Nichiren Daishonin

The Buddha of the true cause (for enlightenment)

 

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Millions of people have revolutionized their lives through this dynamic Buddhist practice. It is a living actual Buddhism, based on chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to the mystical mandala or Gohonzon. Established by Nichiren Dai Shonin, the true Buddha on April 28th 1253 in Japan and continued ever since by the Priesthood at the Head Temple at Taisekiji.

Nichiren Daishonin was born on February 16, 1222, at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law to fulfill Shakyamuni's prophesy that the True Buddha would appear and teach the Great Pure Law to save people for the eternal future. The date of the Daishonin's birth has a mystic connection with Shakyamuni's Buddhism because Shakyamuni died on February 15. This indicates that the Daishonin's Buddhism began at the point where the power of Shakyamuni's Buddhism ceased.

 

 

The purpose of this presentation is to share with you the brilliance, clarity of thought, poetry and compassion of Nichiren Daishonin ThE Buddha who was prophesised in the Lotus Sutra tonappear in the age that we live in now. His teachings and practice have been kept alive by the successive high Priests at the Head Temple at Taisekiji at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan for 750 years. The eternal Buddha sought only for the truth and delved into every teaching in his time to extract it. Eventually he found the essential teaching.

Nichiren Daishonin lived this teaching.He was a fervent patriot who saw the truth as liberating the whole World. A deeply passionate and compassionate man he looked upon his followers or disciples as an extension of himself ---his family. His aim was the liberation of all humankind from oppressive authority and restriction so that they may reach the unbounded shores of unlimited enlightenment.

 

The story of The Daishonin  

 

BIOGRAPHY OF NICHIREN DAISHONIN

 

and the story of the contemporary Japan of the thirteenth century is a story on a monumental canvas as vast as the infinite Universe. It is filled with utter compassion and the ultimate expression of a Heart felt Human being who challenges all obstacles to obtain the ultimate Jewel the cosmic gift of ultimate fusion of the Person with the Law or the attainment of the ultimate fusion of life with the phenomenal Universe. He rightly called his teaching the Third Way because it encompasses the numinous and the highest potential inherent in Humanity.

 

BIOGRAPHY OF NICHIREN DAISHONIN

 

Nichiren Dai Shonin was born on the seacoast of the southeastern corner of Japan,to a fisherman named Mikuni no Tayu and his wife, Umegiku-nyo, in the small fishing village of Kominato in Tojo in Awa Province, which is now Chiba Prefecture. His childhood name was Zennichimaro. The Daishonin referred to his birth in several of his Gosho, saying, "I am a fisherman's son," (Shinpen, p. 1279) and "I, Nichiren, am the son of an 'untouchable' family." (Shinpen, p. 482; M.W., Vol. 5, p. l24).

 

The fishing village was surrounded in the north by undulating hills and washed by the dark blue waves of the Pacific Ocean on the south. Tidal waves have washed away the part of the seacoast where his Father's house stood, and today the spot is pointed out in the depths of the wonderfully clear water, on the rocky bottom of the sea, where lotus flowers are said to have bloomed miraculously at the birth of the wonderful boy,

 

OMENS SURROUND THE BIRTH OF NICHIREN DAISHONIN

 

In spite of such humble circumstances surrounding the birth of Nichiren Daishonin, there were many auspicious omens that are recorded in the Gosho, "Transfer Document on the Birth of Nichiren Daishonin" (Ubuyu Sojo no Koto).

 

One of them concerns a dream that the Daishonin's mother had before his birth, in which she saw herself seated on Mount Hiei, where the head temple of the Tendai sect was located. She was washing her hands in the waters of Lake Biwa. As the sun rose out of the east from behind Mount Fuji, she cradled the sun (in Japanese: Nichi) in her arms. Startled by this dream, she awoke and told it to her husband.

He, too, had an unusual dream in which Bodhisattva Kokuzo, who represents the wisdom of the universe, appeared before him. On his shoulder, the bodhisattva carried a handsome boy. He told the Daishonin's father that this child was Bodhisattva Jogyo, who was destint to be a great leader to save all people.

Kokuzo said, "I will grant this lovely boy to you," and disappeared. Shortly afterward Umegiku-nyo realized that she was pregnant. Umegiku-nyo had another dream the night before the Daishonin's birth in which a blue lotus (Japanese: ren) flower blossomed with pure water springing forth from it. A baby was inside the lotus flower, taking his first bath in the water. The water which sparkled with a golden color, spilled out onto the ground. The grasses shone as trees blossomed and bore fruit. These symbolic dreams presaged the advent of the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.

As his father was a fisherman, doubtless the boy was often taken out in the father's boat, and must have enjoyed the clear sky and pure air of the open sea. When in later years, during his retirement in the mountains, a follower sent him a bunch of seaweed to eat, Nichioren Daishonin wept as he called to mind his early memories of the seaweeds, which are, indeed, a charming sight as they are seen through the transparent water. Far away from the effeminizing air of the Imperial capital, far away from the turmoil's and agitations of the Dictator's residence, the boy grew up in the fresh and invigorating atmosphere of a seaside village, in the midst of unadorned nature wooded hills and green trees, blue waters and sandy beaches. The inspiration of nature and the effect of association with the simple, sturdy people are manifest in each step of Nichiren's later career, in his thoughts and his deeds.

In I233, when the boy was eleven years old, his parents sent him to a monastery on the hill known as Kiyozumi, he '' Clear Luminosity,'' near his home. The reason is not given, but it was in no way an exceptional or extraordinary step; in those days many a father did the same, whether from motives of piety or for the sake of the boy's future career. The peaceful and innocent days of the boy novice Passed; he was made an ordained monk when he was fifteen years old, and the religious name given by his master 'as Rencho, or '' Lotus Eternal.' ' Doubts grew with learning, because too many tenets and practices were included in the religion he was taught.

In his Reply to Myoho-ama, Nichiren Daishonin wrote in his later writings:

Ever since my childhood I, Nichiren, have studied Buddhism with one thought in mind. Life as a human is truly a fleeting thing. A man exhales his last breath with no hope to draw in another. Not even dew borne away by the wind suffices to describe life's transience. No one, wise or foolish, young or old, can escape death. My sole wish has therefore been to solve this eternal mystery. All else has been secondary.

For this purpose I once practised, according to le custom of most fellow-Buddhists, the method of repeating the name of Amita Buddha, putting faith in his redeeming Power. But, since doubt had begun to arise in my mind as to the truth of that belief, I committed myself to a vow that I would study all the branches of Buddhism known in Japan and learn fully what their diverse teachings were.''

 

This absolute and utter dedication and faith in the truth is the distinguishing feature of this Ultimate Buddhism the truth Hidden in the Lotus Sutra is of course Nam Myoho Renge Kyo actualised as the great Mandala and Gateway to Enlightenment the Dai Gohonzon. The Teaching relies utterly on the person's fusion with this great Object of Worship for observing one's mind, gaining Mastery over one's mind and attaining Enlightenmnet. All else is secondary.