Table Of ContentNICHIREN
THE BUDDHIST PROPHET
REPRODUCTION OF AN AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT
BY NICHIREN
NICHIREN
THE BUDDHIST PROPHET
BY
MASAHARU ANESAKI, M.A., LITT.D.
PROFESSOR OF THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION
AT THE IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY OF TÖKIÖ AND
PROFESSOR OF JAPANESE LITERATURE AND LIFE AT
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, 1913-15
CAMBRIDGE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON: GEOFFREY CUMBERLEGE
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
1949
COPYRIGHT, 1916
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PREFACE
S
INCE the appearance of Professor James' " Varieties of
Religious Experience," the attention of scholars has been
strongly drawn toward men of original religious experience,
with emphasis on the psychological point of view, disregard-
ing doctrinal considerations. A conspicuous result of the
change brought about by this book is that religious psy-
chology has been extended from a study of material taken
from the average masses, to the study of strong personalities
and their characteristic faith. The primary motive of the
present work is to contribute to this newer branch of religi-
ous psychology a study of a man who has been compara-
tively unknown to Western scholars. Another impetus to
thepublication of this study was derived from the encourage-
ment given by Professor Royce. After reading his book,
" The Problem of Christianity," I presented to him an essay
on the Buddhist conception of life, as a counterpart of his
chapter on the Christian doctrine of life. A reference to
Nichiren made in that paper led me to tell the senior
philosopher of Harvard more about the Buddhist prophet.
The present volume is a result of his advice and encourage-
ment to write something on Nichiren.
Nichiren's personality has various peculiar interests of
its own. Besides the points which I have tried to bring out
in this book, it is deserving of special mention that a great
amount of material for the study of his life is available in his
numerous writings, amounting to more than four hundred
essays and epistles. Not only have most of them been
proved to be authentic, but about one-third are preserved
V
vi PREFACE
in Nichiren's original hand-writing, while many others have
come down to us in old manuscripts made by his disciples or
later followers. These authentic writings contain ample and
trustworthy sources for the study of his life and thought,
and nearly every step of his development, his struggles, and
his faith can be clearly traced in them; for Nichiren was a
man who told much about himself, his experiences and am-
bitions, his thoughts and sentiments. Moreover, he was an
unexcelled calligrapher, and his autographs have a char-
acteristic vividness of expression, due to the picture-like
forms of the Chinese ideographs. Thus, not only can his
thoughts and the incidents of his life be learned from his
own words and sentences, but the modulations and changes
of sentiment and emotion can be closely followed in his
writings. It is rare that the works of an ancient author are so
well preserved and furnish us so abundantly with the means
of investigating his career and ideas as in this case.1 In the
present sketch all traditions and legends of later growth
have been excluded, and all the main points, as well as
many minor details, are related exclusively on the basis of
Nichiren's own statements. For this reason it may be re-
garded as virtually a record of Nichiren's own confessions,
and as such, it will, I hope, be found a useful study in the
religious psychology of a prophetic leader.
To the intrinsic interest of the life of Nichiren as a Buddh-
ist reformer of the thirteenth century, may be added the
fact that there has been a noteworthy revival of his teach-
ing and spirit in modern Japan. Details "about this revival,
as well as the growth of Nichiren's influence after his death,
1 Omitting remarks on editions of his writings, I note here that these writ-
ings are cited in this book from Rev. B. Kato's edition, of 1904, and that the
majority of the autographs are now accessible in splendid photographic
reproductions.
PREFACE vii
will be treated in my forthcoming book on the Religious and
Moral Development of the Japanese. Perhaps I may be
permitted to say a little concerning my personal relation to
the Nichirenite revival. It was during my stay in England
and India that my dear friend, Chogyü Takayama, was con-
verted to Nichiren's faith and that I criticized him in cor-
respondence. Takayama's conversion caused a great stir,
and though there were adverse critics, there were also
enthusiastic admirers, especially among the younger genera-
tion, who flocked to the ardent convert and his accepted
prophet. Since then, many societies have been organized
for the study — both historical and religious — of Nichiren,
and their membership comprises students and scholars,
lawyers and business men, military and naval officers.
When I returned to Japan in June, 1903, my friend had
already been dead six months; but his influence was rapidly
growing, and he who had once been called " the Nietzsche
of Japan " was regarded as the standard-bearer of the
Nichirenite revival. The task of editing Takayama's writ-
ings gave me occasion to study the process of his conversion,
together with the life and personality of his prophet.
Further studies have brought me into closer and closer
touch with Nichiren's faith and thoughts. The conse-
quence is that in writing this book I have always been
tempted to tell the story fully, and have found it difficult to
decide how much should be omitted. At any rate, I offer
this little volume to the public with a full confidence that
I have not misrepresented the great teacher.
I cannot let this book appear without expressing my deep
gratitude to Professor Josiah Royce and Professor George F.
Moore. The former, as I have said above, showed his inter-
est in the subject and gave me valuable aid by reading
through the manuscript and suggesting various points that
Vili PREFACE
might with advantage be recast, for all of which I am very
grateful. Professor Moore has kindly revised the manu-
script, made arrangements for publication, and consented
to read the proofs. Indeed, without such encouragement
and assistance from my fatherly colleagues at Harvard this
publication would not have been possible. The present
volume will always recall to me pleasant memories of my
delightful stay at Harvard, during my two years of work
there. I hope that I may soon give another humble sign of
my homage to Harvard by a publication dealing with the
religious and moral history of Japan, which was the subject
of my lectures there.
M. ANESAKI.
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS,
June 9th, 1915,
the six hundred and thirty-fourth anniversary of the arrival
of the Mongol armada at the Bay of Hakata.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
NICHIREN AND HIS TIME PAGE
Nichiren the prophet 3
The social degeneracy and a Buddhist prediction 4
The political situation of his time 6
The " degenerate Buddhism "; the four schools of Buddhism . 7
CHAPTER II
NICHIREN'S BIRTH, STUDIES, AND CONVERSION. THE
LOTUS OF TRUTH
Nichiren's childhood and the years of his study 12
The final resort of his faith and the " Sacred Title " of the
Scripture 15
The Lotus of Truth ; its general nature 18
The introduction and the exposition of the ideal aim 19
The perpetuation of the Truth 22
The revelation of the real entity of Buddha's personality . .. 26
The " consummation and perpetuation " 29
Nichiren's personal touch with the Scripture 30
CHAPTER III
NICHIREN'S PUBLIC APPEARANCE AND PERSECUTION
His proclamation of his new faith 33
His warning and the first exile 36
His perilous experiences and the " Stanzas of Perseverance " . 39
Reflections on the relations of his mission 41
CHAPTER IV
AN INTERLUDE AND A NARROW ESCAPE
His pugnacious spirit and his tender heart 46
His mother and his old master 47
The peril of the pine forest and the escape 49
His missionary journeys and converts 50
ix
χ CONTENTS
CHAPTER V
THE THREATENING MONGOL INVASION AND THE
SENTENCE OF DEATH
The arrival of the Mongol envoys and Nichiren's renewed re-
monstrance 52
Prosecution and sentence of death; the narrow escape and a
" resurrection " 54
Release from death and second exile 58
CHAPTER VI
THE EXILE IN SADO AND THE RIPENING OF NICHIREN'S
FAITH IN HIS MISSION
A calm reflection and the attainment of faith in his mission . . 60
His life in solitary exile 63
" The Heritage of the Great Thing Concerning Life and Death " . 65
" Opening the Eyes "; the ethical aspects of religious life and
faith 68
Absolute trust in Buddha's prophetic assurance 70
A better time, and Nichiren's thought about sin 73
CHAPTER VII
THE CLIMAX OF NICHIREN'S LIFE; THE GRAPHIC REPRE-
SENTATION OF THE SUPREME BEING
Peace in exile; the object of religious worship 76
The Supreme Being and the doctrine of " mutual participa-
tion " 79
The Supreme Being; the union of the Truth and his Person . . 81
"The Reality as It is" and the personal realization of Buddha-
hood 82
The revelation of the Great Mandala and further thoughts on
his mission 85
CHAPTER VIII
RELEASE AND RETIREMENT; FURTHER CONFIRMATION
OF HIS FAITH
Nichiren's attitude toward the government and the nation . . 89
His return to Kamakura and the last breach with the govern-
ment 91
His retirement and his reason for retiring from the world . .. 93
