Sesson Doji offered his life and Gyobo Bonji ripped off his skin to seek the truth of Buddhism. Since nothing is more precious than life itself, those who dedicate their lives to the Buddhist practice are certain to attain Buddhahood. Society dictates that one should repay a great obligation to another even at the cost of his life. Many warriors die for their lords, perhaps many more than one would imagine. Birds in a tree fear that they are too low and perch in the top branches, yet bewitched by bait, they too are caught in snares.
Human beings are equally vulnerable.
They give their lives for shallow, worldly matters but rarely for the noble cause of Buddhism. Small wonder they do not attain Buddhahood. In this passage, the Daishonin teaches us the most important thing, which is to dedicate one's life. There are two important areas to dedicate one's life for. One is for worldly affairs.