On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 23-24; Gosho Zenshu, P. 31, lines 7-18

The host exclaimed with delight: The dove has changed into a hawk, the sparrow into a clam. How gratifying! You have associated with a friend in the orchid room and have become as straight as mugwort growing among hemp. If you will truly give consideration to the troubles I have been describing and put entire faith in these words of mine, then the winds will blow gently, the waves will be calm, and in no time at all we will enjoy bountiful harvests.

But a person's heart may change with the times, and the nature of a thing may alter with its surroundings. Just as the moon on the water will be tossed about by the waves, or the soldiers in the vanguard will be cowed by the swords of the enemy, so, although at this moment you may say you believe in my words, I fear that later you will forget them completely.

Now if we wish first of all to bring security to the nation and to pray for our present and future lives, then we must hasten to examine and consider the situation and take measures as soon as possible to remedy it.

Why do I say this? Because, of the seven types of disasters described in the Medicine Master Sutra, five have already occurred. Only two have yet to appear, the calamity of invasion from foreign lands and the calamity of revolt within one's own domain. And of the three calamities mentioned in the Great Collection Sutra, two have already made their appearance. Only one remains, the disaster of warfare.

The different types of disaster and calamity enumerated in the Golden Light Sutra have arisen one after the other. Only that described as marauders from other regions invading and plundering the nation has yet to materialize. This is the only trouble that has not yet come. And of the seven disasters listed in the Benevolent Kings Sutra, six are now upon us in full force. Only one has not yet appeared, the calamity that occurs "when enemies rise up on all four sides and invade the nation."

Moreover, as the Benevolent Kings Sutra says: "When a nation becomes disordered, it is the spirits that first show signs of rampancy. Because the spirits become rampant, all the people of the nation become disordered."

Now if we examine the present situation carefully in the light of this passage, we will see that the various spirits have for some time been rampant, and many of the people have perished. If the first predicted misfortune in the sutra has already occurred, as is obvious, then how can we doubt that the later disasters will follow? If, in punishment for the evil doctrines that are upheld, the troubles that have yet to appear should fall upon us one after the other, then it will be too late to act, will it not?

Emperors and kings have their foundation in the state and bring peace and order to the age; ministers and commoners hold possession of their fields and gardens and supply the needs of the world. But if marauders come from other regions to invade the nation, or if revolt breaks out within the domain and people's lands are seized and plundered, how can there be anything but terror and confusion? If the nation is destroyed and people's homes are wiped out, then where can one flee for safety? If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?

On the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month, 1253, Nichiren Daishonin established the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo at Seicho-ji temple in his native province of Awa, and later he returned to Kamakura, the seat of the military government, to begin propagation. Records show that era names in Japan changed frequently in those days. The year 1253 was in the Kencho era. Three years later, in 1256, the era name changed to Kogen, and the next year, to Shoka. Then, two years later, in 1259, it changed to Shogen, the following year to Bunno, and the year after that to Kocho. In the five years from 1256 to 1261, the era name changed five times. Era names generally changed upon the accession of a new emperor, or with the occurrence of a disaster of major proportions, or similar "epoch making" events; the frequency of these changes attests to the frequency and magnitude of disasters that struck Japan during this period.

Soon after the Daishonin's arrival, Kamakura and the country as a whole faced a series of disasters and conflicts that served to emphasize his conviction that the Latter Day of the Law had indeed arrived. On the sixth day of the eighth month of 1256, torrential rainstorms caused floods and landslides, destroying crops and devastating much of Kamakura. In the ninth month of the same year, an epidemic swept through the city, taking many lives. During the fifth, eighth, and eleventh months of 1257, violent earthquakes rocked the city, and the sixth and seventh months witnessed a disastrous drought. Most frightful of all was an earthquake of unprecedented scale that occurred on the twenty-third day of the eighth month. The year 1258 witnessed no lessening of natural calamities. The eighth month saw storms destroy crops throughout the nation, and floods in Kamakura drowned numerous people. In the tenth month of the same year, Kamakura was visited by heavy rains and severe floods. In the first month of 1258, fires consumed Jufuku-ji temple, and in 1259, epidemics and famine were rampant, and a violent rainstorm decimated crops.

Nichiren Daishonin sought answers to the cause of these disasters in the scriptural writings of Buddhism. In an effort to clarify his undertanding, he went to Jisso-ji temple at Iwamoto in Suruga Province, and he stayed there from 1258 through the middle of 1260. As a major temple of the Tendai school in eastern Japan, Jisso-ji housed many important sutras in its scripture library. The Daishonin pored over them all.

As a result, Nichiren Daishonin found evidence to support his ideas about the cause of Japan's misfortunes in such sutras as the Benevolent Kings, Medicine Master, Great Collection, and Golden Light. That cause, he was convinced, originated in the people's and the government's rejection and slander of the profoundly humane, correct teaching of the Lotus Sutra, and their reliance on teachers and teachings that misconstrued the Buddha's true intent. He quotes passages from these sutras in the present text, On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, which is chronologically the first of his five major works.

The work was originally written in classical Chinese and submitted to Hojo Tokiyori through the offices of high-ranking government official Yadoya Mitsunori on the sixteenth day of the seventh month in the first year of Bunno (1260). Tokiyori, the former Regent, was then living in retirement, but still effectively held the reins of power as the most influential member of the ruling Hojo clan.

The work occasioned no immediate reaction, and no official response was made to the Daishonin. However, members of the government were incensed at the rational but unrelenting criticism that the work made of the Pure Land teachings of Honen and his followers. Government officials who were Pure Land followers apparently encouraged an attack on the Daishonin's dwelling at Matsubagayatsu in Kamakura on the twenty-seventh day of the eighth month. The Daishonin narrowly escaped and made his way to the province of Shimosa to stay at the home of a follower. He returned to Kamakura early in the following year, 1261. He remained continually under the threat of persecution and was summarily banished to Izu on the twelfth day of the fifth month of the same year.

Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land consists of a dialogue between a host and a visitor, or guest. The host represents Nichiren Daishonin, and the visitor, it is thought, represents Hojo Tokiyori. At the outset, the host lays the blame for the disasters that have befallen the country on the belief in an erroneous religion, the Pure Land teachings of Honen. Presented are numerous scriptural references to disasters that will befall a nation that follows false teachings. The Daishonin puts particular emphasis on a passage in the Medicine Master Sutra that describes seven types of disasters that will strike such a nation. Of these calamities, he points out, five have already occurred, and two, the "calamity of invasion from foreign lands" and the "calamity of revolt within one's own domain," have yet to occur. The Daishonin cautions that these will come about if the teachings of the Lotus Sutra are not embraced. Later, the prophecies of internal strife and foreign invasion were fulfilled when Hojo Tokisuke revolted against his younger half brother, Regent Hojo Tokimune, in 1272, and when the Mongols attacked Japan twice, in 1274 and 1281.

In terms of its view of the relationship between the people's religious beliefs and the realization of a peaceful society, On Establishing the Correct Teaching holds an important position in Nichiren Daishonin's writings. The Daishonin lived at a time of authoritarian government, and he probably felt that through an appeal to the most powerful members of the government he could help bring about a reformation of society. That his appeal was ignored only spurred his unremitting effort to propagate his teaching for the peace and happiness of society, a task he would pursue to the end of his life.

"Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land" was submitted as a memorial, a petition of remonstrance, by Nichiren Daishonin to the government of Japan in 1260. While people in America are perhaps more aware today of the potential for calamity always present in this world, the people of Japan of the early thirteenth century lived amid a sense of foreboding that would likely be hard to imagine. Plagued by disasters, beginning with the great earthquake of the Shoka era that devastated Kamakura in 1257, famine and epidemics, ordinary people found themselves in the depths of misery and fear. Nichiren Daishonin had made it clear that, from an early age, he sole concern had been to alleviate the sufferings of the people of Japan by clarifying the Buddhist teaching that would enable them to do so. It was with that intent and conviction that he penned this treatise and submitted it to Hojo Tokiyori, the retired regent and effective head of state.

In it he asserted that the spiritual malaise of the people, brought about by the country's support of erroneous Buddhist teachers and its slander of the correct teaching, had brought about the decline of society and was about to lead to the nation's destruction.

Its content takes the form of an exchange, a dialogue between a traveler and his host; it contains nineteen sets of questions and answers, or statements by the traveler and responses by the host. The host represents the perspective of Nichiren Daishonin, and the traveler that of Hojo Tokiyori, and by extension all of the government authorities the Daishonin wishes to address.

"Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land" is the most well known of Nichiren Daishonin's writings. Nevertheless, it has been misperceived and misinterpreted by many. Some have gone so far as to identify it as a nationalistic treatise, interpreting "land" as the Japanese nation and the document itself as advising the rulers of that nation how to establish political security and stability, thus protecting their power. Yet, the Daishonin's purpose in writing it was far from political. It was instead based upon his deep compassion and altruistic desire that the people themselves be free from the misery of war and conflict, which have their roots in the human heart and mind. As the UNESCO constitution so clearly states: "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." Nichiren Daishonin possessed a deep understanding of the human condition and the principles of causality. This made him aware that war does not start merely in the mind of the aggressor, but the spiritual condition of both parties. The collective life condition of the leadership and populace of countries can contribute greatly to whether war will emerge as the tragic outcome of an encounter between states or peoples.

The portion of this letter we are studying this month is the beginning of the host's response in the ninth exchange. This contains the Daishonin's prediction that two calamities mentioned in the sutras, those of internal strife and invasion from abroad, will occur if the government continues to lend its support to erroneous Buddhist schools and teachers who disparage the Lotus Sutra.

From the beginning of this treatise up through the eighth exchange, the host emphasizes that, in order to stem the people's misery and forestall further calamities, the government should immediately stop giving alms to religious schools such as the Nembutsu, founded by Honen, that belittle the correct teaching of the Lotus Sutra. In response, the guest at first passionately rejects this, but as the host continues to argue his point with patience and reason, the guest's attitude gradually changes. He finally comes to express an understanding of what the host has been asserting. Then, in opening this, the ninth exchange, the guest expresses his determination to stop giving alms to those priests who slander the correct teaching. In response to this, the host proclaims, "How gratifying! You have associated with a friend in the orchid room and have become as straight as mugwort growing among hemp."

"Orchid Room" is a Chinese and Japanese term meaning the dwelling place of a person of nobility and virtue, or that of a beautiful woman. In this case the "friend in the orchid room" indicates the host, or Nichiren Daishonin. The fragrance of the orchid room is that of lofty ideas, refined character, noble objectives, wisdom, compassion, etc. Ultimately, it is meant to indicate the life-condition and insight of Buddhahood. Through exchanging ideas with such a friend, the guest in this writing has become imbued with the same fine spiritual fragrance. This alludes to the power of dialogue to transform the heart of another. Regarding this, SGI President Ikeda has said:

"In 'On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,' Nichiren Daishonin calls the 'host' who engages the 'guest' in dialogue a 'friend in the orchid room' (WND, 23). When someone spends time in a room filled with orchids, the fragrance naturally permeates clothing. Similarly, dialogue should be conducted in such a way that the other person is imbued with the 'fragrance of compassion.'" Such dialogue, he points out, equates to propagation. It does not involve trying to force something on someone, nor is it to fulfill an organizational goal. It is "an act of venerating the Buddha nature in the lives of others" (REF??? p.XX).

A mugwort is a wild herb with vine-like stems that tend to spread along the ground when growing alone. Hemp, though associated these days with its potent hallucinogenic variety, marijuana, is a plant that grows wild around the world and is often quite striking in its straight, tall posture. With this expression, the Daishonin uses the physical straightness and height of the hemp plant as an analogy for a straightforward and strong character or state of life. When the mugwort grows amid hemp plants it tends, through their support, to stand straight and reach skyward. In a similar manner, when left to themselves, people's lives tend to become crooked or confused due to misleading views, bad influences, mistaken philosophies, or personal weaknesses. Nevertheless, they can develop an upstanding state of life and clear perspective by associating with those who themselves are upstanding and grounded in a clear and true understanding.

The Daishonin employs these examples to illustrate and underscore the process by which the guest has come to amend his understanding. In doing so, he also illustrates the importance of developing positive relationships, or "good friends" to support our Buddhist practice.

In our case, by carrying out caring dialogue about life and the benefits of Buddhist practice, we can serve as "friends in the orchid room" to others. In addition, by participating in SGI activities with fellow members, like the mugwort, we can learn to stand spiritually tall through our association with fellow bodhisattvas who are reaching for the lofty and humane goal of kosen-rufu.

"Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land" is a written dialogue. The practice of its principles rests with conducting dialogue, based upon reason and sincerity, and aimed at uplifting and changing people's hearts and thereby building a better society. Ultimately, the power behind any successful dialogue is the power of human character.

Our function as practitioners of the Mystic Law should be like that of "a friend in the orchid room" to others, or like that of the hemp plant that helps other plants in their midst to grow straight and tall. By aiming and praying to be such good influences to those around us, we can also polish and develop our own character and deepen our faith. Similarly, by associating with and cooperating with others who are upstanding in faith and practice, we can further deepen our own state of life and develop our individual mission for kosen-rufu.

Here the Daishonin begins his prophecies or predictions about future events affecting society for which "Establishing the Correct Teaching" is well known. To the guest, the host strongly suggests that he quickly begin to act upon the determination he has expressed. "Why do I say this" is his introduction to the strong advice he is about to offer. The reason, he goes on to state, is as follows: of the various disasters and calamities predicted in the sutras to befall a land that turns its back on the correct teaching, two had yet to occur. The implication here is that unless the guest, who represents the authority of government, begins to put into practice the principles he has recognized and agreed to, these two remaining calamities will be certain to occur.

These remaining disasters, when viewed in terms of the seven disasters described in the Medicine Master Sutra, are foreign invasion and internal revolt. On the other hand, if viewed in terms of the three calamities outlined in the Great Collection Sutra, "warfare" remained. Thus, the Daishonin here made his prediction based on the sutras' descriptions - the country of Japan would be plagued by warfare if its leaders did not amend their views and their support of misleading teachings. Naturally, the Daishonin did not intend his prophecies to frighten or intimidate anyone - he was not hoping that they would come true. It is clear from his writings and actions that these predictions arose from profound compassion - the desire to spare people the misery that war and revolt would naturally bring. In any case, the Daishonin's predictions were "prophecies of compassion."

Unfortunately, however, what Nichiren Daishonin predicted did happen. The government rejected the advice he had offered in "On Establishing the Correct Teaching." Eventually internal revolt did occur within the ruling Hojo clan, and the forces of the Mongolian Empire under Kublai Khan launched an invasion of the Japanese archipelago.

Nichiren Daishonin quotes a passage from the Benevolent Kings Sutra to demonstrate the process by which spiritual confusion in the nation leads to a series of unfortunate events. He seeks to clarify the significance of why the calamity of warfare had yet to occur. By rampancy of the spirits, he means confusion in the spiritual realm. This applies to people's mental and emotional distress, and to distorted religious beliefs and perceptions. "All the people in the nation become disordered" refers to the general atmosphere of misery, fear and unhappiness that prevails among the populace resulting from this spiritual confusion. Finally, "the nation becomes disordered," means a disruption of the body politic, that is, destruction of the nation or state as a result of warfare or internal revolt. This final stage suggests the irreparable death of the state and all of the human misery that accompanies it.

The way to reverse this process and forestall such catastrophe is to put into practice the principle of establishing the correct teaching to secure peace in the land. The Daishonin then points out that the first two conditions described in the sutra - spiritual rampancy and disorder of the populace - were presently taking place. The third, disorder and destruction of the nation, would surely follow. What, then, would the rulers of the nation do? As a prescription to protect against this, he suggests, "If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?"

Here he states quite simply the core Buddhist spirit toward peace: A truly peaceful and secure life cannot be had simply by protecting one's own safety, wealth, and status. True personal security, both internal and external, can only be enjoyed when one is committed through determined prayer to creating a peaceful society, nation and world. When we base ourselves and our actions on such a prayer, we can create a foundation of spiritual strength and great wisdom in our lives.

"Correct teaching" is a translation of the Japanese word "Shoho." In the title of this work, it is represented by the single character "sho." "Sho" can mean that which is true, correct, or right. Shoho has been translated into English in a number of ways, including: true Law, correct teaching, right law, right Dharma.

Law or Dharma can mean a pervasive principle, a teaching, a moral standard, etc. Naturally, in a specific sense, by correct teaching, or true Law, Nichiren Daishonin meant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the essence of the Lotus Sutra that he revealed. From the standpoint of the human heart, SGI President Ikeda mentions the following in the study series "World of the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin," which appears in this issue of Living Buddhism (p. XX): "The essence of 'establishing the correct teaching' lies in believing in the fundamental good that is the Lotus Sutra and in each individual establishing peace in their hearts. Only when a society that functions in accord with the fundamental good is firmly secured will a truly peaceful society be actualized. This does not mean, however, that every person in a given society must be united by faith in the Lotus Sutra. What matters is that the spirit of the great philosophy of peace expounded in the Lotus Sutra, with its teaching that all people are Buddhas, be given full play in society as a whole. On a societal level, 'establishing the correct teaching' means establishing the concepts of human dignity and the sanctity of life as principles that support and move society."

Concerning "the peace of the land," he states in a subsequent installment: "Realizing the 'peace of the land,' which constitutes the goal of 'establishing the correct teaching,' is to create a peaceful society where people can enjoy happiness and security, and can develop their humanity to the fullest extent. In short, achieving peace and security for all people is essentially what the Daishonin means by 'peace of the land.'"

Beginning with this issue of Living Buddhism, installment four of "The World of the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin" specifically addresses this treatise, "Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land." For further details and insight regarding this work, we hope you will enjoy studying this series.

Copyright © 2002 SGI-USA. All rights reserved.