Life of Nichiren Daishonin Part 5: Atsuhara & Final Years
The Atsuhara Persecution
September 1279
Do you remember Nikko Shonin ?
After Nichiren Daishonin moved to Mount Minobu , Nikko Shonin moved to the Fuji district in Suruga Province , where he widely propagated Nichiren Daishonin's teaching.
He converted many followers and priests of the Tendai school .
This widespread movement created concern and panic within the military government.
On September 21, 1279 , twenty followers of Nichiren Daishonin were taken from the Atsuhara area of the Fuji district and brought to Kamakura.
They were tortured and pressured to abandon their faith.
But they did not give up.
The Three Executed Disciples
Due to the relentless torture, three followers— Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro —were ultimately executed.
The remaining 17 followers were banished from their place of residence .
The Atsuhara Persecution became a significant episode for several reasons.
Why the Atsuhara Persecution Was Significant
The First Direct Persecution of Disciples
For the first time, the authorities directly persecuted disciples of Nichiren Daishonin .
Until this point, many of the major persecutions had been directed at Nichiren Daishonin himself.
The Atsuhara Persecution demonstrated that the persecution had now extended directly to ordinary disciples.
Unshakable Faith in the Face of Death
The faith of these disciples was so strong that they did not budge even in the face of death and imminent torture .
They remained firm despite the extreme circumstances they faced.
Faith Connected to the Law
Most importantly, these farmers demonstrated that they had become connected to the Law , rather than simply being connected to the person of Nichiren Daishonin.
Remember the circumstances.
Nichiren Daishonin had been residing at Mount Minobu , while these farmers were practicing in the Fuji district, in the Atsuhara area .
They were being fostered and guided by Nikko Shonin .
Their unwavering faith demonstrated the growing strength and independence of the disciples' commitment to the teaching.
The Rise of Ordinary People
Considering the significance of the Atsuhara Persecution, Nichiren Daishonin understood that the faith of his disciples had now become strong.
The teaching was no longer dependent only on Nichiren Daishonin himself.
It would now be championed by ordinary people .
This represented an important development in the spread and propagation of the teaching.
Shijo Kingo and Nanjo Tokimitsu
The spirit of protecting fellow practitioners can also be seen in the actions of Nichiren Daishonin's disciples.
Shijo Kingo had stood beside Nichiren Daishonin during the Tatsunokuchi Persecution .
Similarly, Nanjo Tokimitsu worked tirelessly to protect his fellow members because he lived in a neighboring village of Atsuhara.
Their actions reflected the spirit of standing alongside fellow practitioners during times of persecution and hardship.
The Atsuhara Persecution and the Gohonzon
The Atsuhara Persecution also had a significant influence on the inscription of the Gohonzon by Nichiren Daishonin.
The Gohonzon received through SGI is based on the Dai Gohonzon , which, according to the source material, was inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin on October 12, 1279 .
The Final Years of Nichiren Daishonin
1279–1282
Do you remember when Nichiren Daishonin moved to Mount Minobu ?
It was in May 1274 .
By this time, he was 53 years old .
For the majority of his life, he had lived away from home, endured exile and faced multiple persecutions.
By this stage of his life, his health had begun to decline.
After spending approximately eight to nine years at Mount Minobu , he eventually left the area in September 1282 .
Leaving Mount Minobu
Nichiren Daishonin wanted to travel to the hot springs in Hitachi Province .
However, he stayed at the residence of the Ikegami brothers for some time.
Even while in poor health, he continued his efforts to teach and delivered a lecture on Rissho Ankoku Ron .
The Passing of Nichiren Daishonin
Finally, on October 13, 1282 , at the age of 61 , Nichiren Daishonin passed away.
His life had been one of an unwavering commitment to his Buddhist teaching, despite repeated persecution, exile and hardship.
The Legacy of Nikko Shonin
After Nichiren Daishonin's death, Nikko Shonin carried on his mentor's fearless spirit and continued advancing kosen-rufu .
Nikko Shonin established a school called Nichiren Shoshu and continued to guide disciples based on the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin's teaching .
Key Points to Remember
After Nichiren Daishonin moved to Mount Minobu , Nikko Shonin moved to the Fuji district and widely propagated his teaching.
Nikko Shonin converted many followers and priests of the Tendai school .
On September 21, 1279 , twenty followers were taken from the Atsuhara area to Kamakura.
The followers were tortured and pressured to abandon their faith.
Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro were executed.
The remaining 17 followers were banished from their place of residence.
The Atsuhara Persecution represented the first direct persecution of Nichiren Daishonin's disciples by the authorities.
The disciples demonstrated unwavering faith even in the face of death and torture.
Their faith demonstrated a connection to the Law , rather than merely to the person of Nichiren Daishonin.
Shijo Kingo had stood beside Nichiren Daishonin during the Tatsunokuchi Persecution.
Nanjo Tokimitsu worked tirelessly to protect fellow members in the Atsuhara area.
The Atsuhara Persecution had a significant influence on the inscription of the Gohonzon .
According to the source material, the Dai Gohonzon was inscribed on October 12, 1279 .
Nichiren Daishonin had moved to Mount Minobu in May 1274 .
His health declined during his later years.
He left Mount Minobu in September 1282 .
He stayed for some time at the residence of the Ikegami brothers .
Even in poor health, he continued teaching and delivered a lecture on Rissho Ankoku Ron .
Nichiren Daishonin passed away on October 13, 1282 , at the age of 61 .
After his death, Nikko Shonin continued his mentor's spirit and advanced kosen-rufu.
From Persecution to the Rise of Disciples
The Atsuhara Persecution represents an important development in the story of Nichiren Daishonin.
Earlier persecutions had directly targeted Nichiren Daishonin himself. At Atsuhara, however, ordinary disciples faced severe persecution and remained unwavering in their faith.
Their courage demonstrated that the teaching had taken root among ordinary people .
This was followed by the final years of Nichiren Daishonin's life, during which he continued to teach despite declining health.
After his passing in 1282 , Nikko Shonin carried forward his mentor's fearless spirit and continued working toward the advancement of kosen-rufu .