I’ve added another brochure to the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church website. This one was published by the Asia Buddhist Friendship Association Nichiren Shū in 1985. The booklet is bilingual, with English on the lefthand pages and Japanese on the right.

This brochure declares that Nichiren was Bodhisattva Viśiṣṭacaritra – Jōgyō in Japanese and Superior Practice in English.

Viśiṣṭacaritra is a Bodhisattva who is predicted to appear in this impure world in what was termed lawlessness (Mappō in Japanese) two thousand years following Buddha’s passing. Here, in compliance with the spirit of the sage, Śākyamuni, this Bodhisattva is to undertake Buddhist austerities armed with the Lotus Sutra. However, in this sutra it also explains that without fail persecution will be encountered while propagating and teaching the Lotus Sutra in this age of degeneration. It is in the face of this oppression that resolution must not waver, even to the extent of martyrdom, so that teaching of the Lotus Sutra can be carried out. In compliance with this prediction of the Lotus Sutra, Saint Nichiren was born at the beginning of the age of lawlessness (Mappō) during the Kamakura-Era (1185-1333). In preaching this text he suffered repented persecution and at one stage almost became a martyr in its cause. Finally, it was in his pursuit of the course expounded in the Lotus Sutra that Saint Nichiren attained the realization that he was in fact Viśiṣṭacaritra Bodhisattva.

I’ve uploaded to the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church website another of those treasures I discovered when I was cleaning out the Sunday school classroom. This one is a 5×7 booklet that tells the story of Nichiren’s life with paintings by Chokusai Uenaka.

From the Preface:
Since ancient times a genre of art called emakimono, in which biographies of individuals and narrative tales were presented in picture and written form, has existed in Japan. This book, following the traditional Japanese method, illustrates the biography of St. Nichiren, founder of the Nichiren-shu (sect) of Buddhism. An explanation of the scenes is also included.

The paintings of St. Nichiren’s life were executed by Chokusai Uenaka. Including a descriptive text which I composed, a Japanese edition of this book was published under the title of Nichiren Shonin eden (A Pictorial Biography of St. Nichiren) by the Kuonji Temple of Mt. Minobu. This English edition contains a selection of sixteen paintings from the original with a re-edited digest of the original text.

In order that people all over the world learn about St. Nichiren and his faith, publishing projects have been a business concern of the Nichiren-shu Asian Buddhist Friendship Association.

Uenaka Chokusai, the artist who created the scenes for this publication, is ranked as a great master of the traditional Tosa-e painting school. In completing this pictorial biography of St. Nichiren, he gave great attention to detail. After carefully researching the period, he took care to make sure that the elements of St. Nichiren’s era-Kamakura period (1192-1333) customs, mannerisms, clothing and architecture-were illustrated accurately.

In the original Japanese edition, the explanatory text was summarized and edited into an English digest by Junpei Kawasaki. However, in order to make the text more understandable it has been given a standardized style, certain areas have been altered or retranslated, and the whole text has been rechecked for accuracy and readability. This has been accomplished through the cooperation of David A. Hall, a Ph.D. candidate in Buddhist Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. The Publishing of this English edition is being made possible through the assistance of Nichiren-shu.

Kyoyu Fujii, Editor
President, Nichiren-shu Asian Buddhist Friendship Association Tokyo, July 1986

The text and images are displayed on the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church website. A PDF copy of the booklet is also available for download.

I’m using cropped versions of some of these images in the header of my website.

In 1957 the United States Information Service published a book entitled “The Life of Buddha” that used Thai Temple paintings to tell the story. Some time later, the Asia Buddhist Friendship Association, a Nichiren Shu organization, published sets of 5×7 cards with the paintings on one side and information on the back. I found an envelope of cards 8-1 to 8-8 at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church Sunday school classroom.

Each card contains a Thai Temple painting. On the back of the card is a list of Famous Buddhist Sites. (Same sites on all cards). Each card has a different ‘Buddha’s saying’ quote and information about that card’s Thai painting. The inside cover of the envelope contains a short biography of the Buddha.

I have re-created the package on the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church’s page of Nichiren Shu brochures. A PDF copy of the package is also available.

Today I added Senchu Murano’s 36-page booklet entitled The Gohonzon, which was published in 1997 by the Nichiren Shu Overseas Propagation Promotion Association. (Read it here.)

Murano, who is the principal translator for the Nichiren Shu version of the Lotus Sutra harbors some theories that I take issue with. For example, in this booklet he says:

Sakyamuni Buddha became the Buddha in the remotest past. There was no Buddha before him. He was the first Buddha, the Original Buddha. All the other Buddhas in the past, present and future are his emanations.

In The Gohonzon booklet, Murano offers an abbreviated summary of the teaching of the Lotus Sutra that he entitles:

The Fantasy of the Lotus Sutra

The Pure World of the Original and Eternal Sakyamuni Buddha is a fantasy of the Lotus Sutra. A fantasy may not be real, but it sometimes portrays the truth more eloquently than reality. That is why Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Miyazawa Kenji’s Milky Way Railroad Train At Night is immortal.

The fantastic narration of the Lotus Sutra begins with the story of Prabhutaratna (Many-Treasures, Taho) Buddha, as follows:

There lived a Buddha called Taho many kalpas ago in a world called Treasure-Pure, which was located far to the east of the Saha World. Taho Buddha knew the Wonderful Dharma, but did not expound it by himself because he thought that the Wonderful Dharma should be expounded by a Buddha who would emanate from himself as many Replica-Buddhas as there are worlds in the universe, dispatch them to those worlds, and then expound the Wonderful Dharma in a sutra called the Lotus Sutra. Taho Buddha decided to wait for the advent of such a Buddha, and to approve the truthfulness of the Lotus Sutra expounded by that Buddha.

Taho Buddha requested his disciples to build a stupa, and to put his body in it after he passes away. His disciples made a stupa as they were instructed. After his Parinirvana, they positioned his body into a sitting posture of meditation, put it in the stupa, and shut the door.

A Buddha can see, hear, speak, and even move after his Parinirvana. The only thing a past Buddha cannot do is to expound the Dharma. Be must be satisfied with hearing the Dharma expounded by a present Buddha.

Taho Buddha had been watching all the corners of the universe for many kalpas until he finally found a Buddha doing what He had wished to see. He saw Sakyamuni Buddha of the Saha World, which was located far to the west of his world, issue many replicas from himself, dispatch them to all the worlds of the universe, and then expound the Lotus Sutra. Having rejoiced at seeing all this, Taho Buddha prepared himself for the journey to the Saha World. He made his stupa move. It flew through the skies over many worlds, and reached the sky below the Saha World. Then the stupa rose, passed the Saha World from underneath, and floated in the sky above Mt. Sacred Eagle. Taho Buddha turned the stupa toward Sakyamuni, and praised him from within the stupa.

The congregation was astonished to see all this. Representing the congregation, Daigyosetsu Bodhisattva asked Sakyamuni, “Who is in the stupa?” Sakyamuni answered, “Taho Buddha is there.” Daigyosetsu begged Sakyamuni to open the door of the stupa so that all the congregation could see the newly arrived Buddha. But Sakyamuni refused his appeal, saying that Taho Buddha would never allow anyone to open the door of his stupa unless an expounder of the Lotus Sutra collects his Replica-Buddhas from the worlds of the ten quarters. Daigyosetsu begged Sakyamuni to collect them.

Sakyamuni Buddha consented to his appeal. He issued a ray of light from his forehead as a sign to call them forth. Acknowledging this light, the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters returned to their home world, and assembled on Mt. Sacred Eagle. With this Sakyamuni Buddha hovered, and opened the door of the stupa. Taho Buddha moved to the left to make some space for Sakyamuni to sit, and asked him to join him. Sakyamuni entered the stupa and sat on the right of Taho Buddha.

Seeing the two Buddhas sitting side by side in the stupa hanging in the sky, the congregation wished to be near the two Buddhas. Reading the minds of the congregation, Sakyamuni raised them up to the sky below the stupa.

Thereupon Sakyamuni Buddha announced that he would transmit the Lotus Sutra to someone. Hearing this, many Bodhisattvas begged Sakyamuni to transmit it to them. But he refused their appeal, saying, “I meant to say that I would transmit this sutra to someone other than you. You are not needed. I have chosen the ones to whom I will transmit this sutra.”

When he said this, innumerable Bodhisattvas sprang up from the four corners of the Saha World. The four army-like divisions of Bodhisattvas were headed by one or another of the Four Bodhisattvas: Visistacaritra (Jogyo), Anantacaritra (Muhengyo ), Visuddhacaritra (Jogyo) and Spratisthitacaritra (Anryugyo). All the Bodhisattvas from underground rose to the sky, and greeted Sakyamuni Buddha with the disciple-to-master courtesy, saying, “We are very glad to see you again. Are you in good health?” Sakyamuni said to them, “I am very glad .to see that you rejoice at seeing me again.”

The congregation was surprised to see the newcomers from underground greeting Sakyamuni as respectfully and as courteously as if they were the disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha.

Representing the congregation, Maitreya Bodhisattva asked Sakyamuni, saying, “Who are they? We have never seen them before. They must have hidden themselves underground a very long time ago. You are younger than they because it is only forty and some years ago that you became the Buddha. But these elders greet you as respectfully and as courteously as if they were your disciples. This is strange. It is difficult to believe that a handsome, black-haired man of twenty-five years can point to men a hundred years old, and say, ‘They are my sons.’ Who are the newcomers?” Sakyamuni Buddha said to Maireya Bodhisattva, “You think that I left the palace of the Sakyas, sat at the place of enlightenment, and became the Buddha forty and some years ago. You are mistaken. I became the Buddha in the remotest past. These Bodhisattvas from underground are my disciples whom I taught in the remotest past.”

After saying this, Sakyamuni Buddha transmitted the Lotus Sutra to the Bodhisattvas headed by Visistacaritra. Then he descended from the stupa to the ground. All the people who were in the sky also descended. Sakyamuni Buddha put his right hand on the heads of the Bodhisattvas, and said, “Now I will transmit the Lotus Sutra to all of you. Propagate it with all your hearts.”

Sakyamuni Buddha turned toward the stupa in the sky, and said, “May the Buddhas be where they wish to be. May the stupa be where it was.”

Here ends the fantasy of the Lotus Sutra.

I prefer the actual book to this fantasy.

Recently I found a stack of old brochures at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church. The 28-page 6 inch by 8 inch brochure was produced by Nichiren Order of North America in 1991.

You can read the brochure on the church website here.

I enjoyed this description of the Odaimoku:

According to Nichiren Shonin, the Odaimoku is not a mere representation of Buddha’s Truths. Rather it is the embodiment of Buddha’s Truths when the formula is uttered with a firm belief of the truths contained in the Lotus Sutra and with full acceptance of Buddha as the Saviour.

It also includes this handy list of “Holy Days”:

The Buddha’s Nirvana Day, February 15

After 45 years of preaching, Śākyamuni Buddha entered into Nirvana, perfect tranquility, at the age of 80 in Kusinagara.

Nichiren Shonin’s Birthday, February 16

Nichiren Shon-in was born on February 16, 1222, at Kominato, Chiba.

Sakyamuni Buddha’s Birthday, Apri1 8

Sakyamuni Buddha was born in Lumbini, on April 8, 565 B.C., as a pricce of the Sakya Clan.

Proclamation of the establishment of a new order, April, 28 ·

Nichiren Shonin declared he would establish his faith in the Lotus Sutra at Seichoji Temple in his home town, Kominato on April 28, 1253.

Exile to Izu Peninsula, May 12

In 1260 Nichiren Shōnin presented his work, the “Rissho Ankoku Ron” and admonished the government against believing wrong teachings. On May 12, 1261, he was exiled to Jzu Yeniosula because of his admonition.

Matsubagayatsu ‘ Persecution August 27

The presentation of the “Risshō Ankoku-ron” caused rioters to attack Nichiren Shōnin and they set fire to his hermitage at Matsubagayatsu on Aug. 27, 1260.

Tatsunokuchi Persecution, September J2

In 1271 the government was displeased by Nichiren Shōnin’s propagating acts and he was arrested and exiled to Sado Island. On September 12, on the way to Sado, he was about to be executed at Tatsunokuchi, but his life was saved by a mysterious light from the sky.

Sado Exile, October 10

After Nichiren Shōnin escaped execution at Tatsunokuchi, he was exiled to Sado Island on October 10, 1271. He was there for three years.

Oeshiki, October 13

On the way from Mt. Minobu to Hitachi Spa to cure his illness, Nichiren Shōnin ended his 60 years of eventful life at Ikegami, Tokyo, on October 13, 1282.

Komatsubara Persecution, November 11

Nichiren Shōnin and his disciples were attacked by the lord Kagenobu Tojo, and his conspirators on a path in the forest of Komastubara in Tojo’s territory on November 11, 1264. Nichiren Shōnin was injured on his head and one of his disciples and one follower were killed.

By Rev. Ryuei McCormick
Nichiren Shu News, Aug. 1, 2019

A common practice of Nichiren Buddhism is a triple repetition of a portion of the opening prose section of Chapter 2 of the Lotus Sutra, but not many know why we do this. In English, this passage reads “…that is all phenomena in regard to their appearances as such, their natures as such, their entities as such, their powers as such, their activities as such, their causes as such, their conditions as such, their effects as such, their recompenses as such, and their equality as such despite these differences.” This is the list of the “ten suchnesses” or aspects of phenomena (dharmas in Sanskrit) that comprise reality.

The three repetitions are actually a recognition of three ways of reading the ten suchnesses in accordance with the threefold truth taught by Tiantai Zhiyi (538-597). The threefold truth consists of: (1) the truth of emptiness, meaning that all phenomena are empty of a permanent unchanging or independent self-nature; (2) the truth of provisionality, meaning that nevertheless they do have a provisional existence on the basis of the interdependent flow of causes and conditions; and (3) the truth of the middle way, meaning that things are simultaneously empty and provisionally existent. All three truths of the threefold truth imply one another. Because things have no self-nature, they have a provisional existence, and vice versa. Both emptiness and provisionality express the middle way of empty yet provisionally existent. This is a very subtle and complex teaching which is at the heart of Tiantai Buddhism and was also held in great esteem by Nichiren Shonin.

In the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, the Great Master Tiantai points out that by rearranging the Chinese characters of each of the ten phrases, one can read them so that one part or another of the threefold truth is emphasized. The first way is to emphasize the suchness of each of the ten. Because suchness is a synonym for emptiness this is a recognition of the truth of emptiness. For instance, to read “such their appearance is” (ze-so-nyo); The second way is to emphasize the distinct character of each of the ten as a recognition of the truth of provisionality. For instance, to read, “their appearances as such” (nyo-ze-so); The third way is to emphasize the copula “as,” representing the truth of the middle way. For instance, to read “as such their appearance” (so-nyo-ze;).

This doesn’t work as well in English as in classical Chinese, and we don’t actually rearrange the characters in our own practice. Nevertheless, the triple repetition is a way of recognizing that each of the ten suchnesses should be understood in terms of the threefold truth of emptiness, provisionality, and the middle way.

Source

Recently I was helping clear out the classroom at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church and came across a stack of books entitled The Buddha and His Teaching by Ernest K. Shinkaku Hunt. The book was published by Aoyama Shoin Inc., Tokyo, in April 1962. These were used as textbooks for the church’s Sunday School.

This is not a text specific to Nichiren Buddhism but rather a generic teaching. To that end, the book finishes with:

A Catechism for Sunday School

1. Of what religion are you?

I am a Buddhist.

2. What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is the Teaching of the Buddha Sakyamuni.

3. What does the word Buddha mean?

The word Buddha means “The Enlightened One.”

4. When did the Buddha Sakyamuni live?

About two thousands five hundred years ago.

5. Where was he born?

He was born in India, in Lumbini’s garden.

6. When was he born?

623 BCE

7.What was his family name?

His family name was Gotama and his given name, Siddhartha.

8.Who were his parents?

King Sudhodana and Queen Maya.

9. What did the wise hermit Asita say about him when he was born?

The wise hermit Asita said, “Truly this child will become either a king of kings or a Buddha.”

10. What did the king do to try and stop the prince from becoming a Buddha and why?

The king built beautiful palaces and gardens for the prince and tried to keep all knowledge of old age, sickness, and death from him. The king wanted him to become a great king.

11. Did this plan of the king succeed?

No, when the prince passed along the street of the city he met an old man, a sick man, and the funeral of a dead man.

12. What did the prince think when he became aware of these things?

“How can I save all men from suffering and sorrow.”

13. What did the prince decide to do?

To leave his home to go out in search of the Truth.

14. Was it hard for him to leave his home?

Yes, because he had a wife and dear little boy.

15. How old was he when he left his home?

Twenty Nine years.

16. Where did he go after leaving his home?

To the forest, to visit wise hermits and learn from them.

17. Was he satisfied with their teaching?

No, he was not, and practiced himself a severe asceticism.

18. How long did he continue to practice asceticism?

For nearly six years till he almost died of weakness and pain.

19. Did he find the Truth?

No, he realized that asceticism was not the right way to find the truth.

20. What did he decide to do then?

He stopped his practice of asceticism, and left the forest.

21. What did he do then?

He sat under the Bodhi Tree, and decided never to leave there until he attained to Enlightenment.

22. Did he succeed this time?

Yes, while sitting under the Bodhi Tree he suddenly saw the face of Truth and the reason for sorrow, and the way to a better life. He became a Buddha.

23. How can we express the teaching of the Buddha in a few words?

The teaching of the Buddha leads us from suffering, through love, to peace.

24. Why do we mention suffering first?

Because suffering is the fundamental fact in nature and life.

25. Why do we bring love next?

Because love shows us the way from suffering to peace.

26. Why do we mention peace last?

Because peace is our goal or last aim.

27. What did he teach in his first sermon?

He taught the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path.

28. What are the Four Noble Truths?

1. That life as we live it, is full of ill-faring (suffering and sorrow)
2. That there is a cause for this ill-faring.
3. That this ill-faring may be alleviated.
4. The way by which this may be done and finally brought to an end.

29. What does the statement “Life is full of suffering” mean?

It means that life is full of discord, jealousy and angry contention.

30. What is the cause of this suffering?

Ignorance, desire, thinking of ourselves apart from other forms of life.

31. Can this suffering be cured?

Yes, this may be done by following the way the Buddha taught.

32. What is the name of that way?

The name of the way is the Eightfold Path.

33. What is the Eight-fold Path?

The Eight-fold Path consists of eight rules. They are Right Understanding, Right Purpose, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Endeavor, Right Thought, and Right Meditation.

34. What do we mean by Right Understanding?

Right Understanding means that we should try to learn and understand the Teaching of our Buddha Sakyamuni.

35. What do we mean by Right Purpose?

Right Purpose means that we should try always to do what is right.

36. What do we mean by Right Speech?

Right Speech means that we should be Truthful and kind in all we say.

37. What do we mean by Right Conduct?

Right Conduct means that we should behave ourselves at all times.

38. What do we mean by Right Livelihood?

Right Livelihood means that we should earn our living in a way which will not harm anyone.

39. What do we mean by Right Endeavor?

Right Endeavor means that we should try constantly to become better.

40. What do we mean by Right Thought?

Right Thought means that we should cherish our thoughts because our words and our actions arise from our thoughts.

41. What do we mean by Right Meditation?

Right Meditation means that we should think often of the Buddha and repeat His Name.

42. What is Karma?

Karma means that what we sow we shall reap. If we live in the way the Buddha shows us, we shall reap happiness. If not, we shall reap unhappiness.

43. What are the Three Guides which a Buddhist should take refuge in?

The Buddha, The Dharma, and The Sangha. The Buddha is the great teacher. The Dharma is the teaching. The Sangha is the brotherhood.

44. What are the Three Signs of Buddhism?

Change (Anicca), Suffering (Dukkha) and None-self (Anatta) are called “Three Signs.”

45. What are the Five Precepts?

1. The precept to abstain from taking life unnecessarily.
2. The precept to abstain from taking things not given.
3. The precept to abstain from immoral actions.
4. The precept to abstain from false speech.
5. The precept to abstain from intoxicating liquors and drugs.

46. What does the lotus stand for?

The lotus is a symbol of purity.

47. How about images of the Buddha?

Images of the Buddha remind us of our gentle Lord with His sweet smile, and are a silent sermon, teaching us to become like our Buddha—gentle, compassionate and loving-kind.

48. How did The Buddha Sakyamuni console his disciples just before his death?

He said “His spirit would still be with them and lead them to peace and happiness.”