The Letter of Petition from Yorimoto

Chapter1(The Background and Origin of the Kuwagayatsu Debate)

ON the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month I respectfully read your official letter of the twenty-third, which I received through the intermediaries, the lay priests Shimada no Saemon and Yamashiro no Mimbu.¹ In the letter you state, “I am shocked to hear that all those present on that occasion are unanimous in saying that you behaved in a disorderly manner at the place where the priest Ryūzō was preaching. They say you interrupted with a group of your cohorts, all wearing weapons.”

That is a groundless falsehood. I do not know who told you so, but surely it would be fitting if, out of pity for me, you were to summon them to confront me in your presence and inquire into the truth or falsehood of their accusations.

Briefly, the root of this matter is as follows. On the ninth day of the sixth month, Sammi-kō, who is a disciple of the Sage Nichiren, came to my residence and said: “Recently a priest named Ryūzō-bō has arrived from Kyoto and settled in Kuwagayatsu, west of the gate of Daibutsu-den temple.² He preaches day and night, urging those who have questions about Buddhism to come and hold discourse with him in order to settle their doubts about this life and the next. All the people in Kamakura, high and low, revere him as they would Shakyamuni Buddha. However, I hear that no one has ever actually debated with him. I want to go to Kuwagayatsu to debate with him and clarify whatever doubts the people might have about their next life. Won’t you come and listen?”

At that time I was busy with official matters, so I did not originally intend to accompany him. However, I had heard that it concerned the Buddhist teachings, and I have often gone to hear preaching on that subject. Being a lay believer, however, I never said a single word. Therefore, I believe that a strict investigation on your part should be sufficient to reveal that I was not in any way abusive.

Notes

1. Shimada no Saemon and Yamashiro no Mimbu were apparently two of Lord Ema’s retainers, who, as messengers, carried his official letter to Shijō Kingo. Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter, a petition from Shijō Nakatsukasa Saburō Saemon-no-jō Yorimoto, or Shijō Kingo, to his lord, Ema Chikatoki, on behalf of his disciple. “I” refers to Shijō Kingo, “you” to Lord Ema.

2. “Temple of the Great Buddha Image.” One of the seven major temples of Kamakura, which enshrines a huge image of Amida Buddha.

Lecture

It was on the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month that the official letter of reprimand from the lord was delivered to Yorimoto (Shijo Kingo) by way of a messenger. The content of this letter was entirely one-sided; it reproached Yorimoto for his allegedly unreasonable behavior based on hearsay from those around him, and declared that the lord himself revered Ryokan and Ryuzo-bo as though they were Shakyamuni and Amida Buddhas. It further asserted that if the lord holds such devotion, it is the duty of a retainer to follow suit, threatening that failure to do so would result in the confiscation of his fief. In this section, the Daishonin emphasizes that the accusation in the letter—claiming “Yorimoto committed unreasonable acts at the venue of the Kuwagayatsu debate”—is an absolute falsehood, and proceeds to outline the origin of the Kuwagayatsu debate, which is detailed below. The petition appeals that while Yorimoto did indeed attend the doctrinal debate, he did so merely as a layman; he did not utter a single word to interfere, let alone resort to abusive language. It is argued that this truth would become instantly clear if only the lord were to conduct a thorough investigation.

The Origin of the Kuwagayatsu Debate

The populace of Kamakura at the time had witnessed, both directly and indirectly, the power struggles within the Hojo clan. Through these ugly, internecine conflicts where kindred shed the blood of their own kin, conscientious people deeply felt the impermanence of life. Moreover, experiencing the fleeting nature of reality through sudden threats of natural disasters and the terrifying prospect of foreign invasion, a prevailing undercurrent of resignation formed among the people; rather than seeking happiness in this present existence, they sought enlightenment in the world after death.

It was under these societal conditions that Ryuzo-bo came down from Kyoto. It remains uncertain exactly when he arrived in Kamakura from the capital. However, it is an undeniable fact that he astutely perceived the anxiety of the Kamakura populace and captured their hearts, which became the catalyst for his rising prestige. He boldly went so far as to publicly declare, “One must seek the Buddhist Law for the sake of peace and security in both this present existence and the future. Therefore, if you have any doubts regarding Buddhism, come to my place to debate and dispel those doubts.”

Such immense confidence conversely made him appear to the common people as a high priest upon whom they could rely. For the populace who were seeking a pillar of support after losing their bearings in a turbulent society, the lofty proclamations of this priest from Kyoto must have seemed more reassuring than anything else. Consequently, without even attempting to investigate his past misdeeds—which were utterly unbecoming of a human being—they were instantly deceived by him.

It was Sammi-bo who stood up against this prevailing tide. He was well-versed in doctrinal debate and frequently traveled between Kyoto and Kamakura to preach the Daishonin’s Buddhism. Therefore, resolving that now was the time to expose Ryuzo-bo’s erroneous doctrines, arrogance, and evil deeds—and to demonstrate that the Mystic Law is the great teaching that truly saves the populace, and that his mentor’s actions arose from an irrepressible concern for the people—Sammi-bo called upon Yorimoto, and together they set out for Kuwagayatsu.