O'Daimoku and Nichiren Dai'Shonin (April 28, 1253, birth of the O'Daimoku

April 2021

SACRED WORDS

For the past 28 years since the 28th of the fourth month in the third year of Koan (1280), I have devoted myself to nothing but encouraging all the people in Japan to recite Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, the five- or seven-character title of the Lotus Sutra. This is exactly like the compassion of a mother trying to breast feed her baby. Now is the time for us to expound the teaching of the Lotus Sutra as predicted by the Buddha to be spread in the fifth 500-year period, the beginning of the Latter Age of Degeneration after His death.

Kangyo Hachiman Sho

聖語

日蓮ハ去ル建長５年４月２８日ヨリ、今弘安３年１２月ニ至ルマデ２８年ガ間、又他事ナシ。只妙法蓮華経ノ七字五字ヲ日本国ノ一切衆生ノ口ニ入レント励ム計リナリ。此れ即チ母ノ赤子ノ口ニ乳ヲ入レント励ム慈悲ナリ。此レ又時ノ当ラザルニアラズヤ。スデニ仏記ノ五々百歳（末法）ニ当レリ。

日蓮『諌暁八幡抄』

O’DAIMOKU and NICHIREN DAI’SHONIN

Rev. Shokai Kanai

April 28, 1253 is the birthday of the O’Daimoku, “NAMU MYO-HO-REN-GE-KYO. As the first streak of the golden rays of the morning sun broke through the horizon of the Pacific Ocean, Nichiren Dai’Shonin chanted the O’Daimoku for the first time, facing towards the rising sun at Mt. Kiyosumi, in present day Chiba Prefecture.

The era when he was born and expounded the O’Daimoku was the beginning of Mappo during the Kamakura Period. Mappo Era started two thousand years after Sakyamuni Buddha’s Pari-Nirvana (the fifth five hundred years after Buddha’s death), which was thought to be 1052 AD. During this period, Buddhist doctrine alone is still alive, but there is neither practice nor enlightenment; thus, there is no salvation for the people in during this era. Nichiren was born towards the beginning of Mappo or in the fifth 500-year period.

Japan was in political turmoil during this time. Thirty years before Nichiren was born, a samurai clan who were supposed to guard the emperors and support the court in Kyoto seized power for themselves and established the Kamakura Government in a new capital in eastern Japan in 1196. One year before Nichiren was born, the Kamakura Government exiled three ex-emperors to isolated islands in 1221.

Moreover, the country was besieged with earthquakes, epidemics, famines, and starvation year after year. No one seemed to save the people of Japan. Nichiren Dai’Shonin tried to save the nation and its people during this time of chaos, where the reverse was true, low dominates high, and social pandemonium resulted from natural disasters.

There are references to Mappo in the Lotus Sutra. “A Bodhisattva-mahasattva who wishes to expound this sutra in the evil world after my extinction,” Ch. 14. “Propagate this chapter throughout the Jambudvipa or the countries where the people live in the later five hundred years after my extinction lest it should be lost.” Ch. 23. “The latter five hundred years after my extinction” means the period at the start of Mappo Era. In addition, the phrase, “The later five hundred years after my extinction” appears in several places within the Lotus Sutra, which is not the case in any other sutras.

As you already know, “The true purpose of various teachings is difficult to understand” from Chapter 2, explains that the Lotus Sutra is extremely difficult to access and comprehend. However, Nichiren Dai’Shonin created the chant, “Namu Myo-ho Ren-ge Kyo” as a simple practice method that anyone could do. If you chant O’Daimoku, you can be freed from suffering and become a Buddha even during the challenging Mappo Era. He was able to simplify and encourage everyone to practice, just as a mother can feed her child.

Reminder: Nichiren’s 800th Birthday Anniversary Convention in Hawaii will be held on January 23rd next year.

お題目と日蓮大聖人

金井勝海

　お題目が誕生したのは１２５３年４月２８日です。この日、日蓮大聖人は千葉県清澄山山頂で太平洋の水平線から昇ってくる太陽に向かって初めて「南無妙法蓮華経」と唱えられました。

　日蓮大聖人とお題目を理解するには、上記の聖語にあるように、「末法」という時代背景が強くかかわっています。末法とは、釈尊入滅後、時代が下るにつれて教えの影響力が次第に衰え、社会の混乱と退廃が起こり、ついに完全な破滅が到来する、と考える仏教の終末的歴史観です。末法時代は釈尊の滅後2千１年に始まり、教えはあっても修行する人もなく、覚りを得る者はいないから救済される人もいないと言われています。その末法初年は１０５２年と言われています。日蓮様がお生まれになられたのは仏滅後１７０年の１２２２年の鎌倉時代です。末法時代だからこそ鎌倉時代に初めて日本仏教が生まれたのです。

　政治的にみても、有史以来の天皇による支配が破滅し、天皇に仕えていた武士が実権を握ったのが１１９２年、源頼朝が征夷大将軍に任命され鎌倉幕府による武家政治の時代に大きく変わり、その３０年後に日蓮様がお生まれになられました。政治的にも混乱の時代が始まっていました。仏教の終末思想と主従が逆転した武家政治になった時代に日蓮大聖人がお題目を弘められたのです。

　妙法蓮華経の『安楽行品第１４』には「如来の滅後、末法の中においてこの経を説かんと欲せば、」とあり、『法師功徳品第１９』には 「悪世末法の時、よくこの経を持たん者は、」ともあります。さらに『薬王品第２３』には『我が滅度の後、後の五百歳の中に、広宣流布して、』と説かれているように、末法の初めの５００年に法華経を説く時と定めております。

　その他にも「末法」という言葉が法華経には数箇所で説かれています。法華経が広まるのは末法の時代だからこそ必要になる教えであると説かれているのです。それを実証されたのが日蓮大聖人です。

　皆様もご承知の通り『方便品第2』に「難解難入」と説かれている通り、法華経は大変理解しがたいお経です。そこで、誰にでもできる修行方法として「南無妙法蓮華経と唱えなさい。そうすれば、誰でも苦しみ悩みから解放され成仏できますよ！」と易行を勧められたのです。それは、母親が赤子に乳を飲ませるのと同じ慈悲です。

　日蓮大聖人ご降誕800年ハワイ大会は来年１月２３日開催の予定です。