confusion in the minds of our spouse, family members, rulers or authorities, causing them to try to stop us from practicing, persecute us or oppress us.
An Important Point About Obstacles and Devils
It is important to understand that earthly desires, hunger, foolishness, spouses, children, parents, sovereigns or death do not themselves automatically constitute obstacles or devils .
Rather, what causes them to function as the Three Obstacles and Four Devils is the weakness of our own life force that allows us to be negatively influenced by them.
This distinction is important.
The external circumstance itself is not necessarily the obstacle.
What matters is how that circumstance functions in relation to our life condition, faith and practice .
How Should We Respond to Obstacles?
When obstacles arise, we should not immediately think:
“Something is going wrong with my Buddhist practice.”
Instead, we can recognize the appearance of obstacles as a challenge to our faith.
It is crucial to have the conviction that:
This is precisely the time for me to make great progress toward attaining Buddhahood.
As wise people who rejoice in such challenges, we should persevere in our faith and overcome them.
The key is therefore not to run away from obstacles but to strengthen our faith and challenge them .
The Three Powerful Enemies
The Lotus Sutra also describes three kinds of opponents who will persecute those who strive to spread its teachings in the Latter Day of the Law .
These opponents are called the Three Powerful Enemies .
They are:
Arrogant Lay People
Arrogant Monks
Arrogant False Sages
Let us understand each one.
1. Arrogant Lay People
Arrogant lay people are ordinary people who are ignorant of the correct teaching.
They may subject practitioners to:
Cursing
Abuse
Speaking ill of them
Slander
They may even go as far as attacking practitioners with weapons .
2. Arrogant Monks
Arrogant monks are Buddhist clergy who fail to understand the correct teaching.
They become attached to their own ways of thinking and consider themselves superior to others.
As a result, they may:
Harass practitioners
Persecute practitioners
Oppose those who uphold the Lotus Sutra
3. Arrogant False Sages
The third category is the Arrogant False Sages .
These are presented as sages or highly respected priests who may appear worthy of respect.
They may reside in places removed from society and appear outwardly respectable.
However, internally they may be consumed by greed and desires for profit .
Rather than directly confronting practitioners, they may work against the votaries of the Lotus Sutra by:
Conniving with authorities
Influencing senior officials
Encouraging those in power to oppress practitioners
Of the three, the Arrogant False Sages are presented as the most formidable and pernicious.
The reason is that they can be difficult to recognize.
They may appear outwardly respectable and do not necessarily confront practitioners directly.
Their intentions may become apparent only when persecution actually takes place.
The Common Element: Arrogance
If we look at all three Powerful Enemies, there is a common theme:
Arrogance.
The opponents act from a sense of superiority and self-importance.
They may:
Feel superior to others
Belittle others
Display high-handedness
Place excessive importance on themselves
Look down on those who hold different beliefs
Recognizing this common characteristic helps us understand the Three Powerful Enemies.
Three Obstacles, Four Devils and Three Powerful Enemies
At this point, it can be helpful to distinguish the two concepts.
Three Obstacles and Four Devils
These describe functions that hinder our faith and practice .
They can manifest through:
External circumstances
Our own inner workings
Relationships
Death
Fundamental darkness
Three Powerful Enemies
These describe three types of opponents who persecute those striving to spread the Lotus Sutra's teachings in the Latter Day of the Law .
So, in simple terms:
Three Obstacles and Four Devils → Functions that hinder our practice
Three Powerful Enemies → Opponents who persecute practitioners
Nichiren Daishonin's Life as Actual Proof
Now, look at the life of Nichiren Daishonin .
He experienced the very types of persecution and obstacles described in the Lotus Sutra.
If you go back to the study of the Life of Nichiren Daishonin , you can map these concepts to actual events in his life.
From Matsubagayatsu , Izu Exile , Komatsubara , Tatsunokuchi , Sado Exile and Atsuhara , we can see how his life unfolded amid repeated persecution and opposition.
The same framework can also be applied when studying the lives and struggles of the three presidents of Soka Gakkai .
This makes the concept of obstacles more than simply a theoretical teaching.
It gives us a framework for understanding what happens when we challenge ourselves in faith and strive toward kosen-rufu .
What Should We Remember?
When facing difficulties in our Buddhist practice, remember:
Obstacles are inevitable.
Do not be frightened by them.
Understand what you are facing.
Strengthen your faith.
Use the challenge as an opportunity to develop your life.
And most importantly:
“The wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat.”
The appearance of obstacles can become an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of our faith and advance toward Buddhahood and kosen-rufu .
Key Points to Remember
Problems and challenges are an inevitable part of life.
Buddhism teaches that obstacles arise when we persevere in Buddhist practice.
Nichiren Daishonin states that when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood, the Three Obstacles and Four Devils will invariably appear .
The Three Obstacles are:
Obstacle of Earthly Desires
Obstacle of Karma
Obstacle of Retribution
The Four Devils are:
Hindrance of the Five Components
Hindrance of Earthly Desires
Hindrance of Death
Hindrance of the Devil King
The Devil King is also called the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven .
The Devil King can create confusion and fundamental darkness concerning our own Buddhahood and the Buddhahood of others.
The Three Powerful Enemies are:
Arrogant Lay People
Arrogant Monks
Arrogant False Sages
The Three Powerful Enemies are described as opponents who persecute those who spread the Lotus Sutra's teachings in the Latter Day of the Law .
Arrogant False Sages are presented as particularly difficult to recognize because they may appear outwardly respectable.
The common characteristic of the Three Powerful Enemies is arrogance .
Obstacles themselves should not automatically be viewed as signs of failure.
We should strengthen our faith, challenge obstacles and use them as opportunities for growth.
The life of Nichiren Daishonin provides examples of repeatedly confronting persecution and obstacles while advancing his mission.
A Simple Framework to Remember
When you face a major challenge, remember three things:
1. Recognize
What kind of obstacle or opposition am I facing?
2. Strengthen
Is my faith becoming stronger or weaker because of this challenge?
3. Advance
How can I use this challenge to develop my life and advance toward Buddhahood and kosen-rufu?
The objective is not to create a life without obstacles.
The objective is to develop a life condition strong enough that no obstacle can defeat us .