Nichiren

Nichiren (1222–82). Japanese Buddhist monk who was the founder of Nichiren Shū, and whose name literally means ‘Sun Lotus’, ‘sun’ standing for Japan and ‘lotus’ for the Lotus Sūtra. While young, he travelled to various temples in search of a form of religious teaching and practice which he could regard as ‘true Buddhism’. In Kamakura, he studied the teachings of Pure Land school (Jōdo Shū) and Zen. Later, after a brief return visit to Seichōji in his home village, he enrolled in the monasteries of Mount Hiei and began an intensive study of Tendai teaching and practice. Because of his radical ideas, he was driven out of Mount Hiei, and so he moved on to Mount Kōya to study the esoteric teachings and practice of the Shingon (‘True Word’) school of Buddhism. It was during his study on Mount Kōya that he finally concluded that the only true form of Buddhism was that taught by Saichō (Dengyō Daishi, ‘great teacher Dengyō’), who had established the Tendai (Chin., Tʾien-tʾai) School of Buddhism in Japan in the 8th cent. Saichō taught the superiority of the Lotus Sūtra over all Buddhist sūtras. Nichiren, after discovering the Lotus Sūtra for himself, returned to his home village and began preaching to the common people that enlightenment was available to every human being through simple trust in the truth (dharma) expressed in this sūtra.

The act of faith which Nichiren taught was the invocation of a specific mantra which he called daimoku, ‘sacred title’: namu myōhō renge kyō, ‘I take refuge in the Lotus of the Wonderful Law Sūtra.’

In Feb. 1260, Nichiren wrote his well-known essay, Risshō ankoku-ron (Treatise on the Establishment of Righteousness to Secure the Peace of the State).

Because of the radicalness and outspokenness of his criticism of the government and his attacks against other schools of Buddhism, Nichiren was arrested in 1261 and exiled to the Izu Peninsula for two years. He was pardoned in 1264. However, Nichiren did not recant. He returned to Kamakura and began publicly denouncing the government in sermons he preached on the streets of the city. Nichiren was again arrested, this time receiving the death sentence. According to tradition, the executioner's sword was struck by lightning just at the moment he began to strike at Nichiren's neck. Whatever happened, the execution was stayed, and he was again sentenced to exile, this time on the isolated island of Sado in the Sea of Japan.

During the three years of his second exile on Sado Island (1271–4), Nichiren wrote Kaimokushō (Treatise on Opening the Eyes) and Kanjin Honzonshō (Treatise on Contemplating the True Object of Worship).

Together with Risshō Ankokuron and two later works, Senjishō (Selection of the Time) and Hōonshō (Repaying Kindness), these two treatises comprise Nichiren's major writings. Along with 230 letters collected in his Gosho (Sacred Writings) these serve as scripture for Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren is also believed to have created the original Object of Worship, the gohonzon, a calligraphic inscription on wood of the invocation, namu myōhō renge kyō. The Nichiren Shū claims it is enshrined at their headquarters temple at Mount Minobu, while the Nichiren Shōshu claims it for theirs at Taisekiji.

Again Nichiren was pardoned on 13 Mar. 1274. During this final stage of his career, he set out to establish ‘Vulture Peak’, the mythical mountain where the historical Buddha, Śākyamuni, is said to have delivered the teachings of the Lotus Sūtra. Nichiren believed the earthly form of Vulture Peak was in Japan, and he selected Mount Fuji (Fujisan) as the site, and established a temple, Kuonji, nearby on Mount Minobu.

Nichiren died on 13 Oct. 1282, at the home of a patron named Uemondayū Munenaka Ikegami. According to Nichiren Shū teaching, Nichiren's remains are now enshrined at Mount Minobu. For subsequent developments, see NICHIREN SHŪ.