The Life of Nichiren Daishonin 
Part EightÑ The Matsubagayatsu Persecution 

On July 16th, in the first year of the Bun'o period (1260), Nichiren 
Daishonin submitted the "Treatise on Securing Peace in the Land 
through the Establishment of True Buddhism" (Rissho Ankoku Ron) 
to Hojo Tokiyori, the supreme authority of the Kamakura Shogunate. 
The Daishonin submitted this remonstrative document out of his 
great desire to save all the people. Because of Nichiren Daishonin 
propagation efforts, enormous interest in True Buddhism had grown 
among the people. This was, in part, the result of his national 
remonstration directed towards the Shogunate. The Shogunate 
however made no public respond to the Daishonin's remonstration, 
but secretly plotted to get rid of Nichiren Daishonin. 
 Hojo Tokiyori, along with the rest of the statesmen of the Kamakura 
Government, were intoxicated with the deceptive wine of slander 
against the True Law of Buddhism and  desired to protect their own 
personal interest and social standings. The high priests of the Zen, 
Nembutsu, Ritsu and other sects secretly assembled to plot the 
assassination of Nichiren Daishonin. 
Instigated by Doryu,1 Ryokan,2 Nen'a,3 Royo and the other priests of 
Kamakura, in the middle of the night of August 27, 1260, the fortieth 
day after the submission of the Rissho Ankoku Ron, a mob of a few 
thousand people consisting mainly of followers of the Nembutsu sect, 
gathered at the hermitage of Nichiren Daishonin at Matsubagayatsu 
in an attempt to murder him.
The Matsubagayatsu Persecution was authorized by Shigetoki of 
Gokurakuji Temple,4 a powerful authority within the Kamakura 
Shogunate. Moreover, the Matsubagayatsu Persecution led to the 
behind the scenes maneuver of the government in which they 
schemed that if the Shogunate slaughtered a priest, it could not be 
considered a crime. 
This murderous scheme by the followers of the Nembutsu and other 
priests could not deter Nichiren Daishonin, the Votary of the Lotus 
Sutra. It is said that an old white monkey took Nichiren Daishonin by 
the hand and lead him into the hilly forest away from danger. What 
actually happened at this time, however, is not entirely clear. In any 
event, miraculously through the protection of the Shoten Zenjin, 
Nichiren Daishonin was successfully able to escape numerous 
assailants in a night attack upon his residence.
After the Matsubagayatsu Persecution had occurred, the people 
responsible for this assault were never even questioned for their 
crimes. This had been an action in which the Kamakura government 
itself had directly violated the Law of Buddhism.
After the assault at Matsubagayatsu the Daishonin temporarily left 
the city of Kamakura and through the invitation of Toki Jonin, moved 
to the Toki residence in Wakamiya in the province of Shimofusa 
(present day Chiba Prefecture). According to the traditional annals of 
the history of Nichiren Daishonin, it is said that at this time the "one 
hundred sermons in one hundred days" took place. However, since no 
documentary proof exists, it is not clear what transpired. It is true 
however, that when Nichiren Daishonin arrived in the Shimofusa 
area he labored very extensively to propagate the Law of True 
Buddhism, pointing out the correct path and spreading the Mystic 
Law of Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
It is believed that it was during this time that Ota Jomyo, Soya 
Kyoshin, Akimoto Taro Hyoe-no-Jo and others took faith in the 
Daishonin's True Buddhism.

References
1. A Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts, Nichiren Shoshu 
International Center.
2. A Dictionary of Japanese Buddhist Terms with Supplement, Heian 
International, Hisao Inagaki
3. A History of Japan, George Sansom, Tuttle
4. Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan, E. Papinot, Tuttle.

Footnotes:
1. Doryu: A Zen priest who came to Japan from China in 1246 and 
was very influential within the Kamakura government. He first 
stayed in Kyoto, but was later invited in 1253 by Hojo Tokiyori to 
become the abbot (chief priest) of Kenchoji Temple, one of the largest 
and most influential Zen temples in Kamakura. Doryu instructed 
Tokiyori in the teachings of Zen Buddhism since his youth.
2. Ryokan: A renowned Shingon-Ritsu priest who joined together 
with other priests from the different sects and held great influence 
over the Kamakura Shogunate during Nichiren Daishonin's time. 
Ryokan's temple, Gokurakuji, was constructed by Hojo Shigetoki, the 
assistant to Regent Hojo Tokiyori. Ryokan had been directly installed 
as abbot of this temple by Hojo Nagatoki, assistant to the sixth regent 
of Kamakura, Hojo Tokimune. In 1281, Gokurakuji was designated 
the government's official temple of prayer.
3. Nen'a: Nen'a was a disciple of Honen and priest of the Nembutsu, 
or Pure Land, sect. Nen'a like Ryokan and Doryu, was another noted 
and very influential person within the Kamakura Bakufu, the 
founder of Komyoji Temple in Kamakura and the fourth high priest 
of the Shin Nishi branch of the Jodo sect.
4. Shigetoki of Gokurakuji Temple: Denotes Hojo Shigetoki (1198-
1261), assistant to Regent Hojo Tokiyori. He lived in retreat at 
Ryokan's Gokurakuji Temple from 1256 to 1261 and was a devout 
believer of Amida Buddha and the Nembutsu teachings, taking the 
Buddhist name of Nindo Shigetoki. He remained rigorously hostile to 
Nichiren Daishonin and True Buddhism until his death. Shortly before 
he died, Shigetoki left a letter of posterity to his descendants entitled 
Gokurakuji Dono no On-Shosoku ("The Gokurakuji Letter") in which 
he commands his descendants never to approach nor embrace 
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, "To revile the scriptures is to disobey 
the profound mysterious wishes of the Lord Buddha. Make sure that 
you and your family, even the little children, are not guilty of 
irreverence."

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