Robin Beck

First Gohonzon at Minobu? IV

Nikko on the Gohonzon in 1288

Below are some translations of a paragraph of Nikko's 1288 letter. Anyone wish to take a crack at what exactly Nikko was talking about? It involved a dispute over how to make and eye open a Gohonzon for the Altar at Kuon-ji.

"A few people have drawn the image of the lord of teachings of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Shakyamuni Buddha enlightened from remote ages past which is the reason for Sage Nichiren's advent in this world. But no one has carved a wooden statue yet. The lay priest got an idea, "I want to do my bit to make a formal wooden statue of Shakyamuni. Acharya Mimbu gave him an unnecessary advice that he should make an wooden Buddha in the place of the one which Acharya Daikoku robbed." (K.K)

"One or two people humbly made pictorial images of Venerable Shakyamuni, the Thus-Come-One, who attained Buddhahood in the remote past, the Lord of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the long-cherished object of Nichiren [Dai]Shonin, but no one yet has made a wooden statue. However, the Nyudo thinks to humbly make one. Although I know that it has no use, Niko directed him to make it in place of the Buddha that Daikoku-Ajari plundered." -- {Koshi-e 2004 Rev. Shoshin Kawabe}

"There have been one or two people who have taken it upon themselves and painted the image of Nam' Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo and the "Master of the Teachings, the venerable Sakyamuni", the "Tathagata of the Actual Attaining Enlightenment of Kuon" that was the purpose of the appearance of Nichiren Daishonin. Yet, no one in this school has ever made a wooden Satue Sakyamuni to worship. There is no use for a statue so he should stop thinking about it. ` I learned that Niko suggested to Nichi-en Nyuudou that they should make a Buddha statue about the size of the one Nichiren had, to replace it, as Nichiro destroyed the will of the Daishonin and walked off with the one that Nichiren had stated in his testament to have placed at his grave." -- John Ayers

"Besides, there have been one or two people who have taken it upon themselves to paint the image of the Tathagata of the Actual Attaining Enlightenment of Kuon, the Master of Teaching of Namu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo that was the purpose of the appearance of Nichiren Shonin. Yet, no one in this school has ever made a wooden statue of Sakyamuni to worship. Though I think there is no use for a statue, I advised and strongly persuaded him that, to replace it, he should make a Buddha statue about the size of the one Nichiren had, which Nichiro walked off with. " -- {Sorin Yasuhara}

日蓮聖人御出世の本懐南無妙法蓮華経の教主釈尊久遠実成の如来の画像は一二人書き奉り候えども、未だ木像は誰も造り奉らず候に、入道御微力を以つて形の如く造立し奉らんと思し召し立ち候に、御用途も候わざるに、大国阿闍梨の奪い取り奉り候...

"Besides that, a few people have written (書) dedications (奉) to Namu Myoho-Renge-Kyo, which is the calligraphic image (画像) of Shakuson (釈尊), the Master of the Teaching (教主) and Nyorai (如来) from Kuon Jitsujo (久遠実成); which is the true intention (本懐) of Sage Nichiren’s honorable advent (御出) in the world (世). But no one has made (造) an offering (奉) of an image in wood (木像). The Nyudo, due to his poor ability (微力), felt (思し召し) he should make (造立) an offering (奉) like (如) the figure (形) which Daikoku Ajari snatched (奪)." -- Hell

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My experience with Science

My late Father was, from circa 1960 to 1984, Senior Nuclear Research Engineer at the University of Illinois. I grew up doing my homework at the TRIGA Nuclear Laboratory. By age 9, I was discussing the difference between gamma and ionized radiation with people like, among others, Paul Hesslemann, Dan Hang, Bob Bohl, Marvin Wyman, and Dad {G. P. Beck}. I had an interest in science, but was more drawn to history {I was a Civil War Buff}, theology, poetry, and philosophy.

My favorite hard sciences were biology and meteorology. My parents could not understand that, and pushed me toward Math, Physics, & Chemistry. In 1966, my 7th grade science project. "The Effects of Irradiation on Plastics [with possible implications on the use of plastics for space travel]" won a blue ribbon at the State Science Fair. However, it was blocked from nationals for being too controversial; and I had an anger fit over my first contact with the Politically Correct Police.

My late pre-teen were troubling. It was during that time that I was subjected to the sexual advances of a pedophile. I shall refrain from details. Suffice to say that the person was a prominent member of the academic community who my parents trusted. I never breathed a word. But that experience, among other things, soured me a great deal on academia. It also led to a lot of self doubt and anxiety through my adolescence in the late 1960's.

Like many growing up in that era, I vacillated on a career path. Also, I wanted to do it all, study everything. So, after High School, I experimented with drugs, become a Father too young, spent summers life guarding at a lake front beach, practiced a plethora of religions, went fishing a lot, and was a career student who bounced around between many majors. I had met the Soka Gakkai in the summer of 1969, and received my Nittatsu Mandala Gohonzon in 1972.

Meanwhile, a life long vestibular disorder, coupled with a need to earn money, caused me to abandon any thought of an academic career. At that point I had about 60 academic credit hours in 5 years. That was 1976, the same year I decided to get serious about chanting the Daimoku. My life took a much different turn; one toward the mean streets outside of safe, cozy academic environs and summers at a beach. I had a lot to learn about humanity.

One night, the late summer or early autumn of 1976, I took three doses of climical acid and put on ```The Grateful Dead. I am not sure why -- I had given up pot in 1971, and never did get into the 'coke craze.' Earlier that summer {or was it later? -- time that year seemed all warped} I had 'tripped' while taking in a double feature at a drive in; "Fritz the Cat" and "The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat." I was so vain, I thought that film was about me.

At any rate, while listening to the Dead on Windows, I decided I wanted beer. So I hopped in the beat up old car to go get some. On the way back, I saw a firetruck blocking the road. I stopped and got out of the car to investigate. A foreman walked over and said. "We have cat up a tree, out an a limb. It''ll be a while, you might want to take an alternate route."

I went back to the car. Al Stewart was blaring on my tinny car radio. I looked up and my hair stood on end; the firetruck was not there. I went straight home, sat doen in front of the Gohonzon, and chanted my heart out.

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Global Warming Deniers?

One more on this matter, then back to regularly scheduled programming. What disturbs me is that the "politics of personal destruction" has now invaded the realm of hard science. The use of the term "deniers" to label scientists who do not agree with Al Gore's assessments is one aspect of this.

First, there is a consensus of climatological opinion that our planet is in a natural warm up cycle. This trend began well before human carbon dioxide {CO2} emissions, or any other gross physical human activity, could possibly have had any effect. That said, in recent decades, human activities have caused some degree of warming. Most of this appears to be non-greenhouse surface warming. On the other hand, there is some evidence of slight greenhouse tropospheric warming, caused in some part by human CO2 emissions.

The devil is in the details. There is no consensus on the extent of human contributions to global warming; or if it is even significant enough to take anything resembling the kind of radical actions suggested by Al Gore and other Global Warming Howlers. So far, a few scientists have had the courage to stand up publicly and urge a bit of moderation.

I recognize that both sides in the political discourse tend to cherry pick data and quote scientists out of context to make their points. That doesn't bother me. That is part of the banter of public debate; point-counterpoint, thesis-antithesis, et cetera. If we stay awake long enough, the truth, which is somewhere in the middle, rises to the surface.

However, one of the reactions by the "Global Warming Howlers" is to swiftly, viciously, and shamelessly attempt to mar the reputations of any scientist who dares to question their hyperbolic claims of pending global catastrophe. There are shades of how the Bush Administration dealt with anyone who opposed a preemptive strike against Iraq. It has been suggested that the smear campaigns have caused at least some moderate scientists to keep their views to themselves.

The attacks follow a pattern:

*Call them 'Global Warming Deniers,' to connect the dots with 'holocaust deniers.'

*Connect them with allegedly fishy opinions in other areas, such as 'intelligent design.'

*Attack the sources of their funding; they worked on projects financed in part by oil companies, coal interests, the nuclear industry, conservative-libertarian think tanks, or even {gasp}, Big Tobacco.

*Label them as once good scientists who have gone senile, were bought off, or otherwise fallen from grace.

*Quote them out of context to say; "Here, even this right wing nut agrees with us." [That was recently done to Doctors Roy Spencer & John Christy {University of Alabama at Huntsville}]

The treatment of Dr. Frederick Seitz has been a classic example: Here is some random global howling revealed by a quick google search:

"Dr. Fred Seitz, listed as a member of the
Friends of Science at the inaugural oil industry
funded Ottawa kick-off, has admitted to helping
tobacco giant RJ Reynolds spread out million of
dollars in health research grants during the 1970’s
and 80’s. Seitz’s role was to assist Big Tobacco in
creating the illusion that there was still some debate
over whether tobacco was a proven danger to health."

"The evidence ... convicts Seitz in the tobacco corporate
serial murders"

A press release by the National Environmental Trust announced:

"Scientist Who Spearheaded Attacks on Global Warming
Also Directed $45M Tobacco Industry Effort to Hide Health
Impacts of Smoking."

Seitz has responded that R. J. Reynolds had given Rockefeller University $5 million a year for basic research. He and a team that included the late geneticist Maclyn McCarty directed the money toward non-tobacco-related efforts scuch as the study of prions, tuberculosis and other serious diseases.

I decided to do some fact checking. I could not connect Seitz with any research that directly tried to conceal the connection between smoikng and lung cancer. I found that RJ Reynolds money had funded studies of a number of things, such as the isolation and extraction of flavor esters from tobacco leaves, Catholic Life in rural America, and, indeed, prions

Dr. Stanley Prusiner won the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work proposing an explanation of the cause of bovine spongiform encephalopathy {mad cow disease} and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; he actually coined the term prion. During his acceptance speech, Prusiner said, "I was extremely fortunate to receive much larger funding from the R. J. Reynolds Company through a program administered by Fred Seitz and Macyln McCarty."

So there you are. The Global Warming Howlers would have us believe that flavor esters, rural Catholic life, and the discovery of prions were all part of a scheme to prove that tobacco smoking does not really cause cancer. Now the same mad scientists who were bought off by Joe Camel have resurfaced as the environmental moral equivalent of holocaust deniers.

For sources, just google. I recommend taking something like Ranitidine before you start.

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IPCC's Doomsday Scenario

Here is a list of prominent figures who have 'issues' with aspects of the published report released by the "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change {IPCC}

Prof. John Christy, Lead Author, IPCC; Director, Earth System Science Center, Univ. of Alabama

Prof. Paul Reiter, IPCC & Pasteur Institute, Paris, who resigned and had to threaten a lawsuit to have his name removed from the IPCC report.

Prof. Richard Lindzen, IPCC & Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Prof. Carl Wunsch, Dept. of Oceanography, M.I.T.

Patrick Moore, Co-founder, Greenpeace

Paul Driessen, author "Green Power, Black Death"

Dr. Roy Spencer, Weather Satellite Team Leader, NASA

Prof. Frederick Singer, Former Director, US National Weather Service

Prof. Patrick Michaels, Dept. of Environmental Science, University of
Virginia. Also IPCC)

James Shikwati, Economist and Author

Prof. Syun-Ichi Akasofu, Director, Int'l. Arctic Research Centre

Prof. Tim Ball, Dept. of Climatology, University of Winnipeg

Prof. Nir Shaviv, Institute of Physics, University of Jerusalem

Prof. Ian Clark, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Univ. of Ottawa

Dr. Piers Corbyn, Climate Forecaster, Weather Action

Prof. Philip Stott, Dept. of Biogeography, Univ. of London

Prof. Eigil Friis-Christensen, Dir. Danish National Space Centre

Nigel Calder, Former Editor, New Scientist; co-author, "The Chilling Stars"; BBC Special: The Weather Machine.

Prof. Frederick Seitz, Former President of US National Academy of Sciences. He has criticized IPCC for creative editing and other deceptive practices.

The effort to smear these individuals has begun. Be prepared to learn that one or two of these folks find 'intelligent design' to be a as good a theory as 'eve-oh-loo-shun'. In 2005, Roy Spencer wrote: "Twenty years ago, as a PhD scientist, I intensely studied the evolution versus intelligent design controversy for about two years. And finally, despite my previous acceptance of evolutionary theory as 'fact,' I came to the realization that intelligent design, as a theory of origins, is no more religious, and no less scientific, than evolutionism. . . ."

Others have been attacked because they were part of research projects funded, in part, by fossil fuel companies; such as that nasty ole bogey man: "Big Oil." Of course, it is not surprising if companies tend to fund folks who might agree with them; or who, at least, are not out to destroy them. However, private funding for climatological research is a drop in the bucket. And we all know that the politicians and government bureaucrats who dole out grant money are bias free {not!}.

What really bothers me is the smearing of Paul Seitz. A published report has tarred Dr. Seitz by connecting him with the arch-villain Joe Camel. I''ll have a bit more on this in a later blog. Then I shall go back to my regular scheduled, impartial, self funded Buddhist research. Having commented on a political issue, I now need a shower.

BTW, doesn't Ichinen Sanzen imply a sort of intelligent design? The thing is, we and other living beings are the designers of our own five skandhas, as individuals; while, collectively, we are the painters of our social and geographical
environments.

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Taking the Enemies of the Buddha to Task?

SGI President Ikeda's Daily Encouragement

"We must take the enemies of the Buddha to task. We absolutely cannot remain silent when we see people distorting and corrupting the Daishonin's teaching. To speak out resolutely and clarify what is correct and what is erroneous is the Soka Gakkai spirit. If we simply try to be amiable and avoid making waves then we will play right into the hands of people with malicious intent." from SGI-USA "For Today & Tomorrow"

This attitude seems to the consensus in most traditional schools of Nichiren Buddhism. The exception is Nichiren Shu; which seems to be tolerant, perhaps to a fault, of all the myriads of forms that Nichiren Buddhism has taken. There are some aspects of Nichiren Shu that seem strange to me, but at least they are transcending, even celebrating, their internal differences. I also like the way they try to objectively sort out the distinction between legends, apocryphal or attributed works, forgeries, and facts.

For the most part, the traditional Nichiren Buddhist Schools have long since abandoned correcting the errors of the Pure Land, Zen, Monastic Discipline {Ritsu}, and Esoteric {Shingon} Schools. Instead they seem to be bent on remonstrating with each other, or engaging in flame wars, over some tiny minutia of doctrinal and proprietary differences. I like studying minutia and trying to sort it out. I just do not see it as something to fight over. The Buddha counted opinionated or partial views {dhitti}among the ten major defilements that block insight and prevent us from waking up.

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First Gohonzon at Minobu? III

I have proposed that the original Gohonzon at Miniobu-san Kuon-ji might have been a statuary arrangement known as "Isson Shiji." This original honzon was lost or destroyed by 1284. It may have been lost in a fire, a storm, or even looted by thieves.

Sometime between March of 1285 and October of 1288. the Land Lord Hakiri decided to replace it. Nikko, who was likely the Chief Abbot at the time, objected, because the proposed statue did not have the 4 Attendants. Apparently, Hakiri could not afford all five statues. Niko {one k}, the Chief of Instruction, said, consistent with Nichiren's own instructions, that it was acceptable to simply eye open the Shayamuni statue based on the Lotus Sutra. This was one of several conflicts leading to Nikko's ouster as Chief Abbot in the Fall of 1288.

So far, I cited as evidence:

1. The earliest known painting depicting Nichiren at Kuon-ji.
2. Some difficult passages in Nikko's letter, the Reply to Hara Dono.

There is, however, a phrase in the Letter to Hara Dono that seems to contradict my theory. Nikko wrote that others had made various images of the Eternal Buudha, but:

"no one has made an offering of an image in wood." -- Hello's translation

"no one has carved a wooden statue yet" -- Kazou's translation.

This seems to make no sense at all, because we know that Nichiren's followers had made such statues. For example, we have the Gosho; Consecrating an Image of Shakyamuni Buddha Made by Shijo Kingo. Nichiren told Shijo Kingo. "In performing the eye-opening ceremony for painted or wooden Buddha images, the only authority ... It is the power of the Lotus Sutra that makes it possible to infuse such paintings and statues with a "soul" or spiritual property."

I read this to mean that such a statue should be eye opened as the Buddha of the Juryo Chapter. This was in 1276. By then, Nichiren had made it clear that only the Eternal Shakyamuni, not the temporal Buddha who first attained Awakening in this world, should be viewed as the Object of Worship.

As Dr. Stone wrote: "At the same time, at least three of his extant letters suggest that he or his disciples occasionally performed the eye-opening ritual (kaigen kuyo) for Buddha images made by his followers. He is also known to have kept by him throughout much of his life a small personal image of Shakyamuni Buddha, which he enshrined wherever he happened to be living."

Here are some other examples from the Gosho:

In the 'Zen Mui Sanzo Sho'. Nichiren wrote: "If you want to worship the Go-Honzon, be sure to carve an image of Sakyamuni Buddha in wood. The statue (of Sakyamuni Buddha) must be the Go-Honzon."

From "On Establishing the Four Bodhisattvas as the Object of Devotion': "Now that we have entered the Latter Day of the Law, an object of devotion should be made of the original Buddha flanked by his original attendants, since, according to the Buddha’s golden words, this is the most appropriate time."

As to the latter passage, Dr. Stone wrote: "Yet another form of honzon possibly adopted during Nichiren's lifetime is known as the "one Buddha and four attendants" (isson shishi). It probably derives from passages in Nichiren's writings such as the following, in a letter to his follower Toki Jonin (1216-1299), dated 1279."

"You say in your letter: 'I have heard before that an object of worship should be made of the Lord Sakyamuni of the origin teaching, who attained enlightenment in the remote past, and that, as attendants [images] should be made of the four leaders of the bodhisattvas emerged from the earth who are his original disciples. But when [is this object of worship to be established] as I have heard?'"

"...Now in the Final Dharma age, in accordance with the Buddha's golden words, [an object of worship] should be made of the original Buddha and his original attendants."

Stone adds: "And in fact, Toki Jonin's index of the writing, icons, and ritual implements preserved at the temple he established after Nichiren's death includes 'a standing image of Sakyamuni and also the four bodhisattvas (in a small shrine).' The presence of the four bodhisattvas signals that the central icon is the original or eternal, rather than the merely historical, Sakyamuni'

Clearly some forms of statuary Gohonzon were made by Nichiren's followewrs while he was alive. There is evidence that the "Isson Shoji" form had been carved by Toki Jonin before Nichiren's death in 1282. It seems fairly definite that "Isson Shoji" was in common use by 1288, when Nikko wrote 'Hara Dono Gohenji'. Nikko had to be aware of this.

Here is the complete passage which seems to contradict this:

"A few people have drawn the image of the lord of teachings of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Shakyamuni Buddha enlightened from remote ages past which is the reason for Sage Nichiren's advent in this world. But no one has carved a wooden statue yet." (K.K)

"Besides that, a few people have written (書) dedications (奉) to Namu Myoho-Renge-Kyo, which is the calligraphic image (画像) of Shakuson (釈尊), the Master of the Teaching (教主) and Nyorai (如来) from Kuon Jitsujo (久遠実成); which is the true intention (本懐) of Sage Nichiren’s honorable advent (御出) in the world (世). But no one has made (造) an offering (奉) of an image in wood (木像). The Nyudo, due to his poor ability (微力), felt (思し召し) he should make (造立) an offering (奉) like (如) the figure (形) which Daikoku Ajari snatched (奪)." -- Hello

"One or two people humbly made pictorial images of Venerable Shakyamuni, the Thus-Come-One, who attained Buddhahood in the remote past, the Lord of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the long-cherished object of Nichiren Shonin, but no one yet has made a wooden statue." {Koshi-e 2004 Rev. Shoshin Kawabe}

"There have been one or two people who have taken it upon themselves and painted the image of Nam' Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo and the "Master of the Teachings, the venerable Sakyamuni", the "Tathagata of the Actual Attaining Enlightenment of Kuon" that was the purpose of the appearance of Nichiren Daishonin. Yet, no one in this school has ever made a wooden Satue Sakyamuni to worship." -- John Ayers

"Besides, there have been one or two people who have taken it upon themselves to paint the image of the Tathagata of the Actual Attaining Enlightenment of Kuon, the Master of Teaching of Namu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo that was the purpose of the appearance of Nichiren Shonin. Yet, no one in this school has ever made a wooden statue of Sakyamuni to worship." -- {Sorin Yasuhara}

Nichiren Shoshu reads this to mean that some of Nichiren's followers had already copied the calligraphy mandala, but no one had attempted to make a statuary Gohonzon. But Nichiren's followers had made statuary Gohonzon, while Nichiren was alive; and immediately after his death these had become common. Nikko had to know this, so the Taisekiji reading of this passage has to be an interpolation, it can not be correct.

There is another 'contextual' way to read this passage; one that extrapolates a context which is consistent with known historical facts. I shall take that up in the next entry.

to be continued

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First Gohonzon at Minobu? II

Previously I wrote:

"I suspect that "One Buddha and Four Attendants" {Isson Shishi} Statues were enshrined as the Honzon there. ... I also think the original statues were maybe damaged or destroyed; circa 1283 or 1284." -- First Gohonzon at Minobu? I

As I pointed out, a painting was made some 50 years after Nichiren's passing that shows the "One Buddha & Four Attendants" as the original Gohonzon at Kuoun-ji. I have always thought that Nichiren's personal standing Buddha Statue and the Mandala Honzon now known as "Shutei" were enshrined there. We know that they were enshrined at Nichiren's funeral. It is certainly possible that the image in the painting was an interpolation.

However, it possible that Nichiren used those for travel, and had a more permanent statue arrangement at Kuon-ji. If the personal standing Buddha Statue was part of the main altar at Kuon-ji, why would Nichiren want it kept at the mausoleum after his death?

At any rate, there is more evidence other than the painting. We also have Nikko's confusing words in Hara Dono Gohenji. In that letter, Nikko tells Hara about the events that had caused him to leave Minobu, for good, in the fall of 1288. He mentions that one of the disputes was over a statue of Shakyamuni that Hakiri Sanenaga arranged to be carved. Here is a look at relevant passages:

In the following passage, Nikko is discussing the standing Buddha statue that Nichiren acquired at Izu. From Hara Dono Gohenji:

The lay priest got an idea, "I want to do my bit to make a formal wooden statue of Shakyamuni." Acharya Mimbu [Niko] gave him an unnecessary advice that he should make an wooden Buddha in the place of the one which Acharya Daikoku [Nichiro] took. Since then he has clung to this idea. ... The Buddha however didn't have the bodhisattvas like Superior Practices as attendants. It was only the one who attained enlightenment for the first time in this world.

Nichiren wanted that statue placed at his mausoleum, but Nichiro saw fit to take it from Minobu. The form of that statue is the same as the Buddha statues used by other schools to represent the Buddha of acquired awakening. In Nikko's view, it does not represent the Eternal Buddha.

Here, I suspect Nikko is referring to a different statue, one that did have 4 attendants:

I, Nikko, told him that I dare not oppose him if he wanted to enshrine [fiur worship at Kuon-ji the Buddha which the late Sage had and enshrined.

And here to the standing Buddha that was to be placed at the grave site.:

I said to him, "For what reason do you want a copy of the Buddha who attained enlightenment for the first time and who is transient [to enshrine for worship, or as the Gohonzon]. -- {ibid}

Nikko apparently approved of "One Buddha and Four Attandants" to be enshrined as the Gohonzon at Minobu; but not the standing Buddha statue used by other schools to represent the Buddha of acquired awakening. But Hakiri could not afford the full 5 statue arrangement. So Nikko tells him to wait and, in the meantime, use a calligraphy mandala.

"If it is beyond your ability, you should wait until someone appears among your descendants and rightly builds one. Until then you should enshrine the one which the Sage had made with calligraphy." -- {ibid}

To summarize. Nikko was all right with it if they were making a "Shakya Alone" statue for the mausoleum, to replace the one Nichiro had taken for safe keeping. Apparently, Nikko learned they intended to enshrine a statue in the Hondo or main hall of Kuon-ji; to replace the "One Buddha and Four Attendents" {Isson Shishi} that were damaged or destroyed.

Nikko wrote:

"How could you break so hastily the wooden statue of the lord of teachings of Namu-myoho-renge-kyo which is the reason for the Sage's advent in this world?" -- {ibid}

"the wooden image of the Thus Come One enlightened from remote ages
past was broken in the first place ..." -- {ibid}

He seems to be saying that there had been "One Buddha and Four Attendants {Isson Shishi}"Statues, but they were lost or damaged {broken}. He seems to be saying that Hakiri Sanenaga literally broke them, but this might mean that Hakiri was responsible in the sense he had not protected them.

" I told him like this strongly [I was serious] but he might think I was making light of him {being sarcastic}."

It is possible that the landlord had become angry, stopped practicing, kicked the Nichiren monks off his mountain, and literally destroyed the original altar. This would certainly explain why Nissho and Nichiro acted as they did. It is also possible that the Temple was damaged in a storm, or even that intruders may have looted the Temple. I have heard that the answer might be buried in a sealed cave at Mobara.

to be continued

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Kyoga Take {Sutra Peak} & Kochoji Temple

Life and legends of Nichiren
At Minobu 1274-1282.

This legend appears to date to sometime between 1274, after Nichiren had retired to Minobu, and 1279. A disciple from Kai Province named Abe Nichigen invited him to climb Mt. Fuji on the north slope at Yoshida (Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture). Half way up, Nichiren buried eight volumes of the Lotus Sutra that he copied. This site is now known as "Kyoga Take {Sutra Peak}.”

On the way down, they stopped over at Kodachimura Village. Villagers gathered to chant the Daimoku and request that he write a Honzon. They presented him with twenty-eight {28} sheets of paper; which he put together to inscribe a large Mandala Gohonzon. This Mandala is still preserved; at Oka-no-miya Kocho-ji Temple of Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Oka-no-Miya Kochoji was founded by Izumi-ko Nippo {1259-1341}. It is now [I think] a temple of the Hokke-shu Honmonryu; formerly known as the Happon Ha {Eight Chapter School} of the Shoretsu Ha lineages. Kyoto Honnoji Temple is now the head temple of the Honmon Hokke Shu Honmonryu.

"'Shoretsu' is a term that refers to the doctrine of the superiority of the essential section of the Lotus Sutra over the theoretical section of the sutra." -- Ryuei

On Nichiren's Gohonzon for Practicing Kanjin

Oka-no-Miya Kochoji of Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture houses at least five {5} original Nichiren Mandala Gohonzon{s}:

Mandala # 014 Dated November 1274 (Bunei 11). Early Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren.

Mandala # 057 Inscribed on November 21, 1278. Great Mandala inscribed by Nichiren, formal style. This is one at least six authenticated and published Nichiren Mandalas that bear the "Gain & Loss Inscriptions." Unlike on the Taisekiji transcriptions, these inscriptions are NOT in a prominent position. They are NOT located in the top row, on either side of the Daimoku, outside of {flanking}, the two Buddhas and four Bodhisattvas. They appear to be side inscriptions or notes.

Mandala # 065. Dated July 1279. This is another one of at least six authenticated and published Nichiren Mandalas that bear the "Gain & Loss Inscriptions." Great Mandala Gohoczon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.

Mandala # 097. Great Mandala Gohoczon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.

Mandala # 105. Issued to Shimotsuke-bo Nisshu: {?????-1329}; one of the three leading Priests of Ryusenji in Atsuhara Village of Suruga Province who converted to the early Hokke Shu. See Atsuhara Persecutions. Later, he would found Rikyo-bo lodging temple at Taisekiji. He was one of Nikko's 6 Elder Disciples at Taiseiji. Great Mandala Gohoczon inscribed by Nichiren, formal style.

I don't know which of those, if any, is the one inscribed on 28 sheets fitted together. Temples do not always allow all of their treasures to be photographed and published.

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First Gohonzon at Minobu? I

Some thoughts for criticism:

Nichiren had moved to Minobu in 1274. Hakiri Sanenaga built Kuonji for him in 1281, the year before he passed away. It was about "ten-ken square (one ken measures about six feet)." Nichiren named it " Minobusan Kuon-ji Myohokkein Temple."

Of the location, Rev. Teijo Kunugi wrote: "It [Minobusan Kuonji Temple] remained in Nishidani Valley (western valley) for about 200 years, until it was moved to its current location at the time of Gyogakuin Niccho (1422-1500), who was the 11th chief abbot of Kuon-ji Temple. The reason for the move,according to Niccho, was that the place in the western valley was geographically narrow for the temple and was always in danger from natural disasters."

I suspect that "One Buddha and Four Attendents" {Isson Shishi} Statues were enshrined as the Honzon there. Here is a painting from circa 1334: IIRC, the painting is intended to depict one of Hakiri Sanenaga's sons and wife visiting Nichiren at the original Minobusan Kuonji in 1281/82. Notice the Gohonzon?

I also think the original statues were maybe damaged or destroyed; circa 1283 or 1284. This may have been the last straw for Nissho & Nichiro; causing them to give up on Minobu? In other words, this may have been the event that caused the already shaky "rotation system" to collapse. Nissho and the others may have concluded that Minobu, at least the oroginal valley, was not a safe location, and that the Landlord Hakiri Sanenaga was unable or unwilling to make it safe.

Nikko wrote "The Reply to Mimasaka" by Nikko on October 12 1284. In that letter, he alludes to a falling out between the Landlord and Nissho. Here is an excerpt; "The Shonin told me in his will: "If the steward Hakiri turns his back to the Law, my spirit will cease to reside in Minobu." I have not observed any particularly inappropriate behavior on his part, however. ... how can one even posit the notion that the Shonin's spirit does not reside in Minobu?"

Also, it appears most of the 18 disciples assigned to the rotation refused to go there. Nissho and Nichiro had removed the Chu Hokekyo and standing statue of Shakya that Nichiren wanted kept at the mausoleum. They probably did this to keep them safe.

Hakiri Sanenaga may have resented the intrusion of 18 diiciples building residences in the Nishidani Valley. Perhaps he was angered over demands that he build a proper mausoleum. This is from Hakiri Dono Goho {Report to Lord Hakiri}, Sep 1282, Nichiren's last recorded Gosho, transcribed by Nikko, and kept at Ikegami:

"I eventually plan to return to Mt. Minobu, but since I am now ill, nothing is certain about what may happen to me at any given time and place. No words can ever describe the magnitude of your kind support over a period of nine years, when people all over the nation of Japan hated and persecuted me. Thus, wherever I may meet my demise, I would like to be buried in the valley of Minobu. ... No matter where I die, please erect my tombstone at Mt. Minobu, where I chanted the Lotus Sutra in peace for nine years. My heart will go on to stay on Mt. Minobu forever."

Apparently, this had not been planned out. Hakiri Sanenaga had placed himself
at risk by allowing Nichiren to stay there. He was not excessively wealthy -- it took him 8 years to even build the temple. Moroever, while that valley was great for a retreat; it was a terrible place for a busy Temple Complex, and an unsafe place to protect sacred artifacts.

As of late 1284, this mausoleum either had not been built at all; or was in ill repair. Nikko wrote: "More than anything else, it is absolutely deplorable that the Shonin's grave site in the valley of Minobu has totally dilapidated from neglect and is defaced by the hoof tracks of deer. " ibid

to be cont'd

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The Eightfold Path and The Threefold Training

Ki to Revitalization
Under the Hood of "On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice"

The Threefold Training (sikkha) and the three types of learning {san-gaku} are basically identical concepts. In the Culavedalla Sutta (The Shorter Set of Questions-And-Answers Discourse), this is applied to the Noble Eightfold Path as follows:

The Threefold Training of Sila, Citta Bhavana, and Panna/Prajna {Kai Jo E} (Ethics, Mental Cultivation, & Wisdom) might be seen as a condensed version of the Eightfold Path. However, the Eightfold Path is actually one of many applications of the Threefold Training.

* Virtue Training (adhisila-sikkha)
* Mental Training (adhicitta-sikkha)
* Wisdom Training (adhipanna-sikkha)

Adhi means something like higher, collective, aboriginal, primevail, or origin; it is maybe from the same root as adhesion. The Threefold Training is pointing to the roots of Ethos, Meditation, and Gnosis, or a 'higher' morality, concentration, and discernmemt.

Wisdom (samma-panna/prajna}
*Wholesome Views/Understanding (samma-dhitti)
*Wholesome Aspiration/Intention/Resolve (samma-sankappa)

Morals & Ethics (Sila)
*Wholesome Speech (samma-ditthi)
*Wholesome Action (samma-kammanta)
*Wholesome Livelihood/Occupation (samma-ajīva)

Mental Cultivation (Citta Bhavana) or Concentration {samma-samadhi/jhana}
*Wholesome Effort (samma-vayama)
*Wholesome Mindfulness (samma-sati)
*Wholesome Concentration (samma-samadhi)

We don't need to get hung up on exactly applying the Eightfold Path to modern life; the key is to apply the spirit of the Threefold Training. Practicing the 'Three Great Hidden Dharmas' is an effective way for the entry level Buddhists of the Latter Days to do so.

The Three Great Hidden Dharmas are also the roots of the Threefold Training. To paraphrase the Culavedalla Sutta: "The Three Great Hidden Dharmas are not included under the three aggregates [Threefold Training] , friends, but the three aggregates [Threefold Training] are included under the Three Great Hidden Dharmas."

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Under the Hood of

Ki to Revitalization

"On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice"

According to Chikusan, there are "Three Things Impossible to Look Directly At"; and:

"For Nichiren Buddhists, the third seems to include taking an in-depth look at what Nichiren has to say in ‘On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice’ regarding the Lotus Sutra and how the sutra itself says it should be practiced in the Latter Day of the Law."

He adds:

"The three types of learning are Wisdom, Meditation, and Precepts. They represent the practices taught in accord with the minds and desires of the persons of the Three Vehicles —Voice-hearers, Men of Realization, and Bodhisattvas, respectively. "

I quibble with the translation of Sila/Kai as Precepts. Also, equating these with the Three Vehicles is a tad suspect. Chikusan, are you saying that the Training of Wisdom, for examples, is initended for Shravakas?

He also added:

"In accord with the Lotus Sutra, in this writing Nichiren sets these three types of learning aside as formal practices, and explains why this is important based on a discussion of the Lotus Sutra itself. In Nichiren’s teaching the three types of learning are replaced by the Three Great Secret Laws--Daimoku, Gohonzon and Law of the Kaidan, respectively."

I do agree that Nichiren derived the 'Three Great Hidden Dharmas' from the 'Three-fold Training/Three Types of Learning.' I think he did so via the 'Three Mysteries' of the Shingon School. I also see connections with the Three Jewels/Refuges. See: "The Beginning: Taking Refuge"

I am not so sure we should set the 'Three-fold Training', et cetera, aside. Granted, these are "under the hood" issues. We maybe do not need to know them to practice the 'Three Great Hidden Dharmas'. However, some seem to think to think that knowing them; much less applying them, is a distraction at best; or 'slander' at worst.

The problem I see is that 'setting aside' the 'Three-fold Training' has the potential to result in anti-intellectualism, lack of mental cultivation, and amoralism. Nichiren seems to be saying that these problems are self-correcting. Perhaps this is true; but, if so, what does that mean?

Nichiren talks about ethics and meditative cultivation being too much for those at the first stage. He also says 5 of the 6 paramitas are forbidden. In both cases, that leaves wisdom {panna/prajna}. Moreover, he states that people of this age lack inherent wisdom; so we substitute faith.

Do we, at some point, begin to naturally manifest wisdom? Do we then naturally acquire cultivated minds; and become ethical? Put another way, does our conduct start reflecting the 5 paramitas? Or does ethical conduct and mental cultivation require conscious effort? Do we advance to the higher stages and pick up heretical practices later on? Or do we simply adopt the mental disciplines and moral codes required to effectively function in our respective roles in our present culture?

Another view I have heard is that practicing the 'Three Great Hidden Dharmas' takes us directly to insight; the other shore, or the end of wisdom, making all cultivations moot; like rafts that can be abandoned.

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