THE SO-CALLED ‘SHÔJU’ INITIATIVE AND ITS SPONSORS
continued...

The testament (okibumi on  the back of the "Recitation Text" (fujusho):
(on the viewer's left) because it was written on the back the ink has blured
and is difficult to read. (From "Trandition of Nichiren Doctrine" , pg. 94)

part - 4 of 8
 

Nichiren Shônin further explains the difference between and the preconditions for
the two methods of propagation:

 ‘Question: If, because the masses of beings would blaspheme, the Buddha at the
very first did not preach the Hokekyô but after more than forty years preached the Hokekyô, why do you in the present era not preach the Provisional Sutras but without further ado preach the Hokekyô, cause people to blaspheme and fall to the Evil Ways of Rebirth?’

 ‘Answer: When the Buddha was in the world the Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree
and reflected on the capacities and He knew and perceived, ‘If at the present time I preach the Hokekyô, the masses of beings would blaspheme and would fall to the Evil Ways of Rebirth; if I preach after more than forty years have passed, they should rise to the Non-backsliding of the First Abode and so on to Sublime Enlightenment.’

 In the polluted era of the Latter Age it would be difficult for there to be even one person in ten thousand to be of the matched capacity (tô ki) and be likely  to enter
the First Abode.  Furthermore, because the person who converts is not the Buddha,
it would be a difficult thing for him to reflect on the capacities.  Therefore the Buddha has left it that for the sake of rebellious conditions and obedient conditions (gyaku
en jun en) one should first preach the Hokekyô.  But  there would also be cases
even after the Extinction [of the Buddha] when to those who would likely become
the congregation of the matched (tô ki shû) capacities one would first preach the Provisional Sutras.  Furthermore the person who puts pity (hi) first preach the Provisional Sutras first, like the Buddha Shakya.  Those who put sympathy (ji)
first should preach the Real Sutra first, like the Bodhisattva Fukyô.

 Furthermore, it would be difficult for the worldlings of the Latter Age to avoid the
Evil Ways of Rebirth anyhow; if just the same they fall to the Evil Ways of Rebirth,
if one causes them to blaspheme the Hokekyô and fall, it would not resemble falling
by worldly sin (seken no tsumi).  As in the text, “Hearing the Dharma, giving rise to blasphemy, and falling to hell is superior to making offering to Ganges’ sands of Buddhas.’ and so on [Maha shikan bugyôden guketsu 1-5 (T.46.174c)].”  “The heart (meaning) of this text preaches that to blaspheme the Hokekyô and fall to hell is hundreds and thousands and myriad times superior to the merit of offering to, adhering to, and adoring Ganges’ sands of Buddhas, the Buddha Shakya, the
Buddha Amida and so on” (STN, v. 1, 260-261).

 Here again Nichiren Shônin explains that there are few people with karmic
roots with regard to the Buddha Vehicle (not one in ten thousand) and people
in this age are overwhelmingly likely to fall to the Evil Ways of Rebirth (beasts,
hungry ghosts, hells), based on their past karma, so if they are going to tend that
way in any case, why not have them fall and at the same time plant the seeds of
future Buddhahood?  Nichiren Shônin distinguishes between the punishment
of “worldly sin” (seken no tsumi), the conventional sins of lying, stealing, murder
and so on with regard to ordinary circumstances, sins which are punished in
due course by the law of karma but which do not, in and of themselves, lead to anything greater, and the transworldly sin (shusseken) of blasphemy against the Dharma (hôbô), which is far more serious in its nature and consequences but at
the same time contains the seed of future Buddhahood.  Those who refuse to do shakabuku, that is “conversion by the rebellious (or opposition)” (gyaku ke) or
“forced poisoning” (gôdoku), in this age of mappô with its preponderance of
inferior capacities are actually not showing compassion but abandoning those
who would receive the seed of Buddhahood (busshu) no other way.  Even if there
are a few people who will benefit from shôju, to adopt this as the general policy
is to ignore the needs of many for the sake of one or two.  Those who propose
a complete reversion to shôju are wrongly assuming that those ready for the
Hokekyô, with good karmic seeds ready to mature, are predominant.

 Later Nichiren Shônin explains his position again in terms of history (which, as
most scholars have acknowledged, was extremely important to Nichiren Shônin):

 “Now at the beginning of the Latter Dharma, by the Lesser they strike the Great
and by the Provisional they smash the Real [Great Vehicle]. East and West together
are lost, Heaven and Earth are overturned.  The Four Reliances of the [Bodhisattvas] Converted by the Manifestation [Buddha] are hidden and do not manifest themselves before [the world].  The devas (gods) abandon this country and do not guard it.  At
this time the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth for the first time come forth
and manifest themselves and take only the Five Characters ‘Myôhô renge kyô’ and have the young children swallow them.  [When Myôraku’s Hokke mongu ki 10chû (T.34.349b) commenting on the ‘Chapter of Jôfukyô’says,] “If, caused by blasphemy, they fall to the Evil [Ways of Rebirth], of necessity, caused by it, they shall obtain benefit,’ it refers to this.  Let my disciples ponder this.  The Thousand Realms [of the Bodhisattvas] Who Sprang from the Earth are the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya’s disciples who first gave rise to the Mind [of Enlightenment. They came not to the Place of Enlightenment Where He Attained Nirvana [Realization] nor did they visit His Final {Parinirvana] at the Pair of Sal Trees and had the fault and the Buddhas of the Ten Directions] promised to receive and keep this [‘Myôhô renge kyô’].  Shall they come forth at the beginning of the Latter Dharma?” (STN, v. 1, 719)

 Comment: In this passage likewise we see that Nichiren Shônin notes the utterly confused and hopeless state of the present age; moreover, when he explains the appearance of the Great Bodhisattva-Mahâsattvas who are to bestow the Daimoku
only on the young children he links this propagation of the Daimoku to Myôraku’s exposition of the ‘Chapter of Jôfukyô’ 20 in the Hokekyô which speaks of converting by causing blasphemy; the full text says:

 ‘Question: If by cause of blasphemy they fall to suffering, for what reason does
the bodhisattva create the cause of suffering?’

 ‘Answer: They have no good cause and, not blaspheming, According to the
collection of Nichiren Shônin’s works in the Iwanani shoten Nihon shisô taijei (v. 14), p. 156, this passage of forming a connection to the True Dharma by blaspheming
it, being punished, and then attaining Buddhahood in the future, is “forming the condition of the poison drum” (dokku kechien) and is the basis of Nichiren Shônin’s “shakubuku.”'

 The theory of letting people blaspheme, fall and obtain the benefit of future Buddhahood (forced poisoning, the condition of the poison drum) is in the Tendai commentary itself and Nichiren Shônin connects it closely with the spread of the Daimoku by the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth.  And their appearance
with this type of propagation is a necessity connected with the veracity of the Buddhas themselves:

 “These Bodhisattvas having received the Buddha’s Edict, have been under the Great Earth.  They have not come forth and appeared in the True or Counterfeit [Dharma eras], If they do not come forth in the Latter Dharma [era], they will be Great Beings {Mahâsattvas) of great lies.  The prophetic texts of the Three Buddhas also would be the same as foam bubbles”  (STN, v. 1, 719).

 This propagation is for the era of the Latter Dharma (mappô) or Latter Age (matsudai) which is not limited to Nichiren Shônin’s time as we demonstrated above.

  We should add perhaps one more note here on an immediately subsequent passage (STN, v. 1, 719): “When these Four Bodhisattvas manifest Breaking and Subduing (shakubuku), they become worthy kings and rebuke and attack (kaishaku) foolish kings; when they practice Subsuming and Accepting (shôju) they become monks and spread and keep the True Dharma.”

 Doubtless people who think they are clever will say that this proves Nichiren Shônin really meant to practice shôju.  But clearly he is here using the shakubuku-shôju dichotomy in a different way: namely, the use of force in spreading the Dharma, not the fundamental technique.  Obviously the shakubuku here refers to the Mongol
king’s chastising of the ruler of Japan.  As we shall see in his more or less definitive work on the subject Nichiren Shônin’s use of shakubuku clearly applied to his own propagation and his harsh but entirely logical criticism of other sects.  It was closely intertwined with his view of the Hokekyô, its position in the Buddha’s preaching and exclusive practice.

 THE NYOSETSU SHUGYÔ SHÔ

 This treatise most fully brings out Nichiren Shônin’s insistence on the doctrine
of “Breaking and Subduing" (shakubuku) not merely in a temporal sense but as fundamental to the nature of the Hokekyô itself. This work, which was composed
in the tenth year of Bun’ei (1273) survives in a copy by Nichizon (1265-1345) from
the year 1297 (Einin 5), was so important that he instructed his disciples:

“To all of you: You should not let this letter leave your persons and you should
read it constantly” (STN, v. 1, 735 l. 6).

 In this Nyosetsu shugyô shô Nichiren Shônin teaches:

“At the present time, it is the Provisional Teachings which have become the enemy
of the Real Teaching.  If at the time of the age of diffusion of the One Vehicle, there
is a Provisional Teaching that becomes an enemy, one may attack it from the Real Teaching.  Within the practices of Subsuming and Breaking one calls this the Breaking and Subduing for the Hokke.  Tendai says, “The Breaking and Subduing of the Hokke smashes the ideal truths of the Provisional Doctrines.’ Truly this has a reason!”” (STN, v. 1, 735 l. 13 - 736 l. 1).

“With the lesser good of the Nembutsu of [A]mida, they lose the Great Good of the Hokekyô and the Nembutsu which is the lesser good surpasses the Five Rebellious Sins (gogyakuzai) which is a great evil” (STN, v. 2, 1543 ll. 10-11).

“Now at the beginning of the Latter Dharma with the Lesser they strike the Great; with the Provisional they smash the Real; east and west are lost together; heaven and earth are overturned” (STN, v. 1, 719 ll. 9-10).

 The Provisional Teachings, good within their own sphere (tôbun), are now not merely ineffective but also have become positive hindrances to the fundamental intention
of the Buddha which is the spread of the Hokekyô and, in particular, its Essence, exclusively.  (We should keep in the mind the quotation from Tendai (Hokke gengi 9A (T.33.792b)); it is important in understanding the nature of shakubuku; in the present case it is applied to the temporal circumstances of the Latter Dharma.

 In the Nyosetsu shugyô shô Nichiren Shônin explains the relationship of shakubuku and shôju and the temporal constraints of Buddhist practice:

 “In general, those who would practice the Buddha Dharma should know the two aspects (lit., ‘gates’) of Subsuming and Breaking. All the Sutras and Treatises do not go beyond these two. Therefore, although the scholars of the sects within the country roughly learn the Buddha Dharma, they do not know the Way which corresponds to the time. The four times and four seasons change one after another. In summer it is hot, in winter it is cold, in spring the flowers bloom, and in autumn the fruits form.
Now in spring one should plant the seeds and in autumn take the fruits; if one plants the seeds in autumn and gathers the fruits in spring, how could they be gathered?
In the time of extreme cold, thick garments are useful; in the time extreme heat, what would they do?  A cool wind is useful in summer; in winter what would it do?

 The Buddha Dharma is also like this.  There is a time when the Lesser Dharma
is diffused and will have benefit.  There is also a time when the Provisional Great
Vehicle may spread.  There is also a time when the Real Teaching spreads and
one will obtain Buddhahood. Moreover, the two thousand years of [the ages of] the
True and Counterfeit [Dharmas] are the times when the Lesser Vehicle and Provisional Great Vehicle are diffused. The five hundred years of the beginning of the Latter Dharma is the time when only the Hokekyô, which is the Purely Perfect One Real [Teaching], ‘shall be widely proclaimed and diffused’ [‘kôsen rufu’ in the ‘Chapter
of Yakuô’ (T.9. 54c22)].

 This time is fixed as the time when ‘they are firm in struggle and the Pure Dharma is hidden and sinks’ [Daijikkyô 55 (`Embudai hon’) (T.13.363)], an occasion of the mixing and confusion of the Provisional with the Real” (STN, v. 1, 735 ll. 4-12), (para. 78.).
 This is the era  of the wide diffusion and the proclamation of the real teaching of the Hokekyô and the “season” (as the farmer follows those seasons in nature) must be adhered to.  The excuse that it is limited to the first five hundred years of mappô, after which there might be a return to the teachings of earlier ages, makes no sense, for then the ideal of “widely proclaiming and diffusing” would be gone as well; rather it
is clear that it refers to the beginning of the mission with reference to the fall of the Provisional Great Vehicle (and other) teachings prophesied in the Daijikkyô.  As there are only evil people and countries, the whole of Jambudvîpa or human world needs
to be ‘seeded’ by the Daimoku and the other teachings detract from and hinder this; allowable for the maturation of good seeds in earlier eras, they are now hindrances and, as predicted, even the most rationally-based shakabuku leads to violent, demon- inspired opposition from their partisans.  Moreover, these Provisional Teachings now have given rise to evil sects.  Thus, “when they are dyed by the perverted evil ones of the Shingon, Zen, Nembutsu Sect and so on they necessarily fall to hell; when they
are dyed by the Hokekyô, they necessarily become Buddhas” (STN, v. 2, 1252).

 (Incidentally some of the ‘shôju’ partisans claim that ‘mappô is merely in one’s
mind’, and deny the significance of history.  It is clear from Nichiren Shônin with
the objective historical events and the history of Buddhism with frequent references
to historical events and so on (e.g., STN, v. 2, 1612ff.); history played a large role in Nichiren Shônin’s thought; mappô was not merely some illusion for his emphasis was not on the non-dual (funi) aspect of reality but the contrasting dual (ni ni) aspect as Professor Tamura Yoshirô and others have shown. (Professor Tamura’s analysis of Nichiren Shônin versus the Zen teacher Dôgen shows that the former is distinctly historicist and the latter not (Kamamura Shin Bukkyô shisô no kenkyû, p. 628 and cf. p. 199); the chief ‘shôju’ partisans are clearly more in line with Zen than with Nichiren Shônin).  However, this will lead to another broad question so I shall leave this for now).

 
 

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(Compilation and translations by H. Graham Lamont; formatted here by
Steven Polito. Copyright ©2000-2001 H.G.Lamont all rights reserved)