Nichiryu

A Nichiren sect monk in the early Muromachi period. His pen name was Shinen. He was known as Shojin-in and Keirin-bo. He was an ardent believer in the theory of the superiority of Honjaku (the theory that the Honmon in the latter half of the Lotus Sutra is superior, and the Jomon in the first half is inferior), and as a scholar he was praised as one of the great masters of the East and West, alongside Nichicho of Minobu. Born as the son of Momoi Uma no Kami Naoyoshi in Asai-go, Imizu-gun, Etchu Province (Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture), he entered the Buddhist priesthood at the age of 10, and in 1402 (Oei 9) at the age of 18, he studied under Nissei (1349-1405) at Myohon-ji Temple (Myoken-ji Temple) in Kyoto, where he took the name Nichiryu. He is considered the founder of the Hokke sect (Honmon-ryu), Honmon Butsuryu sect, Honmon Hokke sect, and Happon-ryu sect, and is revered as the Founder of the Revival of the Shodo Sect, and in some places he solemnly holds the Autumn Oeshiki and Spring Monsoe ceremonies. After Nichiren passed away, he tried to stop the disorderly teachings of his successor Getsumyō and others, but his words were not heard, so he left the temple with his comrades and built temples all over the country, including Honnō-ji Temple (later Honnō-ji Temple), and spread the sect's teachings. He passed away on February 25, 1271, at the age of 80.

[Shin Aiba, September 19, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

室町前期の日蓮(にちれん)宗の僧。字(あざな)は深円。精進院、桂林房と号する。本迹(ほんじゃく)勝劣（『法華(ほけ)経』の後半の本門が勝(すぐ)れ、前半の迹門が劣るという説）の立場における熱烈な信仰者であり、学匠としては身延(みのぶ)の日朝と並んで東朝西隆(とうちょうせいりゅう)とたたえられた。越中(えっちゅう)国射水(いみず)郡浅井(あさい)郷（富山県射水市）桃井右馬頭尚儀(ももいうまのかみなおよし)の子として生まれ、10歳で仏門に入り、1402年（応永9）18歳で京都妙本(みょうほん)寺（妙顕(みょうけん)寺）日霽(にっせい)（1349―1405）に師事、日隆と号した。法華宗（本門流）、本門仏立(ぶつりゅう)宗、本門法華宗、八品(はっぽん)流系などの祖とされ、再興正導(しょうどう)門祖上人(しょうにん)と仰がれ、秋の御会式(おえしき)と春の門祖会(もんそえ)を厳修するところもある。日霽の寂後、その後嗣月明(げつみょう)らの化儀化法（教化の方法）の乱れをいさめたが聞き入れられず、同志とともに出寺し、各地に本応寺(ほんのうじ)（のち本能寺）を建て宗風を広めた。寛正(かんしょう)5年2月25日、80歳で寂。

［相葉　伸　2017年9月19日］

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