Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

Life of Nichiren Daishonin (As first introduced by Avid Lerner)

Life of Nichiren Daishonin (As first introduced by Avid Lerner)

Chapter 7 (pp. 56-59):
Revelation of True Identity

The near execution at Tatsunokuchi amounted to a rebirth for Nichiren Daishonin. He later said in "The Opening of the Eyes" that "this person named Nichiren was beheaded" (MW-2, 177). As his post-Tatsunokuchi writings testify, the man who emerged after his brush with the executioner's sword was decidedly transformed. This is not to say that the Daishonin underwent a change of heart but that the time had come for him to reveal his true identity

The Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai of China had interpreted the Lotus Sutra by dividing it into two parts. The first fourteen of the twenty-eight chapters he called shakumon or the theoretical teaching, and the second fourteen hommon or the essential teaching. The Japanese word hon (hom is a phonetic change of hon) means substance and shaku means shadow. Thus the theoretical teaching is like a shadow of the essential, or substantial, teaching. The same comparison can be used with Nichiren Daishonin. Before the event at Tatsunokuchi, he carried out the role of Bodhisattva Jogyo,4 the votary whose appearance in an age after Shakyamuni's death was predicted in the Lotus Sutra. He thus spent all his time spreading the teachings of the sutra and propagating the faith in it. After the Tatsunokuchi Persecution, he revealed himself as the Buddha from time without beginning who is one with the supreme Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. In other words, his former role was but a reflection of the true mission to which he had been born.

T'ien-t'ai had drawn the same distinction between the Shakyamuni depicted in the first fourteen chapters of the Lotus Sutra and the Shakyamuni in its second fourteen chapters. In the first half, T'ien-t'ai had said, Shakyamuni was merely a person who had attained enlightenment in India. In the second half, he was a Buddha who had attained his enlightenment in the unimaginably distant past and whose Buddhahood continued from that point to exist for all eternity.

This process of a Buddha casting off his transient provisional nature and revealing his true nature has come to be known in Buddhism as hosshaku kempon (literally, to cast off the transient and reveal the true). Nichiren Daishonin's hosshaku kempon came at Tatsunokuchi. That is why he could say that a man named Nichiren died at Tatsunokuchi. The individual who emerged after the execution attempt was the Buddha of time without beginning. In his earliest writings after the Tatsunokuchi persecution, Nichiren Daishonin began referring, albeit in an abstract manner, to the real nature of his existence. This was particularly evident in "The True Object of Worship," in which he identified himself as the original Buddha coexistent with the eternal Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

The contemporary Western mind often recoils at the mention of anything that could be construed as suggesting the existence of a superior being. In equating Nichiren Daishonin with the original Buddha since time without beginning, there is always the possibility that the mind will react in just this way What the reader should bear in mind is that Nichiren Daishonin consistently stated throughout his writings that "the true Buddha is a common mortal, a common mortal the true Buddha." In other words, in each being there dwells the Buddha nature. However, if people are to attain Buddhahood, someone must show them how to manifest that nature. It was Nichiren Daishonin's unique mission, so to speak, to reveal the way for all people to manifest their latent Buddhahood. In him, the state of Buddha, manifested to open the way to enlightenment for all, while in others, the state of Buddhahood must be established perfected through constant practice. In other words, Nichiren Daishonin opened the way for the attainment of enlightenment by all humanity. Nichiren Daishonin was born into this world to lead a spiritual revolution that would irrevocably transform human beings and their surroundings. As he once wrote, when a person sits in worship of the true entity of life, the common mortal faces the original Buddha. In the process, he becomes a Buddha, too.

 

[Sleepy]

Congratulations on your patent...and eventual windfall!

this is a tough read, but i am trying...

 

[Babbabud]

How wonderful to have the opportunity to become a buddha in this lifetime

Nam myoho renge kyo !!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

How wonderful to have the opportunity to become a buddha in this lifetime

You never cease to amaze me! What a wonderful thing to say! Is this not JOY?


this is a tough read, but i am trying...

SLEEPY! Dude you are still with us and your efforts will not go unrewarded or unnoticed by the Mystic Law. The toughness of the read is realitive to adopting or at least understanding the correct (as far as Nichiren is concerned) perspective. I think my brother Bud is a perfect example of that. I'll comment more on that in my next post for you since you have made the effort to join the conversation. Anyone else wanting to say anything they want on the subject is free to do so and thank you! Your post made my day!

In the mean time digest and contemplate the term "expedient means".

expedient means
[方便] (Skt.: upaya; Jpn.: hoben; Pali.: upaya)

The methods adopted to instruct people and lead them to enlightenment. The concept of expedient means is highly regarded in Mahayana Buddhism, especially in the Lotus Sutra, as represented by its second chapter titled "Expedient Means." This is because expedient means are skillfully devised and employed by Buddhas and bodhisattvas to lead the people to salvation. According to the Lotus Sutra, the three vehicles of the voice-hearer, cause-awakened one, and bodhisattva are provisional teachings and expedient means designed to lead people to the one Buddha vehicle, or the teaching that leads all people to Buddhahood. The teaching that directly reveals the truth of enlightenment is called the true teaching, while the teachings that are expounded in accordance with the people's capacity and as a temporary means of leading people to the truth are called expedient teachings or provisional teachings.

See also: three expedient means

three expedient means
[三方便] (Jpn.: san-hoben)

Also, three types of expedient means. A classification of Shakyamuni's teachings into three categories, set forth by T'ien-t'ai (538-597) in The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra. In that work, T'ien-t'ai interprets the title of the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra, "Expedient Means," with his three types of expedient means. Expedient means indicates the teachings the Buddha expounds in order to lead people to the true and supreme teaching. The first category is known as "adaptations of the Law expedient means" (Jpn hoyu-hoben ), the teachings that were preached in accordance with the people's capacities. The second is called "expedient means that can lead one in" (notsu-hoben ), indicating the teachings the Buddha preached as a gateway to the true teaching. These first two expedient means correspond to the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings and constitute provisional teachings. They are what the Buddha refers to in the "Expedient Means" chapter where he says, "Honestly discarding expedient means, I will preach only the unsurpassed way." The third category, or "secret and wonderful expedient means" (himyo-hoben), is the teaching that contains the truth. This expedient means indicates that the Buddha concealed, or kept secret, the truth for the first forty-two years of his preaching life, expounding it only in the Lotus Sutra. When viewed from the standpoint of the Lotus Sutra, however, all the provisional teachings are included in the sutra as partial explanations of the truth. This inclusion is termed "wonderful" (myo). Unlike the first two expedient means, the third category is not only a means that leads people to the truth, but also the truth itself.

Nichiren (1222-1282) explains "secret and wonderful expedient means" with the parable of the jewel in the robe from the "Five Hundred Disciples" (eighth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, in which a poor man has a precious jewel sewn inside his robe but is unaware of it. Because he is unaware, the jewel is "secret," but because he owns it, it is "wonderful." The jewel sewn in the robe indicates that Buddhahood is inherent in all people (wonderful), and the poor man's ignorance of it, that ordinary people are unaware of their own Buddha nature (secret).

From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism

 

[Babbabud]

Thomas your words of encouragement are timely and very appreciated!!

Nam myoho renge kyo!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Chapter 8 (pp. 60-82):
The Sado Exile

The execution attempt frustrated, the forces of Hei no Saemon had no choice but to follow the original plan of taking Nichiren Daishonin to Homma Shigetsura's residence. The Daishonin stayed at the residence in Echi, Sagami Province, for almost a month, awaiting word of his fate from the government. In the meantime, Hojo Tokimune encountered some sort of trouble, the details of which have been lost to history, but in consulting a fortune-teller he was told that it was connected with the attempted execution. He ordered the Daishonin to be freed, but events quickly militated against his decision. A wave of arson and murder swept the city, and the Daishonin's followers were blamed. The government then ordered that the plan for exile be set in motion. So, on October 10, Nichiren Daishonin was escorted by Homma's warriors northward. When the group reached the coast of the Sea of Japan, they were forced to stop for several days at a little haven called Teradomari. Snow covered the ground and the sea was in tumult. No crossing was possible.

In journeying to Teradomari, the Daishonin, as he recounted, had passed over "mountains beyond mountains"; now before him lay "waves upon waves" of the raging sea, a sea which he had never before seen. Beyond that lay Sado Island, cold and forbidding, waiting to swallow him in an exile from which none of his enemies ever expected him to return.

The faithful Nikko Shonin and several acolytes remained at his side, and lay believers kept sending messengers to inquire about his safety. The community of believers was more than a little shaken by the events, and the Daishonin sent a succession of letters to reassure them. In "Lessening One's Karmic Retribution," written while he was still at Homma's residence, he said that hardships are like a crucible in which a person can purge himself of his accumulated karma and bring forth the state of Buddhahood shining like a diamond. In "Letter from Teradomari," sent to Toki Jonin on October 22, he said that the persecutions he was facing were in perfect accord with the Lotus Sutra's prophecy that the votary would be banished "again and again." As some of his followers had been imprisoned on false charges during the wave of terror in Kamakura, he asked in the letter for Jonin to send back word of their fate.

In the "Letter from Sado," written five months later, he enjoined his disciples not to lose faith in the face of difficulties, whether they be his or theirs. He told them that the only route to Buddhahood is through offering one's life the most precious treasure to the Lotus Sutra. By this, he meant for his disciples not to be frightened by persecutions but to propagate true Buddhism confidently, no matter what might happen.

When sea travel became possible, the Daishonin was escorted to Sado Island by boat. He and his captors landed there on October 28, and on November I he was taken to a place called Tsukahara. There he was assigned a hut in a graveyard as his abode. This broken-down former shrine where the original Buddha was to live for the next several months, was named Sammai-do. On November 23, the Daishonin sent another letter, entitled "Aspiration for the Buddha Land," to Toki Jonin. Probably he entrusted its delivery to some of his acolytes who had accompanied him from Kamakura. In it he commented: "I am sending back some of the young priests. You can ask them what this province is like and about the circumstances under which I live. It is impossible to describe these matters in writing" (MW-5,132).

In this letter, the Daishonin also made a proclamation about his identity:

The advent of the Great Law is already before our very eyes. In the twenty-two hundred years and more since the Buddha's passing, in all of India, China, Japan and the entire world, [as the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai states:] "Vasubandhu and Nagarjuna,5 clearly perceived the truth in their hearts, but they did not teach it. Instead, they preached the provisional Mahayana teachings, which were suited to their times." T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo gave a general indication of it but left its propagation for the future. Now this secret Law, the one great reason for which all Buddhas make their advent, will be spread for the first time in this country. And is not Nichiren the very person who propagates it? (MW-5,130)

Even with their foe in exile, the leaders of the other sects were not content. Anything short of his demise was, for them, unthinkable. Early in 1272, scores of priests converged on the island from their home provinces across the sea in the area now composed of Niigata, Nagano and Yamagata prefectures. They consulted with Homma Shigetsura about the matter, but he dashed their hopes for a quick end to their enemy by telling them: "An official letter has arrived from the government directing that the priest shall not be executed. This is no ordinary contemptible criminal and if anything happens to him, I will be guilty of grave dereliction. Instead of killing him, why don't you confront him in religious debate?"

The debate took place On January 16 and 17, 1272, and it pitted the Daishonin against several hundred priests of the other sects. He recounted the debate later when he wrote "On the Buddha's Behavior." According to this account, he first had to quell disorder-shouting and shoving among the participants-before the debate could begin. The priests proceeded to cite the doctrines of their various sects Nembutsu, Zen, Shingon and Ritsu. The Daishonin replied in turn, confirming the meaning of what each had said, and then asked questions. Very quickly he ,was able to expose their contradictory assertions and scriptural incompatibilities. The priests were speechless, no match for the Daishonin's penetrating understanding of the sutras. Several of their followers professed belief in the Daishonin's teaching on the spot.

These were not the only followers Nichiren Daishonin was to win during his exile on Sado. There would be many more and even the year before he had succeeded in converting a believer in Amida Buddha who had come to Sammai-do to confront him. The man's name was Abutsu-bo, ardent in his belief. Once the Daishonin had managed to engage him in dialogue, however, Abutsu-bo had become convinced of the truth of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and immediately became the Daishonin's follower. He then went home and converted his wife, Sennichi-ama. These two believers in Amida Buddha became the Daishonin's providers and protectors while he was on Sado Island, much as Funamori Yasaburo and his wife had been during the lzu Exile [the first exile]. The Daishonin later addressed many letters of thanks to them. Ko Nyudo and his wife also converted to the Daishonin's teachings while he was in exile on Sado, making offerings to him and providing him with various kinds of assistance. He lived in Ko, the capital of the province of Sado.

Sairen-bo, a priest of the Tendai sect who for some reason had been exiled to Sado Island, was also one of the Daishonin's converts. Sairen-bo had several unresolved questions about Buddhism, and he addressed them to Nichiren Daishonin. The reply came in the form of a letter, known today as "Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life," dated February 11, 1272.

In this, the Daishonin said that the Law which Bodhisattva Jogyo inherited from Shakyamuni Buddha at the Ceremony in the Air6 is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is the life of the original Buddha since time without beginning. In a broader sense, he taught that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the entity of all people's lives, and that by believing in the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, one "inherits" the wisdom to realize that his own life is the Mystic Law. In other words, by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, one manifests the Buddha nature within oneself.

Short as it was, this writing carried an extremely profound message since it revealed the essence of the Lotus Sutra and the heart of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. It was the kind of thesis that the Daishonin was able to write only after he had a learned disciple such as Sairen-bo to receive it.

On February 20, shortly after writing "Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life," Nichiren Daishonin sent another thesis to Sairen-bo, entitled "Enlightenment of Plants," which discussed the potentiality of Buddhahood in insentient beings. Sairen-bo also received "The True Entity of Life" and "The Entity of the Mystic Law," both written in 1273. After his exile, he founded Honkoku-ji temple near Mount Minobu in the province of Kai. In February 1272 the Daishonin also completed "The Opening of the Eyes," of which he later said: "I wanted to record the wonder I had experienced, in case I should be beheaded" (MW-1, 189). This was in reference to the mortal danger he faced. For, so long as rival priests conspired against him, the Daishonin had to live with the threat of death. After the debate, the priests, more angered than ever, had petitioned Hojo Nobutoki of the Kamakura. government to help them stem the tide of defection from their sects. Nobutoki then issued a proclamation without the regent's knowledge, which decreed: "Those who become Nichiren's disciples from among the Sado inhabitants should be either banished or imprisoned. The Daishonin later wrote of this edict: "Some people were thrown into prison because they were said to have walked past my hut..." (Ibid., p. 192).

Shortly before the edict was issued, however, the Hojo clan was rocked by internal intrigue. Hojo Tokisuke, an elder half brother of the regent, conspired to seize power, but his plot was uncovered. Nagoe Tokiaki and Nagoe Noritoki, who were regarded as his coconspirators, were put to death on February 11. Four days later, Hojo Tokisuke was killed. The rebellion had been stopped before it had a chance to get started, but even the prospect of rebellion was enough to send shock waves around the country. All this worked in the Daishonin's favor. Since he had predicted internal strife twelve years earlier in the "Rissho Ankoku Ron," and since he had told Homma Shigetsura only a month before it broke out that it was imminent, the Daishonin was suddenly taken more seriously by both Homma and the government. When Homma learned that the Daishonin's prediction had come true, he is said to have discarded his belief in the Pure Land teachings. As a consequence, the Daishonin was transferred in April from the hut at Tsukahara. to an ordinary residence at Ichinosawa.

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Why we have the Gosho today

Why we have the Gosho today

Letters by Nichiren Daishonin compiled today in the 'Writings of Nichiren Daishonin' that we study has an interesting history I would like to share below. I never had heard this before and found it very profound and very appreciative of those efforts by Toda and the 59th NS High Priest.

http://home.att.net/~cyberlark/nichiko.html>>

from "The Human Revolution," p.583-87

The compilation of the Gosho, which would total nearly two thousand
> pages, was no easy enterprise. What made it even more difficult was
> a financial dilemma—there were no funds to publish it. To
publish
> it on schedule required the purchase of India paper, a thin paper
of
> special quality, which required an advance payment of a large sum.
> The specially ordered paper necessitated such a payment, because
the
> paper could not be used for other purposes should the project be
> canceled. When contemplating the printing and binding of this book,
> the project seemed all the more outrageous—especially since the
> membership of the Soka Gakkai at the time' was less than five
> thousand. Enthusiasm for the compilation of the Gosho was great,
but
> on its face, the project seemed reckless.
>
> In view of the present scale of the Soka Gakkai, it may be
difficult
> to imagine that the publication of the Gosho was such a bold
venture
> in those days. Toda wanted to publish the Gosho by April of the
next
> year. Preparations could not be made quickly, because Toda could
not
> overlook the fact that several distorted versions of the Gosho had
> already been published by other Nichiren schools. A version of the
> Gosho consistent with the true intent of Nichiren had yet to be
> issued.
>
> There was a fairly reliable rumor that the Minobu school was
> planning to publish its final version of the Gosho as a
> commemorative 700th anniversary issue and that it had set aside a
> budget of tens of millions of yen for this goal. Toda was sad to
> think that the Minobu version of the Gosho would contain a lot of
> mistakes in transcriptions of the Daishonin's original writings
> and thus would misrepresent his teachings.
>
> Toda was resolved to compile and publish all the writings of the
> Daishonin so that his profound teachings might be open to all—
> without being twisted by other schools—so that Nichiren
> Daishonin's Buddhism might be transferred eternally in its pure
> form. He was aware that the enterprise was absolutely necessary
> since the Soka Gakkai had begun to move ahead along the trail
toward
> kosen-rufu. He pondered day and night that this must be the first
> stepping stone toward setting the Daishonin's Buddhism on an
eternal
> path. The publication would be decisive for the religious
> revolution, a substantial phase of the kosen-rufu movement, which
> would soon begin in earnest. It would also be important for the
> ideological revolution or struggle of ideas.
>
> Reality, again, seemed counter to his determination.
>
> At the chapter leaders' meeting toward the end of June, facing
> leaders filled with uncertainty, and at the same time for his own
> encouragement, Toda declared his intention, "I have already decided
> upon this course of action. Even if our members may oppose it as
> impossible, it must be accomplished by all means. I ask only for
the
> cooperation of all thoughtful leaders."
>
> He was impatient to start the compilation. Collection of the
> Daishonin's writings would commence immediately. More than a
> thousand pages were involved. The special general meeting was only
> ten days away.
>
> On July 8, Toda went with more than twenty top leaders of the Study
> Department to visit retired High Priest Nichiko Hori at Hatake in
> Shizuoka Prefecture. Hatake was a historic place where the third
> High Priest Nichimoku had been born. The eighty-five-year-old Hori
> lived in the Seesen-bo at Hatake. His thick eyebrous were already
> white. He was known to scholars both in and outside of Nichiren
> Shoshu as an unparalleled authority on Buddhist philosophy. This
> great scholar had abandoned all his official posts at an early age
> and devoted his entire life to his studies. He spent not a single
> day or night at leisure.
>
> Smiling, the retired High Priest met them at the entrance clad in
> light summer wear. They were shown into his study, where they
> greeted him formally. Toda, as Soka Gakkai president, stated the
> purpose of their visit, which was to decide the bqsic principles
for
> compiling the Gosho to be published and to receive guidance on
this.
>
> It seemed as though Hori had foreseen this event. He answered all
> their difficult questions with clarity; the answers were already at
> his fingertips. When asked a question, he would respond by reciting
> many passages from both old and more recent documents. He went
> further by giving a thorough explanation with many examples and
> elaborations. There was no end to the depth of his knowledge, it
> seemed. The party was surprised at his level of learning; it was
> something rare in the world.
>
> "Well," he said, "I will show you the reference documents."
>
> So saying, the great priest arose and led the party to his library.
> On bookshelves specially designed by him were a vast number of
books
> and documents, some of them arranged in order and others stacked in
> a large pile. He was reputed to be the finest reader of ancient
> documents. Evegy single Buddhist document, old or new, seemed to be
> lodged in his library.
>
> There were also many secretly transferred writings that had never
> been made public. It may well have been the greatest library of
rare
> books in existence at that time in Japan. He had already completed
> the manuscripts for 134 volumes of The Complete Works of Studies of
> the Fuji School based on all these materials.
>
> At the sight of these innumerable documents, the visiting
> membersobtained a new self-confidence in the greatness of the
> teachings of the Fuji School, in the profound philosophy of
Nichiren
> Daishonin's Buddhism and even in their compilation of the Gosho.
>
> As the group returned to the study, Toda remarked with
> admiration, "It seems to me that your private studies of some sixty
> years were solely dedicated to this day, seven hundred years after
> the Daishonin, for the publication of a perfect version of the
> Gosho."
>
> "That may be so," the high priest answered Toda with a smile. The
> high priest was more earnest and positive in the publication of the
> Gosho than anyone else. Beginning with a strict distinction between
> the Daishonin's correct writings and the forgeries committed after
> his passing, the high priest casually revealed a glimpse of his
> profound knowledge by showing how the misreading of important parts
> of the Gosho distort the Daishonin's true intentions in
propagation.
> The listeners thus came to realize the difficulty of maintaining
the
> Daishonin's Buddhism for eternity. They realized that the
> publication of an accurate version of the Gosho wan an urgent task
> that should take priority over all other activities.
>
> There was no end to their discussion. As was usual between the high
> priest and Toda, free discussion reigned. The scholar of exemplary
> erudition and the leader of action—sharing true enlightenment
> into eternal life with one another—talked on cheerfully, saying
> whatever they wished without compunction. There were moments of
> heated discussion, and there were moments of broad-mindedness as
> impressive as if all the world's flowers had burst into bloom at
the
> same time. The others listened attentively, but they could not
> understand all that was being discussed. What they could grasp was
a
> full sense of the zenith of unusually profound learning.
>
> Forgetting all about the passage of time, the group found that they
> had missed the last bus. They were embarrassed, but Toda remained
> undisturbed. It's all right so long as we catch the last train.
> This will be a fond memory for us. Let's walk to Kan'nami Station.
> Now we must leave."
>
> They walked toward the exit. It was dark outside; the rain that had
> been falling all day had finally stopped. A refreshing atmosphere
> and a refreshed mind! It was a long way along the muddy road at
> night. As they caught the 8:40 PM train bound for Tokyo, the rain
> began to pour down into the folds of the mountains as if it had
been
> awaiting a cue.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

SoCal! So happy to have you post that! I could not use the link.

It is so mystic that you would post that! It is now time for you to post some more please? If you have access to a digital version of "The human Revolution", I would personally really appreciate having you post the entire "the garden of life" chapter starting on page 403 (in readable bite-size chunks).

Wow. Could it be that High Priest Nichiko Hori lived at Hatake in Shizuoka Prefecture where the third High Priest Nichimoku was born, is just a coincidence? I don't think so! It was believed that Nichimoku, revered for his devotion to propagation, would reincarnate at the time of Kosen Rufu. It is now my belief that he did.

Could one even begin to place a value on the content of High Priest Nichiko Hori library? Could the worldwide propagation achieved since 1951, when the membership was just 5,000 people living in Japan, have possibly been achieved without the compilation and publishing of the Gosho? I don’t think so!

Moreover:

As the group returned to the study, Toda remarked with admiration, "It seems to me that your private studies of some sixty years were solely dedicated to this day, seven hundred years after the Daishonin, for the publication of a perfect version of the Gosho."

"That may be so," the high priest answered Toda with a smile. The high priest was more earnest and positive in the publication of the Gosho than anyone else. Beginning with a strict distinction between the Daishonin's correct writings and the forgeries committed after his passing, the high priest casually revealed a glimpse of his profound knowledge by showing how the misreading of important parts of the Gosho distort the Daishonin's true intentions in propagation. The listeners thus came to realize the difficulty of maintaining the Daishonin's Buddhism for eternity. They realized that the publication of an accurate version of the Gosho was an urgent task that should take priority over all other activities.

These teachings are the basis of our faith, and the source of the tremendous benefit that we receive from faith. Without them, could the glorious history of struggle and success that the SGI has endured and achieved have possibly been accomplished?

I don’t think so!

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Chapter 8 (pp. 60-82):
The Sado Exile (conclusion)

During the Sado Exile, the Daishonin was able, through his writings, to lay virtually the complete theoretical foundation of his teachings. "Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life" had been the first major thesis, and in "The Opening of the Eyes," completed only a few days after "Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life," he identified himself as the original Buddha, a vital first step in the process of clarifying the true object of worship. This would soon be followed by other important treatises. The Sado Exile thus provided Nichiren Daishonin with the opportunity to establish the philosophical groundwork of his Buddhism.

In "The Opening of the Eyes," Nichiren Daishonin said that there are three people one should revere above all else the sovereign, the teacher and the parent. The sovereign is the one who guarantees the security of human beings by wielding social power, the teacher the one who imparts knowledge and helps people develop their wisdom, and the parent the one who gives birth to flesh and blood and nurtures life. There are many ways of looking at the concept of sovereign, teacher and parent, but what the Daishonin intended was the scriptural conception of the Buddha who embodies all three attributes, i.e., the Buddha who protects, guides and compassionately nurtures all people through the medium of the supreme Law. In the end, the treatise stated that in the Latter Day the person who encompasses these three qualities is none other than Nichiren Daishonin.

In this way, the Daishonin defined the true object of worship in terms of the Person, i.e., in terms of the Buddha who eternally guides, protects and nurtures all people in their striving for Buddhahood. "The True Object of Worship," written in April 1273, one year later, clarified the object in terms of the Law which enables people to reach enlightenment. These two writings established the theoretical framework for the inscription of the object of worship.

After "The Opening of the Eyes," the Daishonin wrote a short letter to his followers, the previously mentioned "Letter from Sado." As well as encouraging his followers, whose faith had been shaken by the Tatsunokuchi and Sado persecutions, this letter also served to restate the conclusion of "The Opening of the Eyes." The Daishonin wrote: "Nichiren is the pillar, sun, moon, mirror and eyes of the ruling clan of Kanto....

Nichiren is father and mother to the ruling clan..."(MW-1, 36). ("Pillar" refers to the virtue of sovereign; "sun, moon, mirror and eyes" to the virtue of teacher; and "father and mother" to the virtue of parent. And Kanto here is used to denote the Kamakura government.)

"Letter from Sado" was dated March 20. In April, Shijo Kingo journeyed from Kamakura to visit the Daishonin. In a letter entitled "The Causal Law of Life," the Daishonin praised the sincerity of Kingo's wife, who had sent her husband on the long trip. In May, a lady with her small child came from Kamakura, and the Daishonin was so moved by the effort she expended in making the journey that he gave her the Buddhist name Nichimyo Shonin (Sage Nichimyo). The title was apt, for the lady and her daughter continued to persevere in Buddhist practice long after the Daishonin's death.

Meanwhile, the number of people on Sado professing faith in the Daishonin's Buddhism continued to increase, and Abutsu-bo and his wife became the mainstays of this community of believers. At the house in which the Daishonin lived in Ichinosawa, the landlord's wife became a believer, and the landlord himself developed a favorable attitude, though he did not take up the faith. At nearby Nakaoki, a leading disciple appeared by the name of Nakaoki Nyudo.

Nichiren Daishonin now set about refuting the Shingon sect, a task which he had undertaken before, but this time his goal was to pave the way for "The True Object of Worship." He considered this refutation essential because the Shingon sect had preceded him in inscribing a mandala as an object of worship.

In a letter he gave to Shijo Kingo in May 1272, the Daishonin expounded the principle that earthly desires lead to enlightenment-that is, the mundane cravings of the individual, when tempered by faith in the True Law, become the fuel for enlightenment. In the same month, he addressed a writing entitled "The Errors of the Shingon and Other Sects" to Toki Jonin, and in July he wrote "The Refutation of the Shingon Sect.”

"The True Object of Worship" was issued on April 25, 1273. The original title of the work reads, in Japanese, Kanjin no honzon sho, which literally means "writing on the object of worship for observing one's mind." The Daishonin began the text by quoting from T'ien-t'ai's Maka Shikan (Great Concentration and Insight) a passage which explains the principle of ichinen sanzen (three thousand realms in a single moment of life).7 He then explained that kanjin means to observe one's mind (mind here being used more 'broadly to mean life) and thus realize that one is the entity of ichinen sanzen. This process of recognizing one's essential nature, he said, is the principle of attaining Buddhahood. He then revealed that the reality described by ichinen sanzen is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and declared that, for the first time in the history of Buddhism, he was going to inscribe the object of worship of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Thus he explained the Gohonzon as the object of faith for attaining Buddhahood.

A passage from "The True Object of Worship" reads: Shakyamuni's practices and the virtues he consequently attained are all contained within the single phrase, Myoho-renge-kyo. If we believe in that phrase, we shall naturally be granted the same benefits as he was" (MW-1, 64).

In this way, the Daishonin explained that believing in and embracing the object of worship of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is equivalent to observing one's mind. By such worship the common mortal can attain Buddha hood in the present life, without undergoing any transformation or practice of austerities. A common mortal, in other words, can become a Buddha.

It was now clear, from a doctrinal viewpoint, that the object of worship the Daishonin intended to inscribe would embody Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as the Law, and the life of Nichiren Daishonin as the Person eternally manifesting that Law. The Daishonin carefully composed "The True Object of Worship" in classical Chinese, as was the practice for all important writings in those days. He gave it to Toki Jonin, and it has been preserved in its original form at Nakayama Hokekyo-ji temple, which developed from Toki's estate. In addition, the faithful disciple Nikko Shonin made a copy which has been preserved at Yoho-ji temple in Kyoto.

"The True Entity of Life," dated May 17 and given to Sairen-bo, abridged "The True Object of Worship," much in the way that "Letter from Sado" was used a year earlier to back up "The Opening of the Eyes." "The True Entity of Life" is famous for the passage with which it closes. This passage has continued to be quoted throughout the centuries as the basic spirit of Buddhist practice:

Believe in the Gohonzon, the supreme object of worship in the world. Forge strong faith and receive the protection of Shakyamuni, Taho and all the other Buddhas. Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if only a single sentence or phrase (Ibid., pp. 94-95).

In the same month, Nichiren Daishonin addressed a letter to Gijo-bo, who had been his senior at Seicho-ji temple when he studied Buddhism there in boyhood. The Daishonin said that, of all the chapters in the Lotus Sutra, the Juryo [Life Span] (sixteenth) chapter was especially important to him. He quoted a passage, "Single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives," and noted: "I Nichiren, have called forth Buddhahood from within my life by living this sentence. This means that I actualized the Three Great Secret Laws, the embodiment of ichinen sanzen in the Juryo chapter" (MW-2,236).

This is the first written mention in his extant works of the Three Great Secret Laws: the invocation (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo), the object of worship (the Dai Gohonzon, toward whose inscription he was working), and the place of worship (the sanctuary of the true object, whose construction he would leave to his disciples). He clarified these three in "Repaying Debts of Gratitude" in 1276, though it is possible that he also did so prior to 1273 in writings which may have been lost.

He authored several other important writings in May 1273. In the Gosho "On Practicing the Buddha's Teachings," the Daishonin took the opportunity to state that refuting misleading sects and converting their believers, based on unwavering faith in the Lotus Sutra, comprise the practice that accords exactly with Shakyamuni's teachings. In this work he also stated that the three powerful enemies will surely arise to confront those who practice correctly.

In "On the Buddha's Prophecy," another important writing, the Daishonin said that the appearance of his Buddhism had been predicted in the Lotus Sutra. In addition, he confidently stated that his teaching would never fail to spread throughout the world. Further, in writings he addressed to Toki Jonin and Hakiri Sanenaga (MW-6, 46-48) he expressed his complete confidence that his teachings were far superior to those of the Great Teachers T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo.

By this time the Daishonin had already begun bestowing individual Gohonzon (objects of worship) on his staunchest disciples. in fact, he had begun inscribing mandalas shortly after the Tatsunokuchi Persecution. Those that he bestowed on his disciples have come to be known as "the Gohonzon of specific receptivity and relatedness." Some of these are still extant, and from them one can see that they were rather simply inscribed in comparison to the elaborateness of the Dai Gohonzon of the high sanctuary he would bestow upon all humankind several years later. Still, these mandalas carried the inscriptions, "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" and "Nichiren," which contained the expression of the oneness of the Person and the Law.

In the accompanying letters that Nichiren Daishonin sent to the recipients of these Gohonzon, he taught the relationship between the object of worship and the life of the original Buddha, and the correct attitude in faith. A letter dated August 15, 1273, and sent to Shijo Kingo is typical of these. It was a reply to Kingo's report of the illness of his daughter, Kyo'o. The Daishonin wrote:

Always cherish the Gohonzon which I sent some time ago for her protection. This Gohonzon was never known, let alone inscribed, by anyone in the Former or Middle Day of the Law. The lion, king of beasts, is said to advance three steps, then gather himself to spring, unleashing the same power whether he traps a tiny ant or attacks a fierce animal. In inscribing this Gohonzon for her protection, Nichiren is equal to the lion king. This is what the sutra. means by "the power of an attacking lion." Believe in this mandala with all your heart. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle? (MW-1, 119)

Then he went on to say, in one of the most famous passages of his writings:

A sword will be useless in the hands of a coward. The mighty sword of the Lotus Sutra. must be wielded by one courageous in faith. Then he will be as strong as a demon armed with an iron staff. I Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi [black Chinese ink], so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart. The Buddha's will is the Lotus Sutra, but the soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. (Ibid., p. 120)

He concluded with a final exhortation about faith: "Muster your faith and pray to this Gohonzon. Then what is there that cannot be achieved?"

The two most essential writings of the Daishonin, "The Opening of the Eyes" and "The True Object of Worship," dealt with the theoretical or doctrinal basis of the Gohonzon. A writing given to Sairen-bo in 1273, but of uncertain date, now broached the subject of what one attains by embracing faith in this object of worship. It was called "The Entity of the Mystic Law."

In this, the Daishonin said that in theory every single human being is the entity of Myoho-renge-kyo, but in practice only those who invoke Nam-myoho-renge-kyo -with faith in the Lotus Sutra are truly manifesting Myoho-renge-kyo or the Buddha nature within themselves. He then added that Myoho-renge-kyo is the enlightenment of the original Buddha of kuon ganjo,8 or time without beginning and that all kinds of Buddhist teachings have been expounded as a means to let people understand Myoho-renge-kyo. The Law that was transferred by Shakyamuni Buddha to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth during the Ceremony in the Air was this very Myoho-renge-kyo.

He then stated that teachers such as Nan-yueh9 and T’ien-t'ai in China and Dengyo in Japan all perceived the Law of Myoho-renge-kyo, and he quoted from their diaries to show that they themselves had cherished Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. He concluded by saying that they did not teach Nam-myoho-renge-kyo because it was not yet the Latter Day.

The importance of "The Entity of the Mystic Law" lies in its teaching that people need not transform themselves through rigorous self-discipline, austerities or self-mortification to reach Buddhahood. By embracing the true object with faith, all people can attain the enlightenment of Buddhahood just as they are.

On March 8, 1274, a government envoy arrived with a pardon for the Daishonin. No reasons were given for the government's action, but it appears in retrospect that the officials were concerned about the arrival of a Mongol emissary and the abortive coup of Hojo Tokisuke, events which seemed to bear out the Daishonin's earlier predictions. And so Nichiren Daishonin ended more than two years of exile, a period during which he had authored some of his most important writings and laid the foundation for inscribing an object of worship to be bestowed not on individuals but on all human beings.

Upon his return to the capitol, Kamakura, the Daishonin remonstrated again with the government, but to no avail. He then took up residence in the remote mountains Of Minobu where he continued to write important works and instruct his disciples.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Hey Sleepy!

Hey Sleepy!

About the “perspective thing” I commented on earlier:

This is just my personal opinion, but it is based on not only everything I have learned in my studies, but also through the course and consequence of my experience of living to the best of my ability (which at times has not been something I would suggest to emulate) as a disciple of Nichiren Daishonin. Study can only take you so far. You have to be able to apply the teachings to your daily life in an actual rather than just in a theoretical manner. The only way to manifest the wisdom to do so is through faith.

I have posted enough on this thread that the content of what I am saying has already been said, as far as I’m concerned. Remember my posting the definitions of “expedient means’? The perspective thing is this: For YOU, Sleepy, to make the effort toward understanding that you are--to speak up and be noticed, ask questions, and declare your interest (and I am assuming the fact that you would not do any of this without also chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo)—reveals the existence of your relationship with the Law. Because it includes your chanting (again, assuming that to be the case), it also reveals your transient identity as a Bodhisattva of the Earth.

The issue to which we would try and arouse faith in initially is the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as it relates to us; that through our faith displayed in the effort of practice and study, our prayers may be answered and our desire for the elimination of delusion (enlightenment) achieved. In this process however, a personal awareness or experience is simultaneously aroused; and this is a perception pertaining to us, as we relate to the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is one’s understanding and sense of mission to propagate the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin that can only come from chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is what the identifies one as being a Bodhisattva of the Earth.

The Daishonin clearly states that if you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, you are a disciple of Nichiren. See, my belief is one that is based on the fact that I know in my heart and in every fiber of my being that Nichiren Daishonin is the same entity as the Sage at the beginning of the kalpa of continuance that the Daishonin discusses from T’ien-t’ai’s writings. “The sage practiced with this Law as his teacher and attained enlightenment, and therefore he simultaneously obtained both the mystic cause and the mystic effect of Buddhahood, becoming the Thus Come One of perfect enlightenment and fully realized virtues.” (The Entity of the Mystic Law).

At the same time, in the same writing, he is assuring us that we common mortals of flesh and blood are also the entity of the Mystic Law. This is because we are disciples of the Entity of the Mystic Law and as such can achieve the same enlightenment (literally, not figuratively). The Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the life of the Entity of the Mystic Law and can only be revealed by this Buddha, The Thus Come One Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

So the “perspective thing” that I am trying to get across here is that all of these writing become much easier to comprehend from the perspective from which they are taught, rather than their literal interpretation. What actually comes first in regards to the viewpoint of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism is an important perspective to have. Without it, all of what I am saying is very difficult to perceive.

For example, Nichiren Daishonin never made the overt declaration, “I am the True Buddha!” But then, how could he? The level of faith and comprehension of the true intent of his teachings was a work in progress that would have precluded such a statement for anyone but his closest disciples. He often refers to Shakyamuni in such a reverent way as to be confusing in light of the perspective that Nichiren is in fact, the True Buddha (Buddha Of Beginningless Time). However he specifically discusses the perspective of the comparative worth of being a disciple of the Lotus Sutra during the former and middle days of the Law versus being Nichiren’s disciple in the Latter Day of the Law, even to the point of specifically teaching that Shakyamuni’s Lotus Sutra (the teaching for attaining Buddhahood in the Former and Middle days of the Law) no longer held the power to lead it’s practitioner to enlightenment in the Latter Day of the Law.

If, in theory, only the Buddha Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Thus Come One can reveal this Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, then in what manner would this Buddha make his advent? If the truth is that The Buddha of Beginningless Time (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Thus Come One) is the source of the enlightenment of all other Buddhas, does it not make sense that as the karma of earth unfolded, many emissaries might precede his advent to lay the foundation of doctrines and understanding so that the perfect teaching could be revealed, delineated, and propagated in a single lifetime?

Therefore, the Daishonin qualifies who these emissaries have been, by quoting from their works and filling in the nuance meanings of their teachings that could only be revealed by him. The fact is that the Daishonin refers to the works and commentaries of other Buddhas such as he T’ien-t’ai, as much as he refers to the literally translated Lotus Sutra of Shakyamuni.

Were it not for the teachings that preceded his, the Daishonin would have had a much more difficult time in clarifying what these true teachings were as they relate to faith and the required necessities of practice and study for the attainment of Buddhahood in ones present form. So after all that Sleepy, my friend, my suggestion and encouragement to you are that you chant to understand all that you read with your life rather than your mind.

Secondly, determine to yourself to have the open mind of faith that transcends literal interpretation. The Daishonin says that Shakyamuni Buddha was fully aware of the Entity of the Mystic Law and that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was the original basis of his enlightenment in the distant past. Therefore try and understand that the Lotus Sutra, as it is intended to be understood and practiced in the Latter Day of the Law, must be read with the advent of the Buddha of Beginningless Time having already occurred, in mind. In it’s literal form, today, even the Lotus Sutra is merely an expedient means “to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings, show it, cause them to awaken to it, and induce them to enter its path” for the perfect teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

The author of the Lotus Sutra of the Latter day of the Law is none other than Nichiren, and it is his teachings which we should be trying to master, through his elucidation of the Lotus Sutra in light of his original enlightenment as the True Buddha; not the literal Lotus Sutra of Shakyamuni.

Again all of the above is my personal understanding. Take it for what it is worth. I hope I haven’t completely confused everyone!

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

PS: In another highly opinionated statement, may I also state that in my experience, to pursue any of this without it being based on the foundation of determination to receive the Object of Devotion for the Observation of One’s Mind (the Gohonzon) is a pursuit that will only lead to confusion. It is impossible to possess the Gohonzon in your heart and not to desire it in its manifest form in your life. Pray to receive the Gohonzon with your whole heart first, and all other prayers are sure to be answered.

 

[Sleepy]

i have much to un-learn before i can really 'learn'...

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Sleepy- On the contrary, I'm betting that you already know this. There is nothing that needs to be learned, just a lot that needs to be remembered (as in recollection).

You already know all of this! Faith is the key that unlocks the door to your innate wisdom. Seek this understanding from the bottom of your heart, and the things you think you need to "unlearn" become the expedient means of the things that you need to recollect. No experience is invalid in the context of the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect!

T

 

[Babbabud]

It is impossible to possess the Gohonzon in your heart and not to desire it in its manifest form in your life. Pray to receive the Gohonzon with your whole heart first, and all other prayers are sure to be answered. My prayers exactly Thankyou for a beautiful lesson this morning Thomas ... your timing is impeccable

Nam myoho renge kyo !

 

[SoCal Hippy]

sorry abt the link

sorry abt the link

This should work better: http://home.att.net/~cyberlark/nichiko.html

Its a couple pics of the HP and Toda and a synopsis of what I posted from the 'Human Revolution'.

As far as I know there is no online version yet of the 'Human Revolution'; I do hope that one day it will be so.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Brother Bud! You never cease to amaze me! I swear to God I added that just for you!

And you got it! And understood what I am saying! You make me so happy.

Thank you!

(SoCal: Then at some point in time I will start typing this chapter. I especially want to share it with SG.)

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Chapter 10 (pp. 83-89):
Mongol Invasion

The Mongols struck in October 1274 in massive numbers: 15,000 Mongols and Chinese, 5,000 Koreans, 5,000 colonials and 6,000 mariners borne aboard 300 warships, 300 swift boats and 300 water-supply vessels, all constructed by the Koreans at the order of Khubilai Khan. The odds overwhelmingly favored the Mongol forces, whose close-order tactics and use of gunpowder rendered the Japanese warriors, with their bows and arrows and reliance on hand-to-hand combat, almost defenseless.

At first, the Japanese losses were staggering, and the Mongols seemed unstoppable. The would be conquerors swept through the islands of Tsushima and Rd, and by the middle of the month were pressing their attack in Kyushu, the southwestern island of the Japanese archipelago. Hirato, Chikuzen and Imazu came under attack, but the main part of the invading force struck at the port city of Hakata, the first and only barrier to the political center at Dazaifu. The local government rushed its warriors to Hakata, but they were cut down in rapid order When things looked the bleakest, however, a storm came to the aid of the Japanese and sank more, than two hundred of the Mongols' battleships. Staggered by their losses, the invaders withdrew to Korea.

News of the attack did not reach Kamakura. until November 1, and Nichiren Daishonin commented on the invasion in a letter dated November 11 and sent to his follower Nanjo Tokimitsu:

Since I hear that the Great Mongol Empire has invaded this, country I think with regret what the situation would have been like if they had heeded what I, Nichiren, had warned. Tears do not stop flowing when I think of the destiny of the Japanese people, which will be the same as that of Iki and Tsushima which have now been destroyed (Gosho Zenshu, P. 1509).

The Mongols, of course, were still determined to conquer Japan, and they sent envoys again in March of the next year. The Kamakura government set up coastal defenses and ordered tight security around the western perimeter of Kyushu. The envoys were beheaded in September.

While the government was worrying about foreign invasion, the Daishonin was in retirement on Mount Minobu. Retirement, however, did not exactly mean a life of leisure for the Daishonin; he was busy writing letters (some 120 between 1274 and 1278), training his disciples and followers, and giving lectures on the Lotus Sutra. The task of propagation had now been assumed by the senior priests, who were scattered in various regions of the country and by the lay believers, who heretofore had concentrated on supporting the Daishonin through offerings.

As the lay followers became more active in propagation, they ran into various difficulties and persecutions of their own. Each time, the Daishonin hurried letters of guidance and encouragement to them. Perhaps the two most famous cases involving individual followers were those of the faithful warrior, Shijo Kingo, and the Ikegami brothers, Munenaka and Munenaga.

Around 1274, Shijo Kingo began trying to convert his lord Ema to the Daishonin's Buddhism. Lord Ema did not take kindly to these efforts at propagation and, fueled by slander from Kingo's colleagues, reduced the believer's fief. The situation worsened in 1277 when Kingo attended a debate between Sammi-bo Nichigyo, a disciple of the Daishonin, and Ryuzo-bo, a follower of the Tendai sect. Kingo's colleagues again assailed him before Lord Ema, this time for what they claimed was an attempt to disrupt the debate and embarrass Ryuzo-bo.

The Daishonin wrote Shijo Kingo several letters and even went so far as to write an appeal to Lord Ema on Kingo's behalf. In these letters, the Daishonin offered much practical advice as well as guidance in faith. He told Kingo that he should regard service to his lord with the same reverence and dedication that he showed toward the Daishonin's teachings. He thus stated a principle of Buddhist practice that has endured as one of the fundamental guidelines for more than seven centuries faith is not separate from daily life but reveals itself precisely in the realm of worldly affairs.

Later, Lord Ema contracted an illness, and Shijo Kingo used his medical skills, to cure him. The grateful lord then restored and actually increased Kingo's fief. Shijo Kingo had remained steadfast in his faith throughout the ordeal.

The circumstances involving the Ikegami brothers were somewhat similar, but they pitted sons against father, rather than vassal against lord. Both Munenaka. and Munenaga had been believers in the Daishonin's Buddhism for many years, but around 1275 their father, Yasumitsu, the director of the Office of Construction and Repairs of the Kamakura government, started making demands of them. He disowned the older, Munenaka, and informed the younger, Munenaga, that he would have to choose between his faith and his father. If he chose the former, he, too, would be disowned. The reason for Yasumitsu's abrupt change of sentiment toward his sons' faith is not clear, but it appears that Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji temple had a hand in influencing him. Nichiren Daishonin encouraged Munenaka and Munenaga in the "Letter to the Brothers," telling them that faith in the Lotus Sutra will invariably invite the persecution of others and urging them never to retreat. Yasumitsu's repudiation was withdrawn, temporarily, in 1277, but he soon disowned the elder son again. This time, the Daishonin wrote a letter to Munenaga telling him that he should not discard his faith just to curry favor with his father and win an inheritance, but that he should continue his faith until his father became a believer. The Daishonin's advice was heeded, and Yasumitsu became a believer in 1278. He died shortly after.

Nichiren Daishonin wrote many important treatises during the period from 1274 to 1278, including "On the Buddha's Behavior" (MW-1, 173202) in which he described the events from Tatsunokuchi until his retirement to Minobu. "The Selection of the Time" (MW-3, 79-184) noted that the most essential requirement is to understand the time and which teaching befits it. "Teaching, Practice and Proof" (MW-4, 11132) said that Shakyamuni's teachings have become inappropriate in the Latter Day of the Law and that only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo taught by the Daishonin combines the three elements of teaching, practice and proof essential to making Buddhism viable.

On hearing that Dozen-bo had died, Nichiren Daishonin wrote "Repaying Debts of Gratitude." In this he said that he was repaying his debt to his teacher, whom he had left at an early age, by spreading the true teaching to save all people. He wrote, in explanation of the doctrine he taught:

First, in Japan and all the other countries throughout the world, the object of worship should in all cases be the Lord Shakyamuni of true Buddhism.(10) The Shakyamuni Buddha and Taho Buddha who appear in the Treasure Tower, as well as all other Buddhas, along with the four bodhisattvas(11) including Jogyo, shall act as attendants to this Buddha. Second, there is the high sanctuary of true Buddhism. Third, in Japan, China, India and all the other countries of the world, every person, regardless of whether he is wise or foolish, shall set aside other practices and join in the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. (MW-4,271)

There was a constant stream of visitors at the Daishonin's cottage, including Abutsu-bo who, despite his advanced age, made the hazardous journey from Sado Island at least three times. Other followers came as well, but the Daishonin seems to have spent most of his time training the youths who were entering the priesthood from the families of lay believers. One of these, who hailed from the Nitta family, which was related to the Nagoe family, became the Daishonin's disciple in 1276. He was seventeen at the time; he went on to become the third high priest, Nichimoku Shonin.

As a way of fostering the faith of these disciples, Nichiren Daishonin gave a series of lectures on the Lotus Sutra, using as his reference material the major works of the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai. The series began with a lecture on Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and they proceeded through each of the twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra. When it was completed, it was set down as the "Ongi Kuden" (Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings) by Nikko Shonin. The Daishonin himself revised and edited the manuscripts, and they appeared in their final form in January 1278.

Thus, the Daishonin spent a fruitful four years following his frustrated attempt to convince Hei no Saemon of the validity of his predictions and teachings. In those four years, he had not budged from Mount Minobu despite his earlier hesitation about staying. Now, as the lay believers grew more determined in their propagation activities the Daishonin saw that the time was rapidly approaching when he would have the chance to fulfill the purpose of his life. He would not have to wait long, for the next year the opportunity arose.

10. Lord Shakyamuni of true Buddhism: The Buddha of the teaching indicated in the depths of the Lotus Sutra, who appeared as Nichiren Daishonin in the Latter Day of the Law and expounded the ultimate Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
11. Four Bodhisattvas: Jogyo, Muhengyo, Jyogyo and Anryugyo. They are the leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth described in the Yujutsu [Emerging from the Earth] (15th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

 

[Babbabud]

Ive made contact with people from the SGI that are within an hour of my house and will soon be going to my first meeting
They seem extremly cool.

Nam myoho renge kyo!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

THAT IS THE MOST WONDERFUL THING I COULD HEAR!

Sooner that you know it you'll have your Gohonzon. Congratulations! I hope you'll share your experience doing this so that others may follow your example. What ever happens, no matter what, don't give up till you get this done. Your sincerity is obvious from how quickly you have acted upon this. Such wonderful CAUSE!

I said it before, but you make me happy. Thank you!

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Life of Nichiren Daishonin

Chapter 11 (pp. 90-96):
Inscription of the True Object of Worship

From the moment he declared the essence of Buddhism, he had been hunted and hounded almost to the point of death. Two disciples had died in the process Kudo Yoshitaka and Kyonin-bo at Komatsubara-but the Daishonin had always been the prime target. Now in their zeal to spread the Daishonin's Buddhism, his followers were beginning to feel the brunt of official persecution. A confrontation was in the making.

In his retirement, the Daishonin was attended by Nikko Shonin, who had accompanied him throughout the years since their meeting at Jisso-ji temple. Being a native of the Minobu region, Nikko Shonin would spend much of his time in the neighboring villages converting friends and relatives. On the days that the Daishonin would give lectures, he would hurry back. He was particularly active at Shijuku-in temple in Suruga Province, where he was registered as a priest. He converted several of the resident priests, including Nichiji, who later became one of the six seniors. Nikko Shonin's success at proselytizing quickly drew the suspicious eye of the temple's administrator Gon'yo, who petitioned the government in 1278 to have Nikko Shonin and the others expelled on the grounds that they were spreading heresy. Nichiren Daishonin wrote an appeal calling for a debate to settle the issue, but it was ignored.

Nikko Shonin moved on to the Tendai temple Ryusen-ji in Atsuhara Village in the Fuji area of Suruga. His efforts again won him converts among the priests, and, what was more significant, among the local farmer population as well. And once again his actions drew the ire of temple officials, this time in the person of Gyochi, deputy chief priest. Gyochi demanded that Nichiren, Nisshu and Nichizen, who had converted and been renamed, as well as Mikawa-bo Raien, who had also taken faith, write an oath to discard their faith in the Lotus Sutra and begin reciting the Amida Sutra again. Only Mikawa-bo Raien agreed. Gyochi then demanded that the other three leave the temple. Nichizen did; the others stayed.

In addition to the growing number of farmer believers, Nanjo Tokimitsu, the steward of Ueno Village, under Nikko Shonin's direction, had begun converting his immediate family and relatives. Gyochi grew furious at the success of the Daishonin's Buddhism in attracting believers in the Atsuhara area, and he started venting his anger on laymen as well as priests. In April 1279, Gyochi conspired to harm a lay believer, and in August a believer by the name of Yashiro, who had been converted by Nisshu, was decapitated for unknown reasons.

The situation became critical on September 21 when the government arrested twenty farmer believers who were harvesting rice from Nisshu's fields on the temple grounds. The arrest had been requested by Gyochi, who claimed the farmers not only were harvesting rice that did not belong to Nisshu, whom Gyochi had told to leave, but also had descended on the deputy chief priest's lodging, armed and angry the farmers were taken to Kamakura and detained for trial.

Nichiren Daishonin, sensing the gravity of the situation, sent a letter on October 1 "to the people there” meaning the imprisoned farmers and other lay believers in Kamakura facing persecution in the wake of the Atsuhara incident. He advised them to use the persecutions to deepen their faith. "Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month," he said. "Should you slacken even a bit, demons will take advantage" (MW-1, 241-42).

Meanwhile, Nikko Shonin drafted an urgent appeal to Hei no Saemon who had taken charge of the farmers. The appeal was written in part by the Daishonin, but it was of little avail. First, Hei no Saemon had the lay believers tortured. Then, on October 15, after they had steadily refused to give up their faith in the Daishonin's Buddhism, he had three of the believers-the brothers Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro-summarily executed. Even so, the others refused to recant.

Nikko Shonin immediately sent word of the executions to the Daishonin, who received the letter two days later, on the seventeenth. He wrote back that it "is something extraordinary that they chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo at the time of execution" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 1455).

His letter of October 1, written in the midst of the persecution and entitled "On Persecutions Befalling the Buddha," proved to be more than just an attempt to encourage his lay followers; it was also a proclamation of the purpose of his life. He wrote:

Now in the second year of Koan (1279) it is twenty-seven years since I first proclaimed the true teaching at Seicho-ji temple. It was noon on the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month in the fifth year of Kencho (1253),... The Buddha fulfilled the purpose of his advent in a little over forty years; T'ien-t'ai took about thirty years, and Dengyo, some twenty years. I have repeatedly spoken of the indescribable persecutions they suffered during those years. For me it took twenty-seven years, and the persecutions I faced during this period are well known to you all. (MW-1, 239)

"For me it took twenty-seven years" was the Daishonin's reference to the fulfillment of his lifelong purpose. He did not just mean that his followers were now actively pursuing his will to spread his Buddhism, but something far greater. In the perspective that history allows, it is clear that he was referring to the inscription of the Dai Gohonzon which would take place eleven days later.

Though he greatly cared for his followers and did not want to see any of them harmed, Nichiren Daishonin deemed it extremely meaningful that they now showed a steadfastness of faith that had been lacking during the Tatsunokuchi and Sado persecutions. Then, many of them had wavered; now they showed they were willing even to die for their beliefs. To the Daishonin, the crucial factor in his being able to inscribe a universal object of worship had been fulfilled. Before, he had bestowed Gohonzon only on those with the staunchest faith; now that staunch faith was the rule rather than the exception, he could bestow the Dai-Gohonzon (dai in Japanese means supreme or great) upon all humanity. This he did on October 12,1279.

The writings of Nichiren Daishonin, especially "The Opening of the Eyes" and "The True Object of Worship," had led him step by step to that inscription. In one of his orally transmitted teachings, the Daishonin said that he had seen his life reflected in a pond at Seicho-ji temple as "the great mandala."(12) Thus, the image of the object he was to inscribe was clearly in his mind even before he actually gave it concrete form.

What is the Dai-Gohonzon? Down the center the Dai Gohonzon contains the inscription, "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nichiren," referring to the fusion of the Law of life and the original Buddha. On both sides of this are the representatives of the ten worlds, indicating the aspects of ichinen sanzen. By this graphic arrangement, the Daishonin showed that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the true entity of all phenomena. At the top of the ten worlds stands Buddhahood, at the bottom the condition of Hell. All are essential to life, but the way to bring them into perspective and release their full creativity is through the supreme Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which, when invoked, allows a person to take complete charge of his or her life.

In the lower left-hand comer of the Dai-Gohonzon is a dedication to a fictional lay believer, who represents the common people of the world at last able to realize their own Buddha nature. On the right are the words, ichiembudai soyo-"bestowed upon the entire world." So, far from being an individual Gohonzon, the Dai-Gohonzon is a gift to all people for all time, i.e., the fundamental principle for them to wrest control of their destinies and create peace and prosperity.

The Daishonin once said that he had "inscribed my life in sumi [ink]." By this, he meant that he had embodied his state of Buddhahood in the mandala and that the purpose of his life lay in that mandala; it was his legacy. In the case of the Dai-Gohonzon, however, the Daishonin took extra precaution to insure its survival. He inscribed it in ink on a plank of camphor wood and had his disciple Nippo carve the characters into the wood so that it would last, as traditionally said, "for ten millennia or more."

Believers who visited Nichiren Daishonin at Minobu would invariably pray to the Dai-Gohonzon. When they sent offerings to the Daishonin, he would write back, "I have respectfully placed them in front of the Lotus Sutra," by which he meant he had placed them in front of the Dai Gohonzon enshrined in the main temple at Minobu. The Daishonin himself recited the Hoben [Expedient Means] (second) and Juryo (sixteenth) [Life Span] chapters of the Lotus Sutra and chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in front of this object of worship.

The government eventually relented in the face of the farmers' steady faith and the pleas of Nikko Shonin and Nichiren Daishonin, and thus the worst phase of the Atsuhara Persecution drew to a close at the same time that the year 1279 neared its end. Twenty-seven years after the establishment of his Buddhism, the Daishonin completed the task of laying the foundation for the peace of the world in the Latter Day of the Law. Though only few knew of the inscription of the Dai Gohonzon at the time, the Daishonin, remaining at Mount Minobu, took steps to insure its preservation for all time. To that task, and to the care of his beloved followers, he devoted the remainder of his life.