Nichiren between nationalism and militarism
of Christian Martorella
Nichiren (1222-1282) was among the most important Buddhist monks Kamakura era reformers, and his prominent role appears not only in religion, but also in the history and ideology of the Japanese nation. Currently, her figure is associated with militant some Buddhist organizations that use the name and teachings without questioning a historical study of the character, and deliberately hide the more controversial aspects. Paradoxically, these organizations present themselves as advocates of pacifism, without revealing the contradictions and manipulations that have made the figure of Nichiren. In fact, he not only was invoked in the prayers of Buddhists who wish for world peace, but he was idolized by Japanese nationalists, who made a model of their political doctrine. The confusion made the figure of Nichiren was facilitated by the same intransigent attitudes that Monaco had during his life. In particular, some of his teachings would be appropriate in justify the policy militarist and imperialist Japan. In 1260 Nichiren was presented to the Japanese government a document titled Rissho Ankoku (Correct Teaching for the peace of the nation) in which he explained his point of view. According to Nichiren, Japan had become the only country where the authentic Buddhism practiced yet, being now been expelled from India and China as being in decline. So the Japanese government had a responsibility to preserve intact because only the country of the Rising Sun had the gift of the gods, and indeed should really work to spread around the world. To fulfill this mission, the Japanese government would ban all other religions, arresting and executing priests rival cults, and destroying all their temples. Nichiren did not refer only to foreign religions, but also to the other Buddhist schools that rival executives considered to convey a false Buddhism. This teaching is also present today in all seven who were inspired by Nichiren. In fact, they openly declare that Nichiren Buddhism is the only authentic one, while every other school of Buddhism is false. To better understand the unique and special relationship between Buddhism and Japan, Nichiren wrote in the object of worship (Gohonzon), revered by his followers, the names of two deities of the country of the Rising Sun, Hachiman and Tensho Daijin. The latter is also called Amaterasu Omikami by Shinto, and the sun goddess who founded, according to Japanese mythology, the imperial dynasty. Nichiren did not stop to declare the need to eliminate other religions, but in the text entitled Kaimokusho (Open Eyes) explains how the religion is now practiced with violence, and one should not stop at the appearances of the words, but the physical confrontation and to prepare 'aggressiveness. This instruction was immediately followed by his followers. The samurai Shijo Kingo told in his letters that he fought fiercely his opponents, and this led to the complacency of Nichiren, who encouraged him always, and especially considering the vehemence of his friend urged caution. The cruelty of the fighting did not spare even the same Nichiren who was repeatedly assaulted. In 1264, on a trip to Awa, Kagenobu Tojo tried to assassinate him. This did not discourage that Nichiren resumed his practice of preaching based on shakubuku. The shakubuku literally break and subdue, was a conversion method based on a vehement preaching that can confuse the audience with the deliberately provocative and arouse anger. According to Nichiren, was an effective method of conversion because it produces an emotional and creative upheaval. In reality, this led to the antipathy and hostility of the government authorities, ill prepared to withstand disturbances and riots, and especially other sects of Buddhism, which became the subject of fierce criticism and violent. The result was the condemnation of Nichiren exile twice, first from 1261 to 1263 in Izu, the second from 1271 to 1274 the island of Sado. Nichiren justified the sentences that struck him as a persecution against the followers of the Lotus Sutra, which aggravated his fanaticism and his intolerance. In fact, when it was released in 1274, decided to retire in isolation on Mount Minobu, where he lived in complete solitude. During its existence, had affirmed the safety salvation through his religious practice, but in the last years of his life began to express hope in the rebirth in Ryozen Jodo (Pure Land of the mountain spirit), in contradiction to the teaching hitherto preached. Nichiren had argued that all the expressed wishes would be carried out, unfortunately for him it was not the case. The Japanese government did not follow his advice, his opponents Zen and Jodo sects they increased their power, and the whole country not only chose to follow his religion. In contemporary Japan is not the only religion professed by no means advocated by Nichiren, but religious freedom is guaranteed in various groups of Buddhist, Shinto and Christian. The story of existential
Nichiren lent itself to various and contradictory interpretations. In particular, Nichiren was considered the savior of the Japanese invasion Mongol (1274 and 1281). In fact, he had predicted, along with other terrible misfortune, an invasion by the Mongols. In reality the prophecy of Nichiren was a little 'different, having called for a punishment for the people of Japan if it did not follow his religion. But this did not happen because the Mongols were swept away by a typhoon, thus allowing the Shinto priests to justify the events as an act of protection of the gods through the kamikaze (divine wind). The followers of Nichiren, however, continued to argue that the intervention of Monaco was providential, and even he would have invented the flag of the Rising Sun (Hinomaru) and would have surrendered to Japanese forces. This legend has been preserved enough to reappear in the collective consideration of the Japanese military. When Admiral Heihachiro Togo (1838-1934) was preparing to face the Russian fleet, he went to pray before the huge bronze statue of Nichiren is located in Fukuoka to remember the prophecy of the invasion of the Mongols. The victory achieved at Tsushima (May 27, 1905) seemed to validate the belief that Japan had to dominate the world. Other military and politicians began to argue, in their own way interpreting the teachings of Nichiren, the mission of Japan was to spread its culture around the globe. Taking advantage of the fanaticism and intolerance found in Nichiren's claims, the easily bent to their political purposes. Nichiren said that the only true religion that was preached by him, and especially condemned the laxity and passivity, urging the proselytizing and mission of Kosen rufu (spreading the faith). In the hands of the military these ideas became a justification for the brutality of war, seen as a form of regeneration and transformation of the world. Another principle expressed by Nichiren, the principle of itaidoshin (other bodies one heart), was manipulated to reinforce the feeling that authoritarianism and conformity and obedience were the best well desirable.
Among the soldiers who took advantage of the nationalism of Nichiren, stands the figure of Colonel Kanji Ishiwara (1889-1949), a leading figure in the history of war. He provoked in September 1931, the rail accident at Mukden in Manchuria, which gave rise to the war with China and the invasion of Asia. Ishiwara was a supporter of the occupation of Asia and believed in the necessity of an armed confrontation between the U.S. and Japan. He was based on the interpretation of the prophecy of Nichiren, which states that there would be a great war that would put an end to all conflicts. Ishiwara also stated that the war would pave the way for reconstruction and then had a civilizing process, and would also be definitively solved the economic crisis.
These ideas and interpretations Ishiwara Kanji were not isolated, but they were very popular and came from an extremist and fanatical political climate became established in Japan. Rinjiro Takayama (1851-1902) proclaimed the unconditional adherence to the theory of the superiority of the Japanese nation, and above all he moved towards a form of Nietzschean individualism of inspiration, based on the belief that emotion summer was the most important factor in the formation of ' man. Takayama for the Nietzschean superman was perfectly embodied by Nichiren. Even more explicit was Chigaku Tanaka (1861-1939), a member of the party's nationalist right, which in the Taisho period (1912-1926) promoted what he called Nichiren (nichirenshugi). The nichirenshugi is a doctrine developed in response to movements of workers, who claimed loyalty to the nation-state (kokutai) headed by the emperor. Chigaku Tanaka's influence was strong in the Taisho period and was one of the sources of militant nationalism in Japan. His ideology also left marks in Kakutaro Kubo (1892-1944) founder of the sect Reiyukai.
Nissho Inoue (1886-1967) was another strong proponent of Nichiren Nichiren who played in the thinking of key nationalist and militarist. Nissho Inoue, in addition to strongly support his ideas as an intellectual and thinker, he also became a political activist and leader of Ketsumeidan, a right-wing terrorist group that caused the murder Minister Junnosuke Inoue.
monks also openly sided with the military regime. In April 1938 a large number of eminent monks of Nichirenshu founded the Association for the practice of Buddhism in accordance with the Imperial road (Bukkyo gyodo Kodo kai). At the head of the association there was a monaco Nichiko Takase who claimed to have collected approximately 1800 students. The Kodo kai Bukkyo gyodo affirmed the divine unity of sovereign and of the Buddha, and the veneration of the emperor. This was in stark contrast to what Nichiren preached by affirming the superiority of Buddhism in respect of Shintoism, and the need for government authorities will be suited to the teaching of its doctrine. Some highlight the contrast and there was a partial rupture between lay people and monks who would become more pronounced after the war. In fact at that time the dissidents were easily marginalized and silenced by arrest.
In contemporary society there are many religious sects and organizations of lay people who were inspired by Nichiren. Are almost always in conflict, such as the striking example of Nichiren Shoshu in 1991 has excommunicated members of the Soka Gakkai. The struggles and conflicts between the different schools that are inspired by Nichiren demonstrate the difficulty in correctly interpreting his teachings. Nichiren preached the unity of the faithful of his religion, while respecting the principle of itaidoshin. But the variety of interpretations which was provided also indicate the need for greater knowledge of historical events. A comprehensive study that distinguishes poor knowledge, or worse, a complete ignorance of the facts, the knowledge of Buddhist practice. In fact, the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni taught that ignorance is the source of all evil. Recognizing the problem is already the beginning of the journey that will solve it. For this reason it is absolutely necessary to tear the veil of illusion that Buddhism presents us with a smooth, contrasts and contradictions. This illusion does not reflect the history of Buddhism, which in itself also has many negative stories.
Bibliography
Arena Leonardo Vittorio, The spirit of Japan. The philosophy of the Rising Sun from its origins to the present day, Rizzoli, Milano, 2008.
Filoramo, John (ed.), Dictionary of Religions, Einaudi, Torino, 1993.
Forzani, Joseph, The flowers of the vacuum. Introduction to Japanese philosophy, Boringhieri Bollati, Torino, 2006.
Henshall, Kenneth, History of Japan, Arnoldo Mondadori, Milan, 2005.
Komatsu, Hosho, Nichiren Shonin zenshu, Shunjusha, Tokyo, 1998.
Yampolsky, Philip, Selected Writings of Nichiren, Columbia University Press, New York, 1990.
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