The Nichiren Mandala master class traces the history of mandalas in Buddhism, starting from the earliest times to Nichiren Shonin’s life and onward to today. This master class offers a unique approach to understanding Nichiren’s calligraphic mandala that is disentangled from theology. The classes present the calligraphic mandala in Nichiren’s tradition as an ingenious tool of communication, which not only defined his entire career but paved the way to the widespread diffusion of his teaching. This master class offers all who are interested in the use of mandalas as an object of religious veneration (Gohonzon) to evoke awakening a detailed understanding of their origins and construction.

Origins

• Foreword

• From the caves to symbolism: image and sign

• The power of images: Buddha’s image and Buddhist narrative

• Kūkai and the mandalas of the Heian period

• Iconography and “Hokke” art

• Medieval art and the idea of «mappō»

• Possible influences of Nichiren

• The idea of “savior”: Hōnen and Nichiren

• Fudō, Aizen and the Stūpa

• Nichiren’s first mandala

• The Sado exile: legends and historical reality