RELIGIOUS FIGURE

Nichiren

1222 - 1282

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Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. Nichiren: 77 : 1  declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of Buddhism, insisting that the sovereign of Japan and its people should support only this form of Buddhism and eradicate all others. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Nichiren has received more than 730,357 page views. His biography is available in 40 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 38 in 2019). Nichiren is the 596th most popular religious figure (up from 616th in 2019), the 79th most popular biography from Japan and the 3rd most popular Japanese Religious Figure.

Nichiren is most famous for his belief that only chanting the daimoku, or "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" can lead to enlightenment. He also believed that the Lotus Sutra was the only scripture that could lead to enlightenment.

Memorability Metrics

  • 730k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 65.96

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 40

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 4.46

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.78

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES

Among religious figures, Nichiren ranks 596 out of 3,187. Before him are Ibn Hisham, Nachman of Breslov, Pope Marcellinus, Columbanus, Joan Enric Vives Sicília, and Jethro. After him are Annas, Onuphrius, Macarius of Egypt, Qasim ibn Muhammad, Pope Stephen V, and Pope Theodore II.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1222, Nichiren ranks 1. After him are Qalawun, Andrey II of Vladimir, and Henry III the White. Among people deceased in 1282, Nichiren ranks 4. Before him are Michael VIII Palaiologos, Abaqa Khan, and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. After him are Agnes of Bohemia, Mengu-Timur, Ibn Khallikan, Traidenis, George Akropolites, Margaret Sambiria, and Mechthild of Magdeburg.

Others Born in 1222

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Others Deceased in 1282

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In Japan

Among people born in Japan, Nichiren ranks 79 out of 6,245. Before him are Date Masamune (1567), Sonny Chiba (1939), Kazuo Ishiguro (1954), Utamaro (1753), Dōgen (1200), and Tomoe Gozen (1157). After him are Emperor Annei (-577), Jiro Horikoshi (1903), Tōgō Heihachirō (1848), Yoshihide Suga (1948), Kiichiro Toyoda (1894), and Himiko (175).

Others born in Japan

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Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES In Japan

Among religious figures born in Japan, Nichiren ranks 3. Before him are Kane Tanaka (1903), and Dōgen (1200). After him are Benkei (1155), Paulo Miki (1564), Empress Meishō (1624), Abe no Seimei (921), Sen no Rikyū (1522), Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659), Mikao Usui (1865), Dom Justo Takayama (1552), and Ikkyū (1394).

Japanese born Religious Figures

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