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On Recommending This Teaching to Your Lord

BACKGROUND:

Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter in the ninth month of 1274 to Shijo Kingo, one of his leading followers in Kamakura and a samurai in service to the Ema family, a branch of the ruling Hojo clan. In it he praises Shijo Kingo for his courage in venturing to introduce the Daishonin's teaching to his lord, Ema Mitsutoki (or Mitsutoki's son, Chikatoki, according to another opinion). The full title of this Gosho means "On Recommending This Teaching to Your Lord and Thereby Avoiding the Offense of Complicity in Slander."

The "offense of complicity in slander" refers to the slander that occurs when one, even though not committing slander oneself, makes offerings to enemies of the True Law or acts in concert with slanderers, failing to admonish them.

Around the time of Nichiren Daishonin's retirement to Mount Minobu, Shijo Kingo had recommended the Daishonin's teachings to Lord Ema. Like many believers, Shijo Kingo had awakened to a new conviction in faith when the Daishonin, against all expectation, returned safely from Sado. while in exile, the Daishonin's prophecy of internal strife made in his "Rissho Ankoku Ron" (On Securing the Peace of the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism) had materialized in the form of a power struggle within the ruling Hojo clan, and now that the Mongols were readying their forces for attack, the fulfillment of his second prophecy, that of foreign invasion, seemed imminent. These may have been among the reasons that prompted Shijo Kingo to speak to his lord.

Lord Ema was then a follower of the priest Ryokan of Gokoraku-ji temple. The Ema family is also said to have built Choraku-ji, a temple of the Jodo sect and one of the seven major temples in Kamakura. In any event, Lord Ema resented what he saw as his vassal's presumption in attempting to convert him, and harassed him in various ways. At one point, he even threatened to transfer Kingo to the remote province of Echigo if he did not renounce his faith in the Lotus Sutra. Another three years would pass before the samurai was able to regain his lord's trust.

In this Gosho, Nichiren Daishonin explains that "not to kill" is first among all Buddhist precepts. However, in a sense, slander of the Lotus Sutra is an even worse offense than killing, for one who opposes the sutra in effect denies the Buddha nature eternally inherent in all beings, whose realization is life's ultimate purpose. The Daishonin praises Shijo Kingo for having urged his lord to take faith in the Lotus Sutra, thus avoiding the offense of complicity in slander. He also advises Kingo to be cautious in speech and action from now on, showing insight into the samurai's character as well as the dangers he would be facing.

Designed by Will Kallander