1. Birth and religious practices.

1. Birth and religious practices.

Nichiren was born in Kominato,Tojo volost, Awa Country on February 16, 1222.

The Kamakura Shogunate was founded in Japan by Yoritomo Minamoto in this era, and 40 years have been passing. Mongolia empire was going to conquer Asia by military power in the Orient, and invasion of the Crusade began in the West. It was the times of a global fight.

　Father of Nichiren was called Tayuu Mikuni, and mother was called Umegiku. The details are unclear, but Tayuu Mikuni of father lived as a fisherman. It is said that he worked by killing creatures. Nichiren writes it down later. "I, Nichiren, is a child of chandala (untouchable) family in the seaside of the Tojo Village of Awa country in barbaric Japan of east". 'Receiving the Disfavor and Banishment to Sado'. On the other hand, it is known that Umegiku of mother was the families of the military commander of the Kamakura era. There is talk that mother was a well-educated lady to make Japanese poems. It is thought that his ability to write ingeniously might depended on the education of this mother.

Nichiren called a childhood name Zen’nichimaro. In 1233, he climbed to the ancient temple Seichoji which was near Kominato of the hometown when he became 12 years old, and he became a pupil there. Nichiren writes down in the letter which addressed to the believer of the Seichoji temple later as follows.　

“I received great wisdom from alive Akasa-garbha-bodhisattva. I prayed to him, 'Please make me to the person who is the wisest in Japan'. The bodhisattva felt pity for me perhaps. He gave the great jewel as brilliant as the Venus, into my right-hand sleeve. Thereafter, while I learn the all Buddhist sutras, I could understand the inferior and superior of the eight denominations and the all Buddhist sutras.” 'To the Seichoji temple public'.

Four years later, he became a monk formally at 16 years old, and took the tonsure and changed the name to Zeshobo-Rencho. Zesho is a meaning of the person being birth under the day. Rencho vowed giving life to Law of Buddha without having wife and child.

However, Awa country with the Seichoji temple was remote land culturally. Rencho visited various temples that was the center of the Buddhism such as the Yakushi-ji Temple of the Southern capital, the Enryakuji of Hi'ei mountain, the Tsuruoka Hachiman Shrine of Kamakura and he learned the essence of the Law of Buddha. Rencho made a study of Buddhism for 16 years, mastered the Law of Buddha at last. At the same time, Rencho prepared for hardship being waiting in the future, vowed "I will become a pillar of Japan, I become a large ship of Japan, and I become eyes of Japan".

Continued.

Life of Nichiren. Compact edition.