Nichiren Shu Buddhist Holidays

Jan. 1: Gantan-e (元旦会) or Shushō-e (修正会), New Year.: On January lst, after the ringing of the temple bell 108 times at midnight, a service to celebrate the New Year is held. At this service, we express our respect to the Buddha, Nichiren Shonin and our ancestors. We also pray for world peace, a good harvest, prosperity for the temple, its members and their families throughout the coming year. After the service, we toast with New Year dish and sake (rice wine).
Feb. 2: Setsubun: Setsubun literally means ‘season-division.’ According to the calendar, February 3, is the last day of winter. On that day, we hold a Setsubun Service to pray for our good health and protection against calamity or misfortunes. At the service, toshi-otoko (a man of the year) and yoshi-onna (a woman of the year), who were born in the year with the same animal name as the current year, throw soy beans to chase out evil spirits from each house and throw hard candy to welcome good luck throughout the year.
Feb. 15: Nehan-e (涅槃会), Nirvana Day, Memorial for the Buddha.: Sakyamuni Buddha entered into Nirvana on the day of the full moon in February. During His preaching tour, the Buddha ate a meal offered by an earnest lay disciple, Chunda, and became severely ill. Although He continued his journey with His disciples, he was exhausted when He reached Kushinagara. After giving the final instructions to his disciples, the Buddha told Ananda to inform the people of Kushinagara that He would pass away during the coming night. He entered Nirvana on February 15.
Feb. 16: Shūso Gōtan-e (宗祖降誕会), Nichiren’s Birthday.: Our founder, Nichiren Shonin, was born at Kominaro in the Province of Awa (in Chiba Prefecture today) on February 16, 1222. His father was called Nukina Shigetada and his mother, Umegiku. He was named Zennichimaro. It is said that several lovely miracles happened at his birth: many white lotus flowers bloomed in the bay, a great number of fish appeared in the sea and a spring of water gushed out in front of their home.
Mar. 21 (approximately): Ohigan (お彼岸) or Higan-e (彼岸会), The Spring Equinox celebration and Paramita Week.: The Higan Service is a memorial service for our ancestors held during a week of Higan in March and in September. The fourth day of the Higan week is the equinox day. Higan literally means “the other shore,” and the purpose of Higan Service is to send the merit of reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Odaimoku to the ancestors’ spirits on the other shore of enlightenment. We also practice the Buddha’s teaching in order to cross the river from this shore of illusions to the other shore of enlightenment by holding Higan Service. Typical practice is called six paramitas: 1) to give alms, 2) to keep precepts, 3) to be patient, 4) to endeavor, 5) to meditate, and 6) to see the truth.
Apr. 8: Hanamatsuri (花祭り), Kanbutsu-e (潅仏会) or Busshō-e (仏生会), The Buddha’s Birthday.: About 2,500 years ago, a prince of the Sakya Clan was born on April 8 at Lumbini Garden, located in present-day Nepal near the Indian border. His father, King Suddhodana, and his mother, Queen Maya, named him Siddhartha. It is said that the Buddha stood upon birth, walked seven steps and said, with his right hand raised toward heaven and his left pointing at the ground, “In heaven and on earth, I alone am honored.” We celebrate the Buddha’s birthday by holding the Hanamatsuri (literally flower festival) Service. At the service, we build a miniature hall called hanarnido decorated with flowers, place the statue of an infant Buddha pointing to heaven and earth in its center, and pour sweet tea over the statue with a small ladle.
Apr. 28: Rikkyō Kaishū (立教開宗), Establishment of Nichiren Shu.: On the morning of April 28, 1253, Nichiren Shonin, at the age of 32, was standing on top of a hill named Asahigamori on Mt. Kiyosumi, chanting the Odaimoku, Namu Myoho Renge-kyo, for the first time while facing the rising sun over the Pacific Ocean. He vowed to save all people with the Lotus Sutra. From that time onward, Nichiren Shonin, a messenger of the Lotus Sutra, devoted his life to spread the teaching of the Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku. We commemorate this day as the founding day Nichiren Buddhism.
May 12: Izu Hōnan-e (伊豆法難会), Commemoration of Nichiren Shonin’s Exile to Izu Peninsula.: Nichiren Shonin submitted his Treatise entitled “Rissho Ankoku-ron (Treatise on Spreading Peace Throughout the Country by Establishing the True Dharma)”, to the Kamakura Shogunate to take policies under the True Dharma of the Lotus Sucra on July 16, 1260. But the Shogunate, far from accepting his opinion, exiled him to lzu on May 12, 1261. Left on an offshore rock, Nichiren Shonin was saved by Funamori Yasaburo.
July – Aug. – Obon (お盆) or Urabon-e (盂蘭盆会), Obon season.: The term obon denotes a memorial service for our ancestors held Aug. 13 to 16 (July in the Lunar Calendar). During the obon period, each family welcomes ancestors’ souls back home. The origin of the obon service comes from the story of Maudgalyayana and his mother, in which he saved her from the region of hungry spirits by offering merit to her. Nichiren Shonin teaches us that the merit of the obon service extends not only seven generations of ancestors but also to all the ancestors.
Aug. 27: Matsubagayatsu Hōnan-e (松葉が谷法難会), Commemoration of Matsubagayatsu Persecution.: On the night of August 27,1260, just forty-one days after Nichiren Shonin submitted his “Rissho Ankoku-ron” to the Shogunate, a mob hostile to Nichiren, an outspoken reformer, attacked his hermitage and set fire to it at Matsubagayatsu section of Kamakura. But according to a legend, a white monkey miraculously appeared before the sleeping priest, leading him to safety.
Sept. 12: Tatsunokuchi Hōnan-e (龍口法難会), Commemoration of Tatsunokuchi Persecution: On September 10,1271, Nichiren Shonin, who was called by the shogunate, pointed out his prediction of Mongol threat have come true and requested a public debate with other sects. The shogunate, however, did not listen to him and arrested him on September 12. On the way to Sado Island, where Nichiren Shonin was going to be exiled, they tried co kill him at Tatsunokuchi Beach, an execution ground outside Kamakura. A thunderbolt broke the executioner’s sword into pieces, and Nichiren Shonin narrowly escaped death.
Sept. 21 (approximately): Ohigan (お彼岸) or Higan-e (彼岸会), The Autumnal Equinox celebration and Paramita Week.: The Higan Service is a memorial service for our ancestors held during a week of Higan in March and in September. The fourth day of the Higan week is the equinox day. Higan literally means “the other shore,” and the purpose of Higan Service is to send the merit of reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Odaimoku to the ancestors’ spirits on the other shore of enlightenment. We also practice the Buddha’s teaching in order to cross the river from this shore of illusions to the other shore of enlightenment by holding Higan Service. Typical practice is called six paramitas: 1) to give alms, 2) to keep precepts, 3) to be patient, 4) to endeavor, 5) to meditate, and 6) to see the truth.
Oct. 10: Sadō Hōnan-e (佐渡法難会), Commemoration of Nichiren Shonin’s Exile to Sado Island.: After the Tatsunokuchi incident, Nichiren Shonin was detained at Echi, near Kamakura for about a month. Departing Echi on October 10, Nichiren Shonin was exiled to Sado. Being exiled in Sado for four years, Nichiren Shonin deepened his faith as an avatar of Superior Practice (Jogyo) Bodhisattva. He also wrote “Kaimoku-Sho (Open Your Eye to the Lotus Sutra)” and “Kanjin Honzon-Show, (A Treatise Revealing Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Venerable One)” in Sado, and the Great Mandala on July 8, 1273.
Oct. 13: Oeshiki (お会式), Memorial for founder, Nichiren.: On the way to a hot spa in Hitachi Province from Mt. Minobu to recover his health, Nichiren Shonin’s health declined. He rested at the Ikegami Munenaga’s residence in present-day Tokyo and could no longer continue his trip. On the morning of October 13, 1282, at 8 a.m., Nichiren Shonin ended his long life of spreading the Lotus Sutra for 60 years. The Oeshiki Service is held to express our gratitude to our Founder.
Nov. 11: Komatsubara Hōnan-e (小松原法難会), Commemoration of Komatsubara Persecution: After returning from exile at Izu in 1264, Nichiren Shonin visited his home village in Awa Province to see his sick mother. After she recovered, Kudo Yoshitaka, the Lord of Amatsu, invited Nichiren Shonin to his residence. On their way in the evening of November 11, Nichiren Shonin and his retainers were attacked by Tojo Kagenobu and his followers at Komatsubara. Nichiren Shonin was injured on his forehead, and his disciple, Kyoninbo and Lord Yoshitaka were killed. A cotton hat is put on Nichiren Shonin’s statue from November 11 through Spring Higan (toward the end of March) or Rikkyo Kaishu-e Service commemoration the establishment of Nichiren Buddhism (April 28) to heal the injury on his forehead.
Dec. 8: Shaka-Jōdō-e (釈迦成道会) or just Jōdō-e (成道会), Bodhi Day or Enlightenment Day: Prince Siddharha left his castle in his twenties and traveled all over to seek the truth of life. He found out that various practices he encountered were not the right way, so that he decided to meditate under a tree at Gaya. After seven days of meditation, in the early morning of December 8, the prince attended Enlightenment and became the Buddha, the Enlightened One. The Jode-e Service is held to commemorate the event of attaining Enlightenment by the Buddha.
Dec. 31: Jōya-e (除夜会) or Sechibun-E (節分会), End of the Year Celebration.: End of year service is traditionally held at 11pm followed by a meal of noodles. At midnight the temple bell is rung 108 times to cleanse earthly desires in the New Year.

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