Nichiren style Buddha statues?

[OregonBuddhist]

This is probably an unusual question. But I've been wondering this for some time.

To set it up. We know, for example, that Pure Land Buddhism has statues of Amida Buddha. We know that statues and figures of Buddha from Thailand have a distinctive style. We know that Tibetan figures and statues of Buddha have a distinctive style as well. But what about Nichiren-style images of Buddha? Are there any? Is there a distinctive Nichiren style of a Buddha statue?

PS: I have a channel on YouTube where I ask questions and share thoughts about Nichiren Buddhism. If anyone cares to watch and/or share thoughts and answers, please feel free: http://www.youtube.com/user/oregonbuddhist

[Tatsuo]

I think it's most common for Nichiren-shū temples (and Nichiren-shū followers) to have a statue of Nichiren together with the gohonzon as their main image. However, there are also temples, that have a statue of Tahō Nyorai and Shaka Norai together with the gohonzon as you can see here*. Sometimes this group is accompanied by statues of Daikoku-ten and Kishimojin (see here). As you probably know, Nichiren-shōshū and Sōka Gakkai do not have any statues. There are other Nichiren traditions like the Risshō Kōseikai, that use a standing statue of Shakya Nyorai as main image (see here). I've seen a similar statue of Shaka Nyorai on Mount Hiei, so I guess they just used the iconography already common in Tendai.


Edit:
*This is some kind of statuary representation of the gohonzon: The Daimoku situated between Tahō Nyorai and Shaka Norai flanked by Monju Bosatsu, Fugen Bosatsu, Fudō Myō-ō and Aizen Myō-ō, surrounded by the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, who in turn are surrounded by the Four Heavenly Kings. A statue of Nichiren Shōnin is at the front.

[OregonBuddhist]

Wow. Fascinating. Thank you. I have so much to learn....

[rory]

As a member of Kempon Hokke Shu; (half of our clergy are in Nichiren Shu) we usually have the Gohonzon with a statue of Shaka butsu sitting in front, the Buddha usually is depicted like this
http://www.buddhist-artwork.com/statues ... tuary.html
or a statue of Nichiren Shonin,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/132617453417313/photos/
and you certainly can have the Treasure Tower flanked by Taho Nyorai and Shaka Butsu or Shaka Butsu flanked by the 4 Bodhisattvas. In these cases no Gohonzon is needed as the statue group makes it clear that this is the Eternal Buddha from the Lotus Sutra. That's the main point.
with gassho
Rory

[OregonBuddhist]

Thank you very much.

[noisemonkey]

Yeah for the most part in Nichiren Shoshu we don't have statues at all but there are some notable exceptions. In the Dai-Kyakuden at Taisekiji we have statues of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin flanking a Gohonzon inscribed by Nikko Shonin and the same in Myorenji although the main Gohonzon there is a Nichiren Daishonin original as it's the house of Nanjo Tokimitsu. In the small treasure tower to the left of the Dai-Gohonzon there is a small statue carved by Nipo during the Daishonin's lifetime which is made from the same wood as the Dai-Gohonzon. This is visible once a year during the Omushibarai Tozan where our high priest cleans the Dai-Gohonzon.

[paineite]

Noisemonkey is precisely correct.