October 06, 2007
Gohonzonshu Notes & Details: Mandalas 008-010
Mandala 008 is known as the Ichinen Sanzen {一念三千} Honzon {本尊}. Mandala 009 is dubbed the Enlightenment of Women Honzon (Women {女人} Nirvana {成仏} Honzon {本尊} and is drawn on 18 sheets of paper. Mandala 010 is known as either the Ship Boarding {船中} or Twig {or tooth} Brush Honzon {楊子本尊}.Most likely, all of these were drawn between June 16, 1272 and March 15 1274. The big one that is missing from this time is the Sado Siken-no-Daimandara of July 08 1273. It evidently no longer exists, and was already lost in the a fire at Minobu, well before the Gohonzonshu was first published in the 1940's. The Sado Siken-no-Daimandara was Nichiren's first formal Ten Worlds Mandala, and was drawn on a large piece of silk.
- [Mandala] Number {番号}: 008
- Era & Year {年}: Bun'ei Era {文永} Year Unknown
- Month; Moon {月}: Unknown
- Day; Sun {日}: Unknown
- Nichiren's Laudatory Inscription {讃文}: None
- Conferral; Recipient {授与書}: None
- Kept at, Housed at, Possession {所蔵}: Chiba Prefecture {千葉県} Hiraga {平賀} Hondoji {本土寺}
- Nickname/Popular Name {通称}: Ichinen Sanzen {一念三千} Honzon {本尊}
- Sheets {紙数}: One {1} Paper {1紙}
- Height {丈}: 39.7 cm/15.62 inches inches
- Width {幅}: 30.3 cm/ 11.9 inches
- Area {面積}: 1202.91 cm
My Comments: What makes the Ichinen Sanzen Mandara unique, is the inclusion of two siddham, or esoteric sanskrit seed symbols, for the Buddha Mahavairochana (Dainichi). In Nichiren’s time, Ryobu Shinto, a syncretic blend of Shingon or Mikkyo Buddhism, viewed the Shinto Kami as manifestations of Buddhist Divinities. The most significant was the of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Omikami or Tensho Daijin with Dainich Nyorai. This also relates to the Siddham symbols for Aizen and Fudo, which appear, likely as guardians, on the sides of many of Nichiren’s Mandala Gohonzons. If I understand correctly, Fudo and Aizen are seen as the guardians and messengers of Mahavairochana.
In 'Criticism and Appropriation; Nichiren’s Attitude toward Esoteric Buddhism.' Lucia Dolce wrote, "an undated mandala also kept at the Hondo-ji (believed to have been produced in 1272), contains two other siddham apart from those of Acala [Fudo] and Ragaraja [Ragaraja] drawn in the upper part of the icon, at the sides of the title of the Lotus Sutra {Daimoku}. To identify these two graphemes is quite difficult, for they are not drawn in a standard form. I think that the siddham on the left side of the mandala is the seed-letter (shuji ) used to represent Mahavairocana of the kongõkai („½‹), while the siddham inscribed on the right side may be one of the seed-letters of Mahavairocana of the taizokai, written incorrectly."
That noted, I think Aaron has them identified in his diagram. Partial Tentative Transliteration: 
On your left, facing, or the mandalas right, reading your left to right:
Nan{南} Mu{無} Kishimojin {鬼子母神}
Nan{南} Mu{無Monju {文殊}Fugen {普賢} Bosastsu {菩薩}
Nan{南} Mu{無} Shak{ 釈} Ka{尊} Mu{牟} Ni{尼} Butsu{仏}
Down the center: Nan{南} Mu{無} Myo{妙} Ho{法} Ren{�} Ge{華} Kyo{経}
On your right facing, or the mandala's left, reading from your left to right:
Nan{南} Mu{無} Ta{多} Ho{宝} Nyo{如} Rai{来}
Nan{南} Mu{無} Chigi {智z} Bosatsu {菩薩}
Nan{南} Mu{無} Ju ra setsu nyo {十羅刹女}?
Sanskrit Seed Symbols:
On the top, each side; Mahavairochana (Dainchi); on the mandala's right, your left facing; Siddham: Aanku ; on the mandala's left, your right facing, Siddham: Bannku.
On the sides; on the mandala's right, your left, facing: Aizen; Siddham: U-UN; on your right facing, the mandala's left: Fudo; Siddham : KAN
Inscriptions: On your left facing, the mandala's right: This is likely a quote from the Maka Shikan.
On your right facing, the mandala's left: ?? and another phrase. Namu ????? Kyo
Signature: Bottom Center: Nichiren's Printed Kanji Name and Koa Seal.
It is thought that the Ichinen Sanzen Honzon was written in June of 1272, at Ichi-no-sawa, which is modern Sawata. At the time, Nichiren was staying at the residence of Kondo Kiyohisa. It is now kept at the Hiraga Hondo-ji (Ajisaidera) Temple {Home Page} in Matsudo, of the old Shimousa Province on Boso Hanto. I believe this temple is affiliated with the Kamakura based Nichiro-Hikigayatsu lineage headquartered at Kamakura Myohonji . Other links: Link and Link . In addition to the Ichinen Sanzen Mandala, Hondo-ji at Hiraga also houses two other original Nichiren Mandalas. These are #17 and #18, both undated. The Temple appears to be closely connected with the conversion of Nichiro's half brother Nichizo (1269-1342).
- [Mandala] Number {番号}: 009
- Era & Year {年}: Bun'ei Era {文永} Year Unknown
- Month; Moon {月}: Unknown
- Day; Sun {日}: Unknown
- Nichiren's Laudatory Inscription {讃文}: None
- Conferral; Recipient {授与書}: None
- Kept at, Housed at, Possession {所蔵}: Niigata Prefecture {新潟県} Sado {佐渡} Myosenji {妙宣寺}
- Nickname/Popular Name {通称}:Women {女人} Nirvana {成仏} Honzon {本尊}
- Sheets {紙数}: 18 sheets {18紙}
- Height {丈}: 157 cm/62 inches
- Width {幅}: 103 cm/40.5 inches
- Area {面積}: 16,171 cm
My Comments: Sado Myosenji is located at Abutsubo, Mano Town, Sado City. The temple also houses the mandalas numbered 003b and 012.
Links: asahi/gojyaku/sado/myousenji ... tencoo/jinja/xmyosen ... kawai52.cool.ne.jp/niigata-myousenji .. . hgotan.hp.infoseek.co.jp/etigonobutubutu/myousenji ... homepage2.nifty.com/sado/myosenji.... niigata-kankou.or.jp/sadoguide/mano/myousenji ... kimura-product.co.jp/niigata
"On July 8th, 1273, St. Nichiren, brushed the seven sacred characters Na-mu Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo down the center of a piece of silk material measuring about two feet, six inches by five feet, eight inches." -- from Nichiren Shu
"1273 July 8: Inscribes the first Mandala Gohonzon of the Ten Worlds, as a symbol of the Lotus Sutra and object of worship." --from Timeline of Nichiren's Life
"The first Mandala Honzon was revealed on July 8, 1273."-- Rev. Shokai Kanai
"On July 8 of that year, he wrote the Great Mandala for the first time" "...the eighth day of the seventh month of 1273, ... is said to be the date of his first writing of the Great Mandala, ... "Manual of Nichiren Buddhism by Rev. Senchu Murano
This is considered to be Nichiren's first Formal Style Ten Worlds Great Mandala. The original of this Mandala was lost in a 1275 or 1276 fire at Minobu. 
The same tragedy deprived us of the original copy of the Kaimoku Sho. While the mandala is not extant. Chikusan's Treasure bears the date July 8, 1273. It also bears inscriptions suggestive of the Sado Siken-no-Daimandara. Moreover, the proportional dimensions are identical to those described above. Based on that, I suspect it might represent a copy of the actual Gohonzon that Nichiren inscribed on that date.
Of this, Kazuo Kawai wrote:
"This gohozon's date, ... ["Chikusan's Treasure"], the eighth day of the seventh month in the tenth year of Bun-ei -- is surely the same as that of so-called "Sado siken no Dai mandala" (the great mandala which was drawn in Sado for the first time). But the famous gohonzon is reported to have been lost in the fire in Mt .Minobu together with other very important documents such as Nichiren's original manuscript of "Kaimoku sho" in the eighth year of Meiji, more than 100 years ago, so we don't have even the photo picture of the gohonzon. Only some priests who had a chance to see it before the fire left the records which tell us what the gohonzon looked like, what were drawn on it." -- KK
- [Mandala] Number {番号}: 010
- Era & Year {年}: Bun'ei Era {文永} Year Unknown
- Month; Moon {月}: Unknown
- Day; Sun {日}: Unknown
- Nichiren's Laudatory Inscription {讃文}: None
- Conferral; Recipient {授与書}: None
- Kept at, Housed at, Possession {所蔵}: Niigata Prefecture Hokuriku Area {新潟県} Sado {佐渡} Myohoji {妙法寺}
- Nickname/Popular Name {通称}: Ship Boarding {船中} or Twig Brush {楊子} Honzon {本尊}
- Sheets {紙数}: One {1} Paper {1紙}
- Height {丈} : 27 cm/11 inches
- Width {幅}: 14.2 cm/5.6 inches
- Area {面積}: 383.4 cm
My Comments: According to a legend, Nichiren inscribed this Honzon with a twig intended for use as tooth brush, on a piece of material from the roof of a boat. He then gave the mandala to the captain. It is unclear if this relates to the boat trip on the way to Sado, or the return trip after his pardon:
宝物は、日蓮上人ご直筆の曼陀羅。聖人が御赦免になって鎌倉へお帰りになる時、船中で船の屋根に使っていたカヤ一本をぬきとり、その先を歯で噛んで筆の代わりにして、南無妙法蓮華経の七文字を書き、船頭に与えたものといわれるものです。
Most likely, this would have been in the spring of 1274, after Nichiren received a pardon. That way, its position as # 010 makes more sense. In fact, all of 003 to 010 were probably drawn during the Sado Exile.
By the way, Sado Myohoji, where 010 is kept, is a five {5} minute walk from Ryotsu Port.
Posted by rbeck at September 17, 2007 08:48 AM
Posted by rbeck at October 6, 2007 11:54 AM