Nichiren Buddhism
In 1253, a young priest named Nichiren stood beneath the ginkgo tree at Seichō-ji temple in Chiba Prefecture and chanted the phrase Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō for the first time. This moment marked the beginning of a movement that would eventually reshape Japanese religious life. The year was 1253, and Nichiren was only thirty-one years old when he made this declaration to his small group of followers.
Nichiren lived during the Kamakura period, an era defined by military rule and social instability. He grew up in a time when traditional Buddhist schools had become deeply entangled with political power and aristocratic privilege. The ruling class relied on esoteric rituals and Pure Land practices to maintain control, while common people suffered from famine, earthquakes, and foreign threats.
For over twenty years before 1253, Nichiren studied at Mount Hiei's Enryaku-ji temple and other major centers of Buddhist learning. He asked four fundamental questions about competing sects, the essence of Shakyamuni's teaching, the certainty of enlightenment, and why Japan faced defeat despite prayers from established priests. His answer led him to conclude that the Lotus Sutra alone contained the highest teachings.
By 1260, Nichiren submitted a treatise called Risshō Ankoku Ron to Hōjō Tokiyori, the de facto leader of Japan. In this document, he argued that natural disasters and social chaos resulted from the nation's attachment to inferior teachings. He predicted foreign invasion and internal rebellion unless the country returned to what he considered legitimate dharma.
The practice of Nichiren Buddhism rests on three essential pillars: faith in the Gohonzon, chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, and study of scriptural writings known as Gosho. These elements form the foundation of daily religious life for millions of practitioners worldwide today.
Nichiren taught that the invocation Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō embodies both the title and essence of the Lotus Sutra. Chanting this phrase with Shinjin, or mind of faith, activates what he described as the principle of three thousand realms in a single thought-moment. This concept suggests that every thought, word, or deed contains within itself the whole of existence.
The Gohonzon serves as an object of devotion, typically inscribed as a mandala containing Chinese characters representing the core teachings. Nichiren began inscribing these mandalas during his exile to Sado Island between 1261 and 1273. By 1282, when he died, he had created hundreds of these works, many of which remain extant today.
Study of Nichiren's writings completes the third pillar. Out of 162 historically identified followers, 47 were women, and many of his letters addressed female disciples directly. His voice in these documents displays strong empathy for their struggles while emphasizing that all people, men and women equally, can become enlightened just as they are.
Between 1261 and 1273, Nichiren endured two assassination attempts, an attempted beheading, and two exiles that fundamentally shaped his movement. His first exile took him to the Izu Peninsula from 1261 to 1263, where he convinced himself he was bodily reading the Lotus Sutra through suffering.
His second exile sent him to Sado Island starting in 1268, lasting until 1273. During this harsh period on the island, Nichiren began inscribing Gohonzon and wrote several major theses claiming he was Bodhisattva Superior Practices, the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. He concluded his work The Opening of the Eyes with a declaration: "I will be the pillar of Japan; I will be the eyes of Japan; I will be the vessel of Japan."
The Atsuhara Affair occurred between 1275 and 1278, when twenty lay peasant-farmer followers were arrested on questionable charges and tortured. Three were ultimately executed, yet none recanted their faith. This event proved to Nichiren that meeting great trials was part of practicing the Lotus Sutra rather than results of karmic retribution.
Nichiren maintained contact with his community despite being situated in Minobu, far from the persecution scene. He wrote many letters giving context to unfolding events by asserting that severe trials have deep significance. According to scholar Jacqueline Stone, the Atsuhara peasants had graduated from ignorant people to devotees meriting equally with himself the name of practitioners of the Lotus Sutra.
After Nichiren's death in 1282, six senior priests named by him led different communities across the Kanto region. These groups eventually morphed into distinct lineages of schools, creating divisions that persist within modern Nichiren Buddhism today.
Nikkō Shōnin left Kuon-ji temple in 1289 and founded what became known as the Nikkō monryu or lineage. He established a center at the foot of Mount Fuji which later became Taiseki-ji temple of Nichiren Shōshū. The other five senior priests formed various lineages including Nichirō's Hikigayatsu monryu, Nisshō's Hama monryu, and Nitchō's Nakayama lineage.
Fault lines between these groups crystallized over several issues including local gods, content of the Lotus Sutra, identity of Nichiren, identification with the Tiantai school, and understanding of the Three Gems. Some schools argued all chapters should be equally valued while others claimed the latter half was superior to the former half.
The cleavage between Nichiren groups has been classified by so-called Itchi (meaning unity) and Shoretsu (a contraction meaning superior/inferior) lineages. The Itchi lineage comprises most traditional schools including Nichiren Shū, while the Shoretsu group values supremacy of the essential over the theoretical part of the Lotus Sutra.
During the transition from Tokugawa to Meiji periods, Japanese Buddhism faced two policies: shinbutsu bunri (Separation of Shinto Deities and Buddhas) and haibutsu kishaku (Eradication of Buddhism). These measures reduced material resources available to temples and downgraded their role in national life.
In Satsuma domain alone, by 1872 all of its thousand plus Buddhist temples had been abolished, monks laicized, and landholdings confiscated. Throughout Japan thousands of temples and tens of thousands of sutras, paintings, statues, bells were destroyed, stolen, lost, or sold during early restoration years.
Nichiren scholar Udana-in Nichiki argued for co-existence with other schools while his disciple Arai Nissatsu forged alliances among branches. Nisshatsu became first superintendent of present Nichiren Shū which was incorporated in 1876. He promoted inter-sectarian understanding but reinterpreted some important teachings in process.
Major temple schools officially recognized in Meiji era included Nichiren-shū founded in 1874, Fuju-fuse-ha recognized after clandestine operation following persecution episodes, and five Shoretsu schools that changed names between 1891 and 1900.
Between the Meiji period and conclusion of World War II, both Nichiren and his followers have been associated with fervent Japanese nationalism identified as Nichirenism. This interpretation resulted in violent historical events such as May 15 Incident and League of Blood Incident.
Chigaku Tanaka founded Kokuchūkai (Nation's Pillar Society) in 1914 and attracted many followers including Kanji Ishiwara through charismatic writings and lectures. Other nationalist activists based ideas on Nichiren included Ikki Kita and Nisshō Inoue who advocated unification of Japanese Buddhists to support imperial state.
Socialist activists like Girō Seno'o formed New Buddhist Youth League reacting against prewar nationalistic interpretations. Seno'o argued for humanism, socialism, pacifism, and democracy as new interpretation of Nichiren's beliefs before being imprisoned two years under National Security Act.
Tsunesaburō Makiguchi refused religious dictum of Shinto display accepted by Nichiren Shōshū for Soka Kyoiku Gakkai until it grew to become Soka Gakkai after World War II. His organization composed primarily of secretaries and teachers faced similar political harassment.
Genuine expansion of Nichiren Buddhism overseas started in 1960 when Soka Gakkai president Daisaku Ikeda initiated worldwide propagation efforts from few hundred transplanted Japanese families to over three thousand five hundred families by 1962. This growth transformed what was once a predominantly Japanese movement into global phenomenon.
Soka Gakkai International launched in Guam in 1975 and now attracts diverse membership including significant demographic of African Americans in United States. Since 1970s it has created institutions, publications and exhibitions supporting theme of peace, culture, and education across multiple continents.
Other organizations like Risshō Kōseikai focus on promoting religiosity through inter-religious dialogue with over two million members and three hundred Dharma centers in twenty countries including Frankfurt and Moorslede. They maintain consultative status with United Nations since 1983 issuing annual Peace Prize to individuals working for peace and development.
Nipponzan-Myōhōji-Daisanga built peace pagodas, conducted parades beating drum while chanting daimoku, encouraging themselves and others to create world peace. Their approximately fifteen hundred members operate globally despite being smaller than other major groups.
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Common questions
When did Nichiren chant Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō for the first time?
Nichiren chanted Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō for the first time in 1253 beneath a ginkgo tree at Seichō-ji temple. This event occurred when he was thirty-one years old and marked the beginning of his religious movement.
What are the three essential pillars of Nichiren Buddhism practice?
The practice of Nichiren Buddhism rests on faith in the Gohonzon, chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, and study of scriptural writings known as Gosho. These elements form the foundation of daily religious life for millions of practitioners worldwide today.
Where did Nichiren inscribe his first Gohonzon mandalas during exile?
Nichiren began inscribing Gohonzon mandalas during his exile to Sado Island between 1261 and 1273. He created hundreds of these works while enduring harsh conditions on the island before his death in 1282.
Which historical event proved that meeting great trials is part of practicing the Lotus Sutra?
The Atsuhara Affair occurred between 1275 and 1278 when twenty lay peasant-farmer followers were arrested and tortured. Three were executed yet none recanted their faith, proving to Nichiren that suffering was integral to true practice rather than karmic retribution.
When did Soka Gakkai begin its global expansion of Nichiren Buddhism overseas?
Genuine expansion of Nichiren Buddhism overseas started in 1960 when Soka Gakkai president Daisaku Ikeda initiated worldwide propagation efforts. This growth transformed what was once a predominantly Japanese movement into a global phenomenon with over three thousand five hundred families by 1962.