Letter to Shimoyama（3rd of 9th paragraph）
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First, with regard to the great earthquakes, in the first year of the Shōka era [1257] I began writing a work in one volume52 that I eventually presented to the lay priest of Saimyō-ji, who is now deceased. But there was no response and it apparently went unheeded.
Because I am not the sort of Buddhist leader who is heeded by the ruler of the nation, I suppose they thought they would not be punished regardless of what they did to me; in any event, a group of several thousand Nembutsu priests and lay believers, with the approval of certain other persons, I am told, attacked the little hut where I was living in the middle of the night, intending to kill me. Somehow I was able to escape that night without injury. But because the attack had been carried out with the tacit approval of certain persons, those who took part in it were never called to account for their actions, which constitutes a flagrant violation of proper government procedure.
When the authorities discovered to their surprise that I was still alive, they exiled me to the province of Izu. When people are too blinded by hatred, it seems they will not hesitate even to commit crimes that bring about their own downfall, or that violate the laws set forth in The Formulary of Adjudications. And according to the vow recorded in this legal code, the sanctity of such laws is protected by Brahmā, Shakra, the four heavenly kings, the Sun Goddess, and Great Bodhisattva Hachiman.53
If the Buddhist doctrines that I preach are beyond the comprehension of such persons, they should summon the priests whom they rely upon from all over Japan and have them meet and debate with me. And if that fails to clarify the matter, then they should seek out the truth of the matter in China and India. And if even that proves unsatisfactory, they should assume that there are reasons for such a situation and let the matter rest for the time being. But it is surely wrong for such persons, because they fail to understand my teachings, to commit actions that will bring about their own downfall and that violate the sacred vow of Formulary of Adjudications.
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Notes
52. “One volume” refers to On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land. For the lay priest of Saimyō-ji, Hōjō Tokiyori, see Glossary.
53. This refers to the vow appended by the shogunate officials to the end of the law code stating that any violation of the laws in the code will call down upon them punishment by these gods.
57. The Annotations on the Nirvana Sutra.