Nichiren Daishonin
The Teaching of Nichiren Daishonin
Approximately 3,000 years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha preached the Buddhist teachings, in order to relieve the people of their sufferings. He taught for 50 years. During the last eight years of his preaching, he revealed the Lotus Sutra as the true purpose of his advent.
Just as the Lotus Sutra predicted, 2,000 years after Shakyamuni Buddha’s passing, Nichiren Daishonin made his advent as the True Buddha, in order to save all living beings in the Latter Day of Law when the power and benefit of Shakyamuni’s teachings were lost.
Nichiren Daishonin manifested the essence of the Lotus Sutra as the Gohonzon (mandala) and expounded that chanting “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo” enables any person to reach and attain Buddhahood based on the teaching of cause and effect.
True happiness is the achievement of tranquility in our life that is unshakable.
The Pure Stream of the Law for more than 700 years
Nichiren Shoshu was founded on April 28, 1253, when Nichiren Daishonin declared the establishment of the teaching of “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.” Following his declaration, despite encountering and enduring countless persecutions, he propagated Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, the essence of the Lotus Sutra. On October 12, 1279, he inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching, the fundamental object of worship for faith and practice. After that, in 1282, he selected Nikko Shonin as the Second High Priest and transmitted the entirety of the Law to him. On October 13 of the same year, he passed away at the age of 61.
After his demise, Hakiri Sanenaga, the feudal lord of Minobu, continuously performed slanderous acts against true Buddhism. In the spring of 1289, Nikko Shonin, accompanied by his disciples, left Mt. Minobu with all the sacred treasures, including the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching. In October of 1290, Nikko Shonin established Taisekiji Temple at Fuji Ueno with the aid and contributions of Lord Nanjō Tokimitsu.
Since then, for more than 700 years, Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism has been correctly transmitted at Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple Taisekiji.
Abridged Chronology of Nichiren Shoshu
<-- scroll -->
| 1222 | February 16 | Founder Nichiren Daishonin born in Kataumi in the province of Awa.(present-day Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture) |
| 1253 | April 28 | Nichiren Daishonin declares the establishment of True Buddhism at Seicho-ji temple in Awa. |
| 1260 | July 16 | Nichiren Daishonin submits the Rissho ankoku-ron to the Kamakura Government. |
| 1261 | May 12 | Nichiren Daishonin is exiled to Izu. |
| 1264 | November 11 | Nichiren Daishonin encounters the Komatsubara Persecution. |
| 1271 | September 12 | Nichiren Daishonin encounters the Tatsunokuchi Persecution. He discards the provisional identity and reveals the true identity on it. |
| 1271 | October 10 | Nichiren Daishonin is exiled to Sado Island. |
| 1274 | May | Nichiren Daishonin enters Mount Minobu (currently known as Yamanashi Prefecture). |
| 1279 | October 12 | Nichiren Daishonin inscribes the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of Honmon Teaching. |
| 1282 | September | Nichiren Daishonin transfers all of Buddhism to Nikko Shonin with the conferral of "The Entrustment of the Law that Nichiren Propagated throughout His Life," designates him as His sole legitimate successor and appoints him the Great Master of Propagation of the Honmon Teaching. |
| 1282 | October 13 | Nichiren Daishonin writes "Minobu Sojo Sho" (Minobu Transfer Document) to Nikko Shonin and appoints him as the Head Priest of Minobu-zan Kuon-ji temple. |
| 1282 | October 13 | Nichiren Daishonin passes away peacefully at the residence of Ikegami Munenaka. |
| 1282 | October 25 | The second High Priest Nikko Shonin returns to Mt. Minobu with the ashes of his beloved master. |
| 1289 | Spring | Nikko Shonin leaves Mt. Minobu as the result of Lord Hakiri Sanenaga's mounting acts of slander. Nikko Shonin arrives at Lord Nanjo Tokimitsu's estate at Fuji Uenogo. |
| 1290 | October 12 | Nikko Shonin establishes Taisekiji, the Head Temple of Nichiren Shoshu. |
| 1332 | November 10 | Nikko Shonin gives Nichimoku Shonin a transfer document entitled "Nikko Ato Jojo no Koto" (Articles to be Observed after the Passing of Nikko), officially designating him as his successor, the Master of the Seat of the Law. |
| 1333 | February 7 | Nikko Shonin passes away peacefully at Omosu Seminary. |
| 1333 | October | The third High Priest Nichimoku Shonin transfers the entirety of the Law to Nichido Shonin. |
| 1333 | November 15 | Nichimoku Shonin dies en route to Kyoto, at Tarui in Mino Province. |
Since that time onward, the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin has been transmitted down through the ages in the form of the Heritage of the Entity of the Law, entrusted to one and only one legitimate successor, from one High Priest to the next.
In turn each of the successive High Priests has carried out the transmission of the Law in the exact same manner as one drop of water in a vessel transferred to another vessel, and has continued to burn brightly the "torch of the Law," unbroken and uninterrupted to this day, which has been inherited by the 68th High Priest Nichinyo Shonin.