The Dai Honzon of 1274

This is Nichiren Shonin's autographed mandala signed as "Jogyo Nichiren" and the only Gohonzon that reads: "this Great Object of Worship (Dai Honzon)":

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         Facts regarding this Gohonzon:
        

        a.. Inscribed by Nichiren Shonin in 1274
        b.. Kept at Myohonji at Hota.
        c.. No. 16 in the Catalogue of  the Gohonzon Collection of Yamanaka
Kihachi, Nichiren  Shonin Shinseki no sekai, p. 323
        d.. And type B (11) 7 no.13 in Nichiren Shonin Mandara zushu or
Collection of Pictures of Nichiren  Shonin's Mandalas,( pp. 58-59)
        e.. Gohonzon measures  06. 1 cm by 43.4 cm
        f.. Three sheets joined together.
        g.. This Gohonzon came to the hands of Nichimoku's disciple Nichigo
(1272-1353).
        h.. It is in the catalogue of Objects of Worship and
        i.. Sacred Teachings  that he compiled in 1353
        j.. (Bunwa 2: Nichiren Shu shugako zensho, Komomshu, p. 280)
        k.. This Mandala has remained at Myohonji (founded in 1342)
        l.. The Koso nempu  (Chronology of the Patriarch) in the Edo period
says that it was originally bestowed on Nikko
        m.. There appears to be no contemporary evidence of this though it is
not unlikely.

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This Gohonzon consists of three elements that clearly show that Nichiren meant
to show himself as the Bodhisattva Jogyo revealing the mandala and this
is entirely consistent with his position as revealed in his genuine letters. 

 Nichiren's name appearing at the bottom of the mandala: The appearance of
Nichiren's name in this position (somewhat to the right of the central axis of
the mandala) is typical of the mandalas of this period (around Bun'ei 11
(1274).  Judging from the appearance of the name it  was written about the same
time as the main part of the mandala itself. 

To its left is the date  (the  twelfth [lunar] month of the eleventh year of
Bun'ei with the location in the mountains at Hakii  (some read "Hakiri") in the
Province of Kai, i.e., at Minobusan). 

Nichiren's kao or signature (written seal): again typical of this period the
Kao is written to the left of the central axis. This signature simply makes it
"official" and was originally used in East Asia to show that a given document
was actually from the person in whose name it was issued. 

The inscription: this text is the crucial evidence and, was added after the
kao, since Nichiren Shonin had to "squeeze" the text around the Kao to fit it
into the remaining space. 

The inscription reads : 

"Since the Entrance into Extinction of the Great Enlightened World Honored One
there have passed in succession more than two thousand two hundred and twenty
years. Even so, among the Three Countries of India, Han [China] and Japan,
there has not yet been this Great Object of worship (Dai Honzon). Either they
have known but not yet spread it or they have not known it. Our Compassionate
Father, by means of the Buddha Wisdom, has hidden and retained it, leaving it
for the Latter Age. At the time of the last five hundred years, the Bodhisattva
Jogyo comes forth in the world and for the first time spreads and proclaims
it." "this Great Object of Worship (Dai Honzon)": This is the only known
mandala where Nichiren uses this term for the mandala. 

Nichiren meant this mandala (i,e., mandalas like this) to be the Great Object
of Worship.  Clearly, because he issued other mandalas of the same type (though
without this inscription) he meant no particular mandala to be supreme. 

"Our Compassionate Father" clearly refers to the Buddha Shakya: in the Kito sho
(STN, v. 1, 676,  I. 4) Nichiren Shonin calls him, "the compassionate Father,
the Buddha Shakya" and in the same work says, "The Buddha Shakya alone combines
the three principles of Lord, Teacher, and Sovereign" (STN: v. 1, 677 1. 4) and
he says he does this "by means of the Buddha wisdom" until the time of the last 

five hundred years when "Bodhisattva Jogyo comes forth in the world and for the first

time spreads and proclaims it." 

Nichiren  Shonin clearly is identifying himself with the Bodhisattva Jogyo as
revealed on this mandala which is the Object of Worship. Nichiren Shonin identifies 

himself and his mission with that of Bodhisattva Jogyo and this identification can be 

seen elsewhere in his writings."  -- Kempon Hokke archives G. Lamont