This is a translation of an installment of a Soka Gakkai Study Department series, published in the July 2024 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai’s monthly study journal. The previous installment is published in the May 2025 Living Buddhism, pp. 50–55.
Installment 25: The Atsuhara Persecution
After 1277, when Nichiren Daishonin’s disciples such as Shijo Kingo and the Ikegami brothers stood up to the schemes of Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji temple and others, the oppression that had been mounting in Suruga Province[1] had reached its highest point.
The persecution of Nichiren’s followers that occurred in the Fuji area, including Atsuhara Village[2] in Suruga Province, from around 1275 to 1283 is known as the “Atsuhara Persecution.”
After Nichiren’s arrival at Minobu in 1274, Nikko took the lead in spreading his teachings in the Fuji area, which led to an increase in Nichiren’s followers. Those in charge of local Tendai temples, feeling threatened by the rapid propagation of Nichiren’s teachings within their temples and areas, began persecuting them.
In Suruga Province, the provincial military governor, who oversaw military and administrative affairs, was from the main branch of the ruling Hojo clan. In particular, Lady Kasai, the widow of the fifth regent Hojo Tokiyori, had many retainers in the area, over which she exerted considerable influence. She was the daughter of Hojo Shigetoki,[3] an ardent Nembutsu believer, and she despised Nichiren, regarding him as an enemy of Tokiyori and her father (see “Reply to the Lay Priest Takahashi,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 608).
Nichiren explains that, when he was on his way to Minobu, the reason why he did not stop by the residence of the lay priest Takahashi, his disciple in Kajima,[4] was because the province of Suruga was the domain of Hojo Tokimune and the Fuji area in particular was home to many who were close to Lady Kasai, his mother (see WND-1, 608). Concerned for the safety of his disciples in the area, Nichiren writes, “I was afraid that, if they heard that I had visited you, it would bring grief to you all” (WND-1, 608–09).Around that time, the persecution of his disciples in Suruga Province had begun.
Gyochi, who was assigned to Ryusen-ji temple in Atsuhara as the acting deputy chief priest, was an ardent believer in the Pure Land teachings. He forced his beliefs on others, and his actions disrupted the order within the temple. In addition, he had made personal use of temple property and appointed corrupt individuals to be priests.
At Tendai school temples, it was traditional for priests to recite the Lotus Sutra in the morning and the Amida Sutra in the evening. Ryusen-ji was a temple of the Tendai school, but Gyochi pressured priests residing there to recite the Amida Sutra exclusively and to stop reciting the Lotus Sutra. However, priests at the temple who had become disciples of Nichiren after studying under Nikko refused to recite the Amida Sutra in accord with the Lotus Sutra passage that reads “not accepting a single verse of the other sutras” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 115), and they devoted themselves to reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. In retaliation, Gyochi deprived them of their quarters, stating they were failing to fulfill their duties as priests (see “The Ryusen-ji Petition,” WND-2, 825–26).
The Situation Intensifies
Nikko lived at Shijukuin, a temple in Kanbara.[5] A priest named Gon’yo, who held a position of power at Shijukuin, harassed and expelled him from the temple along with other disciples of Nichiren. In the third month of the same year (1278), Nikko and others submitted a petition to Shijukuin, declaring that practice based on Nichiren’s teachings was correct, condemning their expulsion as unreasonable and seeking to dispute the issue with Gon’yo in court and clarify right from wrong.[6]
Meanwhile, tensions between Nichiren and shogunate officials were rising. From his letter “Reply to the Followers,” we can see that his long-held desire to conduct a public debate was gaining momentum and about to be realized (see WND-1, 901). Also, according to “Reply to a Believer,” which he wrote in the fourth month of that year, there was a plan in the works to exile him for a third time (see WND-1, 905).
It was around this time that three farmers, Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro,[7] who would later be known as the three martyrs of Atsuhara, converted to Nichiren’s teachings.[8] While the situation surrounding Nichiren and his followers in Suruga Province became increasingly tense, propagation efforts in that region led by Nikko were making steady progress. As the influence of Nichiren’s disciples grew, malevolent forces began to rush to stifle them. That year, Nichiren sent a letter to a disciple in Suruga Province in which he clearly described the way devilish forces operate (see “Letter to Misawa,” WND-1, 894). Revealing the true nature of persecution, he strongly encouraged his disciples to persevere with determined faith in the face of these storms of oppression.
Bloodshed, Beheading and Confinement
The following year, 1279, oppression by Gyochi of Ryusen-ji escalated to include violence.
During a ritual at the Sengen Shrine in the fourth month, a follower of Nichiren named Shiro was attacked with a sword and injured. Moreover, in the eighth month, another believer, Yashiro, was beheaded. Gyochi attempted to blame the murder on Nichiren and his disciples, including Nisshu. He hastened to file a complaint with the officials of the local Fuji Shimokata manor before one could be filed against him (see “The Ryusen-ji Petition,” WND-2, 827).
In addition, when Nisshu and others appeared ready to speak out against Gyochi’s crimes, Gyochi preemptively filed an additional false complaint, making such allegations as “that on the twenty-first day of the present month a band formed of a number of persons armed with bows and arrows broke into the compound of the chief priest, and that Shimotsuke-bo Nisshu … and the group then reaped the rice crop and carried it off to the compound occupied by Nisshu” (WND-2, 825). Gyochi then filed a lawsuit against Nisshu and Nichiben, another of Nichiren’s disciples at Ryusen-ji.
In response, “The Ryusen-ji Petition” decisively dismisses Gyochi’s claims, stating, “These allegations are completely false and without substance” (WND-2, 825). Meanwhile, 20 farmers who had become Nichiren’s followers were falsely accused of stealing rice, arrested and taken to Kamakura, where their mistreatment intensified.[9]
Nikko immediately reported the situation to Nichiren at Minobu. On the twenty-sixth day of the ninth month, Nichiren sent a letter to Nikko and others offering guidance.
Then, on the first day of the tenth month, Nichiren addressed a letter titled “On Persecutions Befalling the Sage” (WND-1, 996) to all his disciples and sent it to Shijo Kingo in Kamakura, instructing him to keep it on their behalf. In it, Nichiren pours his life into encouraging his disciples, writing:
Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs. Slanderers are like barking foxes, but Nichi-ren’s followers are like roaring lions. (WND-1, 997)
At the same time, under instruction from Nikko, a letter of defense was drafted for Nisshu and Nichiben to sign for submission to the court. Toki Jonin, a disciple of Nichiren skilled in legal affairs, formatted it, wrote a clean copy and delivered it
to Nichiren at Minobu. Upon receiving the draft, he added to the first half made revisions and additions to the second half and clarified their claims (see background material for “The Ryusen-ji Petition,” WND-2, 827). Nichiren also sent the letter “Reply to Hoki[10] and the Others” (WND-2, 820) to Nikko at this time with specific points to bear in mind in bringing the legal case.
Farmers Remain Steadfast in Their Faith
The persecution that Nichiren and his disciples united against reached a critical juncture. The interrogation of the 20 Atsuhara believers took place at the residence of Hei no Saemon-no-jo Yoritsuna in Kamakura. Yoritsuna was an influential figure and a retainer of the ruling family of the Hojo clan. He is thought to have personally conducted the questioning because Atsuhara was in the domain of the Hojo clan.
The interrogation that took place on the fifteenth day of the tenth month was tantamount to torture. Yoritsuna had his second son, Sukemune, shoot blunt-tipped whistling arrows at the farmers to intimidate them with the sound they made when shot. Yoritsuna repeatedly demanded that they abandon the Lotus Sutra and recite the Nembutsu.[11] However, not a single disciple gave in, and together they began chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (see “Reply to the Sages,” WND-2, 831).
It was believed that the sound of the whistling arrows could drive away evil spirits. It is possible that Yoritsuna and his men were fearful of these farmers, who were so unyielding before authority and risked their lives to uphold their faith.
In the end, three of them, Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro, were beheaded, sacrificing their lives for the Law.[12] After being held in confinement, the remaining 17 were exiled, according to an account by Nikko, although depending on the account being referred to some interpret it to mean they were released rather than exiled.[13] In that sense, it is possible to view the battle Nichiren and his disciples waged in court and the resistance of the farmer believers of Atsuhara as having been successful.
During this time, with Nichi-ren’s guidance, Toki Jonin and others dealt with the lawsuit while Shijo Kingo and other disciples in Kamakura encouraged the believers from Atsuhara who had been arrested. The disciples were united in spirit with their mentor and gave their utmost to stand up against this major persecution.[14] It was also around this time that Nanjo Tokimitsu, a young disciple responsible for managing Ueno Village[15] near Atsuhara, protected and sheltered believers from Atsuhara from persecution while he himself experienced unjust pressure.
When Nichiren received a report from Kamakura about the events on the fifteenth day of the tenth month, he was profoundly moved by how the disciples of Atsuhara had remained unbending before groundless persecution, upholding faith with the spirit to risk their lives to pursue the Buddhist way and spread the Lotus Sutra. Regarding this, Nichiren said, “This was no ordinary matter!” and praised them as “votaries of the Lotus Sutra” (WND-2, 831).
The Purpose of Nichiren’s Appearance in the World
In “On Persecutions Befalling the Sage,” which Nichiren wrote on the first day of the tenth month shortly after the Atsuhara farmers were taken to Kamakura, he points out that it has been 27 years since he first declared his teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in 1253. In observing the behavior of believers during the Atsuhara Persecution, Nichiren is convinced that ordinary people have now emerged who are ready to uphold the Three Great Secret Laws of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in the face of great hardships while striving with powerful faith to widely spread his teaching. Nichiren suggests that this signals he has fulfilled his life’s purpose—the reason for his appearance in this world (see “On Persecutions Befalling the Sage,” WND-1, 996).
In his youth, Nichiren made a vow to become a wise person who understood the essence of Buddhism so that he could free all people from suffering. We can see that fulfilling this vow was the fundamental goal to which he had dedicated his entire life.
Nichiren also revealed Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the fundamental Law enabling all people to attain Buddhahood, in the form of the Three Great Secret Laws—the object of devotion of the essential teaching, the daimoku of the essential teaching and the sanctuary of the essential teaching. He thereby established the foundation for the eternal spread of his teaching.
That foundation can endure only when there exist disciples who undertake responsibility for kosen-rufu with the same spirit as Nichiren, unhesitatingly dedicating their lives to spreading the Mystic Law for the peace and happiness of humanity.
The faith the farmer disciples demonstrated during the Atsuhara Persecution symbolized the establishment of the foundation of a Buddhism for the people and the fulfilment of the purpose of Nichiren’s appearance in this world.
(To be continued in an upcoming issue.)
The Foundation of the People’s Buddhism Firmly Established
Ikeda Sensei: Persecuted for their faith in the correct teaching, the unknown farmers of Atsuhara engaged in a struggle to win eternal spiritual freedom. They represented the emergence of a great power consisting of people who believe in and practice Nam-myoho-renge-kyo of the Three Great Secret Laws, the essence of the Lotus Sutra, and strive alongside the Daishonin for kosen-rufu. The foundation of the people’s Buddhism was thus firmly established. This marked the fulfillment of the purpose of the Daishonin’s appearance in the world. The essence of Nichiren Buddhism is the emergence of people who are Bodhisattvas of the Earth possessing a profound mission, who take Bodhisattva Never Disparaging[16] as their model.
For Nichiren Daishonin’s disciples, the appearance of the disciples among the farmers of Atsuhara who did not begrudge their lives for the sake of Buddhism became an immortal foundation for kosen-rufu that will shine for all time.[17]
From the October 2025 Living Buddhism
References
- Suruga Province: Present-day central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. ↩︎
- Atsuhara Village: Present-day Atsuhara, Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture and surrounding areas. ↩︎
- Shigetoki (1198–1261) was the son of Yoshitoki, second regent of the Kamakura shogunate. He served in various posts including, under the fifth regent Tokiyori, that of cosigner, the second most powerful position in the regime. An ardent follower of the Pure Land teachings, he persecuted Nichiren. ↩︎
- Kajima: Present-day Kajima Town, Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture and surrounding areas. ↩︎
- Kanbara: Present-day Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City, and part of Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture. ↩︎
- Text from an existing fragment of a document written in Nichiren’s own hand matches the wording of the opening of the petition to the Shijukuin temple, which points to the possibility that Nichiren may have written a draft of that letter. ↩︎
- In the “Deshibun honzon mokuroku” (List of Disciples Upon Whom Nikko Bestowed the Gohonzon), the part mentioning Yarokuro is missing. In some copies, his name is listed as Yajiro. In the book Atsuhara honan shi (The History of the Atsuhara Persecution) by Hori Jirin (also known as Hori Nichiko) he is listed as Yarokuro. ↩︎
- Translated from Japanese. Nikko, “Deshibun honzon mokuroku” (List of Disciples Upon Whom Nikko Bestowed the Gohonzon), in Fuji shugaku yoshu (The Essential Works of the Fuji School), edited by Nichiko Hori (Tokyo: Soka Gakkai, 1978), vol. 9, p. 258. ↩︎
- See Ibid. ↩︎
- Hoki is a reference to Nikko. Nikko is also referred to as Hoki-bo and Byakuren Ajari. ↩︎
- See Ibid. ↩︎
- The date they were beheaded has not been confirmed, with some theories asserting that it was the eighth day of the fourth month, 1280, and others, the fifteenth day of the tenth month, 1279, the day the interrogations took place. ↩︎
- “Deshibun honzon mokuroku” states, “Even though the seventeen members were imprisoned, they were eventually released” (Ibid.). Due to the potential ambiguity of the Chinese character used, it has been interpreted by some in the past to indicated they were “banished” or “exiled” rather than “released.” ↩︎
-
In 1284, Hojo Sadatoki became regent and Hei no Saemon-no-jo Yoritsuna remained the steward to the main line of the Hojo clan. In consolidating his power, Yoritsuna eliminated Adachi Yasumori, his principal rival within the shogunate, and others. In 1293, however, when his eldest son, Munetsuna, secretly accused him of plotting against the regime, Yoritsuna was attacked by the forces of Sadatoki on the charge of attempted revolt. Both Yoritsuna and his second son, Sukemune, committed suicide. Regarding these events Nikko said this was no trivial matter; it was the kind of retribution that comes in this lifetime from persecuting practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. Munetsuna was exiled to Sado Island. Though eventually pardoned, he was later exiled to Kazusa Province (present-day central area of Chiba Prefecture) on another charge. The once-illustrious family thus fell into complete decline. ↩︎
- Ueno Village: Present-day Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture. ↩︎
- Bodhisattva Never Disparaging is described in “Never Disparaging,” the 20th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. This bodhisattva—Shakyamuni in a previous lifetime—would bow to everyone he met and say: “I have profound reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance. Why? Because you will all practice the bodhisattva way and will then be able to attain Buddhahood” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 308). However, he was attacked by arrogant people, who beat him with sticks and staves, and threw stones at him. The sutra explains that this practice became the cause for Bodhisattva Never Disparaging to attain Buddhahood. ↩︎
- July 2016 Living Buddhism, p. 48. ↩︎
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