The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-28


If the excursionist from Yokohama, who
has halted at Katase, will take the trouble to
go out of that one of the two tea houses
where he is stopping, enter the temple
grounds opposite, and mounting above the
building, reach an elevation from which he
can survey the distant mountsins with the
t'Matchless One" or the erich Scholar"
(however it is to be read), rising up in the
midst, he win be amply repaid in clear
weather. On his way down he can visit the
temple below, which is called Riyo-ko-ji or
Jak-ko-zan, where, with little search, he will
find a curious and old dilapidated picture,
hanging up in the worst of lights. This
picture represents a man squatting on the
ground, waiting in all resignation for the ex-
ecutioner's sword, which is raised on high to
sever his head from his body. But the sword
was not destined to fall. 1t was stayed by the
rain and fire which we see descending from
heaven. So, too, says the legend, and of that
legend we here give free translation for the
benefit of those who may find from it the
means of Willing away an idle moment at
that little spot, after they have visited the
& temples and cave of Enoshima, and, lying
f lazily upon the sands, have gazed at the glo-
s rious view in the distance. The story is
y written by one of the sect of Nichiren, and
the reader will be struck by its similarity to
+ the legends which abound in early Christian
history. 1t reads as follows
( holy image of st. Nichiren, founder of the
Buddhist sect of that name.
SIN olden times, in the summer of the
81 year which corresponds to A. d. 1871, there
was great drought throughout the land, and
b all the people were lamenting sorely Where
4 upon the Minister Hojo Tokimune called on
II his reverence Riyokwan Of the temple Goku-
rakuji to offer up prayers for rain. At this
the priests of that temple were greatly re-
& joiced, and two amongst them, Irisawa and
Suwo by name, thinking to spread abroad the
81 virtues of Riyokwan, went to our Founder
and recounted what had happened. Our
81 Founder, having listened to them, answered:
Fl "I, Nich1ren, have been all my life study
II ing the sacred books, and l know the origin
& of calamity. Now, inasmuch as in Japan
men are scofing at the religion of Buddha,
the seven calamities* are surely come upon
NJ us. This is a matter which men do not
understand. 1t is as if you were to treat
man for disease the cause of which you did
not know. You would simply gradually in
N crease the disease
H ''Now, his reverence, Riyokwan, had been
raising his voice to heaven for full fourteen
ri days, and had done his utmost. But pray as
N he would, not even drop would fall SO
81 there was nothing for it but to leave the
altar and return home.
4 ''Then our Founder on this side lifted up
his prayers, and 10! the rain fell heavily. And
'tBut Riyokwan harbored ever-increasing
resentment against Nichiren, and wishing to
compass his death, brought many false
charges against him to the ears of the Minis
ter Tokimune, who was deceived by Riyok-
wan, and, not distinguishing the right from
the wrong ordered Nichiren to be beheaded.
"Whereupon, on the twelfth day of the
ninth month"; of the same year, body of
several hundred soldiers, armed cGp-d-pie,
forced their way into Matsubagatsa, Xxx seized
our Founder placed him on horse and led
him into Kamakura. Between II and 2 in
the night they arrived at Tatsu-no-kuchi, I
and there they seated him upon carpet made
of skin.+
''Then Shiio Yorimoto KingoI knelt before
our Founder, and having already determined
to share his fate and be his attendant to
<5 Riyozan, he waited in readiness for what
might happen.
'At this time our Founder, joining his
hands as in prayer, lifted up his voice, say
ing:M e Mou. .,o and os +,o would au.u,.., >,
n Even though the good gods are leaving
our country, they will dwell in the heads
of honest men. L, Nichiren, am the ex-
ponent of true doctrine 1t cannot be
that the many gods of our country whether
of heaven or of earth, will break the COW
enant of Riyozan, and withhold their protec-
tion from me.
Echino Saburozayemon Nnoshige, had raised
his long sword aloft, when To- a miracle.
Suddenly the earth quaked, the thunder
rolled, and the lightning flashed; the sword
of the executioner was broken in three
pieces, and he could not stir hand or foot.
''Thus was fulfilled what is written in the
sacred books:-'The sword of fathom long
shall be broken in pieces.
''Now, had this miracle not taken place the
revelation of the deity Shogiyo as is written
at the close of the sacred books, would have
been falsified.
SIN the whole heaven it thundered and
lightened out of season, meteors were seen il
the sky and a voice proceeding from space
\ resounded in the palace, saying, Should Nj
chiren be killed he hoped the land of Nipho1
will be destroyed. Whereat every soul in tn,
palace from Tekimune downwards. wa
amazed. 'Nichirea must be pardoned at once,
they cried "A messenger on a swift horse
must forthwith be despatched with letter O.
full pardon.
''This is what is found in the sacred books
His heart was transformed, and he forthwith
sent off man.
''Verily every title of his holy suffering
accords with what is written in the sacreC
books.
At this time many converts were made, an
ii is recorded thus
'' In the land of Niphon is the Province O
Sagami; in the Province of Sagami is Katase
and in Katase is Tatsn-n o-Kuchi, Their
Nichiren's life was stayed by the divine grac
of Hokke Kiyo, and hence the place shal
always be called Jakkodo.S
Bearing that in mind his reverence Nipp
| naruad holv ipnaoa of Our Eoundar aDd l. =