November 14, 2005
Was Nichiren the True Buddha?
Origins of Nichiren as True Buddha
Revised & Updated 11-14-2005
This is a complex, confusing issue. There are a number of factors involved in the development of this doctrine:
1. The evolution of esoteric Shinto-Buddhist eclectic-syncretism in Japanese Buddhism, especially within the Tendai & Shingon Schools.
2. The rise of the Shogunate.
3. Nichiren's own esoteric inferences in clearly authenticated documents.
4. Early forms of Japanese Nativism/Nationalism that appear to have influenced the Fuji School.
5. The revelation of the Eternal Buddha in the Lifespan of the Tathagata Chapter of the Lotus Sutra.
6. Kamakura Era concepts of Original Enlightenment.
7. Kamakura Era Exclusivism, which was maybe, in part, a reaction against Eclecticism.
I decided to drop all my preconceptions and track down the origins of this doctrine. The result was not I would have expected. I did expect that Japanese Nationalism and Shinto had something to do with it, but not to this extent. I would add that this is not easy to follow. And in some sense, I found it disturbing. My unwillingness to accept that this stream of thought exists in Nichirenism made the inquiry knottier. I am interested in reactions. I think my own would have been: 'huh?
I am wading into deep water. As to the 'Origin' of Nichiren as True Buddha; I have had a hard time understanding the reasoning of the two primary schools that believe this, which makes things difficult. The two schools are Nichiren Shoshu Taisekiji and its long lost half-sister {?}, Honmon Shoshu. {More on this later}. Of course, the SGI still officially accepts the NSS position.
My tentative conclusion is that Honmon Shoshu represents the actual tradition that developed the Nichiren as True Buddha concept. Nichiren Shoshu's theology, in part, appears to be what was left of Honmon Shoshu theology, after it was stripped of most of its Shingon/Mikkyo Shinto-Buddhist fusion elements.
In other words, in Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren as the ‘Treasure of Buddha’ might be a vestigial doctrine. It appears to have been retained and rationalized for political & sectarian reasons. Now, the similar sounding concept of 'the common mortal as honbutsu' is different, and understanding this separate 'hongaku homon' concept of honbutsu might be useful in figuring out the implicit Mikkyo and Shinto-esque elements of Nichiren's thought.
Posted by rbeck at July 13, 2005 09:39 AM
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Comments
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Thanks, Robin, BRING IT! Byrd in LA
Posted by: Byrd in LA at July 13, 2005 07:53 AM
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Robin:
We all love your research, but don't tease us too much. Give us the bottom line on Nichiren as the true Buddha. Did he say it or not?! If not directly, like Shakyamuni did, we must know what he "really" inferred.
Charles
Posted by: Charles at July 13, 2005 11:11 AM
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Patience. This is going to be a lot of work. I shall start with the Lotus Sutra Chapter 16. If we want to be literalists, he once said that Shijo Kingo was the True Buddha.
Posted by: ryoben at July 13, 2005 11:58 AM
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Patience? I think you have the power to make people impatient - it's a gift. Charles
Posted by: Charles at July 13, 2005 12:23 PM
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Ya, hurry up!
Dharmajim
Posted by: Dharmajim at July 15, 2005 05:22 PM
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