by Masuo Nezu

On March 3, 1993, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano (front left) cut the tape for a photo exhibition commemorating his 88th birthday (according to the Sino-Japanese way of counting) held in a lobby of the Second Group Pilgrimage Hall at Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters in Tokyo.

In the process of making the photographs into ceramic plates some alterations to the photographs were made with paint, as he wanted them to be bright and magnificent. He traveled to Kyoto twice, where the ceramic plates were to be made, to see how the process worked. By using the latest techniques at that time it was said that the ceramic plates would not fade for 2,000 years and would not be damaged by an earthquake even of the magnitude of 7.

"Anyhow," the founder said, "since they will be around for 2,000 years, I have to write the inscriptions very carefully." He concentrated especially on inscribing the characters. Through studying professional books on calligraphy and pondering over them, the style of the characters was studied, devised, and then changed to a certain extent.

As he wrote relatively huge characters on many sheets of paper with a brush, the quantity of ink needed became so great that for days staff in his office prepared liquid ink from ink sticks all day long. The manner of rubbing the sticks required careful pressure, neither too strong nor too soft, to avoid the excessive adhesion that might result from applying all one's might. The water used was always the same natural water. He wrote the phrases many times, until he was satisfied. One evening, finally, he placed them on the wide floor of the Great Sacred Hall. He had chosen the best by gazing at and pondering over them.

"These words are to live through the 21st century." "They must survive for 2,000 years." The people around him in those days heard him utter these words many times.

This series of articles was originally published in Japanese in 2000 under the title Kaiso Zuimonki: Egao no Ushirosugata.