Robin Beck

Mama Guhoji, Iyo-bo Nitcho, and Toki Jonin

Nichiren and Nakayama Hokkekyo-ji
Life and legends of Nichiren:
At Boso Hanto 1264-1267

The village of Mama, like Nakayama, is now part of modern Ichikawa City in Chiba Prefecture. It is on the east side of the Edogawa River, about 10 miles east of central Tokyo. In the famous print "Maple Trees at Mama, Tekona Shrine and Linked Bridge," the view of Ando Hiroshige is from the Nichiren temple Mama Guhoji.

*Mama Guhoji
*Mamasan Guhouji
*Jonassanhananotera.or
* Nichiren Temples
*Ichikawa Shrines

According to various sources, Toki Jonin's first wife, who was an elder sister of Ota Jomyo, had passed away. Toki was subsequently remaried, to a widow named Myojo; who was from Omosu Village in Fuji District of Suruga Province. Some sources indicate that Myojo had two sons by her deceased husband, Lord Iyo; and Toki Jonin adopted both of them. According to other sources, the younger brother was the natural born son of Toki Jonin.

The oldest step-son was an acolyte at Guhoji {Koubou-ji; Guboji}, a Tendai Temple, at the Village of Mama in Shimosa {Shimousa; Shimofusa} Province. In 1266, he became Nichiren's disciple Iyo-bo {or Iyo-ko}. Nichiren would later give him the name Nitcho. Thus he is known as Iyo-bo Nitcho (1252-1317).

The younger brother would later become Niko's disciple at Mobara. He was given the name Jakusen-bo Nitcho. Iyo-bo Nitcho (1252-1317) and Jakusen-bo Nitcho (1262-1310) are often confused.

In 1277, Mama Guhoji, while still a nominal Tendai Temple, would be {unofficially} converted to Nichren's Hokke Shu. Sources vary a bit on exactly how this happened: "Nitcho won a debate with the chief priest of Guboji Temple and shortly after took over the temple." {Ryuei}

But, according to Taisekiji:

" [Toki Jonin] successfully refuted Ryosho, the chief priest of Guho-Ji Temple of the Tendai sect, in a Buddhist debate. Ryosho retreated into hiding and Toki Jonin took over and managed the Temple. He ... invited Iyo-bo Nitcho to become chief priest." -- The Doctrines and Practice of Nichiren Shoshu, Chapter 67.

Holte's take:

" ... in 1278, Nitcho won a debate with the chief priest of Guboji Temple (by some accounts with the help of his step-father) and shortly after took over that temple. At the time, Nichiren Buddhism was not a recognized sect, so Guboji Temple remained nominally a Tendai temple. Indeed all the temples in the Nichiren school control were nominally related to Tendai." -- Nitcho Shonin

Then in 1279, during the Atsuhara Persecutions, the disciples Shimotsuke-bo Nisshu [{12??-1329}; received Gohonzon #105] and Echigo Nichiben {1239-1311} were smuggled to Guho-ji Temple, at Mama in Shimousa Province, and placed under the protection of Toki Jonin and Iyo-bo Nitcho.

More on Iyo-bo Nitcho

Iyo-bo Nitcho (1252-1317) was named one of Nichiren's Six Major Clerical Successors {Roku-ruso}. That was in October of 1282. Sources conflict on what became of him after that, from 1283-1302.

Senchu Murano wrote: "Nitcho tried to approach the Kamakura Government for remonstrance in 1291. To this end, he also requested a public debate with a priest of the Jodo Sect in 1292. Nitcho's aggressive attitude seemed to displease Toki Tsunenobu. Nitcho left Guhôji in 1292, and returned to his home town, Omosu, which was near Fuji, Ueno, where Nikko had already founded Taisekiji Temple in 1290. He joined Nikko and helped him found Honmonji Temple at Omosu ..." -- from The Manual of Nichiren Buddhism.

The SGI version: "After Nichiren's death, Nitcho failed to appear for his turn in the rotation system for attending to Nichiren's tomb, and for this Toki Jonin disowned him. In 1291 he declared himself a priest of the Tendai school and disassociated himself from Nichiren's teaching. In 1302, however, he returned to serve Nikko at Omosu." -- from The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism

I have even read speculation that Iyo-bo Nitcho contracted leprosy and went into seclusion. Or that he may have missed Nichiren's funeral and his Minobu duty because he was drafted to serve in the milatary defense against the Mongolian Invasions.

Reliable sources indicate that Nitcho was in Omosu by 1302, and built a Temple near there, called Shorin-ji {Shao-lin}, in March in 1303. It is unclear when he moved there, and how involved he was with Omosu/Kitayama Honmon-ji or the adjacent Omosu Dansho {Seminary}.

Posted by rbeck at September 30, 2006 02:09 PM