Reverend Nichiko Hori Shonin
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Reverend Nichiko Hori Shonin |
| was the fifty-ninth High Priest (1926-1928). He lived from 1867 to November 23 1957 and died at the age of 90. |
Compiled the Gosho Zenshu.1 Was chosen as 59th High Priest (by election) after a succession dispute between two other more ranking contenders) in 1926.
Nichiko Hori was widely respected both within the Gakkai, Nichiren Buddhists in General, and the general society, for his honesty and deep faith in the Dharma of Buddhism. This faith was informed and reinforced by a lifetime of honest and deep study of Buddhist teachings.
His opinions were frequently at odds with what was considered "orthodox" by the Herd. For instance he was one of the few Nichiren Shoshu priests who was chosen by election -- as the presiding factions were feuding with one another at the time of his election, and the previous High Priest had his selection invalidated by a court. As a result he later remarked that he didn't find much new in the "transmission" he received from the previous High Priests.
He didn't stay High Priest long, though he outlived most of his successors of the time. And since he was a priest who took his position with salt and his mission seriously he was willing to be critical of his "fellows" and could get away with it as a "retired" high priest. For instance, lamenting the widespread corruption within the priesthood, he once satirically said:
�It has fallen upon my ears that the wise priests of the Latter Day�throughout their past, present and future existences �always keep this thought in mind: �How can I cause my purse to acquire money quickly?� How could this be possibly true?� 4(One-Hundred Sacred Admonitions [Jpn Seikun Ippyaku Dai]).
Here, of course, he was para-phrasing the famous conclusion of the Lotus Sutra�s �Life Span� chapter:�How can I cause living beings to...quickly acquire the body of a Buddha?�2
It was Nichiko Hori, as retired high priest, with the help of Josei Toda, who compiled what came to be known as the "Gosho Zenshu." In it he compiled all the Gosho that he felt were genuine, plus those he felt had important doctrinal or philosophical contributions to make to the traditional teachings of Nichiren Shoshu, even if they were known to be Apocryphal or disputed. He knew that the teachings of Nichiren Shoshu had evolved over time from those originally taught by http://www.geocities.com/chris_holte/Buddhism/IssuesInBuddhism/nikko.html">Nikko to include a number of oral teachings. He had faith that these were correct or good teachings, even if they weren't literally what Nichiren himself had to say. He was helped in his efforts by the more Junior Reverend Horigome, who also became a high priest, and who edited his work.
Nichiren Shoshu claims he justified the inclusion of apocryphal Gosho in the Gosho with this quote:5(see this page: qa56.html for the quotation.
"In terms of doctrine, it's justifiable."
That he made such a comment shows that he understood the importance of the issue of mythology and legend in the Legitimacy at the basis of Nichiren Shoshu Doctrine. He understood that the traditions of Nichiren Shoshu were as much an oral legacy as one based on the written words of the Founder. He explained that:
"In the secular world, when a child does not contradict his parents' hearts and does not violate the family rules set forth by his ancestors, he will succeed to the genuine family lineage. In Buddhism, not betraying the teacher's heart makes the heritage orthodox and the water of the Law pure. When we later disciples do not go astray in the least from faith of Nichiren Daishonin, the founder and great teacher of Buddhism, and Nikko Shonin, the founder of Taiseki-ji, our evil, defiled minds will manifest in the body and mind of truth, good and purity of Myoho-renge-kyo"."6
and commenting on the Kegi Sho (see nichiu.html)
In the final analysis, faith, heritage and the water of the Law are one and the same. Through faith the believer receives the water of the Law from the original Buddha. The water of the Law thus received flows within the believer's life, just as blood circulates within the human body. For this reason, to convey the water of the Law through faith is to transmit the heritage. Therefore, faith should never be disturbed or shaken. If it is disturbed, the water of the Law will cease to flow. Or, even if it continues to run, it will become defiled and irregular, thus cutting off the flow of Buddhism itself. As long as faith remains unshaken, the pure and immaculate heritage of Buddhism will continue to flow with vigor, no matter how many ages may pass.."
In other words, it is the figurative or "wisdom" content of the "heritage" itself that is important and that is more important than a literal fealty to historicity.
Ours is the faith which has been upheld since the day of the supreme teacher of Buddhism, Nichiren Daishonin, and the founder of the Head Temple, Nikko Shonin. Although we are disciples far removed from their time, if we follow this faith truly, our defiled minds and bodies are purified, becoming the mind and body of Myoho-renge-kyo. The two essentials of pure faith and devoted practice change our entire being. If we ignore these two and disobey the Buddha's will by following heretical or blind belief, the river of the Law will become blocked, and we will be pushed back, in mind and body, to the state of benightedness that we were in before. We will lose our right to the lifeblood which enables us to attain Buddhahood in the flesh. How pitiful that would be!7
He felt that the traditions passed down through the priesthood should be based on the lifeblood of faith. Any other mysterious transmission of the Daishonin's Buddhism simply cannot exist. Regarding the transmission that he himself received as the sixty-sixth high priest, Nittatsu Shonin once stated: "Nichiko Shonin has published everything. There is, therefore, nothing special or secret about it."."8 Perhaps because of that he edited a collection of works called the Fuji Shugaku Yoshu (or Fuji-Shuo Gaku Yoo Shuo as you call it -- see fujischool.html) was that was actually written by Nissei Shonin in 1662. This book tells of some of the underbelly of Taisekiji's history. For instance it is the source of the tale that contracted and died of leprosy.
Life Condition of Anger
He is still quoted within the Gakkai to this day. For example "The Justice Chronicle quotes him as follows:
The 59th high priest, Nichiko, stated
"The more intense the angry nature of such people is the more uncomfortable those in contact with them will be and the greater the fear they will feel."
The spirit of Buddhism is none other than that of "removing suffering and giving joy." If -- on the other hand -- someone causes suffering and anxiety for others and fills them with feelings of unpleasantness and fear, such a person cannot be said to be a Buddhist."
[This is what Reverend Horigome was referring to when he said he feared becoming a "bat". A Bat can fly like a Bird but isn't a bird. A human being dominated by anger, arrogance, or erroneous views, may look like a Buddhist but he isn't one.
For this reason we must absolutely not flinch before the intensity of the poison of anger. If we have an easygoing attitude -- if we compromise -- or if we have a halfhearted accommodating stance toward evil it will gain all the more strength only to high-handedly rain oppression down on us.
Until we have completely exposed and refuted the error of their ways as Buddhists we must thoroughly and adamantly fight against those whose ears are deaf to correct and just arguments and who‚ with hearts like that of the venomous snake‚ refuse to enter a dialogue. To fight against evil in this manner is an expression of true compassion.
Nichiko explains: "Nevertheless even if one is ostracized hated and persecuted by people in society and barely survives amidst various privations and feelings of unease so long as one strictly embraces the True Law(true Dharma) then good will at length win over evil. Ultimate victory will go to the pure person, the wise person, the person who practices the True Law - such a person will attain true security."
"This is because the Buddhist gods who spurn evil and side with good will both conspicuously and inconspicuously protect a person of justice"
"For this reason a person with courageous faith who aggressively champions the cause of justice undaunted by the prospect of persecutions or suffering‚ should vigorously speak out for justice in a straightforward manner‚ both conspicuously and inconspicuously.
"Never should such a person be swayed in his resolve by the words and actions of others. For, day and night, he receives the protection of the Buddhist gods and the protection of the founder Nichiren Daishonin."
No matter how great the persecutions and difficulties we face so long as we embrace faith in the True Law and continue to champion the cause of justice with courageous faith‚ we will definitely receive the protection of the Buddhist gods and the original Buddha‚ Nichiren Daishonin.
Evil cannot win out over what is true and just. Without fail we who are practicing the True Law exactly as the Daishonin teaches will definitely realize victory over evil which ignores the true Way. I hope that‚ strongly confident of this you will squarely and valiantly champion the cause of justice.8
Footnotes and links
Footnotes
- Seiten: Nichiren Shoshu Seiten (Sacred Writings of Nichiren Shoshu), ed. by Horigome Nichijun Shonin, 65th High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu.
- Untold History of the Fuji School(pdf files).
- "Fuji-Shuo Gaku Yoo Shuo" (Fuji School of Studies V.5 p.39
- Gosho Zenshu (Major Writings)(Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan: Seiten Publishing Committee, 1952)
- "Collection of Study Essentials for the Fuji School," Vol. 1, p. 25, see this link: q56comm.html for more.
- http://www.sokaspirit.com/heritag.htm
- http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/SokaGakkai/Study/SelLectGosho/Heritage3.htm
- http://www.sokaspirit.com/heritag.htm
- Quote from Justice Chronicle excerpted in this post "15083" to irdaimoku.
http://home.att.net/~cyberlark/nichiko.html Another link with even better pictures | back to Index.