January 20, 2025
Nichiren Shonin and His Lay Followers（5）
By Rev. Kanji Tamura
The Ikegami Brothers, Munenaka and Munenaga (1)
Among the influential lay followers of Nichiren, the Ikegami brothers— Munenaka (? –1293?) and Munenaga (?–1275?)— are known to have carried through their faith in the Lotus Sutra.
Munenaka, also called “Uemon no Tayusakan,” was a steward residing in the Ikegami section of Musashi Province (Tokyo today). As the Commissioner of Construction of the Kamakura Shogunate (military government), Munenaka was involved in the construction of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, guardian deity of the shogunate.
His brother, Munenaga, also named “Hyoesakan,” was kind-hearted, and his relationship with his elder brother was excellent.
The Ikegami brothers are said to have met Nichiren in Kamakura, becoming his followers. Of the two, Munenaka’s faith in the Lotus Sutra was especially firm. Their father, Ikegami Saemonnojo Yasumitsu, had been a devoted follower of Ryokan-bo Ninsho of the Gokurakuji Temple.
Ryokan was a high priest of the Shingon Ritsu (Precept) School, performing the prayer services through his divine power, which he claimed to have gained by his strict observance of the Buddhist precepts.
Ryokan also emphasized philanthropic works such as the construction of bridges and was influential among the leaders of the military government. Nichiren, however, strongly criticized Ryokan, stating: “Precept Buddhism is a national traitor.” Nichiren insisted that in the Latter Age of Degeneration (following the 2,000 years after the passing of the Buddha) society was in disorder, human feeling was too weak to observe the precepts, and therefore it was simply a lie and hypocrisy for anyone to claim to be an observer of the precepts.
precepts. Ikegami Yasumitsu, who was aware of Nichiren’s criticism of Ryokan, disliked his sons’ devotion to Nichiren. Finally in the spring of the 12th year of Bun’ei (1275) he demanded that his two sons abandon their faith in the Lotus Sutra. When the two refused to obey his order, the Father disowned the elder son.
Encouragement for Faith in the Lotus Sutra
Upon hearing of this incident, Nichiren wrote a letter to the Ikegami brothers and their wives on the 16th day of the fourth month. This long letter is known as “Kyodai-sho,” in which Nichiren declares first of all that the Lotus Sutra is the essence of all the scriptures of Buddhism, through which all the Buddhas in the past, present, and future existences attain Buddhahood and guide all living beings.
Citing examples of those who established a relation with the Lotus Sutra but in the end abandoned it due to bad karma and thereby fell into hell, Nichiren then warns them not to abandon even a character or a dot of the Lotus Sutra. He then states that it is extremely difficult to encounter a person who expounds the Lotus Sutra exactly as stated in it, and that some high priests in the past did not think highly of the Lotus Sutra and died a sudden death, went to hell and were reproached by Yama, the King of Hell.
King of Evils in the Sixth Heaven
Nichiren in this letter then states that the believers of the Lotus Sutra should be careful about the King of Evils in the Sixth Heaven, who leads living beings astray, tempts them to abandon the Lotus Sutra, causing them to fall into the evil realms. Nichiren states that this King of Evils in the Sixth Heaven enters the bodies of high priests and confuses innocent people. Other times he enters the bodies of a wife and children to fool a husband and parents; the body of the ruler of a country to threaten a practicer of the Lotus Sutra; or bodies of parents to censure their filial children. Why do we encounter these difficulties in this life? According to Nichiren, it is to lessen or extinguish the sins that we committed in the past by slandering the True Dharma. Nichiren further explains that the miseries of the Mongol Invasion of Japan are actually caused by the rulers of Japan, who promoted the wrong schools of Buddhism such as Shingon and Nembutsu, becoming the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, the True Dharma.
that the believers of the Lotus Sutra should be careful about the King of Evils in the Sixth Heaven, who leads living beings astray, tempts them to abandon the Lotus Sutra, causing them to fall into the evil realms. Nichiren states that this King of Evils in the Sixth Heaven enters the bodies of high priests and confuses innocent people. Other times he enters the bodies of a wife and children to fool a husband and parents; the body of the ruler of a country to threaten a practicer of the Lotus Sutra; or bodies of parents to censure their filial children. Why do we encounter these difficulties in this life? According to Nichiren, it is to lessen or extinguish the sins that we committed in the past by slandering the True Dharma. Nichiren further explains that the miseries of the Mongol Invasion of Japan are actually caused by the rulers of Japan, who promoted the wrong schools of Buddhism such as Shingon and Nembutsu, becoming the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, the True Dharma.
True Filial Piety
Enumerating the exemplary devotion to the king and parents in history, Nichiren states that although one should follow the parents in all matters, as for the way of attaining Buddhahood is concerned, not to follow them seems to be fundamental of filial piety. The 27th “King Wonderful Adornment” chapter of the Lotus Sutra narrates the tale of two princes, Pure Store and Pure Eyes, who converted their Brahman father (King Wonderful Adornment) to Buddhism through the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren praises the Ikegami brothers, comparing them to these princes (Pure Store and Pure Eyes), namely future Bodhisattvas Medicine King and Medicine Superior.
Three Hindrances and the Four Devils
Nichiren also cites a statement of Grand Master T’ien-t’ai from his Great Concentration and Insight saying, “When practicing the ‘3,000 existences contained in one thought’ doctrine, it is inevitable that the three hindrances and four devils compete to interfere with the practicer.” According to Nichiren, practicing the “3,000 existences contained in one thought” doctrine means practicing the Daimoku. The three hindrances means (1) obstacle of passions, (2) obstacle of wife and children, and (3) obstacles of the ruler of a country and parents, etc. while the four devils are (1) evil passions which torment one’s mind and body, (2) five elements of one’s existence which produce various kinds of pain, (3) death, and (4) King of Devils in the Sixth Heaven who thwarts one’s attempt to do good.
Nichiren’s Criticism of Other Sects
Why did Nichiren criticize all schools of Buddhism other than the one based on the Lotus Sutra? If we compare all the scriptures of Buddhism to the foods prepared by the Buddha, each food has its expiration date. All the foods prepared by the Buddha except the Lotus Sutra have passed the expiration dates by the Latter Age of Degeneration, namely they are no longer edible. The Lotus Sutra alone is the exception; its value increases becoming more tasty and nutritious by fermentation. A bowl of curry and rice, for instance, tastes much better if you eat it a few days after cooking. Some kinds of wine taste better while fresh but others grow better in taste after years or even ages. It is believed that this was the reason why Nichiren harshly criticized all the sutras except the Lotus Sutra as unsuitable to the Latter Age of Degeneration.
(Trans. K. H.)
(to be continued)