Published by Soka Spirit Editor
Posted on August 11, 2009
The issue of how Nikken became the high priest has been a matter of controversy.
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)
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.