The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

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illarraza
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The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

If the so-called transfer documents from Nichiren to Nikko were at Taisekiji, why did [Nichiko] Hori Shonin, acclaimed as the most outstanding Buddhist scholar in modern Nichiren Shoshu history, in the “Essential Writings of Fuji School Vol. 1, p. 33, say that he had to rely on the copies of “Seven Teachings on the Gohonzon” and “On the Birth of the Original Buddha” that were not kept at Taisekiji Temple?

Nichiko "Shonin" writes,:

“I copied the copies made by Nichizan of Awa Province”

Rev. Tetsujo Kubota, from Kempon Hokke Shu, makes the following points:

Taisekiji claims that in the ninth month of the fifth year of Koan (1282) at Minobu and on the thirteenth day of of the tenth month at Ikegami Nikko received succession documents from the Great Saint. Taisekiji boasting, calls these the “Two Successions” (Nika sojo). But these two are forgeries. On the contrary, they hurt the reputation of their own patriarch Nikko. We will give the reasons below:

(1) If Nikko had been give the approval by the Great Saint of these “Two Successions”, he would have naturally performed the duties of Chief Officiant at the time of Nichiren Shonin’s funeral. However, the forward echelon had Nichiro and the rear echelon Nissho; Nikko was on the left side of the rear echelon.
(2) If the “Two Successions” were true, there would have been no necessity for choosing Six Senior Monks and so on and if he had chosen them he would have made Nikko first. The Six Senior Monks were said to be not in order but they are listed in order of having become Nichiren's disciples.
(3) In the “Two Successions” it says, “The ruler of the country establishes this Dharma (Truth) and erects the Precept Platform of the Temple of the Original Doctrine (Hommonji no Kaidan) at Mount Fuji.

However, according to the “Matters that the Whole Fuji Following Is to Know” (Fuji isseki monto Zonchi no koto), a credible record of Nikko, Nikko says,

“The previous teacher did not set which province and which place. But the general rule of the Buddha Dharma is to choose the very best place to erect the temple.

And that being so, Mount Fuji in Suruga is the most famous mountain in Japan. Therefore, they should erect it here.”

Thus the “former teacher” Nichiren did not fix any place where they should build the Precept Platform of the Temple of the Original Doctrine (Hommonji no Kaidan).

From this fact the “Two Successions” are forgeries.

(4) As to Nikko’s departure from Minobu, had the Two Successions been genuine, he would have certainly rejoiced to go to Fuji. However, in reality, as recorded, he felt regret.

For the above reasons the “two Successions” are bare‑faced forgeries. Even in the Nikko lineage thoughtful people deny the “Two Successions”.

Next, let us try to consider the division of Nichiren’s mementoes. In contrast to Nissho, who received “the Annotated Hokekyo” and Nichiro who received an “Object of Worship: one Standing Statue of Shakya”, Nikko received only “a Horse (one); saddle; tabi; hat; kosode”; etc.

We may tell by looking at Nikko’s “Reply to Lord Hara” that Nikko himself felt dissatisfied by this division of mementoes:

“In place of the Buddha which Daikoku Acharya seized away….” To write that the distribution of mementoes was “seized away” is not reasonable.

Now in Nikko’s “Reply to Lord Hara” he says,

“Is not the Doctrine of Nichiren Shonin the doctrine that, though it is the Tathagata Shakya who is the Original Teacher Who First Gave Rise to the Mind of Enlightenment for the sake of the beings of the Three Worlds, they abandon Him and rely on the Buddha Amida, and so become people who commit the Five Rebellious Sins and fall to the Unremitting Hell?” and so he reverences the Buddha Shakya as the Original Teacher. Or again Nikko states in reverence “the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya of Namu Myoho renge kyo who is the Fundamental Intention (honkai) for Nichiren Shonin’s coming forth in the world”.

In the current Taisekiji branch of the lineage of Nikko’s disciples (Nichiren Shoshu and the Soka Gakkai) they assert that Shakya is a “husk Buddha” and Nichiren is the Original Buddha, “Shakya is like a husk of a cicada and it is Nichiren who is the Original (True) Buddha”. The origin of that assertion is from a reaction to the distribution of mementoes: The image of the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya which Nichiren Shonin kept all his life that went to Nichiro’s lineage.

By the way, after the Great Saint’s decease, the second and third battlelines (generations) in each lineage began to spread the teachings in each region at the risk of their very lives, but, by contrast, as the generations went on from the third to the fourth generation they followed self-interest and asserted that their own lineage had Nichiren Shonin’s special teaching and precious objects and were the orthodox succession and gradually they came to proclaim different doctrines and set up conflicting theories.

From an accumulation of several letters and excerpts from the Manual of Nichiren Buddhism by Rev. Senchu Murano:

Taisekiji Temple preserves the so-called “Two Transfer Documents.”

According to the Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts, published by Nichiren Shoshu International Center in 1983, these documents are:

1. “Nichiren Ichigo Guho Fuzoku Sho” supposedly written by Nichiren at Minobu in September 1282

This document says that Nichiren transferred the entirety of his teachings to Nikko and entrusted him with the mission of propagating true Buddhism.

2. “Minobusan Fuzoku Sho” supposedly written by Nichiren on October 13, 1282.

This document says that Nichiren appointed Nikko as the High Priest of Minobusan Kuonji, and proclaimed that all the disciples of Nichiren should follow Nikko.

The documents are listed as the “Minobu Sojo” and the “Ikegami Sojo” in the Nichiren Shu Shugaku Zensho, Volume II.

Both documents appear for the first time in the “Kyakugojikkajo”, written by Nikkyo (1428-1489) in 1480. The contents of these two documents are different from those preserved at Taisekiji Temple today. This is proof that several forgeries had already been made by the time of Nikkyo. Nichido (1283-1341), the fourth Chief Priest of Taisekiji Temple, clearly states in his “Nikkyo Shonin Goden Soan (The Biography of Nikko) that Nikkyo stayed at Minobu for three years, not six as falsely reported.

Minobu Sojo bears the statement that the Hommon no Kaidon should be established at Fujisan Hommonji. Fujisan Hommonji is another name for Nishiyama Hommonji, which was founded by Nichidai (1294-1394), who had been ousted from Kitayama Hommonji due to a succession dispute. It appears the Minobu Sojo may have been forged by a chief priest of Nishiyama Hommonji. At one time, Nishiyama Hommonji was on friendly terms with Taisekiji. Therefore, Taisekiji had no objection to keeping the document although the place of the Kaidan was assigned to Nishiyama Hommonji, and not to Taisekiji. The two temples became hostile to each other after Taisekiji produced the Ita Honzon. Incidentally, the dictionary published by Nichiren Shoshu omits the statement about Fujisan Hommonji in the Minobu Sojo that the Hommon no Kaidan should be established at Fujisan Hommonji.

Nichi-u the fourth Chief Priest of Taisekiji Temple said this honzon was transferred from Yashiro to Taisekiji, therefore making Taisekiji the only temple which preserves the most legitimate honzon.

BUT…in the “Fuji-isseki-monto-zonji-no-koto” by Nikko, it states that Honzons should not be engraved on a plank, because it would belittle the value of handwriting.

Quite interestingly, the dictionary published by the Nichiren Shoshu omits the statement about Fujisan Hommonji in the Minobu Sojo that the Hommon no Kaidan should be established at Fujisan Hommonji.

These forgeries were made not by Nikko, but by some of his successors who wished to justify their school by claiming that it was orthodox while other branches of Nichiren Buddhism were not."
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

What are the real Transfer Documents?

First, the "Rokuroso" is the Succession, the real overall transfer document.

Go-yui-gon refers to Minobu.

In Heisei 4 [1992], November, the Shuso Gosenge Kiroku (in the archives of Nishiyama Hommonji) that was written by Nikko, was designated an important national property, and its contents made open to the public. This includes "Rokuroso" [the real transfer document] and the "Go-yui-gon" ["Nichiren's Last Will & Testament"]

Rokuroso: "I hereby determine that the following six disciples: Renge Ajari Nichiji, Iyo-ko Nitcho, Sado-ko Niko, Byakuren Ajari Nikko, Daikoku Ajari Nichiro, Ben Ajari Nissho, in no order [no rank], are my major disciples. Accordingly, I have selected them to carry out my matters into the future."

Go-yui-gon: "The Honorable testament dictates: Of the Buddha; the standing statue of Shakya, must be placed beside [My] grave. Of the Sutra; My most essential writings, namely, the explanatory notes to the Hokkekyo, [Chu Hokekyo] are to be placed together, in the mausoleum. The six [equally ranked] disciples, at the time of their watch, must read these.

[literally: "Shakya standing statue grave beside must placed. My collection most essential writings namely explanatory notes Hokkekyo same basket place mausoleum. Six persons fragrant flower take turns read these."

1997: Nichiren Buddhism Modern Religious Institute 'refutes' the Go-ibutsu-haibun-cho" ["Distribution of the Mementos"] kept at Ikegami based on Go-yui-gon

2006: SGI has yet to admit publicly that the Rokuroso and Go-yui-gon refute the Minobu & Ikegami Transfer Documents.
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

The transfer document for the last age [STS 3:25941]

"Our teacher said: "Last age" means the fifth five hundred years that begin the Final Dharma age. The "transfer document" is Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, a document that is handed down as proof of inheritance. There are two meanings in this transfer. One is the designation of successorship; the other is the bestowal of wealth. The designation of successorship means that Sakyamuni named as his heirs the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. The passage of proof states, "[..desiring to make all beings] equal to me, without difference." (67) As for the transfer of wea1th, Sakyamuni also passed on to the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra his wisdom and the virtues he had obtained by observing the precepts. The passage of proof states, "We have obtained for ourselves the supreme jewel cluster without seeking it." (68) Thus the five characters of the daimoku constitute a transfer document." -- Ongi Kikigaki

There is no transfer document other than Namu Myoho renge kyo, the scrolls of the Gohonzon, Lotus Sutra, and writings of Nichiren Daishonin.
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

More on the transfer documents from the Kempon Hokke Vision 1995

For some reason, Nikô and Nitcho were not present at Nichiren Shônin's death or funeral. The probable reason for their absence was the difficulty, in those days, to easily and quickly communicate with outlying areas. Nikô and Nitchô were propagating in far away districts hence they could not be notified in time of Nichiren's death and funeral.

Nikko wrote about Nichiren's distribution of mementos to his disciples. They are quoted from Nikko's record as follows: Distribution of the mementos:

The Lotus Sutra, (with notes in Nichiren's own hand), one set to Ben-ajari (Nisshô ) (This annotated Lotus Sutra is called the "Chô Hokekyô ).

Object of Worship, one figure, a statue of Shakyamuni, to Daikoku-ajari (Nichirô)

One horse and one cloak to Sado-kô (Nikô)

One horse, including saddle, a pair of tabi (socks), a hat and a cloak to Byakuren-ajari (Nikkô)

A waist sash (obi), money in the amount of three yen to Iyo-ajari (Nitchô) One horse, one cloak, one staff to Renge-ajari (Nichi-ji)

(Gifts to the remaining recipients are omitted here for sake of brevity.)

The Shônin's mementos were given to the Six Senior Disciples and other believers, numbering about 35 people in all. According to the "Ganso kedo-ki"
of Nitchô , Nichiren Shônin said before his death, "After I die, put my body in a cauldron and send it to Minobu." However, Nichirô answered him, "If we could make it to Minobu in a day or half a day, we could do as you say. But it's very far to Minobu. Please let us cremate you. We'll place your remains in Minobu without fail." To this, the Shônin replied, "You're absolutely right. Then, make it so, Nichirô ."Thus, Nichiren Shônin was cremated at Ikegami on the 21st of October. His ashes, guarded and transported by his disciples, left Ikegami and arrived at Minobu on the 25th of October.

According to Nichiren Daihonin's last wishes, the disciples were to serve at Kuonji Temple on Mt. Minobu in a monthly rotation system. They decided to take turns in the following way: January (Nisshô ), February (Nichirô ), March (Echizen-kô and Awaji- kô), etc. But, when they tried to stick to this
schedule, the monthly rotation system didn't work well due to harsh seasonal weather and the great distances that most disciples had to travel. Their centers of propagation were located far from Mt. Minobu. In the winters the snow at Minobu was so deep that Nichiren wrote on one occasion that "for one or two hundred meters, the depth of the snow is from about three to six or seven meters". And another time Nichiren said, "This is a place where snow is so deep that nobody visits." In the summers there was a heavy rainy season. Once again, Nichiren wrote: "The long and heavy rains cause many landslides from the mountains into the valleys. Heavy stones would roll down the mountains and block the road." Both in summer and winter the roads would become damaged, the bridges would be swept away by floods and the way would become impassable, bringing the comings and going of people and goods to a halt.

In addition to this, Nisshô and Nichirô had their bases of propagation in Kamakura, specifically the sections of town called Hamado and Matsubagaya-
tsu.Nikô and Nitchô carried out their propagation in Mobara and Nakayama respectively. Nikkô and Nichiji had their base of operations in the Fuji and
Suruga districts. Even if they climbed Mt. Minobu to fulfil their duties of rotation, their individual time of service was very short-term. It seems that the system didn't last for more than half a year or so. Nikkô had his base of propagation closest to Minobu. Since he had been responsible for converting Hakii Sanenaga, the jito of Minobu, during Nichiren's lifetime, it was natural that Nikkô began to spend more and more time at Minobu to conduct the temple affairs.

In a letter from Nikkô to Misaku-bô , dated October 18th, of the seventh year of Koan (1284), the former lamented, "Though this year is the third
anniversary of the Shônin's death....worst of all, the Shônin's grave by the creek of Minobu has become so badly dilapidated. If it were not for the
footprints of deer and other animals, I could not even distinguish where it is." In just three short years after the Shônin's death, the conditions had
deteriorated that much.

In September 1285 Nikko took up permanent residence on Mount Minobu because the rotation system had broken down. The other senior disciples lived further away and were having difficulties maintaining their communities in the face of government persecution. Nanbu Sanenega the Lord of Hakii, recognized Nikko as the chief priest of Kuonji Temple at Mount Minobu. Later in 1285, Niko came to Mount Minobu to assist Nikko. Unfortunately, relations between them all broke down soon afterwards due to Nikko’s uncompromising nature and Niko’s flexibility. The first problem occurred when Lord Hakii commissioned a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha for his home shrine. Nikko objected that the statue should be accompanied by the Four Great Bodhisattvas of the essential section of the Lotus Sutra if it was to represent the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha. Niko, however, said that putting a copy of the Lotus Sutra in front of it would suffice. Another time, Lord Hakii made offerings at the Mishima Shrine. Nikko
objected to this because according to the Rissho Ankoku-ron, the Shinto gods had abandoned the country because of it’s slander of the Lotus Sutra. Niko, however, argued that the gods would surely protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra,and that Nichiren Shonin himself had prayed to them. Finally, he supposedly offered a horse and lumber to a stupa of the Pure Land sect at Mt. Fuji, but he claimed that he had merely made a donation out of charity and did not know that it was going to support the Pure Land sect. In each case, Niko supported Lord Hakii while Nikko admonished him.

Because of these various conditions, the rotation system at Minobu had manyproblems. On the seventh anniversary of the Shônin's death, jito,Hakii
Sanenaga, proposed the following plan to the Six Senior Disciples:

"Though this is the will of the Daishônin, the rotation system is not working well. How about appointing a full-time temple priest...?" Five of the six major disciples agreed with the jito but Nikkô firmly opposed the idea because the rotation system had been the Shônin's dying wish. Nevertheless Nikkô 's opinion was rejected and Sado-b Nikô was chosen as the head priest of Minobu. Soon afterwards, Nikkô departed from Mt. Minobu with his disciples. Relying on the support of Nanj Tokumitsu in the Fuji area Nikkô built Taisekiji temple in Ueno village. Shortly afterward, in an authentic letter to Lord Hara, Nikkô wrote:

"I can hardly tell you how ashamed I was and how sorry I was for leaving Minobu creek [where Nichiren's tomb is located]. However, on further consideration of the matter, it's not important where I am; it is important to accede to the teachings of Nichiren Shônin and to spread it all over the world. All of the [other] disciples are against the Master. They disobeyed the teacher [i.e. Nichiren Shônin]. I believe that only I, Nikkô , am the one who protects the Shônin's doctrine and practices according to His original intention..."

In the end, Nikko no longer felt welcome and decided to leave for his mother’s old home in Fuji, Ueno on December 5, 1288.

Nikkô 's sorrow and regret at leaving Minobu moves our hearts when we read it, even now, after seven hundred years. In addition, it is honorable that he tried to keep the doctrine of Nichiren Shônin pure, no matter where he was. We should emulate his example.

Concerning these general conditions after Nichiren Shônin's death, I am relying on generally accepted historical information. However, the Kômon Branch (Nikkô School), and especially the Taisekiji faction, has its own very different viewpoints. Taisekiji claims that:

1) On October 12th of the second year of Koan (1279), Nikkô was given a special Gohonzon (supposedly inscribed for "all the people of the world"--" [ichienbudai or all of "Jambudvipa"]) from Nichiren Daishônin. (This is widely known as the "Ita Honzon" or Plank Mandala, inscribed on a large piece of camphor wood. This "Ita Honzon" is actually a forged mandala made some hundred and fifty years after Nichiren's death.)
2) Nikkô was given the "Transmission Documents" [or "Transfer Documents"] from Nichiren Daishônin; the first document is supposedly dated September 12th in the fifth year of Koan (1282) at Minobu and the second document is dated October 13th [1282], the day of the Shônin's death, at Ikegami. They pride themselves on the possession of these so-called "Nika S j " [Two Transmissions]. Like the "Ita Honzon", these documents are also forgeries. These documents disgrace the virtue and integrity of Nikkô .

Here are the reasons why these two "Transmission Documents" are considered forgeries:

1). If Nikkô was singled out by the Daishônin with so great an honor as these Two Transmissions" would impart, then Nikkô should have been designated as the principal leader of the procession at the Shônin's funeral. But the fact is that, according to Nikkô 's own written testimony, the principal leader of the front procession was Nichirô ; and Nisshô was the principal leader of the rear procession.
2) If the Two Transmission Documents are true, then it would have been meaningless for Nichiren Shônin to designate the Six Senior Disciples as leaders after his death. In the designated order of senior disciples in the funeral cortege, Nikkô should have been the most honored among the six.Though the Six Senior Disciples were not listed in any particular order, they were actually ranked according to the time when they became disciples of Nichiren.

3) The Two Transmission Documents say, "If the Lord [i.e. Emperor] of the country supports this teaching, build the Kaidan [Ordination Platform] of
Hommonji at Mt. Fuji." But according to the authentic record of Nikkô , entitled "Fuji Itseki Mon to Zonchi-no-koto", Nikkô writes, "The Master [i.e.
Nichiren] who preceded me had not decided on any country or any particular place. It is customary, at least in Buddhism, to choose the most scenic spot and build a temple there. Then, Mt. Fuji in Sugaru (Shizuoka Prefecture) is the supreme mountain in Japan. We should build our temple there." As we can see, the Master, Nichiren, had not decided where to build the Kaidan of Hommonji. This indicates that the Two Transmission Documents are obviously forgeries.

4) If Nikkô had the Two Transmission Documents in his possession when he left Mt. Minobu then he would have been delighted to go to Fuji because it would be fulfilling the designated mission of building the Kaidan of Hommonji at Fuji. But, in fact, as stated above in the authentic letter to Lord Hara, Nikko was disheartened to leave Minobu. For these reasons, the Two Transmission Documents are absolute forgeries. Even in the other temples of the K mon [Nikkô ] Branch apart from Taisekiji, thoughtful scholars deny the validity of the Two Transmission Documents. These documents are considered forgeries by everyone outside of the Taisekiji faction.

Then we should consider the significance of the distribution of Nichiren's mementos. As stated in a previous section, Nisshô was given the Chô Hokekyô [Nichiren's Annotated Lotus Sutra]; Nichirô was given Nichiren's own object of worship, a statue of Shakyamuni. In contrast, Nikkô was only given one horse with a saddle, a pair of socks, a hat, a cloak, etc. We can sense that Nikkô was displeased with this distribution of mementos by merely reading his letter to Lord Hara wherein he wrote,

"...instead of the statue of Buddha which Daikoku Ajari (Nichirô ) has deprived me of...." [Hara dono gohenji Gosho] Nikkô would hardly have chosen the word deprive" in referring to the division of mementos if he had been satisfied and happy with the distribution. Certainly if Nikkô had the Two Transmission Documents in his possession he would not have grumbled about his allotment of mementos.

In the letter to Lord Hara [Hara dono gohenji] Nikkô writes,

"The teaching of Nichiren is the one that states that if you have abandoned Shakyamuni Buddha who is the Original Lord and Master of the sentient beings of the Triple World [Saha] and if you rely instead on Amida Buddha and give sole respect to Amida Buddha, then you will become a person who is guilty of the five deadly sins; you will fall into a hell of interminable suffering, [Avichi Hell] isn't that true?"

Thus it is clear that Nikkô worshipped Shakyamuni Buddha as the Original Master; he states that Nichiren also regarded Shakyamuni Buddha as the
Original Master. Further on in the letter, Nikko also shows deference to Shakyamuni Buddha, calling him:

"The original intention of the appearance of Nichiren Shônin in this world, the Master Shakyamuni Buddha of Namu-myo-ho-renge-kyo."

This is in sharp contradiction to the Taisekiji claim that Nichiren is the Original Buddha.

At present, the "Fuji-ha" [Taisekiji faction, otherwise known as "Nichiren Shoshu"] of the K mon Branch [Nikkô School] asserts that Shakyamuni is merely the "Liberation Buddha" while Nichiren is the "Original [or True] Buddha". They claim that,

"Shakyamuni is like the cast-off shell of a cicada [Japanese beetle], while Nichiren is indeed the Original Buddha."

The original cause for their claim lies in Nikkô 's disgruntled resentment over the distribution of mementos of Nichiren. The statue of Shakyamuni Buddha which Nichiren had cherished throughout his life had been given to Nichirô and his subsequent lineage. Nikkô expressed such resentment over being "deprived" of this treasure that his future disciples at Taisekiji vindicated his sense of loss by tossing out the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha altogether.

We should note that, after the death of Nichiren Daishônin, each "lineage" of the Six Senior Disciples lines propagated the teaching at the risk of their
lives in various locations. A second or third echelon of the six schools often developed very quickly. However, as propagation progressed to later generations of disciples, each lineage fell into their own dogma. Claiming that they alone possessed the special teachings and the treasures of Nichiren Shônin, they each professed to be the only orthodox branch. Gradually each school started to advocate different viewpoints. Each school fell into disputes with one another. In response to this, one hundred years after the demise of Nichiren Daishônin, Nichi-j Shônin rose to action with the rallying cry,"Let's go back to Nichiren Daishônin!"
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

The transmission is a textual transmission. The Banner of transmission is the Gohonzon. The doctrinal Transmission is the Lotus Sutra and writings of Nichiren.

No one stressed the texts more than Nichiren. Both texts and people coexist. Only in Zen and the Nichiren Shoshu is there asserted a mythical world existing without texts. The root is the text. The text has existed since the infinite past. The text is both the teacher and the relic of the Buddha. The text is the Dharma itself. Both an excellent doctrine and an excellent believer is necessary for the transmission of the Buddha's teachings. The Eternal Buddha lives today. The Gohonzon is the Eternal Buddha. The Gohonzon is a text.

Zen teachings have lead to the belief that the Sutras and texts are not important, only self-attained Buddhahood or "Mind to Mind transmission" which occurs "apart from the Texts."

More so, the Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai stress secret transmissions and personal epiphanies while Zen, as Nichiren teaches in The Conversation Between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man, in reality, bases itself on texts. The Fuji schools are more Zen than Zen itself.

The Nichiren Shoshu teaches

"Because the true existence of the Tetsugi Masters passes through all the Buddhas of the Three Existences (of the past, present and future), and has passed through our Great Founder, through the successive generations of High Priests, shedding each in turn, you must be very, very careful to believe this with all your being, and my disciples must believe in me in exactly the same way." -- 9th Nichiren Shoshu High Priest, Nichiu Shonin [believed to have died a leper after fabricating the DaiGohonzon]

"Kuden transmission was a common practice of the Tendai Sect and derived from the false belief that the enlightenment of various teachers, "Shikan" or personal insight, trumped the wisdom of the scriptures. This is a dangerous teaching according to Nichiren because it destroys faith in the Scripture of the Fine Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra. Embracing such a false doctrine, one comes to the mistaken belief that personal insight may reveal things that contradict or superscede the teachings of the Buddha. It relies on the notion that there are "Kuden" (secret teachings) that can be passed by hand [or mouth] and in the case of the Nichiren Shoshu teachings that Buddhahood itself can be "passed" from one "Tetsugi Master" to another.

The origin of secret transmission doctrines within the Tendai Sect was largely a response to the gentrification of the Priesthood as more and more nobles entered the priesthood and some means had to be found to short circuit the years of training and demonstrated mastery otherwise required in order to qualify a priest for the Chief Priesthood of a Temple. It also was based on the incorrect notion that since enlightenment is found within all beings there is no need for cultivation of enlightenment or use of Buddhist logic. Masters could awaken and pass on hidden meanings. The extreme extension of the logic is the Zen Sect. Nichiren Shoshu's use of it is no less poisonous. Such a "transmission" is useful to quell not only dissent but legitimate questions.

Nichiren attacked this entire approach to his teachings so it is odd that Nichiu should have relied on such an approach to establish the legitimacy of his school. It is no wonder that Nichiren Shoshu had such a hard time of it among the other schools and that it wasn't until very recently that they established their own University but they still send their monks to the University established by the Minobu School [Rissho University] for advanced education." -- author unknown

As far a Miao-le is concerned, the Zen sect was already thoroughly censured by Tientai. Regardless of what he taught, be it a face to face transmission [which you haven't supported with the actual words of Miao-le] or a textual transmission: 1). What he taught was ostensibly for the people of his day, the Middle Day of the Law, and not for the Bodhisattvas of the Earth; 2). In the Latter Day, Nichiren taught only a textual transmission:

"In actuality, however, the essential teaching bears no resemblance whatsoever to the theoretical teaching. The preparation, revelation, and transmission of the essential teaching are intended entirely for the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law. The essential teaching of Shakyamuni’s lifetime and that revealed at the beginning of the Latter Day are both pure and perfect [in that both lead directly to Buddhahood]. Shakyamuni’s, however, is the Buddhism of the harvest, and this is the Buddhism of sowing. The core of his teaching is one chapter and two halves, and the core of mine is the five characters of the daimoku alone.

Question: On what authority do you say [that the essential teaching is meant for the generations of the Latter Day of the Law]?

Answer: The “Emerging from the Earth” chapter states: “At that time the bodhisattvas mahāsattva who had gathered from the lands of the other directions, greater in number than the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, stood up in the midst of the great assembly, pressed their palms together, bowed in obeisance, and said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One, if you will permit us in the age after the Buddha has entered extinction to diligently and earnestly protect, embrace, read, recite, copy, and offer alms to this sutra in the sahā world, we will preach it widely throughout this land!’ At that time the Buddha said to the bodhisattvasmahāsattva: ‘Leave off, good men! There is no need for you to protect and embrace this sutra.’” This statement totally contradicts the Buddha’s exhortations in the preceding five chapters from the “Teacher of theLaw” [to the “Peaceful Practices”]. In the latter part of the “Treasure Tower” chapter is the passage: “In a loud voice he [Shakyamuni Buddha] addressed all the four kinds of believers, saying, ‘Who is capable of broadly preaching the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law in this sahā world?’” Medicine King and the other great bodhisattvas, Brahmā,Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kingswould have followed Shakyamuni’s command before anything else even if no other Buddha had supported his exhortations, but Many TreasuresBuddha and the Buddhas from throughout the ten directions came tothis world to exhort them to propagate the sutra after Shakyamuni’s passing. Thus, hearing the Buddha’s solemn appeal, the bodhisattvas all pledged, saying, “We care nothing for our bodies or lives,” for they desired solely to fulfill the Buddha’s will.

[In the “Emerging from the Earth” chapter,] however, the Buddha suddenly reversed himself and forbade all the bodhisattvas, more numerous than the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, from propagating the sutra in this world. We therefore face what appears to be an insoluble contradiction, one that is beyond ordinary understanding.

The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai Chih-che gave three reasons for Shakyamuni’s stopping the bodhisattvas, and three more for his summoning the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Essentially, the great bodhisattvas taught by the Buddha in his transient status and the great bodhisattvas who gathered from the other worlds were not qualified toinherit the “Life Span” chapter that reveals the eternal Buddha’s inner truth. At the dawn of the Latter Day evil people who slander the correct teaching would fill the land, so Shakyamuni Buddha p.371rejected the pledge of these bodhisattvas and instead summoned the multitude of great bodhisattvas from beneath the earth. He entrusted them with the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo, the heart of the “Life Span” chapter, for the enlightenment of all beings in the land of Jambudvīpa. The bodhisattvas taught by the Buddha in his transient status were also unqualified because they had not been the disciples of ShakyamuniBuddha since the time he had first set his mind on and attained enlightenment in the remote past. The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai states, “[The Buddha said of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth,] ‘These are my disciples, destined to propagate my Law.’” Miao-lo says, “The children propagate the Law of the father, and this benefits the world.” The Supplement to “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra” states, “TheLaw embodied therein [in the Lotus Sutra] is the Law that was realized countless kalpas in the past, and therefore it was entrusted to persons who had been the Buddha’s disciples from countless kalpas in the past.”

[In the “Emerging from the Earth” chapter] Bodhisattva Maitreyaquestioned Shakyamuni Buddha as follows: “We ourselves have faith in the Buddha, believing that he preaches in accordance with what is appropriate, that the words spoken by the Buddha are never false, and that the Buddha’s knowledge is in all cases penetrating and comprehensive. Nevertheless, in the period after the Buddha has entered extinction, if bodhisattvas who have just begun to aspire toenlightenment should hear these words, they will perhaps not believe or accept them but will be led to commit the crime of rejecting the Law. Therefore, World-Honored One, we beg you to explain so we may put aside our doubts, and so that, in future ages when good men hear of this matter, they will not entertain doubts!” Here Bodhisattva Maitreya was imploring the Buddha to preach the “Life Span” chapter for those tocome after his passing.

The “Life Span” chapter states: “Some are completely out of their minds, while others are not. . . . Those children who have not lost their senses can see that this is good medicine, outstanding in both color and fragrance, so they take it immediately and are completely cured of their sickness.” The sutra explains that all bodhisattvas, persons of the two vehicles, and human and heavenly beings received the seeds ofBuddhahood numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago. The seeds were nurtured by the preaching of the sixteenth son of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence as well as by ShakyamuniBuddha’s four flavors of teachings and the theoretical teaching of theLotus Sutra. Then they finally gained the way when they heard theessential teaching of the Lotus Sutra.

The “Life Span” chapter continues: “Those who are out of their minds are equally delighted to see their father return and beg him tocure their sickness, but when they are given the medicine, they refuse totake it. Why? Because the poison has penetrated deeply and their minds no longer function as before. So although the medicine is of excellent color and fragrance, they do not perceive it as good. The father thinks tohimself, ‘I must now resort to some expedient means to induce them totake the medicine.’ So he says to them: ‘I will leave this good medicine here. You should take it and not worry that it will not cure you.’ Having given these instructions, he then goes off to another land, where he sends a messenger home to announce . . .” According to the “Distinctions in Benefits” chapter, [the good medicine of the “Life Span” chapter is left for those] “in the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law.”

Question: Who is the messenger mentioned in the passage, “he sends a messenger home to announce”?

Answer: It means the four ranks of sages. They fall into four categories. [First,] most of the four ranks of sages of Hinayana appeared in the first five hundred years of the Former Day of the Law, and [second,] most of those of [provisional] Mahayana came in the second five hundred years. Third, those of the theoretical teaching appeared mainly in the next thousand years, the Middle Day of the Law, and the rest, in the beginning of the Latter Day. Fourth, the four ranks of sages of the essential teaching are the bodhisattvas emerging from the earth, numerous as the dust particles of a thousand worlds, who are certain toappear in the beginning of the Latter Day. When the sutra says, “he sends a messenger home to announce,” it refers to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. “This good medicine” is the heart of the “Life Span” chapter, orNam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is endowed with name, entity, quality, function, and teaching. Since the Buddha would not entrust this good medicine even to the bodhisattvas of the theoretical teaching, how much less could he have done so to the bodhisattvas of other worlds?

The “Supernatural Powers” chapter states: “At that time the bodhisattvas mahāsattva who had emerged from the earth, numerous as the dust particles of a thousand worlds, all in the presence of the Buddha single-mindedly pressed their palms together, gazed up in reverence at the face of the Honored One, and said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One, after the Buddha has entered extinction, in the lands where the emanations of the World-Honored One are present, and in the place where the Buddha has passed into extinction, we will preach this sutra far and wide.’” T’ien-t’ai says, “The great assembly witnessed theBodhisattvas of the Earth alone making this pledge.” Tao-hsienremarks: “As far as transmission goes, this sutra was entrusted solely tothe bodhisattvas who had welled up out of the earth. The reason for this is that the Law embodied therein is the Law that was realized countless kalpas in the past, and therefore it was entrusted to persons who had been the Buddha’s disciples from countless kalpas in the past.” -- True Object of Worship

Nichiren teaches that Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo is that which is transmitted. Myoho reng kyo is the Lotus Sutra:

"The jewels of this jeweled vehicle are the seven precious substances which adorn the great cart. The seven jewels are precisely the seven orifices in one's head, and these seven orifices are precisely the [seven characters] na-mu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo, the essential Dharma for the Final Dharma Age. For us, living beings, the five characters of the daimoku will become a boat at the river of the three crossings ; they will remove the cold in the crimson-lotus hell. In the hell of burning heat, they will become a cool breeze, and on the mountains of death, they will become lotus blossoms. When we are thirsty, they will become water, and when we are hungry, they will become food. When we are naked, they will become a robe. They will become a wife, a child, retainers, a clan--benefitting all living beings by conferring their inexhaustible responsive workings. This is the meaning of "directly arriving at the place of enlightenment." Accordingly, the fact that one dwells nowhere else but in the Land of Tranquil Light is called "directly arriving at the place of enlightenment." You should fix your mind on the word "directly" and ponder it." [STN3:2563-64]

“Are persons who receive instruction orally from their teacher invariably free from error, while those who appear in later ages and who seek and investigate to be regarded as worthless? If so, then should we throw away the sutras and instead follow traditions handed down from the four ranks of bodhisattvas? Should a man throw away the deed of transfer received from his father and mother and instead rely upon oral transmissions? Are the written commentaries of the Great Teacher Dengyo so much trash, and the oral traditions handed down from the Great Teacher Jikaku the only guide to truth?” (Gosho Zenshu, p.1258)

"Question: When it comes to those who maintain that the Lotus Sutra is superior to the True Word teachings, should they try to make use of these commentaries by Jikaku, or should they reject them?

Answer: Shakyamuni Buddha laid down a rule for future conduct when he said that we should "rely on the Law and not upon persons." Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says that one should rely on treatises that are faithful to the sutras, but not rely on those that distort the sutras. T'ien-t'ai states, "That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so." And the Great Teacher Dengyo says, "Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally." -- The Selection of the Time

"Our teacher said: "Last age" means the fifth five hundred years that begin the Final Dharma age. The "transfer document" is Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, a document that is handed down as proof of inheritance. There are two meanings in this transfer. One is the designation of successorship; the other is the bestowal of wealth. The designation of successorship means that Sakyamuni named as his heirs the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. The passage of proof states, "[..desiring to make all beings] equal to me, without difference." (67) As for the transfer of wea1th, Sakyamuni also passed on to the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra his wisdom and the virtues he had obtained by observing the precepts. The passage of proof states, "We have obtained for ourselves the supreme jewel cluster without seeking it." (68) Thus the five characters of the daimoku constitute a transfer document." -- Ongi Kikigaki

"The Maka Shikan says: "If one lacks faith in the Lotus sutra he will object that it pertains to the lofty realm of the sages, something far beyond the capacity of his own wisdom to comprehend. If one lacks wisdom, he will become puffed up with his own arrogance and will claim to be the equal of the Buddha." - The Opening of the Eyes

Nichiren on the General Transmission:

"Answer: In this passage, Shakyamuni Buddha explains that he is entrusting to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, his original disciples, the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo, which is the essence of the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni, who attained enlightenment countless kalpas in the past, says elsewhere, "By now the original vows that I made have already been fulfilled. I have converted all living beings and caused them all to enter the Buddha way." Thus, he has already fulfilled his earlier vow. Then, intending to charge his disciples with the task of accomplishing widespread propagation in the fifth five hundred years after his death, he called forth the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and entrusted them with the heart of the sutra, the lotus of the entity of the essential teaching. This passage represents the ultimate purpose for which Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in the world, the secret Law that he attained in the place of meditation. It is this passage that gives proof of the lotus of the entity that, for those of us who live in the Latter Day of the Law, assures the attainment of Buddhahood in both the present and future."

and

"It is the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo that constitute the Great Pure Law that will be spread widely in the Latter Day of the Law. And it is the great bodhisattvas who sprang up from, the earth in numbers equal to the dust particles of a thousand worlds who were entrusted with the task of spreading it abroad. Therefore Nan-yueh, T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo, though in their hearts they understood the truth, left it to the leader and teacher of the Latter Day to spread it widely, while they themselves refrained from doing so."

Nichiju interprets the General Transmission:

"Among the disciples of the school of Nichiju, nobody should be chosen, directly or indirectly as an heir disciple. However, anybody among the priests or the laymen of my congregation that spreads the teaching in Kyoto and swears that other sects are the root of all evils and that only the Hokke Sect makes us enter Nirvana can be my disciple. And if candidates are equally gifted, they should propagate during the summer, practicing in turn. You should consider a person who spreads the teaching like this as the true disciple of Nichiju and Nichiren Shonin. So in the days to come, this shall be my will."

Nichiren on the Specific Transmission:

"Accordingly, at the present time in the Latter Day of the Law, other than the envoy of the Thus Come One, there can be no one who understands and produces this passage as proof of the lotus of the entity. Truly it is a passage of secret meaning. Truly it is a matter of great concern. Truly it is to be honored and admired. Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, Namu-myoho-renge-kyo!"

and

"Bodhisattva Superior Practices received the water of the wisdom of the Mystic Law from the Thus Come One Shakyamuni and causes it to flow into the wasteland of the people’s lives in the evil world of the latter age. This is the function of wisdom. Shakyamuni Buddha transferred this teaching to Bodhisattva Superior Practices, and now Nichiren propagates it in Japan. With regard to the transfer of teachings, it is divided into two categories: general and specific. If you confuse the general with the specific even in the slightest, you will never be able to attain Buddhahood and will wander in suffering through endless transmigrations of births and deaths."

Commentary\

"The leader and teacher of the Latter Day" is specific to one man, Nichiren Daishonin (Bodhisattva Jogyo). "Bodhisattvas of the Earth" is general to all those who follow Nichiren. There are not superior and inferior Bodhisattvas of the Earth. The responsibilities of laymen and priests are blurred in Mappo and there is only one High Priest and one leader, Nichiren Daishonin.

Question: The Lotus Sutra states that there are many leaders of his own great assembly with various large and small retinues of followers. Wouldn't that mean Daisaku Ikeda, the High Priest of the Nichiren Shoshu, the Chief Bishop of Minobu. Nikkyo Niwano, and others?

Answer: At this time, there is only Nichiren Daishonin and his followers. Those who follow Nichiren Daishonin and are of the same mind as he ["The bodhisattvas, as numerous as the dust particles of a thousand worlds, who emerged from beneath the earth and (who are) the followers of Shakyamuni Buddha present in our lives"] are indeed leaders of his own great assembly with various large and small retinues.

Daisaku Ikeda, the High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu, the Chief Bishop of Minobu, Nikkyo Niwano, and Nissen however, are not of the same mind as Nichiren. Nikkyo Niwano, despite chanting the daimoku, failed to even acknowledge Nichiren Daishonin as the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Daisaku Ikeda and the High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu throw out Shakyamuni Buddha. The Bishop of Minobu allows all sorts of sundry practices and a false transmission between priests and lay believers [not to mention interfaith] and Nissen proclaimed his joy to have been born in a Buddha-less world.

Since they are not of the same mind as Nichiren, they are not his followers and they are not Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Since they are not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they are not even inheritors of the general transmission.

You should also read The Entity of the Mystic Law. It too is very clear that the Transmission in the Latter Day is a textual transmission.
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

Hehe..."The Nichiren Shoshu possesses an "original copy" of the Transfer Documents. Thus I heard.
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Minobu
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by Minobu »

what sect do you belong to.

I have always appreciated your in depth study into this matter.

Very few people step up to this plate with as much vigor as you.

You really do The Lotus Sutra a service.
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tkp67
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by tkp67 »

illarraza wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:58 am No one stressed the texts more than Nichiren. Both texts and people coexist. Only in Zen and the Nichiren Shoshu is there asserted a mythical world existing without texts. The root is the text. The text has existed since the infinite past. The text is both the teacher and the relic of the Buddha. The text is the Dharma itself. Both an excellent doctrine and an excellent believer is necessary for the transmission of the Buddha's teachings. The Eternal Buddha lives today. The Gohonzon is the Eternal Buddha. The Gohonzon is a text.
I would be interested to seeing the uncontested commentaries and sutra entries that validate your opinion.
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Minobu
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by Minobu »

As far as transmission is concerned. Each person has the tathagatgarghba So in this approach no transmissions other than having the experience with Gohonzon is necessary. No secret behind the scenes happened. It would be something other than its is Something that survives the rigours of Mappo. Endures dispite the power struggles of sects in the modern era of Mappo
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

tkp67 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:20 pm
illarraza wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:58 am No one stressed the texts more than Nichiren. Both texts and people coexist. Only in Zen and the Nichiren Shoshu is there asserted a mythical world existing without texts. The root is the text. The text has existed since the infinite past. The text is both the teacher and the relic of the Buddha. The text is the Dharma itself. Both an excellent doctrine and an excellent believer is necessary for the transmission of the Buddha's teachings. The Eternal Buddha lives today. The Gohonzon is the Eternal Buddha. The Gohonzon is a text.
I would be interested to seeing the uncontested commentaries and sutra entries that validate your opinion.
I will not do your homework for you tkp67.

Mark
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tkp67
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by tkp67 »

illarraza wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:42 am
tkp67 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:20 pm
illarraza wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:58 am No one stressed the texts more than Nichiren. Both texts and people coexist. Only in Zen and the Nichiren Shoshu is there asserted a mythical world existing without texts. The root is the text. The text has existed since the infinite past. The text is both the teacher and the relic of the Buddha. The text is the Dharma itself. Both an excellent doctrine and an excellent believer is necessary for the transmission of the Buddha's teachings. The Eternal Buddha lives today. The Gohonzon is the Eternal Buddha. The Gohonzon is a text.
I would be interested to seeing the uncontested commentaries and sutra entries that validate your opinion.
I will not do your homework for you tkp67.

Mark
Or you can't produce such evidences
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

tkp67 wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:51 am
illarraza wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:42 am
tkp67 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:20 pm

I would be interested to seeing the uncontested commentaries and sutra entries that validate your opinion.
I will not do your homework for you tkp67.

Mark
Or you can't produce such evidences
If I do will you convert to Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism?
illarraza
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

Post by illarraza »

illarraza wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:03 pm
tkp67 wrote: Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:51 am
illarraza wrote: Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:42 am

I will not do your homework for you tkp67.

Mark
Or you can't produce such evidences
If I do will you convert to Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism?
For the sake of others:

SCRIPTURE of the LOTUS BLOSSOM of the FINE DHARMA or Myoho renge kyo (translated by Leon Hurvitz)


"Are persons who receive instruction orally from their teacher invariably free from error, while those who appear in later ages and who seek and investigate to be regarded as worthless? If so, then should we throw away the sutras and instead follow traditions handed down from the four ranks of bodhisattvas? Should a man throw away the deed of transfer received from his father and mother and instead rely upon oral transmissions? Are the written commentaries of the Great Teacher Dengyo so much trash, and the oral traditions handed down from the Great Teacher Jikaku the only guide to truth?" (Gosho Zenshu, p.1258)

On “Great Concentration and Insight” comments on this passage as follows: “Though they are monks, they destroy the teachings of Buddhism. Some break the precepts and return to lay life, as Wei Yüan-sung did. Then, as laymen, they work to destroy the teachings of Buddhism. Men of this kind steal and usurp the correct teachings of Buddhism and use them to supplement and bolster the erroneous writings. The passage on ‘twisting what is lofty...’ means that, adopting the outlook of the Taoists, they try to place Buddhism and Taoism on the same level, to make equals of the correct and the erroneous, though reason tells us that this could never be. Having once been followers of Buddhist teachings, they steal what is correct and use it to bolster what is incorrect. They twist the lofty eighty thousand teachings of the twelve divisions of the Buddhist canon and force them into the mean context of Lao Tzu’s two chapters and five thousand words, using them to interpret the base and mistaken teachings of that text. This is what is meant by ‘destroying what is exalted and dragging it down among the base.’” These comments should be carefully noted, for they explain the meaning of the foregoing description of events.

The Twelve Scriptural Categories mentioned by Nichiren:

In The Supreme Essence: A Commentary on the Difficult Points of “The Noble 8,000 Verse Sutra on Far-Reaching Discrimination” (‘Phags-pa shes-rab-kyi pha-rol-tu phyin-pa brgyad-stong-pa’i dka’-‘grel snying-po mchog, Skt. Aryashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita Panjika Sarottama), Ratnakarashanti (Shantipa) has said, “Expositions on themes of practice, melodic verses, revelatory accounts, metered verses, special verses, ethical narratives, illustrative accounts, ancient narratives, past life accounts, epic presentations, fabulous accounts, and decisive explications are the twelve scriptural categories.” What each of these twelve are and how they fit into The Three Baskets is as follows:

1). Expositions on themes of practice (mdo, Skt. sutra) – what Buddha has to say in a brief and condensed format
2). Melodic verses (dbyangs-kyis bsnyad-pa, Skt. geya) – verses that Buddha uttered during the course of and at the conclusion of his sutras
3). Revelatory accounts (lung-bstan-pa, Skt. vyakarana) – Buddha’s revelations of what has happened in the past or prophesies of what will occur in the future, such as the The Sutra of the White Lotus of the True Dharma (Dam-pa’i chos padma dkar-po’i mdo, Skt. Saddharma Pundarika Sutra; The Lotus Sutra). Another way of explaining melodic verses and revelatory accounts is that the former are scriptures of interpretable meaning and the latter of definitive meaning.
4). Metered verses (tshigs-su bcad-pa, Skt. gatha) – two-to-six-lined verses composed by Buddha
5). Special verses (ched-du brjod-pa, Skt. udana) – praises that Buddha uttered with joy for the sake of the long life of his teachings, and not for the sake of specific individuals
6). Ethical narratives (gleng-bzhi, Skt. nidana) – rules, codified by Buddha for those who are ordained, concerning which actions constitute a breach of their vows
7). Illustrative accounts (rtogs-par brjod-pa, Skt. avadana) – teachings of Buddha given with examples for ease of comprehension by the listener
8).Ancient narratives (de-lta-bu byung-ba, Skt. itivrttika) – stories Buddha told from ancient times
9).Past life accounts (skyes-pa’i rabs, Skt. jataka) – accounts of the difficult ascetic practices that Buddha performed in his previous lives while engaging in the conduct of the bodhisattvas. An example is The Sutra about the Arya Bodhisattva Arthasiddhi ('Phags-pa rgyal-bu don-grub-kyi mdo, Skt. Aryajinaputra Arthasiddhi Sutra).
10). Epic presentations (shin-tu rgyas-pa, Skt. vaipulya) – presentations of the vast and profound aspects of such topics as the six far-reaching attitudes (six perfections) and ten arya bodhisattva levels of mind (ten bhumis) of The Basket of the Mahayana or Bodhisattva Sutras.
11). Fabulous accounts (rmad-du byung-ba, Skt. adbhutadharma) – descriptions of such marvelous, wondrous things as the wisdom, extra-physical powers and saintly deeds of the Buddhas, pratyekabuddhas (self-realizers), and shravakas (listeners)
12).Decisive explications (gtan-la phab-pa, Skt. upadesha) – the precise meaning of the works in The Basket of Sutras by specifying the individual and general definitions of things.

Nichiren was a "scriptural Buddhist". He relied solely on the sutras. His earliest credo was from the Great Nirvana Sutra..... "Trust the Dharma, do not trust human teachers. Trust the wisdom (of the Buddha) do not trust human consciousness. Trust the sutras of final meaning, do not trust the sutras of non-final meaning." The Buddha taught three kinds of teaching: provisional, expedient, and final.

The final is the Lotus Sutra, with the Nirvana Sutra as a "gleaning". Or as T'ien t'ai said: "If something agrees with the (Lotus) sutra, then record and use it. Do not believe in oral transmissions." In the Tendai tradition of Nichiren's day, there was a "zennification" happening, which implied that there was some meaning that was higher than the text. Nichiren rejects this completely:

"The Zen school says it is a separate transmission outside the sutras, independent of words or writing. [What is your opinion on this?]

Answer: Generally speaking, there are three types of teachings that are propagated in the world. First is the Confucian teaching, which is of twenty-seven varieties. Second is the Taoist teaching, which comprises twenty-five schools. Third are the twelve divisions of the Buddhist scriptures, or what the T’ien-t’ai school defines as the four teachings and the eight teachings. Does the Zen school claim that it is something outside these teachings?

It is customary among physicians to name anyone who departs from the basic practices of medicine a “practitioner of outside ways.” In human society one speaks of those relatives who are of a surname other than one’s own as “outside relatives.” And in Buddhism, that which departs from the sutras and treatises is known as an “outside way.”

The Nirvana Sutra states, “If there is any person who does not abide by the expositions of the Buddha, you should understand that this person is a servant of the devil.” And volume nine of On “Great Concentration and Insight” says, “Before the Lotus Sutra, they were disciples of an outside [non-Buddhist] way.” - Letter to Renjo

"Is Nichiren not the votary of the Lotus Sutra? Are the voice-hearers protecting those who disparage the Lotus Sutra as a mere written teaching and who put forth their great lies about what they call a special transmission? Are they guarding those who write “Discard, close, ignore, abandon!” urging people to close the gate to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and to throw away its scrolls, and who cause the ruin of the temples dedicated to the practice of the Lotus Sutra? The various heavenly deities swore before the Buddha to protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra, but now that they see how fierce are the great persecutions of this muddied age, do they fail to come down? The sun and the moon are still up in the sky. Mount Sumeru has not collapsed. The ocean tides ebb and flow, and the four seasons proceed in their normal order. Why then is there no sign of aid for the votary of the Lotus Sutra? My doubts grow deeper than ever.

“Thus we see that this single truth of Zen was transmitted to Mahākāshyapa apart from the sutras. All the teachings of the sutras are like a finger pointing at the moon. Once we have seen the moon, what use do we have for the finger? And once we have understood this single truth of Zen, the true nature of the mind, why should we concern ourselves any longer with the Buddha’s teachings? Therefore, a man of past times has said, ‘The twelve divisions of the scriptures are all idle writings.’

“If you will open and read The Platform Sutra of Hui-neng, the sixth patriarch of this school, you will see that this is true. Once one has heard even a single word and thereby grasped and understood the truth, what use does one have for the teachings? How do you consider this principle?”

The sage replied: “You must first of all set aside the doctrines for the moment and consider the logic of the matter. Can anyone, without inquiring into the essential meaning of the Buddha’s lifetime teachings or investigating the basic principles of the ten schools, presume to admonish the nation and teach others? This Zen that you are talking about is something that I have studied exhaustively for some time. In view of the extreme doctrines that it teaches, I must say that it is a highly distorted affair.

“There are three types of Zen, known respectively as Thus Come One Zen, doctrinal Zen, and patriarchal Zen What you are referring to is patriarchal Zen, and I would therefore like to give you a general idea of it. So listen, and understand what it is about.

“It speaks of transmitting something apart from the teachings. But apart from the teachings there are no principles, and apart from principles there are no teachings. Don’t you understand the logic of this, that principles are none other than teachings and teachings none other than principles? This talk about the twirled flower, the faint smile, and something being entrusted to Mahākāshyapa is in itself a teaching, and the four-character phrase about its being ‘independent of words or writing’ is likewise a teaching and a statement in words. This sort of talk has been around for a long while in both China and Japan. It may appear novel to you, but let me quote one or two passages that will clear up your misconceptions.

“Volume eleven of The Supplement to T’ien-t’ai’s Three Major Works states: ‘If one says that we are not to hamper ourselves by the use of verbal expressions, then how, for even an instant in this sahā world, can we carry on the Buddha’s work? Do the Zen followers themselves not use verbal explanations when they are giving instruction to others? If one sets aside words and phrases, then there is no way to explain the meaning of emancipation, so how can anyone ever hear about it?’

“Farther on, we read: ‘It is said that Bodhidharma came from the west and taught the “direct pointing to the mind of man” and “perceiving one’s true nature and attaining Buddhahood.” But are these same concepts not found in the Flower Garland Sutra and in the other Mahayana sutras? Alas, how can the people of our time be so foolish! You should all put faith in the teachings of the Buddha. The Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, tell no lies!’

“To restate the meaning of this passage: if one objects that we are hampering ourselves with doctrinal writings and tying ourselves down with verbal explanations, and recommends a type of religious practice that is apart from the teachings of the sutras, then by what means are we to carry on the Buddha’s work and make good causes in this sahā world of ours? Even the followers of Zen, who advocate these views, themselves make use of words when instructing others. In addition, when one is trying to convey an understanding of the Buddha way, one cannot communicate the meaning if one sets aside words and phrases. Bodhidharma came to China from the west, p.118pointed directly to people’s minds, and declared that those minds were Buddha. But this principle is enunciated in various places even in the provisional Mahayana sutras that preceded the Lotus Sutra, such as the Flower Garland, Great Collection, and Great Wisdom sutras. To treat it as such a rare and wonderful thing is too ridiculous for words. Alas, how can the people of our time be so distorted in their thinking! They should put their faith in the words of truth spoken by the Thus Come One of perfect enlightenment and complete reward, who embodies the principle of the Middle Way that is the true aspect of all things.

“In addition, the Great Teacher Miao-lo in the first volume of his Annotations on ‘Great Concentration and Insight’ comments on this situation by saying, ‘The people of today look with contempt on the sutra teachings and emphasize only the contemplation of truth, but they are making a great mistake, a great mistake indeed!’

"However, during the fifty or more years since the Kennin era (1201–1204), the priests Dainichi and Budda7 have spread the teachings of the Zen school, casting aside all the various sutras and postulating a doctrine that is transmitted outside the scriptures. And Hōnen and Ryūkan have established the Pure Land school, contradicting the teachings of the true Mahayana and setting up the provisional doctrines. These men are in effect casting aside gems and instead gathering stones, abandoning the solid earth and trying to climb up into the air. They know nothing about the order in which the various doctrines should be propagated. The Buddha warned of such persons when he said that it was better to encounter a mad elephant than an evil friend.

"Wondering how to resolve this dilemma, I made a vow. I decided that I would not heed the claims of these eight or ten schools, but would do as the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai did and let the sutras themselves be my sole teacher, in this way determining which of the various teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime are superior and which are inferior. With this in mind, I began to read through all the sutras."

"In a scripture called the Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha says, “Rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Relying on the Law here means relying on the various sutras. Not relying upon persons means not relying on persons other than the Buddha, such as the bodhisattvas Universal Worthy and Manjushrī or the various Buddhist teachers I have enumerated earlier."

In the same sutra, the Buddha also says, “Rely on sutras that are complete and final and not on those that are not complete and final.” When he speaks of the “sutras that are complete and final,” he is referring to the Lotus Sutra, and when he speaks of “those that are not complete and final,” he means the Flower Garland, Mahāvairochana, Nirvana, and other sutras preached before, during, and after the preaching of the Lotus Sutra.

If we are to believe these dying words of the Buddha, we must conclude that the Lotus Sutra is the only bright mirror we should have, and that through it we can understand the heart of all the sutras."

"Accordingly, let us turn to the text of the Lotus Sutra itself. There we find it stated that “This Lotus Sutra [is the secret storehouse of the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones]. Among the sutras, it holds the highest place.” If we accept these words of the sutra, then, like the lord Shakra dwelling on the peak of Mount Sumeru, like the wish-granting jewel that crowns the wheel-turning kings, like the moon that dwells above the forest of trees, like the knot of flesh that tops the head of a Buddha, so the Lotus Sutra stands like a wish-granting jewel crowning the Flower Garland, Mahāvairochana, Nirvana, and all the other sutras."

"If we set aside the pronouncements of the scholars and teachers and rely upon the text of the sutra, then we can see that the Lotus Sutra is superior to the Mahāvairochana, Flower Garland, and all the other sutras as plainly and as easily as a sighted person can distinguish heaven from earth when the sun is shining in a clear blue sky."

"And if we examine the texts of the Mahāvairochana, Flower Garland, and the other sutras, we will find that there is not a word or even a brushstroke in them that resembles the above-cited passage of the Lotus Sutra. True, at times they speak about the superiority of the Mahayana sutras as compared to the Hinayana sutras, or of the Buddhist truth as opposed to secular truth, or they praise the truth of the Middle Way as opposed to the various views that phenomena are non-substantial or that they have only temporary existence. But in fact they are like the rulers of petty kingdoms who, when addressing their subjects, speak of themselves as great kings. It is the Lotus Sutra that, in comparison to these various rulers, is the true great king.

The Nirvana Sutra alone of all the sutras has passages that resemble those of the Lotus Sutra. For this reason, the Buddhist scholars who preceded T’ien-t’ai in both northern and southern China were led astray into declaring that the Lotus Sutra is inferior to the Nirvana Sutra. But if we examine the text of the Nirvana Sutra itself, we will find that, as in the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra, the comparison is being made between the Nirvana Sutra and the sutras of the Flower p.693Garland, Āgama, Correct and Equal, and Wisdom periods that were expounded during the first forty and more years of the Buddha’s preaching life. It is in comparison to these earlier sutras that the Nirvana Sutra declares itself to be superior.

Moreover, the Nirvana Sutra, comparing itself with the Lotus Sutra, says: “When this [Nirvana] sutra was preached . . . the prediction had already been made in the Lotus Sutra that the eight thousand voice-hearers would attain Buddhahood, a prediction that was like a great harvest. Thus, the autumn harvest was over and the crop had been stored away for winter [when the Nirvana Sutra was expounded], and there was nothing left for it [but a few gleanings].” This passage from the Nirvana is saying that the Nirvana is inferior to the Lotus Sutra."

"The above passages [from the Lotus and Nirvana sutras] are perfectly clear on this point. Nevertheless, even the great scholars of northern and southern China went astray, so students of later ages should take care to examine them very thoroughly. For the passage [from the Lotus Sutra] not only establishes the superiority of the Lotus Sutra over the Nirvana Sutra, but indicates its superiority over all other sutras in the worlds of the ten directions".

I, Nichiren, am the most loyal subject in all of Japan. I do not believe that there has ever been, nor ever will be, anyone who can equal me in this respect. The reason I say so is as follows: When the great earthquake struck during the Shōka era (1257–1259) and the huge comet appeared in the first year of Bun’ei (1264), a number of wise persons, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist, performed divinations, but they could neither determine the causes of these disasters nor foretell what was to come. As for me, I secluded myself in a scripture library, and after pondering the matters based on the Buddhist p.1008teachings, I concluded that, because the people revere the priests of provisional Mahayana and Hinayana teachings, such as True Word, Zen, Nembutsu, and Precepts, and make light of the Lotus Sutra, the heavenly kings Brahmā and Shakra would rebuke them by ordering a country in the west to attack Japan. I submitted a written warning to this effect to the lay priest of Saimyō-ji, now deceased. People of all religions scoffed at it and dismissed it, but nine years later, in the fifth year of Bun’ei, an official declaration arrived from the great Mongol empire announcing its intention to attack Japan. Because my prediction had thus come true, the Nembutsu priests, True Word teachers, and others resented me and plotted against my life."

“Nowhere in all the five thousand or seven thousand volumes of sutras listed in the K’ai-yüan era catalog do we find a single scriptural passage that expresses disapproval of the Lotus Sutra and advises one to discard it or to cast it aside, nor any passage that says it is to be classified among the sundry practices and abandoned. If you disagree, you had better find some reliable passage from the sutras that will support your view, so that you may rescue Shan-tao and Hōnen from their torments in the hell of incessant suffering."

"Are persons who receive instruction orally from their teacher invariably free from error, while those who appear in later ages and who seek and investigate to be regarded as worthless? If so, then should we throw away the sutras and instead follow traditions handed down from the four ranks of bodhisattvas? Should a man throw away the deed of transfer received from his father and mother and instead rely upon oral transmissions? Are the written commentaries of the Great Teacher Dengyo so much trash, and the oral traditions handed down from the Great Teacher Jikaku the only guide to truth?" (Gosho Zenshu, p.1258)

Answer: Shakyamuni Buddha laid down a rule for future conduct when he said that we should “rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says that one should rely on treatises that are faithful to the sutras, but not rely on those that distort the sutras. T’ien-t’ai states, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” And the Great Teacher Dengyo says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.”(The Selection of the Time)

Answer: Shakyamuni Buddha laid down a rule for future conduct when he said that we should “rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says that one should rely on treatises that are faithful to the sutras, but not rely on those that distort the sutras. T’ien-t’ai states, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” And the Great Teacher Dengyo says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.” — The Selection of the Time

"Instead of wasting all those supplies and making work for other people by insisting upon traveling all the way to China, they should have made a more careful and thorough study of the doctrines of the Great Teacher Dengyo, who was their own teacher!. " - Repaying Debts of Gratitude

"In the ninth volume of the Nirvana Sutra we read: “Good man, there are icchantikas, or persons of incorrigible disbelief. They pretend to be arhats, living in deserted places and speaking slanderously of the correct and equal sutras of the great vehicle. When ordinary people see them, they all suppose that they are true arhats and speak of them as great bodhisattvas.” It also says: “At that time, this sutra will be widely propagated throughout Jambudvīpa. In that age there will be evil monks who will steal this sutra and divide it into many parts, losing the color, scent, and flavor of the correct teaching that it contains. These evil men will read and recite this sutra, but they will ignore and put aside the profound and vital principles that the Thus Come One has expounded in it and replace them with ornate rhetoric and meaningless talk. They will tear off the first part of the sutra and stick it on at the end, tear off the end and put it at the beginning, put the end and the beginning in the middle and the middle at the beginning or the end. You must understand that these evil monks are the companions of the devil.” - The Opening of the Eyes

Nichiren also references "texts" more than 150 times, and "writings", perhaps an equal number of times, "words" several hundred times (at least), and "sutra" o "sutras", several thousand times, and referencing passages from sutras, many hundreds of times.

Addendum, the Lotus Sutra on "Scripture".

"This Sutra..."

"I encouraged these persons
to listen to and accept this sutra,
the foremost in all the teachings,
unfolding it, teaching people,
and causing them to dwell in nirvana.
So in age after age they accepted and upheld
scriptures of this kind." - LS Chapter 20

"...and they will uphold and embrace
the great vehicle scripture of the buddhas." - LS Chapter 6

"If you see a teacher of the Law
who has cultivated virtues such as these,
you should scatter heavenly flowers over him,
clothe his body in heavenly robes,
bow your head before his feet in salutation,
and in your mind imagine you see the Buddha.
You should also think to yourself:
Before long he will proceed to the place of enlightenment
and attain a state of no outflows and no action,
bringing wide benefit to heavenly and human beings!
In the place where such a person resides,
where he walks, sits, or lies down,
or recites even one verse of SCRIPTURE,
there you should erect a tower
adorned in a fitting and wonderful manner
and offer alms of various kinds to it.
When a son of the Buddha dwells in such places
the Buddha will accept and utilize them,
and constantly in their midst
will walk, sit, or lie down." - LS Chapter 17

“Good men, the scriptures expounded by the thus come one are all for the purpose of saving and emancipating living beings. Sometimes I speak of myself, sometimes of others; sometimes I present myself, sometimes others; sometimes I show my own actions, sometimes those of others. All that I preach is true and not false." - LS Chapter 16

"...These bodhisattvas have all been dwelling in the world of empty space underneath the saha world. They read, recite, understand the various scriptures, ponder them, make distinctions, and keep them correctly in mind." - LS Chapter 15

and TEXT:

“At that time there was a seer who came to the king and said, ‘I have the great vehicle text called the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law. If you will never disobey me, I will expound it for you.’" LS Chapter 12

“If they should expound some text of the secular world or speak on matters of government or occupations that sustain life, they will in all cases conform to the correct Law. With regard to the living beings in the six paths of existence of the major world system, they will understand how the minds of those living beings work, how they move, what idle theories they entertain." - LS Chapter 19

"Though I should be in another land, from time to time I will make it possible for the preachers of the Law to see my body. If they should forget a phrase of this sutra, I will appear and prompt them so that they are able to recite the text correctly and in full.” - LS Chapter 10

"Words" are mentioned in the Lotus Sutra many dozens of times.

Nichiren often quoted or referenced Chapter 11 of the Lotus Sutra, Emergence of the Treasure Tower:

"But after I have entered extinction
if one can honor and embrace
a sutra such as this one,
that will be difficult indeed!
For the sake of the buddha way
in immeasurable numbers of lands
from the beginning until now
I have widely preached many sutras,
and among them
this sutra is foremost.
If one can uphold this,
one will be upholding the Buddha’s body.

All you good men,
after I have entered extinction
who can accept and uphold,
read and recite this sutra?
Now in the presence of the buddhas
let him come forward and speak his vow!
This sutra is hard to uphold;
if one can uphold it even for a short while
I will surely rejoice
and so will the other buddhas.
A person who can do this
wins the admiration of the buddhas.
This is what is meant by valor,
this is what is meant by diligence.
This is what is called observing the precepts
and practicing dhuta.
This way one will quickly attain
the unsurpassed buddha way.
And if in future existences
one can read and uphold this sutra,
one will be a true son of the Buddha,
dwelling in a land spotless and good.
If after the Buddha has passed into extinction
one can understand the meaning of this sutra,
one will be the eyes of the world
for heavenly and human beings.
If in that fearful age
one can preach this sutra for even a moment,
one will deserve to receive alms
from all heavenly and human beings."
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Re: The So-called Taisekiji Succession Documents

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Locked as per latest note in the "Posting..." topic in the Nichiren forum here; https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=26060
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