January 20, 2025
Nichiren Shonin and His Lay Followers（6）
By Rev. Kanji Tamura
The Ikegami Brothers, Munenaka and Munenaga (2)
Although Munenaka was disowned by his father Yasumitsu in 1275, Nichiren Shonin encouraged the Ikegami brothers to keep faith in the Lotus Sutra again and again. Finally, Yasumitsu pardoned his son and became a follower of the Lotus Sutra himself.
Nichiren Shonin states in his letter of the ninth month in 1277 addressed to the younger brother Munenaga, “Ryokan and the other evil monks deceived your father, trying to force you brothers to abandon your faith. However, as you wisely accepted my advice and joined forces with your brother, you were able to induce your father to the faith of the Lotus Sutra.”
Munenaka Was Disowned Again
However, the faith of the father Yasumitsu remained unstable. Influenced by the campaign for one million Nembutsu staged by Ryokan of the Gokurakuji Temple, Yasumitsu again became a follower of Ryokan and disowned Munenaka for the second time. Munenaga, the younger brother, appeared sympathetic to his father.
Nichiren Shonin wrote to Munenaga again two months later, remonstrating:
“Your father seems to have become an enemy of the Lotus Sutra while your elder brother has become a practicer of the Lotus Sutra. You seem to stand by your father. You will not be dutiful to your parents if you follow your father who has become the enemy of the Lotus Sutra and abandon your brother who is a devotee of the One Vehicle. Make up your mind to follow your elder brother and accomplish your faith in Buddhism.”
Nichiren Shonin then refers to Prince Siddhartha’s renouncement of the world against the will of his parents, and his work of enlightening his parents upon attaining Buddhahood.
“Your family will not prosper several thousands or several ten thousands of years even if you inherit the estate of your family from your father. Think it over and over and pray for the future happiness,” writes the Founder.
Return to the Faith of the Lotus Sutra
Father Yasumitsu returned to the faith in the Lotus Sutra upon the persuasion of Munenaga, the younger brother. Rejoicing over the turn of events, Nichiren wrote a letter to Munenaga in which he refers to the examples of malicious brotherly relations told in the Repaying Indebtedness Sutra, and also the unfortunate relation between Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura military government, and his younger brother, Yoshitsune.
The Founder thus praises Munenaga saying that although greed and jealousy cause strife among brothers, Munenaga acted wisely and unselfishly, causing his father, brother, and himself to become Buddhas and guaranteeing the prosperity of his posterity.
Founder’s Funeral and the Ikegami Brothers
Nichiren left Minobusan on the eighth day of the ninth month, 1282, for Hitachi to recuperate from his ill health. He dropped in at the residence of Munenaka on the 18th day of the same month, where he passed away on the 13th day of the tenth month.
The funeral took place at midnight of the 13th. The elder brother Munenaka proceeded in front of the palanquin carrying the coffin side by side with Shijo Kingo, both carrying funeral banners. Munenaga, the younger brother, walked behind them carrying the sword of the Founder.
The Ikegami Hommonji Temple now stands at the site of the Ikegami family mansion. The statue of the Founder enshrined at the temple was sculptured on the occasion of his seventh memorial service, and contains a bronze tube containing the ashes of the Founder. Inscribed on the tube are the letters: “the Grand Donor, Munenaka.”
(Trans. K. S.)
(to be continued)