Bodily Reading of the Lotus Sutra: Understanding Nichiren's Buddhism

Abstract

Nichiren's reading of the Lotus Sūtra, which he regarded as the quintessence of Śakyamuni Buddha's teaching following the Tendai tradition, determined the content of his teaching as well as the course of his religous career. This paper first looks at the Lotus Sutra's teaching on its own reading and then, surveying Nichiren's writings to see how he understood the act of reading the Lotus Sūtra, lays out the elements involved in the way he actually did read it, A closer examination of Nichiren's bodily reading (shikidoku) of the Lotus Sutra offers a key for understanding his teaching and practice in the context of the wider Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition, and also throws fresh light on the mystical and prophetic dimensions of his religious vision.