On February 16th, we observed NICHIREN Dai Shonin’s birthday ceremony. Afterwards, I talked to you about the birth and childhood of NICHIREN Dai Shonin.

Today, I would like to tell you about how NICHLREN Dai-Shonin lived at SEICHOJI Temple.

On May 12, 1233, zen-nichi-maro left the untroubled world of Kominato behind him and climed the narrow path to Seichoji Temple with his father and he first entered the temple school of Seichoji atop Mt. Kiyosumi. Just as any new student, he was most probably filled with dreams and high expectations.

Seichoji Temple was a temple of the Ten Dai Sect, a sect greatly influenced by the teachings of Shingon mysticism. Its foremost object of worship was the Bodhisattva Akasagarbha (Kokuzo Bosatsu). The meaning of the name of this Bodhisattva signifies alimitless storehouse which holds great wisdom as vast at the sky. It is said that if someone prays to this Bodhisattva, one would be blessed with great fortune, virtue and wisdom. And its patriarch was Master Dozen, a faithful believer in the Amida Buddha. Master Dozen accepted zen-nichi-maro as a lay novice, giving him the name of Yaku-O-Maro. Thus, he began his studies, not only in the fundamentals of Buddhism, but in the teaching of Confucius as we11. For Confucianism, which had been brought to Japan from China, was considered a necessary study for every well-educated young man.

For four years, Yaku-O-Maro immersed himself in the many teachings of the Buddhadharma and of Confucianism, seeking to find answers, he found only more questions. In particular, he became concerned that there were so many different teachings, so many different practices connected with Buddhist worship. “There are many Buddhist Sutras,” he said, “but among then-i, there must be one which is the true -teaching of the Buddha. Which is this Sutra-King? Having resolved to continue his studies until he found an answer, Yaku-O-Maro became an ordained priest on October 8, 1237, and was given the priestly name of Ze Sho-bo Renchö. He was sixteen years old. Rencho, as he was now known, intensified his studies, vowing to read all the materials in the library of Seichoji Temple in the hope that they would reveal the one true-faith to him. These further studies, however, only added to his confusion.

Finally, in despair, he entered the sanctuary of the temple’s guardian deity. There, in the silence and shadows of the sacred hall, he knelt before the image of Kokuzo bosatsu and prayed for ‘a blessing and for guidance. For twenty-one days, he prayed and fasted, offering to the deity his vow that he would study all the sectarian doctrines until he understood the Buddha’s truth. In return, he asked the Bodhisattva’s blessing that he might become the foremost man of wisdom and knowledge in all the land. On the twenty-first, and final, day of Rencho’s exhausting effort, a friend, concerned for the young priest’s welfare, hastened to the sanctuary to find him. But Rencho was not there. Outside, on the ground, he lay unconscious, his robes and the nearby bamboo-grasses spattered with blood which he had vomited as a result of his great strain. Gently, his friend knelt ot nurse him back to consciousness. But, in a moment, Rencho opened his eyes, smiled and his body and soul cleansed through his long ordeal. Through his diligent studies, he began to recognize differences among the various sutras. This recognition was based upon what he called The Treasured Gem, a gift of knowledge divided into two parts. The first part was drawn from the Nirvana Sutra which said “Rely on the Dharma, and not on any person.”. Thus, a man could never be misled by clever people. The second part, drawn from his own intuition, was to rely on reason, on written proof, and finally, on that proof drawn from one’s own experience.

Having gained this knowledge, Rencho decided that there was little more he could learn on Mt. Kiyosumi. To further his studies, he decided to move toward the great military capital of Kamakura.