Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin
On the Occasion of the November Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony
November 4, 2018
Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji
On this occasion of the November Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony, conducted here today at the Head Temple, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the large number of participants in attendance. As you know, today, Nichiren Shoshu is moving forward, and devoting ourselves entirely to practice with unity between the priesthood and laity, based on the spirit of itai dōshin, aiming toward our goal—to achieve a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by 2021, when we will be commemorating the 800th Anniversary of the advent of our Founder, Nichiren Daishonin. The establishment of a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers is the vow we pledged in front of the three treasures. This is an extremely important goal, which we must achieve at any cost with the concerted efforts of all of the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and laity.
In order to achieve this goal, each of us must first have the awareness and firm determination as a follower and disciple of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, and earnestly devote ourselves to do shakubuku. This is the month when Third High Priest Nichimoku Shonin passed away. Nichimoku Shonin was born in the first year of Bunnō (1260) in Hatake Village, Ni’ita County of Izu Province (currently, Hatake of Kannami Town in Shizuoka Prefecture). He was born as the fifth child of Ni’ida Gorō Shigetsuna. His mother was Ren’a-ni, an elder sister of Nanjō Tokimitsu who offered the land of Head Temple Taisekiji. According to the Draft of the Biographies of Three Masters (Goden dodai), Fourth High Priest Nichido Shonin describes Nichimoku Shonin as follows:
He was in his mother’s womb for 12 months. This is like Prince Shotoku.
(Seiten, p. 603)
It is said that Nichimoku Shonin was in the womb of his mother for 12 months, about a year, and the same was true for Prince Shōtoku (a crown prince in ancient Japan). Nichimoku Shonin’s childhood name was Toraō-maru. In the ninth year of Bunnei (1272), at the age of 13, he entered Enzōbō Temple at Mount Sōtō in Izu to pursue his academic studies. In the eleventh year of Bunnei (1274), when Toraō-maru was 15 years old, he watched a religious debate between Shikibu Sōzu, a learned priest of that temple, and Nikko Shonin. Witnessing the firm and resolute attitude of Nikko Shonin, Toraō-maru resolved to become Nikko Shonin’s disciple. In the second year of Kenji (1276), at the age of 17, Toraō-maru entered the priesthood as a disciple of Nikko Shonin.
Afterward, he went to Mount Minobu. There, for the next six years until the passing of Nichiren Daishonin, he faithfully and constantly served the Daishonin. It is said that he was so diligent in making his several trips daily to fetch water from the mountain stream that his head developed a slight depression from carrying the water bucket.
Whenever Nichiren Daishonin gave lectures, he was invariably there.
(Seiten, p. 653)
As this states, Nichimoku Shonin never failed to listen to the Daishonin’s sermons, and he devoted himself to study Buddhism. It also is stated:
He developed as a practitioner who was skilled in difficult debate. (ibid.)
He also excelled in debate. At the Ikegami debate in the fifth year of Kō’an (1282), on behalf of the Daishonin, Nichimoku Shonin debated with Nikaidō Ise Hōin, a learned priest of the Tendai sect. Nichimoku Shonin defeated Ise Hōin in all ten questions and answers. In July in the first year of Shō’an (1299), Nichimoku Shonin debated with Jisshū-bō and refuted his argument completely. Nichimoku Shonin thus is called the “supreme debater.”
After the Daishonin’s passing, he devoted himself to propagation activity in the Izu area. He also dedicated himself to propagate Myoho-Renge-Kyo in Rikuzen Province of the Ōshu area (currently, Miyagi Prefecture), the Ni’ida family’s territory, where he had connections. There, he converted many people and built a number of temples including Hongenji Temple, Jogyoji Temple, Myokyoji Temple and Myoenji Temple.
In the spring in the second year of Shō’ō (1289), when Nikko Shonin left Mount Minobu where the other disciples had committed slanderous acts against the Daishonin, Nichimoku Shonin accompanied Nikko Shonin and moved to the Ueno district. Nichimoku Shonin supported the establishment of the Head Temple Taisekiji. In the third year of Shō’ō (1290), when the Daibo (the main building of the Head Temple) was completed, he built the Renzobo on the east side. He took the role as the leader of Nikko Shonin’s six main disciples who served the Gohonzon and protected Head Temple Taisekiji.
Afterward, Nichimoku Shonin was transmitted the Heritage of the Law entrusted to a single person from Nikko Shonin, and he became the Third High Priest. Inheriting the will of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin, Nichimoku Shonin remonstrated with the Kamakura government and the Imperial Court at Kyoto, on dozens of occasions. It is said that the number of remonstrations amounted to 42 times. Thus, on December 29th in the fourth year of Genkyō (1324), Nichimoku Shonin received the Gohonzon with the following inscription on the side:
Ni’ida-kyō Ajari Nichimoku, for his benevolence on his first remonstration with the Imperial Court.
Additionally, Nikko Shonin wrote the following inscription on the side of the Gohonzon that he transcribed on November 3rd in the first year of Shōkyō (1332):
I bestow this on Ni’ida-kyō Ajari Nichimoku for his benevolence on the occasion of his first remonstration with the Imperial Court. He is the first among my primary disciples.
Nichimoku Shonin also received the Gohonzon with this inscription on the side. In the third year of Genkō (1333), when the Kamakura government fell and the imperial regime was back in power, Nichimoku Shonin resolved to accomplish the great aspiration of kōsen-rufu of the nation. Despite his advanced age, sometime in early November, Nichimoku Shonin started his journey from Taisekiji to Kyoto to remonstrate with the imperial court. He was accompanied by his disciples Nichizon and Nichigō.
Prior to this journey, Nichimoku Shonin transferred the Heritage of the Law to Fourth High Priest Nichido Shonin, in case of his death. En route, Nichimoku Shonin became ill and took to bed at a temporary lodging in Tarui of Mino Province (currently, Tarui Town in Gifu Prefecture). On November 15th in the third year of Genkō (1333), he passed away as if falling asleep, at the age of 74.
In The History of the Fuji School (Kechū-shō), it states as follows:
After performing his final prayers, his eyes closed as if falling asleep, and his lips moved as if chanting [Daimoku], and he then took his last breath.
(Seiten, p.662)
As this passage describes, Nichimoku Shonin’s life, which was dedicated to propagate Myoho-Renge-Kyo, following the will of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin, was truly a noble life, and his life indeed reached the world of Buddhahood. Nichizon and Nichigō cremated their master’s remains. They went on to Kyoto, reverently carrying their master’s ashes, to remonstrate in his stead. Later, they erected a tomb on Mount Toribe at Kyoto. Nichigō returned to Taisekiji with his ashes.
I have briefly talked about Nichimoku Shonin, in order to commemorate his passing in the month of November. I strongly feel that now is the time for us to revere Nichimoku Shonin’s spirit of “willing to give one’s life to propagate the Law,” and single-mindedly devote ourselves to propagate Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Based on these efforts, we must do our best in our practice, aiming toward the establishment of a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by 2021.
We must carry through our practice, even at the risk of our lives, in order to achieve the following: save many people who suffer in agony due to the poison of heretical teachings; purify this intensively chaotic world in the Latter Day of the Law, defiled by the five impurities; and build true world peace and realize the true Buddha Land. I am convinced that by so doing, we will be witnessed by the True Buddha Nichiren Daishonin, Nikko Shonin, and Nichimoku Shonin without fail.
Now, it is most essential that the members of each chapter unite, based on the spirit of itai dōshin, and further devote themselves to propagate the mystic Law. The Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, Many in Body, One in Mind (Itai dōshin ji):
Although there are many people in Japan, they will find it difficult to accomplish anything because of disunity. In contrast, I believe that despite their small numbers, if Nichiren and his followers have the spirit of many in body, one in mind, they certainly will accomplish their great purpose and the Lotus Sutra will spread. No matter how numerous evils may be, they will never defeat the single truth. (Gosho, p. 1389)
As these golden words teach, the key to achieve our goal and kōsen-rufu of the entire world is our unity based on the spirit of itai dōshin. I sincerely wish that you will engrave these golden words into your heart, and revere the great achievement of Nichimoku Shonin. Then, you powerfully will move forward with unity in each chapter, based on the spirit of itai dōshin, aiming toward the achievement of our goal and kōsen-rufu throughout the entire world.