Gemini Thinking
I have created a square Japanese woodblock-style illustration to visualize Nichiren's teaching from the Kanjin Honzon-Shō regarding the Ten Realms as manifested in human life. The central figure, Nichiren Shonin (1222-1282), will be depicted as an elderly monk with a calm, serene expression (the human realm, but with wisdom), radiating light. He wears a full monk's vestments and holds prayer beads, sitting cross-legged. Around him, the other nine realms will be visualized within individual scenes. Clockwise from bottom-left: An angry person's face will transition into Hell (地獄), with flames and a demon. A greedy face will shift to Hungry Spirits (餓鬼), showing starvation. An ignorant face becomes Beasts (畜生), illustrating animals. An aggressive, flattering face shows Asuras (阿修羅) in battle. A joyous face represents the delightful state of Gods (天上), with celestial beings and a palace. Ordinary people living and practicing will represent the stable state of Men (人間). The higher, hidden four realms will be interwoven around Nichiren's radiant form. Voice Hearers (声聞) will be visualized as a meditating monk, while Self-Awakened (縁覚) appears as a solitary practitioner in nature. Subtle, glowing figures of Bodhisattvas (菩薩) performing acts of mercy will be present. Finally, a serene, seated Buddha (佛) form, which is difficult to find yet present, will be hidden in the divine light background, representing the historical Shakyamuni's wisdom (not Amida or Dainichi). This hidden Buddha is distinct from the central figure but emanating from the overall spiritual practice. The style will use traditional pigments, limited Kanji, and gold leaf accents. The signature 双子座 (Kanji for Gemini/Gemini Constellation) with the red seal ジェミニ (Katakana for Gemini) will be placed discreetly in the lower right.
As we look at each others’ faces, we notice our facial expression changes from time to time. It is full of delight, anger or calm sometimes; but other times it changes to greed, ignorance or flattery. Anger represents hells; greed – hungry spirits; ignorance – beasts; flattery – asura demons; delight – gods; and calm – men. Thus we can see in the countenance of people six realms of illusion, from hells to the realm of gods. We cannot see the four realms of holy ones (śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattvas and Buddhas), which are hidden from our eyes. Nevertheless, we must be able to see them too, if we look for them carefully.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his treatise on Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Venerable (Kanjin Honzon-Shō). In other writings, he described Hell as not being in the earth and Heaven as not in the sky, but both within the two meter frame of our own bodies. In this work he shows us to look outside ourselves and recognize these realms in the beings with whom we share our world. The higher realms of devotion, perseverance, generosity and wisdom are more difficult to recognize, so difficult that we sometimes wonder whether they exist at all. With the Buddha’s teaching, we know they exist. We find what we look for.
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