by Senchu Murano

© 1997 - Nichiren Buddhist International Center

Nikkô (1246-1333)

Nikkô (1246-1333). Born of a samurai family in the Province of Kai (Yamanashi-ken). He became a novice priest at a Tendai temple called Shijûkuin in the Province of Suruga (Shizuoka-ken). Nikkô became a follower in 1257 when Nichiren visited Jissôji Temple at Iwamoto which was near Shijûkuin. Jissôji was also a Tendai temple, famous for its library. Nichiren had been preparing to write the Risshô-ankoku-ron. Risshô-ankoku-ron. Although Nichiren had once used the library of Hachimangûji Temple in Kamakura, he chose to travel all the way from Kamakura to Iwamoto because of the ensuing feud between Enryakuji and Onjôji Hachimangûji. The temple at that time, belonged to Onjôji of Mii, not to Enryakuji of Hieizan. Jissôji of Iwamoto later became a Nichiren temple in 1278.

While Nichiren stayed at Minobu from 1274 to 1282, Nikkô propagated the Daimoku among the samurais and countrymen mainly in the provinces of Suruga and Kai. After Nichiren died in 1282, Nichiren's disciples met and decided that his tomb at Minobu be taken care of by one or two of them at a time in two-month shifts. Nikkô acted as secretary at the conference, and the minutes written by him are preserved today. The agreement was observed for the first year or so, but was soon neglected because the priests in Kamakura became too busy to attend Minobu. After Nichiren's death, the Kamakura Government renewed its suppression of the Daimoku-chanting Buddhism. They ordered Nichiren priests in Kamakura to pray for the peace of the government together with the priests of other sects. Otherwise, they warned that the Nichiren temples in Kamakura would be destroyed and the priests, banished from the city. Nisshô and Nichirô appealed to the government and barely saved Nichiren Buddhism from annihilation. This suppression continued till about 1285. Nikkô and his followers lived mostly in the provinces of Suruga and Kai. Nikkô began to stay at Minobu constantly since 1285 where the tomb of Nichiren was taken care of by Nikkô and his followers. Nambu Sanenaga, Lord of Minobu, began to treat Nikkô as the chief priest of Minobusan Kuonji Temple.

Nikô came from Mobara to Minobu in 1285 and worked under Nikkô But Nikkô was displeased by Nikô, who was favored by Nambu Sanenaga. Nikkô then moved from Minobu to his mother's old home at Fuji, Ueno, in the Province of Suruga on December 5, 1288. Nambu Sanenaga made Nikô, the chief priest of Kuonji.

Nikkô would found Taisekiji Temple at Fuji, Ueno, under the patronage of Nanjô Tokimitsu in 1290. He also founded Hommonji Temple at Omosu, Kitayama, in the same province in 1298, and spent the rest of his life there.

After Nikkô died in 1333, many forgeries were made by the followers of Nikkô claiming that Nikkô was the direct successor of Nichiren as the chief priest of Minobusan Kuonji Temple. They called themselves Nikkô Monryû (Branch), and became independent of the main body of the Nichiren Sect. The name of their sect was at first Fuji Ha (Subsect) because most of their temples were founded at the foot of Mt. Fuji. The name of the sect was changed several times thereafter and was finally settled on Nichiren Shôshû in 1912, with Taisekiji Temple as its head temple. Hommonji at Kitayama was transferred to the Nichiren Sect in 1941.

Nikkô did not make any new doctrine. He remained a faithful disciple of Nichiren. The Nichiren-hombutsu-ron or the "Nichiren-Is-True-Buddha" theory was created by Nichigen of the Nikkô Monryû in 1380.