Misplaced Pages

#691308

80-573: Unlike its easterly neighbor Yuigahama , its floor drops too quickly, so it is not very popular as a sea resort, but surfers are present in every season. Since 1939 it is administratively part of the City of Kamakura. The area is served by the Enoshima Electric Railway , or Enoden, which connects Kamakura Station in Kamakura with Fujisawa Station . The beach's name means "Seven Ri Beach", where

160-563: A ri is an old Japanese unit of measurement equivalent to 3.9 km (2.4 mi), and therefore Shichirigahama should be about 27 km (17 mi) long. In fact, it is just over one tenth of that length. The origin of the name is unknown, and many hypothetical etymologies exist. According to a passage of the Shinpen Kamakurashi , it comes from the Shichiri Bikyaku ( 七里飛脚 ) (a term usually shortened into just Shichiri ), which

240-575: A controversial figure among scholars who cast him as either a fervent nationalist or a social reformer with a transnational religious vision. Critical scholars have used words such as intolerant, nationalistic, militaristic, and self-righteous to portray him. On the other hand, Nichiren has been presented as a revolutionary , a classic reformer, and as a prophet . Nichiren is often compared to other religious figures who shared similar rebellious and revolutionary drives to reform degeneration in their respective societies or schools. According to

320-643: A fugitive Yoshitsune was forced to kill himself. His six-week-old head preserved in liquor was then brought to the shōgun , who accepted it in Koshigoe in 1182. Yoshitsune is enshrined in Shirahata Jinja in Fujisawa. Emperor loyalist Nitta Yoshisada in 1333 invaded Kamakura, deposing its Regent Hōjō Takatoki and ending the 145-year old Kamakura shogunate . According to the legend, being unable to defeat Kamakura defenses on land, he went down to Shichirigahama and, at

400-410: A hundred Mandala Gohonzon preserved today are attributed to Nichiren's own hand. Nichiren was pardoned on 14 February 1274 and returned to Kamakura one month later on 26 March. Nichiren wrote that his innocence and the accuracy of his predictions caused the regent Hōjō Tokimune to intercede on his behalf. Scholars have suggested that some of his well-connected followers might have had influence on

480-464: A key figure in the Lotus Sutra, who in the 20th chapter invited repeated persecution in his efforts to propagate the sutra. Such hardship, Nichiren argued, fulfilled and validated the Lotus Sutra. He also identified himself with the bodhisattva Visistacaritra to whom Shakyamuni entrusted the future propagation of the Lotus Sutra, seeing himself in the role of leading a vast outpouring of Bodhisattvas of

560-456: A matter of course and that the resolve to carry on with the mission to propagate the sutra was for him more important than guarantees of protection: "Let Heaven forsake me. Let ordeals confront me. I will not begrudge bodily life... . No matter what trials we may encounter, so long as we do not have a mind of doubt, I and my disciples will naturally achieve the Buddha realm." He concluded this work with

640-516: A more noble lineage, perhaps to attract more adherents. Some have claimed his father was a rōnin , a manorial functionary ( shokan ), or a political refugee. Nichiren's father was Mikuni-no-Tayu Shigetada, also known as Nukina Shigetada Jiro (died 1258); and his mother was Umegiku-nyo (died 1267). On his birth, his parents named him Zennichimaro ( 善日麿 ) which has variously been translated into English as "Splendid Sun" and "Virtuous Sun Boy" among others. The exact site of Nichiren's birth

720-483: A particular Buddha-nature termed Myoho-Renge that is equally accessible to all. He declared that believers of the Sutra must propagate it even under persecution. Nichiren was a prolific writer and his biography, temperament, and the evolution of his beliefs has been gleaned primarily from his writings. He claimed the reincarnation of Jōgyō bodhisattva in a past life, and designated six senior disciples, of which

800-446: A school that stressed salvation through nianfo (Japanese nembutsu ) or the invocation of Amitābha (Japanese Amida ), and then studied Zen which had been growing in popularity in both Kamakura and Kyoto . He next traveled to Mount Hiei , the center of Japanese Tendai Buddhism, where he scrutinized the school's original doctrines and its subsequent incorporation of the theories and practices of Pure Land and Esoteric Buddhism . In

880-576: A set of Buddhist sutras and commentaries. In his future writings Nichiren continued to draw from the same sutras and commentaries, effectively forming Nichiren's canon of sources out of the Buddhist library which he deemed supportive of the Lotus Sutra including the Konkomyo , Daijuku , Ninno , Yakushi , and Nirvana sutras. They share in common apocalyptic or nation-protecting teachings and prophecies. The Risshō Ankoku Ron concludes with an urgent appeal to

SECTION 10

#1732855998692

960-421: A severe backlash from the Buddhist priests of other schools. Nichiren was challenged to a religious debate with leading Kamakura prelates in which, by his account, they were swiftly dispatched. Their lay followers, however, attempted to kill him at his dwelling which forced him to flee Kamakura. His critics had influence with key governmental figures and spread slanderous rumors about him. One year after he submitted

1040-607: A sophisticated network of disciples serving as liaisons between Minobu and other affected areas in Japan. He also showed the ability to provide a compelling narrative of events that gave his followers a broad perspective of what was unfolding. More than half of the extant letters of Nichiren were written during his years at Minobu. Some consisted of moving letters to followers expressing appreciation for their assistance, counseling on personal matters, and explaining his teachings in more understandable terms. Two of his works from this period,

1120-523: A visitor who together lament the tragedies that have beleaguered the nation. The wise man answers the guest's questions and, after a heated exchange, gradually leads him to enthusiastically embrace the vision of a country grounded firmly on the ideals of the Lotus Sutra. In this writing Nichiren displays a skill in using analogy, anecdote, and detail to persuasively appeal to an individual's unique psychology, experiences, and level of understanding. The teacher builds his argument by quoting extensively from

1200-504: A vow to study all the Buddhist sutras, commentaries on them by disciples, and explanatory notes by others[.] At the age of 12 he began his Buddhist study at a temple of the Tendai school, Seichō-ji ( 清澄寺 , also called Kiyosumi-dera) . He was formally ordained at sixteen years old and took the Buddhist name Zeshō-bō Renchō ( 是生房蓮長 ) , Renchō meaning "Lotus Growth." He left Seichō-ji for Kamakura where he studied Pure Land Buddhism ,

1280-521: Is a beach near Kamakura , a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan . The relation between the beach and its neighboring areas is complex. Although Yuigahama is legally the entire 3.2 km beach that goes from Inamuragasaki , which separates it from Shichirigahama , to Zaimokuza 's Iijima cape, which separates it from Kotsubo and the Miura Peninsula , the name is customarily used to indicate

1360-503: Is believed to be currently submerged off the shore from present-day Kominato-zan Tanjō-ji ( 小湊山誕生寺 ) near a temple in Kominato that commemorates his birth. Between the years 1233 and 1253 Nichiren engaged in an intensive study of all of the ten schools of Buddhism prevalent in Japan at that time as well as the Chinese classics and secular literature. During these years, he became convinced of

1440-958: The Senji Shō ( 撰時抄 , "The Selection of the Time") and the Hōon Shō ( 報恩抄 , "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude") constitute, along with his Risshō Ankoku Ron ("On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land"), Kaimoku Shō ("The Opening of the Eyes"), and Kanjin no Honzon Shō ("The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind"), what is commonly regarded as his five major writings. During his years at Minobu Nichiren intensified his attacks on mystical and esoteric practices ( 密教 , mikkyō ) that had been incorporated into

1520-543: The shōgun faithfully for years, leading the Minamoto clan in defeating the Taira clan , but for several reasons couldn't avoid a confrontation with him. After some victories, he tried to enter Kamakura, but was stopped at Koshigoe by a letter from Hōjō Tokimasa . He waited fruitlessly about 20 days at Koshigoe's Manpuku-ji, near Shichirigahama, then dictated to his attendant Benkei a letter for Yoritomo destined to become famous,

1600-527: The Edo period , when it was abandoned. 35°18′30.30″N 139°32′44.01″E  /  35.3084167°N 139.5455583°E  / 35.3084167; 139.5455583 Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period . His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism , a branch of Mahayana Buddhism . Nichiren declared that

1680-595: The Kamakura Shogunate and consequently began to see himself as "bodily reading the Lotus Sutra ( Jpn. Hokke shikidoku )." In some of his writings during a second exile (1271–1274) he began to identify himself with the key Lotus Sutra characters Sadāparibhūta and Visistacaritra and saw himself in the role of leading a vast outpouring of Bodhisattvas of the Earth . In 1274, after his two predictions of foreign invasion and political strife were seemingly actualized by

SECTION 20

#1732855998692

1760-495: The Kamakura period both the beach and the nearby areas were called Maehama ( 前浜 ) . The name appears repeatedly in the Azuma Kagami to indicate spots going from Hase to Wakamiya Ōji . It was used to practice martial arts such as Kogasagake ( 小笠懸 ) (horseback archery) and yabusame (a horseback archery competition). It became a battlefield in 1180 at the time of the battle against Hatakeyama Shigetada , and again in 1333 for

1840-558: The Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of Buddhism , insisting that the sovereign of Japan and its people should support only this form of Buddhism and eradicate all others. He advocated the repeated recitation of its title, Nam(u)-myoho-renge-kyo , as the only path to Buddhahood and held that Shakyamuni Buddha and all other Buddhist deities were extraordinary manifestations of

1920-456: The Minamoto clan and, before visiting shrines in Izu or Hakone , the shōgun would always purify his body here. During the Kamakura shogunate Sagami Bay was busy with trading ships, but its shallowness made indispensable the use of barges . Also, accidents between ships were common and it was therefore decided to build a port. A priest named Oamidabutsu ( 往阿弥陀仏 ) applied for permission from

2000-490: The Rissho Ankoku Ron of rebellion in the domain. At this point Nichiren was transferred to much better accommodations. While on Sado island, Nichiren inscribed the first Mandala Gohonzon ( 御本尊 ) . Although there is evidence of a Gohonzon in embryonic form as far back as the days right before his exile, the first in full form is dated to 8 July 1273 and includes the inscription of "Nichiren inscribes this for

2080-461: The Rissho Ankoku Ron the authorities had him arrested and exiled to the Izu peninsula. Nichiren's Izu exile lasted two years. In his extant writings from this time period, Nichiren began to strongly draw from chapters 10–22 of the Lotus Sutra, what Tanabe calls its "third realm" (daisan hōmon) . Nichiren began to emphasize the purpose of human existence as being the practice of the bodhisattva ideal in

2160-488: The Sea of Japan . Upon arriving, he was dispatched to a small dilapidated temple located in a graveyard. Nichiren was accompanied by a few disciples and in the first winter they endured terrible cold, food deprivation, and threats from local inhabitants. Nichiren scholars describe a clear shift in both tone and message in letters written before his Sado exile and those written during and after. Initially, Nichiren's urgent concern

2240-468: The daimoku , the object of worship ( honzon ), and the ordination platform ( kaidan ). These became the means for people to directly access the Buddha's enlightenment. At the bottom of each mandala he wrote: "This is the great mandala never before revealed in Jambudvipa during the more than 2,200 years since the Buddha's nirvana." He inscribed many Mandala Gohonzon during the rest of his life. More than

2320-581: The " Letter from Koshigoe ", in which he complained that he had never betrayed his brother, but to the contrary had always faithfully served him. He had won for him important victories, but had received nothing but reproach and diffidence in return. Yoritomo didn't relent, so Yoshitsune gave up and left Koshigoe for Kyoto. The letter originally appears in the Azuma Kagami and is not believed to have been penned by Yoshitsune. It probably does however reflect his true feelings. The feud between brothers continued until

2400-595: The Earth who pledged to liberate the oppressed. The numerous letters and minor treatises he wrote in Sado include what is considered his two most significant works, the Kanjin no Honzon Shō ( 観心本尊抄 , "The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind") and the Kaimoku Shō ( 開目抄 , "On the Opening of the Eyes") . In the latter he stated that facing adversity should be regarded as

2480-704: The Japanese Tendai school. It becomes clear at this point that he understood that he was creating his own form of Lotus Buddhism. Nichiren and his disciples completed the Myō-hōkke-in Kuon-ji Temple ( 久遠寺 ) in 1281. In the 19th century this structure burned down to be replaced by a new structure completed in the second half of the Meiji era. While at Minobu Nichiren also inscribed numerous Mandala Gohonzon for bestowal upon specific disciples and lay believers. Nichiren Shoshu believers claim that after

Shichirigahama - Misplaced Pages Continue

2560-409: The Lotus Sutra will experience peace and prosperity whereas rulers who support inferior religious teachings invite disorder and disaster into their realms. In a 1264 essay, he stated that the title of the Lotus Sutra, "Nam(u)-myoho-renge-kyo," encompasses all Buddhist teachings and its recitation leads to enlightenment. As a result of his adamant stance, he experienced severe persecution imposed by

2640-477: The Lotus Sutra. Deeply disappointed by the government's refusal to heed his advice, Nichiren left Kamakura one month later, on 12 May, determined to become a solitary wayfarer. Five days later, however, on a visit to the residence of Lord Hakii Sanenaga of Mt. Minobu, he learned that followers in nearby regions had held steadfast during his exile. Despite severe weather and deprivation, Nichiren remained in Minobu for

2720-460: The Lotus Sutra. He accelerated his polemics against the non-Lotus teachings the government had been patronizing at the very time it was attempting to solidify national unity and resolve. In a series of letters to prominent leaders he directly provoked the major prelates of Kamakura temples that the Hojo family patronized, criticized the principles of Zen which was popular among the samurai class, critiqued

2800-553: The Mongols sent envoys to Japan demanding tribute and threatening invasion. Nichiren sent 11 letters to influential leaders reminding them about his predictions in the Rissho Ankoku Ron . The threat and execution of Mongol invasion was the worst crisis in pre-modern Japanese history. In 1269 Mongol envoys again arrived to demand Japanese submission to their hegemony and the bakufu responded by mobilizing military defenses. The role of Buddhism in "nation-protection" ( chingo kokka )

2880-506: The Shingon priest Ryōkan ( 良観 ) . In September 1271, after a fiery exchange of letters between the two, Nichiren was arrested by a band of soldiers and tried by Hei no Saemon ( 平の左衛門 , also called 平頼綱 Taira no Yoritsuna ) , the deputy chief of the Hojo clan's Board of Retainers . Nichiren considered this as his second remonstration to the government. According to Nichiren's own account, he

2960-422: The animosity of the local steward, Tojo Kagenobu, who attempted to have Nichiren killed. Modern scholarship suggests that events unfolded not in a single day but over a longer period of time and had social, and political dimensions. Nichiren then developed a base of operation in Kamakura where he converted several Tendai priests, directly ordained others, and attracted lay disciples who were drawn mainly from

3040-861: The claims to successorship are contested. After his death, he was bestowed the title Nichiren Dai-Bosatsu ( 日蓮大菩薩 , Great Bodhisattva Nichiren) by the Emperor Go-Kōgon in 1358 and the title Risshō Daishi ( 立正大師 , Great Teacher of Correction) was conferred posthumously through imperial edict by the Emperor Taisho in 1922. Nichiren Buddhism today includes traditional temple schools such as Nichiren-shu sects and Nichiren Shōshū , as well as lay movements such as Soka Gakkai , Risshō Kōsei Kai , Reiyūkai , Kenshōkai , Honmon Butsuryū-shū , Kempon Hokke , and Shōshinkai among many others. Each group has varying views of Nichiren's teachings with claims and interpretations of Nichiren's identity ranging from

3120-408: The distant seas prayed to Ryūjin . "It is said that the lord of Japan from the beginning, Amaterasu Ōmikami , enshrined at Ise Jingū , hid herself within a Vairocana and appeared as Ryūjin of the vast blue seas. My lord ( Emperor Go-Daigo ) is her descendant, and drifts upon waves of the western sea due to rebels. I Yoshisada, in an attempt to serve as a worthy subject, will pick up my axes and face

3200-648: The enemy line. That desire is to aid the nation and bring welfare to the masses. Ryūjin of the Eight Protectorate Gods of the (seven) Inner Seas and the Outer Sea, witness this subject’s loyalty and withdraw the waters afar, open a path to the lines of the three armies. He therefore speaks to Ryūjin who, he has heard, is manifestation of Amaterasu. 35°18′18.42″N 139°30′38.67″E  /  35.3051167°N 139.5107417°E  / 35.3051167; 139.5107417 Yuigahama Yuigahama ( 由比ヶ浜海岸 )

3280-663: The entire area from Katase to Inamuragasaki represents a historically important area just outside the former military capital. According to the Azuma Kagami and the Shinpen Kamakurashi , Shichirigahama was the Kamakura shogunate 's execution ground. It was also the scene of many battles, and records show that in the Edo period bones and rusty weapons were still being recovered from its sand. Minamoto no Yoritomo 's famous younger half-brother Yoshitsune, celebrated in Japan in Noh and Kabuki plays for both his bravery and his death, served

Shichirigahama - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-402: The esoteric practices of Shingon just as the government was invoking them, and condemned the ideas underlying Risshū as it was enjoying a revival. His actions at that time have been described by modern scholars either as a high form of altruism or the ravings of a fanatic and madman. His claims drew the ire of the influential religious figures of the time and their followers, especially

3440-687: The execution of the three Atsuhara farmers he inscribed the Dai Gohonzon on 12 October 1279, a Gohonzon specifically addressed to all humanity. This assertion has been disputed by other schools as historically and textually incorrect. It is enshrined currently at the Tahō Fuji Dai-Nichirenge-Zan Taiseki-ji , informally known as the Head Temple Taiseki-ji of the Nichiren Shōshū Order of Buddhism , located at

3520-460: The faithful. Today, however, there is no pine tree and only a stele is left. The Yukiaibashi Bridge ( 行合川 , "Meeting-each-other Bridge" ) is a small bridge near Enoden 's Shichirigahama's station built on the spot where a messenger carrying Nichiren's pardon met the messenger bound in the opposite direction to announce his miraculous salvation. At the western end of the beach another cape, similar in size and shape to Inamuragasaki, juts into

3600-523: The fight between Nitta Yoshisada and the defense forces of the Hōjō . Lastly, it became a battleground in 1416 during Uesugi Zenshū 's rebellion. Human bones of the era are still occasionally found during excavations. It is on this beach that Nichiren , the founder of the Buddhist Nichiren sect, was put on a boat to be taken to Katase and ordered to be executed. The beach was considered sacred ground to

3680-454: The final stage of this twenty-year period he traveled to Mount Kōya , the center of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, and to Nara where he studied its six established schools , especially the Ritsu sect which emphasized strict monastic discipline . According to one of his letters, Nichiren returned to Seicho-ji Temple on 28 April 1253 to lecture on his twenty years of scholarship. What followed

3760-595: The first attempted Mongol invasion of Japan along with an unsuccessful coup within the Hōjō clan , Nichiren was pardoned by the Shogunate authorities and his advice was sought but not heeded. The Risshō Ankoku Ron in which he first predicted foreign invasion and civil disorder is now considered by Japanese historians to be a literary classic illustrating the apprehensions of that period. Several hagiographies about Nichiren and are reflected in various pieces of artwork about incidents in his life. Nichiren remains

3840-463: The first extensive non-religious biographical account of Nichiren did not appear until more than 200 years after his death. He launched his teachings in 1253, advocating an exclusive return to the Lotus Sutra as based on its original Tendai interpretations. His 1260 treatise Risshō Ankoku Ron ( 立正安国論 , On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land) argued that a nation that embraces

3920-402: The first time." His writings on Sado provide his rationale for a calligraphic mandala depicting the assembly at Eagle Peak which was to be used as an object of devotion or worship. By increasingly associating himself with Visistacaritra he implied a direct link to the original and universal Buddha . He read in the 16th ( Life span ) chapter of the Lotus Sutra a three-fold "secret Dharma" of

4000-439: The founder of the shrine, who was a Kamakura period samurai called Sasaki Moritsuna, saw the pine tree move very slightly and emit sounds like those of a koto , so he gave the cape its name. Nitta Yoshisada stopped at Koyurugi Jinja in 1333 to pray for victory. Having won, he came back to offer a sword and some money to the shrine, with which the shinden was later restored. The shrine used to be called Hachiōji-gū ( 八王子宮 ) from

4080-419: The gods for rain. For this reason, the pond is also known as Amagoinoike ( 雨乞の池 , or "Rain-prayer Pond" ) . The so-called Nichiren Kesagake no Matsu ( 日蓮袈裟掛けの松 ) was a pine tree on the road to Katase from which Nichiren hanged his kesa (a Buddhist stole ) while on his way to Ryūkō-ji so that it wouldn't be soiled by his blood. The original pine tree died long ago, and has been replaced many times by

SECTION 50

#1732855998692

4160-437: The government's decision to release him. On 8 April he was summoned by Hei no Saemon, who inquired about the timing of the next Mongol invasion . Nichiren predicted that it would occur within the year. He used the audience as yet another opportunity to remonstrate with the government. Claiming that reliance on prayers based on esoteric rituals would invite further calamity, he urged the bakufu to ground itself exclusively on

4240-404: The impassable cape of Inamuragasaki, prayed to the god Ryūjin to withdraw the waves and let him through. The stele at Sode no Ura ( 袖の浦 ) , the tiny bay west of Inamuragaki, reads: 666 years ago on May 21, 1333 Nitta Yoshisada, judging Kamakura's invasion on land to be difficult, decided to try to bypass this cape. This is the place where, according to tradition, he threw his golden sword into

4320-459: The lowly people living on a rocky strand of the out-of-the-way sea," and "the son of a sea-diver." In contrast, Hōnen , Shinran , Dōgen , and Eisai , the other founders of religious schools who predated Nichiren, were all born in the Kyoto region and came from noble or samurai backgrounds. Although his writings reflect a fierce pride of his lowly birth, followers after his death began to ascribe to him

4400-480: The lunar Chinese calendar , Nichiren was born on 16th of the second month in 1222, which is 6 April in the Gregorian calendar . Nichiren was born in the village of Kominato (today part of the city of Kamogawa ), Nagase District, Awa Province (within present-day Chiba Prefecture ). Accounts of his lineage vary. Nichiren described himself as "the son of a Sendara ( Skt: chandala , despised outcast), "a son born of

4480-569: The mass adoption of the Pure Land teachings. The most renowned of these works, considered his first major treatise, was the Risshō Ankoku Ron ( 立正安国論 ) , "On Securing the Peace of the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism." Nichiren submitted it to Hōjō Tokiyori , the de facto leader of the Kamakura shogunate , as a political move to effectuate radical reform. In it he argued

4560-410: The midst of day-to-day realities. At the same event, according to his own account and subsequent hagiography, he changed his name to Nichiren , an abbreviation of nichi ( 日 , "Sun") and ren ( 蓮 , "Lotus") . Nichi represents both the light of truth and the sun goddess Amaterasu , symbolizing Japan itself. Ren signifies the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren envisioned Japan as the country where

4640-461: The name of Koshigoe's tutelary spirit (chinju ( 鎮守/鎮主 ) ), but its name was changed during the shinbutsu bunri (the forced separation of Buddhism and Shinto in temples and shrines) in the Meiji era . Later, in 1909, it was fused with another shrine, and for that reason it now enshrines kami Takeminakata no Mikoto . Dismounting from his horse, Yoshisada removed his helmet and prostrating himself across

4720-522: The necessity for "the Sovereign to recognize and accept the singly true and correct form of Buddhism (i.e., 立正 risshō ) as the only way to achieve peace and prosperity for the land and its people and end their suffering (i.e., 安国 ankoku )." Using a dialectic form well-established in China and Japan, the treatise is a 10-segment fictional dialogue between a Buddhist wise man, presumably Nichiren, and

4800-571: The portion west of the Namerigawa river, while the eastern half is called Zaimokuza Beach ( 材木座海岸 ) . This is the reason why, although the beach gives its name to only the west part of the beachside community, traces of the name Yuigahama can be found also in Zaimokuza (for example in Moto Hachiman 's official name, Yui Wakamiya). The center of Yuigahama came legally into being between 1964 and 1965 and

4880-496: The preeminence of the Lotus Sutra and in 1253 returned to the temple where he first studied to present his findings. In a 1271 letter Nichiren outlined his rationale for deeply studying Buddhism: [D]etermined to plant a seed of Buddhahood and attain Buddhahood in this life, just as all other people, I relied on Amida Buddha and chanted the name of this Buddha since childhood. However, I began doubting this practice, making

SECTION 60

#1732855998692

4960-515: The real world which entails undertaking struggle and manifesting endurance. He suggested that he is a model of this behavior, a "votary" ( gyōja ) of the Lotus Sutra. Upon being pardoned in 1263 Nichiren returned to Kamakura. In November 1264 he was ambushed and nearly killed at Komatsubara in Awa Province by a force led by Lord Tōjō Kagenobu. For the next few years he preached in provinces outside of Kamakura but returned in 1268. At this point

5040-505: The rebirth of Bodhisattva Visistacaritra to the Primordial or "True Buddha" ( 本仏 , Honbutsu ) of the Third Age of Buddhism. The main narrative of Nichiren's life has been constructed from extant letters and treatises he wrote, counted in one collection as 523 complete writings and 248 fragments. Aside from historical documents stored in the repositories of various Nichiren sects,

5120-515: The rest of his career. During his self-imposed exile at Mount Minobu, a location 100 miles west of Kamakura , Nichiren led a widespread movement of followers in Kanto and Sado mainly through his prolific letter-writing. During the so-called "Atsuhara affair" of 1279 when governmental attacks were aimed at Nichiren's followers rather than himself, Nichiren's letters reveal an assertive and well-informed leader who provided detailed instructions through

5200-408: The ruler to cease all financial support for Buddhist schools promoting inferior teachings. Otherwise, Nichiren warns, as predicted by the sutras, the continued influence of inferior teachings would invite even more natural disasters as well as the outbreak of civil strife and foreign invasion. Nichiren submitted his treatise on 16 July 1260 but it drew no official response. It did, however, prompt

5280-461: The sea. It's called Koyurugimisaki ( 小動岬 ) ("Small Movement Cape"), and on it stands a small Shinto shrine called Koyurugi Jinja. Once again, the origin of its unusual name is unknown. One legend says that, during the Edo period, on it stood a pine tree which shook even when there was no wind, producing an extremely pleasant sound as if a celestial creature was playing an instrument. According to another,

5360-401: The shogunate to build an artificial port in the area, permission granted in 1232. Much of the timber used to build Kamakura's best shrines passed through Wakaejima. In its first form, the harbor functioned as both a breakwater and a wharf, and was built with large stones laid as a foundation, with smaller stones on top. It was later extended gradually and repaired several times until the end of

5440-473: The strata of the lower and middle samurai class. Their households provided Nichiren with economic support and became the core of Nichiren communities in several locations in the Kanto region of Japan. Nichiren arrived in Kamakura in 1254. Between 1254 and 1260 half of the population had perished due to a tragic succession of calamities that included drought, earthquakes, epidemics, famine, fires, and storms. Nichiren sought scriptural references to explain

5520-483: The true teaching of Buddhism would be revived and the starting point for its worldwide spread. At his lecture, it is construed, Nichiren vehemently attacked Honen , the founder of Pure Land Buddhism , and its practice of chanting the Nembutsu , Nam(u) Amida Butsu . It is likely he also denounced the core teachings of Seicho-ji which had incorporated non-exclusive Lotus Sutra teachings and practices. In so doing he earned

5600-558: The unfolding of natural disasters and then wrote a series of works which, based on the Buddhist theory of the non-duality of the human mind and the environment, attributed the sufferings to the weakened spiritual condition of people, thereby causing the Kami (protective forces or traces of the Buddha) to abandon the nation. The root cause of this, he argued, was the widespread decline of the Dharma due to

5680-424: The vow to be the "pillar of Japan, the eyes of Japan, the great ship of Japan." At the end of the 1271–1272 winter Nichiren's conditions had improved. He had attracted a small band of followers in Sado who provided him with support and disciples from the mainland began visiting him and providing supplies. In 1272 there was an attempted coup in Kamakura and Kyoto, seemingly fulfilling the prediction he had made in

5760-703: The waves, praying to the sea-god to withdraw them and let him pass. (Stele erected in 1917) Nichiren Buddhism was born in Kamakura, and the city is rich in places tied to both Nichiren and his life. Several of them are in Shichirigahama. This is because one of the shogunate's execution grounds was in Katase near Fujisawa in the spot where now Ryūkō-ji is, so, when Nichiren was condemned to death, he had to be brought there. Nichiren had been condemned for having written his Risshō Ankoku Ron , judged to be subversive by authorities. A miracle however saved him, because when he

5840-509: Was about to be beheaded (an event known to Nichiren's followers as the Tatsunokuchi Persecution ( 龍ノ口法難 ) ), lightning struck his executioner. Nichiren was ultimately pardoned and an order was sent to Katase to stop the execution. Reikō-ji ( 霊光寺 ) and its Tanabegaike Pond ( 田辺が池 ) were the scene of one of Nichiren's miracles. In a period of extreme drought, after the famous priest Ninshō had already failed he successfully prayed

5920-474: Was an Edo period messenger service on the Kantōdō highway with a horseman change every seven "ri". However, since the expression shichiri also meant "a long ride", the name could also just mean that the beach is very long. Shichirigahama has also been called Shichirinada ( 七里灘 ) , Shichibama ( 七里浜 ) and Shichiriura ( 七里浦 ) . Although not part of Kamakura proper since it lies outside the city's Seven Entrances ,

6000-546: Was exiled to Sado Island . The incident has become known as the "Tatsunokuchi Persecution" and was regarded by Nichiren as a death-and-resurrection turning point. In the Nichiren tradition this is called his moment of Hosshaku kenpon ( 発迹顕本 ) , translated as "casting off the transient and revealing the true" or "outgrowing the provisional and revealing the essential." After the failed execution authorities carried out Nichiren's original sentence of exile to Sado Island in

6080-466: Was his first public declaration of Nam(u) Myoho Renge Kyo atop Mount Kiyosumi that same day. This marked the start of his campaign to return Tendai to the exclusive reliance of the Lotus Sutra and his efforts to convert the entire Japanese nation to this belief. This declaration also marks the start of his efforts to make profound Buddhist theory practical and actionable so an ordinary person could manifest Buddhahood within his or her own lifetime in

6160-431: Was long established in Japan at this time and the government galvanized prayers from Buddhist schools for this purpose. Nichiren and his followers, however, felt emboldened that the predictions he had made in 1260 of foreign invasion seemingly were being fulfilled and more people joined their movement. Daring a rash response from the bakufu , Nichiren vowed in letters to his followers that he was giving his life to actualize

6240-407: Was named after the beach. Today's Yuigahama was until then divided between Zaimokuza, Ōmachi , and Hase . There are different theories about the origin of the name. According to one it derives from an earlier one, Yuigo ( 由比郷 ) . According to another it derives from the presence of a cooperative ( yui ( 結 ) ). The name Yui itself has been written in various ways, among them 由井 and 湯井. During

6320-457: Was sentenced to exile but was brought to Tatsunukuchi beach in Shichirigahama for execution. At the final moment an astronomical phenomenon, "a brilliant orb as bright as the moon," arced over the execution grounds, terrifying Nichiren's executioners into inaction. Some scholars have proposed alternative narratives for this story. Regardless of the account, Nichiren's life was spared and he

6400-471: Was to rally his followers in Kamakura. The tactics of the bakufu suppression of the Nichiren community included exile, imprisonment, land confiscation, or ousting from clan membership. Apparently a majority of his disciples abandoned their faith and others questioned why they and Nichiren were facing such adversity in light of the Lotus Sutra's promise of "peace and security in the present life." In response he began to identify himself with Sadāparibhūta ,

#691308