No genuine text or old manuscript of the Jūō sandanshō 十王讃嘆抄, said to be a work of Nichiren 日蓮, survives. However, this Jūō sandanshō was recorded in the Rokuge gosho 録外御書 during the early Edo period, and became well-known. How was the Jūō sandanshō introduced in the Edo period? In what situation was the Jūō sandanshō recorded in the Rokuge gosho? Nobody has clarified these questions so far. I confirm how the Jūō sandanshō was introduced in the Rokuge gosho edition, introducing some important evidence. In 1662 the Rokuge gosho was published, and almost at the same time the Jūō sandanshō was also published as an independent work, but the latter remained virtually unknown.
At present there are 3 variant versions.
1. Kyoto Nakamura Gohē 中村五兵衛 version, 32 vols.
Publishing year unkown.
2. Kyoto Nagamura Hanbē 長村半兵衛 version, 32 vols.
Publishing year unkown.
3. Kyoto Murakami Kanbē 村上勘兵衛 version, 32 vols.
Publishing year unkown.
Although the three versions were published at different times, it seems that they are based on the same printing plate. When I examine the Nakamura version in detail, I found that it is older than the Rokuge gosho published in 1662. In addition, I also found proof that the printing plate of the Jūō sandanshō in the Rokuge gosho edition was made directly from the Nakamura version. Although many errors of the Nakamura version are corrected in the Rokuge gosho, surprisingly enough, some errors of the Nakamura version are left uncorrected in the Rokuge gosho. All things considered, I concluded that the Nakamura version is the source of the Rokuge gosho.
