Right this way folks

SACRED TREASURES

Taisekiji, the main temple of Nichiren Shoshu, is abundant in treasures.

Among these treasures, there is an especially mysterious one, the *Onikuge*, a tooth of Nichiren Daishonin. He himself pulled a tooth which had become loose, and gave it to his favorite disciple. A tiny bit of flesh that still adhered to the root of the tooth has grown larger for the past 660 years and now, almost the whole surface of the tooth is covered with flesh. Unbelieveably, this is a living tooth.

Since the *Onikuge* is thus a mysterious and valuable treasure, it is not customarily shown except on special occasions. However, in recent times, it was opened to the view of all worshippers on the 700th anniversary of Nichiren Shoshu, 1952, and at the ceremonies of Odaigawari (ritual ceremony for the installation of the High Priest), held in 1957 and 1960. At the 1960 ceremony, 200,000 worshippers, including medical specialists and physiologists, were permitted to have the honor of seeing it from a distance of 20 inches, and they were deeply impressed with its dignity, for the *Onikuge* looks alive and shines with a pearly luster.

There is nothing in the world more mysterious than this sacred *Onikuge*. It tells us without speaking, the dignity of Buddhism and the mystery of life.

...from the Nichirenshoshu Sokagakkai - 1960