Segment of Letter by Nichiren
- Person
-
作者日蓮
- Date
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制作年 AD13
- Title
- ニチレンヒツショジョウダンカン
- Collections
- Century Akao Collection
- Depository
- Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko) Campus Mita
- Ref. number
- AW-CEN-000732-0000
- License
- CC BY Images license
- Creditline
-
慶應義塾（センチュリー赤尾コレクション）
- URL
- Classification
- Art
- AI Tagging
- Handwriting Font Black-and-white Art Rectangle
Priest Nichiren (1222-82) was an influential Buddhist monk of the Mid-Kamakura Period. He was born into a fishing family in Kominato in Awa, which is today’s Chiba Prefecture. At age 12, he studied the principles of Tendai Sect Buddhism under abbot Dozen of Seichoji Temple in Awa and entered priesthood at age 16. Thereafter, he received disciplining at different Buddhist schools, such as those in the Hiei and Koya mountains and at Shitennoji Temple in the Kinki region. In 1253, he returned to Seichoji Temple in his hometown, where he concluded that the true teaching of Buddha was to be found in the Lotus Sutra, and became the founder of the Nichiren Shu (Sect) Buddhism. A vigorous mission ensued, and he traveled to many parts of Japan propagating his teaching by preaching the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren wrote Rissho-Ankoku-Ron, or Treatise on Spreading Peace throughout the Country by Establishing Righteousness, and predicted imminent disasters would befall humankind unless people were converted to the faith based on the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren scathingly criticized the other Buddhist sects along with the Kamakura Shogunate government. In the ensuing persecution, he was exiled to Izu and later to Sado Island. After his pardon in 1274, Nichiren went into voluntary exile on Mt. Minobu in Kai (today’s Yamanashi Prefecture), where he dedicated himself to authorship and the education of his followers.Nichiren left behind numerous authentically written Buddhist texts and letters. While his Buddhist texts and scripture-related writings are characterized by dark, bold strokes created by a brush saturated with Indian ink, brush strokes in his letters flow without the least inhibition, which is a testimony to his fiery personality. What’s shown here is a four-line fragment of a letter, perhaps preserved by Nichireｎ’s ardent followers. Since it is a fragment, it is understandable that someone had it certified by Nichi-in (1619-92), who was the son of Hon-ami Kosa (1578-1637) and a vigorous follower of Nichiren Buddhism. Quite naturally, the certification attests to the authenticity of the letter. What’s written in the letter, however, is not readily understandable. The mentioned kingdom and king’s name, appear in Buddhist scriptures and sacred texts, so the original letter supposedly pertained to Nichiren Sect propaganda.
きなくして悦あり水象をまうけたりとひんつるをあなつりし程に此の水象ハ慰禅（ゐせん）國の波羅珠提國（王）の象なり此の［日允極］きなくして悦あり水象をまうけたりとひんつるをあなつりし程に此水象ハ慰禅（ゐせん）國の波羅珠提國（王）の象なり此 右四行四十七字并假三字名付 元祖大菩薩之御真蹟敢不可及異論仍添證文耳 天和二年壬戌八月四日日允（花押）
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- Title (EN)
- Segment of Letter by Nichiren
Physical description
- Weights and quantities
-
Quantity 1幅
- Attachments
- 日允紙中極め「きなく.... 右四行... 天和二年壬威 八月四日 日允(花押)
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