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Nikken: Self-proclaimed former
high priest (Part 3) |
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What
is in the transfer box anyway?
According to Hossu Sasho,a memoir written by Nichiren
Shoshu reformist priest, the 59th High Priest Nichiko
Hori once described the contents as:
“Documents related to the ‘One Hundred and
Six Articles (Hyaku Rokka Sho)’ and ‘On the
True Cause (Hon’nin-myo Sho)’ and a piece
of paper that carries the names of the successive high
priests who participated in their respective transfer
ceremonies.
Here, the piece of paper Nichiko Hori refers to is something
like a lineage chart that specifies who transferred the
heritage to whom.
Then, our next question is whether this piece of paper
carries the name of Nikken Abe as 67th high priest of
Nichiren Shoshu?
The answer is “No” according to the memoirs.
There could not be any mention of Abe Nikken in the document
contained in the transfer box. Here’s the reason
why.
Nikken claims that he informally received the heritage
on April 15, 1978. At that point in time, Nikken’s
name was Shinno Abe. His Nichiren Shoshu priesthood hierarchy
class was daisozu, which means he was below the class
of noke and that he did not qualify to openly use his
“nichi-go” title.
What is a “nichi-go” title then? It is the
name that each priest receives from the high priest when
he becomes entitled to wear a kesa robe. He can activate
it or use it openly as his name only after he ascends
to the class of noke or gonnsojo in the school’s
hierarchy.
Nikken began to use his own nichi-go title only after
he obtained the highest position of daisojo (high priest)
in the turmoil after Nittatsu Shonin’s sudden death.
And the nichi-go title that Nikken originally had was
not Nikken. But it was “Nichiji.”
The memoirs introduced a behind-the-scenes story about
Nikken’s renaming by a priest who was versed in
the situation surrounding the sudden death of the former
high priest:
“After a temporary wake was over for the deceased
high priest, I went to a dormitory lodging of the head
temple where Nikken stayed, to ask him about his nichi-go
title. I needed to know about it for the announcement
in the next day’s Seikyo Shimbun. At that time,
Nikken said to me, ‘As a matter of fact, I am in
trouble, as my nichi-go title is Nichiji, which is the
same as that of Rev. Hayase [68th high priest Nichinyo’s
father] of Hodo-in.’ Then I said to him, ‘Unless
you decide upon your nichi-go title tonight, your nichi-go
name won’t make it in tomorrow’s issue of
the Seikyo Shimbun.’ Then Nikken said, ‘Oh,
no.Mr. Hayase is now on the way back to Tokyo, so, I can’t
contact him now.’ Nikken said, ‘Anyway, please
give me a little more time,’ and I left him, expecting
I would get his nichi-go title later.”
The priest continues:
“Just before midnight I received a phone call from
Shin’ei Yagi who was in the same dormitory lodging.
Yagi said to me, ‘The high priest has decided on
his new nichi-go title. It’s Nikken. According to
him, since his father’s nichi-go title was Nikkai,
he has chosen the name Nikken after the Buddhist term
kaiken, which means to open and reveal.”
This story raises questions. Nikken must have long been
aware that his nichi-go title was Nichiji, the same one
as Hayase’s. If he had truly received the heritage
from Nittatsu, there would be a statement within the transfer
box, to the effect that “I hereby transfer the heritage
to Shinno Abe or Nichiji Abe.” There would have
been no problem if there were a description of “Nichiji
Abe” on the piece of paper in box, even if Nichiji
is the same as Hayase’s nichi-go title. All Nikken
had to do was to proudly take office as Nichiji Abe.
And even if Nikken had chosen to be very considerate toward
Hayase and used a different nichi-go title, Nikken would
have to bring up the subject with Nittatsu, especially
at the point when he received the heritage. He should
have changed it on that occasion.
What Nikken actually did, however, was just before he
took office, he impatiently abandoned the nichi-go title
that he had originally received from his mentor and renamed
it on his own.
His renaming himself reflects his denial of and opposition
to his mentor’s intent. Nikken’s last minute
change also eloquently suggests that he was a fraudulent
high priest.
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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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