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Nikken: Self-proclaimed former
high priest (Part 1) |
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The issue of how Nikken became
the high priest has been a matter of controversy since
he became the head of Nichiren Shoshu in 1979. After 26
years since, in December of 2005, Nikken suddenly stepped
down from the position and was succeeded by Nichinyo.
The argument over his legitimacy as high priest, however,
will not go away with this mere change. The issue of Nikken’s
false-claim to the position has been well documented in
a number of books such as Hossu Sasho (Self-Appointed
High Priest) by the Nichiren Shoshu reformist priests.
In this book, the story behind Nikken’s self-proclaimed
position as the high priest is explained.
On July 22, 1979, immediately after 66th Nichiren Shoshu
high priest Nittatsu passed away, Shinno Abe (Nikken)
proclaimed at a special session of executive priests that
he had received the heritage of Nichiren Shoshu during
the previous year. He stated that, on April 15, 1978,
“When the high priest and I were all alone, the
high priest privately expressed his intention to transmit
the heritage of Nichiren Shoshu to me. I hereby disclose
that I received profound instructions from him on the
matter of the transmission of the heritage of Nichiren
Shoshu.” Nikken was then installed as the 67th high
priest without going through any part of Nichiren Shoshu’s
formal, time-honored ceremony regarding the transmission
of the heritage of the school.
There was no tangible evidence of this supposed transference,
nor were there any witnesses who backed up Nikken’s
story. The Shoshinkai Group of priests, in opposition
to Nikken’s high-handedness toward them, later expressed
their doubts about Nikken’s ascension to the position
of high priest. They filed a lawsuit demanding the temporary
termination of his right to execute his authority, citing
his illegitimacy as high priest of Nichiren Shoshu. During
this litigation, Nikken’s advocates could not give
any concrete answers to such simple questions as “At
what time on April 15, 1978, did he receive the heritage
of Nichiren Shoshu?” “In which room of the
high priest’s quarters did he receive the heritage?”
and “How did the former high priest transfer the
heritage to him?”
What stood out most were Nikken’s actions to destroy
all the head temple buildings that the former high priest
had built. Especially outrageous was his decision to destroy
the Sho-Hondo, the Grand Main Temple that 66th high priest
had supported. Nittatsu said, “Needless to say,
the Sho-Hondo is a holy temple where the Dai-Gohonzon
of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism is to be enshrined.
It is the high sanctuary where Brahma and Shakra should
visit to pay homage.” Nittatsu made these statements
at the Cornerstone Ceremony of the Sho-Hondo on October
12, 1969. That Nikken destroyed this temple is the ultimate
evidence of his opposition to and denial of his late mentor’s
will. Furthermore, in the first half of 2002, the year
that commemorated the 750th anniversary of the establishment
of Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Shoshu lost in three cases
at the Supreme Court in Japan. All these cases involved
Nichiren Shoshu’s attempts to oust the chief priests
from three temples owned by reformist priests of Nichiren
Shoshu. In these cases, the chief priests claimed that
Nikken is not a legitimate high priest of Nichiren Shoshu
— these claims could not be disproved by Nichiren
Shoshu and the court ruled against them. It is an indication
that even though 26 years have passed since Nikken took
office, people still doubt his legitimacy as high priest.
(To be continued in next issue)
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This article is based on Hossu
Sasho (Self-Appointed High Priest) by Nichiren Shoshu
Yushu Goho Domei (League of Concerned Priests for Protecting
the Law) published in 2003.
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