Nittatsu Shonin

Nittatsu Shonin took over from his predecessor and was head of the Nichiren Shoshu from 1959-1979. His tenure corresponds to the period when the Gakkai was headed by a young President Ikeda. The high point of his life seems to have been when the Sho-Hondo was completed in 1972 and dedicated in 1973. Nittatsu Shonin seems to have been a man who had genuine and serene faith in the power of the Mystic Law. He was a conservative man, but one who seems to have tried his best to resolve issues honestly.

Controversy

The main controversies of his life centered on the tumultous relationship between his priests, and the leaders and members of the various laygroups of Nichiren Shoshu expecially the "Myoshinko" (now Kenshokai) and the Sokagakkai. As a result of these issues, one of his legacies is that some of his direct disciples later formed a group called the Shoshinkai. All these issues must have been trying for a man who seems to have taken his role very seriously.

Sho Hondo

The Gakkai with the assistance of other Nichiren Shoshu laygroups took great pride in rebuilding or building anew buildings on the Head Temple Grounds (Taiseki-ji). And much of this was accomplished during Reverend Nittatsu's tenure as High Priest. None of these efforts however, was as controversial as the one to build a sanctuary to house the chief "treasure object" of Nichiren Shoshu, the Dai Gohonzon. Religious politics would come to overshadow the great and legitimate pride and faith that went into building that object. So much so that Nittatsu's successor Nikken Abe would later destroy the building and replace it.

Now why would building such a building be controversial? For more on this see the page shohondo.html, but in brief the reason that it was controversial was that it pitted two views of the role of the Emperor in establishing a "National Ordination Platform." For the Sokagakkai, the sovereignity of the people made a literal order from the Emperor unnecessary and the Sokagakkai could pursue a dream of having a center for its practice and pilgrimage to rival that of other New Nichiren laygroups such as the Rissho Koseikei or the Reiyukai. Thus for them, and for Nittatsu, who bought their arguments, the Sho Hondo construction was also the pride of Nichiren Shoshu and ultimately Japan. It would be an architectural wonder. Unfortunately the Sokagakkai was opposed by the Myoshinko, whose ultranationalist views required the Emperor to literally sanction any "National Ordination Platform" before it could be built. For them naming such a building "Sho-Hondo" would be Sacrilige. The Myoshinko, lead by Shoei Asai represented a Nationalist and conservative view (see Tanaka page) of Nichiren Shoshu teachings and was well represented within the traditional "Hokkeko" groups of Nichiren Shoshu. The Sokagakkai represented an almost leftist and "liberal" view of Nichiren Shoshu and was led by the charismatic and aggressive Daisaku Ikeda.

Both groups were active in Japanese Politics, and sometimes fought each other literally. They represented diametrically opposite political views while ostensibly practicing the same religion. The conservative view was that the "Sho Hondo" or "grand main ordination platform", could only be built with the Emperors permission. Ikeda advanced the view that the Sho Hondo could be built reflecting the sovereignity of the people. Neither Ikeda nor Shoei Asai were willing to compromise on this view. Later Nikken Shonin would destroy this building and build another that he named the "Hoanden." Nittatsu was stuck in the middle but such a solomonic solution doesn't seem to have been available to him. The two parties in this affair weren't going to compromise. One or the other (actually ultimately both) was going to prevail in this battle. (see Sho Hondopage).

Excommunicating the Myoshinko

Eventually, he was forced to excommunicate the Myoshinko, not because of their insistence that the Sho Hondo not be built until the actual time of Kosenrufu when the Emperor's decree would be received, but because they chose to defy him, threaten violence, and all the while claimed to be reading his mind (so typical). He said at the time:

In disclosing one's own belief a person should say clearly, "This is my opinion." In other words, that person should dauntlessly say, "This is my opinion even though the official view of Nichiren Shoshu is different from mine." However, Shoei Asai, the Myoshinko leader, took advantage of my name and generated propaganda, saying that I had revealed my true intent only to him and his son.� However, what they say is diametrically opposed to my repeated statements on official occasions in which I have expressed my official views. [If Mr. Asai's claim were true, it would mean] that I have deceived the people of the world by issuing a false Admonition and giving false sermons.� Shoei Asai's statements regarding my true intent are totally false. My true intent exists nowhere but in the Admonitions or sermons I officially make.�

These actions were the result of the Myoshinkai's efforts to oppose the building of the Sho Hondo. The Sho Hondo was built anyway (See shohondo.html or prior.html). And Nittatsu's successor Nikken also refuted these (See nikken.html) contentions. But the Issues around it never really died.

The Sokagakkai Apologies

Deteriorating Relations with the Gakkai

The controversy kicked up over building the Sho Hondo had permanently poisoned relationships between the some of these groups. Leading ultimately directly to several schisms. But there were other deeper issues that these fights were symbolic of. If the completion of Sho Hondo was the high point of relations between the Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu they rapidly deteriorated afterwards. Prior to the completion of the Sho Hondo the Sokagakkai had been focused on restoring, rebuilding and protecting Nichiren Shoshu. Following its completion, the Gakkai began focusing on building structures for its lay movement. With the Myoshinko/Kenshokai gone as rivals, the Gakkai decided to flex its muscle. It angled to become the leading group in the Nichiren Shoshu Hokkeko and to put its stamp on Nichiren Shoshu. It is no coincidence that around the same time as the excommunication of the Kenshokai, that the Gakkai should turn its attention from donations to the Nichiren Shoshu, which were noble but not profitable, to land deals connected with acquiring community centers and other facilities. (See prior.html for details)

The Future Role of Priests

But underlying the worries, was a simple fact, The Gakkai movement seemed to exclude priests from any sort of role in it other than expendible ceremonial ones. Unlike some Nichiren movements who successfully mixed lay priests and lay leaders, with the Gakkai the two groups were completely seperate. The priests were for weddings and funerals, and for worshiping the Dai-Gohonzon. The priests even forbade their oversea priests from participating in the activities of the Gakkai or giving "guidance" or deep training to "gaijin" members. This lack of interaction was a major source of mutual suspcicion and distrust. Some of which proved to be accurately based years later.

Moreover, starting in the sixties, this lay based movement started laying the groundwork for notions of heritage that challenged the traditional pattern of Nichiren Shoshu belief. These notions would cause problems after Nittatsu had passed. Nittatsu was a strong believer in Orthodoxy. For instance Nittatsu didn't support anyone's convenient teachings. About his own role he said about the three treasures:

66th High Priest Nittatsu Shonin's Guidance on the Three Treasures:

"In Nichiren Shoshu, the three treasures, as set forth in the regulations of our school, are as follows: The Great Mandala (the Dai-Gohonzon) is the treasure of the Law; the founder Nichiren Daishonin is the treasure of the Buddha; and Nikko Shonin, the second high priest who directly inherited the lineage of the Daishonin's teachings, is the treasure of the Priest.

For this reason, none of the successive high priests is Nichiren Daishonin. Problems often arise when people mistakenly write that the high priest is the Daishonin. I want you to be clear on this point. The role of Nichimoku Shonin, the eternal "lord of the chair" at the time of kosen-rufu is to single-mindedly preserve and protect the three treasures. We must never forget this point. For this reason, the seat for the high priest at the Grand Reception Hall is actually the seat for Nichimoku Shonin.

Of course Nikken would later teach differently.

Facing the Gohonzon, we have the Gohonzon in the centre, the Daishonin is seated on the left side of the Gohonzon while Nikko Shonin is seated on its right. Nichimoku Shonin's role is to preserve and uphold them as indicated by the seating arrangement. This seat of Nichimoku Shonin is the seat for the present high priest."

(Dai-Nichiren, July 1977)

But this conservative view of Nichiren Shoshu would not be enough to deal with radical groups prepared to reject priests entirely.

Dealing with Ikeda

Specifically Ikeda preached that the Kechimyaku of "faith" was paramount and that it had flowed through his mentors Josei Toda, and Makiguchi, and by implication was flowing through himself. The Gakkai also wanted to redefine the "treasure of the priest" to include lay-people. Since the word comes from the Sanscrit "Sangha" and usually refers to a "body" of believers and disciples, that redefinition was only inevitable to pop up somewhere. Deifying leaders in Japan is also a common practice. The Gakkai, as a laygroup of Nichiren Shoshu believers could not teach these things openly. So instead of rebelling openly or calling for debate, they tried to be sneaky about it in the name of "wagoso"(harmony). They would teach what they wanted in private, while exhorting people to "trust and obey" the priests in public. It wasn't an honest relationship or one that could forever endure. And shortly after the Sho-Hondo was completed the truth about their feelings began to come out.

In the early sixties, a publication said that "Ikeda is a Buddha." And in Ikeda's lecture on the "Shoji Ichidaiji Kechimyaku Sho" Daisaku Ikeda made explicit claims that the Sokagakkai had the "true heritage of the Law" and by implication that Nichiren Shoshu did not always have it. Whether this was meant to challenge Nichiren Shoshu teachings or not is beside the point. When Nittatsu heard of these things he had to put a stop to them. When he asked leaders they would say:

"...We don't recall having said President Ikeda is the Buddha. That would never happen in the Gakkai."

However, the high priest was not a fool, he said in a speech on the subject (see nittatsu1.html):

When we look back, however, it was around 1975 that a few people in the Gakkai published a booklet entitled, Hi no kuni (Land of Fire). A passage in this text clearly states:

"The President is a Buddha."

Nothing is more aggravating than to be lied to. It is even more disrespectful to be lied to in this manner. They had been caught putting those words in writing and couldn't wiggle out of them. In the last year of his life President Ikeda was forced to resign his position and the priesthood and Gakkai nearly split apart. Some priests wanted to go even further. It broke Nittatsu's heart. Maybe literally.

Nikken's own speaches on the subject in the mid 1990's would sound amazingly like Shoe Asai's as he attempted to lay all the blame for that controversy on Ikeda and to claim to know Nittatsu's heart. Even so, any observer could see that these things must have been heart-wrenching. Nittatsu had been one of the "good priests", aiding and guiding the Gakkai's growth. Under his direction they'd been given responsibility for oversees propagation. Ikeda had "grown up" claiming to be loyal to him.

Trying to make Peace

In November 1978 Nittatsu made all three of the top leaders of the Gakkai apologize. That is the date we have for President Ikeda's formal apology. In January of 1979 Nittatsu gave a speech to the "Danto" (non Hokkeko, non Gakkai members) in which he said (in part)

"I hope you will understand this point, but that you will continue, from this time onward, to pursue and refute erroneous doctrines, thus protecting Kosen-rufu of the Daishonin's true teaching. This is the very manifestation of sozoku itchi."¹

Had this spirit of "sozuku itchi" continued, (see shoshinkai.html for more), then both the Sokagakkai and Nichiren Shoshu might have been able to resolve their differences amicably. Indeed, through Nittatsu's merciful and compassionate efforts it looked as if he would succeed in negotiating out an equitable solution to all the troubles.

Nittatsu Shonin gave a speech in in which he called for unity (see: nittatsunity.html) and for the Sokagakkai to reflect on it's behavior. He also intimated that the priesthood was ready to stand on it's own. On that same day the world tribune was translating this article which said:

Therefore to embrace the Gohonzon inscribed and transmitted by the successive high priests is the correct way of faith and becomes the basis for Kechimyaku in the more general sense. We wish to confirm here the difference between the specific transmission of the Law and the general lifeblood of faith. (as translated in the World Tribune, February 5, 1979)

The Gakkai wasn't seeking to "go it on it's own, at least not yet. Though Hiroshi Hojo seems to have put out a memo in which he said we might have to one day. The Gakkai apologized for teaching these "deviations" during it's "apology Tozan" in February 1979.

In March 1979, he gave a speech to his "Myokan-kai"² disciples (many of whom later formed the "Shoshinkai" group). In that speech he said that Nichiren Shoshu had no intention to crush or dismember the Gakkai but that they had been making "mistakes in Nichiren Shoshu Doctrine:" (nittatsu1.html: speech). He details some of those allegations. These allegations, were based on evidence that SGI leaders were teaching that President Ikeda was a Buddha and that he was the "specific" master and had received a transfer from Toda of any sort of "kechimyaku," were clearly a distortion of Buddhist teachings. These doctrines were so clearly in error, and other actions of "wild" members and behind the scenes manipulators (see yamazaki.html), made it impossible to resolve the issues any other way except for either heads to roll or the Gakkai to be jettisoned.

Ikeda Resigns

By April President Ikeda's formal apology wasn't enough. He had to resign from his position as chief of the Hokkeko lay organizations or Nittatsu would have to excommunicate him. President Ikeda apologized again and stepped down from the Presidency of the Sokagakkai on April 24 of 1979. Nittatsu left him the position of "honorary President".

Once President Ikeda had resigned, On May 3, 1979, the Soka Gakkai clarified its basic identity as a lay otganiration of Nichiren Shoshu in its new by-laws and regulations. Close communication between Nichiren Shoshu and the Soka Gakkai has become possible through the institution of two levels of conferences: the Executive Conference and the Local Communication Conference.⁴

In his speech at a special meeting of the Soka Gakkai May 3, 1979, the late 66th High Priest Nittatsu Shonin stated,

"I sincerely hope that the Soka Gakkai will fulfill its true mission to protect Nichiren Shoshu from outside, faithfully following the basics which any organization of lay believers of Nichiren Shoshu must follow'. Based on this premise, I hope the Soka Gakkai will freely carry out its own affairs and give appropriate guidance."

Of course Nittatsu couldn't have known he was not going to be around to deal with later events.

After Shocks

It must have appeared, that with Ikeda's resignation and apology, that things might go back to normal. That was not to be. Ikeda seems to have felt a sense of humiliation and a need for "uchi iri" style revenge and vindication. As he basically says himself in his Stormy April essay, His apologies were expedient. Ikeda wrote a poem:

"This far, far too bitter day

I will never forget

The dusk presses in

I walk alone."

Nittatsu had made a mistake in leaving him in effective charge if he really expected the Sokagakkai to tow the line forever.

Succession

Unfortunately for him. All this effort seems to have killed him. Nittatsu Shonin died July 22, 1979, and 67th High Priest Nikken Shonin took office in August, having claimed to have received the lifeblood of true Buddhism from the former high priest on his death bed. He later also claimed to have been designated successor in a private meeting with the high priest the previous year, on April 15th 1978. However, that is not in line with Nichiren Shoshu tradition. He was of the rank of "Dai Sozu" and not even the rank of "Noke", which is a rank where a priest can stand in for the high priest at ceremonies and special occassions and vote in important decisions. Also Nikken had been critical of Nittatsu as recorded in the Kawabe memo written in March of 1978. In any case Nittatsu had not passed on the inheritance and retired becoming a "Zen Hossu" such as the great priest Nichiko Hori had done. Had he done so, then Nikken would have been the immediate next high priest, and that is not what he was. Nittatsu doesn't seem to have expected to die, and doesn't seem to have felt that Nikken was ready or the right person to succeed him. So this was a major disaster. Not only were the issues with the Gakkai only partly resolved, but the Nichiren Shoshu was deeply divided between those who wanted to punish the Gakkai further and those who were satisfied with Nittatsu's admonishments.

(See ArtieExplains for a discussion of the issues or the page on Nikken Abe for more on what happened next)

For some nice pictures related to his funeral, and if you understand Japanese accompanying explanations see this site:

http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~shibuken/PAPER/1979/199.html

Impact and Comments

Nittatsu might have felt fortunate in that when he died, both Nichiren Shoshu and the Sokagakkai appeared to still have a bright future, if there were immediate troubles on the horizon. He seems to have thought he had perhaps resolved the issues with the Sokagakkai, and was probably happy with the Sho Hondo and the prosperity of the Head Temple. I hope he died feeling the security that Kosenrufu was as certain as an "arrow hitting the ground".

Footnotes

1. From:Nittatsonshoshinkai.html

2. The Myokankai were his direct disciples, many of whom later joined the Shoshinkai priests in protest to Nikken Shonin's unwillingness to be firm with the Gakkai and his shaky claims of transmission. Other priests were associated with the Myoshinko and are now associated with the Kenshokai.
3. Some fanatic members were sure that Nikken was planning to destroy the Sho-Hondo, they were right, see:http://members.aol.com/kachiyuke/nichiren-shoshu-corruption/shohond1.htm.
4. The speech on March 1979 is public record and is also reported at the "Proud black Buddhist" site, http://www.proudblackbuddhist.org/Sixty%20Six%20High%20Priest/Page_1x.html
5. The material is from a World Tribune printed in June of 1979. The Hokkeko likes to cite this material. Here is where they posted it: http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Nittatsu+Speech+1979+group:alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren&hl=en&safe=off&rnum=10&selm=356c6980.893841%40news.netnitco.net
See this link Artie Explains for an excerpt from a dialogue on this subject. It seems that Nikken's claims are not "air-tight." Though this battle really made no sense as there is nobody out there who claims to be the "real" high Priest. Nikken didn't need to do more than to answer their questions and these things could have been handled nicely.

More linkages

1. Link to pictures of previous High Priests:http://srd.yahoo.com/goo/Nittatsu+Shonin/8/*http://www.hokkeko.org.uk/taisekiji/past3.htm
2. A speech recorded by Craig Bratcher:http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/jqpublic/hp66hpspch.html
3. A discussion between some "domei" priests:http://www.homestead.com/tortoise7/dp_km5.html
4. A speech recorded by sokaspirithttp://www.sokaspirit.com/cherish.htm
5. Richard Yoshimachi's view of the history of the split: http://www.sokaspirit.com/yoshimachi_con.html
6. Nittatsu Shonin's Gohonzon:http://www.crosswinds.net/~campross/NShoshu.html