Robin Beck

Nichiren at Hanabusa 1264

Life and legends of Nichiren
At Boso Hanto 1264-1267

Sometime between mid-1263 and the Autumn of 1264, Nichiren returned to his home province of Awa, for the first time in nearly a dozen years. He and some followers took up residence at Renge-Ji Temple in Hanabusa.

According to a legend, in August of 1264, there was an endemic disease spreading in Kominato. It is said that Nichiren wrote phrases from the Lotus Sutra on a stone, which he then dropped in a well. Ailing people who drank from the well were quickly healed. He also wrote the Daimoku on a piece of cloth, and had a fisherman hang it on his boat, to spread the healing daimoku waves along the beach. It is said that the public health crisis soon susbsided.

On other occasions Nichiren would face the bay and chant Namu Myoho Renge kyo. The characters of the Daimoku would appear on the waves, and red sea breams would gather to consume them. The bay is now off-limits to fishing; because it is considered a Buddhist holy ground. A non-migratory population of Tai fish remain year round.

Factoid "The red porgy or sea bream, Chrysophrys (Pugrus) major, known in Japan as the "tai" or "madai" is in great demand since it is the traditional fish served at celebrations. -- MARINE FISH CULTURE IN JAPAN"

In September of 1264, Dozen-bo, Nichiren's aging teacher, met with him at Renge-Ji Temple. Around that time, Nichiren had scheduled a November visit with Kudo Yoshitaka, the Lord of Amatsu, at Amatsu Castle. When Dozen-bo returned to Seicho-ji, Tojo Kagenobu, the Steward of Tojo Village, was able to learn of Nichiren's plans.

As I alluded to in the last entry, Kagenobu, the Feudal Steward of Tojo District, had a long held grudge against Nichiren. This might have dated back to before the Rikkyo Declaration of 1253, to the time when Rencho {Nichiren} was a student Monk at Seichoji, the Hachiman Shrine-Temple Complex in Kamakura, and/or Hieizan Enryakuji. It may have related to Kagenobu's efforts to take over Seichoji Temple from the Nun Oama, the widow of Hojo Tomotoki {1193-1245}.

The Lady Oama, who had been friends with Nichiren's family since before he was born, apparently came from an 'old money' family. Her domain had likely included the Tendai-Hokke Renge-ji Temple at Hanabusa, and the Ise Shrine-Temple at Tojo Village. At some point, Tojo Village become a District and Kagenobu likely gained control of the Tojo branch of the Ise Shrine. Nichiren evidently helped Oama thwart Kagenobu's machinizations.

Of this, Nichiren would later write, The villainous Tojo Saemon Kagenobu once hunted the deer and other animals kept by Seicho-ji, and tried to force the priests in the various lodging temples to become Nembutsu believers. At that time I pitted myself against Tojo and supported the lord of the manor. I composed a fervent oath that read, "If the two temples Kiyosumi and Futama should come into Tojo's possession, I will discard the Lotus Sutra!" Then I tied it to the hand of the object of devotion, to which I prayed continuously. Within a year, both temples had been freed from Tojo's grasp." -- Letter to the Priests of Seicho-ji {A-U, 01-11-1276}.

Some think that Seichoji was subsequently divided into Tendai-Hokke and Nembutsu factions. The former, which included Nichiren, Joken-bo, and Gijo-bo, supported Oama. The latter, which supported Kagenobu, may have included Master Dozen-bo; certainly his elder brother Dogi-bo Gisho, as well as the Temple Abbot Enchi-bo, along with the monks Jitsujo and Kanchi-bo.

Of Dozen-bo, Nichiren would later write, "he was a timid man, and he could never bring himself to give up his position at the temple where he lived, Seicho-ji. Moreover, he was fearful of what Kagenobu, the steward of the region, might do if he gave ear to my teachings. ... at Seicho-ji he had to live in the midst of priests like Enchi and Jitsujo, who were as evil as Devadatta or Kokalika, and to put up with their intimidations, so that he became more fearful than ever. -- "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude

It appears that Hanabusa Renge-ji was solidly in Oama and Nichiren's camp. This may be why Nichiren and his followers stayed at Renge-ji.

The conflict between Nichiren and Tojo Kagenobu had first come to a head immediately after the Rikkyo Declaration of 1253. At that time, Nichiren delivered his First Sermon in the Hall of Seicho-Ji. He was scathingly critical of Honen's popular form of Amida Nembutsu, of which Tojo was a strong adherent. Kagenobu had become enraged, withdrew his sword, and tried to kill Nichiren on the spot. Nichiren barely managed to escape, with the help of Dozen-bo, Joken-bo and Gijo-bo. He holed up at the Renge-Ji Temple in Hanabusa; and later took a boat across Tokyo bay to Kamakura.

Tai-no-Ura bay

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 September 20, 2006 05:45 AM