Robin Beck

About the Gohonzon

On Nichiren's Gohonzon for Practicing Kanjin

Click on the image to enlarge
Revised & Updated 12-04-2005

To Be Revised Soon

Much of what we know about the Nichiren Lotus Sutra Gohonzon has been due to Don Ross. Without Don, we would still largely be at the mercy of what the various schools decide we need to know. Everything I do on this topic is built upon what Don Ross began; with the on line Gohonzon Shu.

Like most Americans, I rely on translations. And, at this point, very little of the Gohonzon Shu and only part of the Gosho have been translated. Also, I do not necessarily 100% trust that which has been translated. All translation from a 13th century sino-japanese idiom to modern english must involve interpretation. For these reasons, a lot of my conclusions are based on educated conjecture, and are therefore tentative. So I am sure there shall be a lot of errors in my work.

When I obtain new information that contradicts prior assumptions, my initial reaction is to kick and scream for a day or so, then I calm down and adjust. The truth, as best as can be gleaned, is the objective. And: I HAVE NO INTEREST IN PROMOTING ANY SECTARIAN AGENDAS. That being clearly stated, I am very eager for reader input. If you have more data, or you can correct a translation or factual error, please do so by adding a comment. Many minds joining together to seek the truth can be much powerful than one. Finally, I trust this can a great learning experience for myself and others.

My hope is that this is yet another step in a process that others might build upon. Hopefully, more of the Gohonzon Shu will be translated someday. Knowing the dates, any special inscriptions, and transmitall data on the Mandalas would be very helpful.

It appears that most of the Gohonzon{s} Nichiren wrote, about 90 or so of the extant ones, are the same basic style. That style is called the Ten Worlds Great Mandala or Dai Mandara. All of these have the 'pretty much' the same general inscriptions. The Great Mandala {Dai Mandara} is what most of us chant to every day.

The Fuji Gohonzon{s} issued by Nichiren Shoshu are variations of the Great Mandala. There is only a small difference in the top row, there are four figures in the top row, rather than three. The 4th columns are to the outside of The Bodhisattvas of the Earth, and they are phrases from the Dharani Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. This is not the same as on pre-1978 Great Mandalas.

The original two of these were dedicated to martyrs from the Fuji Area. One of these was inscribed by Nikko and is kept at Kitayama. The other is the controversial, carved in Camphor wood, "Dai-Gohonzon", aka Plank {Ita} Mandala, kept at Taisekiji. The SGI-Nichikan is a Fuji Style Great Mandala.

The Prayer Gohonzon {PG}, aka Medicine Great Mandala, for healing illness, is a special Ten Worlds Great Mandala. This is available through Independents and/or self service.

The Daihonzon of 1274, kept at Hota, is another 'special' one. The Daihonzon is not a Ten World's Dai Mandara. This is a different image, in that only the Enlightened Aspect of the 5 higher worlds are repreesnted.

Nichiren appears to have 'standardized' the Great Mandala about 1278. Then about 1280, the Daimoku, Four Heavenly Kings, and two Esoteric Knowledge Kings become more prominent and bolder. The Nissho Daimandara and Nichiren Shu's Shutei Mandala are the best known of these. Both are from 1280. Except for the transmittal memoranda, or lack thereof, these appear to have the exact same entries.

There were also some Ten Worlds Great Mandalas inscribed before 1278. These earlier Great Mandalas look a little different in the top row; there are four figures, rather than three. In these case; the extra pair represent the Emanation Buddhas and Virtue Buddhas of the Ten Directions. On a number of the original pre-1278 Nichiren mandalas, their names are as follows:

*Zentoku Nyorai (English: Buddha Good Virtue if the East), the Virtue Buddha of the Eastern direction. One of the Virtue Buddhas of the Ten directions from the LS and the Tiantai Confessional. See The Buddhas of the Ten Directions and The Confessional Samadhi of the Lotus Sutra, page 9: Worshipping the Buddhas

*Jippo Bunshin, representing all the Emanation Buddhas. Jippo: the ten directions, east south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northeast, northwest, up [zenith] and down [nadir]. Bunshin: limitless emanation Buddha bodies

Zentoku Nyorai is usually on the right side, between Jogyo and Taho; while Jippo Bunshin is usually on on the left, between Jyogo and Shakyamuni.

Nichiren also wrote a number of simplified mandalas. Most of these are from 1271 to 1273. These can be as simple as the Daimoku alone, or the Daimoku flanked by two Buddhas, or two Buddhas and the four Bodhisvattvas of the Earth. In addition, there are said to be some unpublished 'Soseino {Recovery} Amulets', inscribed for prolonging life, kept at Nichiren's Nativity Temple. These are apparently dated from 1264-1267. And there are many, many unpublished mandalas, of unknown or dubious authenticity, dating back to 1253.

There were even some Lotus Sutra Gohonzon made in ancient China, long before Nichiren. The Tiantai School used a Bodhi Mandala. Even older Lotus Sutra Mandalas, made of carvings, sculpture, and paintings, have been found in caves in China.

Gohonzon in Nichiren Temples are often arrangements of statues. Toki Jonin, a prominent disciple, evidently had a portable shrine, with the Gohonzon being carved statues of Shakyamuni flanked by the four Bodhisvattvas of the Earth. Nichiren's own Gohonzon was a standing Statue of Shakyamuni. He apparently did not inscribe his own personal Great Mandala until 1280. There are also Nichiren Style pictorial mandalas. The first of these was likely the one Minbu Sado-bo Niko Shonin had painted circa 1286.
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Comments
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Dear Robin

A friend of mine referred me to your recent post at Gohonzonforum. I wasted no time to correct this error of mine: Gohonzonshu # 11. The date should have been June 1274 = Bunei 11. So sorry.

1. October 9, 1271 (Bunei 8): Kept at {Main Temple Warehouse?} Kyoto
2. June 16, 1272 (Bunei 9): Kept at Kyoto Myorenji
3A to 10. No dates

#003; Kept at Kyoto honnoji
#007: Kept at [? 'top' myo] Kyoto
#008: Kept at Hiraga Hondo-ji in Matsudo.
#009: Kept at Sado Myosenji Temple
#010: Kept at Sado {Myoshiji?} Temple

11. June 1274 (Bunei 11): Kept at Kyoto Myomanji: Conferall Tenmoku
12. No dates: Kept at Sado Myosenji Temple
13. July 25, 1274 (Bunei 11): Kept at Mobara
14. November 1274 (Bunei 11): Kept Kocho-ji Okamiya
15. No dates

16. December 1274 (Bunei 11): Kept at Hota Myohoinji
17 & 18. No dates: Both Kept at Hiraga Hondo-ji in Matsudo.
19. January: Kept at Myo{ ___ ?} Kyoto
20. April 1275 (Bunei 12)

21 to 25. No dates
#021: Kept at Kamakura Myohonji
#022 & #023: Both Kept at Sado Myosenji Temple

26. October 1275 (Kenji 1)
27. November 1275 (Kenji 1):Kept at Myo{ ___ ?} Kyoto
28. December 1275 (Kenji 1): Kept at Myo{ ___ ?} Kyoto
29. No dates
30. December 1275 (Kenji 1): Kept at Kamakura Myohonji

31 & 32A. February 1276 (Kenji 2)
32B. February 5, 1276 (Kenji 2)
33. February 1276 (Kenji 2)
34 to 37. April 1276 (Kenji 2)
#035: Kept at Mobara

38 & 39. August 13, 1276 (Kenji 2)
#038: Kept at a temple in Kyoto {book-full?}
40. August 14, 1276 (Kenji 2): Kept at {Main Temple Warehouse?} Kyoto

41. February 1277 (Kenji 3)
42. February 15, 1277 (Kenji 3)
43. No dates: Kept at [? 'instinct'] Kyoto
44. April 1277 (Kenji 3): : Kept at Sado Myosenji Temple
45. October 1277 (Kenji 3): Kept at Kyoto Kaichoji

46. November 1277 (Kenji 3)
47. March 16, 1278 (Koan 1): Kept at Nakayama
48. April 20, 1278 (Koan 1):Kept at {Main Temple Warehouse?} Kyoto
49. July 1278 (Koan 1)
50 & 51. July 5, 1278 (Koan 1)
#050: Kept at [? 'top' myo] Kyoto

52. No dates
53 & 54. August 1278 (Koan 1)
#053: Kept at Kyoto Kaichoji
#054: Kept at Kyoto Honnoji
55. No dates

56. October 19, 1278 (Koan 1):Gohonzon Mandala inscribed by Nichiren and conferred on 19 Oct 1278 to "Day Bright"(?). Kept at Honkokuji in Kyoto. Called the Mandarin Duck Gohonzon.
57. October 21, 1278 (Koan 1): Kept Kocho-ji Okamiya)
58. No dates: Kept at Kyoto {main point method temple warehouse?}
59. February 1279 (Koan 2): Kept at Nakayama

60. February 1279 (Koan 2): Kept at Kuwana
This Dai-Mandara (# 60) was bestowed upon Nichimoku Shounin. The positions of Aizen & Fudo Myo-ou are switched, indicating the arrival point of buddhism (Fudo/moon) from west to east, and the embarkation point of buddhism (Aizen/sun) from east to west. In Honmon Shoshu tradition, it points to the One (ie. Renzobo Nichimoku) who will hold on to the heritage until the proper time (ie. Mappo) arrives. If you look at the Kankenkis; the image of Aizen/sun is reflected by a rimmed mirror. And the image of Fudo is reflected on the moon's surface, brandishing a sword. Ever heard the ancient Sino-Japanese story of the rabbit in the moon? Well, the rabbit is drawn to indicate that that is the moon. The rabbit has also another significance, ie. the 1st day of the New Year indicating the Sage's advent in the world. I shall delve on this some other time.

61 & 62. April 8, 1279 (Koan 2)
#061: Kept at Mobara
63. April 1279 (Koan 2)
64. June 1279 (Koan 2): Kept at Nakayama
65. July 1279 (Koan 2): Kept Kocho-ji Okamiya)

66. September 1279 (Koan 2)
67. October 1279 (Koan 2)
68A to 70. November 1279 (Koan 2)
#068a: Kept at Numazu
68b: Kept at {Main Temple Warehouse?} Kyoto
#069:

#71: Kept at Sakai

Mandala # 80 kept at Chokozan Myohonji in Kamakura
Mandala # 83 kept at Chokozan Myohonji in Kamakura

# 105: Kochoji Temple at Okamiya/ Conferral to Nisshun
Mandala # 108 kept at Chokozan Myohonji in Kamakura
Mandala # 109 kept at Chokozan Myohonji in Kamakura

I hope it is useful to you. I will come back with # 70 to 125 much much later, as I am tied up with work, and don't have the time yet.

My apologies again, for the mistake.

eddy

Posted by: eddy at November 27, 2005 01:55 PM
Edited by: robin 12-08-2005
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Posted by rbeck at December 4, 2005 06:54 AM