Risshōankokuron Chapter Summary

Before diving into discussing Nichiren as a religious nationalist, it is imperative to explore how he also stands as a religious reformist. The definition of reform essentially entails the removal of a flawed method or body of circumstances, and the introduction of an “improved form or condition” (Merriam-webster). In the Risshōankokuron, or “The Treatise on the Establishment of the Orthodox Teaching and the Peace of the Nation”, Nichiren writes with a particular fervor and sense of urgency, which sets the tone for his stance as an unrelenting religious force.
The Risshōankokuron is one of Nichiren’s most notable works, and is extraordinarily transparent and direct. It was written as a direct appeal to the government. Rather than serving solely as a religious text steeped in metaphysical debate and imagery, the Risshōankokuron provides a perspective on the blending of Nichiren’s political and religious ideals citation needed (Numata, 6). His criticism in this piece paints a picture of the social and political disunity and strife of
Again, Nichiren is a reformist. The Risshōankokuron is a call to the government to achieve peace in Japan through following the “Right Dharma”. Nichiren advocates heavily for the destruction and elimination of all those who speak slander against the “Right Dharma”. In Dialogue VII, “The Warnings of The Buddha”, Nichiren writes, “As far as Buddhist sutras are concerned, it can be concluded that the peace of our country will be realized if slanderers of the Right Dharma are eliminated and keepers of the Right Dharma are protected. ‘The Buddha says to [Maitreya Bodhisattva] in the same sutra: I remember that I became a king of a great country Jambudvipa in a previous existence…I heard some Brahmas slandering the great vehicle. Having heard this, I killed them. Good man! Because of this, I have never fallen into hell since then’” (qtd. from Numata,