Buddha (nyorai)
Nichigatsu Tōmyō Butsu
日月燈明仏
Nichigatsu Tōmyō Butsu is a buddha of the past of whom Monju speaks in the Introductory chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Buddhas of the same name are said to have appeared one after another and taught. Rather than a god of the sun and moon, it is a figure who appears in a story of the Buddha's teaching being handed down over a long time.
This introduction is based on materials from Shōhōin (Tobi Fudō). It is summarized within the scope of the beliefs and traditions those materials convey, and does not present explanations or customs common to all schools, shrines, and temples.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
The Nichigatsu Tōmyō buddhas who preceded Shakyamuni
Nichigatsu Tōmyō Butsu is a buddha of the past of whom Monju speaks in the Introductory chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Buddhas of the same name are said to have appeared one after another and taught. Rather than a god of the sun and moon, it is a figure who appears in a story of the Buddha's teaching being handed down over a long time.
Source: 広済寺
Monju tells of a scene from the past
Before the wondrous sight of Shakyamuni emitting light, Monju says that the same thing happened with the Nichigatsu Tōmyō Butsu of old, and that the Lotus Sutra was preached afterward. There is also the explanation that Myōkō Bosatsu, a teacher in the past, is the present Monju, linking the present preaching to the distant past.
Source: 広済寺
Related kami and buddhas
Sources (in Japanese)
- 飛不動尊 正宝院「仏様の世界：日月燈明仏」（2026-10-14 確認）
- 飛不動尊 正宝院「仏様の世界：目次」（2026-10-14 確認）
- 広済寺「法華経解説：序品第一（後半）」（2026-10-15 確認）