THE PICTORIAL LIFE OF SAINT NICHIREN

Scene 9 Natural Disasters

Earthquakes, typhoons, famine and epidemics reeked havoc on Japan and, it is said, close to half the population perished in the year 1257. It seemed as if all the good patron gods of Japan had deserted her and the devils had taken control. St. Nichiren decided that this could only be a sign admonishing the country for abandoning the Lotus Doctrine. He decided to recheck his views with the volumes of written works on Buddhism.

Scene 10 The Jisso-ji Temple Library

In the first month of 1258, St. Nichiren went to the Jissoji temple library to review the sutras and make sure his own ideas corresponded with the true teachings of the Buddha.