September 2020
Sacred Words
Oh, Hachiman! Art thou really a divine being? When the Great Master Dengyo (in Japan) gave lectures on the Lotus Sutra of Truth, thou dishonored him by offering a purple robe. Now, I, Nichiren, am the one, the supreme one, who lives the life of the Lotus Sutra. There is no fault in me, but I am proclaiming the Truth, simply in order to save all the people of this country from falling down to Avici hells because of their degrading the Lotus Sutras of Truth. Should the Mongols subjugate this county, wouldst thou, O Hachiman, together with the Sun-Goddess, alone be safe? Moreover, when our Lord Sakyamuni revealed the Lotus Sutra of Truth, all the Buddhas came together from the ten quarters; and when innumerable hosts, including the deities and saints of India, China, and Japan, were present in the congregation, each of you took oath to guard those who should work to perpetuate the Truth. Now thou ought to come here and fulfil thy oath, and why dost thou not do it!... When, tonight, I Nichiren, shall be beheaded and go the Mt. Sacred Eagle, I shall declare before our Lord Sakyamuni that thou, Hachiman, and the Sun-Goddess have not fulfilled your oaths. Art thou not afraid of that?
NIchiren, Shuju Ofurumai Gosho
Nichiren Dai’Shonin Declare to Deity Hachiman!
Rev. Shokai Kanai
The above “Sacred Words” was spoken by Nichiren Dai’Shonin facing directly to Deity Hachiman enshrined at Tsurugaoka, Kamakura. It was when he was on horseback late at night on September 11th, 1271, on the way to Tatsu-no-kuchi Execution Ground about two miles from the military capital city. He commanded the guard to stop the horse. Then the prisoner monk dismounted and stood facing to the shrine dedicated to Hachiman. He was not afraid to accuse even a deity. It may be hard for you to understand but try to read it, imaging Nichiren Dai’Shonin declaring these words to Hachiman at midnight before his execution.
Hachiman is a deity for military victory and protects warriors. The eastern Minamoto Clan prayed to Hachiman for defeating the western He’i’ke Clan at Dan-no-ura 1185. The Emperor certified Minamoto no Yoritomo as the first Shogun ruling eastern Japan and recognized Kamakura as the military capital of Japa 1192. Therefore, all people in Kamakura also worshipped Hachiman.
By the way, when Sakyamuni Buddha revealed the Truth, all deities and gods from the ten directions gathered to listen to the Buddha and promised to protect the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra after the Buddha’s extinction. Among them Hachiman and Goddess Amaterasu from Japan were in attendance. Thus, Nichiren Dai’Shonin inscribed their names on the Mandala Gohonzon of the Ten Realms while he as exiled on Sado Island.
Because the two major Japanese deities promised to protect all true believers in the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren stopped to warn Hachiman to do something if he is indeed truly a real deity. If he was executed and went to Mt. Sacred Eagle and met the Buddha, he would surely tell the Buddha that Hachiman did not live up to his vow to Sakyamuni and be branded a liar!
At the execution ground, Shuju Ofurumai Gosho continues, “Something bright, like a ball of fire, flew from the southeast to northwest, and everyone’s face was clearly visible in its light. The executioner became dizzy and fell. Soldiers were panic-stricken, some running away.” The execution was no longer possible.
After he was exiled to Sado Island, Nichiren wrote that he arose from death. In other worlds he was reborn as a more spiritual Nichiren vs. the physician Nichiren.
Please attend or join in on Zoom for the Tatsu-no-kuchi Persecution Service, to show our appreciation to Nichiren Dai’Shonin at 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 13th.