Gohonzon
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is a generic term for a venerated religious object in
Japanese Buddhism Buddhism was first established in Japan in the 6th century CE. Most of the Japanese Buddhists belong to new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). During the Edo period (1603–1868), Buddhism was cont ...
. It may take the form of a scroll or statuary. The term typically refers to the mainstream use of venerated objects within
Nichiren Buddhism Nichiren Buddhism (), also known as ''Hokkeshū'' (, meaning ''Lotus Sect''), is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) and is one of the Kamakura period school ...
, referring to the
calligraphic Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an exp ...
paper
mandala A mandala (, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid ...
inscribed by the 13th Japanese Buddhist priest
Nichiren was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a unique branch of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism based on the '' Lotus Sutra''. Nichiren declared that the '' Lotus Sutra ...
to which devotional
chant A chant (from French ', from Latin ', "to sing") is the iterative speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two main pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of no ...
ing is directed. Linguistically, the root word derives from ancient word , signifying a devotional object of respect or worship, and with the
honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...
prefix. Varying Nichiren groups accord their own meanings to the term in different ways, signifying their treatment of the object: * "Object of Devotion" —
Soka Gakkai is a Japanese new religions, Japanese new religion led by Minoru Harada since December 2023 based on the teachings of the 13th-century Buddhist priest Nichiren. It claims the largest membership among Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhist group ...
* "Object of Worship" —
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the traditionalist teachings of the 13th century Buddhism in Japan, Japanese Buddhist Bhikkhu#Monks in Japan, priest Nichiren (1222–1282), claiming him as its founder through his senior disciple Nikk ...
* "The Great Mandala, Venerated Supreme" —
Nichiren-shū is a combination of several schools ranging from four of the original Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhist schools that date back to Nichiren's original disciples, and part of the fifth: Overview The school is often referred to as the Minob ...
sects Paper scroll are sometimes known as or . The term is used for statuary. are often enshrined within an altar shrine ().


Description

Nichiren himself attached the greatest importance to his inscription of the and claimed this as a pivotal moment in his life. He stated that by using ink to inscribe it, he was acting like a "lion king." Nichiren's
calligraphy Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an e ...
shifted over the years he inscribed . Details of the composition of the are clear from the approximately 120-125 inscribed in Nichiren's own hand, dating from 1271 to 1282, that are extant. For example, a he inscribed in July 1273 was inscribed on a piece of silk . Copies of the original have been made by others and can be found in varying sizes. A is inscribed for a specific person or organization, while an is generic and produced through a
woodblock printing Woodblock printing or block printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of textile printing, printing on textiles and later on paper. Each page ...
process. Nichiren and his successors also inscribed smaller that are carried on the person.


Opinions on its significance

* Author Philip Yampolsky describes Nichiren's as a mandala, a concretized object that Nichiren inscribed to transmit what he regarded as the essence of the ''
Lotus Sutra The ''Lotus Sūtra'' (Sanskrit: ''Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram'', ''Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma'', zh, p=Fǎhuá jīng, l=Dharma Flower Sutra) is one of the most influential and venerated Buddhist Mahāyāna sūtras. ...
''. It is also described as a depiction of the Ceremony in the Air in the 11th chapter of the ''Lotus Sutra'', "The Emergence of the Treasure Tower". It is the first of the
Three Great Secret Laws (or also "Three Great Secret Dharmas") are the fundamental teachings in Nichiren Buddhism, which include Hommon-no- honzon (本門の本尊: object of devotion of the essential teaching), Hommon-no-kaidan (本門の戒壇: sanctuary of the essenti ...
of Nichiren Buddhism, the others being Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō and the platform of ordination or place of worship. * Authors Robert Ellwood and Richard Pilgrim describe as a "mandala of the cosmos as perceived inwardly by Nichiren." * Masaharu Anesaki describes as "a physical embodiment of the truth of cosmic existence as realized in the all-comprehensive conception of 'mutual participation, and illuminated by the all-enlightening power of the Truth.'" * Jacqueline Stone claims that "By having faith in the and chanting it before this object of worship, ichiren taughtone could in effect enter the mandala and participate in the enlightened reality that it depicts." The founder Nichiren referred to as "the banner of propagation" and "a cluster of blessings."


Calligraphic meanings

A Nichiren is usually written in traditional
kanji are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...
characters with the addition of two
Siddhaṃ script (also ') is an Brahmic scripts, Indic script used in India from the 6th century to the 13th century. Also known in its later evolved form as Siddhamātṛkā, Siddham is a medieval Brahmic scripts, Brahmic abugida, derived from the Gupta sc ...
s. Although exclusive to the other Buddhist sects of his contemporaneous society, Nichiren was highly inclusive of Vedic and Chinese traditions, viewing them as precursors of his own teachings and personages from these traditions are present on the . Most prominent to all such is the phrase —the primary
mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...
in Nichiren Buddhism—written down the center in bold calligraphy. This is called the or . Right below, also in bold, Nichiren writes his name followed by his seal. This signifies Nichiren's conviction that his life had manifested the essence of the Lotus Sutra. On the top row can be found the names of Shakyamuni Buddha and Prabhutaratna and the four leaders of the
Bodhisattvas of the Earth Bodhisattvas of the Earth ( Chinese: 地涌菩薩; Japanese: 地涌の菩薩, 地湧の菩薩, 上行菩薩), also sometimes referred to as "Bodhisattvas from the Underground," "Bodhisattvas Taught by the Original Buddha," or "earth bodhisattvas," ...
. The names of deities believed to protect the Buddha Land, called the
Four Heavenly Kings The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhism, Buddhist gods or Deva (Buddhism), ''devas'', each of whom is believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world. The Hall of Four Heavenly Kings is a standard component of Chinese Buddhism, Ch ...
( Bishamonten, Jikokuten, Kōmokuten, and Zōjōten), further occupy the four corners, and Sanskrit characters depicting Aizen Myō-ō and Fudō Myō-ō are situated along the left and right outer edges. Within this frame are the names of various
Buddhas In Buddhism, Buddha (, which in classic Indic languages means "awakened one") is a title for those who are spiritually awake or enlightened, and have thus attained the supreme goal of Buddhism, variously described as awakening or enlighten ...
,
bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, '' bodhi'' ('awakening', 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or ''bodhi'' in ...
s, historical and mythological figures in Buddhism, personages representing the
ten realms file:Tainai jikkai no zu by Kuniteru III.jpg, Japanese depiction of the ten realms The ten realms, sometimes referred to as the ten worlds, are part of the belief of some forms of Buddhism that there are 240 conditions of life which sentient be ...
, and deities drawn from Vedic, Chinese, and Japanese traditions are arranged hierarchically. Each of these names represents some aspect of the Buddha's enlightenment or an important Buddhist concept.


History

Research has documented that Nichiren inscribed 740 . He began inscribing immediately before and during his exile on Sado between late 1271 and early 1274. This follows the attempted and failed execution of him at Tatsunokuchi Beach in 1271. In various letters he referred to this event as his "casting off the transient and revealing the true" (), at which time he claimed to have discarded his transient status and revealed his essential identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. According to Ikeda, Nichiren's intent in manifesting the was to allow people to connect directly with the Dharma so they, too, could discard the transient and reveal their essential enlightened selves. The first extant was inscribed by Nichiren on 12 October 1271 before his transport to Sado Island. Stone describes it as embryonic in form. On 8 July 1273, Nichiren inscribed a in its full form with the inscription "Nichiren inscribes this for the first time." During his exile in Sado Island (1271–1274) Nichiren wrote two treatises explaining the significance of the object of devotion from the theoretical perspectives of the person (The Opening of the Eyes) and the
Dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...
(The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind). Nichiren wrote additional letters to his followers bestowing to them and further explaining their significance: "Letter to Misawa," "Reply to Kyo'o," "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon," and "On the Treasure Tower."


The issue of Soka Gakkai

The
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the traditionalist teachings of the 13th century Buddhism in Japan, Japanese Buddhist Bhikkhu#Monks in Japan, priest Nichiren (1222–1282), claiming him as its founder through his senior disciple Nikk ...
religion claims that the original mandala at its head temple is the original source of power that is transcribed by the High Priests of Nichiren Shoshu. All loaned by Nichiren Shōshū are copied from the , including the ones currently used both by
Soka Gakkai is a Japanese new religions, Japanese new religion led by Minoru Harada since December 2023 based on the teachings of the 13th-century Buddhist priest Nichiren. It claims the largest membership among Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhist group ...
and Kenshōkai for their services. In 28 November 1991, the Soka Gakkai was expelled by Nichiren Shōshū and thereby lost its source of . By September 1993, the Soka Gakkai began to manufacture their own version and artistic format used today for current members. A transcribed by Nichikan Shōnin, the 26th chief abbot of Taiseki-ji was selected through one of the dissident breakaway priest who provided the woodblock copy when he sided with President
Daisaku Ikeda was a Japanese Buddhist leader, author, educator and nuclear disarmament advocate. He served as the third president and then honorary president of the Soka Gakkai, which is considered among the largest of Japan's new religious movements but ...
. The used today by Soka Gakkai was copied and transcribed from the in July 1720 by Nichikan Shōnin (1665–1726), the twenty-sixth High Priest of Nichiren Shōshū. Another in possession of the Soka Gakkai is the wooden copy manufactured in 1974 transcribed from the by 64th High Priest Nissho Shōnin, previously enshrined in
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, and now enshrined in the main SGI headquarters of Daiseido Hall in
Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...
,
Tokyo, Japan Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
. * Former Soka Gakkai President Jōsei Toda described the simply as "a happiness-producing machine," a means for harmonizing with "universal life force". * Former President of
Soka Gakkai International Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is an international Nichiren Buddhist organization founded in 1975 by Daisaku Ikeda, as an umbrella organization of Soka Gakkai. It is run by two vice-presidents, including Hiromasa Ikeda, son of the founder. It c ...
Mr.
Daisaku Ikeda was a Japanese Buddhist leader, author, educator and nuclear disarmament advocate. He served as the third president and then honorary president of the Soka Gakkai, which is considered among the largest of Japan's new religious movements but ...
refererred to the as a mirror that reflects one's inner life.


Inscriptions

The following inscriptions are found in the transcribed by 26th High Priest Nichikan Shōnin, as is the mainstream format also transcribed by the Successive High Priests of Nichiren Shōshū: * Nichiren Daishōnin: — . "Never in 2,230-some years since the passing of the Buddha has this great mandala appeared in the world." * Nichikan Shonin: — "The 13th day of the sixth month in the fifth year of Kyoho, cyclical sign kanoe-ne." There are also two inscriptions from Miao-lo's commentary , ''The Annotations on "The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra"'': * — "Those who make offerings will gain good fortune surpassing the ten honorable titles f the Buddha" * — "Those who vex and trouble he practitioners of the Lawwill have their heads split into seven pieces." The Soka Gakkai organization maintains that only the conferred by their leadership brings both personal happiness and kosen-rufu, claiming that they possess the true mandate of Nichiren for widespread propagation. By contrast, Nichiren Shōshū Hokkekō members often omit the honorific term when referring to used outside their religion, most especially against the Soka Gakkai variant either as a pejorative derision or refusal to acknowledge the implied sacred nature of the outside their sectarian beliefs, often citing them as either fake and lacking the ceremony prescribed to animate a for its spiritual efficacy. The lesser value of is used by Nichiren Shōshū members instead.


Outside of Nichiren Buddhism

The terms and are often used interchangeably and with some confusion. In the Japanese new religion
Risshō Kōsei Kai ; until June 1960, is a Japanese Buddhist religious movement founded in 1938 by Nikkyō Niwano and Myōkō Naganuma. Risshō Kōsei Kai is organized as a lay Buddhist movement, which branched off from the older Reiyūkai, and is primarily fo ...
, members receive and practice to a enshrined in their homes; the scroll consists of an image of Gautama Buddha. At the Risshō Kōsei Kai headquarters there is a that is a statue of Shakyamuni. In the
Jōdo Shinshū , also known as Shin Buddhism or True Pure Land Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Shin Buddhism is the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan. History Shinran (founder) S ...
school of
Pure Land Buddhism Pure Land Buddhism or the Pure Land School ( zh, c=淨土宗, p=Jìngtǔzōng) is a broad branch of Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhism focused on achieving rebirth in a Pure land, Pure Land. It is one of the most widely practiced traditions of East Asi ...
, under
Hōnen , also known as Genkū, was the founding figure of the , the first independent branch of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism. Hōnen became a Tendai initiate at an early age, but grew disaffected and sought an approach to Buddhism that all people of all ...
and Shinran, the use of became more prevalent; they took the form of inscriptions of the sect's mantra Namu Amida Butsu, other phrases, images of the Buddha, statuary, and even representations of the founder.
Rennyo Rennyo (, 1415–1499) was the 8th Monshu (Patriarch) of the Hongan-ji Temple of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, and descendant of founder Shinran. Jodo Shinshu Buddhists often referred to him as the restorer of the sect ( in Japanese). He ...
thought the written mantra was more appropriate than a statue but did not ascribe particular powers to it as do Nichiren's followers to their . In Mikkyō practices such as in Shingon Buddhism, the term refers to the divinity honored in a rite but later came to represent the formal object of worship. The tutelary figure's role is similar to that of the '' yidam'' in
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
.
Tutelary deities A tutelary (; also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety and ...
in
Vajrayana ''Vajrayāna'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhyamantrayāna ('secret mantra vehicle'), Tantrayāna ('tantra vehicle'), Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, is a Mahāyāna Buddhism, Mahāyāna Buddhis ...
, including Mikkyō, Chinese Esoteric Buddhism and
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
, are crucial to many religious practices. In the famous fire ritual ceremony, the fire itself, while it is being consumed and animated, is also considered a temporary .


See also

*


Notes


Further reading

* Ikeda, D. (2012). Lectures on The Opening of the Eyes. World Tribune Press. . * Ikeda, D. et al. (2004). The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings, Volume 2. . Two editions: Eternal Ganges Press and Soka Gakkai Malaysia. * Lotus Seeds, The Essence of Nichiren Shu Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhist Temple of San Jose. . * McCormick, R. The Three Great Hidden Dharmas. http://www.nichiren-shu.org/Sanfrancisco/pages/study/nine.htm. {{Buddhism topics Buddhist ritual implements Nichiren Buddhism