Nichiren on debate 2

"Moreover, when you must reply to the six difficult questions posed in Ryōkan’s appeal, bear in mind, as I have always said, that Nichiren’s disciples cannot accomplish anything if they are cowardly. As you debate the relative superiority and depth of the Lotus Sutra and other sutras, and whether or not they lead to enlightenment, remember that even the Shakyamuni Buddha described in the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings or in the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra is no one to be in awe of; even less so are bodhisattvas at the stage of near-perfect enlightenment. Followers of schools based on the provisional teachings are of still less account. As you debate, bear in mind that because we embrace the Lotus Sutra our position is like that of the great heavenly king Brahmā, and it is not at all wrong to regard those who hold to lesser teachings as our subjects or even as barbarians."

"I am told that the scholars of the ten schools—three in southern China and seven in northern China—were so outstanding in authority and virtue that they were revered throughout the land for more than five hundred years. However, the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai, who lived during the reigns of emperors of the Ch’en and Sui dynasties, examined their doctrines and denounced them as erroneous. Hearing of this, the people hated him intensely; but the Ch’en and Sui emperors,2 being worthy rulers, summoned T’ien-t’ai to debate with the priests of the ten schools and settle the matter. Truth and error were thereby made clear, and in consequence, the priests all revised the distorted views that their schools had upheld over a period of five hundred years and became followers of the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai. And in our own country, the Great Teacher Kompon [Dengyō] of Mount Hiei debated with the learned scholars of Nara and Kyoto and distinguished between right and wrong in the Buddhist teachings. In every case, T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō based their arguments on the sutras."

"If Ryōkan of Gokuraku-ji again lets it be known, as he claimed in his appeal, that he desires to meet and debate with me, submit a petition to the government [requesting a public debate]. Say to Ryōkan: “My teacher Nichiren incurred the wrath of the government and was exiled to the province of Sado in the eighth year of Bun’ei (1271). In the first month of the eleventh year of Bun’ei, he was pardoned and returned to Kamakura. On his return he remonstrated with Hei no Saemon about various matters and then secluded himself deep in the mountains of Kai Province. He has stated that even if he were to be summoned by the emperor or empress, he will never emerge from the mountains to debate his teachings with the scholars of other schools. Therefore, although I, his disciple, am a mere novice and my knowledge of his teachings amounts to less than a hair from the hides of nine head of cattle, if anyone comes forth to state their doubts about the Lotus Sutra, I will do my best to reply to them.” Then, explain my teachings in direct response to your opponent’s questions."

"Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha, a native of eastern India, was thirteenth among the successors of the Buddha’s teachings. At one time Ashvaghosha had been a leader of Brahmanism. When he debated with the Buddhist monk Punyayashas over the validity of their respective teachings, however, he quickly realized the superiority of Buddhist teachings. Ashvaghosha was prepared to behead himself in order to pay for his past offense, saying, “I have been my own worst enemy, leading myself to hell.” But Punyayashas admonished him, saying, “Ashvaghosha, do not behead yourself! Use that head and mouth to praise Mahayana.” Ashvaghosha soon thereafter wrote The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, in which he refuted Brahmanism and Hinayana. This marked the beginning of the spread of Mahayana Buddhism in India.

The Great Teacher Chi-tsang of Chia-hsiang-ssu temple was among the most outstanding scholars in China. He was the founder of the Three Treatises school, and lived on Mount Hui-chi in Wu. Believing that none could equal him in knowledge, he raised the banner of his pride to its highest. He challenged the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai to discuss the meaning of the passage that states, “Among the sutras I have preached, now preach, and will preach, [this Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand].” In the debate Chi-tsang was soundly defeated and thereupon renounced his misguided beliefs. In order to expiate his serious offense of slander of the correct teaching and of those who upheld it, he gathered more than one hundred eminent scholars and begged the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai Chih-che to lecture to them. Chi-tsang used his body as a bridge for the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai to climb [onto the preaching platform], supporting T’ien-t’ai’s feet with his head. Moreover, he served T’ien-t’ai for seven years, cutting firewood and drawing water for him. He ceased giving lectures of his own, dispersed his followers, and in order to purge himself of his great conceit, refrained from reciting the Lotus Sutra. After the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s death, Chi-tsang had an audience with the emperor of the Sui dynasty to pay his respects. As he was leaving, he clutched His Majesty’s knees and tearfully bade him farewell. Sometime later, Chi-tsang looked into an old mirror and, seeing his reflection, condemned himself for his past errors. All these many acts of penitence were done to eradicate his karmic disease."

"Then, in the time of the Ch’en and Sui dynasties during the Middle Day of the Law, there appeared a young priest named Chih-i, who was later to be known as the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai Chih-che. Although he taught many doctrines, his teachings ultimately centered upon this single issue of the relative superiority of the Lotus, Nirvana, and Flower Garland sutras.

The Dharma Teacher Chih-i declared that the teachers of Buddhism had these three works ranked upside down. The ruler of the Ch’en dynasty, in order to determine the truth of the matter, thereupon summoned a group of more than a hundred men, including the Administrator of Priests Hui-heng, the Supervisor of Priests Hui-k’uang, the Dharma Teacher Hui-jung, and the Dharma Teacher Fa-sui, all among the most eminent leaders of the ten schools of the north and south, and had them confront Chih-i in debate.

The Dharma Teacher Chih-i said: “The Lotus Sutra itself says, ‘among the sutras, it holds the highest place.’ It also says, ‘Among the sutras I [Shakyamuni] have preached, now preach, and will preach, this Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.’ The Immeasurable Meanings Sutra makes clear that the sutras the Buddha already ‘has preached’ here refer to ‘the teaching of great wisdom and the Flower Garland teaching of the ocean-imprint meditation’ and so forth. And with regard to the sutras he ‘will preach,’ the Nirvana Sutra says, ‘. . . from the prajnā-pāramitā (the teachings of the perfection of wisdom) he brought forth the Nirvana Sutra.’ These scriptural passages show that the Lotus Sutra is superior to the Flower Garland and Nirvana sutras; they make it abundantly clear, clear as could possibly be. You should understand accordingly.”

Rebuked in this manner, some of his opponents simply shut their mouths, others spewed out abuse, while still others turned pale. The Ch’en ruler then rose from his seat and bowed three times, and all the hundred officials pressed their palms together in reverence. Powerless to prevail, the leaders of the other schools conceded defeat. Thus it was established that the Lotus Sutra holds the highest place among the teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime."

"When the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai defeated in debate the leaders of the other schools of northern and southern China, the True Word school’s teachings had not yet been introduced to that country, and when the Great Teacher Dengyō won victory over the six schools of Japan, the True Word doctrines escaped refutation. On several occasions they have managed to evade their powerful opponents, and on the contrary, have succeeded in overshadowing and imperiling the great teaching of the Lotus Sutra. In addition, the Great Teacher Jikaku, who was a disciple of the Great Teacher Dengyō, went so far as to adopt the doctrines of the True Word school, obscure the Tendai doctrines of Mount Hiei, and turn the entire school into a sphere of the True Word school. But who could effectively oppose such a person of authority as Jikaku?

Thus, helped on by prejudiced views, the false doctrines of the Great Teacher Kōbō continued to escape condemnation. It is true that the Reverend Annen did voice a certain opposition to Kōbō. But all he did was to demote the Flower Garland Sutra from second place and substitute the Lotus Sutra for it; he still ranked the Lotus Sutra as inferior to the Mahāvairochana Sutra. He was nothing more than an arranger of worldly compromises."

"Moreover, at this time there were no men of wisdom such as the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai had been. Thus day by day the T’ien-t’ai school lost more ground to the True Word school, and finally all debate ceased."

"From now on, you need not hold debates in Shimōsa. Having defeated the priests Ryōshō-bō and Shinen-bō, were you to debate with others, it would only dilute the effect. I hear that these priests have been slandering me for some years now. These mosquitoes and gadflies, as it were, are such fools that they groundlessly revile Nichiren, who is like the lion king, when they have neither listened to nor seen him. For persons of the Tendai Lotus school to chant Namu-myoho-renge-kyo themselves and yet give their approval when others repeat the Nembutsu would be strange enough. Yet not only do they fail to remonstrate with them, but they criticize one who does confront the Nembutsu school, which is strange indeed! As for Daishin-bō, as I wrote you before, please strongly admonish him by letter. It would appear that he has been brought back to our faith by the ten demon daughters. It would also seem that a messenger from the devil king had possessed him, but now has parted company with him. It cannot possibly be a lie when the sutra states that “evil demons will take possession of others.” There is much that I would like to say, but the messenger is in a hurry, so I am writing this at night."

"Rokurō Saemon addressed them, saying: “An official letter from the regent directs that the priest shall not be executed. This is no ordinary, contemptible criminal, and if anything happens to him, I, Shigetsura, will be guilty of grave dereliction. Instead of killing him, why don’t you confront him in religious debate?” Following this suggestion, the Nembutsu and other priests, accompanied by apprentice priests carrying the three Pure Land sutras, Great Concentration and Insight, the True Word sutras, and other literature under their arms or hanging from their necks, gathered at Tsukahara on the sixteenth day of the first month [in 1272]. They came not only from the province of Sado but also from the provinces of Echigo, Etchū, Dewa, Mutsu, and Shinano. Several hundred priests and others gathered in the spacious yard of the hut and in the adjacent field. Rokurō Saemon, his brothers, and his entire clan came, as well as lay priest farmers,21 all in great numbers. The Nembutsu priests uttered streams of abuse, the True Word priests turned pale, and the Tendai priests called loudly to vanquish the opponent. The lay believers cried out in hatred, “There he is—the notorious enemy of our Amida Buddha!” The uproar and jeering resounded like thunder and seemed to shake the earth. I let them clamor for a while and then said, “Silence, all of you! You are here for a religious debate. This is no time for abuse.” At this, Rokurō Saemon and others voiced their accord, and some of them grabbed the abusive Nembutsu followers by the neck and pushed them back.

The priests proceeded to cite the doctrines of Great Concentration and Insight and the True Word and the Nembutsu teachings. I responded to each, establishing the exact meaning of what had been said, then coming back with questions. However, I needed to ask only one or two at most before they were completely silenced. They were far inferior even to the True Word, Zen, Nembutsu, and Tendai priests in Kamakura, so you can imagine how the debate went. I overturned them as easily as a sharp sword cutting through a melon or a gale bending the grass. They not only were poorly versed in the Buddhist teachings but contradicted themselves. They confused sutras with treatises or commentaries with treatises. I discredited the Nembutsu by telling how Shan-tao fell out of the willow tree, and refuted the story about the Great Teacher Kōbō’s three-pronged diamond-pounder and of how he transformed himself into the Thus Come One Mahāvairochana. As I demonstrated each falsity and aberration, some of the priests swore, some were struck dumb, while others turned pale. There were Nembutsu adherents who admitted the error of their school; some threw away their robes and beads on the spot and pledged never to chant the Nembutsu again."