[A Guide to HBS -part2-] The Teachings and Practices of HBS
A Guide to HBS -part2-

[A Guide to HBS -part2-]
The Teachings and Practices of HBS
Rev. Nisso Fukuoka

Preface

Nissen Shonin (1817〜1890) founder of Honmon Butsuryu Shu (HBS) was admired as “a pioneer of popular Buddhism" in the latter half of the Tokugawa period says Prof. Shigeyoshi Murakami, a Buddhist scholar.
However, Nissen Shonin considered himself as a restorer of the teachings of Nichiren Shonin and Nichiryu Shonin. He wrote, “the messenger of Buddha Shakamuni was the great religious master, Nichiren Shonin. The messenger of Nichiren Shonin was the great religious master, Nichiryu Shonin, whose messenger is me, Nissen. It was Nichiryu Shonin that reestablished the Lotus School, so, I'm nothing but the one who is restoring the teaching of Nichiryu Shonin. Since the correct teaching has been transmitted to me, I am undoubtedly the messenger of Shakamuni Tathagata."

—Goshogyohaiken— 811

What he set out to do was not only to revive the doctrines of Nichiren Shonin and Nichiryu Shonin but also revive them in a practical way through his missionary work. In this paper, I give an outline of Nichiryu Shonin's activities and doctrines and then how Nissen Shonin tried to revive them in an era of confusion and at a turning point from the Edo (Tokugawa) period to the Meiji period, around middle of the 19th century focusing on his missionary work.

16. The Genealogy of HBS [Chapter 1]
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[ Chapter 1 ]
The Succession from Nichiren Shonin to Nichiryu Shonin and on to Nissen Shonin.
The Position of Nichiryu Shonin in Nichiren Buddhism

Nichiryu Shonin was born on October 14, 1385 in Toyama Prefecture, about a century after Nichiren Shonin's death.
It is said that Nichiryu Shonin was ordained as a priest at the age of 14, in 1402. He entered Myohonji Temple one of the temples of the Nichiren sect in Kyoto and learned the basic doctrines of Nichiren Shonin from his uncles, Nichizon Shonin and Nichido.
Before giving an outline of Nichiryu's missionary work and his writings, I will present a general view of Nichiren Buddhism in Kyoto from the beginning of the propagation and the circumstances of the era when Nichiryu Shonin was active.
The pioneer who spread the Nichiren Shonin's teachings in Kyoto was Nichizo Shonin. He was a disciple of Nichiren Shonin and after Nichiren Shonin's death became a disciple of Nichiro Shonin who was one of six senior disciples of Nichiren Shonin.
Twelve years after Nichiren Shonin's death, Nichizo Shonin moved to Kyoto from Kamakura and devoted himself to spreading the teachings of Nichiren Shonin, and gradually received support from the people in Kyoto and built a foundation for propagation.
However, incidents of jealousy increased as his followers began to grow which constituted a menace to the Tendai Shu sect and other sects.
The sects began a revolt against Nichizo Shonin by claiming that he was spreading the evil teachings of Nichiren. There were incidents of Nichizo Shonin being apprehended and evicted from Kyoto on several occasions.
Nichizo Shonin was not discouraged by the continuous calamities which confronted him. Instead, he continued to engage himself in spreading of the teachings of Nichiren Shonin in Kyoto. In 1321, he built Myokenji Temple in Kyoto and twelve years later it was designated as a special temple dedicated to praying for the emperor.
In the latter half of the 14th century, the Muromachi Shogunate was established after the conflict between the Northern and the Southern Courts ended. The centre of political activity was moved from Kamakura to Kyoto again.
After this, groups of Nichiren Buddhism entered Kyoto actively competing with each other and in this way Nichiren Buddhism was welcomed by the citizens of Kyoto who were engaged in commerce and industry.
On the surface, Nichiren Buddhism temples made great progress. However, their activities gradually deviated from the true intention of Nichiren Shonin both in their missionary work and their interpretation of doctrines. With regard to missionary work, Nichiren Shonin stated “No matter what great good deed one may perform, even if he reads and transcribes the entirety of the Lotus Sutra a thousand or ten thousand times or masters meditation to perceive Ichinen Sanzen, should he but fail to denounce the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, he will be unable to attain the Way."

—Letter to Hyoeshichiro Nanjo ST 321—

“In this age when the true and provisional teachings are completely confused, it would be equally very strange if one secluded oneself in mountain forests and performed the comfortable practices of shoju without attacking the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, and such a person would lose the time for practicing the Lotus Sutra."

—Nyosetsu Syugyo sho ST 736—

Although Nichiren Shonin claimed that Shakubuku, that is having people submit to the true teachings of Buddhism with mercy and compassion for others, is of great importance for followers of the Lotus Sutra; however, many priests belonging to Nichiren Buddhism in Kyoto lost a desire to propagate the teachings and adjusted to popular taste and also displayed greed and wanted to get power and reputation.
With regard to the interpretation of Nichiren Shonin's doctrines, many priests belonging to Nichiren sects were influenced by the theory of Tendai Hongaku (traditional Tendai doctrine, also known as the original state of enlightenment), they assented to the ideas that all existence and teachings are non—dual like good and evil, and adopted a compromising position on their way of learning the doctrines.
As to the interpretation of the primordial teaching portion (Honmon) and the provisional teaching portion (Shakumon) of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Shonin clearly stated firmly that “The primordial teaching portion and the provisional teaching portion are as different as water from fire or as heaven from earth. For instance, the difference is far greater that that between the sutras expounded in the period prior to the expounding of the Lotus Sutra and the Lotus Sutra itself".

—Reply to Nyudo Toki, ST 1518—

After Nichiren Shonin's death, many of his followers began to assert that the two divisions of the Lotus Sutra are identical.
According to the doctrine of the Tendai Shu sect, the primordial teaching portion and provisional teaching portion are identical in spiritual value. But according to Nichiren Shonin's doctrine, there is all the difference between the Honmon Division and Shakumon Division. The Honmon Division is regarded as being superior to the Shakumon Division because the Buddha in the provisional teaching portion is the Buddha who attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree as the historical Buddha, while the Buddha in the primordial teaching portion is the Shakamuni Buddha in the remote past as the Primordial Buddha so the seed of Buddhahood is expounded only in the primordial teaching portion, the Honmon Division.That was Nichiren Shonin's view.
In addition, as the time passed, the various Nichiren sects diverged and began todisplay many kinds of statues of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and gods in front of the Gohonzon mandala. Even though Nichiren Shonin had stated “In this age of degeneration of the Dharma (Mappo Period), which object of worship should one select? The Odaimoku (NamuMyohoRengeKyo) should be the object of worship".

—Honzonmondo Sho, ST 1573—

Shortly after Nichiryu Shonin entered Myohonji Temple, a priest named Gatsumyo, a former court noble, was appointed head priest of the temple. Shortly thereafter, the atmosphere and mood of temple began to deteriorate as stated above.
Nichiryu Shonin together with Nichizon and Nichido repeatedly remonstrated Gatsumyo for his actions and wrong views, but to no avail.
Instead, Gatsumyo became infuriated and retaliated. Unable to withstand Gatsumyo's behavior, Nichiryu Shonin left the temple.
Nichiryu Shonin decided to make a pilgrimage through central Japan to spread the true teachings of Nichiren Shonin, building many temples during this period.
He also wrote many letters and texts to explain the correct meaning of what Nichiren Shonin had expounded and pointed out the true intentions of Nichiren Shonin's teachings. “How should a correct interpretation of Buddhist scriptures be given? It is to realize that the Buddhist mission was entrusted to Bodhisattva Jogyo in the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra. In other words, we should understand that the Buddhist mission is to plant in the minds of all beings the seed of the Fine Dharma, the genuine cause of Buddhahood in the Mappo Period. Through such an interpretation, the true intention of the Lotus Sutra is clearly and completely understood. This Buddhist mission would explain the appearances of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas as well as Buddha Shakamuni in the Saha World. This is the essential point of the Kanjin Honzon Sho."

—Shijo Sho by Nichiryu Shonin— 767

16. The Genealogy of HBS [Chapter 1]
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