Nichiren | Nissho | Nikko | Six Priests
Nichiro (1245-1320) was Nissho's nephew, and he became a disciple of Nichiren Dai-Shonin in 1254. Nichiro was extremely devoted to Nichiren DaiShonin and is often called the "beloved disciple." When Nichiren Shonin was being taken away to Izu, Nichiro charged into the water in an attempt to acompany him. The samurai beat him away with oars which permanently crippled his hand. Nichiro was also arrested at the time of the Tatsunokuchi Incident.1
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When Nichiren was arrested, his first concern was for his disciples. his Kamakura community was being punished every bit as much as he was. The lay disciples were subject to land confiscations, and Nichiro was confined to Jail along with his relative Nissho at the same time that Nichiren was being almost beheaded. Now, the person acting as Jailor was already acquainted with Nichiren. He was none other than Mitsunori Yadoya (birth and death years unknown), and one of the seven immediate retainers for Fifth Regent Tokiyori Hojo {toh-kee-yoh-re hoh-joe} (1227-1263). Mitsunori later converted to Nichirenism, and his home and Nichiro's prison became the foundation for the founder of Kosoku Temple.
So it was both ironic and fortunate for him that he was thrown into a dungeon in Kamakura belonging to Mitsunori. Nichiren sent him the following letter on the way to Sado(excerpt):
"Tomorrow, I am to leave for the province of Sado. In the cold tonight, I think of how it must be for you in prison, and feel pity for you. How admirable, that you have read the entirety of the Lotus Sutra with both body and mind! You will therefore be able to save your father and mother, your six kinds of relatives, and all living beings. Others read the Lotus Sutra with their mouths alone, reading only the words, but do not read it with their hearts. And even if they read it with their hearts, they do not read it with their actions. Praiseworthy indeed are those like you who read the Sutra with both body I and mind! The Lotus Sutra says (concerning one who reads this scripture):
"The young sons of the heavenly deities will attend and serve him. Swords and staves shall not touch him, and poison will have no power to harm him.""Thus no injury will befall you. When you are released from prison, come to me quickly. I look forward eagerly to seeing you again."
With my deep respect,
Nichiren source:http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/Gosho/LetterPriestNichiro.htm
Nichiro was such a charming fellow, that he became a favorite of this retainer, who actually allowed him to leave in order to visit Nichiren DaiShonin on Sado Island. Nichiren DaiShonin was very touched but also very upset that Nichiro had possibly endangered the jailer as well as his own life and so sent him back.2 Hojo Tokiyori, who Mitsunori was retainer to, was a Zen believer, and had converted his residence into a Zen temple(also Kenchoji). If he had had a sufficient excuse he would have punished Yadoya even more severely than he was punishing the priests. Life on Sado was a life of privation and constant threat from Nembutsu and other Buddhists who were angered at Nichiren's criticisms of them, so Nichiren was looking out for the savety of both people when he sent back Nichijo to Kamakura.
When finally, Nichiren DaiShonin was pardoned and Nichiro was sent to bring the news. His eagerness, however, almost got him killed. Because he did not stop to rest in the frigid winter weather, he collapsed in the snow and almost died of frost bite. This was memorialized in a painting by Ando Hiroshige. Fortunately, he was found and was able to complete his mission.
Upon returning to Kamakura in 1274, Nichiren Dai-Shonin put Nichiro in charge of a new temple at Hikigayatsu, Kamakura. This was the Myohonji Temple. Because it was Nichiro's main base of operations in Kamakura, Nichiro's lineage is also known as the Hikigayatsu Lineage. Hikigayatsu was founded on property belonging to Yoshimoto Hiki, whose family had once been equal to the Hojo's but had been betrayed by them and nearly wiped out in 1203. Yoshimoto Hiki was an early convert to Nichirenism and is said to have been one to help Nichiren write the Rissho Ankoku Ron.
Nichiro was much younger than his relative Nissho and seems to have been very enthusiastic. He worked closely with the other leaders of Kamakura; Shijo Kingo and also with Toki Jonin who lived near enough to travel to Kamakura frequently. Nichiren took over Myohonji Temple and Honmonji Temple with his. Nichiden co-founded the Hondoji Temple in Hiraga, Shimofusa with Nichiro.
And yet you don't see Nichiren relying on him even as much as he does on Sanmibo Nichigyo, who later turned on him. For instance he writes in the Gosho "A Warning against Begrudging your Fief written to Shijo Kingo:2
"I have written a petition on your behalf. Although there are several priests there [in Kamakura], as they are too unreliable, I was thinking of sending Sammi-bo. However, since he has still not recovered from his illness, I am sending this other priest."
Nichiren seems to have valued Nichiro and Nissho for their enthusiasm, but not trusted them as fully as others.
Nichiro continued to support his relative Nissho, and to propagate Buddhism enthusiastic after Nichiren's death. For instance he started a practice hall at the home of Munenaka Ikegami after Nichiren died there in 1282. In 1288, this would became the Honmonji Temple(and see this page for a tour). In later years this would become to be the adminstrative headquarters of the Nichiren Shu after political winds shifted power to Tokyo, in which districts it now lies. The lineage of Nichiro is also called the Ikegami Lineage. Daniel Montgomery writes that Nichiro was very active in propagation efforts and was an active missionary.
When Nissho submitted a revised "Rissho Ankoku Ron" to the Bakufu in 1284 and stirred up a firestorm (see six priests page), Nichiro stood by his side in dealing with the consequences. They both retreated to the position that they were loyal Tendai Priests seeking to reform Buddhism. This drew fire from Nikko Shonin who was still at this point at Minobu. Nichiro also at first refused to knuckle under to orders from the Bakufu to make prayers on behalf of the nation. But then seeing how Nissho was inclined to do so, and what the effect of not doing so would be, he agreed to pray for the nation while still insisting that a great debate was needed. In any event Nissho's publication of the revisions of the Rissho Ankoku Ron had made it impossible to have any hopes of winning over the Tendai Sect in a legitimate debate, and so all any of them could do was to train disciples and try to proselytize the Emperor. This would prove inadequate
Nikko and Nichiro had once been close, but now Nikko felt an irreconcilable breach with both Nissho and Nichiro over these issues of how to reconcile the undeniable "tendai" roots of most Nichiren monks with the hostility of Mikkyo Tendai to true Buddhism. The Essay "Rebuking the Enemies of the Lotus Sutra has this to say:
Nikk� accused Nissh� and Nichir� of abandoning use of Nichiren�s name and assuming the protective rubric of �Tendai monks� so that they might escape persecution by offering prayers for the bakufu (Honzon bun�yo ch� [Record of distribution of the object of worship], RDNKK 1968, vol. 2, p. 112).Both Nichiro and his disciples were willing to make prayers for the nation. These prayers for the nation drew fire from Nikko Shonin, who by then was living in the Mount Fuji area, having been deposed by "majority rule" of the senior six priests.
Nichiro had designated Nine Senior Disciples (Kurosu) to continue his propagation efforts. The nine were: Nichizo, Nichirin, Nichizen, Nichiden, Nichihan, Nichiin, Nitcho, Nichigyo, and Rokei. Nichizen later took over Myohonji Temple and Honmonji Temple. Nichiden co-founded the Hondoji Temple in Hiraga, Shimofusa with Nichiro.
Of these nine, Nichizo had taken on the "mission" of proselytizing the Emperor. He travelled to Kyoto and camped outside the Moat. The Emperor Godaigo was in dire straits, and was therefore pleased when he prayed for him. First betrayed in 1324, Go-Daigo had to flee from the capital Kyoto in 1331 after a second failed plot. Nichizo appears to have been the only priest who actually was willing to support his efforts. Nichizo (1269-1340) was to convince the Emperor to accord Nichirenism a Temple in Kyoto named Myoken-ji. He was willing to pray for rain on behalf of the Emperor. This drew criticism from Nikko as well. Nichizo also prayed for Godaigo to be able to overthrow the Hojo's. Which indeed happened. In 1333 the Hojo's fell and Ryuge in Nichizo had won for his temple the designation "Imperial Temple and official recognition from the imperial family.(see this page for a pictoral story).
Things seemed hopeful for Nichiren Buddhism. Even so Nikko's disciple Nichimoku travelled to Kyoto in 1332 with his own plans to remonstrate with the emperor. He had no confidence that anything good would come from following Ryuge Nichizo's ideas on Nichiren Buddhism. Sure enough while Go-Daigo was able to defeat the Hojo's with the support of Kasunoke Masahige, the Samurai Nitta Yoshisada and the famous/infamous turncoat and plotter and general Ashikaga Takauji. Ashikaga Takauji turned turncoat partly in an opportunity to revenge himself on the Hojo's who had long ago betrayed his ancestors in the Minamoto clan. With his help instead of opposition, the Emperor was able to destroy the Hojo's. This proved to be a short lived "victory." After defeating the Hojo forces, Go-Daigo tried to "restore" the half-mythical direct rule of Emperor Daigo who reigned 897-930. His goal was to create a Imperium uniting both the military and civil governments in his hands. This effort faced the opposition of his treacherous erstwhile ally; Ashikaga Takauji, who revolted against Go-Daigo in 1335. He marched on Kyoto with an overwhelming army, and Go-Daigo, unwilling to make a strategic retreat from an indefensible position forced his general Masahige to make a suicidal stand to defend the city. Masahige died in the battle of Minatogawa in July 1336. The Ashikaga's created a new Bakufu in the Muromachi district of Kyoto and gave the period its name. My sources don't say how Ryuge died. But the Imperium not only failed to overthrow its oppression but the country emerged even more divided.
Ryuge's successor, Daikoku Myojitsu, was of noble birth and would take over in 1340 and pray for rain successfully in 1358. As a result the Emperor Gokogen would give Nichiro and Nichizo the titles of "Bodhisattva" and would name Nichiren, "Great Bodhisattva", Dai-Bosatsu. Of course that had little effect on the entire nation, as the Emperor in Kyoto had rivals in the south of Japan and the land was being ruled by the bitterly anti-Nichiren Ashikaga's. His successor Gatsumyo (1386-1440) would face repeated attacks on himself and the entire Nichiren Community due to Tendai and Ashikaga hostility. Mt. Hiei hadn't been converted. There had been no great debate. The accomplishments of Nichiros' disciples were as tactical and ephemeral as foam. (See my essay on Sanmibo)) Nichiren had said:
In your letter you mentioned the great honor you had to give a lecture at the family temple of a court noble. But to me it seems very strange for you to say so. You are a priest who renounced the secular world and, what is more, you embrace the most precious teaching in the world. Even if you should meet a Bodhisattva of the highest rank, why should you think it anything special? Much less should you stand in awe of even Bonten or Taishaku. They are the servants of our father, Shakyamuni Buddha, who have been sent by him to govern his domain and support the priests who embrace the true law. Bishamon and the other heavenly kings rule over the four quarters as guards appointed by Bonten and Taishaku. The rulers of the four continents are all retainers of the four heavenly kings. But the ruler of this little island country of Japan would not even qualify as a retainer of the Wheel Rolling Kings who reign over the four continents. He is nothing but an island chieftain. By calling the retainer of this chieftain "his excellency," exulting over "his gracious invitation" and, what is more, by speaking of the "great honor" you had, are you not in essence expressing your low opinion of me, Nichiren? On the whole it seems that when my disciples go to the capitol city, Kyoto, they first heed my warnings but later become crazed by the devil of the sixth heaven. That is exactly what happened to Sho�ubo. Don�t become like him and incur heaven�s wrath.Nichiro Nissho, and their successors, would both stay in a rivalry with Nikko Shonin that continued with their successive lineages after each of them had passed. Eight of his disciples (according to Daniel Montgomery) were active in promoting the "Shoretsu" theories of Buddhism, which was similar to the Fuji-lingeage teachings, but even so, that rivalry would continue to the present day. His Burial site was made into a temple named Ankokuron-ji in Chiba prefacture.
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Above Gosho is found in nearly identical translations at the Honmon Butsuryu Shu homepage and at the SGI study site.
- Fire in the Lotus page 154-155