[2003 was] the 750th anniversary of Nichiren Shonin chanting Odaimoku for the first time, in the year 1253. In all of human history, there may be no other person who has had such an extraordinary and eventful life as Nichiren Shonin. He experienced near execution once, exile twice, and the number of assaults by assassins against him was uncountable. He said in a letter late in his life, “I faced major persecution four times, and other persecutions were uncountable.” However, despite the many persecutions, his faith and motivation continued to deepen. How could he endure so many persecutions? In the Lotus Sutra, Chapter XIII, Bodhisattvas vow to the Buddha that they will expound the Lotus Sutra after the Buddha passes away. They say, “Buddha, do not worry! We will expound this sutra in the dreadful, evil world after your extinction. Ignorant people will speak ill of us, abuse us, and threaten us with swords or sticks, but we will endure all this … We will wear the armor of endurance because we respect and believe you. We will not spare anything, even our lives. We treasure only unsurpassed enlightenment. .. because we are thinking of your teaching and command … We are your messengers.” (Murano 1991, p.206-208)
For Nichiren Shonin, persecution was proof of the truth of the Lotus Sutra and its prophecy, which was expounded over 2500 years ago. Therefore, he came to realize that he was a Bodhisattva (practitioner of the Lotus Sutra) by himself, as a result of having to face persecutions.
Motivation
Nichiren Shonin was born a son of a fisherman’s family on February 16, 1222, in the tiny fishing village of Kominato, on the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula, in Chiba Prefecture. He was named Zen-nichi-maro. His father was Nukina Jira Shigetada, hls mother, Umegiku. He had been fond of studying since he was a child, and he had some questions: “Who is the Buddha? Amida? Which is the right sect and the right teaching? If Buddhism is supposed to bring peace and happiness, why is the country always disturbed by civil war and so many disasters? Especially, why do many Amida priests’ lives come to a bad end?”
At the age of twelve, he went to Seichoji Temple to study Buddhism, and Confucianism as well. At the age of sixteen, he made the decision to become an ordained priest under the Master Dozen, in order to find the answers he sought. His priestly name was Zesho-bo Rencho, or “Lotus Eternal”.
In those days, Seichoji had a library of many books and materials, and functioned as a school or university. As he was keen on learning, after four years of studying Nichiren Shonin had mastered all the subjects in the temple, and there was no one who could teach him any more. After his four years of study, he left the temple with his master’s permission, and went to Kamakura, Kyoto, Osaka, and Koyasan for a journey of studying. He also went to Hieizan, to attend the highest institution of learning in Japan. He continued to study and practice there for another 12 years.
Proclamation
As a result of his studies, he was convinced that
the Lotus Sutra was definitely the ultimate teaching which explains best of all, and most fully, the Buddha’s will. There is no other true teaching except the Lotus Sutra to save all living beings throughout the past, present, and future. He established his view of Buddhism based on the Lotus Sutra, and was prepared for persecutions for trying to reform Buddhism. As an expression of his determination, he changed his name to “Nichi-ren” or the Sun and Lotus: “Nichi” comes from Chapter XXI of the Lotus Sutra: “The light of the sun and the moon eliminates all darkness”; “Ren” from Chapter XV; “They are not defiled by worldliness just as the Lotus Flower is not defiled by water”. He returned to Seichjoji Temple and his hometown with his restorative fruit, where Master Dozen was delighted about his return.
In the early morning of April 28, 1253, on the top of Mt. Kiyosumi, facing the Pacific Ocean, Nichiren Shonin chanted Odaimoku ten times hile facing the rising sun, and vowed to reform Buddhism all over the world. This meant that he vowed to the Buddha to follow the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, and to save all living beings. This is the day Nichiren Shu was established. After that, he delivered his first sermon to an audience in Seichoji Temple. As he had suspected they might be, most of the audience were frightened, angry and mad at his teaching, especially those who believed in the Nembutsu Sect who recited the name of Amida Buddha, including Tojo Kagenobu, who was the ruling Lord of Kominato. He screamed out orders for Nichiren’s immediate execution, but Master Dozen stopped him and helped ichiren Shonin escape to the city of Kamakura during the night. After that, 1ichiren Shonin energetically started to expound the Lotus Sutra in Kamakura.
Features of the Lotus Sutra
Nichiren Shonin focused on the Lotus Sutra out of the many number of Buddhist scriptures. The features of the Lotus Sutra are:
The Eternal Buddha
Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, revealed his true figure for the first time in the Lotus Sutra: He had already attained Buddhahood long ago as the Eternal Buddha, even before He was born as a prince 2500 years ago. He is in this world eternally to save all living beings, throughout the past, present, and future. Therefore, all other Buddhas are regarded as His replicas.
The One Vehicle to Buddhahood
In other teachings of Buddhism, there were some exceptional people who were denied Buddhahood, such as selfish practitioners, wicked people and women. But the Lotus Sutra denied this discriminating idea, and gives them an assurance that they will equally be able to attain Buddhahood.
3000 Existences Contained in One Thought
This is the principle in the Lotus Sutra with which all living beings attain enlightenment. The Lotus Sutra expounds to us a way to attain enlightenment equal to that of the Buddha.
Awakening own Buddha-nature
The Lotus Sutra teaches us that through the faith of Sakyamuni Buddha, we will not only receive compassion from the Buddha, but also be able to deliver our compassion to others, as a Buddha. This is the Buddha’s command. This teaching doesn’t appear in any other teachings of Buddhism apart from the Lotus Sutra, which was expounded for eight years before the Buddha passed away.
Matsubagayatsu Persecution
In those days, Japan faced constant disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, famine and disease. These were an indication to Nichiren Shonin that if something were not done to end the present calamities and to avert similar disasters in the future, a disaster would soon come. His plan for saving the country was set down clearly in his essay Rissho Ankoku-ron: establish the right law and save the country of Japan, otherwise, civil war would occur and other countries would invade in the future. Nichiren Shonin engaged in propagation in Kamakura, and he remonstrated with the military government by submitting his essay to them. On the night of August 27, 1260, a ruthless mob crept through the darkness towards Matsubagayatsu, where his hermitage was, and they attacked his hermitage with the intention of murdering him, but miraculously he escaped, at the age of 39.
Komatsubara Persecution
When he was 43, Nichiren Shonin received a message that his mother was near death, and he hurried to Kominato. Unfortunately, he was too late, and by the time he arrived, his mother had already passed away. He chanted the Sutra for his mother, and then a miracle happened. The breath whispered once more from her body, and her health was soon restored under her son’s gentle care. Her life was extended for another four years. Those who witnessed the miracle gathered to listen to his teaching and many people converted. The news of this disgusted Lord Tojo Kagenobu. At this time, he made a plan to murder Nichiren Shonin that could not fail.
On November 11, 1264, in a pine forest called Komatsubara, Kagenobu and his troops ambushed Nichiren Shonin on his way to a follower’s house. As he was travelling, suddenly from the darkness, a troop of well-armed men fell upon the defenseless priest and his retainers. Nichiren Shonin later described the attack, ‘We were waylaid by hundreds of the Nembutsu followers. We were about ten in number. Arrows flew like rainfall, and swords sparked like lightning. One of my disciples was killed, and two others seriously wounded. I had cuts and blows, but fortunately managed to survive.” Kagenobu attacked Nichiren Shonin with a sword while on horseback. Nichiren Shonin deflected the sword with his Juzu, but the sword broke his left arm and wounded his forehead with a deep cut. The frightened horse threw off Kagenobu, and he struck his head on a rock. He died one week later. After this persecution, ichiren Shonin was motivated more deeply, and knew that he was a messenger of the Buddha.
Tatsunokuchi Persecution
The leader of the Nembutsu movement, Ryokan, had a grudge against Nichiren Shonin due to having been defeated by him in a competition to pray for rain. He submitted a document to the government falsely accusing Nichiren of collecting bows and arrows and all manner of weapons, and inviting rebels and outlaws to gather at his hut. Nichiren Shonin was arrested again, and unjustly found guilty of high treason. He was officially sentenced to exile, but actually, there was a plot to have him executed immediately.
On September 12, 1271, he was placed astride a saddleless horse, and led to Tatsunokuchi, an execution ground, surrounded by many guards. After midnight, all was prepared. Behind him stood the executioner, with sword, and armed guards surrounded them. Kneeling, Nichiren Shonin started to chant, “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo”. All of a sudden, a “ball of light” fell to the executioner’s sword, the sword shattered in three pieces, and the soldiers ran in fright. There was panic in the execution ground. The plot had failed, but Nichiren Shonin was still sent to Sado Island, age 50.
Sado Persecution
November 1, 1271. Sado is an isolated island, surrounded by waves tossing and crashing against the rock-strewn coastline, creating a most effective prison wall, in this primitive wildness. No one could escape from this island. Nichiren Shonin was given a small shelter, an abandoned Buddhist shrine. Even here in exile, a samurai, Abutsu, had a design on Nichiren Shonin’s life, but Nichiren Shonin pacified him with the Lotus Sutra, and Abutsu became Nichiren Shonin’s disciple. He and his wife secretly supplied Nichiren Shonin with food, clothing and firewood. He survived his first winter on Sado. ichiren Shonin wrote two important essays in Sado, Kaimoku-sho and Kanjin Honzon-sho.
In 1273, the military government reccivctl am ·ssag · from the Mongols, threatening to invade Japan. They remembered the advice Nichiren Shonin had given in the Rissho Ankoku-ron. They issued an edict ending his exile and allowed him to return to Kamakura, age 53.
Entering Mount Minobu
Nichiren Shonin was summoned by the military government for an interview about the Mongol’s attack. He answered the questions put to him logically and firmly. They seemed to listen to his advice, but that was only temporary. Nichiren Shonin made a decision to retreat to Mt. Minobu based on the proverb: “If you admonish them three times and they hear not, then leave.”
On May 12, 1274, Nichiren Shonin left Kamakura for a five day journey to Mt. Minobu, on the West side of Mt. Fuji. He built a tiny hermitage on Mt. Minobu. This isolated retreat became his first – and last – peaceful dwelling place. “This dwelling place of mine surpasses the Holy Eagle Peak of India. I am the richest being in the whole world … Like screens, steep mountains surround my abode. Trees and grasses grow luxuriantly, wolves howl, and deer woo each other in the forested mountain.” He engaged in teaching his disciples and his followers energetically. They often sent him gifts of rice, millet, and yams, along with cotton and linen cloth. These gifts were always acknowledged with a kind letter of thanks. “I have lately almost forgotten my home town. Seeing your gift of seaweed, I am reminded of many old things. This seaweed is the same as that which I saw on the beach of Kominato. The color, shape, and taste of seaweed do not change, but my parents changed. I am moved to tears.”
Nichiren Shonin spent several hours writing each day – creating over four hundred works during these Minobu years, sending counsel to his disciples and followers living in faraway places. In the winter of 1277, Nichiren Shonin fell seriously ill. The long years of persecution, the hunger and hardships of Sado Island, the bitter cold and isolation at Minobu had all left their mark. A stomach disorder and loss of appetite led to chronic illness, from which he would never fully recover. “For the past ten days, I have had little appetite. It is snowing heavily now. I wa as chilled as stone, and my breast was as cold as ice before I took my medicine with sake. Now I feel as if a fire was lit in my breast, and as if I had taken a hot-water bath, and shall be able to cleanse myself by sweating.” In 1281, at age 61, Nichiren Shonin’s suffering increased, and the pain became intense. So, in order to take care of his health, he made a decision to journey to a natural hot spring near Ikegami.
Ikegami
On September 18, 1282, Nichiren Shonin arrived at Ikegami after ten days journey by horse. He was exhausted and tormented by pain, and he could go no further. He understood that his death was near. “We have arrived at Ikegami without any trouble. I am very glad to say that, although it was very hard for me to cross the hills and rivers, I was able to reach here with the kind help of your sons and others. I shall return to Minobu by the same road I passed through, but I am not sure that I shall be able to return due to my illness. Many people live in Japan, but very few of them wish to receive me warmly. You protected me for the past nine years. I have no words to express my gratitude to you properly. Wherever I may pass away, please make a tomb for me at Minobu because I lived and chanted Namu Myoho Renge Kyo there peacefully for nine years.
In the morning of October 13, 1282, Nichiren Shonin asked that the Great Mandara, and an image of Sakyamuni Buddha, be brought to his room. Gazing at these sacred objects with loving reverence, quietly, gently, the weary master’s eyelids closed, and he passed peacefully away surrounded by the solemn chanting by his disciples and followers. According to tradition, at that moment, the ground quaked and trees bloomed cherry flowers out of season.
Nichiren Shonin dedicated his whole life to reforming Buddhism, and the country of Japan, with the Lotus Sutra. Although he faced many persecutions from people, he always prayed for the people’s peace and happiness, and lived his life as a messenger of the Buddha. There have been many kinds of Buddhism since olden times, but there has never been such an indomitable priest as Nichiren Shonin.
Buddhism has a good image as a religion that teaches peace, compassion and happiness, but also a negative image for being a passive teaching. Nichiren Shonin’s was a powerful Buddhism, based on the Lotus Sutra. He left an honorable message for us. He proved how wonderful the teaching of the Lotus Sutra is with his life.
Spring Writings