Editing Nichiren (section)

==== Kaidan ====
Nichiren discusses the ordination platform (kaidan 戒壇) or place of worship'','' less frequently than the other great secret Dharmas for the mappō era. Teachings on it can be found in the ''Sandai hi hō honjōji'', a work of questionable authenticity.<ref name=":0" /> Traditionally, a kaidan is a place where the [[Buddhist ethics|Buddhist precepts]] are transmitted to [[Samanera|novices]]. However, Nichiren held that the merit of the precepts was already contained within the daimoku, and that embracing the ''Lotus Sutra'' was the only true precept in the final Dharma age. Nichiren's intentions for the establishment of an "ordination platform of the origin teaching" (honmon no kaidan 本門の戒壇) is thus far from clear, though he seems to have held that it would supercede the Tendai ordination platform on [[Mount Hiei]]. The ''Sandai hi hō honjōji'' teaches that it will be built as great Dharma center for all the people of the world once the emperor and his government all embraced the ''Lotus Sutra''.<ref name=":0" />

Nichiren left the fulfillment of the ''kaidan'' to his successors and its interpretation has been a matter of heated debate. Some state that it refers to the construction of a physical ordination platform sanctioned by the emperor; others contend that the ordination platform is the community of believers (''[[sangha]]'') or, simply, the place where practitioners of the ''Lotus Sutra'' live and make collective efforts to realize the ideal of establishing the true Dharma in order to establish peace to the land (''rissho ankoku''). The latter metaphorical interpretation is based on the ''Lotus Sūtra'' itself which states that "the place of enlightenment" is any place where one upholds the sutra. The latter conception reflects Nichiren's understanding that Buddhist practice must be grounded in a concrete place and must be engaged with the real world outside of temples and hermitages.<ref name=":0" /> It has also been interpreted as promoting engagement with the secular world as well as working to improve society.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Sueki1999" />{{rp|266,268}}<ref name=":2" />