This sect is named after its founder, Saint Nichiren.
Nichiren-shū
Nichiren-shū was established during Japan’s Kamakura-Era on April 28th in the fifth year of Kenchō (1253). It was at Asahi-ga-mori on Mt. Seichō (Seichō-zan) in the Chiba Prefecture that Saint Nichiren first raised his voice to intone the sacred prayer Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, thus proclaiming the establishment of this faith.
The Gohonzon
The Gohonzon is the mainstay of the Nichiren faith, the object of worship. This represents the eternal Śākyamuni Buddha, who realized the world of enlightenment in the distant past, and is inscribed with the sacred Mandala symbolizing the realm of the Buddha’s nirvāṇa.
The spiritual basis of Nichiren-shū
Nichiren-shū is founded on the teaching expounded by the Buddha in the Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra. Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in Japanese), this being regarded as his ultimate doctrine. This sutra teaches that· all beings can attain enlightenment and that Śākyamuni is the holy Buddha who is working ceaselessly for all beings everywhere, without distinction, so that we may attain Buddhahood.
The reason for the superiority of the Lotus Sutra
As Śākyamuni clearly explains, the reason why the Lotus Sutra is to be regarded as the ultimate doctrine is that, of his many teachings, it is only this sutra which reveals the truth of the enlightenment which he himself attained. In this text, it is shown clearly that not only Śākyamuni but also the many Buddhas of the three worlds–that of the past, the present and the future–came into this world to expound the Lotus Sutra.
The importance of the Lotus Sutra
This sacred text, the Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, translated into Chinese by the Central-Asian priest Kumārajīva in about 400 A.D., is given the abbreviated title Hoke-Kyō (trans. Lotus Sutra) in Japanese. In one copy of this text there are eight volumes consisting of 28 chapters.
To summarize the contents of the Lotus Sutra
In the first 14 chapters (Shakumon in Japanese), which Śākyamuni compiled over a period of many years, he explains the doctrine of “expedient means” (upāya, hoben in Japanese) for the guidance of sentient beings. As it is intended for those who seek righteous enlightenment ( Saṃbodai, Shōgaku), this section of the Lotus Sutra teaches the concept of Ichibutsujyō–the “single Buddha-vehicle”– or the only way to enlightenment and as such is an answer to their needs. For in this it advocates that all beings are equal in the presence of this doctrine and that without fail all will attain Buddhahood. In the last 14 chapters (Honmon) Śākyamuni, the enlightened one, explains that he is truly the Buddha of the remote past and distant future, the Buddha who is without beginning and without end. And also it is explained that, Śākyamuni asked his disciples beginning with Viśiṣṭacaritra Bodhisattva (Jōgyō Bosatsu) who had been a follower for countless eons appeared out of the earth, and innumerable Bodhisattvas to spread the Lotus Sutra throughout the world after his passing.
Viśiṣṭacaritra and Saint Nichiren
Saint NichirenViśiṣṭacaritra is a Bodhisattva who is predicted to appear in this impure world in what was termed lawlessness (Mappō in Japanese) two thousand years following Buddha’s passing. Here, in compliance with the spirit of the sage, Śākyamuni, this Bodhisattva is to undertake Buddhist austerities armed with the Lotus Sutra. However, in this sutra it also explains that without fail persecution will be encountered while propagating and teaching the Lotus Sutra in this age of degeneration. It is in the face of this oppression that resolution must not waver, even to the extent of martyrdom, so that teaching of the Lotus Sutra can be carried out. In compliance with this prediction of the Lotus Sutra, Saint Nichiren was born at the beginning of the age of lawlessness (Mappō) during the Kamakura-Era (1185-1333). In preaching this text he suffered repented persecution and at one stage almost became a martyr in its cause. Finally, it was in his pursuit of the course expounded in the Lotus Sutra that Saint Nichiren attained the realization that he was in fact Viśiṣṭacaritra Bodhisattva.
The basis of the Nichiren-shū faith
It is the morning and evening intonation of the sacred prayer, the prayer for which Saint Nichiren almost suffered martyrdom, which forms the basis of the Nichiren-shū faith. It is by facing the Gohonzon and wholeheartedly repeating the prayer Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in a firm, clear voice, that a world of serenity is manifested.
The virtue of this prayer
The Lotus Sutra is the essence of the teachings of one lifetime of Śākyamuni; the title of this text; Myōhō-Renge-Kyō being the very soul of the Buddha. For the five characters Myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō contain all of the virtue of a Buddha. Through this, nurtured by the grace of Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, living we too can attain Buddhahood by means of the prayer Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō.
The number of Nichiren-shū temples and lay followers
Beginning with the head temple Kuon-ji on Mt. Minobu, there are famous temples connected with Saint Nichiren, for example, Tanjo-ji (Birth place), Kominato; Honmon-ji (Passing place), Ikegami; and many other temples found throughout Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Furthermore, temples are to be found in Hawaii, North and South America and in South Korea giving a total of more than 5,300 in all. The primary purpose of these being propagation of the faith and missionary work. The number of Nichiren-shū lay followers includes over five million members. The central place of their worship is Kuon-ji on Mt. Minobu, while the administration center of Nichiren-shū is Nichiren-shu Shumuin.
Minobusan Kuon-ji:
Minobu-3567, Minobu-cho, Minami-Koma-Gun,
Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan zip code 409-25
Phone: 05566-2-1011
Nichiren-shū Shumuin:
1-32-15, Ikegami, Ota-ku,
Tokyo, Japan zip code 146
Phone: 03-751-7181
The administration of our sect is carried out by the Nichiren-shū administrative offices in Ikegami, Ota-ku, Tokyo. These are the headquarters for all Nichiren-shū temples throughout Japan; undertaking administration, personnel training, propagation and missionary work, the business of social welfare, and other duties such as controlling the development of the organization of Nichiren-shū.
What is Nichiren-shū undertaking at present?
The year 2002 will mark the 750th anniversary of Saint Nichiren’s establishment of this faith. In the drive to protect and preserve Nichiren-shū while working towards this memorable year, and in order that the influence of the sacred prayer may spread, the movement for total propagation of this faith is now being developed. Through the sacred prayer Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, this movement is for the purification not only of people’s minds, but of society and of the whole world, a world of peace and mutual understanding.
Saka Gakkai is not Nichiren-shū
Although many people believe that Saka Gakkai is the same religious sect as Nichiren-shū, they are in fact entirely different sects. For, although it is true that both of these faiths invoke the sacred prayer Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, the Saka Gakkai is a splinter group professing the name of Nichiren Shoshu, which has its head temple at Taiseki-ji. There are many reasons why this organization violates the true teaching of Saint Nichiren; the two principal examples being:
Saint Nichiren as the Eternal Buddha: Saint Nichiren claimed clearly that Śākyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment in the remote past and attainment of eternal Buddhahood must be worshiped as the mainstay (Honzon) of our faith. But, Soka Gakkai regards Śākyamuni as a cast-off historical Buddha of the immediate past, Saint Nichiren being the Buddha of the enlightenment attained countless eons ago.
The denial of Mt. Minobu: Saint Nichiren said to his followers: “All my disciples and lay followers must never fail to make a pilgrimage to this sanctuary as it is the supreme source of faith. My soul will reside here on Mt. Minobu forever.” As a dying wish, Saint Nichiren asked that his grave be erected on Mt. Minobu no matter where he passed away. In compliance with his will, Nichiren-shū continues to this day to preserve Mt. Miriobu. However, Soka Gakkai claims that neither the Saint’s bones nor his grave is on Mt. Minobu. Such claim is in fact trampling on the words of Saint Nichiren.
Finally, it is only Nichiren-shū which faithfully advocates purely the teaching of Saint Nichiren. It is the one and only heir to the task of protecting this legacy of over 700 years.
Timeline
1222 (Jōo 1)
Nichiren was born at Kominato in Chiba Prefecture.
1253 (Kenchō 5)
After fourteen studies of various Buddhist thought systems, he declared the establishment of the Nichiren faith. The saint was 32 at this time.
1260 (Bunō 1)
Composition of his Risshō Ankoku-ron at the age of 39.
1260 (Bunō 1)
At Matsubagayatsu Saint Nichiren was attacked and his hermitage burnt.
1261 (Kōchō 1)
The saint was banished to Ito on the Izu Peninsula.
1264 (Bun-ei 1)
At Komatsubara, Saint Nichiren was attacked by a group of warriors belonging to the lord of the fief, Tōjō Kagenobu.
1271 (Bun-ei 8)
It was at the Tatsu-no-kuchi execution grounds that, on the point of being beheaded, Saint Nichiren was saved by an omen. He was subsequently banished to Sada Island. And there, he compiled the Kaimokusho, Kanjin-Honzonsho, and first inscribed the great Mandala : Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō.
1274 (Bun-ei 11)
Pardoned from his banishment to Sado Island, Saint Nichiren returned to Kamakura, then went to Mt. Minobu.
1282 (Kōan 5)
Saint Nichiren left Mt. Minobu for Ikegami, and at the age of 61 passed away in the Ikegami Munenaka’s house at Musashi-no-Kuni.
The Kanjin-Honzon-shō Masterpiece
The most important work of Saint Nichiren, written on April 25, 1273 at Sado Island. At this time the saint was 52. In this, he explained the observation of mind and the true mainstay of worship.
A picture on both front and back covers is one scene of Saint Nichiren’s execution at Tatsu-no-kuchi, cited from The Nichiren Shonin Chugasan, a famous annotated pictorial eulogy of Saint Nichiren.
The date of issue:
April 8th 1985
The publisher:
Asia Buddhist Friendship Association Nichiren-shū
Office:
Minobu-betsuin
3-2, Kodenmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo,103, Japan
Phone:03-661-3996
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