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Nichimoku Shonin
The Master of the Seat of the Law
Nichimoku Shonin
was born in 1260 (the first year of the Bun’o Period), in Hatake, a
village in the Niida District of Izu Province. (The area around Hatake
is now Kannana-cho, in Shizuoka Prefecture.) When Nichimoku reached the
age of 13 in 1272 (the ninth year of the Bunei Period), he entered a
temple named Tozozan Enzobo in Atami to begin his formal education. In
the fourth month of 1276 (the second year of the Kenji Period), at the
age of 17, Nichimoku became Nikko Shonin’s disciple when the latter
visited Tozozan during a lecture tour in Izu Province. At his tonsure,
Nichimoku received the name Kunaikyo-no-kimi, which was later changed to
Niidakyo Ajari. In the 11th month of the same year, he moved
to Minobu, where he made every effort to serve Nichiren Daishonin.
Nichimoku Shonin
was 23 when he accompanied the Daishonin to Ikegami during the ninth
month of 1282 (the fifth year of the Koan Period). There, the Daishonin
instructed Nichimoku to debate a priest from the Tendai sect named Ise
Hoin, who was the son of Nikaido Ise no Kami, a high-ranking official in
the Kamakura Military Government. Nichimoku Shonin soundly defeated the
Tendai priest.
After the
Daishonin’s passing, Nichimoku Shonin followed Nikko Shonin back to
Minobu. In the first month of 1283 (the sixth year of the Koan Period),
Nikko Shonin put together a rotational schedule for maintenance of the
Daishonin’s grave, assigning the month of the Daishonin’s passing (the
tenth month) to Nichimoku Shonin. The priest on duty was responsible
for, among other things, offering greens and incense at the Daishonin’s
gravesite. Thereafter, Nichimoku Shonin made frequent lecture tours
throughout the Oshu, Kan’etsu and Tokai regions to acquaint people with
the Daishonin’s teachings. He was particularly successful in the Oshu
area, which is now Miyagi Prefecture, where personal connections helped
him convert large numbers of people and build a number of temples,
including Jogyoji, Hongenji, Myokyoji and Myoenji.
Nichimoku Shonin
accompanied Nikko Shonin when he left Minobu for Fuji. On the 13th
day of the tenth month of 1290 (the third year of the Sho’o Period), the
day after completion of the Daibo at Taisekiji, Nichimoku Shonin
received the inner Lifeblood of the Law from Nikko Shonin and took up
residence at the Renzobo. When Nikko Shonin moved to Omosu in the second
month of 1298 (the sixth year of the Einin Period), Nichimoku Shonin
moved into the Daibo, ensuring Taisekiji’s future purity and prosperity.
Some 30 years
later, during the 11th month of 1332 (the second year of the
Genko Period and first year of the Shokyo Period), Nichimoku Shonin
received “Articles to be Observed after Nikko’s Death” from Nikko
Shonin. This document not only testified to the fact that Nichimoku
Shonin was the legitimate heir to the inner Lifeblood of the Daishonin’s
Law, but also legally transferred ownership of Taisekiji to him and
designated him Master of the Seat of the Law. |
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