(Hara-dono Gohenji)

Note: Nikko writes about transgressions of Niko. He then says:

"Niko's transgressions are not only those. There have been one or two
people who have taken it upon themselves and painted the image of (inscribed
the mandala of) Nam' Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo and the "Master of the Teachings, the
venerable Sakyamuni", the "Tathagata of the Actual Attaining Enlightenment
of Kuon" that was the purpose of the appearance of Nichiren Daishonin.

Yet, no one in this school has ever made a wooden statue of Sakyamuni to
worship. In spite of that, Nichi-en Nyuudo, despite his extremely shallow
faith, is thinking about making a statue of Sakyamuni. There is no use for
a statue so he should stop thinking about it.

I learned that Niko suggested to Nichi-en Nyuudou that they should make
a Buddha statue about the size of the one Nichiren had, to replace it, as
Nichirou destroyed the will of the Daishonin and walked off with the one
that Nichiren had stated in his testament to have placed at his grave.

As far as I am concerned, I have some complaint if it is the statue that
Nichiren had placed in a shrine at his grave. But, they went so far as to
suggest they worship it. This idea is absurd because that statue is not
related to Jogyo Bosatsu of the four Bodhisattvas who (along with Sakyamuni
Buddha and Taho Tathagata,) are to be alongside (the "Master of the Teachings,
the Venerable Sakyamuni", the "Tathagata of the Actual Attaining Enlightenment
of Kuon"). It is the Dhuta (ascetic) Buddha of Hinayana Buddhism. As such,
even if one were to make (a copy of) the Buddha statue (that Nichirou walked
off with), it would never be an object for worship."

Nikko later states in the letter that, though he cannot understand why he
would want one,  if he must have one, "He should wait until one of his
grand-children could make one for him. Until then, he should worship the
Mandala of Nichiren Daishonin."

This statement was made in an attempt to pacify the individual whose
faith was extremely shallow and whose view of Buddhism was incorrect.

John Ayres