June 16, 2006
Statue at Myohonji in Kamakura 13th-14th Century
Updated 06-02-2006
The Nichiren Shu Myohonji Temple in Kamakura traces it origins to a family sanctuary founded by Nichiren's lay disciple Yoshimoto Hiki {1202-1286} in 1260. That same year, Yoshimoto aka Daigaku Saburo helped Nichiren Daishonin {February 16, 1222 – October 13, 1282), complete the treatise "On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land {Rissho Ankoku Ron}."
Statues, Drawings, & Paintings of Nichiren
This statue has been recently dated to the late 1200's or early 1300's {see Sankei Shimbun article - nichiren/gallery}. It is one of several similar ones attributed to Nippo, who was maybe the same person as the disciple Izumi-ko Nippo. There is a legend that Izumi-ko Nippo carved three statues from a single log {see Legends of Nippo [pending serious revision]}.
On Nichiren's Gohonzon for Practicing Kanjin
Myohonji is also home to at least seven {7} original Nichiren Mandala Gohonzon{s}:
Mandala #021 ... No date... Early Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.
Mandala # 030 ... dated December 1275 (Kenji 1)... Early Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.
Mandala #080 ... Mandala Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.
Mandala #081 dated the 3rd month of the 3rd year of Koan, Kanoe-tatsu (1280). This Great Mandala is now designated as the Shutei Honzon or the "Gohonzon Authorized by the Nichiren School." ... Mandala Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren
Mandala #083 ... Mandala Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.
Mandala # 108 ... Mandala Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.
Mandala # 109 ... Mandala Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.
The Temple
In August of 1260. Nichiren fled the Matsubagayatsu Persecution to Toki Jonin's compound in the old Shimousa Province. The following spring, he returned and stayed with Nichiro {1245-1320} and others at what is now Myohonji. On May 12, 1261, the Regent Hojo Nagatoki {(1229-1264) (r. 1256-1264)} at the urging of his father Hojo Shigetoki {1198-1261}, had Nichiren seized at this location and exiled, without trial, to Izu Hanto.
...
"Upon returning to Kamakura in 1274, Nichiren Shonin put Nichiro in charge of a new temple at Hikigayatsu, Kamakura. This was the Myohonji Temple. Because it was Nichiro's main base of operations in Kamakura, Nichiro's lineage is also known as the Hikigayatsu Lineage. ... Nichirin later took over Myohonji Temple and Honmonji Temple." -- Ryuei
The Statue
The statue is kept in the Soshido (Founding Priest's Hall} at Chokozan Myohonji in Kamakura, a head Temple of the Nichiro lineage of Nichiren Shu. This nine square meter hall was rebuilt in the Edo Period (1603-1868). It is said to also house statues of Nichiro Shonin and his wife{?}, Yoshikazu Hiki and his wife {Yoshimoto's parents}, Nichirin Shonin (1297-1359) [One of the Nine Senior Disciples (Kurosu) Nichiro designated to continue his propagation efforts], Yoshimoto Hiki and wives.
From Myohonji -- asahi-net: "This wooden statue was fashioned in the 14th century by Priest Nippo (1259-1341), Nichiren's disciple and an excellent sculptor, while Nichiren was alive, and is among the three that were made out of a single wood-block. The other two are enshrined at Kuonji in Minobu, Yamanashi Prefecture (the head temple of all Nichiren sect) and at Honmonji in Ota ward, Tokyo, where Priest Nichiren passed away." -- Myohonji -- A Guide to Kamakura
This information is not entirely accurate. It mentions a statue at Minobusan Kuonji, but I can not find any authenticated information on any historic statue kept there {see: First Statue of Nichiren at Minobu? }. It also mentions the one at Ikegami, {see Statue at Ikegami Honmonji}, but that one was carved posthumously in 1288.
As can be seen in the images, as with the Ikegami Statue, the carver exaggerated the size of Nichiren's ears. Of this, Brian Holly wrote:
"... elongated pierced ears are a traditional feature of the Buddha in Buddhist iconography -- representing how his ears were stretched by the fabulous earrings Shakyamuni wore as a prince and then abandoned. I would think that portraits of Nichiren with such ears indicate an attempt to depict him as a Buddha or Bodhisattva, just as death scenes showing him lying on his side, echoing parinirnavan depcictions of Shakyamuni, do. "- Brian {irgosho Message 11730 of 11751}
Also: Big Ears?: "Buddhas and bodhisattvas are always portrayed as having large, pendulous ears. In Western culture small ears close to the head are thought to be the most beautiful, but in the Orient large ears are looked upon as auspicious because they indicate wisdom and compassion. So, the Buddha is depicted as having big ears because he is the compassionate one. He hears the sound of the world - hears the cries of suffering beings - and responds. The important thing for us is not how large our ears are, but how open are our "mind ears." " -- Zen Master Dae Kwang
This tendency of Nichiren's other early followers to glorify or idealize his images is likely what Nikko referred to when he wrote: 
"About the images of Shonin. five priests or lay believers have made images and statues (of Nichiren Shonin). So there are a lot (of such images and statues) in various places. All of them have different features from each other. I, Nikko, say that the objective of drawing the image (of Nichiren Shonin) is to let people in the future know (the visage of Nichiren Shonin). So we should draw it as it is without considering it is good-looking or not. Thinking like this, the lay persons or monks following Nikko and persons who met Shonin once discussed together and drew ( figures of Nichiren Shonin). As a whole the drawings were not so different from the features of Nichiren Shonin but mostly of poor quality. So I made notes on the back of the drawings. " - See Nikko's comments on Images of Nichiren
For a collection of links about Chokozan Myohonji at nichirenpix Click Here
Posted by rbeck at June 16, 2006 12:00 AM