Background
NINSHO was born on 19 August 1217 in Nara.
NINSHO was born on 19 August 1217 in Nara.
In 1240 he entered the priesthood under Eison of Saidai-ji in Nara and devoted his efforts to caring for lepers and persons of the outcast class. He is said to have founded the Kitayama Juhachikendo, a hall for the shelter and care of lepers in Nara, which remains in existence today.
In 1252 he journeyed to eastern Japan and took up residence in Mimura-ji in the province of Hitachi, where he worked to spread his teachings. In 1261 he went to Kamakura, where he lived in the Shaka Hall of Shoryo-ji. The statesman Hojo Shigetoki and his son Naritoki were both follow'ers of Ninsho, and w'lien Shigetoki built a temple called Gokuraku-ji in Kamakura, Ninsho took up residence as the first head of it.
At the time of the second Mongol attack on Japan in 1281, he won fame for the ceremonies that he carried out to pray for divine protection. He demonstrated great ability as an administrator, serving as betto (supervisor) of Eifultu-ji in Kamakura and manager of other temples in various regions. In addition to these varied activities, he set up facilities for printing books at Gokuraku-ji.
He opposed the famous Buddhist leader Nichiren, who was preaching in Kamakura at this time, and lent his support to the shogunate in its measures to curb Nichiren’s activities.