Nichiren; Kyoto; Council of Head Temples; Enroku Treaty; sixteenth century
摘要
In this article, I argue that the Nichiren sect in Kyoto was able to recover from its near destruction in 1536 and maintain its position in the capital through the violent sixteenth century by unifying its disparate and contentious lineages under a new governing body, the Council of Head Temples. Unknown until the discovery of its documents in 1982, the council allowed the sect, as a unit, to negotiate with warrior power. The council was the culmination of pro-unity forces in the sect, especially those who succeeded in convincing the two sides to stop fighting each other over the sect’s greatest doctrinal dispute. Previous scholarship has treated the Nichiren sect in the late sixteenth century as being at the mercy of powerful warriors. This article shows that the monks of the Nichiren sect were able to muster considerable resources and not only negotiate better treatment from the warriors but even drive warrior policy.
目次
An Amenable Arrangement 73 The Great Divide: Unitary and Hierarchy Factions 78 The Kyoto Nichiren Sect Before Its Exile 79 Return and Resurgence 83 The Miyoshi and the Shogun 85 The Eiroku Treaty 87 The Council of Head Temples 94 Conclusion: From Many, One 98 References 100
