Nichiji
Encyclopedia
Nichiji also known as Kaikō, was a Buddhist disciple of Nichiren
who traveled to Hokkaido
, Siberia
, and China
.
Nichiji was born in Suruga Province
, the second child of a large and powerful family. At first he studied to become a Tendai
priest but soon he joined Nichiren as one of his initial followers.
Nichiji was one of the "six chosen disciples" of Nichiren, but was also a disciple of Nikkō
. After Nichiren died in 1282, Nichiji established Eishō-ji, now Ren'ei-ji (蓮永寺) in Shizuoka
. But soon, relations with Nikkō became strained. He set out on a missionary journey on January 1, 1295. His plan was to walk to Hakodate, Hokkaidō
and from there proceed to Xanadu
in order to convert the Mongols. While the Mongols appear frequently in Nichiren's writings as a fearsome force which Japan must tame, little was known about them and the city of Xanadu was just as mysterious in Japan as it seems to us today.
For many centuries it was unknown what happened to Nichiji after he left Japan. According to legend, he founded a temple in northern Japan and caught a new fish in Hokkaido that he named hokke
, after the ; even in legends it was unclear if he ever reached China alive. In 1936, though, a Japanese tourist discovered his gohonzon
and relics in a remote region of China, and in 1989 these relics were carbon dated and determined by Tokyo University researchers to be most probably authentic. Thanks to his inscriptions on the relics, it is now known that he landed in China in 1298, met some Western Xia
Buddhists on the road and decided on their advice to settle in Xuanhua District
instead of Xanadu. In Xuanhua, he founded Lìhuà Temple (立化寺塔; Japanese: Rikkai-ji)., and a few Chinese residents converted to Nichiren Buddhism
under his tutelage, including an old man named Nishote whom he mentions as his chief disciple. He died sometime after 1304.
Nichiren
Nichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Kamakura period in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra, entitled Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in Japanese, as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment and the chanting of Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō as the essential practice of the teaching...
who traveled to Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Nichiji was born in Suruga Province
Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay.-History:...
, the second child of a large and powerful family. At first he studied to become a Tendai
Tendai
is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.Chappell frames the relevance of Tendai for a universal Buddhism:- History :...
priest but soon he joined Nichiren as one of his initial followers.
Nichiji was one of the "six chosen disciples" of Nichiren, but was also a disciple of Nikkō
Nikko (priest)
Nikkō , also known as Nikkō Shōnin, is the founder of a major branch of Nichiren Buddhism that includes the present-day Nichiren Shoshu school of Japanese Buddhism. His full Buddhist name was Hawaki-bō Byakuren Ajari Nikkō ....
. After Nichiren died in 1282, Nichiji established Eishō-ji, now Ren'ei-ji (蓮永寺) in Shizuoka
Shizuoka, Shizuoka
is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...
. But soon, relations with Nikkō became strained. He set out on a missionary journey on January 1, 1295. His plan was to walk to Hakodate, Hokkaidō
Hakodate, Hokkaido
is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 as a result of Convention of Kanagawa, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan...
and from there proceed to Xanadu
Xanadu
-Description of Xanadu by Toghon Temur :The lament of Toghon Temur Khan , concerning the loss of Daidu and Heibun Shanduu in 1368, is recorded in many Mongolian historical chronicles...
in order to convert the Mongols. While the Mongols appear frequently in Nichiren's writings as a fearsome force which Japan must tame, little was known about them and the city of Xanadu was just as mysterious in Japan as it seems to us today.
For many centuries it was unknown what happened to Nichiji after he left Japan. According to legend, he founded a temple in northern Japan and caught a new fish in Hokkaido that he named hokke
Arabesque greenling
The Arabesque greenling is a species of mackerel used in Japanese cuisine.The primary population of the fish is found off of the Sea of Okhotsk. According to legend, it was discovered by Nichiji.-Uses:...
, after the ; even in legends it was unclear if he ever reached China alive. In 1936, though, a Japanese tourist discovered his gohonzon
Gohonzon
Gohonzon , is the object of devotion in many forms of Japanese Buddhism. In Japanese, go is an honorific prefix indicating respect and honzon means object of fundamental respect, veneration, or devotion...
and relics in a remote region of China, and in 1989 these relics were carbon dated and determined by Tokyo University researchers to be most probably authentic. Thanks to his inscriptions on the relics, it is now known that he landed in China in 1298, met some Western Xia
Western Xia
The Western Xia Dynasty or the Tangut Empire, was known to the Tanguts and the Tibetans as Minyak.The state existed from 1038 to 1227 AD in what are now the northwestern Chinese provinces of Ningxia, Gansu, eastern Qinghai, northern Shaanxi, northeastern Xinjiang, southwest Inner Mongolia, and...
Buddhists on the road and decided on their advice to settle in Xuanhua District
Xuanhua District
Xuanhua is a district in Zhangjiakou prefecture-level city in Hebei Province, China.Xuanhua is 180 km North-West of Beijing. It has a population of 274,000 people. Xuanhua is a very old city with a rich military and agricultural history...
instead of Xanadu. In Xuanhua, he founded Lìhuà Temple (立化寺塔; Japanese: Rikkai-ji)., and a few Chinese residents converted to Nichiren Buddhism
Nichiren Buddhism
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren...
under his tutelage, including an old man named Nishote whom he mentions as his chief disciple. He died sometime after 1304.
Further reading
- Li Narangoa. Japanische Religionspolitik in der Mongolei 1932-1945. Reformbestrebungen und Dialog zwischen japanischem und mongolischem Buddhismus. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1998.
- Daniel B. Montgomery. Fire in the Lotus: The Dynamic Buddhism of Nichiren. Thorsons, 1991.
- 前嶋 信次 . "日持上人の大陸渡航について―宣化出土遺物を中心として "
- 日持上人開教の事跡－津軽十三湊をめぐって－". Nichiren Buddhism Modern Religious Institute.
- 劇画宗門史「日持上人」
- http://homepage1.nifty.com/tkawase/osigoto/mjbpa.pdf
External links
- Treasures of Senka - documentary in English Hakodate News