Robin Beck

I see Nichiren as having been an advocate of property rights. There was an ongoing conflict between the Lady of the Manor where Nichiren
was born and the Hojo Clan. That Lady became a Nun and supported Nichiren. She owned the Seicho-ji Temple; but the Hojo regime and their Steward exerted a lot of control. Do-zen was afraid of Tojo Kagenobu and the power of the Ise Shrine at Tojo Village.

Nichiren was also friends with many other nobles whose lands were threatened by the Hojo Regency -- Nagakatsu Ishii, Yoshimoto Hiki, etc. Also the family of Nissho & Nichiro. There were also guys like Toki Jonin and Ota Jomyo who were powerful enough to thumb their noses at the Hojos. Nikko's Yui clan was also powerful.

Ninsho Ryokan was, maybe, like the Urban Renewal contractors who built the Projects in the 1960's. A poverty pimp/slum lord?

Robin: "Priest Ninsho's efforts led to a closer relationship between the two. He even performed invocations and prayers for Tokiyori Hojo (1227-1263), then the Fifth Hojo Regent and nephew of Shigetoki, at the time Tokiyori fell seriously sick in 1261, and also at the time Mongol troops tried to invade Japan in 1281. Through these cooperative actions for the Hojos, Priest Ninsho gradually gained their trust."

Christopher H. Holte: Praying for people never hurts. It's not like he could actually save Hojo Tokiyori's life or prevent the Hojo's from suffering civil war (1272) or prevent the disaster of the Mongol invasion in the first place. But he could offer up prayers. So can the local Priest, Rabbi, Minister or Imam.

Robin: "He constructed hospitals and nursing homes for the sick and the poor. Records show that no fewer than 60,000 sick and poor people
were treated in the 20-year period. Most distinguished among them was a sanitarium he built for those suffering from Hansen's disease.

Christopher H. Holte: That puts him right up there with the Frist Clan.

Robin: "Physical deformities of the patients that result from the disease and appear on visible body parts such as the fingers and faces were the cause of the extreme discrimination against the sufferers. With no cause of the disease known those days, people thought it was hereditary, and resulted in strong bias against even sufferer' blood relatives."

Christopher H. Holte: Sure, a regular Mother Teresa.

Robin: "Seeing those patients in predicament, Priest Ninsho took the initiative in rescuing them. A large stone pestle and mortar
standing today near the Temple's main hall are reminiscent of old days. They were used to grind herbal medicine for the sick."

"After his demise, Emperor Godaigo conferred him in 1328 with a
title of "Bosatsu" (Bodhisattva in Sanskrit.) in praise of his humanitarian works and virtue. People admired him as a living Bodhisattva. If he were living today, he might well have been the Japanese counterpart of Mother Teresa or a Japanese Good Samaritan.
Some criticized him, however, like Priest Nichiren, the founder of
Nichiren sect Buddhism, pointing out that Priest Ninsho was too
close to the Hojo regime and hunting for concessions. There was constant antagonism between the two religious leaders. Priest Ninsho
asserted that Buddhist priests should take actions for the sick,
poor and weak rather than delivering sermons at a street corner."

Christopher H. Holte: Sounds like a nice prescription for a politically connected monk from a wealthy family.

Robin: by all acounts, Ninsho Ryokan was a great person. It is hard to think of a person who did
so many good deeds.

Christopher H. Holte: Are you trying to draw me out to play with you Robin? He seemed like
a saint to those ignorant of his "darkside" or who didn't cross him. Nichiren crossed him. If he had been in fact such a saint, Nichiren might have left him alone. Ninsho Ryokan was typical of politicians disguised as religious people and of politically connected politically active religious leaders in general. They do good deeds to be thought good, and history records their deeds, just as they expect history to. If one's ambition is salvation for self and for others, then one choses a path that is going to, in fact, save people from suffering.

Robin: Consider this:

"At age 44 in 1261, he settled in Kamakura, where he built the open-cut path now called Gokurakuji zaka (slope), linking the western part of Kamakura to the central district. Back then, Shigetoki Hojo
(1198-1261), the third son of the Second Regent Yoshitoki Hojo, was building his residence in this vicinity. The open-cut path greatly helped transport lumber and other building materials. Priest Ninsho's efforts led to a closer relationship between the two. He even performed invocations and prayers for Tokiyori Hojo (1227-1263), then the Fifth Hojo Regent and nephew of Shigetoki, at the time Tokiyori fell seriously sick in 1261, and also at the time Mongol troops tried to invade Japan in 1281. Through these cooperative actions for the Hojos, Priest Ninsho gradually gained their trust."

Christopher H. Holte: In "Dialogue between A Sage and an Unenlightened man" (actually
penned according to some accounts by Nichiji):

"In particular, there is the Honor-able Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji. Everyone, from the supreme ruler on down to the common people, looks up to him as a living Thus Come One, and on observing his conduct, we find that it is indeed in keeping with such a reputation. He directed charitable activities at the port of Iijima, collected rice
at the Mutsura Barrier, and used the funds to build roads in the various provinces. He set up barriers along the seven highways, collected a toll from every-one who passed by, and used the money to build bridges across a number of rivers. In such acts of compassion, he is equal to the Thus Come One, and his virtuous deeds surpass
those of the sages of the past. If you wish to quickly free yourself from the sufferings of birth and death, then you should observe the five precepts and the two hundred and fifty precepts, deepen your compassion for others, refrain from killing any living thing, and, like the Honorable Ryokan, engage in building roads and bridges.
This is the finest of all teachings. Are you prepared to embrace it?" Sounds like Nichiren thought he was a great guy too. Neh?
http://sgi-usa.org/cgi-bin/pagecontext.cgi?page=101

And incidently, this made Ryokan money. His temple grew wealthy on donations, and on tolls from these roads. He lived in luxury, feigning simplicity. You know the story, robes of the finest silk
and beautiful, what would be called later "Zen Gardens."

As Nichiren (and his disciples) noted: "But if we examine the behavior of the priests of today who
supposedly observe the precepts, we find that they hoard silks, wealth, and jewels, and concern themselves with lending money at interest. Since their doctrines and their practices differ so
greatly, who would think of putting any faith in them?"

I guess there is nothing wrong with living well. Although for myself, I can't stomach a guy who lives well while pretending to be simple, humble and to be living a life of poverty.

Additionally Dialogue between a sage and fool also addresses the following:
> The open-cut path greatly helped transport lumber and other building materials.

Indeed it writes, somewhat humorously:

"And as for this matter of building roads and constructing bridges, it only causes people trouble. The charitable activities at the port
of Iijima and the collecting of rice at the Mutsura Barrier have brought unhappiness to a great many people, and the setting up of
barriers along the seven highways of the various provinces has imposed a hardship upon travelers. These are things that are happening right in front of your eyes. Can't you see what is going on?"

And then the poor fool reacts just like any of us might:

"The unenlightened man thereupon flushed with anger and said, "You with your little bit of wisdom have no cause to speak ill of that
eminent priest and to defame his teachings! Do you do so knowingly, or are you simply a fool? It is a fearful thing you are doing."

Of course, the "Dialogue between a Sage and a Fool" next goes on to talk about the distinction between Provisional and Mahayana Buddhism
and then proceeds to convince the poor guy to chant the Nembutsu. But I think the point is made. In the Kaimoku Sho he accuses Ryokan of drawing up false documents:

"Now, at the beginning of the Lat-ter Day of the Law, Ryokan, Nen'a, and others drew up false documents and presented them to the shogunate. Are they not to be counted among the third group of
enemies of the Lotus Sutra?"

Now the context there was their disavowel of the Lotus Sutra, which is a more important issue than whether or not they built roads or attacked the person of Nichiren or not. Still Nichiren notes that it was Ryokan who petitioned the Government to have him beheaded. According to the Gosho Nichiren's disciples almost got a chance to
debate Ryokan. Ryokan submitted a complaint to the "Lord of Hoko-Ji":
http://www.sgi-
usa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/wnd/concord/pages.view/481.html

"In his appeal to the lord of Hoko-ji, Ryokan of the Precepts school stated as follows: "Of late I, Ninsho, have been most vexed by the priest called Nichiren who proclaims that those observing the
precepts are des-tined to fall into hell. What sutra or treatise states such a thing? This is the first question. Moreover, though there is scarcely anyone in Japan today, whether of high or low
rank, who does not chant the Nembutsu, he asserts that the Nembutsu forms the karmic cause for falling into the hell of incessant suffering. On what sutra is this based? I would like to ask Nichiren what reliable proof he has to justify this statement. This is the second question."

But Ryokan never followed through with the challenge. Indeed, Nobody in Japan was willing to publicly and to a nation-wide audience debate the Nichiren Sect until the time of the Tokugawas when
several rigged debates were staged starting with one by Oda Nobunaga. When Nichiren returned to try to debate him he shut his doors. When there were local debates, the Nichiren school tended to
win, which is why even the Tendai School refused to debate them. To this day, compare Nichiren's teachings with those of Ennin. What is the value of mixing Tendai teachings with Shingon teachings?

Later Ryokan got into a short debate with Sanmibo -- which he lost. And instead of treating the results honorably, he tried to get Shijo Kingo in trouble with his lord Emma. Great guy that:
http://sgi-usa.org/cgi-bin/pagecontext.cgi?page=808