Komatsubara Persecution
Komatsubara Persecution 小松原の法難 ( Jpn Komatsubara-no-honan)
An attempt by Tojo Kagenobu and his men to kill Nichiren at Komatsubara in Awa Province, Japan, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1264.
Kagenobu, the steward of Tojo Village and a believer of the Pure Land teachings, had tried but failed to harm Nichiren earlier when the latter publicly proclaimed his teaching and denounced the Pure Land teachings in 1253.
Nichiren was helped to escape at that time.
After being pardoned from his exile in Izu (1261-1263), Nichiren returned to Kamakura.
In 1264 he visited his native village in Awa.
His father had already died in 1258, and his mother was now seriously ill.
Nichiren prayed for her, and she recovered from her illness, living four more years.
Nichiren stayed in Awa for a while, taking lodging at a temple called Renge-ji.
At that time, a believer named Kudo Yoshitaka invited Nichiren to stay at his home.
At dusk, en route to Yoshitaka's residence, Nichiren and his party of about ten people were ambushed by Kagenobu and his men at a place known as Komatsubara.
In the ensuing fight, Nichiren suffered a sword cut to his forehead, and his left hand was broken; among his followers,
Kyonin-bo was killed, and Kudo Yoshitaka died of the wounds he suffered.
