Response

The opening of the eyes (kaigen in Japanese) is a Buddhist memorial service common to all schools, during which a Buddhist priest is invited to read sutras and 'introduce the soul' into a newly purchased Buddhist altar, tomb or burial tablet. By performing this eye-opening memorial service, the altar, tomb and tablets are endowed with miraculous virtues.

In the Questions and Answers on the Object of Devotion, Nichiren Daishōnin states:

"Only the Lotus Sutra should be used for the eye-opening offering of images carved in wood or painted".

In Shijō Kingo's Offering to Shakyamuni Buddha, he states:

"Instilling a divinity called 'soul' into this statue comes under the power of the Lotus Sutra (...) In the case of painted or wooden representations, we speak of 'plant awakening'."

The 31^st High Priest Nichiin Shōnin said in his memoirs: " The two painted and sculpted images were originally plants; opening their eyes so that they become the living Buddha with his marvellous awakening is the most important secret of all. ".

For his part, the 56^th High Priest Nichiō Shōnin declared:

"The vital transmission of the golden words contains the transmission of the ultimate meaning of the opening of the Honzon's eyes, anticipating the awakening of all beings and instruction of the secret wonder present in the heart of our Founder".

Thus, in this school, the opening of the eyes of the Gohonzon must be achieved through the spiritual powers of the Dai-Gohonzon of the Great Sanctuary of the Original Doctrine and the approval of the High Priest Shōnin through the "transmission of the ultimate meaning" of the "most important secret of all".