Robin Beck

Sosei 蘇生 [Resurrection] Amulet of 1264

Life and legends of Nichiren
At Boso Hanto 1264-1267
On Nichiren's Gohonzon for Practicing Kanjin

The most recent evidence I have is that the original Soseino Amulet of 1264 was lost. However, a copy was made by the 33rd abbot of Kuon-ji, and this is extant. The original Soseino Amulet made by Nichiren, based on a report from someone who has seen a photo of the copy; "looks quite different [from the one depicted below] - it's a bit difficult to read - but looks like a simple mandala in abbreviated style with some passages of the Lotus Sutra."

The Soseino Amulet that is depicted below is not attributed to Nichiren, but appears to be wood block print done by someone else. It appears to depict four {4} Odaimoku swirling around Gatten & Nitten-- the Moon & the Sun; with Nichiren's lname and a koa/seal below. There seems to be another large kanji over Nichiren's name?

On February 22 1263, Nichiren was pardoned from exile to Izu, and returned to Kamakura. Word came that his mother was seriously ill — possibly dying. When Nichiren's father had died, he could not return home, because he "had a price on his head" -- with the Jito {Feudal Steward} of Tojo District in Awa Province, Tojo Saemon-no-jo Kagenobu. But the government seemed to have changed its attitude, and pretty much left him alone. So, in spite of the risk, he returned home, in the fall of 1263 or 1264. He and some followers took up residence at Renge-Ji Temple in Hanabusa.

When Nichiren arrived at Kominato, after nearly a 12 year absence, he found his mother gravely ill. He prayed for her and wrote an amulet for her recovery. Nichiren would later write, “ ... when I prayed for my mother, not only was her illness cured but her life span was prolonged by four years.” -- Nichiren

To express her gratitude, his mother had a small shrine built, which Nichiren named Kokozan Nichiren Tanjo-jo. This was the beginning of what is now his Nativity Temple. In October 1276, Nichike built a temple on the grounds. The patron of the Temple was Sakuma-Hyogo-no-kami Shigetada. Due to beach erosion, the Temple has been moved from its original site. The 1264 shrine was rebuilt in April of 1983.

The image {clickable thumbnail} might be a loosely based "copy of a copy" of the Recovery Amulet that Nichiren drew for his ailing mother in 1264. IIRC, the date on this one is January 01 1266, and it is co-signed by a minister of the "Hokke-Shu", the original name of what is now Nichiren Shu. The Mandala appears to depict four {4} Odaimoku swirling around Gatten & Nitten-- the Moon & the Sun; with Nichiren's large signature and seal below. The original of this is thought to be kept at Nichiren's Nativity Temple {Daihonzan Tanjoh-Ji} in Kominato, Kamogawa-City, Chiba, Japan. The Nichiren Shu Major Temples Tanjoji web-site {Kominato-Zan Tanjoji Temple} lists "Seven mandalas inscribed by Nichiren Shonin" among the Temple Treasures housed at Tanjoji. If I am not mistaken, which I might be, none of these are published in the Gohonzon Shu.

From: "mark n suze"
Subject: Gassho Robin : soseino mandara
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 00:05:57 +0000

just wanna say your Fraught w/ Peril series is *excellent*. And that it'd maybe be good if you added our Email address to your entry concerning the Soseino Mandara, concerning if anyone wanted the image sent to them in lots of pixels/greater resolution, as we'd be happy to do that upon request.
Metta limelite-1@worldnet.att.net

But also, we have put the image, both black and white like the original (and also in color like our old copy) on a web page of ours....you are welcome to post that as well as it's a pretty clear image: Linky

Originally Posted April 20, 2005
Reposted in Robin Beck on September 11, 2006 02:13 AM
Updated May 09 2008

Life and legends of Nichiren At Boso Hanto 1264-1267
Soseino Amulet of 1264
Nichiren at Hanabusa 1264
Nichiren and Nakayama Hokkekyo-ji
Nakayama Hokkekyo-ji Treasures

Posted by rbeck at May 9, 2008 04:53 AM