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日蓮大聖人『御書』解説

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2020年 08月 10日

22. Three kinds of enemies who harbor resentment.

                Japanese edition


One candle was burnt in one secluded room of Gokurakuji Temple.

Ryoukan, Rankei Doryu of Kenchoji Temple, Nen'a Ryochu of Nembutsu monk sat down in a circle in this room.

Ryokan represented the precept sect, Doryu who came from the Southern Song Dynasty represented the Zen sect, and Ryochu represented the Pure Land sect. These three people were once hostile to each other. However, they united after Nichiren appeared, as if "the enemy of the enemy would be a friend".

Nen'a spoke up slowly.

"Did you see it?"

Doryu wrinkles his brow. He was clearly confused.

"Sure. It is a really doubtful letter."

Nen'a Ryochu groaned.

“Nichiren, taking advantage of the fact that his prophecy of nine years ago came true, is now appealing to lord Kamakura to confront us.”

Doryu unusually complained.

“Because the prediction proved right, our believers are moving to Nichiren. Therefore, the number of people who made Zen meditation decreased significantly. If Mongolia really attacked after, believers would turn to Nichiren more and more. In this situation the means that we live for will vanish. Priest Ryoukan, are there any good ideas?”

Ryoukan seems to have some covert plan and is calming down.

“We should ignore the confrontation of debate with him. As for this matter of Nichiren, the Lord Heino Saemonnojo either seems to be angry. Nichiren is sure to be punished if the situation was left as such.”

Nen'a still cannot hide an uneasy face.

“However, the late Tokiyori, the father of lord Kamakura, has pardoned the Izu banishment of Nichiren. Is it not difficult for lord Kamakura to punish Nichiren twice?”

Ryoukan has begun to lower his voice.

“The problem is there.We must defeat Nichiren somehow or other. If Nichiren himself is difficult, let's target his disciples."

Doryu looks puzzled.

“Disciples and believers?”

“Yes, among Nichiren's disciples, there are a number of gokemans such as Shijo Kingo under the Nagoe clan. There are congregations within the shogunate of one who criticize the government. This is a serious matter for lord Kamakura.”

“I see.”

Nen'a and Doryu nodded to a full confident tone of Ryoukan in darkness.

Nichiren woke up the Shogunate by the prediction of the Mongol invasion. This attracted public attention, and there was the movement that the Shogunate was going to employ Nichiren as, but Ryoukan in the religious world and the faction in power including Heino Saemonnojo in the Shogunate disturbed this move. If Nichiren repeats to criticize other religions and holds power in the Shogunate, their status loses it during a single night. Ryokan and others flattered the Shogunate and slandered Nichiren.

The voice criticizing Nichiren was reaching Tokimune Hojo's ear. This web of intrigue reached Nichiren's ear through Toki Jonin of the Chiba and the believer of the samurai vassals including Shijo Kingo.

He says it as follows in the "Opening the Eyes" written down in Sado island later.

“Gomyo, Shuen and the other dedicated petitions which slandered the Great Teacher Dengyo to the emperor at the end of the Zoho Day of the Law. At the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, Ryoukan, Nen'a and others make up a false document and are dedicating it to the shogunate just now. Why are they not the three kinds of enemy who hold a grudge (note)?"

 Hojo Tokimune was in the archery grounds of the Kamakura shogun's palace.

The vassals stay on his side.

The arrow Tokimune shot hit the bull's eye.

“Good show!”

The vassals gave a glad shout all together.

Tokimune said without smiling.

“Instruct to the general who goes to Kyusyu to continue the training of archery. I hear that the Mongolia soldier is good at an archery.”

Yasumori nodded.

“All right, Your Excellency. So that you think, the fight to Mongolia will be the fight of archery in the land and the sea, so arrow becomes important. However, I am just troubled with preparing for a reward. Land is in short supply. To apportion land is becoming difficult”.

Tokimune was nonchalant.

“Is it not the work of thou who is the military minister? Consider deeply and examine.”

Yoritsuna Taira grinned and expressed it.

“I gave orders for further national unity to all regions. I am pushing forward the preparation of the samurai to Kyusyu district, the collection of war funds, and the confiscation of the disused land.”

Tokimune bends an arrow to the full and shoots an arrow. He checked an arrow shot the center of the mark, and he said,

“You must not torment the local economy. The severe collection of tax produces discontent elements of society. They are more of a problem than the Mongols.”

Yoritsuna continues.

“Therefore, I am catching the rascal and the vagrant in each place. Especially in Kamakura, we are on guard against any suspicious persons. Then, there is a guy whom I just want to arrest with the permission of lord Kamakura.”

Yasumori sneered at him.

“Who is it? In this Kamakura, was there such a person?”

"It is Nichiren."

Tokimune missed a target.

Yoritsuna went forward.

“He is going to trouble the Shogunate by using the prediction of the enemy attack. If we keep him alive, he will create a problem in the future. The worldly circumstance is being very tense for fear of Mongolia invasion now. I think that it is vital to arrest Nichiren, and to quiet this”.

Tokimune subtracted a bow and arrow to the full again.

“My father forgave Nichiren. I only obey him.”

Yoritsuna is tenacious.

“However, sir, his impolite missive is the content that is unprecedented since the Shogunate began, and it is equal to capital punishment. As for the disciples and believers, we should cut off his neck or banish from Kamakura. We wrest land from a person having it, or put them in jail and torment them, or banish them to an island.”

Tokimune muttered like a soliloquy, then.

Father had often said, 'Think carefully who is the true subordinate’. Subordinates flattering the lord are many and vassals stating opinions are few. Though it is full of difficulties in the future, I am lonely. I do not know what kind of person Nichiren is but he may be a reliable friend of mine.”

The atmosphere became quiet in an instant.

The vassals are discouraged. It was a face Tokimune had never seen before. He couldn't help but chuckle.

“Do not misunderstand me, you are reliable vassals of Tokimune. All of them are excellent Kamakura samurais. I did not scold you. Do not lose heart so much.”

While roars with laughter, Tokimune leaves.

The vassal offered Yoritsuna a bow, but he shouted, "Damn you Nichiren!" and broke the bow in half.

In the end, there was no response to the 11 letters at all.

Nichiren says with indignation, to “the Saint Behaviors" which he wrote at the age of 55 years old as follows.

"Must consider a way to save Japan. In fact, however, priests of the other sects cursed my messengers and deceived, and ignored or refused to reply to my letters, and even when they did reply, they deliberately neglected to report the content of my letters to the regent.”



note


The three kinds of enemy who hold a grudge.


Also called the "three kinds of powerful enemies”. The three kinds of enemies who persecute practitioners of the Lotus Sutra in various ways after the Buddha's death. It is described in the thirteenth article of the Lotus Sutra. The three types of arrogance are the arrogance of the mundane, the arrogance of the Buddha’s Doctrine, and the arrogance of false saints, as defined by Myoraku in the Lotus Sutra.

 The arrogance of the mundane refers to worldly people who are ignorant of the Buddha's teachings, who abuse the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra and use swords and sticks against them.

 "The seventh is the existence of various unintelligent people. They are people who are illiterate. This is clarified in the 'Abusive Language' of the Lotus Sutra. The mundane of Japan is called 'various.'”

The arrogance of the Buddha’s Principle refers to monks who are proud and full of evil knowledge.

"The eighth is about monks in the evil era. According to the oral tradition of the meaning, 'A wicked age is the time in the Latter Day of the Law.' They have abandoned the righteous wisdom of the Lotus and adopted the evil wisdom of the provisional as their main source. The group of Nichiren who chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo now have the greatest wisdom among the true wisdom. (The Thirteen Important Articles of the Buddhist Creed in the Encourage Chapter)"

 An arrogant presumptuous saint

 A person who acts as a saint in the guise of a saint and approaches power, persecutes those who propagate the true Law. This is the third of the three powerful enemies. A pseudo presumptuous saint. The thirteenth chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the chapter on the Encouraging Devotion, describes the enemies of three types who, after the death of the Buddha, persecute practitioners of the Lotus Sutra when they propagate the Lotus Sutra. Presumptuousness refers to a person of lower rank who overflows his portion and is arrogant in imitation of those above him. Therefore, this third category refers to those who usually act like saints, but inwardly have strong evil views and are always obsessed with greed.

A false saint of arrogance refers to an adversary who pretends to be a saint and is respected by society, but on the inside is obsessed with greed and harbors an evil heart, resents the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra, and eventually uses his power to persecute them for exile or death.




Continued



Life of Nichiren. Vol. 1. Contents



by johsei1129 | 2020-08-10 23:10 | LIFE OF NICHIREN | Trackback | Comments(0)


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