This is another in a series of daily articles concerning Kishio Satomi's book, "Japanese Civilization; Its Significance and Realization; Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles," which details the foundations of Chigaku Tanaka's interpretation of Nichiren Buddhism and Japan's role in the early 20th century.

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Kishio Satomi is explicit in his linkage of the Shokyu War and Nichiren’s growing Buddhist philosophy.

As years rolled on, this infant prodigy became distinct from all others, and when he became twelve years of age reason was beginning to bud in his mind.

He gave vent to his great doubt concerning the contradictory facts of the country with regard to the most important things. What were they? According to one of his extant autographical manuscripts, he harbored two serious doubts, the one was about religion and the other about the Shokyu War, with reference to the Japanese National Principles and history. He writes in one of his letters:

“As you know, I studied diligently from my boyhood, and I prayed to the Bodhisattva Kokuzō since I was twelve years of age in order that I should be made the wisest man in Japan. But, for certain reasons, I cannot write about it minutely yet ” (Works (the Ryogonkaku Edition), Second Series, p. 88; the manuscripts in Nichiren’s own handwriting are extant. Cf. Works, p. 1543).

Buddha’s true teaching must be one, though there exist thousands of different doctrines with pious imposition; however, Buddhism in general was contradictory at that time. Nichiren, first of all very much questioned such Buddhism. In the second place, he could not neglect the Shokyu War, which had happened one year before his birth. Why was the Sovereign’s army beaten by the Hōjō’s? And why do not people doubt such a topsy-turvy, a mere subject like Hōjō Yoshitoki daring to expel the three ex-Emperors to islands? Without doubt, Nichiren wanted to solve these marvelous questions, so he made up his mind to go to the Buddhist Monastery to enable him to get at the root of such phenomena. He says:

“The seven sects of Mahayanism sing their own praises as follows: Our Sect is the important essence of the whole Buddhism, etc. People say: We, common people, can be satisfied with any master or priest by believing him. It might be the best way to revere and believe any priest; but my, Nichiren’s, doubt has not been dispelled. Although every individual tries to get ahead of all others, yet the Sovereign must be one; if two Kings co-exist in one country there cannot be peace; if there are two masters in one home, then family dissensions will break out. It is not otherwise in Buddhism. Apart from what it is, one Scripture must be the great King of all the Buddhist Scriptures. Nevertheless, the ten Sects and the seven sects, all of them, still discuss the problem and each one individually claims to be the great King of Buddhism, just as in the case of a people being in a state of confusion under seven or ten kings. I was once at sixes and sevens and harbored a doubt on this point to solve the problem ” (Works, p. 154).

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p120-121

These quotes from Nichiren fail to convey the message Satomi is trying promote. This happens in the book more often than expected. In my reading of Nichiren’s writings I don’t recall explicit statements that the defeat of the three ex-emperors was a catastrophe. In fact, there are examples of exactly the opposite.

In Kangyō Hachiman-shō, Remonstration with Bodhisattva Hachiman, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 277, Nichiren writes:

Ex-Emperor Gotoba, however, was the ruler in name only; he was a liar, wicked and dishonest. On the contrary, Shogunal Regent Hōjō Yoshitoki was a subject in name, but he was worthy of a great ruler without double-talk, in whom the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman vowed to reside.

And in Shuju Onfurumai Gosho, Reminiscences: from Tatsunokuchi to Minobu, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Disciples, Volume 5, Pages 33, he says:

The prosperity of the Hōjō clan is due to ex-Emperor Gotoba as well as Wada Yoshimori, who both tried to destroy the Hōjōs. If not for them, how could the Hōjōs hold onto their hegemony and rule over Japan? Therefore, we should say that they, who planned to subjugate the Hōjōs, were the prime allies of the Hōjō clan.

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This is another in a series of daily articles concerning Kishio Satomi's book, "Japanese Civilization; Its Significance and Realization; Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles," which details the foundations of Chigaku Tanaka's interpretation of Nichiren Buddhism and Japan's role in the early 20th century.

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In describing Nichiren’s times, Kishio Satomi views two overlapping events as forging Nichiren’s ambition. First was the general religious situation:

[L]et us state the circumstances which happened surrounding Nichiren’s birth.

Nichiren was born in 1222. Japan had a most significant time historically just then, alike politically, religiously and socially.

Some seven hundred years had elapsed since Buddhism had been introduced into Japan, and it had been totally Japanesed at that time. There were several sects, several schools, numerous priests and scholars, thousands of temples: it seemed as if they were showing the glorious day of Buddhism. From an historical point of view of Buddhist doctrine, this time was the age of the general Mahayana Buddhism, while the Hinayana Buddhism was decaying. It was the beginning of the Latter Law, and by this time all Buddhist sects had fully developed.

The so-called Six sects of the old capital were, of course, in their prime soon after Buddhism was introduced into the country. Instead of them, the mixed sect, the Tendai-Shingon Secret Sect took their place, and soon after the famous battle age of Japanese Buddhism came about. During the Kamakura period of Japanese history, especially as regards religion, the people’s religious consciousness and ideas ripened into maturity, and thus many sects were established in succession after the battles between the two clans, the Minamotos and Tairas (or Genji and Heike). In particular the Zen and Nenbuts sects, as the new rising religions, were welcomed among the people, while the Shingon Sect was in favor at Court. Further, Ryōnin, Honen, Eisai and Shinran, etc., founded their own sects.

From about the middle of the Fanciful Law to Nichiren’s establishment of his religion, many sects came into existence as abundantly as mushrooms after rain, but no sect has been founded since Nichiren established the Hokekyo centric religion. At any rate, the circumstances of his day thus, in a sense, were at the time of the religious climax, and all the sects asserted themselves as the right Buddhism.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p117-118

This is standard fare for Nichiren biographies. Satomi, however, adds another element influencing Nichiren, the historic defeat and exile of three former Emperors.

Court-nobles for a long time had indulged in every luxury and lost their actual power by degrees, while the military clans esteemed and fostered real ability more than titles of honor which were but empty titles.

The [the miliary clan of the] Minamotos had been holding the real power of politics prior to Nichiren’s birth, and they established the central government at Kamakura, far from [the empereor’s court in] the western capital Kyoto. The military clan’s government was already on a secure foundation, although the Hōjōs took the place of the Minamotos when [Nichiren] was born. The Hōjōs stuck to real ability and enforced strict modesty. They thus seized the political power of the country and consequently they were apt to interfere with the Court and Court-nobles. It had the effect of the ex-Emperor Gotoba wanting to wage war against the Hōjōs Government in order to recover political power. As soon as an urgent message was sent to the Hōjōs Government, Hōjō Yoshitoki, the Shikken (the highest representative of the Government), sent an army against the Court troops. Unfortunately the Court troops were defeated and the Hōjōs’ army made a raid on the Court’s territory. Hereupon Hōjō Yoshitoki usurped the Court and expelled three ex-Emperors to far islands remote from each other. Yoshitoki set one of H.I.H. princes on the throne who was in no way concerned with the war.

Such a terrible event, indeed, never before occurred and never must occur again in Japan, where the relation and task between sovereign and subject are strictly distinguished on the understanding and faith of the Japanese National Principles. It was in the third year of Shokyu, the 1881st year after the Accession of the Emperor Jimmu, that is to say, 1221st year of the Christian Era. Hence the Shokyu War.

[Nichiren] was born on the 16th of the second month of the fourth year of Shokyu, which is just one year later than the Shokyu War.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p118-119

It is the embarrassment of the defeat of the former emperors that Satomi believes underlay Nichiren’s criticism of the Kamakura military government of his day. For Satomi’s father, Chigaku Tanaka, the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which saw the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the return of the Emperor to power, announced the age Nichiren foresaw, the age in which Japan would lead the world in the propagation of the Lotus Sutra and thus reveal the Eternal Buddha’s Pure Land.

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This is another in a series of daily articles concerning Kishio Satomi's book, "Japanese Civilization; Its Significance and Realization; Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles," which details the foundations of Chigaku Tanaka's interpretation of Nichiren Buddhism and Japan's role in the early 20th century.

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What sets Kishio Satomi and his father, Chigaku Tanaka, apart from mainstream followers of Nichiren is their emphasis of the importance of the nation of Japan.

The Hokekyo [Lotus Sutra] must have a state like Japan in order to validate its pregnant value, and Japan should have the Hokekyo for the sake of the realization of her national ideal. Therefore, Nichiren praised Japan in regard of the truth of the Hokekyo from the doctrinal point of view, not for the sake of his fatherland.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p27

The believer was not to yearn for a Pure Land in the West nor even to seek the Eternal Buddha’s Pure Land in this Sāha world. Real followers of Nichiren, Satomi says, actively seek to create that land.

We must also not neglect the following results which are cited by Nichiren (from the Nehan-gyo) very often as being one of his thoughts about the commandment, It says:

“However virtuous a priest may be, if he neglects to eject transgressors, to make them repent or renounce their sins, hearken! he is wicked and hostile to Buddhist Law. If he casts them out to make them be repentant and amend their negligence, he is worthy to be my disciple and truly virtuous.”

Thus the idea of the Hokekyo does not admit of a mere self-complacency in faith, but it demands absolute reconstruction and instructing one’s environments. Therefore, the definition of faith is much different from the ordinal ones in other religions. The significant purport of a Nichirenian’s faith must be a combination of both, which is self-devotion and social reconstruction, therefore he says:

“How grievous it is that we were born in such a country wherein the right law is disparaged and we suffer great torment! How shall we deal with the unbelief in our homes and in our country, even though some people observe the faith of the Law whereby they are relieved of the sin of individual disparagement. If you desire to relieve your home of unbelief, tell the truth of the Scripture to your parents, brothers and sisters. What would happen would be detestation or belief. If you desire the State to be the righteous one you must remonstrate with the King or the government on its disparagement of the righteous law, at the risk of capital punishment or banishment. From all eternity, all failures of people to attain Buddhahood were rooted in silence about this, out of fear of such things ” (Works, p. 651).

The conception of the commandment, therefore, is not merely negative virtue of individuals, but undoubtedly a strong vow for the realization of a universal or humanistic ideal paradise in this world.

According to Nichiren, the heavenly paradise has not an allegorical existence, but is the highest aim of living beings in the living world. In other words, it must be actually built on the earth. For such a fundamental humanistic aim we must all strive. The true commandment has not its being apart from the vow. If one fully comprehends his thought, and will strive for it, then the signification of one’s life will be realized. This thought is the most important idea of Nichiren’s religion, and, in fact, the peculiarity of Nichirenism consists therein. For him, to protect and extend the righteousness over the world, through the country and to everybody is the true task of life. Consequently, [Nichiren] tested what would be the most convenient way of realizing such an ideal in the world, and he found the country for it.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p100-102

Just as it is important to keep in mind the 13th century medieval environment in which Nichiren developed his ideas, it is equally important to remember that Satomi is writing after World War I and during Japan’s growing imperialistic ambitions in the first half of the 20th century.

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This is another in a series of daily articles concerning Kishio Satomi's book, "Japanese Civilization; Its Significance and Realization; Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles," which details the foundations of Chigaku Tanaka's interpretation of Nichiren Buddhism and Japan's role in the early 20th century.

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The full title of Kishio Satomi’s book is “Japanese Civilization; Its Significance and Realization; Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles.” It was published as part of Trubner’s Oriental Series in London in 1923. It is written for the Western reader and as such makes certain concessions. For example, since followers of Christ are called Christians, Satomi calls followers of Nichiren Nichirerians. In an effort to separate the established temple-based Nichiren religion from what his father, Chigaku Tanaka, had established, he called it Nichirenism.

In summarizing Nichirenism and Nichirenians toward the end of his book, Satomi writes:

Nichirenism as the practical religion teaches us that human life finds its signification and light by strong procedure and by following the path which leads to promise of life, and which is different from a mere abstract conception of truth. Therefore, for Nichirenians, there is no racial discrimination, nor wrong notion of nationality, nor class, but only one discrimination, viz. between men who obey and safeguard the path and those who do not. It is the universal religion, which is above the usual national conservatism. Nichirenians find their gratitude in their awakening of the path, and, according to Nichiren’s definite instruction, they are to share their happiness with all mankind. They will never realize the objective state of faith in individual ease or consolation. They will surely proceed to the movement of reconstruction of the world even if they sacrifice their individual consolation or ease; but in the very process of that task they will discover the real means of Attainment of Buddhahood. Their expectation will indeed consist in Universal Buddhafication.

Accordingly, Nichiren’s faith does not lie within a mere religious sentiment nor in bliss of the Almighty. Their faith only traces their right path wherein their lives consist, therefore God’s love is apart from the problem as far as they are concerned with the Heavenly Task. Because protection of righteousness is God’s duty.

Of course they do not seek religion in a mere ritual form, though without doubt it is an important part of religion to a certain extent, and consequently is adopted to a certain degree in Nichiren’s religion. Nichirenism emancipates religion from the dark interior of the church right into joyful human life. Therefore, for Nichirenians, religion is not only a religion in the ordinary sense but it is the principle and method of the synthetic creation of the world. And also for such reasons they establish religion as an achievement, the Heavenly Task.

Thus those who recognize and believe the Heavenly Task, in other words, the establishment of the Holy Altar in future as the vital point and signification of their lives, are ruled by those ideas, viz. absolute adoration, gratitude, mutual admiration of the same minds, vow to realize the law, and sacrifice of one’s life for the law. These five are indeed their radical rules, which they willingly obey. And therefore they guard and extend the Law with all their powers, that is economical power, science, preaching, labor and so forth. They do not discriminate men according to their ranks or occupations or races. Every man is equal before the Heavenly Task, so they admire, respect and thank each other for the practice of the task. Therein lies their real worthiness. They believe they are realizing an ideal human life in the society of one another, if ever.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p226-228

In the Introduction, Satomi explains:

The religion to be aimed at should be one of validity and value. If we were righteous there would be no necessity to ask God’s help, for it is God’s duty a priori to protect the righteous.

So, in the first place, “prayer” consists in “vowing” to do that which is righteous oneself and being benevolently inclined towards our fellow creatures and thereby engendering righteousness and perfect love.

In the second place, “prayer” also means “thanksgiving” for one’s rectitude, and then again “prayer” should be a genuine feeling of absolute dependence on God. Otherwise contradiction will go on repeating itself everlastingly.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p2-3

The goal of Nichirenism, Satomi explains, is to free religion:

Emancipate religion from old conceptions, from the Church and from the grave. The principle and spirit of religion should be interwoven with daily life. Strive to find religion at every step, at every turn, at work, at table, in business or in time of war or peace! Plough the land for the sake of humanity, then shall a man find true happiness.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p4

Nichirenism, Satomi says, requires a different practice.

A tradesman who is devoted to a religion and is a regular churchgoer in order to benefit by sermons and prayer, would appear to be a true believer of the religion as far as the church is concerned. He argues love, benevolence, truth, peace or something of the kind and overestimates himself and is proud of his faith during those moments. However, when attending to his everyday duties he thinks of his own interests and competes with numerous other traders, gloats over his gains and, should an opportunity offer, he would overthrow his competitors.

Is not such a view of peace a superficial one? Can we recognize even the smallest degree of faith in such intentions? Such a phenomenon is obviously contradictory. We cannot approve of such dualism or pluralism which draws a distinction between our mode of living and our religious faith.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p6

Worldwide reform is the ultimate goal of Satomi’s Nichirenism:

We must bring about in the near future an international constitution so that the States and the world may be judged. It is illogical that a State should punish an individual man or woman for a theft or other crime of which the State itself is guilty on a much larger scale. It is out of all reason to ascribe equity to national greediness. Therefore the State must undergo a moral reconstruction. So we must contrive to bring about a reconstruction of the world, its countries and its individuals. We offer Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles as the means to be considered by the nations.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p10

Satomi makes an effort to soften Nichirenism’s rejection of all other Buddhist sects and all other religions.

Nichirenism is the principle of the synthetic creation based on Nichiren’s doctrine, thought and faith, and it is religion in quite an ordinary sense, but at the same time it is the general basis of life and of the world. Accordingly, we cannot treat Nichirenism as a mere form of Buddhism, however apt we may be to allow our views to be influenced by our prejudices and our sectarianism when we come in touch with a sect which is foreign to us. So, to begin with, when seeking truth, we must eliminate sectarianism, which of itself alone will confuse our understanding or reason. For this cause and also in order to free Nichiren’s religion from the hackneyed conception of religion, we use the appellation Nichirenism, the term adopted by Chigaku Tanaka.

Nichirenism, in the first place, rejects all other religions on the one hand, but, on the other hand, approves them all, when enlightened and elucidated by Nichirenism. From the former point of view, Nichirenism is not incompatible with the other religions, but is in unison and harmony with them from the latter point of view.

For Satomi, the world of the 1920s was ripe for conquest by Nichiren’s ideas.

Nichirenism is by no means the religion of the past, but the religion of the future and forever. The past ages were not ready to be Nichirenized for many reasons, the political condition was one of them, the state of civilization was another, and the affairs of the world of thought might also be added. But now the world has come to a standstill, so that it must of necessity take a new turn.

Nichirenism and the Japanese National Principles, p13

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