The full title is “Shu Hokekyo Ongi Kuden”, Oral Transmissions of the Sacred Teachings of the Annotated Lotus Sutra.
The Ongi Kuden is believed to be the notes complied by Nikko Shonin on Nichiren’s lectures on the Lotus Sutra. There is also the Onko Kikigaki which is believed to be a similar document of the same purpose compiled by Niko Shonin. Since the Ongi Kuden has only recently been published by SGI, they point out that the Onko Kikigaki’s brevity and loose organization is yet further evidence of Nikko’s superiority over Niko. Both these writings are based on lecture points on the Lotus Sutra given by Nichiren. They are supposedly based on Nichiren’s personal annotated copy of the Lotus Sutra, the Chu Hokkekyo, but in fact neither document matches the format or content of this still extent Lotus Sutra copy belonging to Nichiren.
Apparently the Ongi Kuden was held in fairly high esteem until Shigyo Kaishu, a student of the famous Nichiren Scholar Asai Yorin, criticized it in his graduate thesis in 1935. He pointed out several inconsistencies in the writing and dating of the Ongi Kuden, some (not all) of which are as follows;
First and foremost, there is no extant version of the Ongi Kuden which was believed to have been compiled and written towards the end of Nichiren’s life. The first reference of it was in a quote in a work called “Hokke Keian Sho” by a Priest in 1503. The oldest actual version of the OK dates to 1539 and was copied by a priest named Nikkyo of the Happo lineage Nichiren school.
Shigyo further pointed out an inconstancy of the date on a seal supposedly affixed by Nichiren - “first day of the month, first year of Koan” but on the 29th day of the second month the name of the era was changed from Kenji to Koan. If the OK was based on lectures given in the beginning of Koan, it should have been dated in the proceeding Kenji. Also, Nikko was gone during this time period on a shakauku mission in the Fuji era and wouldn’t have been present to record the lectures as believed.
In addition, and this is a big issue in Nichiren scholarship - the OK contains too much Hongaku language to be considered authentic Nichiren though. Hongaku is a Medieval Tendai paradigm based on “Original Enlightenment”, that everything *is* the Buddha land, and we *are* Shakyamuni Buddha”. Taken to it’s extreme, as it was through history, the very principle negated the need for Buddhist practice, since we were already originally enlightened. Hongaku language and content is one of the earliest metrics for judging the authenticity of non-extant (not existing in an original document) Gosho.
Later Shigyo revised his work to include the point that in the OK is a reference or quote from the “K’o Chu”, or “a-Hua Ching K’o”, a Yuan dynasty commentary on the Lotus Sutra by Hsu Hsing Shan. This was written in 1295, 13 years after Nichiren’s death./
Nichiren Shoshu quickly responded. Ohashi Jijo wrote, in a journal article, regarding the principles of ji-Hongaku, original enlightenment in principle, and ri-Hongaku, original enlightenment in actuality. He stated that since the ji_Hongaku ties into the the princple championed by Nichiren Shoshu, that Nichiren was the “Originally Enlightened Buddha”, that the existence of this language in the OK validated it’s authenticity rather than disputed it. Also Jijo pointed out that the K’o referred to an earlier commentary, one which Nichiren may have had access to.
This was a major upheaval in the theories regarding Gosho authenticity. Non-sectarian scholars had long since used Hongaku language as an indicator that a non-extant Gosho was apocryphal, though extant authenticated Gosho did sometimes contain Hongaku theory (since Nichiren was in fact a Tendai Mikkyo Priest). Now Nichiren Shoshu was using the existence of Honkagu Shiso to validate the Ongi Kuden. This illustrates and wonderful example of sectarian polemics as they cross over again and again through scholarship. This explanation concluded with the logical assumption that Shigyo couldn’t understand the nature of the OK simply because he failed to grasp Nichiren Shoshu theology.
While the originally enlightened Buddha in the OK is Nichiren, Jijo failed to address numerous other reference to the originally enlightened Buddha through Tendai Hongaku literature.
It was actually a scholar from Nichiren Shu, Minobu that came to the defense of Nichiren Shoshu, interestingly. The continuation of that specific debate is lengthy and I will not address it now.
Also found in the Ongi Kuden are references to Alms Refusal, a later-era Nichiren movement known as Fuju Fuse, not giving or receiving alms from non-believers. This would not have become a significant issue until circumstances arouse in and around the 1400’s, pointing to a much later creation date.
But… clearly when one reviews both the Ongi Kuden and the Onko Kikigaki there is a relationship between the two writings that suggests conflict between the two parties of Nichiren Buddhism’s earliest schism, Nikko Shonin and Niko Shonin. For this reason it’s possible that both were written close to Nichiren’s death, or at least close enough to be seriously considered based on Nichiren’s lectures.
Asai Endo wrote regarding the possibility that both the Ongi Kuden and the Onku Kikigaki were written by opposing factions of the Itchi-Shoretsu debate, an ongoing schism between factions of Nichiren’s followers who debated whether the two divisions of the Lotus Sutra, the trace teaching (Shakyamon or first 14 chapters) and the Origin teaching (Honmon or last 14 chapters) were equal to each other, or that the Honmon was superior to the Shakyamon. The OK refers in several places to the distinction between the trace and origin teachings, and is consistent with the Shorestu position while the Onku Kikigaki mentions this distinction only once and thus seems more consistent with the Itchi position. This also would point to an early creation date, no later than 1400’s.
In truth, this is the reality of Nichiren’s Buddhism. Sectarian practice in wonderful, but things we believe, things we have been told by our sects, are nearly always more complicated than they appear. SGI-USA has recently published a beautiful version of the Ongi Kuden. There are no other English versions presently translated. Nichiren Shu, who has published it’s own version of the Gosho, we likely not bother with the Ongi Kuden.
Should we read the Ongi Kuden? Certainly. The Ongi Kuden AND the Onku Kikigaki stress the two important tenants of Nichiren’s teachings;
1. The theme of the Universality or Non-duality of all phenomena and the primordial enlightened Buddha.
2. The absolute sole supremacy of the Lotus Sutra.
Whenever, and whomever wrote the Ongi Kuden and the Onku Kikigaki certainly were in the Nichiren community. If not Nichiren’s actual words, the Ongi Kuden absolutely represents the development of Nichiren’s teachings. Sadly, for me, the Onku Kikigaki is not yet published in English, and most likely will not be, since it clearly does not serve sectarian interests.
Sectarian practice is supreme, I believe. In our various sects we practice in sanghas, along side others struggling to realize enlightenment in their own lives. Study is not always synonymous with faith, despite what SGI and other orgs say. It’s important to make peace with the reality that sectarian study and scholarly study are related, but different. It’s also important to accept that sectarian study is not always biased, and scholarly study is often not objective.
The concept of “the middle way” of Mahayana Buddhism reaches far and wide, and can be applied to many, if not most aspects of our individual lives.
Posted by revgreg at April 10, 2007 07:34 PMEveryone seems to be talking about the "Middle Way" like it's the Golden Mean, which it's not. I've always understood the MW to be about transending opposites without negating either.
Posted by: davey at May 24, 2007 08:58 AMReading your thoughts, still, no matter what, Nichiren was only trying to figure out what Buddha taught in the Lotus Sutra, right? I meant to have heart burn over is it real or memorex seems to be a slow burn over a non issue unless you are just completely a recluse and have nothing else to do.
Nichiren did not rely on oral transmission, stick transmission or treatise, so why should you?
Second, he was not the Buddha, so to study Nichiren is like taking medicine and then to study the glass and water you took the medicine with.. what is the sense?
Everyone has me very confused, but I will admit I was in the bubble, but not for this long, for all these years? Nichiren saw the sects were confused, he read the Sutras, saw they mixed up the object of worship, they made false Gods (my term) and bad practices, so he made up his own to try to correct theirs, which was probably a mistake.
He should have not made a new practice since there was none, and if you read his works closely you can see that. Why is there no mention of how many times one should recite the title of the Sutra? Once is OK for some, a million for others? There was no daily Sutra chanting for people at that time, there was no religious practice. No butsudon shops or incense, candles, no pictures on Sensei on the altar (sorry) just poor Nichiren battling the wise sects of his day, the priest that knew it all, the lords that were wise maybe like Ikeda of today that had lots of followers with devotion, everyone supported their leader and not truth, but Nichiren stood up to that.. Nichiren studied the Sutra, he studied the Buddha, he studied how to live, how to die, how to act, how to walk and talk, what he would encounter, and then he started to tell everyone that they have thrown away the Lotus Sutra, and taken inferior things as superior. Sounds like today doesn't it?
Everyone wants a practice, a religion, a piece of paper to be a god, a magical mirror, some want a DAI-God or Jesus on wood instead of ice, they need candles and smelly scents to intoxicate them, or to cover up their smelly sox, but so what if this is exactly what the Sutra says not to do, who gives a hoot, no one cares, you read the Sutra different than I, they said the same to Nichiren, but wait, don't you follow Nichiren? but you read it different than Nichiren? makes no sense to me, to you? I am glad it makes sense to someone.
If there were no Nichiren would the Lotus Sutra still be valid? What the heck is the Lotus Sutra anyway? McCormick says its just a fable, but he chants the title anyway? Does that make sense to chant the title of a Fantasy fable and pretend it is a holy title of fable? Is the whole world nuts or what?
Nichiren had no Nichiren Sects to battle with, no Sho Hondo to knock down,, no DaiGohonzon, no Lamont, no Ikeda, no Toda, no Taisekiji, No NamMyoho.. to deal with (hahaha).. then every thing went crazy... INSTEAD of everyone doing what he did and reading and studying the Sutra, they worshiped Nichiren!! They made him Jesus! They made relics.. they worship the glass and water instead of the medicine, so no one is getting well.
I was in NSA or the SGI at one time, yes it was fun, but it wasn't Buddhism, it was not the teaching of Buddha, Ikeda is no Buddha, but we all have Buddha nature, there is no religion and there is no practice. I would like to discuss this with no threatening discourse, but every sect member shuts down, what exactly is so great about your sect? I kept asking myself that before I left, and remember I left, so I am asking you, what is so great for you to protect..
Maltz
Posted by: Bruce Maltz at May 10, 2007 01:08 AMGreat Post Greg.
Probably the reason for the date discrepancies is that the work spent a long time as "Kuden" texts. Kuden texts have a habit of not being written by their purported authors, but written by authorities claiming authority of tradition.
There are a lot of these kinds of works. Half the stories in the Bible started that way, and I might be killed for saying it, but much of the documents attesting to Mohammed's thought spent a long time as oral teachings as well. Mohammed, Jesus, Shakyamuni, and other great teachers didn't write a thing down themselves, and Moses is said to have only wrote one work down; with the "finger of God" on stone tablets.
This doesn't mean the texts don't have content of a genuinely oral nature. It just means that the authors and dates attested when they were finally written down include generations of "editors" and interpretations. At one time "authority" simply meant someone could read and write or that a writing was blessed by a group; "legitimate". The authority of texts came from the wisdom and justice contained within it.
Mohammed even criticized Judaism and Christianity for "inauthenticity", only to find his own "hadith" and Koran written down, selected and edited by a Calliph years after his passing. His followers to this day claim his teachings were the real unfiltered deal and that made them superior to edited works, yet he manages to criticize stories for not conforming to his version that had multiple centuries of provenance to them while his versions represented at best "oral history" heard through a human filter.
The teachers felt they were honoring the original authorities when they used their names, and it is only when these documents come to be used in religious debates and authoritarian sermonizing that we see the dishonesty.
With Nichiren we are blessed with a man who wrote many of his own works. That doesn't make them the kind of authority that his disciples sometimes try to make them. Authority comes from the wisdom and intelligence of the arguments within a text, and their ability to point the way to enlightenment. The very fact that two works like these exists attests to both the power and wisdom, and danger, of oral traditions.
We are neither already "enlightened" [a priori] nor lacking in the power to reach enlightenment. As the Kaimoku Sho quotes:
"Great Concentration and Insight says: “If one lacks faith [in the Lotus Sutra], one will object that it pertains to the lofty realm of the sages, something far beyond the capacity of one’s own wisdom to comprehend. If one lacks wisdom, one will become puffed up with arrogance and will claim to be the equal of the Buddha.”
Chris
Posted by: chris at April 23, 2007 09:48 PMThat's the great thing about the Internet-- so many places to blog.
My new blog however is not limited to the discussion of Buddhism. I am also persuing personal narrative, satire as well as writing about fiberarts as I am doing more work in these areas. I also may write about health care delivery in general pediatrics specifically.
Rev., I did appreciate the opportunity to blog on FWP. I decided to slow down my writing initially due to a polemic we had about that dreaded medical subject- circumcision. For the record I didn't decide I wasn't up to the task, you did.
So when I finally met you in person last year, I did ask to return to FWP. You said yes initially, then didn't return my e-mail inquiries.
That's okay, that is your perogative. It's your party and you are entitled to invite whomever you want to sit at the big people's table.
I still enjoy reading FWP although at times I find it curious. So much male input on FWP compared to so much female participation in our various Nichiren groups. Guess you guys really do need a place to present your ideas and strut your stuff.
So it goes... (as Kurt Vonnegut wrote in Slaughterhouse Five)
So my URL with caveat--- http://snapdiva.blogspot.com
So long and thanks for all the fish... (Hitchhikers Guide to the Gallery).
Best,
Mimi
Posted by: Dr. Mimi at April 22, 2007 07:08 AMActually Dr.Mimi, for the record, I recall you only asking me once to let you resume your blog on FWP. The truth is that changes - adding/deleting blogs on FWP - has been very difficult due to the volatile nature of my web-designers. Chris has resumed maintaining FWP after we have been unable to secure someone reliable. Now that we've finally been able to delete non-active writers and add a few new names to the list, my understanding is that you have your own blog.
"Reforming" and human revolution in my case certainly doesn't require me to acquiesce to your requests. I originally invited you to blog on FWP. It was you that decided you were not up to the task. In the future we may have a communal blog and you could certainly participate on that one. For now, I want to try out a couple of brand new people to see what they have to contribute.
Thanks for your interest. Rest assured you aren't the only one to not be given a place on Fraughtwithperil. Good luck with your own personal blog. You may post the url on my comments if you would like.
Rev. Greg
Posted by: Rev.Greg at April 21, 2007 09:36 PMI've asked the "big guy" many times by e-mail and even once in person. But I have never gotten more than a "I'll think about it" answer.
Now that is the kind of behavior that is frequently utilized in some other organizational forms. Of course none of us know about that:)
Some times it helps to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
Reform always starts with number one. I think that is called human revolution:)
Posted by: Dr. Mimi at April 21, 2007 09:08 PMDr. Mimi -
Unless I am sadly mistaken, Byrd is female..........but you could also certainly resume your blog. I for one would welcome it.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at April 20, 2007 12:40 PMOkay enough of this middle way stuff...
What is WITH the ALL boy line up on Fraught With Peril? For all the "diversity" in the Nichiren world, there sho' ain't much on this board...
Guess us female types are only allowed to write in comments:)
Posted by: Dr. Mimi at April 20, 2007 04:16 AMOh, relax, I was just pulling your leg with all your righteous crap. The middle of the road is all outdated garbage, and your words didn't strike like steel, you thinketh you are a legend in your own mind. My point, is that in the current day, everyone has so-called Buddha Nature, therefore everything you expound is null and void, there is no Buddhism, there is no Buddhist, its a nothing, but you can call yourself one, I don't care. Religion does not exist, no Buddhist Religion exists, no one to follow, no rituals, no teachings, therefore you can make up whatever you want, like God, Jesus, DaiGohonzons, Gongyos, World Peace Prayers, but its all nothing.
What you call Buddhism, is Christianity in disguise, I call em as I see em, no spin..
Maltz
I do not belong to the SGI nor any other group. It seems my words strike you like steel, is that why you get so angry that you cannot spell correctly, your assumptions make you look ignorant. I have read the Lotus many times and more then just the Hoben and Juryo chapters. If you are more realized then myself, and are correct in what you say, then you would not treat those who are inferior in understanding in the way that you do. Lord Buddha never treated anyone like you do, and you supposedly have a better understanding over me? Who are you to make that statement? Not once have I put your capacity down, yet you constantly put others down, your actions are dispicible, and if you consider yourself a Buddhist, then Buddhism's label should be changed. My leader is Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, the one and only Buddha of this world. If you believe otherwise then you are the bigot, not me. I see you still are spelling BIGOT wrong, it has only one G!! Its just sad that your making yourself out to look like a bigot.
Posted by: garuda at April 17, 2007 02:48 AMListen, you only see the middle of the road, you are a biggot againt the Buddha, you only see majority rule, you never read the Lotus Sutra you skimmed it, not even the Evelyn Wood method, you probably read the Soka Cockey Way.
There is no middle of the road, all that is taught by the transient Buddha, prior to the Eternal Buddha to the Bodhisattvas that sprang from the Earth. Those that sprang were transferred Buddha life, that means all the road has Buddha life embued in their body, but you don't hear that because your leaders aren't telling you this and your are totally brainwashed, and you are just trying to bring everyone down to your level and drain life from everyone on the planet just like all religious priests and religious leaders do because all religion is quit evil. Maybe you are not flying a plane into a building, but who knows? You are unhappy and dysfunctional or you would not be in a religous group.. case dismissed.
Right indeed,
Maltz
Bruce said, "there is no up and down, no low and high, no this no that." Up/down, low/high, this/that, are all forms of dualism, if your point is to transcend this, then your statement is one of non dualism, which is the Middle way. If your point is to uphold this dualism, then your not understanding the Dharma, or Lotus Sutra correctly. The middle way is emptiness, and all things are empty, even the middle way. Throughout the Lotus Sutra the Buddha constantly expounds the doctrine of emptiness, in fact all Mahayana Sutras are expositions on emptiness, this was the one conscept that all Bodhisattvas are to realize. I have read the Three fold Lotus Sutra, along with many others, but what matters is not reading them, but understanding them! I see neither white nor black, this is seeing with emptiness, seeing the middle way. If you see both white and black, then you have not understood emptiness, nor The Lotus Sutra. I am not trying to convince you other wise, believe what you want, but know this; Your words are not one of a Buddhist, and not one of a Bodhisattva. You cannot even address me, a sighn of disrespect! Buddhism is not a religion, a term you should transcend if you are Buddhist, which by the way I'm becoming to believe that you are not. How are my statements biased? Yesterday you said I was a bigot, now I'm biased, please tell me how my statements are?
Posted by: Garuda King at April 16, 2007 04:37 PMGreg.. I see the problem I had, you run your Blog in reverse, so I was looking in the wrong direction. My apology.. I still have translations..
Maltz
There is no up or down, no low and no high, no this or that, no middle or right or left, you missed the whole point. You only see the middle, its like only seeing the white and not seeing the black and others. The Lotus Sutra is quite different than any other thing Sakyamuni had ever preached, you should take time to read it.
You are in a religion, and see everything with biased glasses, it is YOU my friend that is bringing the World down to its knees or at least trying.. but no cigar..
Maltz
Posted by: Bruce Maltz at April 16, 2007 04:42 AMBruce, I do not understand how my comment could be considered bigotry, which by the way is spelled with one G. Its seems that you are the bigot here, and a being with a very low life condition, I hope you can overcome that. The Middle way is Non dualism, and Buddha Nature is nondual. It seems that you just want to argue or bring others life condition down with yours. I do not base my views off of mistaken priests, My understanding comes from my own seeking mind, and the sutras.
Posted by: Garuda King at April 16, 2007 03:18 AMBuddha Nature is not the middle way, what kind of Bullshit is that? The middle way is the middle way, its a choice of a way to live, and only a choice. You might want to live to the right, or to the left, makes no difference because the Buddha is immanent in all roads, you are a biggot, and need to open your eyes to your brainwash. The Whole Road is now available..New and Improved Life.. the Whole Road.. don't let fake priests fool you anymore with bull crap or their own ideas.. what have their ideas done for the word.. absolutely nothing..
Anway, you are missing the right and left, sorry but there is buddha realms there as well.
Maltz
Bruce, who on earth are you talking to? Msybe if you actually read what others write, rather than assuming we all the still buy into Taisekiji dogma, then you could talk with us. Until then, you toss out one straw man after another, refuting people who aren't even here.
gassho
robin
Posted by: robek at April 15, 2007 01:52 PMMaltz, Buddha nature is the midle way, every budhist knows that! There are some things I totaly agree with you, but as buddhist's we should not show arrogance when explaining the dharma, sometimes I commit that fault too, but its good to get checked every now and then. Question; What kind of buddhist do you consider yourself, and do you belong to a sangha? I think the SGI's savior is Ikeda not Nichiren!
Posted by: Garuda King at April 14, 2007 06:38 PMI aint never knocked off nuthin'. You must be thinkun of some other knocker-offer.
RG
Posted by: Rev. Greg at April 14, 2007 06:21 AMYou knocked off my last comment? I do have the translation of the Onku Kokigaki.. too bad now..
BTW.. IN Mahayana, its the WHOLE ROAD, there is no end to the misconception of the way everyone was taught by Nichiren Impersonators. The reason is that, each person has Buddha Nature, it's no longer necessary for the middle way... JEEEEEESH..
I can't stand this..
Maltz
I enjoyed your article on the Ongi Kuden, and wish to give thanks. I have studied the OK and there are very valuable points in it, and very misleading ones also (at least to me). I can not accept the theory that Nichiren was the original Buddha, when he was Superior practices. If we follow the teacher/disciple relationship then how can the student be the teacher? Many SGI members have been trying despertly to convince me otherwise. In truth the OK was not written by Nichirens hand, and therefore it could be false. My point is that Nichiren was a Buddhist, not a Nichiren, Zen, Pureland or other secular follower. He was a practitioner of The Lotus Sutra and always showed reverance and gratitude to our Lord Shakyamuni and the Lotus Sutra. He himself stated in the Gosho that he was not trying to form a new sect of Buddhism. I thought that Shakyamuni's vision was unity, not secular disunity, we are all sons of Shakyamuni Buddha, and no other is our father. When are we all going to realize the errors of human arrogance and truley unite? Kosen Rufu does not mean that everyone will be chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, it means that all beings in the saha world will be practicing perfect spirituality. Metta to all.
Garuda
Posted by: Garuda King at April 13, 2007 11:55 PMI really can't believe you are still bothered with this. I guess you never read all the research we did, but it's all a distraction. Distractions are distractons, makes no difference if its being hit by a car or reading the Ongi whatever.
Nichiren followed the Lotus, isn't that all you really have to know, what secrets do you intend to find? If Nichiren was the Original Buddha than why was he so caught up in his ego fights with the Pure Land , etc.. Nichiren's lifestyle was not Religious Practice, it was only his lifestyle, his believe was in the Eternal Buddha, that the Lotus Sutra describes. Nichiren talks about that Buddha as a person, maybe because he was a little Pureland himself, but nevertheless, you are Christian because you are SGI, and want a SAVIOR.. and have made it NICHIREN.
Did Buddha ever pray for anything? Did he ever tell anyone to pray for anything? He instructed his disciples Not to make statues, etc.. so why would he want Gohonzons now, and he said no austeries, so why would he want Zen or sitten sauza or chanting the same words over and over and over.. this is INSANE... he said during the last days of the law his teachings would be gone, so how can you practice his teachings, he said the next buddha is Maytreya, so how could it be Nichiren.. THINK.. LOGIC..
The Lotus Sutra message is that there is no God or savior, there is nothing outside of your life, its all inside, that is the 3000 worlds, there is no practice, there is no worship, there is no chanting, there is no Gohonzon, there is no org, there is no religion,,,
Someday you will thank me..
But now, you just use me for my intellect and Blog and good looks.. hahahaha
Maltz
I have a lot on my plate right now, but I do have an ambition to see these oral transmissions translated (I understand that there are some others in addition to these two). I particularly would like a Shu version of Ongi Kuden (and there are ministers who really value its perspective) and a Shu translation of the Onko Kikigaki. I have read the SGI translation of Ongi Kuden and frankly it just doesn't support the Shoshu teachings that well. It is much more in line with the rhetoric one finds among Zen and other schools of East Asian Buddhism wherein the true buddha is always the Buddha we discover in ourselves through authentic practice. I see nothing wrong with this if handled correctly. It is very inspiring and motivating, but no license for presumption or complacense.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
Hey there. I'm back on my medication now and feeling much better. Sorry for the incredibly rude posts.
best regards
peter
Rev. Greg -
Thank you for a balanced and fair look at a complex question.
Interestingly, it seems that there are no real "sides" to this question at all - just social/political expediencies of the moment; which leaves us with applying the concept of the Middle Way just as you reference, in order to find our own place amidst all of the history and hearsay.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett