Nichiren Shōshū presents a distinctive vision of Buddhism in which the Lotus Sutra is upheld as the supreme and final teaching, uniquely suited to the present age of mappō, the Latter Day of the Law. Within this framework, Nichiren Daishonin is revered not simply as a reformer or teacher, but as the Original or True Buddha of this age, the one who fully revealed the means by which all people can awaken to their inherent Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra is understood to proclaim that every person possesses this Buddha nature, yet Nichiren Shōshū emphasizes that only through the specific form of practice Nichiren revealed can this potential be fully realized now. Other Buddhist teachings are regarded as provisional or inadequate for this era, which gives the school a strongly exclusive sense of doctrinal correctness and mission.

At the heart of this tradition stand the Three Great Secret Laws (Sandai-hihō), regarded as the distilled essence of Nichiren’s revelation. The first is the Gohonzon, especially the Dai-Gohonzon, a mandala inscribed by Nichiren that functions as the supreme object of worship and is said to embody both the person of the Buddha and the Mystic Law. The second is the daimoku, the chanting of Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō, the title of the Lotus Sutra, which is upheld as the ultimate and essential practice through which one directly accesses the Mystic Law. The third is the kaidan, the true ordination platform or sanctuary, concretely identified with the High Sanctuary at the Head Temple Taisekiji, regarded as the sole legitimate center for the full expression of this faith.

Daily religious life in Nichiren Shōshū is structured around faith, practice, and study, all oriented to these core principles. Practitioners perform gongyō, the recitation of key portions of the Lotus Sutra, together with chanting Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō before the Gohonzon, both in temple settings and at home. This chanting is believed to reveal the Buddhahood inherent in one’s life, transform karma, and even bring tangible benefit and protection, while ultimately aiming at enlightenment in this very lifetime. Propagation of the teaching, often expressed through shakubuku—directly sharing and challenging other views—is seen as a religious duty tied to the broader ideal of kosen-rufu, the widespread flourishing of this Law for the peace and transformation of society.

Underlying these practices is a distinctive view of authority and transmission. Nichiren Shōshū teaches that there exists an unbroken lineage of High Priests at Taisekiji who alone correctly inherit and interpret Nichiren Daishonin’s teaching, and who possess the sole authority to confer the Gohonzon and define orthodox doctrine. This hierarchical structure places strong emphasis on obedience to priestly guidance and on maintaining pure transmission of the Law. In this way, the sect understands itself as the unique and orthodox embodiment of Nichiren’s Buddhism, preserving the only fully efficacious path to Buddhahood through exclusive devotion to Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō as inscribed on the Gohonzon and centered on the sanctuary of Taisekiji.