The Dainihonkoku Hokekyō of Priest Chingen
Translated and annotated by Yoshiko Kurata Dykstra
From the flyleaf:
This is the first Western language translation of Hokkegenki, a Buddhist tale collection of eleventh century Japan.
The Lotus Sūtra (Hokekyō) is one of the most influential and popular sūtras among Mahāyāna Buddhists in East Asia. The sūtra propagates veneration and faith among believers not only in the compassionate bodhisattvas but also in the sūtra itself. In China popular devotion to the Lotus Sūtra appears to date back to the T’ang dynasty.
Belief in the Hokekyō, the Japanese name of the scripture, has been widespread in Japan since the time of Prince Shōtoku who desired to establish a united nation for all sentient beings as taught in the sūtra. In 741, Emperor Shōmu ordered that each province was to build a seven-storied pagoda in which ten copies of the Hokekyō were to be preserved.
Devotion to the Hokekyō was often mentioned in various writings of the Nara and the Heian Periods. The Hokkegenki written by Chingen tersely depicts the faith and dedication of the contemporary Hokekyō devotees.
The 129 short-biographical and legendary tales of the Hokkegenki are all thematically unified in homage to the Hokekyō but are abundant in motifs and fantastic elements including celestial beings, demons, hungry ghosts, animals and supernatural creatures such as dragons. The Hokkegenki tales provide students of intellectual history with most precious primary sources about the spiritual life of the time, and those of literature with fine examples of the avadāna Buddhist narratives.
For my purposes, further elaboration is required.
The book was written between 1040 and 1044 by a monk named Chingen of Yokawa on Mount Hiei. He was, in other words, a Tendai monk, and the stories reflect the Tendai religion of those days, with its Pure Land and Shingon influences that Nichiren would, 200 years later, rail against.
As example of the Pure Land influence, here’s a quote from the story about the death of Jikaku, who followed Dengyō on Mount Hiei:
As his last days approached, Jikaku concluded his instructions to his disciples, washed his hands and mouth, and donned a clean robe. With a stately demeanor, he said to Priest Reiyū, “Scores of great priests have come and have formed a line. Quickly burn incense and scatter flowers!”
“But we have no guests now,” replied Reiyū.
However, Jikaku, with increased respect and fervent faith, sat facing the west with clasped hands, and told Priest Enjun to recite and pay his respects to the Hokekyō which preaches the great and fair knowledge of Amida. (Page 34)
The same story by Chingen explains, “In the fourteenth year of Shōwa [848], Jikaku returned to Japan [from China]. It is said that Jikaku’s efforts were responsible for half of the transmission of the Law to Japan. He introduced the Invocation of Amida’s Name, the Hokke Repentance Rites, the Kanjō Consecration Rites, and the Shari Relics Meeting.”
Here’s an example of Lotus-Shingon influence:
Genkai, a resident priest of the Komatsudera Temple of Shinden District of Mutsu Province, had a wife and children, but was later separated from them. He recited a copy of the Hokekyō during the day, and repeated the Daibucchō-Incantations seven times at night.
One night, Genkai dreamed that wings had sprouted from his sides and that he was flying towards the west. After crossing thousands of countries, he finally arrived at the place named the Seven Jewels. As he examined himself, he found that the Daibucchō-lncantations formed his left wing while the eight rolls of the Hokekyō constituted his right wing. As he looked around, he saw jeweled trees and edifices which were shining with a delicate radiance. A holy priest approached and said to Genkai, “You have come to the outskirts of the paradise where you should be welcome three years later.” Genkai listened to the priest respectfully and flew back home, just as before.
At his place, his disciples who thought Genkai had already died were grieving deeply. As Genkai regained consciousness, he recited the Hokekyō and the Shingon incantations more fervently. Three years later, Genkai learned the time of his death and finally passed away. (Page 42)
While Nichiren’s later letters criticized Shingon, his early letters included supportive references to the “Lotus-Shingon temples” and his Mandalas include Fudo Myo-o and Aizen Myo-o, two deities of Shingon esoteric Buddhism. Fudo Myo-o features in some of these stories.
In choosing what to include here, I have ignored the Pure Land and Shingon stories and the two stories that advocate self-immolation as a practice.
I have included a couple of stories with indirect reference to life in a Pure Land. When reading those, keep in mind Nichiren’s explanation:
The Pure Lands preached in the pre-Lotus expedient sūtras are mere substitutes tentatively shown by replicas of Śākyamuni Buddha, the Eternal True Buddha. In fact, they all are lands of impurity. Therefore, when the true Pure Land was decided in “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, the essence of which consists of chapters on the “Expedients” and “The Life Span of the Buddha,” it was declared that this Sahā World is the true Pure Land of the Tranquil Light.
As for the question why, the Lotus Sūtra also recommends the Tuṣita Heaven, the Realm of Peace and Sustenance (Pure Land of the Buddha of Infinite Life), and Pure Lands all over the universe, it is merely that designations of the Pure Lands, such as Tuṣita Heaven and Realm of Peace and Sustenance, preached in the pre-Lotus sūtras are used without modification to name the Pure Lands to be established in this world. It is like names of the three vehicles (śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva) mentioned in the Lotus Sūtra, which does not actually preach three different teachings; it preaches the sole teaching leading to Buddhahood. It is stated in the Lotus Sūtra, chapter 23, that those who practice this sūtra “will immediately be reborn in the World of Happiness.” In the Annotations on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 10, Grand Master Miao-lê interprets: “This does not mean the Pure Land of the Buddha of Infinite Life preached in the Sūtra of Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life.” His interpretation is the same as stated above.
Finally, these stories speak of monks who chant hundreds of thousands of repetitions of the Lotus Sūtra. When considering these feats, keep in mind Nichiren’s advice:
You should know that the merit of the Lotus Sūtra is the same whether you chant the whole eight scrolls or just one scroll, one chapter, one stanza, one phrase, one character, or the daimoku.
Nichiren wrote often about how Japan was a land of the Lotus Sūtra. These stories offer a glimpse into that history.