Nichiren Shoshu's impure lineage

Data Regarding Taisekeji Priests and the So-Called Pure Lineage!

The heritage of Nichiren Shoshu has been broken not once, but several times. It has allowed priests from heretical sects to receive transmission. Regarding Boy HP, can the "heritage" that the Priesthood speaks of, in fact be transmitted to boys so young as to be clearly incapable of fully understanding the teaching of Nichiren Shonin.

8th.. In the Nichiren Shoshu Seiten, p. 734, by Horii-mai Nikkyo, it is written that the eighth High Priest, Nichi-e, transmitted the Dharma to a layman, Abura no Joren, not Nichi-u. This is in the records of transmission of Taisekiji itself. (Fuji Shugaku Yoshu, v. 5, p.255, "Biography of Nichi-e")

9th..Nichiu..took heritage at 17 years old. Nichi-u, the 9th High Priest of Taisekiji, who died of leprosy....

Several people have asked for some source references for this story. The idea that a farmer from Fuji started the rumor is not a documented source (and it sounds fishy, too...)

The source for the leprosy story is, of all things, from Nichiren Shoshu itself!

From the "Fuji-Shuo Gaku Yoo Shuo" (Fuji School of Studies V.5 p.39) edited by Horii Nikkyo himself (the greatest scholar of Taisekiji of this century and a High Priest, retired)...it says:

"The 9th generation of Taisekiji, Nichi-u, became a leper."

And again in Vol.7, p.44 of the above mentioned edition by Horii Nikkyo, there is an attack against Nichi-u for various transgressions. In the "Koomom Shoo-gi", p.211 (Orthodoxy of the Nikko School) another reference to Nichi-u and his leprosy is made.

One would ask why Horii Nikkyo would attack one of his predecessors. The answer I got is that he was an honest scholar and printed many things that were historically accurate but not popular with Taisekiji. (He was, after all, a former High Priest, and no one was about to criticize him) It was Horii Nikkyo who said that he had no idea who "Yashiro Kunishige" (the name on the dai-gohonzon) was, or which story of how the mandala came into Taisekiji's possession is true. Nichi-u himself said that Kunishige transferred it to Taisekiji in the 15th Century, which contradicts the story that he had it transferred to wood from a paper gohonzon that had been "hidden" for two hundred years. The popular version today is that the wooden mandala was taken by Nikko from Minobusan to Taisekiji, but there is no mention of such a large wooden mandala being brought to Taisekiji. After all, it couldn't be concealed in someone's sleeve and it is a heavy, obvious object.

Nichi-do, the author of biographies of Nichiren, Nikko and Nichimoku doesn't mention such a honzon at all. In fact, there were no wooden Nichiren honzons until the Muromachi period. Even Nikko forbade the inscription of wooden honzons...

It's interesting to note that all of the re-editions of Horii Nikkyo's original compilation have been "revised" and reformatted to omit all objectionable materials that he, while alive, saw fit to print.

Another source reference about Nichi-u's leprosy is in "Biography of the Patriarch (Nichiren)" by Nisshin of Yooboo-ji (this temple supplied Taisekiji with High Priests from the 15th to the 23rd one, because there were no priests to serve that function at Taisekiji ).

Nichi-joo, the Abbot of Kitayama Honmonji, contemporary with Nichi-u, wrote, "Nichi-u went against the fundamental intention of the founder (Nikko) and inscribed the board honzon which had never been heard of before.....he received the severe punishment for perverted wisdom and blasphemy agaist the Dharma, becoming a leper, and in Sugiyama in the province of Kai (Yamanashi) hiding himself away in shame, he has died". It is historically recorded that he died in Sugiyama, a very remote place, so that no one would see his condition.

Nichi-joo went on to say, with chilling accuracy, "If Nichi-u's madness spreads throughout the world, both the priests and the laity of the discipleship of Nikko will fall to the unremitting hell. How sad for the future."

12th..Nichin, took heritage at 13 years old.

13th..Nichin, took heritage at 9 years old.

14th..Nichio, took heritage at 18 years old.

15th to 19th..In the period from 1596 to 1692, nine generations of HPriests (from 15th HP Nissho to 23rd HP Nikkei) came from Yoho-ji Temple in Kyoto.(Fuji Nempyo P.121, Fuji Shugaku Yoshu, Vol.9)

15th..Nissho, transferred the heritage of the law to Rikyo-bo Nichigi temporarily, who later transferred it to Nichiju Shonin, the 16 HP (Fuji Shugaku Yoshu, Vol.5, P.261)

33rd..Nichigen transcribed a Gohonzon so that it could be enshrined at Sengen Jinja, a Shinto Shrine. This Gohonzon is still extant today.

53rd, Nichijo, during this term there was a great fire at Taisekeji. Directly thereafter, he left the Head Temple, and his whereabouts became unknown. Needless to say, no transfer ceremony took place between Nichijo Shonin and the 54th HP, Nichiden. (Nichiden Shonin Den; Autobiography of Nichiden Shonin; Abridged Biog of Nichiden Shonin)

53rd, Nichijo. Regarding this, the current HP commented in a speech at a June 1989 ceremony making the 100th anniversary of Nichiden Shonin's passing: "I do not want the contents of Nichiden's autobiography to become known among general believers."

56th..Nichio, in 1904 ordered the creation of and subsequently sold 10,000 Gohonzons specially inscribed with the words "For Protection and Victory in War" (in Japanese, Sensho Shugo). Later, he presided over a ceremony to pray for victory over Russia and honor the Japanese Emperor. He also collected donations from participants, which he then contributed to the armed forces. (HoNo Michi, April 1905, 12th issue)

57th..Abe Nissho applied to the Japanese Emperor for the granting of the title of Rissho Daishi ("Great Teacher of Rissho") to Nichiren Daishonin. He received transmission via two lay believers from Osaka, Mitsutatsu Naka and Umetaro Makino Associated with gamblers and beggars. Sold the forest, which was property of Taiseki Temple, without permission and spent the money satisfying his sensual desires and "buying" an election. He also conspired to arrest and prosecute his rival during an election. He suffered from cancer of the tongue for 6 years and died in a crazed madness without ceremony of succession.

58th..Nitchu, received the transmission of the heritage from Nissho Shonin. Later he was impeached, and said, "the Ita-honzon produces evil men."

59th nigh Priest, Hori Nikku, and, the 60th High Priest Abe Nlkku lusted for power, they were obsessed with becoming High Priest.

60th..Nikkai, before becoming HP, was in charge of publishing the organ publication Byakurenge Magazine. During his tenure, he allowed advertisements for the sale of Gohonzons in a knitted frame made of cloth. (The ad appeared starting in Vol.8, #10 of 2/7/14 to 12/14, totaling seven times.)

61st High Priest, Mizutani Nichiyu made a secret pact with a powerful and influential believer at the High Priest's election.

62nd..Nikkyo, deleted key sections of the Gosho (Study of Nichiren Shoshu General Administration Bureau No.8, 9/29/41), and approved of an encouraged worship at Shinto shrines (Nichiren Shoshu Gen.Admin Bureau Intatsu Gogai, 11/11/43). He died suffering from a terrible sickness. He was burned to death at his office. The funeral was held without his body: only his entrails remained after his death.

Ceremony of succession not held for the second time. The tradition was broken off.

63rd High Priest, Akiyama Nichiman story of his inauguration entails mudsllngin between two very greedy people. . His rival, Suzuki Nikkyo, had demoted and confined him. His rivals forced him to resign. He lived a life hating his rivals.

64th High Priest, Mizutani Nisho. He was of mixed parentage and blue eyed. His parents were immoral. Nisho was an immoral and vicious person. He devoted himself to making money raising chickens. He had a sexual relationship with his daughter, and went to hell. The scandal was disclosed. Nishoo dismissed the witness and had another man marry his daughter. Kawada Toshimitsu, a Taiseki Temple priest, died in agony because he was worried about his wife's love affair with Nisho. To have a sexual relationship with one's father, mother, brother or sister is immoral.

67th..Nikken erected a tombstone in a Zen temple (7/17/89)

67th..Nikken, At a lecture at Myosetsu-ji Temple. "The Gosho is not for everyone to use. It is arrogant for you to think you understand the Gosho. it is not for everyone. The Daishonin did not write these letters for everyone. People who received Gosho did not show them to anyone...it is arrogant that Soka Gakkai members carry the Gosho and quote from it one sentence here and one sentence there as if they understand it."

Nikken gives the following speech:

Nikken: "Making them leave the Gakkai is your job, your utmost responsibility now. Why do you ask such silly questions of me? Just as those priests who made speeches just now, why don't you do your best to urge the Gakkai believers to leave the Gakkai, even one member. Why don't you do it?"