T2688 Two Nichiren Texts

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BDK English Tripi†aka 104-III, 104-V TWO NICHIREN TEXTS Risshøankokuron (Taishø Volume 84, Number 2688) Kanjinhonzonshø (Taishø Volume 84, Number 2692) Translated from the Japanese by

MURANOSench¥

Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research 2003

± 2003 by Bukkyø Dendø Kyøkai and

Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed in any form or by any means —electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise— without the prior written permission of the publisher. First Printing, 2003

ISBN: 1-886439-17-6

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2003100192 Published by

Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research 2620 Warring Street

Berkeley, California 94704

Printed in the United States of America

Copyright

A Message on the Publication of the English Tripi†aka The Buddhist canon is said to contain eighty-four thousand di›erent teachings. I believe that this is because the Buddha's basic approach was to prescribe a di›erent treatment for every spiritual ailment, much as a doctor prescribes a di›erent medicine for every medical ailment. Thus his teachings were always appropriate for the particular su›ering individual and for the time at which the teaching was given, and over the ages not one of his prescriptions has failed to relieve the su›ering to which it was addressed.

Ever since the Buddha's Great Demise over twenty-five hundred years ago, his message of wisdom and compassion has spread throughout the world. Yet no one has ever attempted to translate the entire Buddhist canon into English throughout the history of Japan. It is my greatest wish to see this done and to make the translations available to the many English-speaking people who have never had the opportunity to learn about the Buddha's teachings. Of course, it would be impossible to translate all of the Buddha's eighty-four thousand teachings in a few years. I have, therefore, had one hundred thirty-nine of the scriptural texts in the prodigious Taishø edition of the Chinese Buddhist canon selected for inclusion in the First Series of this translation project.

It is in the nature of this undertaking that the results are bound to be criticized. Nonetheless, I am convinced that unless someone takes it upon himself or herself to initiate this project, it will never be done. At the same time, I hope that an improved, revised edition will appear in the future.

It is most gratifying that, thanks to the e›orts of more than a hundred Buddhist scholars from the East and the West, this monumental project has finally gotten o› the ground. May the rays of the Wisdom of the Compassionate One reach each and every person in the world.

NUMATAYehan

Founder of the English

August 7, 1991 Tripi†aka Project

v

Editorial Foreword

In January 1982, Dr. NUMATAYehan, the founder of the Bukkyø Dendø Kyøkai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism), decided to begin the monumental task of translating the complete Taishø edition of the Chinese Tripi†aka (Buddhist canon) into the English language. Under his leadership, a special preparatory committee was organized in April 1982. By July of the same year, the Translation Committee of the English Tripi†aka was o‡cially convened.

The initial Committee consisted of the following members: (late) HANAYAMAShøy¥ (Chairperson), BANDØShøjun, ISHIGAMIZennø, KAMATAShigeo, KANAOKASh¥y¥, MAYEDASengaku, NARAYasuaki, SAYEKIShinkø, (late) SHIOIRIRyøtatsu, TAMARUNoriyoshi, (late) TAMURAKwansei, URYÁZURy¥shin, and YUYAMAAkira. Assistant members of the Committee were as follows: KANAZAWAAtsushi, WATA -NABEShøgo, Rolf Giebel of New Zealand, and Rudy Smet of Belgium. After holding planning meetings on a monthly basis, the Committee selected one hundred thirty-nine texts for the First Series of translations, an estimated one hundred printed volumes in all. The texts selected are not necessarily limited to those originally written in India but also include works written or composed in China and Japan. While the publication of the First Series proceeds, the texts for the Second Series will be selected from among the remaining works; this process will continue until all the texts, in Japanese as well as in Chinese, have been published.

Frankly speaking, it will take perhaps one hundred years or more to accomplish the English translation of the complete Chinese and Japanese texts, for they consist of thousands of works. Nevertheless, as Dr. NUMATAwished, it is the sincere hope of the Committee that this project will continue unto completion, even after all its present members have passed away.

It must be mentioned here that the final object of this project is not academic fulfillment but the transmission of the teaching of the vii

Editorial Foreword

Buddha to the whole world in order to create harmony and peace among humankind. To that end, the translators have been asked to minimize the use of explanatory notes of the kind that are indispensable in academic texts, so that the attention of general readers will not be unduly distracted from the primary text. Also, a glossary of selected terms is appended to aid in understanding the text. To my great regret, however, Dr. NUMATApassed away on May 5, 1994, at the age of ninety-seven, entrusting his son, Mr. NUMATAToshihide, with the continuation and completion of the Translation Project. The Committee also lost its able and devoted Chairperson, Professor HANAYAMAShøy¥, on June 16, 1995, at the age of sixty-three. After these severe blows, the Committee elected me, Vice President of Musashino Women's College, to be the Chair in October 1995. The Committee has renewed its determination to carry out the noble intention of Dr. NUMATA, under the leadership of Mr. NUMATAToshihide. The present members of the Committee are MAYEDASengaku (Chairperson), BANDØShøjun, ISHIGAMIZennø, ICHISHIMAShøshin, KANAOKA Sh¥y¥, NARA Yasuaki, TAMARU Noriyoshi, URYÁZU Ry¥shin, YUYAMAAkira, Kenneth K. Tanaka, WATANABEShøgo, and assistant member YONEZAWAYoshiyasu.

The Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research was established in November 1984, in Berkeley, California, U.S.A., to assist in the publication of the BDK English Tripi†aka First Series. In December 1991, the Publication Committee was organized at the Numata Center, with Professor Philip Yampolsky as the Chairperson. To our sorrow, Professor Yampolsky passed away in July 1996. In February 1997, Dr. Kenneth K. Inada became Chair and served in that capacity until August 1999. The current Chair, Dr. Francis H. Cook, has been continuing the work since October 1999. All of the remaining texts will be published under the supervision of this Committee, in close cooperation with the Editorial Committee in Tokyo. MAYEDASengaku

Chairperson

Editorial Committee of

the BDK English Tripi†aka

viii

Publisher’s Foreword

Publisher's Foreword

The Publication Committee shares with the Editorial Committee the responsibility of realizing the vision of Dr. Yehan Numata, founder of Bukkyø Dendø Kyøkai, the Society for the Promotion of Buddhism. This vision is no less than to make the Buddha's teaching better known throughout the world, through the translation and publication in English of the entire collection of Buddhist texts compiled in the Taishø Shinsh¥ Daizøkyø, published in Tokyo in the early part of the twentieth century. This huge task is expected to be carried out by several generations of translators and may take as long as a hundred years to complete. Ultimately, the entire canon will be available to anyone who can read English and who wishes to learn more about the teaching of the Buddha.

The present generation of sta› members of the Publication Committee includes Marianne Dresser; Brian Nagata, president of the Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Berkeley, California; Eisho Nasu; and Reverend Kiyoshi Yamashita. The Publication Committee is headquartered at the Numata Center and, working in close cooperation with the Editorial Committee, is responsible for the usual tasks associated with preparing translations for publication.

In October 1999, I became the third chairperson of the Publication Committee, on the retirement of its very capable former chair, Dr. Kenneth K. Inada. The Committee is devoted to the advancement of the Buddha's teaching through the publication of excellent translations of the thousands of texts that make up the Buddhist canon. Francis H. Cook

Chairperson

Publication Committee

ix

Contents

A Message on the Publication of the English Tripi†aka NUMATA Yehan v

Editorial Foreword MAYEDA Sengaku vii Publisher's Foreword Francis H. Cook ix Two Nichiren Texts

Risshøankokuron 1

Contents 3

Translator's Introduction 5 Risshøankokuron or The Treatise on the Establishment of the Orthodox Teaching and the Peace of the Nation 9 Kanjinhonzonshø 53

Translator's Introduction 55 Kanjinhonzonshø or The Most Venerable One Revealed by Introspecting Our Minds for the First Time at the Beginning of the Fifth of the Five Five Hundred-year Ages 61 Glossary 115

Bibliography 123

Index 125

A List of the Volumes of the BDK English Tripi†aka (First Series) xi

RISSHOANKOKURON

RISSHØANKOKURON

Table of Contents

Contents Translator's Introduction 5 Risshøankokuron or The Treatise on the Establishment of the Orthodox Teaching and the Peace of the Nation 9 Dialogue I. The Cause of the Calamities Dialogue II. Predictions in the Sutras Dialogue III. Priests of Today Dialogue IV. The One-Sided Teaching Dialogue V. Ill Omens 31 Dialogue VI. Appeals to the Emperor and Shogun Dialogue VII. The Warnings of the Buddha Dialogue VIII. How to Establish the Right Dharma Dialogue IX. How to Save Our Country 11 13 19 23 35 37 45 47 Response of the Traveler 51 3

Translator’s Introduction

Translator's Introduction

The Risshøankokuronwas written as an appeal to the Japanese government in 1260 by Nichiren (1222-1282). On the sixteenth day of the seventh month of that year, Nichiren's text was delivered to exregent Højø Tokiyori by his personal secretary Yadoya-saemon-nojø. At that time, the ex-regent still held the reins of power in the government.

The o‡cial head of the Kamakura government, established in 1192, was the shogun, a military dictator. In 1205, however, the real power of the government was held by the regent. For seven years, from 1256 to 1263, the power of the regency was in the hands of exregent Højø Tokiyori. For all practical purposes, the Kamakura government—in the person of the ex-regent—ruled Japan at the time Nichiren wrote this work.

Nichiren was a native of the province of Awa, in the southern part of present-day Chiba Prefecture. He became a monk in a Tendai temple of that province in 1233. At that time the tenets of the Tendai school were much influenced by Shingon mysticism and Nembutsu devotionalism. Thus Nichiren was familiar with these various schools of Buddhist thought from his early days. From 1242 to 1253 he studied at Mount Hiei and elsewhere.

Nichiren was a faithful adherent of the teachings of T'ien-t'ai Chih-i Ta-shih (Tendai Chisha Daishi), founder of the T'ien-t'ai (Tendai) school. His intention was to restore the pure form of T'ient'ai Buddhism, which was based on the teaching expounded in the Saddharmapu√∂ar∆ka-s¥tra(Lotus Sutra;also referred to in this text by its Japanese title, Hokekyø).To Nichiren, the Lotus Sutra was the source of the true teaching of the Buddha. Any opinion or interpretation of Buddhist doctrine that ran counter to the Lotus 5

Risshhøankokuron

Sutrawas, to his mind, an enemy of Buddhism. It was unbearable to him that the Lotus Sutrawas ignored by Hønen, founder of the Nembutsu school.

While the Nembutsu school, which emphasized the practice of worshiping Amitåbha Buddha, had been established long before his time, Hønen was the first Nembutsu priest to disregard the Lotus Sutrain his writings and teaching. Equally galling to Nichiren was the fact that Nembutsu devotionalism was extremely popular, attracting many commoners as well as members of the samurai class. The practice of worshiping Amitåbha was not foreign to older schools, which recognized the Nembutsu as a secondary teaching. In order to cope with the rise of Hønen's Nembutsu school, these older schools encouraged the practice of worshiping Amitåbha as outlined in their own school's tenets. The result was that the great majority of Japanese people were followers of this practice, while devotion to ¸åkyamuni Buddha was relegated to a scant few of the older temples. It was Nichiren's most fervent desire to restore ¸åkyamuni Buddha to the forefront of popular Japanese practice.

In this text, Nichiren is concerned more with social realities than with metaphysics. The Risshøankokurontakes the form of a dialogue between a traveler and a master about the troubled state of a›airs in the country, which has been beset by "disasters, famine, and pestilence. " In his own time Nichiren witnessed many such calamities, including earthquakes, famine, outbreaks of plague, and civil war. Worse, Nichiren believed that Japan was facing an impending foreign invasion from the Asian continent. The Mongol chief Temuchin (1162-1227) had established a kingdom in present-day Mongolia in 1206, calling himself Jenghiz Khan. In quick succession, his army invaded Chin, a country in Northern China, in 1211, and occupied the capital of Yenching in 1215. Jenghiz Khan's progeny continued to dominate Asia. In 1234 his eldest son Ogotai took Chin. His grandson Mangu occupied Southern China, including the region of present-day Vietnam, in 1251. Mangu's brother Kublai Khan subjugated Korea in 1258. The word "Mongol" is not directly mentioned in the Risshøankokuron,but judging from the imaginative descriptions of a pos-6

Translator's Introduction

sible invasion of Japan by foreign armies in this work, Nichiren must have had ample information of the activities of the Mongols in China and Korea.

The threat of foreign invasion prophesied in this work may have irritated government o‡cials. What was likely even more annoying to them, however, was Nichiren's reference to the former emperor Gotoba. Højø Shigetoki, father-in-law of ex-regent Højø Tokiyori, had been one of the o‡cials who ordered Gotoba exiled to the island of Oki in 1221.

Nichiren' s criticism of the Højø regency may have begun from the first day of his ministerial activities. The Risshøankokuroncan be viewed as a collective expression of Nichiren's thought and opinions up to 1260. While the Buddhist temples of Kamakura flourished under the auspices of the Højø family, what awaited Nichiren after his presentation of the Risshøankokuronwas not patronage but persecution. He was exiled to Itø a year later; Højø Shigetoki was an active player in the government's decision to banish Nichiren from Kamakura. A Note on the Translation

Except for the Lotus Sutra, which is referred to in both Sanskrit (Saddharmapu√∂ar∆ka-s¥tra) and romanized Japanese (Hokekyø), the names of Buddhist texts quoted in this work appear in romanized Japanese, with the Sanskrit (where applicable) and/or romanized Chinese title given on first appearance, along with the title in English. The names of Chinese figures and dynasties are given in romanized Chinese, followed by their romanized Japanese equivalent on first appearance.

7

RISSHØANKOKURON

OR

THE TREATISE ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ORTHODOX TEACHING AND THE PEACE OF THE NATION by

Nichiren, ¸råma√a of Japan

Dialogue I

The Cause of the Calamities

The traveler says sorrowfully:

"In recent years there has been much disaster, famine, and pestilence all over the country. Cows and horses lie dead on the roadsides and skeletons are scattered on the streets. Most of the population [of this country] is already dead. I cannot help lamenting all this.

"[In order to avert these calamities] some call the name of the Teacher of the Western World (Amitåbha Buddha), believing [the statement of Shan-tao (Zendø) that calling the name of the Teacher of the Western World] is the sharpest sword [to cut o› evil karma]. Some recite the sutra dedicated to the Buddha of the East (Bhai≈a jya guru) who vowed that he will cure the diseases [of those who hear his name]. Some treasure the excellent statement in the Saddharma pu√∂ar∆ka-s¥tra (Lotus Sutra; Hokekyø), [in which] the true teaching [of ¸åkyamuni Buddha is expounded, that a sick person who hears this sutra] will be cured of his disease and not grow older or die. Some hold the ceremony of giving a hundred lectures [on the Ninnøkyø (Kåru√ikåråjåprajñåpåramitå-s¥tra; Sutra of a Benevolent King) according to the state ment in the sutra that] seven calamities [in a country] will turn into seven felicities [if the king of that country lectures on this sutra]. Some sprinkle water from five vases over o›erings in accordance with esoteric Shingon rites. Some practice zazenand concentrate their minds in order to see the truth of emptiness as clearly as they see the bright moon. Some write the names of the seven gods and post them on gates. Some make images of the five [bodhisattvas] of great power and hang them on doors. Some practice exorcism at the four corners [of a city] and pray to the gods of heaven and earth. 203a5

11

Risshøankokuron

"Government authorities take various benevolent measures out of compassion for the people. But their painstaking e›orts are to no avail. The people have become even more hungry and pestilence more rampant. Beggars and the dead are seen everywhere [on the streets]. Piles of corpses resemble platforms and lined-up bodies look like bridges.

"The sun and the moon shine bright and the five planets make a chain of brilliant gems. The Three Treasures are honored in this country; and the line of a hundred emperors [of this country] has not yet come to the end. But why has this country deteriorated so soon? Why has the Dharma perished? What kind of evil or mistake is reponsible for this situation?"

The master says:

"I have long been lamenting over these calamities. Now I know that you have also. Let us talk!

"It is to attain Buddhahood through the teaching [of the Buddha] that one renounces his family and becomes a monk. Now I see that no Shintø or Buddhist gods can do anything [to avert these calamities]. Judging from this, I cannot believe that I shall be able to be reborn [in a Buddha land and attain Buddhahood] in a future life [by practicing the teaching of the Buddha]. This may be a result of my ignorance. I cried with regret, looking up to the sky, and thought [about the cause of the calamities], lying with my face on the ground.

"I racked my poor brains and read sutras [to find out the cause of the calamities. At last I have reached the following conclusion]. The people of this country are standing against the Right Dharma. They believe wrong teachings. Thus, the gods have deserted this country. Saints have left us and they will never return. Måras and devils have come instead and calamities have taken place. I cannot help saying this. I cannot help but to dread this. "

12

Dialogue II

Predictions in the Sutras

The traveler says:

"Not only I but all the people of this country lament over these calamities. Now I have come here and heard from you that these calamities have taken place because the gods and saints have left us. What sutras say so? I want to hear the references [to the cause of such calamities in the sutras], if any.

"

The master answers:

"There is much evidence in the sutras. In the Konkømyøkyø (Suvar√aprabhåsa-s¥tra; Sutra of Golden Light) [the four great heavenly kings tell the Buddha]:

[Suppose that] although this sutra exists in a country it is not propagated there yet. The king of that country ignores this sutra and does not wish to hear it, make o›erings to it, or respect or praise it. He does not respect or make o›erings to the four kinds of devotees (monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen) who uphold this sutra when he sees them. As a result, we, our attendants, and the other innumerable gods will not be able to hear the profound and wonderful Dharma [expounded in this sutra], nor drink nectar or obtain the Right Dharma. Consequently, we will lose our light and power. Living beings in the evil realms will increase, and those in heavenly and human realms will decrease. Living beings will fall into the river of birth and death (samsara), and depart from the Way to nirvana. World-honored One! If we four [great heavenly] kings and our attendants including yak≈as see all this, we will leave that country and give up the intention to protect it. Not only we but also the innumerable great gods 13

203b

Risshøankokuron

who are supposed to protect that country will leave that king. After we and those gods depart, that country will su›er from various calamities. The king will be dethroned. The people will not have any good thoughts. There will be arrests, murders, quarrels, slander, and flattery. Innocent people will be punished. Pestilence will prevail. Comets will appear from time to time. Two suns will rise at the same time. The darkenings and eclipses of the sun and moon will become irregular. A black rainbow will appear together with a white one and make an ill omen. There will be shooting stars. The earth will quake. Voices will be heard from the bottoms of wells. Rainstorms and windstorms will come unseasonably. Famines will take place one after another. Seedlings will not grow. Plants will not bear fruit. The armies of many other countries will invade the country, and the people will undergo many kinds of su›ering. They will lose the places where they might live peacefully.

"The Daijikkyø (Mahåsaµnipåta-s¥tra; Great Collection Sutra) says:

When the Dharma disappears, [monks] will have long beards, hair, and nails, and my precepts will be forgotten. Loud voices will be heard from the sky, and the earth will quake. All things will shake just as on a waterwheel. The walls of cities will crumble and houses will collapse. The roots, branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, and flavors of the fruits of trees will disappear. The living beings of the whole realm of desire (kåmadhåtu) [and the realm of form (r¥pa dhåtu)], except those of the Heaven of Pure Abode, will be deprived of food of the seven tastes. Those living beings will also lose the three kinds of energy. All the excellent commentaries on the teaching of liberation will also disappear. Flowers and fruits will be without fragrance and flavor. All the wells, springs, and pools will dry up. Land will be brackish and sterile. Fields will be split into hills and ravines. 14

Dialogue II

Mountains will erupt. Dragons in heaven will not send rain. Seedlings will die.… Plants will die. Even weeds will not grow. Dust will rain down and obscure the light of the sun and moon. Everything will be dried up all over the land, and many ill omens will be seen from time to time. [The king and monks of that country] will commit the ten evil acts, and their greed, anger, and ignorance (i.e., the three poisons) will increase. The people will ignore their parents just like deer do. They will decrease in number. Their lives will be shortened. Their physical power will be weakened, and their pleasures will diminish. They will be deprived of the pleasures of gods and humans and sent to the evil realms [in their future lives]. When the evil king and monks eliminate my Right Dharma by committing the [ten] evil acts and decrease the worlds of heavenly and human beings, all the gods who are compassionate toward all living beings will abandon that defiled country and go to other places.

The Ninnøkyøsays:

When a country is thrown into disorder, devils will first become active in that country. When they become active, the people [of that country] will be in chaos. That country will be invaded by its enemies, and many people will be killed. The king, crown prince, other princes, and government o‡cials will quarrel with each other. Disorder will be seen in heaven and on earth. The movements of the twenty-eight constellations, the sun, and the moon will become irregular, and many rebellions will break out.

"The Buddha says in the same sutra:

Seeing [the world] throughout the three periods (past, present, and future) clearly with my five kinds of eyes, I have arrived at the conclusion that all kings have been able to obtain their thrones because they attended five hundred Buddhas in their previous existences. Therefore, all saints 203c

15

Risshøankokuron

[including] arhats will appear in their countries and give great benefits to the kings. When the merit of the kings expires, the saints will leave their countries. Seven calamities will take place [there] after the departure of the saints. "The Yakushikyø(Bhai≈ajya guru vai ∂¥rya pra bhå sa p¥rvapra√i dhå na viΩe≈a vistara; Sutra of Bhai≈ajyaguru) says: The calamities that will trouble the duly inaugurated king and other k≈atriyas [of a country] are pestilence, foreign invasions, rebellions, disorder in the movements of the constellations, darkenings and eclipses of the sun and the moon, unseasonable windstorms and rainstorms, and famine. "The Buddha addresses [King Prasenajit] in the Ninnøkyø: Great king! My teachings extend over ten billion Mount Sumerus and as many suns and moons. Each Mount Sumeru is surrounded by four continents. In the southern continent called Jambudv∆pa there exist sixteen great countries, five hundred medium-sized countries, and ten thousand small countries. Each country will su›er from seven calamities. [If] a king [reads this sutra] in order to [avert] these calamities, [the seven calamities will turn into seven felicities]. What are the [seven] calamities?

The sun and the moon do not move regularly; the seasons do not follow one another regularly; a red or black sun rises; two, three, four, or five suns rise at the same time; the sun is eclipsed and its light is lost; or the sun is surrounded by one, two, three, four, or five haloes…. All this is the first calamity.

The movements of the twenty-eight constellations become irregular; and the gold star, comets, ring star, devil star, fire star, water star, wind star, funnel star, south ladle stars, north ladle stars, largest planet, king star, three minister stars, and a hundred o‡cial stars change their appearances from time to time…. All this is the second calamity. 16

Dialogue II

The living beings as well as the non-living beings of a country are burned by great fires; or fires are caused by devils, dragons, gods, mountain spirits, humans, trees, or bandits…. All this is the third calamity. Great floods drown people; the seasons do not follow one another regularly; it rains in winter and snows in summer; thunder rolls and lightning flashes in winter; it freezes, frosts, and hails in the sixth month; red, black, or blue rains fall; earth mountains or rock mountains fall from the sky; sand, gravel, or stones fall from the sky; rivers flow up stream, cause mountains to float, or wash away stones… . All this is the fourth calamity.

Great winds blow people away to their deaths; mountains, rivers, and trees are blown away at the same time; untimely gales or black, red, or blue winds or the winds of heaven, of the earth, of fire, or of water blow…. All this is the fifth calamity.

Everything is dried up; the ground is dry deep down; much grass dies; the five kinds of cereals do not ripen; land looks as if it were burned; and many people die.... All this is the sixth calamity.

The country is invaded by the armies of surrounding countries; rebellions break out; bandits take advantage of fires, floods, gales, or devils to torment people; and wars break out. All this is the seventh calamity. "The Daijikkyøsays:

Suppose there is a king who practiced almsgiving, kept the precepts, and cultivated wisdom in innumerable previous existences. If he sees that my Dharma is perishing and does not protect it, the innumerable roots of goodness that he planted [in his previous existences] will perish. His country will su›er from three misfortunes: 1) a rise in the price of grain [because of famine], 2) war, and 3) pestilence. The gods will leave his country. The people will not obey his 204a

17

Risshøankokuron

orders. His country will always be invaded by its enemies. Fires will break out everywhere; many windstorms will blow people away; many rainstorms will drown them; and the relatives of the king will revolt against him. The king will soon become seriously ill and he will be sent to a great hell after his death…. So too will the queen, crown prince, ministers, headmen of cities and villages, generals, county governors, and prime ministers. "The meaning of the above quotations from the four sutras is clear and indubitable. The blind and distracted [leaders of this country] believe the wrong teachings and do not understand the Right Dharma. [Misled by them,] the people have deserted all the Buddhas [except those honored by the leaders] and ignore the sutras [other than those chosen by those leaders]. They do not wish to support [other] Buddhas and sutras. [They have eliminated the Three Treasures in the true sense of the word by des pising the right teaching of the Buddha.] Therefore, the gods and saints have abandoned this country, and devils and heretics have created calamities.

"

18

Dialogue III

Priests of Today

The traveler says with anger:

"Emperor Ming-ti (Meitei) of the Later Han (Kan) dynasty met a golden man in his dream and obtained sutras [brought by priests mounted] on white horses. Crown Prince Jøg¥ suppressed the anti-Buddhist movement of [Mononobe-no-]Moriya and founded a Buddhist temple. Since then, all the emperors and people [of this country] have been worshiping Buddhist images and reciting Buddhist sutras. Buddhist images and sutras are honored in Enryakuji, the temples of Nara, Onjøji, Tøji, and in as many other temples with as many sutras as there are stars and clouds in the sky, built all over this country including the five provinces around Kyoto and the provinces lying along the seven national highways. Some priests as wise as ¸åriputra are making e›orts to obtain wisdom as bright as the moon hanging above [Mount] G®dhrak¥†a while others as well disciplined as Haklena are practicing meditation [just as MahåkåΩyapa did] on Mount Kukku†apåda. "You say that the [blind and distracted leaders] have eliminated the Three Treasures [in the true sense of the word] by despising the [right] teaching of the Buddha. Who are they? Tell me about them in detail!"

The master admonishes:

"There are row upon row of temples and sutra storehouses. Priests as numerous as rice plants, hemp plants, bamboo trees, or reeds receive respect day after day, year after year. But they are not good. They flatter [almsgivers] and mislead people. Government o‡cials are too ignorant to know right from wrong. 19

204b

Risshøankokuron

"The Ninnøkyøsays:

Suppose bad monks seek fame and gain in a country. A teaching that will destroy both the country and the Buddha-Dharma will be expounded by them to the king, crown prince, and other princes. The king who believes their teaching thoughtlessly will promulgate laws inconsistent with the precepts of the Buddha, and destroy both the country and the Buddha-Dharma

"In the Nehangyø(Nirvana Sutra) the Buddha addresses [the bodhisattvas]:

Bodhisattvas! Do not be afraid of evil elephants! Be afraid of evil friends!… When you are killed by an evil elephant, you will not be sent to the three evil realms. But when you are killed by an evil friend, you will go there. "In the Saddharmapu√∂ar∆ka-s¥tra [the eighty billion nayuta bodhisattvas address the Buddha]:

Some monks in the evil world will be cunning. They will flatter [almsgivers]. Thinking that they have obtained what they have not yet obtained, their minds will be filled with arrogance. They will live in remote places and wear patched pieces of cloth. Believing that they are practicing the True Way, they will despise others. Being attached to worldly profits, they will expound the Dharma to men in white robes. They will be given the same respect by the people of the world as the arhats who have attained the six supernatural powers…. In order to speak ill of us in the midst of the great multitude, in order to slander us, in order to say that we are bad, they will say to kings, ministers, brahmans, householders, and monks that we have wrong views and that we are expounding the teaching of heretics…. There will be many dreadful things in the evil world of the kalpa of defilements. Devils will enter the bodies [of those monks] 20

Dialogue III

and cause them to abuse and insult us…. Bad monks in the defiled world will speak ill of us, grimace at us, or drive us out of our monasteries from time to time without knowing that what you have expounded hitherto is [not the true teaching but only] expedient teachings given according to the capacities of living beings.

"In the Nehangyøthe Buddha says:

After my nirvana, my right teaching will be preserved for numberless centuries (the Age of the Right Teaching of the Buddha). [In that period there will live] four kinds of saints. After that period the counterfeit of my right teaching will be propagated (the Age of the Counterfeit of the Right Teaching of the Buddha). There will be no saints. The monks in the latter period (the Age of Degeneration) will keep my precepts in form only. They will only partially read and recite sutras. They will be indulgent in eating and drinking and live an easy life.... Although they may wear the robes of monks, they will [flatter almsgivers] as carefully as a hunter stalks his game or as a cat watches a rat. They will claim that they have already attained arhatship.... They are greedy and jealous but will pretend to be wise and good. They will resemble the brahmans who praise silence. Although they are not Ωråma√as, they will pretend to be so. They will strongly advocate wrong views and slander the Right Dharma.

"The priests of today are like the monks described in these sutras. How can we hope to accomplish anything without criticizing them?"

21

204c

Dialogue IV

The One-sided Teaching

Furious, the traveler protests:

"A wise king leads his people according to universal principles. A sage governs his country on the basis of knowledge of right and wrong. The people of this country take refuge in and trust the priests of today. A wise king does not believe in evil priests. The priests of today are saintly because they are respected by wise men. Why is it that you speak ill of them? Why do you call them evil priests? Tell me about them in detail!" The master replies:

"[I will tell you about them later. Here I must speak about Hønen.] Hønen wrote the Senchakush¥(Senchaku Hongan Nem butsu Sh¥; A Collection of Passages on the Nembutsu Cho sen in the Original Vow) during the reign of the regnant ex-emperor Gotoba. He misinterpreted the teaching of the Buddha and misled all the people of this country [by this writing]. His Senchakush¥ says:

Tao-ch'o (Døshaku) says that there are two kinds of teaching of the Buddha, the teaching for saints and the teaching of the Pure Land, and that we should give up the teaching for saints and take refuge in the teaching of the Pure Land… .

There are two kinds of teachings for saints: [the Hinayana and the Mahayana. There are two sets of divi sions of the Mahayana: esoteric Mahayana and exoteric Mahayana on one hand, and True Mahayana and Provisional Mahayana on the other. Tao-ch'o excludes the esoteric Mahayana and the True Mahayana from the teaching for saints.] I 23

Risshøankokuron

think that the esoteric Mahayana and the True Mahayana also should be included [in the teaching for saints].... Therefore all of the eight schools, the Shingon, Busshin, Tendai, Kegon, Sanron, Hossø, Jiron, and Shøron schools, should be included [in the teaching for saints]....

T'an-luan (Donran) says in his Øjøronch¥(Wang sheng lun chu; Commentary onVasubandhu's Discourse on the Pure Land),

"According to Någårjuna's DaΩa bh¥mika vibhå≈å-Ωåstra(Exposition of the Ten Stages), there are two ways, the di‡cult way or the easy way, for a bodhisattva to attain the stage of non-retrogression. The di‡cult way is the teaching for saints and the easy way is the teaching of the Pure Land…. Those who are studying the Jødo (Pure Land) school should know this. If a person who has been studying the teaching for saints wishes to be born in the Pure Land, he should give up the teaching for saints and take refuge in the teaching of the Pure Land. "

Shan-tao says that there are two kinds of practices, right practices and miscellaneous practices, and that we should give up miscellaneous practices and perform right practices…. [There are five miscellaneous practices.] The first is to keep, read, and recite the Hinayana sutras, and the esoteric and exoteric Mahayana sutras, excluding the Kammu ryøjukyø(Amitåyurdhyåna-s¥tra; Sutra on Con templation of Amitåyus) and other sutras that talk about rebirth in the Pure Land.... The third miscellaneous practice is to worship Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and gods other than Amitåbha Buddha.

[It says in the Øjøraisan(Wang sheng li tsan; Hymns of Birth in the Pure Land) that a hundred out of a hundred persons who perform the right practices exclusively will be reborn in the Pure Land of Amitåbha Buddha, but that even one out of a thousand persons who perform the miscellaneous practices will not be reborn there.]

24

Dialogue IV

From this I can say that we should give up the miscellaneous practices and perform right practices exclu sively. How can we give up the exclusive performance of right practices leading a hundred out of a hundred persons to the Pure Land? How can we cling to the miscellaneous practices that do not lead even one out of a thousand persons to the Pure Land? Practitioners should think well on this. "The Senchakush¥also says:

A list of Mahayana sutras, including those of the esoteric and exoteric Mahayana, is given in the Jøgen ny¥ zø roku (Chen-yüan ju ts'ang lu; Chen-yüan Catalogue of Scriptures Collected in the Pi†akas). The list begins with the Mahå prajñå påramitå-s¥tra(Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra) compiled in six hundred volumes and ends with the Højø j¥kyø(Fa ch'ang chu ching; Sutra on the Omnipresence of the Dharma). These Mahayana sutras are six hundred thirtyseven in number, compiled in two thousand eight hundred eighty-three volumes. The practice of reading and reciting the Mahayana sutras should be regarded as one [of the good deeds that can be practiced with a distracted mind].… Know this: When the Buddha expounds according to the capacities of his hearers, he opens the gate to two kinds of good deeds: good deeds that can be practiced with a distracted mind, and good deeds that cannot be practiced without a concentrated mind. But when he expounds the Dharma of his own accord [without taking the capacities of his hearers into consideration], he shuts the gate to these two kinds of good deeds. The gate that once opened will never be shut is the gate of calling the name of Amitåbha Buddha. "The Senchakush¥also says:

Those who call the name of Amitåbha Buddha should have the three states of mind. The Kammuryøjukyø says…. 205a

25

Risshøankokuron

The commentary on this sutra says:

Question:What will you say when you are asked by men of wrong views who study and practice di›er ently from you [whether calling the name of Amitåbha Buddha will lead you to his Pure Land]? [Answer:I will tell them the following parable] in order to correct their wrong views. [Suppose a man travels to the west. He comes to a river a hundred feet wide. The river is divided into two parts by a white path four or five inches wide. Fire is on the south of the white path; and water is on the north side of the white path. The white path is constantly washed by waves and burned by flames. A voice is heard from the east, telling him to proceed. A man on the west bank of the river tells him to come. Bandits live on the east bank of the river. They want to catch the traveler. When the traveler proceeds a step or two along the white path, the bandits tell him to come back. He does not listen to them. He proceeds singleheartedly, and reaches his destination. In this parable the teaching of ¸åkyamuni Buddha is likened to the voice heard from the east.] Men of wrong views who study and practice di›er ently...are likened to the bandits who tell the traveler to come back when he proceeds a step or two [along the white path. Amitåbha Buddha is likened to the man on the west bank of the river.]

Men of wrong views who study and practice di›er ently are those who practice the teaching for saints.

"The Senchakush¥says in conclusion:

Those who wish to quickly leave the world of birth and death should abandon the teaching for saints and take refuge in 26

Dialogue IV

the teaching of the Pure Land. Those who wish to take refuge in the teaching for the Pure Land should abandon the miscellaneous practices and perform right practices. "It was Tao-ch'o's mistake to say that there are two kinds of teaching of the Buddha: the teaching for saints and the teaching of the Pure Land. It was T'an-luan's mistake to say that there are two ways: the di‡cult way and the easy way. It was Shan-tao's mistake [to say that there are two kinds of practice: right practices and miscellaneous practices. Hønen] followed them and categorized upholding the six hundred thirty-seven Mahayana sutras in two thousand eight hundred eighty-three volumes expounded by ¸åkyamuni Buddha, including the Saddharmapu√∂ar∆ka-s¥tra and the sutras of the Shingon school, and [worshiping] the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and gods [except Amitåbha Buddha] as miscellaneous practices, as the teaching for saints, and as the di‡ cult way. [Hønen said that] we should give up [the teaching for saints], shut [the gate to the sutras], desert [the teaching for saints], and abandon [the miscellaneous practices]. Thus he misled people. Worse still, he slandered all the saintly priests of the three countries, that is, the disciples of ¸åkyamuni Buddha of all the countries, by comparing them to bandits. "According to the canonical sutras of the Jødo school, [Amitåbha Buddha] vowed [during his bodhisattvahood], '[When

I attain Buddhahood, I will cause those who call my name to be reborn in my world] except those who have committed the five grave o›enses or slandered the Right Dharma.

' [Hønen] was

against this vow.

"The Hokekyøis the most important of all the sutras expounded during the five periods of teaching. [Hønen] ignored [¸åkyamuni's] warning in the second volume of this sutra,

'Those who do not believe

this sutra and slander it...will fall into the Av∆ci Hell when they die. '

"This is the Age of Degeneration. There are no saints. All people are led into a blind alley. They have forgotten the direct way [to Buddhahood]. Alas! No one awakens them. What a pity! Wrong 27

205b

Risshøankokuron

teachings have become more and more popular. Therefore not only the emperor but also the commoners [of this country] think that there are no sutras other than the three sutras of the Jødo school, and that there is no Buddha other than Amitåbha who is accompanied by the two bodhisattvas [AvalokiteΩvara and Mahå sthåma pråpta]. "Dengyø, Gishin, Jikaku, and Chishø crossed the sea of ten thousand waves and traveled over the mountains and through the valleys of China. They brought back Buddhist images and sutras [to this country], and founded temples on mountains and in valleys to enshrine them. ¸åkyamuni Buddha and Bhai≈a jya guru Buddha emitted light, illuminating the people during and after this life. ÅkåΩagarbha Bodhisattva and K≈itigarbha Bodhisattva taught and benefited them also, during and after this life. Therefore emperors and local lords donated land to the temples and made o›erings [to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas]. "But since Hønen's Senchakush¥was published, our Original Teacher (¸åkyamuni) has been forgotten, and the Buddha of the Western Land has been honored instead. The Buddha of the East, whom [Dengyø] taught us to worship, has been deserted. Only the four volumes of the three sutras [of the Jødo school] are read and recited, and all the other sutras expounded through the five periods of the teaching [of ¸åkyamuni] have been abandoned. No one makes o›erings to temples other than those enshrining Amitåbha Buddha, or to priests other than those who call the name of Amitåbha Buddha. Therefore temples [except those enshrining Amitåbha Buddha] are dilapidated. Grass grows on the roofs and weeds cover the gardens. No one wishes to support or rebuild those temples. Therefore no saintly priests live there; no guardian gods stay there. This was caused purely by the publi cation of Hønen's Senchakush¥.Alas! For the past several decades, many people have been led astray, deceived by the devil. They have forgotten the Right Dharma, and preferred an insignificant teaching. How can the gods refrain from anger? Many people have given up a perfect teaching and preferred a one-sided teaching. 28

Dialogue IV

Will devils miss the chance to take advantage of their mistake? Rather than perform ten thousand prayers, we should eliminate [this one-sided teaching]. "

29

Dialogue V

Ill Omens

The traveler says very angrily:

"The three sutras of the Jødo school were expounded by ¸åkyamuni Buddha, our Original Teacher. T'an-luan gave up the teachings expounded in the four Ωåstras and took refuge exclusively in the Pure Land teaching. Tao-ch'o first studied various practices expounded in the Nehangyø,but later propagated the practice for [rebirth in] the Western Land exclusively. Shan-tao gave up the miscellaneous practices and called the name of Amitåbha Buddha exclusively. Eshin Søzu collected quotations from sutras and considered calling the name of Amitåbha Buddha to be the most important practice. Amitåbha Buddha has been honored in this way for a long time. I do not know how many people so far have been reborn in his world [by calling his name].

"Hønen Shønin entered the temple on the mountain of the Tendai school while young, completed his study of [the commentaries on the Saddharmapu√∂ar∆ka-s¥tra in] sixty volumes and the tenets of the eight schools at the age of seventeen. He read all the sutras and Ωåstras seven times. He also perused all the other Buddhist philosophical and biographical works. His wisdom was as bright as the sun and moon. His virtues excelled those of all his predeces sors. With all this, however, he could not find the way out [of birth and death] to nirvana. Therefore, he thought over the way, at last abandoning all the sutras [except those of the Jødo school], and devoted himself to the practice of calling the name of Amitåbha Buddha. According to the inspiration given him in his dream, he propagated this practice to all the people of the country. [For the past several decades] since then, he has been respected as the reincarnation of Mahåsthåmapråpta Bodhisattva 31

205c

Risshøankokuron

or Shan-tao. He is honored by all the people of this country, noble or humble, male or female.

You show disrespect to the sutras [of the Jødo school] expounded by ¸åkyamuni Buddha, and criticize the comments on Amitåbha Buddha. You ascribe the recent calamities to a teaching expounded in the past, and blame not only the predecessors [of the Jødo school] but also [Hønen] Shønin. You blow the hair of others to find out their ugly points. You cut the skin of others to let blood flow. I have never heard such blasphemy. You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be careful about what you say. You have committed a grave sin. You will have to be punished. I cannot bear talking with you. I want to take up my cane and leave.

The Master smiles and the traveler pauses. The Master then says:

"You will be accustomed to taking spicy food if you constantly eat smartweed leaves. You will forget the bad smell if you stay in a lavatory for a long time. Good words are taken for bad ones. Slanderers of the Right Dharma are called saints; and teachers of the Right Dharma, bad priests. Your mistakes are serious. Your sins are not minor. Listen! I will explain [the cause of the calamities] in more detail.

"The Buddha expounded provisional teachings before the true teaching, [which he expounded in the fifth] of the five periods of his teaching. T'an-luan, Tao-ch'o, and Shan-tao honored his earlier teachings and ignored his last teaching. They did not understand the true teaching of the Buddha. Neither did Hønen who had followed them. Hønen misled people by using the words 'give up, '

'shut,

' 'desert,

' and 'abandon' in connection with the six hundred thirty-seven Mahayana sutras compiled in two thousand eight hundred eighty-three volumes, and with the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and gods. All that he says is his personal opinion, not based on any sutra. That [opinion] is not true. That [opinion] is a blasphemy. You cannot reproach him too much.

32

Dialogue V

"The people of today believe him and honor his Sencha kush¥. Thus, the three Pure Land sutras are respected but all the other sutras are abandoned. The Buddha of the happiest world (i.e., Amitåbha) is honored but all the other Buddhas are forgotten. Hønen is an enemy of all the Buddhas and sutras and of all people, including saintly priests. Now his teaching is propagated all over this country. You are furious at me for saying that the recent calamities have been caused by a teaching expounded in the past. To prove my point, I will cite some historical precedents: "A quotation from the Shiki(Shih-chih; Record of History) is given in the Maka shikan(Mo he chih kuan; Great Calming and Insight), Volume II. It says,

'Toward the end of the Chou (Sh¥)

dynasty, there lived an ill-mannered man whose hair was disheveled and whose shoulders were bare.

' The Shikanguketsu(Chih kuan

hung chüeh), Volume II, comments on this passage as follows: It says in the Saden(Tso-ch'uan) that when King P'ingwang (Hei-ø) of the Chou dynasty moved the capital of his country [to Lo-i (Raku-yu)] in the east, a man with disheveled hair was holding a ceremony in the field at I-ch'uan (Isen)[, near the capital].

[Seeing the ill-mannered man o‡ciating at the ceremony,] a wise man said, "[I-ch'uan] will be occupied [by a

foreign army] within a hundred years because manners have already been lost there.

" [This prophecy turned out

true.] From this we see that an ill omen appears before a calamity takes place.

"[The Makashikan, Volume II,] says:

[The Shikisays:] ["At the beginning of the Ch'in (Shin) dynasty] there lived a man called Yüan-chi (Genseki). He was clever but indi›erent to his appearance. He had disheveled hair and a loose sash. His ill manners became popular among the members of the nobility of that country. Blaming each other with vulgar words was taken for living 33

206a

Risshøankokuron

a natural life, and observance of manners was regarded as the behavior of unrefined people.

"This [disregard for manners] proved to be an ill omen of the downfall of the Ssu-ma (Shiba) family, [who had founded the Ch'in dynasty].

"

"Jikaku Daishi [discusses the worship of Amitåbha Buddha in China] in his Nittøjunreiki(Ennin's Diary). His discussion may be summarized as follows:

By order of Emperor Wu-tsung (Buso) of the T'ang (Tø) dynasty, Dharma Master Ching-shuang (Kyøso) of Changching-ssu (Shåkyøji) visited many temples in the first year of Hui-ch'ang (Kaishø). He lectured on the practice of calling the name of Amitåbha Buddha for three days at each temple. The army of the Uighurs invaded T'ang in the second year of Hui-ch'ang. The governor of the district north of the Yellow River revolted against the emperor in the third year of Hui-ch'ang. Soon after that, Tibet refused imperial orders; and the army of the Uighurs invaded T'ang again. Rebellions and foreign invasions ensued, and houses in cities and villages were burned just as in the period from the end of the Ch'in dynasty to the beginning of the Han dynasty. Emperor Wu-tsung suppressed Buddhism by destroying many temples, but could not suppress the rebellions or defend his country against foreign invaders. [He died in agony in the sixth year of Hui-ch'ang.]

"Hønen was active in the years of Kennin under the reign of the regnant ex-emperor Gotoba. Since this was a recent event, all of us know that the ex-emperor [died in exile]. Here we see the historical consequences [of the propagation of the practice of calling the name of Amitåbha Buddha] in the great T'ang and in our country. You cannot doubt [these facts]. You should give up the evil practice and take refuge in the Right Dharma. You should stop the fountainhead. You should cut out the root. "

34

Dialogue VI

Appeals to the Emperor

and Shogun

The traveler calms down. He says:

"I think I understand you a little bit. [What I do not understand is the following.] If you are right, an appeal for the ban of that practice must have already been submitted to the emperor or to the shogun, because there are many Buddhist leaders in Kyoto and Kamakura. As it is, none of them has submitted an appeal. You are but a low-ranking priest. Besides, your talk is too spiteful [to persuade others]. You are achieving nothing. "

The Master says:

"I have been fortunate enough to study the Mahayana although I am an incompetent person. A fly can travel ten thousand miles when it clings to the tail of a horse. Ivy plants can stretch themselves for a thousand yards when they creep on the trunk of a pine tree. As a son and disciple of the Buddha, I am now attending the King of Sutras (Lotus Sutra). How can I refrain from lamenting over the decline of the Buddha's teaching?

"The Nehangyøsays:

Know this! A monk is an enemy of the Buddha's teaching if he does not reproach, persecute, or punish a destroyer of the Buddha's teaching. [A monk] who does this is my disciple, a true Ωråvaka.

"Although I am not a good monk, I do not want to be called an enemy of the teaching of the Buddha. Therefore, I have outlined some [historical facts]. Moreover, appeals [for the ban of the illomened practice] were submitted to the emperor and the shogun 35

Risshøankokuron

by Enryakuji and Køfukuji during the Gennin period. By orders of the emperor and shogun, both of whom wished to repay the favors given them by the Buddhas of the past, present, and future, the printing blocks of the Senchakush¥were sent to the Daikødø and burned there; the tomb of Hønen was destroyed by the servants of the Kanjin-in; and Ry¥kan, Shøkø, Jøkaku, and Sasshø, all of whom were disciples of Hønen, were banished to remote places. They have not yet been pardoned. You are wrong in saying that no one has submitted an appeal [for the ban of that practice]. "

36

Dialogue VII

The Warnings of the Buddha

The traveler recovers his equanimity and says: "I have too little knowledge to criticize a sutra or a priest. I clearly understand that [Hønen] used the words 'give up, ' 'shut,

'

'desert,

' and 'abandon' in connection with the six hundred and thirty-seven Mahayana sutras compiled in two thousand eight hundred and eighty-three volumes, and in connection with the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and gods. But are you aware that you blame him only for his use of these words? I do not know whether you are wise or not. I cannot decide whether you are right or not. You contend all the more vehemently that the recent calamities are caused by the publication of the Senchakush¥. "The peace of our country is wished for not only by the government but also by all the people. A country prospers when it abides by the Dharma [expounded by the Buddha]. The Dharma is respected by the people of a country [that abides by it]. When a country is destroyed and the people of that country are annihilated, no one will honor the Buddha or believe the Dharma. We should first pray for the peace of our country and then establish the Buddha-Dharma. [In order to realize the peace of our country, we must stop the calamities.] How shall we stop them? Tell me the means [to do so], if any.

"

The Master says:

"I am too ignorant to have my own opinion [about the means to avert calamities]. Therefore, I cannot do anything but try to find the means in the sutras. There are many references to the means of stopping calamities not only in Buddhist sutras but also in non-Buddhist writings. Those references are too many to quote 37

206b

Risshøankokuron

here. As far as Buddhist sutras are concerned, it can be concluded that the peace of our country will be realized if slanderers of the Right Dharma are eliminated and keepers of the Right Dharma are respected.

"The Nehangyøsays:

The Buddha tells [Cunda], "Almsgiving to anyone is praiseworthy, except to a particular kind of person. "

Cunda asks [the Buddha], "What kind of person is excepted?"

The Buddha says,

"A violator of the precepts who is discussed in this sutra is excepted. "

Cunda says again,

"I do not yet understand your explanation. Please explain it again!" The Buddha tells Cunda, "One who violates the precepts is called an icchantika. Those who give alms to anyone, except to an icchantika, will be praised and will receive great rewards.

"

Cunda asks [the Buddha] again, "Explain the meaning

of 'icchantika'in more detail. "

The Buddha says,

"Cunda! An icchantikais a monk (bhik≈u) or nun (bhik≈u√∆), or a male or female lay devotee (upåsakaor upåsikå), who slanders the Right Dharma with evil words and does not repent of this evil karma; or who commits the four grave deeds, the five grave o›enses, and does not repent of or confess his or her o›enses although he or she is aware of being guilty; or who does not wish to protect or to establish the Right Dharma but slanders or despises it with evil words…. Those who give alms to anyone except an icchantikawill be praised by others. "

"The Buddha says to [Maitreya Bodhisattva] in the same sutra: I remember that I became the king of a great country in Jambudv∆pa in a previous existence. At that time my name was Foreseer. I loved and respected the sutras of the Great 38

Dialogue VII

Vehicle. I was pure and good in mind. I had no evil thought. I was not jealous of others. I did not begrudge anything… . Good man! I protected the Great Vehicle. At that time I heard some brahmans slandering the Great Vehicle. Having heard this, I killed them. Good man! Because of this, I have never fallen into hell since then.

"The same sutra also says:

[KåΩyapa Bodhisattva asks the Buddha,] "You killed the brahmans when you were performing bodhisattva practices as a king in a previous existence. [Why did you kill them?]" The Buddha answers,

"I killed them because I wished them

to stop slandering the Great Vehicle and to practice the Good Dharma in their future lives.

"

"The Buddha tells [KåΩyapa Bodhisattva] in the same sutra: There are three kinds of killing: minor, medium, and major. Minor killing is to kill ants or other animals. Those who commit minor killing will fall into hell or to the realms of animals or hungry ghosts. They will endure minor su›ering because animals have a small amount of roots of goodness. But to kill animals into which bodhisattvas have transformed themselves [in order to save others] cannot be regarded as minor killing. Medium killing is to kill human beings who are in stages from the stage of a stream-winner (srota-åpanna), a once-returner (sak®dågåmin), or a non-returner (anågåmin). Those who commit medium killing will fall into hell or to the realms of animals or hungry ghosts. They will endure medium su›ering. Major killing is to kill one's parents, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, or bodhisattvas who have reached the stage of non-retrogression. Those who commit major kill ing will fall into the great Av∆ci Hell…. Good man! To kill icchantikas is not regarded as any of the three kinds of killing. Good man! Those brahmans [whom I killed in my previous 206c

39

Risshøankokuron

207a

existence] were icchan tikas.

"The Buddha tells King Prasenajit in the Ninnøkyø: Therefore, I will transmit [this sutra] to kings, not to monks or nuns [or to male or female lay devotees] because [the four kinds of devotees] are not as powerful as kings. "The Buddha says in the Nehangyø:

Now I will transmit the unsurpassed Right Dharma to kings, ministers, prime ministers, and the four kinds of devotees… . They should eliminate those who slander the Right Dharma.

"The Buddha tells [KåΩyapa Bodhisattva] in the same sutra: KåΩyapa! My body is as indestructible as a diamond. I was able to receive it because I protected the Right Dharma [in a previous existence].…Good man! Those who [wish to] protect the Right Dharma need not keep the five precepts or live a monastic life. They should carry swords, bows, arrows, and halberds with them.…The keepers of the five precepts are not men of the Great Vehicle. Those who protect the Right Dharma are men of the Great Vehicle even though they do not keep the five precepts. Those who [wish to] protect the Right Dharma should carry swords and other weapons with them.… Those who carry swords and sticks with them [for the purpose of protecting the Right Dharma] shall be called keepers of the precepts.… Good man! There lived a Buddha called Joy Increasing in this city of KuΩinagara…. After his nirvana, his right teaching was preserved for a period of many hundreds of millions of years. During the last forty years of that period, there appeared a monk called Enlightenment Virtue. He kept the precepts…. Many monks who had violated the precepts heard him expounding the Dharma. They had evil intentions. They attacked this teacher with swords and 40

Dialogue VII

sticks. The king of that country was called Having Virtue. Having Virtue heard that the monk was in danger. The king immediately came to him and fought those evil monks in order to protect the Dharma. The expounder of the Dharma was saved. The king had cuts and wounds from swords and halberds all over his body. Not even a part of his skin the size of a poppy seed was left unhurt. Enlightenment Virtue praised the king, saying,

"Excellent, excellent! You protected

the Right Dharma. You will be able to receive the innumerable teachings [of the Buddha and become a Buddha] in the future.

"

Having listened to the Dharma, the king was delighted. Im mediately after, he died and was reborn in the Buddha land of Ak≈obhya. He became the first disciple of that Buddha. All his generals, soldiers, subjects, and attendants, who had joined the fighting and had been delighted [to listen to the Dharma] sought bodhiwithout retrogression. After their deaths, they were also reborn in the land of Ak≈obhya Buddha. Enlightenment Virtue was also reborn in the land of Ak≈obhya Buddha after his death, and became the second disciple of that Buddha.

If you see the Right Dharma being destroyed, you should keep and protect it as they did. KåΩyapa! The king was I. The monk who expounded the Dharma was KåΩyapa Buddha. KåΩyapa! Anyone who protects the Right Dharma will be given such immeasurable rewards as are stated above. Because I protected the Right Dharma in a previous existence, I am now able to possess this eternal, indestructible body which is adorned with various excellent physical marks.…

Therefore, the laymen who wish to protect the Dharma should carry swords and sticks with them [as the king and his men did]…. Good man! After my nirvana, the world will be defiled and will deteriorate. All the countries of the world will be thrown into disorder. They will invade each 41

207b

Risshøankokuron

other, and many people will starve. Many people will become monks only for the purpose of getting food. They will be false monks. When they see a monk who protects the Right Dharma, they will drive him away or kill or hurt him.… Therefore, a monk who keeps the precepts is allowed to be accompanied by laymen who carry swords and sticks with them.… Those laymen also shall be called keepers of the precepts. Although they carry swords and sticks with them, however, they should not kill [the false monks even when those false monks kill a monk who protects the Right Dharma].

"The Saddharmapu√∂ar∆ka-s¥trasays:

Those who do not believe this sutra but slander it destroy the seeds of Buddhahood in all living beings of the world… . They will fall into the Av∆ci Hell when their present life ends.

"The above quotations from the sutras are quite clear. They need no comment. According to the Saddharmapu√∂ar∆ka-s¥tra, the slanderers of the Mahayana sutras are worse than those who commit the five grave o›enses endlessly. They will fall into the great Av∆ci Hell and never get out of it. According to the Nehangyø, you can give alms to those who commit the five [grave] o›enses, but cannot give alms to slanderers of the Right Dharma. Those who kill ants will fall into one of the three evil realms, but those who kill slanderers of the Right Dharma will certainly reach the stage of non-retrogression. KåΩyapa Buddha was Enlightenment Virtue. ¸åkyamuni was Having Virtue. The Saddharmapu√∂ar∆kas¥tra and the Nehangyøare the most important of all the sutras that the Buddha expounded during the five periods of his teaching. The Buddha's warnings in these sutras are imperative. Who would not take them up?

"But the slanderers of the Right Dharma ignore the keepers of the Right Dharma. They treasure Hønen's Senchakush¥and 42

Dialogue VII

become blind and ignorant. They adore Hønen and make images of him. They believe his deluded teachings, print his dangerous words, cherish them, and propagate them all over the country. Many people have converted to his faith. They make o›erings only to his disciples. They change the hand signs (mudrås) of the images of ¸åkyamuni Buddha into those of the images of Amitåbha Buddha. They replace the images of the Buddha of the East with those of the Teacher of the Western World. The Hokekyøhas been used as a text for hand-copying for more than four hundred years. But now the sutra is replaced by the three Pure Land sutras. The memorial service for T'ien-t'ai [Chih-i] Ta-shih has been changed into the service for Shan-tao.

"The people [who have converted to the faith of Hønen] are too many to count. Are they not destroying the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (the Three Treasures)? Their wrong views come from the Senchakush¥. Alas! They do not heed the sincere warnings of the Buddha. What a pity! They follow the misleading words of ignorant priests. If you wish to realize the peace of our country quickly, you should eliminate these slanderers of the Right Dharma from our country.

"

43