The Essentials of Nichiren Buddhism
The Lif Lifee of Nichi hire ren n Dais Da ishon honin in hir ren Daish Dai shon onin PART 1
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I. Birth, Entering the Priesthood, Studies
his article begins a new series based on the Soka Gakkai Study Department’s recently published book Kyoga Kyogaku ku no Kiso (Essentials (Essen tials of Study). Study). The first two installments of “The Essentials of Nichiren Buddhism” give an overview of the events of Nichiren Daishonin’s life. This month we cover the Daishonin’s Daishonin’s birth, his early Buddhist educaeducation, the establishment establishment of his Buddhism Buddhism and the early persecutions that resulted from his efforts to spread his teachings. teachings. Part Two, Two, which will appear appear in the March Living Buddhism , co cover verss the Daishonin’s greatest persecution, the Sado exile, and the events of his final years.
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ichiren Daishonin1 was born on the sixteenth day of the second month of 12222 in a fishing village called Kataumi in Awa Province 3, on Japan’s Japan’s Pacifi Pacificc coast. coast. His childhood name was Zen’nichi-maro Zen’nichi-maro — zen meaning “good” “go od” and nichi, “sun. “sun.”” Maro was was a common endending for a boy’s name. Regarding his birth, the Daishonin writes, “Nichiren...in this life was born poor and lowly to a chandala4 family” (“Letter from Sado, Sado,”” The Writings 303). ). Her Heree and and in in other other of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 303 statements, the Daishonin points points out that he was born not with status or privilege but among the class of commoners who made their living through fishing.
ESSENTIAL STUDY
At twelve5, he entered an Awa Awa Province Province temple called Seicho-ji, to begin his primary education. There was no public school system in Japan then, and education for the children of non-privileged families was available available only at Buddhist temples. Seicho-ji was a prestigious and influential Tendai school temple in the area. Although the Tendai Tendai school of Buddhism upheld the Lotus Sutra, at Seicho-ji temple Esoteric Buddhism6 and the Pure Land (Nembutsu) (Nembu tsu) teachings teachings — neithe neitherr of which regarded the Lotus Sutra Sutra highly — were also practice practiced. d. Beginning early in his stay at Seicho-ji, Seicho-ji, the Daishonin would pray before a statue of Bodhisattva Space Treasury Treasury enshrined at the temple with the desire and vow to become “the wisest person in in all Japa Japan” n” (cf (cf.. WND WND,, 17 175). 5). Why such such an an extraordinary desire? We can surmise from his writings that, that, even as a very very young man, man, he sought sought the wisdom to answer important questions. questions. For example, the year before before his birth, birth, there was was an unsettling turn of events known as the Jokyu Disturbance, in which the retired retired Emperor Gotoba, Gotoba, along with two other retired emperors, emperors, attempted to overthrow overthro w the shogunate (the military government headquartered in Kamakura). The imperial forces forces were defeated, and the three leaders were exiled. exiled. Nichiren Daishonin questioned why the imperial family — the long-established sovereign of the country — had suffered suffered such a tragic defeat defeat even though though it had sponsored the offering of prayers for victory by priests of the prestigious Tendai and True Word Buddhist schools. In addition, though Buddhism was was the teaching of one Buddha, Shak Shakyamun yamuni, i, the Daishonin Daishonin sought to know why why it had become so sectarian, having divided into many competing branches or schools. He was concerned concerned that, though Buddhism existed existed to save ordinary people from suffering and to establish peace and stability in society, society, it seemed to lack the power to actually accomplish these things. His writings tell us that as a youth he pursued the wisdom and capability to lead people and society away away from suffering — the purpose for which Buddhism was intended. intended. He thus decided at sixteen to become a priest, renouncing secular secular life and
devoting himself entirely to Buddhist study. Entering the priesthood under the tutelage of Dozen-bo, Dozen -bo, a senior senior priest at the temple, temple, he took the name Zesho-bo Rencho (Rencho meaning Lotus Growth). He continued his his studies at the centers centers of Buddhist learning in Kamakura, Ky Kyoto oto and Nara. Carefully reading reading all the sutras available available to him, he delved into the essential doctrines of both the Hinayana and Mahayana Mahayana streams of Buddhism. Buddhism. In “Letter to the Priests of Seicho-ji,” Seicho-ji,” referring to himself in the third person, the Daishonin explains that he gained the ability to grasp the comparative merits of all the Buddhist sutras and teachings: “[As a youth] he received great wisdom from the living Bodhisattva Space Treasury Treasury.. He prayed to the bodhisattva to become the wisest wisest person in Japan. Japan. The bodhisattva must have have taken pity on him, for he presented him with a great jewel as brilliant as the morning star, star, which Nichiren tucked away away in his right sleeve. Thereafter Thereafter,, on perusing the entire body of sutras, he was able to discern discern in essence the relative worth of the eight schools as well as of all the script scr iptur ures” es” (WN (WND, D, 650 650). ). The “great “great jewel” jewel” to which he refers is the wisdom of the Mystic Law, the universal law by which all Buddhas become enlightened and the foundation of all other Buddhist teachings. In the course of his studies, Nichiren Daishonin Daishonin arrived at some key key conclusions, which may be summarized as follows: • The Lotus Sutra is supreme among all the sutras that Shakyamuni Buddha expounded. • The Mystic Law, Law, to which Nichiren Daishonin had awakened, awakened, is Nam-myoho-reng Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, e-kyo, the core teaching of of the Lotus Lotus Sutra. Sutra. In the Lotus Lotus Sutra, Sutra, the Buddha entrusts the Bodhisattvas of the Earth with the mission of spreading the sutra’s teaching and saving the people in the Latter Day of the Law.7 • The Daishonin recognized recognized that, having awakened awakened to this essence essence of the sutra, sutra, or the Mystic Mystic Law, Law, he, specifically,, was the one to fulfill the mission of the leader of ically the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, Earth, Bodhisattva Superior Superior Practices. That mission was to reveal the Mystic Mystic Law as the teaching to be spread in the Latter Day. • The various Buddhist doctrines being promul-
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ROUTES OF THE DAISHONIN’S TRAVELS
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PLACES RELATED TO NICHIREN DAISHONIN
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gated in Japan at the time all shared a common element— ment — they slande slandered red the Law; Law; that that is, they all rejected the correct correct teaching, the Lotus Sutra. Because of his rebuking the slander committed by these schools, schools, the Daishonin Daishonin concluded, concluded, great diffidifficulties and persecutions would surely assail him.
II. Declaring the Establishment of His Teaching
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n the course of of his studies, the Daishonin thus confirmed his mission to propagate the Mystic Law and decided on the means to accomplish this. He resolved resolved to begin spreading his teaching, well aware that this would invite harsh opposition. At noon on the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month of 1253, at a hall in Seicho-ji temple called called the Jibutsu-do, the Daishonin refuted refuted the Pure Pure Land and other Buddhist schools. Resoundingl Resoundinglyy, he chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Nam-myoho-renge-kyo,, proclaiming it as the one and only correct teaching capable of saving the people of the Latter Day of the Law. This event is known as his declaration of the establishm estab lishment ent of his teaching. In addition, addition, on this occasion, he changed his name from from Rencho to Nichiren (Sun Lotus). Nichiren Daishonin’s strict refutation of the Pure Land school enraged its devout believer Tojo Kagenobu, the steward of Tojo Tojo Village in Awa Province where where Seicho-ji was was located. Because Kagenobu seemed intent intent upon harming him, other priests at the temple assisted the Daishonin in leaving Seicho-ji. Having avoided avoided Kagenobu’s reach, reach, the Daishonin then prepared to leave for Kamakura. Before departing, however however,, he led his parents to take faith in his teaching, teaching, bestowing upon his father the Buddhist name Myonichi (Mystic Sun) and upon his mother, mother, Myoren (Mystic Lotus). Lotus). Once in Kamakura, the Daishonin took up residence in the area of Nagoe, in a simple dwelling at a place called Matsubagayatsu. Matsubagayatsu. From here he propagated his teachings. He focused on refuting the doctrines of the widely popular Pure Land and Zen schools while expounding the correct teaching of the Lotus Sutra, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Sakamoto Photo Research Laboratory/CORBIS
Though Buddhism was the teaching of one Buddha, Shakyamuni, Nichiren Daishonin sought to know why it had become so sectarian, having divided into many competing branches or schools. He was concerned that, though Buddhism existed to save ordinary people from suffering and to establish peace and stability in society, it seemed to lack the power to actually accomplish these things.
and spreading that practice to others. In the eleventh eleventh month of 1253, 1253, a person who would take the name Nissho and become one of the Daishonin’s six senior priest disciples visited the Daishonin at Matsubagayatsu and embraced his teachings. That same year year,, Toki Jonin, Jonin, a retainer of lord Chiba, the provincial provincial constable of Shimosa Province (which includes the northern part of present-day Chiba Prefecture), Prefecture), became a follower of the Daishonin.. His message resonated Daishonin resonated with more people and accordingly, accordingly, the number of those who embraced his teachings grew steadily steadily. Around 1256, 1256, such lay followers follow ers as Shijo Kingo, Kingo, Kudo Yoshitaka, Yoshitaka, and Ikegami Munenaka Munenaka took faith. The Daishonin held lectures at his dwelling dwelling and elsewhere, elsewhere, and he began to set his teachings down down in writing. During that time, he authored such works works as “Questions and Answers on the Various Schools” (Gosho Zenshu, pp. 375–82 375–82), ), and “On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifeti Lifetime” me” (WND (WND,, 3–4 3–4). ).
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III. Submitting “On Establishing the Correct Teaching” and the Persecution that Resulted
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s Nichiren Daishonin was commencing his propagation activities activities in Kamakura, almost every year saw natural disturbances such as unusual weather patterns and great earthquakes. quak es. Major famines, famines, fires and epidemics epidemics were rampant. In particular particular,, a severe severe earthquake earthquake rocked rocked the area in the eighth month of 1257, toppling many important structures in Kamakura and inflicting widespread injury and damage. damage. The people’s misery and despair deepened. In response to these circumstanc circumstances, es, the Daishonin strove to clarify the fundamental cause for the afflictions of his nation and to reveal the means for eradicating eradicating them. In the second month of 1258, 1258, he entered Iwamoto Iwamoto Jisso-ji, a temple in Suruga
POP
QUI Z Z
1) What was the date of Nichiren Daishonin’s birth? To what class of thirteenth-century Japanese society was he born? 2) What moved the Daishonin to vow to become “the wisest person in all Japan”? 3) What conclusions did the Daishonin reach after his extensive study at the centers of Buddhist learning in Kamakura, Ky Kyoto oto and Nara? 4) On what date did Nichiren Daishonin found his Buddhism? 5) What is the core message of the Daishonin’s treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”? 6) Thus far, what major persecutions have have befallen the Daishoni Daishonin? n?
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Province (today, Province (today, central Shizuoka Prefecture), Prefecture), where he carefully carefully perused the Buddhist sutras. sutras. It was at this time that Nikko, later the Daishonin’s Daishonin’s immediate successor, successor, became his disciple. Based on this research, Nichiren Daishonin Daishonin wrote his treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.” Land.” On the sixteenth day of the seventh seventh month of 1260, 1260, he submitted that document to the retired regent, regent, Hojo Tokiyori, the most powerful figure in the Kamakura shogunate. This is known known as the first of his his remonstrations with the soverei sovereign. gn. In “On Establishing the Correct Teaching,” Teaching,” the Daishonin first points out that the cause for the nation’s continual calamities lay in the people having turned their backs on the correct Buddhist teaching and instead supporting erroneous doctrines and teachers. The prime example of such an erroneous erroneous teaching was that of the Pure Land school founded by Honen. (Pure Land based itself itself on the Nembutsu practice— practice — chanting the name of the Buddha Buddha Amida in hopes of being reborn by virtue of Amida’s grace in the Pure Land of Perfect Bliss.) The Daishonin also asserted that if the people of Japan would withdraw their support for this “one evil doctrine” doctrine” of the Pure Land teaching and place their faith in the correct teaching, teaching, this would ensure the realization of a peaceful and secure land. If they did did not heed heed this advice, advice, he warned, warned, then among the calamities and disasters described in the sutras to befall those who oppose the correct teaching, the two two that had yet to occur occur — internal strife and invasion invasion from abroad abroad — would definitel definitelyy happen. By addressing addressing Hojo Tokiy Tokiyori, ori, the de facto leader of of the nation, nation, in this treatise, treatise, the Daishonin Daishonin admonished the rulers to quickly embrace the correct teaching of Buddhism. The shogunate shogunate leaders, leaders, however however,, ignored his earnest appeal. Worse, prominent Pure Land adherents, with the quiet support of key government government officials, conspired to attack Nichiren Daishonin. Daishonin. In 1260, on the evening of of the twenty-seventh twenty-seventh day of the eighth month, a group of Pure Pure Land believers attacked the Daishonin’s dwelling at Matsubagay Matsu bagayatsu, atsu, inten intending ding to kill him. Those
responsible for the assault were backed by Hojo Shigetoki Shig etoki,, the father of Hojo Nagatoki Nagatoki,, then the regent of the Kamakura governmen government. t. The incident became known as the Matsubagayatsu Persecution. Fortunately ortunately,, the Daishonin narrowly avoided the assault. assaul t. For a time, he left Kamakura. Kamakura. When the Daishonin returned the following year on the twelfth day of the fifth month of 1261, the government government had him arrested and, and, without a full investigation, exiled him to Ito on the Izu peninsula (southwest of Kamakura along the Pacific coast). coast). A fisherman named Funamori Funamori Yasaburo and his wife supported and protected him during this banishment. While in Izu the Daishonin was asked and agreed to pray for a cure to the serious illness of the steward stewa rd of the area, Ito Hachiro Hachiro Saemon. Saemon. Ito Hachiro recovered and became a believer in the Daishonin’s teachings. In addition, addition, durin duringg this period of exile, exile, the Daishonin authored such writings as “The Four Debts of Gratitude” and “Teaching, “Teaching, Capacity Capacity,, Time, and Country, Country,” in which he made clear that because he was persecuted severely for spreading the Lotus Lotus Sutra, Sutra, he was indee indeed d its votary votary— — the votary predicted by the sutra itself. In the second month of 1263, at the instruction of Hojo Tokiyori, Tokiyori, the Daishonin was pardoned, ending what became known known as the Izu Exile, and he returned to Kamakura. The following year, year, he visited his home province of Awa. Awa. On the eleventh day day of the eleventh month, 1264, Nichiren Daishonin and several several of his followers were on their way to the home of the lay follower Kudo Yoshitaka, at Amatsu in the same province pro vince.. At a place called Komatsubara Komatsubara,, they were attacked by a large group of warriors led by the area steward, Tojo Kagenobu. Kudo Yoshitaka Yoshitaka received word of the attack and rushed with a party of warriors to defend the Daishonin. He was killed in in the ensuing struggle, along with another of the Daishonin’s disciples, a priest named Kyonin-bo. Kyonin-bo. The Daishonin was cut on the forehead by a sword, and his left hand was was broken. This incident is known as the Komatsubara Persecution.
CORBIS
Nichiren Daishonin realized his mission to propagate the Mystic Law and decided on the means to accomplish this. At noon on the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month of 1253, he chanted Nammyoho-renge-kyo, proclaiming it as the one and only correct teaching capable of saving the people of the Latter Day of the Law.
Next month: “The Tatsunokuc Tatsunokuchi hi Persecution Persecution — Revealing His True Identity” 1. Daishonin: an honorific meaning meaning “great sage.” When applied to Nichiren, it expresses a recognition recognition of his role as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. Law. Throughou Throughoutt the series, “The Daishonin” Daishonin” will be used as an alternate reference for Nichiren Daishonin. 2. The sixteenth day day of the second lunar month of 1222 corresponds to April 6, 1222, by the Gregorian Gregorian calendar. calendar. Dates in this series series relating to Nichiren Daishonin’s lifetime are expressed in numbered months to denote the lunar calendar used in Japan at the time. 3. The Daishonin’s Daishonin’s birthplace — Kataumi in Tojo Village, Nagasa District, Awa Province — is today the town of Amatsu-Kominato in Awa County of Chiba Prefecture, Prefecture, Japan. 4. Chandala Chandala:: A Sanskrit and Pali term for the class of untouchable untouchabless below the lowest of the four castes in the ancient Indian caste system. People in this class handled corpses, corpses, butchere butchered d animals, and carried out other tasks associated with death or the killing of living things. Nichiren declared declared himself to be a member of the chandala class because he was born to a fisherman’s family. 5. In reckoning a person’s person’s age in Japan, Japan, from ancient times until until as recently as 1950, an infant was considered to be one year old at birth and a year added with the passing of each New Year’s Day. Day. Ages given in this article follow that system. In referring to the age of Nichiren Daishonin or his contemporaries, this system will be followed. 6. Esoteric Buddhism: Buddhism: A stream of Buddhist thought deriving from Indian Tantrism that reveres as supreme the cosmic Buddha Mahavairochana and centers its practice on mudras (mystic hand gestures) mantras (magical spoken formulas) and mandalas (painted diagrams representing Buddhas, Bodhisattvass and various esoteric Bodhisattva esoteric deities and doctrines). doctrines). Esoteric tradition was not confined to one particular school, but informed the practices of various schools; in Japan, however, the True True Word Word school adopted esoteric practices almost exclusively. 7. Latter Day of the Law: the period in which Shakyamuni’s Shakyamuni’s teachings are predicted to lose their power to save the people, thought to begin 2,000 years after Shakyamuni’s death.
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