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Bo D. Satva wrote:
>
> >If I could get my hands on your
> >block of camphor wood, I'd make as many copies as I dared!
>
> Chris,
>
> That bit of disrespect for the DaiGohonzon astounds me to no end.
> -Patrick
>
Here is something to chew over. From Nittatsu's refutation of the doubts cast against the Daigohonzon:
Allegation 8: The 9th high priest, Nichiu, carved the "Ita Mandara" which had never been seen or
heard of. Nichi-jo, head priest of Kitayama Hommonji, a contemporary of Nichiu, reports that, for his sin, Nichiu became a leper for having gone against the fundamental intention of the founder of the temple (Nikko). Rebuttal: It is a fact that Nichiu had somebody carve a wooden Gohonzon based upon an original Gohonzon of Nichiren Daishonin. On this copied wooden Gohonzon is Nichiu's signature. It has been housed at the Treasure House of Taiseki-ji. But the Dai-Gohonzon and this copied wooden Gohonzon are two different things. _Nichiu reportedly created the above wooden Gohonzon in fear of the possible loss of the Dai-Gohonzon through civil wars that often erupted in those days._
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This last sentence is buried as an afterthought as many significant things are that you will get in trouble for not stating but you don't want to stress.
What I want to ask is not about the subsequent sentence I have clipped (the white leprosy deal), but about Nichiu's fear of "possible loss of the Dai-Gohonzon". What does this mean?? And what was the attitude of the clergy of that time to this Ita Mandala. "Well lets carve one up in case the first one gets lost." It sounds like who inscribed the thing isn't really important doesn't it? If one is lost we have an inventory of replacements. If this was the attitude of the priesthood then, what really is the significance of the Dai Gohonzon? Can a high priest inscribe another? What about Don Ross?
This post will no doubt cause a lot of flames, but well, Nittatsu said it.
Regards,
Richard Thieme
Regards,
Richard Thieme
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