April 18, 2006
Nichiren's Sarcasm
Nichiren apparently made several controversial statements, involving the use of colorful metaphors, in some of his letters known as Gosho or Goibun. I think is a grave error to apply these too broadly in our present day world. Viewed in context, he was referring to actual temples and specific persons. These persons were the same influential Kamakura City clerics who had plotted with the ruling Hojo Clan to arrange, among other things:
1. To have Nichiren's Nagoe hermitages burnt down.
2. His exile to Izu.
3. The attempted beheading of Nichiren at Tatsunokuchi.
4. His exile to the Tsukuhara Graveyard Hut at Sado.
Nichiren had not been expected to survive any of these ordeals. Given that, and his opponents' lack of contrition, the sarcasm in his letters is self evident; at least to this self. Also, all of these harsh comments were written privately to followers, from Mt. Minobu, after Nichiren had retired from active remonstration with the authorities. I think it is a mistake to think that he ran around cursing, threatening, and denouncing all other achools and rival clerics all of the time.
Here, the text of "The Mongol Envoys" might refer to persons such as Nena Ryochu (1199-1288) of Komyo-ji, Shina of Jokomyo-ji, Ryuben of Hachimangu-ji, Joko of Daibutsuden, Rankei Doryu (1251–84) of Kencho-ji, and Ninsho Ryokan (1217-1303) of Gokuraku-ji:
"And I have received your news about the beheading of the Mongol envoys. It is indeed a pity that, while the priests of the Nembutsu, True Word, Zen, and Precepts schools, who are the enemies of our country, did not have their heads cut off, the innocent Mongol envoys have been beheaded." -- WND-75 p 628
"I have also received your news about the beheading of the Mongol envoys. How pitiful that they have beheaded the innocent Mongol envoys and yet failed to cut off the heads of the priests of the Nembutsu, Shingon, Zen and Ritsu sects, who are the real enemies of our country!" -- MWND: Moko Tsukai Gosho
He adds: "Those who are unaware of the particulars of the matter will no doubt think that I say this out of conceit because my prophecy has been fulfilled. Yet during this period of more than twenty years, this is what I have been privately lamenting about day and night to my disciples, and what I have publicly declared time and again" -- ibid
This letter was allegedly written in 1275, when Nichiren was fifty-four, to Nishiyama Nyudo, who lived at Nishiyama Village in Fuji District, Suruga Province. However, I could not locate it on the "A" list. I do not know if it is a "B" or a "C" rated Gosho. That kind of information would be helpful.
Next, here is a specific reference to Kamakura City Temples, all built in the 13th Century, under the Patronage of the Hojo Clan Regency of the Kamakura Shogunate:
"All the Nembutsu and Zen temples, such as Kencho-ji, Jufuku-ji, Gokuraku-ji, Daibutsu-den, and Choraku-ji, should be burned to the ground, and their priests taken to Yui Beach to have their heads cut off. If this is not done, then Japan is certain to be destroyed!" -- WND-66 p 579 or MWND: Senji-sho
This letter was written at Minobu June 10, 1275, to Yui of Nishiyama in Suruga Province. It is on the "A" list and is a "T", which means it is a 'true gosho'; the original is extant and kept at Minobu.
"Kencho-ji was founded by Hojo Tokiyori in 1253. 
It is one of the oldest Zen temples of Japan, and the first one built [exclusively for Rinzai Zen] in Kamakura. Its first head priest was Rankei Doryu, a Zen priest from China. " As I understand it, the Kenchoji Rinzai Zendos were being used, by the Hojo Regency, primarily to train samurai in the marshal arts. 
From what can I gather, this school of Zen was being subverted to train monks and samurai to become efficient, remorseless killing machines; perhaps to combat the ruthless warrior-monks of Enryakuji and other older establishment temples of Kyoto and Nara. {see On Refuting Other Schools}
In the next installment, we shall glance at several more apparent targets of "Nichiren's Sarcasm".
Posted by rbeck at April 18, 2006 11:34 AMHello Robin:
You make an important point about these expressions that critics of Nichiren have used...wrongly...to show him as violent,intolerant and authoritarian...and he was, of course, nothing of the kind...
Take the excerpt from "The Selection of the Time"...
"All the Nembutsu and Zen temples, such as Kencho-ji, Jufuku-ji, Gokuraku-ji, Daibutsu-den, and Choraku-ji, should be burned to the ground, and their priests taken to Yui Beach to have their heads cut off. If this is not done, then Japan is certain to be destroyed!"
Nichiren here was quoting himself as he stood on the beach about to be beheaded...he addressed his executioner, Hei no Saemon, top official of the Hojo clan...and, specifically mentioned the very priests and temples built by them...basically, he was telling his samurai wielding captors that if they wanted to behead the enemies of Japan, they'd best start with themselves!...
This is not only sarcasm, it's major "cajones!"...a voice of absolute conviction and fearlessness...to the point of mocking the ones about to kill him...
In no way can anyone who reads this passage in context and understands the situation consider it an endorsement of intolerance or violent exclusivism...it is nothing of the sort. Nichiren uses wit and sarcasm to rip his oppressors a new asshole...he totally deflates their macho, arrogant act of violent suppression...
Thanks for reminding us...I had not read that in a long time, and I had forgotten the true meaning and context in which those shocking words were spoken...
And yet, every so often someone will trot them out as proof that Nichiren was a violent zealot...oyyy veyyy!!
I don't know what I would say to my sword wielding executioner, but caustic wit might not come so easily to me...I think it was Danton who said to his executioner, on the gallows:
"when my head has fallen, show it to the people. It will be worthwhile!"
David
Posted by: David Johnson at April 19, 2006 04:41 PMNichiren's humor is legendary - it's one of those endearing qualities of his that makes him such an intriguing guy, in my book. Tongue-in-cheek, sarcasim, and uncanny word play are just a few writing methods that he was an unrivaled master of. I believe that you are correct on this line of analysis and want to see more. Obviously, Nichiren was a writer without peer, having at his command the formal style, the very intimate, personal style, and no one could turn a metaphor like him. But just what was sarcasim and what was his trademark invective - sometimes in just a couple of phrases?
Charles
Posted by: Charles at April 19, 2006 04:08 PMGood point David, and is something I alluded to. There are seeds of a good dialogue there. I was recently told by an Asian that the Euro-American concept of compassion is based on pity/contempt and creating dependancy; and is not the same as karuna.
In a sense that might be true of all present human culture; we usually feel no compassion for the plight of those who are economically comfortable.
r
Posted by: robin at April 19, 2006 03:00 PMIn English pity can mean contempt or compassion.
Posted by: david Leisure at April 19, 2006 10:48 AMWhat do you call it when you are seeming sarcastic butyou really mean it, like I could say," I'm happy they're killing themselves, so we don't have to." I could be a sarcastic pacifist or I could mean let them fight it out amongst themselves is the policy I'd adopt. Maybe Nichiren is saying something extreme in an amusing way knowing he is not in a position to have it take place.
Posted by: clown hidden at April 19, 2006 12:39 AMMore to come. BTW -- my humor is arid. The metta cultivations have eased that.
r
Posted by: robin at April 18, 2006 08:44 PMHi Robin,
I’m not sure I agree with you that the sarcasm in these statements is “self evident.” I’m kind of sarcastic. I’ll say stuff like, “Lovely” when I think something is disgusting. My sarcasm is usually very easy for people to spot. On the other hand, my son’s sarcasm is much dryer then mine and lots of times I can’t tell if he’s being serious or sarcastic when he expresses an opinion about something. I guess what I’m saying is I don’t think it’s obvious that Nichiren is being sarcastic in the statements you quoted. I’ve read and reread the statements in your post, and while I think it’s interesting to consider the possibility that Nichiren was attempting to be clever or sarcastic, I’m not convinced.
VW