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Nichiren (日蓮)
(February
16,
1222 -
October 13,
1282), born Zennichimaro, later Zesho-bo Rencho and
sometimes called Nichiren Shonin or Nichiren
Daishonin, was a
Buddhist monk in
13th century
Japan, and founder of
Nichiren Buddhism, a Buddhist movement which continues today.
He was an extremely controversial figure in his own time,
and his Buddhism continues to be controversial today. During his lifetime,
he sought reform of Buddhism within Japan.
Nichiren believed that the teachings contained in the
Lotus Sutra were given by the
Buddha Shakyamuni. Not all scholars today believe that the Lotus Sutra
was written by Shakyamuni. Many believe it was written by one of his later
followers.
One central theme in the Lotus Sutra, which was
emphasized by Nichiren and is emphasized in Nichiren Buddhism today, is that
enlightenment may be attained in a single lifetime.
He was born in Kominato, which today lies in the Japanese
prefecture of
Chiba. He began his formal Buddhist study at the Seichoji Temple at
eleven, where he eventually became a priest. It was at the Seichoji Temple
that he first came to believe in the pre-eminence of the Lotus Sutra. On
April 28,
1253, he declared his intention to preach the Lotus Sutra and
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as the true
Buddhism. At the same time he changed his name from Rencho to Nichi-ren. "Nichi"
means "sun", and "ren" means "Lotus".
He began in the city of Kamakura, where he petitioned
rulers to have his form of Buddhism instituted as the state religion and all
other sects forbidden. He wrote a religious treatise called the Rissho
Ankoku Ron (On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of
the Land), in which he attributed a series of natural disasters
including
tsunamis and
earthquakes as well as foreign invasion (i.e., the Mongols) to the
improper practice of the Buddhists.
When Nichiren presented his writing to the rulers, there
was a violent backlash against him, especially among the priests of the
other Buddhist sects. He was persecuted several times, and exiled at least
twice (to the Izu peninsula, and three years on Sado Island).
Nichiren continued to teach his belief in the Lotus Sutra
and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, writing more treatises. Kaimoku Sho
(The Opening of the Eyes), Kanjin no Honzon Sho (The
Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind) were written while in exile
on Sado Island. Also on Sado Island, he composed the Gohonzon, a
mandala which he intended as a graphic representation of the essence of
the Lotus Sutra--the Mystic Law of cause and effect, which underlies all
phenomena in the universe.
He entered a voluntary exile on Mount Minobu in
1274, where he was to spend the rest of his life. He wrote two more
major works there, and continued to teach his disciples. The writings were
the Senji Sho (Selection of Time) and the Hoon Jo
(Recompense of Indebtedness), which was written in memory of his
Buddhist teacher, Dozen.
He died in October 1282 at Ikegami, Tokyo, where he had
travelled to take medicinal baths for his failing health. He was accompanied
by his six disciples - Nissho, Nichiro, Nikko, Niko, Nichiji and Niccho -
and other followers. With the exception of Nikko, who dedicated his entire
life to helping eternalize his teachings, the other five disciples to a man
turned their back on Nichiren's philosophy.
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