January 19, 2008
Ninth Consciousness
The Three Proofs or Sansho [三証 ] ; The Power of Threes
January 11, 2008
Nichizo Shonin's Childhood Mandala {#028}
The conferral reads: 経一丸 {Kyoichi Maru} 之 {[received] this}. That is the child hood name of Nichiro Shonin's younger half brother Nichizo Shonin (1269-1342). The date is December of 1275, so Kyoichi was about 7 years old. 
This was the year Nichizo became Nichiro's disciple.
According to tradition, on October 11 1282, the then thirteen year old Kyoichi Maru was summoned to Nichiren's bed at Ikegami Honmonji. Nichiren Shonin, who would die two days later, assigned the boy the mission to propagate the Hokke Shu in the Imperial Capital of Kyoto and the western region of Japan.
In November of 1293. Nichizo began a prayer vigil at Yui Beach near Kamakura to accomplish his mission. Each night, for 100 days, until February of 1294, he chanted the verse portion of the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra 100 times.
In April of the same year, Nichizo arrived in Kyoto. While there, in order to make Hokke Shu more acceptable to the residents, Nichizo apparently founded a form of Hokke Shinto called Sanju Banshin. Evidently, the veneration of these 30 benevolent divinities, who appear, each in turn, for 30 days, to protect the votaries of the Lotus Sutra, was already popular in Kyoto, as part of Sanno (Ichijitsu or Tendai). Shinto, Legends hold that Nichiren Shonin himself founded the practice of Hokke Shinto Sanju Banshin, st Miidera, in 1246, but that is likely back fill. By the way, the origin of the Sanno Shinto form of Sanju Banshin is attributed by legend to Saicho.
Nichizo stern opposition from the monks of Tendai Shu, who arranged for his exile three different times, in 1310, 1317, and 1321. After his return in 1321, Nichizo received permission from Emperor Godaigo to found Myokenji Temple. In 1334, Myokenji was recognized by Godaigo as as an Imperial Prayer Temple. This marked the recognition of the [Nichiren] Hokke Shu as an independent School separate from Tendai Shu.
- Daijozan Yakuoji
- Myokenji Temple
- Hotoji Temple (Shichimen-san)
- Myokenji, the First Nichiren Temple in Kyoto
- The Mission to Kyoto
January 05, 2008
Ninth Consciousness
Explorations of Nichiren Buddhism; Buddhist Meditation, Iconoraphy, Epistemology, Healing, and wherever else my mind may roam.
I shall be doing some different things over there. Here, at Fraught with Peril, I'll be posting on going, relatively raw research in several areas; with frequent updates, re-dating, and rewriting of entries; as well as plenty of pictures.
Ninth Consciousness / mettasense, will be more oriented to finished topical articles. I have been too scattered lately, this will help me focus better.
January 03, 2008
January 02, 2008
Sudden Eradication of Sickness Honzon? (#047)
Mandala # 047
This Mandala Gohonzon is dated March 16 1278 and is kept at Nakayama [中山] Hosen-in [法宣院] [Dharma Declaration Institute] of Chiba Prefecture [千葉県]. The "nickname" of the Mandala is 病即消滅本尊. That means something like 'sudden erasure & destruction of sickness honzon." Maybe the "Instant Healing of Disease Honzon?" This likely refers to the inscription seen on the mandala's lower right side; which is your left facing.
It would be interesting to decipher the side notes. Also, on the lower left, right facing, there is something that looks like a notation and another signature & kao seal. BTW; it appears that Nichiren did not designate a recipient for this one.
January 01, 2008
Mandala # 046
This Mandala, dated November of 1277, evidently has no conferral. It is known as the: 
切鉑本尊
切: setsu ; cut, cutoff, be sharp
鉑 ? - Kanji not found
本尊 Honzon
As on many of Nichiren's Mandala Honzons, there is a long phrase on the lower right side, or your left when facing the mandala. This reads: 仏滅後二千二百余年之間一閻浮提之内未曽有大漫荼羅也
仏滅後{Since Buddha's death}
二千二百余年 {more than 2200 years}
之間 {this interval}
一閻浮提 {ichienbudai -- a transliteration of Jambudvipa}
之内 {this in}
未曽有 {unprecedented}
大 {Great}
漫荼羅 {mandara; a transliteration of mandala}
也 {to be; appeared}
Since the Buddha's passing. more than 2200 years have passed. During that time, this Great Mandala has never appeared in the World.