May 2021
SACRED WORDS
On the twelfth of the fifth month (1261), I was marooned on a beach, the name of which was unknown to me. I suffered much, and you came to my rescue. What was the relation between you and me in our previous existence? Did you practice the teaching of the Lotus Sutra in your previous life? You are a man, and a man can be courageous. I was surprised that your wife was as brave as you in serving an exile. She gave me food, water, and many other necessities.
Funa-mori Yasaburo Gosho
聖語
日蓮は去る５月１２日流罪の時、その津につきて候しに、いまだ名をも聞き及び参らせず候ところに、船より上がり苦しみ候ところに、ねんごろにあたらせ給候し事は、いかなる宿習なるらん。過去に法華経の行者にてわたらせ給へるが、今末法に船守弥三郎と生まれかわりて日蓮をあわれみ給うか。たとひ男はさもあるべきに、女房に身として食を与え、洗足てうずその外さもねんごろなる事、日蓮はしらず不思議とも申すばかりなし。
『船守弥三郎許御書」
Izu Exile Persecution (May 21, 1261)
Rev. Shokai Kanai
The 800th Anniversary for Nichiren Shonin’s Birth is scheduled for January 23, 2022. We still have several months to go. During this time, I would like for everyone to know and understand who Nichiren Dai’Shonin was. This month I would like to talk about the Izu Exile Persecution.
The above picture is a scene from “The Pictorial Life of Saint Nichiren” published by Minobusan Kuonji Temple in 1973. This picture is from a pictorial scroll from the Kamakura era that has been directly transposed. The artist, Jikisai Uenaka, spent about 60 years researching to assure that this is truly an authentic Kamakura era print. If you would like to further study this and other pictures, you may find a copy of the book in our mansion library.
On the right side of the picture is that of Nichiro who was the youngest and the most devoted disciple hanging on the edge of the official government ship, asking an officer to take him together with his master. But one of the officers struck him with an oar and broken his right arm. Upon seeing this Nichiren rose on the stern and comforted Nichiro explaining exactly as the Lotus Sutra prescribes for all who challenge the world with its truth. He said, “Kamakura and Ito are located in the east and west separated by a bay. When the sun rises, I will think about you in Kamakura.
When the moon appears in the west, think about me in Ito.” Then Nichiren recited “Hoto-ge” or “The Difficulty of Retaining the Sutra,” “Shi Kyo Nan Ji, Nyaku Zan Ji Sha ….” while the ship rode the waves going far off shore. Thus, we read the “Hoto-ge” with special rhythm just like the ship going up and down with the waves.
On the left side of the picture is Nichiren on the chopping board rock sticking out of the ocean water. It was about 4 PM when he was dropped off on a reef still some distance from the shore at low tide. The government officers wanted to go back to Kamakura before dark, so told him, “At low tide you will see the way and walk to shore.” But it was fast approaching high tide and most of the reef was completely submerged.
Now, is this the end of Nichiren Shonin's life? Please look forward to the Dharma Talk on Sunday service on May 9th.
（１２６１年５月２１日）
金井勝海
日蓮大聖人ご降誕800年ハワイ大会が来年１月２３日に開催されることになっています。まだ半年以上ありますが、それまでに日蓮大聖人を少しでも多くの方々に正しく理解していただきたく、今月は伊豆法難について述べます。
１ページの挿絵の説明をいたします。身延山久遠寺発行の『日蓮聖人絵伝』からの引用です。ご覧になりたい方はいつでも図書室で学ぶことができます。
今回は５１・５２番目の絵巻です。右側は、 幕府が世間を騒がしたという罪で日蓮大聖人を捉え、即刻島流にしてしまいました。船が浜を出る前に弟子の日朗は「我は流人日蓮の弟子、師に罪あらば弟子も同罪、その船に乗せ給え！」と大声で叫びました。護送の役人は怒りの声をあらわに御用船に狼藉致さばもの見せんと船のかいで打ったので日朗は右手を骨折してしまいました。聖人は船端に立ち「日朗よ、末法に法華経を弘めれば杖をもって打たれ遠くへ流されるとは勧持品の名文ではないか。この鎌倉と伊東は西東、海を隔てての距離は遠くても、朝日が東に昇れば日朗は鎌倉に居ると思う、月が西山に傾く時は日蓮が伊東に居ると知れ」と述べられ、宝塔偈「此経難事、若暫持者。。。」と船上から唱えられ波の間に遠のくのでした。この様子を頭に浮かべながら読むので一句は伸ばし一句は短くつまり、リズミカルに読むのです。
左側の絵は、御用船が午后4時ごろ伊東の岬に近づき、役人は日が沈まない内に鎌倉へ帰らねばと考え「あの黒き茂みは伊東の浦、潮が引けば浜づたいに歩けばすぐだ」とばかり海中の孤岩に聖人を放ちそのまま漕ぎ去ってしまいました。潮は足をひたし始め膝にも及んできました。日蓮様は泰然として大声で読経唱題。すると一日の漁を終えて帰路につく漁人弥三郎は海原で尊い読経の声に驚き聖人を漁船の中に救いあげたのです。そこは、満ち潮になれば海中に没する俎板岩だったのです。
この続きは5月９日の法難会の法話をお聞きください。