The Life of Nichiren Daishonin Part One - The Birth of the Daishonin Historical Background The story of the life of the Founder of True Buddhism, Nichiren Daishonin, begins approximately 770 years ago during a period in Japan called the Kamakura Era (1192-1333). Nichiren Daishonin was born in the central area of the narrow archipelago of Japan in the village of Kominato located in Nagasa-gori Tojo-no-go area of the ancient province of Awa (present day Chiba Prefecture). There were many fishing villages in Awa Province that faced the vast Pacific Ocean with its flow of the Japan Current. This current produced a bountiful supply of fish and other natural marine products and the area was blessed with an all-year-round mild climate. In this ancient territory of Awa, lived Mikuni-no-Tayu Shigetada1 who labored everyday as a fisherman from the village of Kominato and his wife, Umegiku-nyo. They were to later become the parents of Nichiren Daishonin. This young husband and wife lead very complete lives as they strived to do their best in their work together with the other fishermen of the village. Life at this time in medieval Japan was far from peaceful. Hojo Yoshitoki2 seized control of Japan and disputes between his Kamakura Shogunate government (also referred to as the Kamakura Bakufu) and the Imperial Court at Kyoto became increasingly intense. Even amongst the various provinces throughout the country, discontent flared up as the authorities made a display of their power3, and hatred and killings between the two forces arose. Both the Imperial Court and the Kamakura Shogunate denounced each other4 and numerous murders occurred as bloodshed was retaliated against with even more bloodshed. Whenever any struggle between the Imperial and Shogunate powers took place, the common populace was forced to suffer and quietly endure hardship. As these killings rampaged on, Mikuni-no-Tayu and Umegiku-nyo came to despise the conditions of their society of survival of the fittest, and thus thought only of building a happy family in the village of Kominato, blessed with its abundant natural surroundings. One refreshing morning under the rays of the sun during the beginning of summer when the leaves had finally turned a deeper green, as one could hear the sounds of the sea beating against the shore, Mikuni-no-Tayu and Umegiku-nyo had the following conversation. "Dear, last night I dreamt a most unusual dream" remarked Umegiku-nyo to her husband as she reached for his hand. As Umegiku-nyo continued, "I sat myself down atop Mt. Hiei5 and as I washed my hands in the lake of Omi6, I thought of the sun arising from behind the distant Mt. Fuji. The sun then entered straight into my bosom. As I awakened.......", tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as she suddenly realized that she was pregnant. Overjoyed upon hearing Umegiku-nyo's news, Mikuni-no-Tayu was astounded at the amazing dream and responded, "Actually, Umegiku- nyo, I myself also had an incredible dream last night. I dreamt that Bodhisattva Kokuzo7 appeared before me and on his shoulder was a robust baby. He told me that this child was Bodhisattva Jogyo8. He then explained that this child was the great bodhisattva that would bestow the greatest of treasures and well-being upon all mankind throughout the world. He would be a great master of the Buddhist Law that would bring salvation to all living beings forever. Bodhisattva Kokuzo then said he would give this child to me." The couple was astonished that their extraordinary dreams had become a reality and their hearts were filled with intense emotion. However, Mikuni-no-Tayu and Umegiku-nyo both realized that this great joy was something that they could never take lightly and that they had to be especially careful to make sure the child would be born safely. The Birth of Nichiren Daishonin As they entered the month of February during the first year of Bun'o (1222), the day quickly approached for Mikuni-no-Tayu and Umegiku-nyo's child to be born. At this time, a strange event occurred in Kominato. A blue lotus plant suddenly sprouted in the waters off the nearby beach of Kominato and a vivid flower blossomed. The people throughout the village were astounded and even today, there is a place along the Kominato coast named Renge- ga-Fuchi, or "Lotus Pool." On the evening of the fifteenth of that month, Umegiku-nyo who was about to become a mother, had another unusual dream. "I climbed atop the peak of Mt. Fuji and everything as far as I could see in any direction was bright, just as if I was looking at the palm of my own hand. Whether I looked at the past, present or even the future, I could see everything very clearly. At that time, a bright light flashed suddenly before me and Bonten, Taishaku, the Four Heavenly Deities and all the other Shoten Zenjin descended from the sky and declared, 'the Buddha of Intrinsically Perfect Wisdom is about to appear in this world to save all mankind and Bodhisattva Jogyo will be reborn as a common mortal. The birth of this child will occur momentarily.' " (Condensed from the Ubuyu Sojo no Koto, "Aspects Surrounding the Birth of the Founder", Gosho Zenshu, p.878)9 Before sunrise in the middle of the night on the sixteenth (of February), Mikuni-no-Tayu anxiously awaited his new child's birth. He opened the wooden outer doors and went out under the eaves of the house. He noticed that pure natural hot spring water was gushing forth from the field he had been cultivating. He tasted the water and saw that it was clear pure water. He thought to himself, "we can certainly use this water during the birth." Diverting himself from his feelings of anxiety, Mikuni-no-Tayu poured all his efforts into drawing the water. Shortly afterwards, a healthy baby boy was born. The name of the newborn child, taken from the mother and father's unusual dreams, was Zennichi-maro (literally, "Boy of the Sun of Goodness" or "Virtuous Sun Boy"). Near the warm and peaceful village of Kominato, Zennichi-maro quickly grew up, surrounded by the profound love of his mother and father. Zennichi-maro was different from the other village children in the way he played, his attitudes and behavior. Zennichi-maro also took meticulous care of the sea shells he found and even while he would play with the other village children, he would always look upon the birds and insects with compassion. He never purposely killed any living thing. At age three and four, as Zennichi-maro was growing up, his father taught him many things. His mother told Zennichi-maro many old stories and tales. His dignity and spirit in later years, his noble wisdom, his bravery, his strong will to overcome any obstacle or persecution, his healthy stature, big heart and warm affection for others were all cultivated at this time. Footnotes: 1. Mikuni-no-Tayu Shigetada: Also known as Nakina Jiro Shigetada. The father of Nichiren Daishonin, often noted in the Daishonin's Gosho simply as Mikuni-no-Tayu. Before moving to Kominato Village in the Province of Awa (present day Chiba Prefecture, different from Awa of Shikoku Island) and taking up the profession of fisherman, the Daishonin's father had been a Samurai warrior named Nakina Jiro Shigetada. After moving to Awa, he acquired the name Mikuni-no- Tayu, probably taken from the area where he lived, a common practice of the day. 2. Hojo Yoshitoki (1163-1224): The Hojo family which held the title of Shikken, or Regent of Kamakura from 1200 to 1333, were descendants of Taira Sadamori who had descended from Prince Katsubara-shinno (786-853), son of the Emperor Kammu. Hojo Yoshitoki was the second Regent of Kamakura, son of Hojo Tokimasa and brother of Masa-ko (governor of Kyoto and wife of Minamoto Yoritomo, the first Minamoto Shogun or powerful lieutenant-general and founder of the Kamakura Bakufu.). In 1205, Yoshitoki succeeded his father as Regent of Kamakura and governed together with his sister Masa-ko. Due to the great power he held, all authority throughout Japan, the shoguns and even the emperors were chosen according to Hojo Yoshitoki's will. Hojo Yoshitoki was eventually assassinated at age 62, by a servant of the Imperial Court. 3. Display of power: One very noted incident was the Civil War of the Jokyu era (1219-1221) also referred to as the Jokyu Disturbance, or the Jokyu no Ran. After the death of the third and final Minamoto Shogun, Sanetomo, in 1219, the Hojo clan installed two year old Fujiwara Yoshitsune as Shogun. However, Hojo Yoshitoki in reality continued to govern the nation. In 1221, Emperor Juntoku abdicated the throne in favor of his son, leaving the nation with three retired or ex-emperors, Go-Toba, Tsuchimikado and Juntoku. Go-Toba and Juntoku together schemed to rid the nation of the Hojo regime and usher in the return of Imperial power, ordering all provinces to send troops to rise in rebellion against the Shogunate government. Even though several thousand samurai warriors responded to the calls from the ex-emperors, they were defeated and as a result, the reigning young Emperor Chukyo was deposed, Juntoku was exiled to Sado Island, Go-Toba was banished to Oki, Tsuchimikado was exiled to the Awa area on Shikoku Island. Furthermore, the numerous court nobles, generals and samurai warriors who had supported the uprising were brought from Kyoto to Kamakura and executed by the victorious Hojo who then placed a new emperor, Emperor Go- Horikawa, on the throne. The Shogunate then proceeded in distributing the land of the vanquished to their own vassals and established Shogunal deputies in order to keep the court under surveillance and control, thus strengthening even more the Hojo Clan's hold on the nation which ended up lasting for one hundred years 4. Denounced each other: On June 6, 1221, the Imperial Court denounced Hojo Yoshitoki as an outlaw and by June 9, all of eastern Japan (where the seat of the Kamakura Shogunate and also Nichiren Daishonin's birthplace of Kominato were located) declared itself to be in a state of rebellion. 5. Mt. Hiei: A mountain in western Japan located between the ancient Imperial capital of Kyoto and Lake Biwa. The head temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Enryaku-ji, is located atop Mt. Hiei. The Great Teacher Dengyo went to live on Mt. Hiei in 785 and in 788, he constructed a small temple Hieisan-ji. Hieisan-ji temple was later renamed Enryaku-ji. 6. Omi: Present day Shiga Prefecture. 7. Bodhisattva Kokuzo: Also referred to as the "Bodhisattva of Space" because his wisdom and good fortune were said to be as limitless as the universe itself. Bodhisattva Kokuzo is a central figure in Shingon Buddhism, but has been worshipped in Japan since ancient times. Bodhisattva Kokuzo was the principal and original object of worship of Seicho-ji temple in Kominato where Nichiren Daishonin took the tonsure and began his studies and formal training as a Buddhist priest. Nichiren Daishonin stated in many of his writings that he prayed to this statue of Bodhisattva Kokuzo to become the wisest man in all Japan. 8. Bodhisattva Jogyo: Leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth who appear in the Yujutsu ("Emerging from the Earth", or fifteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra and are appointed the task of propagating the law of Myoho-Renge-Kyo in the Latter Day of the Law and receive the essence of the Lotus Sutra from Shakyamuni Buddha during the Ceremony of the Air. 9. Ubuyu Sojo no Koto ("Aspects Surrounding the Birth of the Founder") Explained by Nichiren Daishonin and written down by Nikko Shonin. Date of compilation unspecified. ©1995 Nichiren Shoshu Monthly