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A Nichiren sect monk from the late Kamakura period, during the Northern and Southern Courts period. Born to the Ishizuka clan of Kurokawa, Aizu (Fukushima Prefecture). In 1332 (Ganko 2), at the age of 19, he ascended to Mount Hiei and studied under Jihen, becoming a Tendai monk under the name Genmyo. At the age of 66, he was deeply moved after reading Nichiren's Kaimokusho and Nyosetsu Shugyosho, and accompanied six Tendai monks to convert to Nichiren Buddhism. He continued the hidden aspirations of his great-grandfather Hidaka (1257-1314, third head of Nakayama Hokekyoji Temple), preaching in Kyoto, and gaining the support of influential Kyoto townspeople, he built Myomanji Temple. This was the basis of the later Myomanji school or Kenpon Hoke sect. He converted to Nichiren at Kobo-ji Temple in Mama, Shimousa (Chiba Prefecture) (his letter of conversion is in the temple), and his influence in Shimousa, including the Chiba clan, grew remarkably after that. He made a long-cherished petition to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and his petition was accepted, but he was forbidden to make further petitions and gave up. He died in Aizu in February of the third year of the Meitoku era, at the age of 79.

[Shin Aiba, September 19, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉後期、南北朝時代の日蓮(にちれん)宗の僧。会津（福島県）黒川の石塚氏の出。1332年（元弘2）19歳で叡山(えいざん)に登り慈遍(じへん)に師事、玄妙と名のり天台僧となる。66歳のとき日蓮の『開目抄(かいもくしょう)』『如説修行抄(にょせつしゅぎょうしょう)』を読み感動、天台僧6人を同行して日蓮宗に改宗した。曽祖父(そうそふ)日高(にちこう)（1257―1314。中山法華経(ほけきょう)寺第3代）の陰の志を嗣(つ)ぎ京都に布教、京都の有力な町衆の帰依(きえ)を得て妙満寺を建てた。これが後の妙満寺派または顕本法華(けんぽんほっけ)宗の基である。日蓮への帰伏(きぶく)は下総(しもうさ)（千葉県）真間(まま)の弘法(ぐほう)寺（帰入状が同寺にある）であったので、以後千葉氏をはじめ下総で教線は目覚ましく伸びた。念願の足利義満(あしかがよしみつ)への庭中訴願(ていちゅうそがん)を果たし、内容は通じたが、以後の訴願は禁ぜられ断念した。明徳(めいとく)3年2月、79歳で会津で没。

［相葉　伸　2017年9月19日］

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