Published by Soka Spirit Editor
Posted on August 11, 2009
April 15, 1978 – what kind of day was it then?
Nikken did not become the high priest because he received the heritage. He became one because Sugano responded to him by asking, “Aren’t you, Mr. General administrator, succeeding him?”
At the executive priests’ conference held a few hours after the memorial service of the former high priest Nittatsu, Nikken brought forth his own story, stating “As a matter of fact, I did receive the heritage on April 15 of the previous year.”
April 15, 1978 – what kind of day was it then?
The litigation filed against Nikken by the Shoshinkai group allowed Nittatsu’s schedule for that day are to be referred to in testimony. It is obvious from these court statements that 66th high priest Nittatsu actually had no time at all to transfer the heritage to Nikken on that day.
April 15 was Nittatsu’s 76th birthday. On the previous day, April 14, a celebration was held at the priests’ lodging quarters to celebrate his longevity.
Chief priests of the lodging temples, their wives, acolytes, those working at the head temple, local friends, and acquaintances of Nittatsu were all invited to his birthday celebration party. The celebration continued from 5:45 PM to 6:30 PM. After the celebration was over, he returned to his room.
On 15th, the very day that Nikken alleges he received the heritage, Nittatsu’s work started with conducting midnight gongyo. The service was conducted at midnight for one hour and a half and ended at 1:30 AM.
As soon as he finished the gongyo on that day, Nittatsu returned to his quarters, and slept.
On April 15, before dawn, no one entered his room. This was testified by Nittatsu’s secretary. April 15 was an eventful day for the high priest. Nittatsu woke up at 6:30 AM.
As stipulated in the Rules and Bylaws of Nichiren Shoshu, April 15 is the day to show gratitude to the third high priest, Nichimoku Shonin. The high priest conducts a ceremony at the Mieido temple to pay homage to the third high priest on this day.
The ceremony stated at 7 AM and ended at 8 AM. Nittatsu had walked to the Mieido temple to conduct this ceremony.
Because it was Nittatsu’s birthday, chief priests of the lodging temples of the head temple came to the priests’ quarters, and expressed their words of congratulations to the high priest. Nittatsu cordially received their greetings, and returned to his own room. Then he took breakfast, and rested for a while. While Nittatsu enjoyed his rest, chief priests of outlying temples came to see him. These priests are Nittatsu’s immediate or indirect disciples – according to the diary kept by Nittatsu’s secretary: “Taijo Oishi, Todo Miyake, and Hando Yamaguchi had an audience with the high priest around 9:30 AM.” Their audience lasted only ten to fifteen minutes, and they visited the high priest just to congratulate him on his birthday and to brief him about how their respective temples were doing.
Then, another cheerful group visited the high priest. Tokudo Harada, then chief priest of Onshin-ji temple of Fukuroi City, Shizuoka prefecture, had a ceremony for his engagement at Honju-bo lodging temple of the head temple at 9 AM. His best man was Nittatsu’s son, Keido Hosoi. This young couple, their parents, and the best man all came together to say hello to Nittatsu.
According to the diary kept by the secretary of the high priest, their visit took place just before 10 AM. Nittatsu was in high spirits, and cheerfully welcomed all of them, reportedly saying to them, “You are finally here.” After a delightful conversation with the high priest, they left in about fifteen minutes.
On the evening of April 15, Nittatsu was planning to have his birthday party at a Chinese restaurant, Manjuen, downstairs in the Hotel Grand Palace in Chiyota ward, Tokyo. The reservation was made under the name of Hosoi. Thirty people were invited to this celebration. Dressed up, the high priest left the head temple for Tokyo around 11 AM.
Nittatsu was supposed to rest at Taiseki-ji’s Tokyo branch office in Nishikata, Bunkyo ward, before he went to the restaurant. Since the high priest does ushitora gongyo early morning every day, he had a habit of taking a nap in the afternoon wherever he was. In those days, he made it a practice to visit the branch office in Nishikata to refresh his physical condition before attending any event in Tokyo.
The party was attended by 30 people including Nittatsu’s family members, relatives, and Nichiren Shoshu’s executive priests. It was held from 6 PM to 8 PM.
After the party, Nittatsu returned to Nishikata, ending his eventful day there. He could have returned to the head temple after the party to conduct the ushitora gongyo at midnight, but he chose to stay at Nishikata because of his old age and the lengthy schedule that day.
Nowhere in the high priest’s activity record book does Nikken’s name appear for April 15. In those days, Nikken was general administrator of Nichiren Shoshu and chief priest of Josen-ji temple in Sumida ward, Tokyo. He claims that he was at the head temple on April 15 to say congratulations to the high priest for his birthday. But nobody saw Nikken on that day at the head temple. No tangible evidence supports Nikken’s claim. Appallingly, when the driving record of Nittatsu’s car was examined, the April 15 page alone was torn out of the book. In those days, Nittatsu’s driver was Hojo Kawata, and when his younger brother, Jozen Kawata, examined the car’s driving record, he discovered that the very page of April 15 was missing. It seems that somebody managed to erase the April 15 entry from the high priest’s car’s driving record.
According to Nikken’s contention, he spent time with Nittatsu privately at the high priest’s quarters. The only purpose of the visit was to receive words from the high priest on his intention to transfer the heritage to him. But judging from the busy schedule of the high priest on that day, it is impossible to think that Nittatsu had any time to take on the most serious matter of the heritage transfer on that day.
A priest of the head temple states: “Nikken’s story is strange. He says that when he went to the head temple to congratulate the high priest on his birthday, he received words from the high priest on his intention to transfer the heritage to him. But it would have been very strange for him to go all the way to the head temple to congratulate the high priest on his birthday, if he is not even invited to come to the head temple. First of all, the high priest was supposed to arrive in Nishikata in the early afternoon on that day. Nikken could have waited for the high priest in Nishikata instead of taking the trouble to go all the way to the head temple from Tokyo. If Nikken had actually visited Nittatsu at the head temple, then, knowing the nature of Nittatsu, he would have surely invited Nikken to his birthday party in Tokyo, saying, “Why don’t you, Josen-ji (Nikken), attend the party, too?” Furthermore, if he had transferred the heritage to Nikken, Nittatsu would naturally have introduced him as his successor.”
To be continued.
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.