November 06, 2007
Gohonzonshu Notes & Details: Mandala 002
Work in Progress / Being Revised
- [Mandala] Number {番号}: 002
- Era & Year {年}: Bun'ei Era {文永} Ninth (9) year {9年}
- Month Moon {月}: Six {6}
- Day {日} Sixteen (16)
- Nichiren's Laudatory Inscription {讃文}: None
- Conferral; Recipient {授与書}: None
- Kept at; Housed at; Possession {所蔵}: Kyoto {京都} Myorenji {妙蓮寺}
- Nickname; Popular Name {通称}: Unknown
- Sheets {紙数}: One {1} Paper {1紙}
- Height {丈}: 41.8 cm / 16.4 inches
- Width {幅}: 28.8 cm / 11.4 inches
- Area {面積}: 1203.84 cm
Mandala # 002 is dated June 16, 1272. At that time, Nichiren was being held in custody at the Ichinosawa {modern Sawata, Sado Island} residence of Kondo Kiyohisa. Conditions there were more favorable than at Tsukuhara. Nichiren had been moved from Tsukuhara to Ichi-Sawa in the Spring of 1272.
Kondo's residence was on the western side of Sado Island, near Mano Bay, on the Sea of Japan. Today there are a number of Nichiren Temples in that vicinity. These appear to include, if I understand correctly; m
At the present time, there is a large gap, in terms of time, between Mandalas 001 & 002. The former was inscribed in October of 1271; the latter on June 16 1272. This does not mean Nichiren did not write any Mandalas in the mean time. IIt simply means none attributed to that interim have been added to the Goshonzonshu. I have read an account of at least one, and I suspect there are more. I would not be surprised to see a 1a, 1b, and so on; added in the future.
The Hojo Clan authorities had decided to exile Nichiren to Sado Island. Nichiren had been taken from the Honma residence in Echi City of Sagami on October 10 1271. They arrived at the poer city of Terdomari in Echigo Province {Niigata Prefecture} on October 21. It is said that, en route, Nichiren inssribed a Koyasu Gohonzon, or an an easy child birth Mandala, for Sumida Jiro Tokimitsu, steward of Nizo {Toda City} of Kumegawa Province {Saitima Prefecture}. The mandala, which is apparently not published, is kept at Kyoto Myokenji.
The departure from Tradomari was delayed by unfavorable winds until October 27. There are two legends associated with the boat trip to Sado, I am still sorting out conflicting accounts of these. The two legends are; Nichiren, Myokoji, and the Shichimen Cave. October 27 1271 and Nichiren and the Demon Storm October 28 1271.
They eventually arrived ay Matsugasaki of Sado Island on October 28, which is now apparently the site of a Temple called Hongyo-ji. On November 01 1271, Nichiren was taken to his new quarters at Tsukuhara {Niibe}. Sado Konponji Temple is now located there. After enduring a horrid winter at Tsukuhara, where he won a debate and wrote some important Gosho, Nichiren was transfered to Ichi-sawa in April of 1272.
http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~myorenji/
http://kyoto.jr-central.co.jp/kyoto.nsf/spot/sp_myourenji
The same temple houses Mandala # 003b and Mandala # 098. Another source indicates that the same temple houses Honzon {本尊} Ten Worlds {十界} Mandara {曼荼羅} Temple Founder? {開基} Nichizo {日像}; but I can not confirm this. This may be a reference to an uncatalogued mandala.
Posted by rbeck at September 13, 2007 02:41 AM Posted by rbeck at November 6, 2007 12:53 AM