Letter to Lord Hakii

I was 60 years of age when I left Minobu on September 8th in the year 1282 and I arrived at Ikegami of Senzoku Village in Musashi Province. Sakyamuni Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra for eight years on Mt. Sacred Eagle in India. He died in East India in the northeast direction of Mt. Sacred Eagle. Although He died in the house of Chunda by the River Ajitavati of Kusināra, He had His grave built on Mt. Sacred Eagle because it was where He preached the Lotus Sutra for eight years. So Nichiren, too, may die at the house of Lord Ikegami Munenaga in Musashi Province, which is northeast of Mt. Minobu. No matter where I die, please build my grave on Mt. Minobu because it is where I spent nine years reciting the Lotus Sutra to my heart’s contents. My heart lives forevermore on Mt. Minobu.

(Explanatory note)

On September 8 (which is late autumn in the lunar calendar), 1282, at the age of 60, Nichiren Shonin left Mt. Minobu where he was accustomed to living so long. He arrived on the 18th at a place called Ikegami in the village of Senzoku in Musashi Province (Tokyo). In this letter, Nichiren Shonin said that the Buddha for eight years preached the Lotus Sutra on Mt. Sacred Eagle of India and died in East India, northeast of Mt. Sacred Eagle. Although the Buddha passed away in the house of Chunda, near the River Ajitavati in Kusināra, according to Nichiren Shonin, He had His grave built on Mt. Sacred Eagle because it is the sacred mountain where the Buddha preached for eight years. Therefore Nichiren Shonin, following the example of Sakyamuni Buddha, wished to pass away at the residence of Ikegami Munenaga of Musashi Province, which is in the northeastern direction from Mt. Minobu. Nevertheless, he said that no matter where he died, he wished to have his grave built on Mt. Minobu because it is where he recited the Lotus Sutra for nine years without disturbance. He said that his soul would remain in Mt. Minobu forever.