Nichiren's Calligraphic Mandala as Artwork

Few people have never heard of the Japanese monk Nichiren and many Buddhist schools refer to his thought and venerate the mandala he conceived. What does this mandala represent and how to orient oneself in the face of a mostly sectarian literature, sometimes imbued with doctrinal controversy? And what exactly is this focus of devotion (honzon)? For many, the fact that almost 130 specimens have survived intact to this day might be surprising. This book explores the mandala starting from the historical and artistic context of medieval Japan in a broader and objective framework than the purely sectarian narrative and indeed, mainly as a work of art. The author was able to directly analyze a large part of Nichiren's original mandalic corpus and visited all the places wherethey are preserved, direclty interviewing the curators and experts in this field. The book also stems from research carried out at Rissho University, adapter to a wider audience and not necessarily Nichiren devotees. The innovative approach lies in the fact that the mandalas are read as if they were figurative paintings. This research goes far beyond Nichiren and also analyzes the work of his direct disciples, their successors and the traditions that have arisen over the centuries from the visual perspective and not from the doctrinal aspect. Although precise and detailed, this text is accessible to all and complemented by partly original photos by the author and therefore unpublished. Interesting for those who just want to find out about Nichiren, the work goes beyond purely academic study, full of difficult terminologu and disregards any sectarian influence, deliberately avoiding parochial language