Paper short abstract:

By focusing on Nichiren Buddhists, this paper attempts to reconsider the role of Shōtoku Taishi representations within the context of Japanese modernity, thus providing alternative voices to the Shinran-centered narratives of previous research on his significance in modern Japanese Buddhism.

Paper long abstract:

The fact that Nichiren (1222-1282) was a harsh critic of other Buddhist sects, claiming that only the Lotus Sutra could lead to salvation in the Final Dharma age of mappō, is well-known. Although Nichiren did regard Shōtoku Taishi as a pioneer in the propagation of the Lotus Sutra in Japan, he was rather critical of the Hokke Gisho, the prince's famous commentary on the text, and denied its doctrinal value. Moreover, Nichiren drew a clear line between Shōtoku Taishi and Saichō (767-822), the founder of the Tendai tradition in Japan, emphasizing that Taishi did not propagate the true meaning of the Lotus Sutra. In other words, in Nichiren's teachings Taishi was not an essential figure as he was, for instance, to Shinran (1173-1263). This is, perhaps, one of the main reasons why Shōtoku Taishi never became a central question in studies of Nichiren Buddhism. However, after the Meiji restoration, when Taishi gained a new significance for the entirety of the Japanese Buddhist world, this picture started to change. Especially during the Taisho and early Showa periods Taishi began to appear in the work of Nichiren devotees in a variety of guises, such as a "great patron of Buddhism," "skillful politician and diplomat," "great artist and craftsman," "great philosopher," "pioneer in Buddhist social welfare," etc. This paper examines this wide range of narratives, focusing on the works of significant figures in modern Nichiren Buddhism, such as Tanaka Chigaku (1861-1939), Honda Nisshō (1867-1931), Anesaki Masaharu (1873-1949), and shows why and how they projected their own ideals on the image of Shōtoku Taishi. By focusing on these cases, this paper thus presents alternative voices to the Shinran-centered narratives of previous research on the significance of Shōtoku Taishi in modern Japanese Buddhism and attempts to reconsider the place and role of his representations within the broader context of Japanese modernity.