h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The fivefold comparison was established by Nichiren Daishonin (circa 1272-"The Opening of the Eyes" gosho) as a criteria for the comparative evaluation of philosophies and religions.

The five comparisons:
1)Buddhism is superior to non-buddhist teachings.
In essence, the philosophy of buddhism is considered superior to non-buddhist teachings mainly because non-buddhist teachings are not as profound as the buddhist teachings. Non-buddhist teachings do not reveal the causal law of life that is ever present in the three existences of past, present, and future. What this means in plain language is that buddhism is a philosophy that explains the necessity of suffering and the relation between that which we sow and that which we reap. At it's very core, buddhism is a philosophy of self actualization and acceptance of responsibility for one's life and one's current circimstances, whatever they may be. Non-buddhist teachings generally attribute the cause of one's "fate" to external factors, such as transcendent beings or deities. This comparison is also called the comparison of the "Inner Way" to that of the "Outer Way."

2) Mahayana Buddhism is Superiour to Hinayana Buddhism
Hinayana Buddhism is the buddhism from times before Shakyamuni Buddha. Hinayana Buddhism, also known as the 'lesser vehicle,' is concerned soley with the emancipation of the individual. Within this school of buddhist thought, earthly desires are seen as the cause of suffering, and, therefore, suffering is eliminated only through ridding oneself of earthly desires. Emancipation is occaissioned through austere practices. In truth, the only way to truly relieve earthly desires from the human form is through extinguishing the body and mind-the sources of suffering.
Mahayana Buddhism is the Buddhism expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha. Mahayana Buddhism, known as the 'greater vehicle,' is focused on the salvation of the practitioner and the salvation of others. One's practice is 'for self and others.' Enlightenment for the sake of enlightenment is an oxymoron, whereas enlightenment for the sake of relieving the suffering of humanity is true enlightenment. In Mahayana Buddhism, earthly desires are used as tools to achieve enlightenment. We can redirect and transform our earthly desires into a source of enlightenment by awakening us to our innate Buddha nature and establishing the Buddha nature as our fundamental state of life.

3) True Mahayana is superior to Provisional Mahayana.
Over the course of his life, Shakyamuni Buddha expounded many teachings. He developed these teachings based upon the capacity of the people to whom he preached. These teachings are all the various sutras up to, but not including the Lotus Sutra. In these teachings, it is expressed that people of the Two vehicles (Learning and Realization), women, and evil persons could not attain enlightenment. It was also believed that Buddhahood could only be attained by progressing through various progressive stages of bodhisattva practice over several lifetimes. It was believed that Shakyamuni attained enlightenment in India under the bodhi tree.
Within the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni expresses a full and direct statement of his enlightenment. In this sutra, the final sutra of his life and the one which he taught for the remaining 8 years of his life, he declares that every person, no matter their gender, life condition or status, has a Buddha nature. And person may attain enlightenment only by realizing that nature. True Mahayana teachings also express the mutual possession of the 10 worlds and reveal that Shakyamuni originally attained enlightenment in the remote past.

4) The Essential Teaching of the Lotus Sutra (Ch 15-28) is superior to the Theoretical Teaching (Ch 1-14)
Within The Theoretical Teaching of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni is still described as having achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in India in the not too distant past. This is considered to be Shakyamuni in his transient role.
The Essential Teachings, the core of which is Ch 16-Life Span, takes the form of preaching by Shakyamuni Buddha, who has discarded his transient status and revealed his true identity as the original buddha who attained Buddhahood in the remote past. In essence, Shakyamuni was born into this world as a common deluded mortal to achieve Buddhahood and show human kind, through his own example, that Buddhahood is inseparable from ordinary human experience.

5) The Buddhism of Sowing is Superior to the Buddhism of the Harvest.
Shakyamuni's teachings represent that of the harvest. Shakyamuni expounded the teachings (sowing), lectured and discussed the various tenets (nurturing), and assisted his followers to achieve enlightenment (harvesting). Buddhism of the Harvest is only possible for those who have received teaching from the Shakyamuni Buddha.
Nichiren Daishonin studied all the various sutras of Buddhist teachings. He revealed that the essence and truth of the Buddhist philosophy is the essential phrase, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Nichiren's analysis of the Lotus Sutra reveals Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to be the core of the Essential Teachings of Shakyamuni. Once the seed of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo has been planted, Buddhahood can manifested in this lifetime through embracing the law.