Tale of the Pear Leaves

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The tale of the pear leaves has been handed down through the generations within Nichiren Shoshu to portray the strictness with which Nikko Shonin focused his energies on educating and fostering capable disciples after he moved to Omosu.

One day while Nikko Shonin was giving a lecture, he noticed that one of his disciples, a priest named Nichizon, had become mesmerized by pear leaves fluttering to the ground in the autumn wind. Nikko Shonin swiftly reprimanded him, saying, “How can one hoping to spread the supreme Law allow his mind to wander with falling leaves? You will vacate your seat immediately!” Nichizon was thus expelled from the seminary.

Because of that experience, Nichizon summoned up renewed faith and traversed the country, spreading the Law wherever he went. It is said that it took Nichizon 12 years to fully comprehend the reasons for his expulsion, during which time; he either converted or established at least 36 temples.

 Nikko Shonin
Constant Service and Propagation of the True Law
Two Transfer Documents: The Great Master of Propagation of the Essential Teaching
Departure from Minobu
The Establishment of Taisekiji
Omosu Seminary: Differentiating the One from the Five
Tale of the Pear Leaves
Differentiating the One from the Five
Other Facts and Disciples
The Twenty-six Admonitions of Nikko

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