著者

Giglio Emanuele D.

出版者

東京大学大学院人文社会系研究科・文学部インド哲学仏教学研究室

雑誌

インド哲学仏教学研究 (ISSN:09197907)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.20, pp.107-121, 2013-03-31 (Released:2013-09-24)

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The True Characteristic of All Dharmas (Shohō Jissō-shō 諸法実相抄) is traditionally believed to be one of the twelve epistles sent by Nichiren (日蓮, 1222–1282) to the ex-Tendai monk Sairen-bō (最蓮房, 13th century) during their exile on Sado Island. Because the only surviving copy of this epistle is the one included in The Writings “Outside the Records” in Binded Fascicles (Rokuge-gappon 録外合本) from 1480 by Nicchō (日朝, 1422–1500), the eleventh abbot of Kuon-ji monastery (久遠寺), it is classified as one of Nichiren’s “nonautographical writings” (Shahon-ibun 写本遺文). The present study aims to introduce some relevant problems about the origin of The True Characteristic of All Dharmas, with due consideration given to the results of research realized by several scholars on the biography of Sairen-bō, and on the circumstances of the collection of Nichiren’s writings following his death. Clarifying the origin of this epistle can lead us to a deeper understanding of the relationship between Nichiren’s non-autographical writings and Medieval Tendai Thought (Chūko Tendai-gi 中古天台義). As I argue, upon his return from Sado Island, Sairen-bō brought the original text of The True Characteristic of All Dharmas, along with the other eleven epistles he received from Nichiren, to Kyoto, where he concluded his life. However, another collection of Nichiren’s writings, The Writings “Inside the Records” in Binded Fascicles (Rokunai-gappon 録内合本) compiled by Nicchō from 1479, includes four other epistles to Sairen-bō. This fact leads us to the hypothesis that the material that became the primary source of both The Writings “Inside” and “Outside the Records” in Binded Fascicles was delivered from Kyōto to Minobu respectively by the third abbot of Kuon-ji monastery, Nisshin (日進, 1271–1347), who copied epistles to Sairen-bō while in Kyoto, and by the twelfth abbot Nichi’i (日意, 1444–1519), disciple of Nicchō, during his mission in the capital between 1470 and 1479. I argue that considering that the primary sources for both The Writings “Inside” and “Outside the Records” in Binded Fascicles were still being transferred from Kyoto since the time of Nisshin, these two compilations by Nicchō were nothing more than a copy of what was already arranged earlier. Moreover, this fact makes plausible the hypothesis that the origin of The True Characteristic of All Dharmas arose before the second half of 15th century, and suggests the necessity of further verifying the movements not only of Sairen-bō but also of Nisshin and Nichi’i.