In working my way through Masaharu Anesaki’s book, “Nichiren, The Buddhist Prophet,” in preparation for serializing publication of the book here, I’ve had to contend with the author’s penchant for “accurately” giving the dates of events. After all, accuracy matters when you are a “Professor of the Science of Religion at the Imperial University of Tokyo” in 1916.
For example, Anesaki gives Nichiren’s birth on the 16th day of the second month as March 30. Nichiren’s declaration of his new school on the 28th day of the fourth month was May 17. And his death on 13th day of the 10th month was November 14.
In my editing of the text before publishing here I’ve simply removed the “accurate” date and left the days and months, but the book’s calendar in the appendix offers an opportunity to show what Western calendars at the time would have dated various events in Nichiren’s life.
The difference in dates stems from the structure of the Japanese lunar-solar calendar, which had a year with twelve or thirteen lunar months, each of 29 or 30 days. A month started on the New Moon.
The numbering of calendar months corresponded to 12 solar points pegged to the winter solstice, spring equinox, summer solstice and autumn equinox. The year began on the winter solstice. The spring equinox was month two and the winter solstice was month 11. Since the lunar month of 29.5 days is shorter than the solar month of 30.5 days, an additional month was added periodically to match the solar points in the year. These added months are called intercalary and were given the same number as the previous month, not unlike the Western concept of the blue moon.
Roughly speaking, the first month corresponds to our modern February and month numbers are shifted by one or two compared to Western dates. The formulas for determining which months were 29 days and which were 30 and where intercalary months were inserted is so complicated that tables are needed to accurately translate the dates.
This is seen today in the celebration of Obon. The Buddha told Maudalyayana, “You can only save your mother from suffering by gathering holy priests in all the worlds throughout the universe on the 15th day of the seventh month.” The official date of Obon in Japan is August 15, although some places celebrate in July.
Here’s the appendix calendar
Chronological Table
The Period Before Nichiren
A.D.
500-800 The introduction of Buddhism and its establishment in Japan.
538 (or 552) Buddhism officially introduced into Japan.
593-622 The reign of Prince-regent Shōtoku, the great organizer and patron of Buddhism.
720-760 The flourishing period of Nara, the era of “Heavenly Peace.”
800-1000 The age of ecclesiastical organization.
767-822 Saichō, or Dengyō Daishi, the founder of the Hiei institutions, on the basis of T’ien T’ai Buddhism.
774-835 Kūkai, or Kōbō Daishi, the organizer of Shingon mysticism.
942-1007 Genshin, the abbot of Eshin-in, the greatest of the pioneers of Amita-Buddhism.
1000-1200 The age of ecclesiastical degeneration.
1157 and 1159 The civil wars which gave occasion to the rise of the military clans.
1159-1185 The reign of the Taira clan, in Miyako.
1186 The establishment of the Minamoto Dictatorship at Kamakura.
1200-1300 The age of religious reformation.
1133-1212 Hōnen, the propounder of Amita-Buddhism.
1155-1213 Jōkei, the reformer of Ritsu, or the disciplinary school of Buddhism.
1140-1215 Eisai, the introducer of Zen Buddhism, of the Rinzai school.
1200-1253 Dōgen, the great Zen master, of the Sōdō school.
1219 The Hōjōs thrust aside the Minamotos.
1221 The defeat of the Imperial party.
Nichiren’s Lifetime
1222 Nichiren born (second month, 16th day; March 30).
1233 Nichiren sent to Kiyozumi.
1237 Nichiren ordained; his religious struggles.
1243-53 Nichiren studying at Hiei and other centers of Buddhism.
1253 Nichiren proclaims his religion “to the universe” and to mankind (fourth month, 28th day; May 17).
1253-58 Nichiren on missionary journeys, and resident in Kamakura.
1258-59 Nichiren studying at the library of the Iwamoto monastery.
1260 “The Establishment of Righteousness and the Security of the Country presented to the Hōjō government. (seventh month, 16th day; August 24).
1260 Nichiren attacked by a mob (eighth month, 27th day; October 3).
1261-63 Nichiren exiled to Izu (arrived there fifth month, 12th day; June 11th).
1262 Nichiren formulates his five theses.
1263 Nichiren released and returned to Kamakura (second month 22d day; April 1).
1264-68 Nichiren on missionary journeys, chiefly in his native province.
1264 The peril in the Pine Forest (11th month, 11th day; December 1).
1268-69 Mongol envoys come to Japan.
1268 Nichiren renews his remonstrance and sends letters to the authorities and prelates (10th month, 11th day; November 16).
1269-70 Nichiren on missionary journeys, probably in Kai.
1271 Nichiren returns to Kamakura, and the final issue fought.
1271 Nichiren arrested and sentenced to death; the narrow escape at Tatsu-no-kuchi (ninth month, 12th day; October 17).
1271-74 Nichiren exiled to Sado, an island in the Sea of Japan.
1271 Nichiren starts from Echi for Sado (10th month, 10th day; November 13).
1271 Nichiren stays at Teradomari, the port for Sado, (10th month, 21st-27th day; November 24-30).
1271 Nichiren arrives at Sado (10th month, 28th day; December 1).
1272 “Opening the Eyes” finished (second month; March).
1273 “The Spiritual Introspection of the Supreme Beings ” finished (fourth month, 25th day; May 13).
1273 The graphic representation of the Supreme Being made (seventh month, eighth day; August 21).
1273 Several other important essays written.
1274 The sentence of release arrives at Sado third month, eighth day; April 16).
1274 Nichiren arrives at Kamakura (third month, 26th day; May 4).
1274 Nichiren called to the government office (fourth month, eighth day; May 15).
1274 Nichiren leaves Kamakura (fifth month, 12th day; June 17).
1274-82 Nichiren lives in retirement in Minobu.
1274 Nichiren arrives at Minobu (fifth month, 17th day; June 22).
1274 “A Treatise on the Quintessence of the Lotus of Truth” finished (fifth month, 24th day; June 29).
1274 Mongols invade western islands, in autumn.
1275 “The Selection of the Time,” and other writings.
1276 “In Recompense of Indebtedness,” and other writings.
1277-78 The incident of Kingo, Nichiren’s beloved disciple.
1281 “The Three Great Mysteries” finished (fourth month, eighth day; April 27).
1281 The great armada of the Mongols arrives at the Bay of Hakata (fifth month, 21st day; June 9).
1281 Nichiren sends a circular, the “Epistle of the Little Mongols” (sixth month, 16th day; July 3).
1281 The Mongol armada destroyed (int. seventh month, first day; August 16).
1282 Nichiren leaves Minobu (ninth month, eighth day; October 10th).
1282 Nichiren arrives at Ikegami, and writes his last letter (ninth month, 19th day; October 21).
1282 Nichiren dies (10th month, 13th day; November 14th).
The Period After Nichiren’s Death
1300-1500 The rise of Nichirenite Buddhism and its conflicts with other forms of Buddhism.
1283 A convention of Nichiren’s disciples; his writings brought together (the first anniversary of his death).
1289 The first schism; Nikkō deserts Minobu.
1294 Nichizō starts his propaganda in Miyako, later a great center of the Nichirenite propaganda.
1295 Nichiji starts on a missionary journey to the north; believed to have gone to Yezo and Siberia.
1342 Nichizō, the great apostle of Nichiren, dies.
1314-92 Nichijū, the missionary in Miyako and in the north.
1385-1464 Nichiryū, the missionary in the central provinces.
1407-88 Nisshin, the persecuted.
1422-1500 Nicchō, the organizer of the Minobu institutions.
1536 The persecution of the era Temmon, the severest blow given to the Nichirenite movement.