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Honen’s
Death and Ojo
2.
Dreams and
Visions of Honen’s Death
3.
Honen Last Will
and Testament
After returning to Kyoto from exile, Honen took
up residence
near his former retreat at Otani on Higashiyama (Mt. Higashi).
On January 2, 1212, due to the difficulties of his exile, Honen
fell ill. Although his disciples had nursed him with greatest
care, he had become increasingly weak in his old age. On January
23, he dictated the Ichimai Kishomon (The One Sheet
Document), a record of his essential teachings,
to Genchi (2,3,4). He passed away two days later on the 25th at
the age of 80 (1, 5, 6, 7,8). Before his death, he is said to
have donned a surplice belonging to Jikaku Daishi Ennin (794-864),
the great disciple of Saicho, that had been handed down through
the Kurodani precept lineage.1 He passed away peacefully, chanting
the nembutsu.
From the 2nd of
the New Year of 1212,
Honen was feeling so poorly that he could hardly eat anything. For the
past
three or four years, Honen’s sight and hearing had become so dull that
he could
neither clearly distinguish color nor recognize voices. But now as the
end
approached, both senses became as sharp as before, and everyone who saw
him was
filled with delight and surprise. He talked of nothing but Birth in the
Pure
Land, repeating the name without ceasing in a loud voice, and even in
his sleep
his lips continued to move.
On the 3rd, one
of his disciples asked
him, “Do you think this means Birth in the Pure Land this time for
sure?"
To which he replied, "I came from the Land of Bliss, and I am sure I am
going back there." Then another disciple Horen-bo asked him, "All
famous priests from ancient times have left memorial temples behind
them, but
none has yet been built for you. Where then should we build yours?" His
answer was, "If you erect a memorial to me over my grave, the influence
of
my teaching will be confined to one place, and not widely disseminated.
But I
assure you my memorial shall fill the land.
The one purpose of my life has been the universal spread of the nembutsu. So wherever
among the high
class or low you find a nembutsu community, there
is my memorial temple,
even if it’s just the thatched cottage of a humble fisherman."
At
around 8:00 in the morning on the 11th, Honen arose from his
bed and
in a loud voice repeated the nembutsu. All who heard
were moved to
tears. He
said to his disciples, "Repeat the nembutsu in a loud voice.
The Buddha Amida has
come, and no one who repeats the name can fail to be Born in the Pure
Land." And then, as he always had done, he began to speak about the
merits
of the nembutsu,
saying, "The Bodhisattvas Kannon and Seishi and many holy beings are
appearing to me. Don't you see them?" When they said, "No," he
urged them all to more earnestly repeat the sacred name.
At 10:00, his
disciples brought him an
image of Amida three feet high, and, as they put it on the right side
of his
bed, asked him if he could see it. With his finger pointing to the sky,
he
said, "There is another Buddha here besides this one. Do you not see
him?" Then he went on to say,”As a result of the merit of repeating the
sacred name, I have for the past ten years continually been gazing upon
the
glory of the Pure Land and the very forms of the Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas. But
I have kept it secret and said nothing about it. Now, however, as I
draw near
the end, I disclose it to you." The disciples then took a piece of cord
made of five-colored strands, fastened it to the hand of the Buddha's
image,
and told Honen to take hold of it. Declining, he said, "This is the
ceremony for most people, but it’s hardly necessary for me."
On the 20th
at 10:00 in the
morning, purple clouds were seen over the roof of his room. And, as a
halo
encircles the Buddha's head in art, there appeared a beautiful
five-colored
circular cloud, quite visible even to the crowds passing along the
street. At
the sight of them, his disciples told him, "There are purple clouds
above
you. Are you about to enter the Pure Land?" He replied, "This is
wonderful! My Birth in the Pure Land is for all sentient beings. These
good
omens are to
help people towards faith in the nembutsu. Later in the
afternoon at 2:00, he looked
up towards the sky five or six times without blinking, His attendants
asked in
surprise, "Has the Buddha come?"; and Honen replied,"Yes, he
has."
From the 23rd,
Honen began
incessantly repeating the name, calling it out in a loud voice for a
half hour
or an hour at a time. From 6:00 in the evening on the 24th right up to
10:00 in
the morning on the 25th without the least interruption, he
continued
with all his might in a loud voice calling upon Amida. Five or six of
his
disciples assisted him in turn with their voices, until they became
tired. But
Honen, old and sick as he was, incredibly went right on. All those who
surrounded him, both monastic and lay alike, were in tears.
From midday, his
voice began to grow
weaker and weaker, only at intervals did it became loud again. As he
drew near
to the end, he put on the nine-stripped robe of the lineage of
“precepts for
perfect and immediate enlightenment" (endon kai), established by
Saicho, the
founder of the Tendai school on Mt. Hiei, and passed down through his
disciple
Ennin, the great nembutsu hijiri Ryonin, and
Honen’s Kurodani hermitage
master Eiku. Then, he laid down with his head to the north and his face
turned
toward the west in the manner in which the Buddha Shakyamuni died. The
lion,
the king of beasts, is said to sleep this way, and so did Shakyamuni,
the lord
of humans. To lie down with one’s head thrown back was said to be the
way evil
spirits (asura),
and to lie with one's face downward was to imitate hungry ghosts (preta).
Honen then
recited the following passage
from the Meditation Sutra:
"The light (of Amida) illumines all sentient beings throughout the ten
quarters, who call upon the sacred name, protects them, and never
forsakes
them." With these words on his lips he breathed his last, as one falls
asleep. After his voice was silent, his lips and tongue continued
moving over
ten times, while a bright smile came over his face. His departure
took place just
at 12:30 on the 25th of January, 1212. He was then in his
eightieth
year - the very age at which Shakyamuni himself died and also in the
very same
calendar year of the monkey and water. With his death went out the
light of
knowledge from the world, as once more the Buddha's sun sank from human
sight
behind the western horizon. People of all classes alike mourned his
death, as
they would that of their own loved parents.
Chapter 37, page 635.
Dreams and
Visions of Honen’s Death
On the eastern
side of Honen's house,
there was a fine stretch of ground with a wonderful view opening out
towards
the west, which a certain man had given instructions to be used for his
own
grave. But in December of the previous year when Honen returned to the
capital,
the owner gave it over to him, handing him along with his letter of
presentation the title deed of the lot. Honen, on receiving the
documents,
threw them into the fire, with the words, "This is a gift to the Three
Sacred Treasures. Oh Amida I pray you accept it." So
when Honen died, they built his mortuary
chapel here, and he was buried in a stone tomb beside it.
As the news
spread of Honen’s death,
people of all classes, moved by sincere feeling, thronged to the place
like a
market. Hardly able to wait, they jostled one another there in crowds
every
monthly memorial day. This is the spot on which Chion-in Temple, the
Head
Temple of Jodo Shu now stands.
There
was a timber dealer living in Kyoto by the name of Taro, an ordained
follower (nyudo), who had became
greatly
attached to Honen. At the time of Honen's death, he contributed several
pillars
to the building of his mortuary chapel. One day during the period of
mourning,
an old man visited Honen's tomb and said to his disciple, "I am a
wood-cutter from Mt. Nishiyama. I had a dream this morning in which I
saw a
monk coming to me who said, ‘That ordained follower who contributed
those
pillars toward Honen's mortuary chapel has just been Born in the Pure
Land. Go
and get acquainted with him. That is why I have come.’ On hearing his
story,
Honen's disciples went at once to inquire about it, and they found that
only a
few days before this ordained follower Taro had due to sickness moved
to a
place east of Zenrin-ji Temple. So they went and found that he had been
there.
It seems that Taro said Honen had been constantly at his side, telling
him that
as he drew near the end, he should keep saying the nembutsu. This greatly
rejoiced him, and
finally in the small hours of the morning, he accomplished his ojo. When they
learned the facts
of the case, the monks and the old man were deeply impressed by the
connection
with the old man's dream.
Chapter
38, page 641.
Article
1: As to the mass
to be said for me after my death:
Religious
cultivation requires
solitude. Worldly business disturbs our religious life. After my death
you, my
disciples and followers, should not come together for any purpose
whatever,
lest you get into a dispute. Quarrels often arise at such times,
although the
meeting may seem to promote friendship. Therefore, you had better live
separately and not meet together. Each of you should stay at home and
pray that
you may attain your own ojo on lotus seats in
the Pare Land, keeping yourselves aloof
from all angry feelings. To show your appreciation of what I have done
for you,
do not deviate a hair's breadth from this my parting instruction.
Now I must call your attention to the matter of the mass to be said for
my soul. Do not paint a
Buddha picture, or
transcribe the Sutras, or make baths for people, or plan other works of
charity
to repay my kindness. Instead of such things, only practice the nembutsu
with
all your hearts and
nothing else. During my lifetime my only work has been the practice of
the nembutsu. Why should you,
my disciples,
devote yourselves to any practice contrary to my teaching? You must
further
take care when you practice it, not to do it in the form of the
continuous
practice for seven weeks [as is usual for Japanese Buddhist funerals].
But
everyone by themselves separately for a day and night, or for seven
days and
nights immediately after my death. The continual practice of the nembutsu
is
apt to make people idle and
rob them of courage. Do
not then, my disciples and followers, disregard this instruction of
mine.
Article
2: As
to the property I leave
behind:
After my death do not quarrel over the property I bequeath: houses, utensils, garments, dishes, etc.. From ancient times, quarrels have often arisen over property after the death of the owner. Thus brothers have often fallen out with one another over their father's inheritance, and in the same way fellow dharma farers have fought over their master's property. I cannot tolerate anything like this. My disciples must not quarrel over my property after my death. Even a layperson should be ashamed to quarrel, so how much more a monk. I have indeed very many disciples, and among them are only these seven - Shinku, Kansai, Shoku, Enshin, Choson, Kansho and Ryosei - who have rendered especially kind and faithful service to me for many years, and I wish to reward them for their many kindnesses. To Shinku, the most intimate of all, I wish to leave my main apartment, together with the annexes at Kurodani and Shirakawa, a garden at Sakashita, and a lot of ground at Rakuchu, as well as the three foot Amida image made by Jocho, and sixty volumes of printed scriptures, etc. To Kansai, I give the house which was formerly at Hirotani on Mt. Nishiyama and is now in the central part of Yoshimizu, and a lot of ground at Takahata, for which I paid only one half of the value when I bought it. To Enshin, I leave the new house in the eastern part of Yoshimizu, since it belonged to the nun of Rokujo who adopted him, and a lot of ground at Rokujo which I had already promised to give him, with a conveyance written by myself, on the condition that during my lifetime I reserve for myself the use of the property. To Choson, I give the Kakugobo Temple together with the record of the temple property when the late Nyogyo died, and a house in the neighborhood of Shirakawa which 1 bought for him. I return the old house in the western part of Yoshimizu to its original owner, whom all my disciples know very well, and I cannot give it to anyone else. A chapel which was formerly at Otani I have already given to the nun living in th
e house in the
western part of
Yoshimizu,
as through Saison and Jojo she especially so requested. Also one or two
out-houses which I repaired a few years ago I leave to the owner of the
house
in the western part of Yoshimizu, to which they belong. I have no other
property or houses than those mentioned above, and I can give nothing
to anyone
else. I hereby affix the names of these three other disciples with whom
I have
not been associated so long - Junsai, Jikinen and Gonsai - to whom
appeal can
be made by way of confirmation of this document. Too numerous even to
mention
are the many who have come to me morning and evening from all quarters
seeking
the way of salvation.
It is a general
rule that when a monk or
nun dies, his or her property belongs to the community of which they
are
members, and so I have divided my property among my disciples. Do not
forget,
my disciples, these two points which I have carefully stated as above,
to be
observed by my followers after my death. If you are truly grateful for
the
favor I have bestowed upon you, you will not fail thankfully to observe
these
instructions. As water and milk always live on good terms with each
other, so
should all my disciples live in perfect harmony after my death. This is
all I
wish to say.
Signed Genku,
April 8th, 1198.
Chapter
39,
footnote #1, page 654.
As
Honen was drawing near the
end, he repeated to his disciples the terms of his will written in
1198: “Build
no memorial temple to me. If you want to show your feeling towards me,
do it
not by holding meetings in my honor, but let each of you their
gratitude for
what I have done for them by practicing the nembutsu privately. I
fear that if you
gather together in crowds, it may only result in strife and discord."
Nevertheless, Horen-bo, besides encouraging the individual practice of
the nembutsu, followed the
usual custom and
proposed the holding of memorial services every seventh day all through
the
seven weeks of mourning, and it was unanimously carried out.
On
the first
seventh day, Shinren-bo ran
the service, and Sanemune Omiya, an ordained follower and one of the
highest
ministers of state, served as an honorary patron, reading the following
address, “It was during the lifetime of my revered master, and just on
the eve
of leaving my official post at the Imperial Court, that in his presence
I took
refuge in the ten cardinal precepts with all my heart. Now that you
have gone
to that other shore, I would now reverently address you on this solemn
occasion, trusting that you will use your place in that Blissful Land
to
promote my salvation too. I hope that you will not look down on this
small
tribute of mine. Hoping I may be able to add a little beauty to that
lotus
stand on which I aspire to sit in the Pure Land, I now ring the temple
bell
whose rich mysterious tones re-echo there."
At the second
weekly service, Gubutsu-bo
presided, and the honorary patron was the grandchild of an ordained
follower
Jakushin, who was the
President of
the Bureau of Imperial Archives.
At the third,
Jushin-bo presided, and Shoshin-bo
Tanku, the honorary patron, gave to everyone a printed copy of an
inscription
made by Wang I-chih, a famous Chinese penman, containing eighty
letters,
arranged in twelve lines, and read the following poem:
As in past ages,
footprints of
the birds
Became the guides
for writing
Chinese words,
To Paradise,
along the western
way,
My footsteps
guide, for this I
truly pray.
At the fourth
weekly service Horen-bo
presided, and Ryosei, as honorary patron, read the following address :
"Our late revered
teacher appeared
at the beginning of the lat
ter ten thousand
years of the Dharma, and
promulgated the one excellent teaching of Amida. The sword of his
wisdom was
sharper than that of Moya (a famous Chinese swordsman), and his
virtuous
character was a gem of purer luster than that of the world famed mani
jewel.
It is now four weeks
since his noble spirit launched upon that stream whose waters never
return. At
the time many, even in distant places, looked with wonder upon the
clouds which
indicated his welcome to the Pure Land, while later his many disciples
near at
hand breathed in the sweet perfumes wafting over his newly made grave.
As I
call to mind those principles of truth which he taught, a new longing
possesses
me to strive for ultimate enlightenment. I would in all reverence lay
them to
heart, and herewith give expression to the profound feelings which move
me."
At the fifth
weekly service Ryukan
presided, and Seikan-bo Genchi as honorary patron read the following
address:
"Beautiful clouds covered his roof down to the very eaves. People
gathered
from far and near to gaze upon the scene. Sweet odors filled his
chamber, which
I,
with many,
inhaled in delighted wonder."
At the sixth
service, Seikaku presided
and Jichin as honorary patron read the following address: "During Honen
Shonin's lifetime, being myself a son of
Buddha, I often used to converse with him about the sutras, and I was
always
asking him to come to my temple and expound the Dharma of the Buddhas.
Our
affinity for each other was by no means merely casual. He seemed to have
a deep
desire for my salvation. This is why, on this sixth memorial service,
it falls
on me to offer these few words, which I do with profound respect. I
hereby
present these priestly robes for him to wear in the home where he has
now
attained ojo,
as the garments which signify his emancipation. The food which I now
offer is
to be placed at the gateway of that heavenly castle, where he now
dwells in
safety, a symbol of that ecstatic joy (dhyana) which is now
his. Thus may his sainted
soul rise to the highest lotus-stand of the Pure Land, which was his
daily
yearning during the days of his flesh. May I too, another son of
Buddha, who
longs for the same with sincere heart, be the first to receive his warm
welcome
to the Blissful Land."
At the seventh
weekly service, Koin, the
Bishop of the Mii Temple, presided, and Horen-bo Shinku, the honorary
patron,
read the following address: "When my revered teacher was twenty five
years
of age, I pledged myself to become his disciple at the age of twelve.
Now that
fifty long years have rolled by, I find we are in different worlds. My
heart
is
rent, as I
think of our separation. From the time that he took up his lodgings in
the
thatched cottage in Kurodani on Mt. Hiei, until he moved to his quiet
chambers
at Shirakawa, in the eastern section of the capital, yea, through all
the
years, his tender training and watchful care have awakened within me a
gratitude as boundless as the summer skies. In remembrance of this, I
have hung
a picture of Amida here, which represents him coming to welcome us to
the Land
of Bliss. I have also enshrined here a scroll, bearing the symbolic
Shingon
characters of the “womb” and the “diamond,” and may the Buddha spirit
enter
into them and take possession of them. I have also presented printed
copies of
the eight volumes of the Lotus Sutra, and a written
copy of the volume of the
Golden Light Sutra,
an exposition of which I would now offer. Be witnesses, oh Three
Treasures, to
the deep sincerity of my offering."
Chapter
39,
sections 1-3, pages 649-651.
When the Bishop
of the Mii Temple expressed his
earnest desire
to become the presiding officer at the meeting, bringing with him
various
offerings suitable to one holding such an office, it created a rather
peculiar
impression upon those in charge. While the company were still in much
perplexity as to the meaning of all this, the Bishop, after he had
finished
speaking in praise of the sacred writings, went on into a detailed
statement of
the reasons which had led him to burn his work called Jodo
Ketsugisho
(Solution to the Jodo Problem), a reply and
criticism of Honen’s Senchakushu.
Chapter
39,
section 4, page 652.
Biographical
Notes:
1. Gorinju nikki,
SHZ. 868-873. This describes his life in detail after leaving
Shikoku
2. Guganbon, HSD. 532.
3. Kukanden, HSD. 438-39.
4. Shijuhachikanden, HSD. 284-85.
5. Daigobon, HSD. 788-89.
6. Genkushonin Shinikki, HSD. 772.
7. Chionkoshiki, HSD. 1037.
8. Chikugobon, HSD. 495.
Paintings:
Honen's
final moments
(Honen no rinju) from the Honen
Shonin gyojoezu, Scroll 37, section 16.
Copyright(c) by
1996-2006 Jodo Shu Research Institute