095 The Eight Winds

095 The Eight Winds

Author: The Ignorant Trio December 15, 2023 Duration: 9:40

Background

This is one of the many letters Nichiren Daishonin wrote to Shijō Kingo, his loyal disciple in Kamakura. Because of Kingo’s devotion to the Daishonin’s teachings, he was ordered in 1276 to move from his estate near Kamakura to the distant province of Echigo. The letter is not dated, but it is known to have been written in the third year of Kenji (1277).


The concept of the “eight winds” is described in works such as The Treatise on the Stage of Buddhahood Sutra. They advise people not to be swayed by their attachment to prosperity, honor, praise, or pleasure (the four favorable winds), or by their aversion to decline, disgrace, censure, or suffering (the four adverse winds).


The Daishonin cautions Kingo to remain in the good graces of his lord, reminding him that Lord Ema refrained from harassing him during the Daishonin’s exile to Sado, when the government was persecuting the Daishonin and his followers. Then the Daishonin tells Kingo that only by putting faith first and controlling his feelings of resentment against his lord can he expect to find a way out of this impasse. He also says that courts of lawand other expedients are secondary to faith and that, if Kingo is to win, he must proceed exactly as the Daishonin teaches.


https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/95


Finding quiet moments for study and reflection can feel nearly impossible in the rush of daily life. Gosho Reading (Nichiren Buddhism) offers a simple, accessible way to engage with the writings of Nichiren Daishonin, turning mundane tasks into opportunities for spiritual nourishment. Hosted by The Ignorant Trio-three women who approach the material with genuine curiosity rather than scholarly authority-each episode features a clear, thoughtful reading of passages from the Gosho. You might hear them while commuting, cooking, or folding laundry, allowing the teachings to settle into the rhythm of your day. The hosts, occasionally joined by guests, read the letters and treatises with a focus on clarity and presence, creating a shared space for listening rather than academic analysis. This podcast doesn’t aim to lecture or interpret heavily; instead, it provides the text itself, spoken aloud, so listeners can absorb the wisdom directly and find their own connections. It’s a companion for those seeking to integrate practice into a busy schedule, making the profound teachings of Nichiren Buddhism available in a practical, auditory format. Join The Ignorant Trio for these readings and discover how listening can become its own form of daily practice.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 57

Gosho Reading (Nichiren Buddhism)
Podcast Episodes
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:03
An introduction to Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Introduction/3#The%20Life%20of%20Nichiren%20Daishonin:~:text=peacefully%20passed%20away.-,Nichiren%20Daishonin%E2%80%99s%20Buddhi…
The Life of Nichiren Daishonin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:02
A brief biography of Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of The Law. https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Introduction/3#The%20Life%20of%20Nichiren%20Daishonin:~:text=of%20its%20inhabitants.-,The%20Life%…
073 On Upholding Faith in the Gohonzon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:09
This letter was written at Minobu in the eighth month of the first year of Kenji (1275) to the lay nun Myōshin, a believer who lived in Nishiyama in Fuji District of Suruga Province. It explains that the Gohonzon is “the…
040 The True Aspect of All Phenomena [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:50
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter to Sairen-bō Nichijō while at Ichinosawa on Sado Island in the fifth month of the tenth year of Bun’ei (1273). For some reason Sairen-bō was also in exile on Sado, where he had been c…
077 The Three Obstacles and Four Devils [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:23
This letter was written to Hyōe no Sakan Munenaga, the younger of the two Ikegami brothers. Though it was originally thought to have been written in the first year of Kenji (1275), it is now apparent that it was written…
155 Reply to the Lay Nun Nichigon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51
This letter was written at Minobu in the eleventh month of the third year of Kōan (1280) in response to a petition from the lay nun Nichigon. She is thought to have been either a relative of the lay priest Takahashi, a c…
026 Letter to Priest Nichirō in Prison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:07
On the ninth day of the tenth month, 1271, on the eve of his departure for Sado Island, Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter to Chikugo-bō Nichirō, who was later to become one of his six senior disciples. Nichirō and his…