temple (妙 石 坊). Nichiren confronted her, and the mystical figure introduced herself as a water deity seeking to be absolved from past Negative Karma. Nichiren then took a reflective vase (mirror) and placed it before her, revealing her true identity as a red water dragon, gaining Buddhahood at that moment. Nichiren then instructed her to return to the lake "Ichi—no—ike" and remain there to protect the Kuon Ji Temple. This same deity is claimed to have sent the log of what would become the Dai Gohonzon when Nippo Shonin wanted to carve a statue of his master, Nichiren. According to the doctrines of Nichiren Shoshu based on the Gosho writing Jogyo-Shu-den-Sho, Nippo underwent immense fasting and prayer to the dragon goddess Shichimen, the patroness of Yamanashi prefecture. The goddess, owing her enlightenment to Nichiren, answered his prayer by sending a log in a nearby river. The Dai Gohonzon image was transferred into a procured wood log from the water goddess by Nippo Shonin, one of his junior disciples. Recounted in the legend: Once stored in the Kuon-ji temple in Yamanashi Prefecture, the image was later confiscated by Nikko Shonin, who designated his strongest disciple, Hyakken-bo to carry the image on his backside through the forest into the Taisekiji complex, where it remains today. Additionally, the statue of Nichiren carved by Nippo from the leftover remains of the original Camphorwood log is stored in a stupa next to the Dai-Gohonzon in the Hoando at Taisekiji. Accordingly, this mythological account is disputed as one of the many apocryphal forgeries invented by Nichiren Shoshu according to other opposing Nichiren sects. Account tales of persecution The Fuji School Branch refers to the Nichiren Buddhist denominations stemming from Nichiren's disciple Nikko Shonin. These schools believe that Nichiren inscribed the Dai Gohonzon. The Fuji Branch believes that in the autumn of 1279, a number of Nichiren's laypeople in the Fuji District were targeted by Gyōchi (行 智), the chief priest of a temple where Nisshū (日 秀), one of Nichiren's disciples lived. The peasant farmers from the village of Atsuhara had come to help Nisshū with the harvest of his private rice crop. The priest Gyōchi called some local warriors to arrest the peasants, accusing them of illegally harvesting the rice. The peasants decided to defend themselves when the warriors arrived but were no match, and several were wounded; twenty were arrested and hauled off