On This Day
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Nichiren, a Japanese Buddhist monk, founder of Nichiren Buddhism, inscribes the Dai-Gohonzon

Nichiren was a Japanese Buddhist monk and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a unique branch of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism based on the Lotus...

Nichiren was a Japanese Buddhist monk and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a unique branch of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism based on the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhism and that it is the only sutra suited for the Age of Dharma Decline. He insisted that the sovereign of Japan and its people should support only this form of Buddhism and eradicate all others, or they would face social collapse and environmental disasters. Nichiren advocated the faithful recitation of the title of the Lotus Sutra, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, as the only effective path to Buddhahood in this very life, a path which he saw as accessible to all people regardless of class, education or ability.

Historical Significance

Nichiren was a Japanese Buddhist monk and philosopher of the Kamakura period.

Events Before

  1. Condemnation of 219 philosophical and theological theses by Stephen Tempier, Bishop of Paris

    Condemnation of 219 philosophical and theological theses by Stephen Tempier, Bishop of Paris

  2. As Vizier Mehmet I of Karaman issues a firman (decree) ordering only the Turkish language to be used, not Arabic or Pers

    As Vizier Mehmet I of Karaman issues a firman (decree) ordering only the Turkish language to be used, not Arabic or Persian

  3. Jews in England are imprisoned on charges of coin clipping and counterfeiting

    Jews in England are imprisoned on charges of coin clipping and counterfeiting

  4. Battle of Marchfeld: Rudolf of Habsburg defeats Ottokar II

    Ottokar II (Czech: Přemysl Otakar II.; c. 1233, in Městec Králové, Bohemia – 26 August 1278, in Dürnkrut, Lower Austria), the Iron and Golden King, was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty who reigned...

  5. Jews are arrested in England for counterfeiting coins, and 293 are hanged

    Jews are arrested in England for counterfeiting coins, and 293 are hanged

Events After

  1. Sogen Mugaku, founder of Engakuji temple, arrives in Japan from China

    Sogen Mugaku, founder of Engakuji temple, arrives in Japan from China

  2. During Kublai Khan's second Mongol invasion of Japan, his invading Chinese fleet of 3,500 vessels disappears in a typhoo

    During Kublai Khan's second Mongol invasion of Japan, his invading Chinese fleet of 3,500 vessels disappears in a typhoon near the Japanese coast

  3. Simon de Brion elected Pope Martinus IV

    Pope Martin IV (Latin: Martinus IV; born Simon de Brion; c. 1210 – 28 March 1285), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 February 1281 until his death on 22 March...

  4. Kublai Khan's second invasion of Japan begins with an attack on Tsushima Island but encounters fierce resistance, forcin

    Kublai Khan's second invasion of Japan begins with an attack on Tsushima Island but encounters fierce resistance, forcing his troops to withdraw

  5. Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders, takes financial responsibility for Bruges

    Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders, takes financial responsibility for Bruges

More from the 1270s

Mongolian victory at the naval Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China

The Battle of Yamen, also known as the Battle of Yashan, was a naval battle which took place in southern China on 19 March 1279.

BC Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great becomes Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 19th Dynasty

BC Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great becomes Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 19th Dynasty

Around 1,000 soldiers of the Mongol army land on the Japanese island of Tsushima in the first attack of Kublai Khan's Mo

Around 1,000 soldiers of the Mongol army land on the Japanese island of Tsushima in the first attack of Kublai Khan's Mongol invasion of Japan

Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (元 yuán), marking the start of the Yuan Dynasty of China

The Yuan dynasty, officially the Great Yuan, was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 12, 1279?
Nichiren was a Japanese Buddhist monk and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a unique branch of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism based on the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhism and that it is the only sutra suited for the Age of Dharma Decline.
Why is Nichiren, a Japanese Buddhist monk, founder of Nichiren Buddhism, inscribes t... significant?
Nichiren was a Japanese Buddhist monk and philosopher of the Kamakura period.

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October 12 in HistoryYear 1279