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Takeuchino Sukune (武内宿禰), great-grandson of the 8th Emperor Kogen (孝元天皇), served emperors for five consecutive generations such as Emperor Keiko(景行), Emperor Seimu (成務), Emperor Chuai (仲哀), Emperor Ojin (応神) and Emperor Nintoku (仁徳) as Ohomi (大臣: finance minister) with both ritual and military powers. Ishikawa Maro (石川麿), the grandson of Takeuchino Sukune, was given his surname Soga (蘇我) during the days of Emperor Yuryaku (雄略天皇) and was called Sogano Ishikawano Shukune (蘇我石川宿禰).

Professor Emeritus of Tohoku University, Mr. Hidemichi Tanaka(田中英道),

Takeuchi Sukune is classified among Shinbetsu(神別). "Shinsen Shojiroku (新撰姓氏録: an imperially commissioned Japanese genealogical record compiled in the early Heian period)," classified the descendants of the various gods of the Age of the Gods as shinbetsu(神別), in contrast to kobetsu(皇別), the descendants of the emperor, and banbetsu(蕃別), the various clans that migrated from China and Korea. Sukune(宿禰) was used as a title to denote warriors and administrative officials in the early Yamato court around the 3rd to 5th centuries, and seems to have been used mainly by powerful clans in the Kinai region before the 5th century.(Wikipedia)

With the rise of the Soga clan(蘇我氏), who were descendants of immigrants, the Mononobe clan(物部氏), who had been in power since the descent of the heavenly grandson(天孫), was wiped out from central politics, and the government system based on the two pillars of the Oomi(大臣) and Omuraji(大連) collapsed, but the Soga clan's tyranny did not last long, and the authority of Oomi was later divided between the left and right ministers.

As the status of the Takamagahara clans(高天原系氏族) was threatened by the rise of immigrant clans, Prince Umayado appears to have been expected by both factions to be a savior who would bring about reconciliation within the Yamato court(大和朝廷).

The son of Iname, Soga no Umako, who murdered Emperor Sushun, let his niece, Nukatabenohimemiko (額田部皇女), ascend the throne, as Emperor Suiko (推古天皇). Hoever, Emperor Suiko named Prince Umayado (厩戸皇子) as the Prince Regent.

Thus, a triumvirate was formed consisting of the Minister Soga no Umako (41 years old), Empress Suiko (39 years old), and Regent Prince Umayado (18 years old).

Empress Suiko and Soga no Umako handled government affairs at the Imperial Court in Asuka (飛鳥Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture), but Prince Shotoku lived in Ikaruga (斑鳩Ikaruga Town, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture) and, when necessary, rode his beloved horse Kurokoma(黒駒) a distance of some 20 kilometers to attend court.

Prince Shotoku, who undertook the administration of the Imperial Court as a regent of Emperor Suiko, used Jingjiao (景教) Christian Hata Kawakatsu (秦河勝) as his aide and built shrines nationwide through Kawakatsu's attainments, aiming for the realization of the Trinity of Confucianism, Buddhism and Shintoism.

In the 11th year of the reign of Empress Suiko (603), the prince established the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System(冠位十二階) and the following year, he established the Seventeen-Article Constitution(十七条憲法). He compiled the national history, and in the 15th year of the reign of Empress Suiko (607), he sent Ono no Imoko(小野妹子) to Sui(隋) to establish diplomatic relations and introduce continental culture. He also wrote the Commentary on the Three Classics(三経義疏), built the Horyuji Temple(法隆寺) and Shitennooji Temple(四王寺), and worked to promote Buddhism.

Prince Shotoku, who undertook the administration of the Imperial Court as a regent of Emperor Suiko, used Jingjiao (景教) Christian Hata Kawakatsu (秦河勝) as his aide and built shrines nationwide through Kawakatsu's attainments, aiming for the realization of the Trinity of Confucianism, Buddhism and Shintoism.

The second article of 'the Seventeen-Article Constitution (十七条憲法),' issued by Prince Shotoku, states, "Sincerely reverence the three treasures." Nihon Shoki (日本書紀) explains, "The three treasures, viz. Buddha, the law and the priesthood, are the final refuge of the four generated beings, and are the supreme objects of faith in all countries." However, in the Sendai kuji hongi (先代旧事本記: Records of Old Matters from Previous Ages), it has been recorded as "Sincerely reverence the three laws. The three laws, viz. Confucianism, Buddhism and Shintoism, are the final refuge of the four generated beings, and are the supreme objects of faith in all countries."

When compiling the Nihon Shoki, the one who was in charge of the articles on Prince Shotoku was a monk called Doji (道慈？-744). Professor Emeritus Seiichi Oyama (大山誠一 1944-) of Chubu University (中部大学) says in his book, 'The Birth of Prince Shotoku (聖徳太子の誕生),' "Because Doji hated other religions, especially Confucianism, he appears to have rewritten the three laws into three treasures."

Prince Shotoku issued 'Edict of Godliness' in 607. Thus he appears to have basically stood on Shintoism and tried to reconcile Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shinto.

Incidentally, regarding Uzamasa (太秦) in Kyoto where many Hata people lived, the late Professor Yoshiro Saeki of Waseda University said, "'Uzumasa' derives from Aramaic 'Yeshu Mesiach,' meaning 'Jesus, Messiah.'" Hata Clan built Koryu-ji Temple (広隆寺) there. However, according to Mr. Kubo, it was not a Buddhist temple at first, but a place of worship for Shinto Christian. There is the statue of Maitreya, of which right hand's shape similar to the symbol of the Trinity in the Eastern Christian Church.

According to Japanese historian Mr. Kunio Hirano (平野邦雄1923-2014), the late Professor Emeritus of Tokyo Women's University, the statue of Maitreya of Koryu-ji Temple, which had been carved from Korean red pine, seems to have come to Japan from the Korean kingdom of Silla. Nihon Shoki records that in 603 a statue was received by Prince Regent Shoutoku Taishi, who offered it to the court assembly of nobles; the Hata leader Hata no Kawakatsu accepted the statue and subsequently built a temple to properly house it — this is the official version of the origin of Kouryuu-ji. However, Japanese Buddhism of the time of Shoutoku Taishi was dominated completely by the Buddhism of the kingdom of Baekje, Silla's arch-rival on the Korean peninsula. At that time, pro-Baekje faction in Japan, led by the Soga clan and supported by the Aya clan (漢氏immigrants from Baekje), planned to intervene on the peninsula on the side of Baekje, in opposition to Silla. Kawakatsu, head of a Silla immigrant group, and Shoutoku Taishi may be seen to have taken the lead in opposition to Soga-led plans to intervene in peninsular affairs. Professor Hirano points out that Kawakatsu's acceptance of the Miroku statue may have played a symbolic role in the internal Japanese politics of the time.

While Prince Shotoku's great-grandfather Emperor Keitai (継体天皇), who had closely connected with Baekje, destroyed Iwai (磐井), the head of Kitakyushu clans, who had a close relationship with Shilla, Prince Shotoku entrusted the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue given by Shilla to Hata Kawakatsu. This seems to be in line with the precedent that Emperor Kinmei entrusted the Buddha statue given by Baekje to Soga Iname.

In December of the 29th year of the reign of Emperor Suiko (621), Prince Shotoku's birth mother, Empress Anahobe no Hashihito(穴穂部間人), passed away. The following year, on January 22nd, the prince fell ill. His wife, Kashiwade no Oiratsume(膳大郎女), who had been tending to him, died first, and the prince himself died the following day.

Prince Shotoku is said to have died from smallpox, which was prevalent at the time. However, his wife, Kashiwade no Oiratsume, who was nursing him, died first, and Prince Shotoku passed away the next day, which gave rise to whispers of a conspiracy that he may have been poisoned to death.

Prince Shotoku was trusted by Empress Suiko, and together with his minister Soga no Umako, he worked to promote Buddhism and also achieved great success in diplomatic relations with Korea and China.

However, there is a possibility that differences of opinion arose between Prince Shotoku and Soga no Umako over his religious policy, which respected the three religions of Shinto, Buddhism, and Confucianism, as well as his policy towards the Korean Peninsula. Above all, the prince's emperor-centered approach to national affairs is seen as threatening the Soga clan's position as the family of the in-laws of emperor. In addition, Soga no Umako had a history of assassinating Emperor Sushun(崇峻天皇), which is likely why these conspiracy theories arose.

In fact, after the death of Prince Shotoku, Soga no Umako regained real power, and politics shifted from being centered on the Emperor to being centered on the Soga clan.

The most notable incident occurred in 643 when Soga no Iruka(蘇我入鹿), the grandson of Soga no Umako, attacked and killed Prince Yamashiro no Oe(山背大兄王), the son of Prince Shotoku, along with his entire family.

However, the Soga clan understood better than anyone that they could be the in-laws of the Emperor because of the unbroken imperial line based on male lineage succession. This tradition, that is, the imperial system of single line from time immemorial (万世一系の天皇制), established by Prince Shotoku and the Soga clan was continued by the Fujiwara clan, who succeeded the Soga clan as the in-laws, and by the Kamakura, Muromachi and Tokugawa Shogunates, and the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods (probably the postwar GHQ).

Prince Shotoku had four wives, three of whom were Uji no Kaidako no Himemiko(菟道貝蛸皇女), the daughter of Empress Suiko, Tachibana no Oiratsume(橘大郎女), the emperor's granddaughter, and Tojiko no Iratsume(刀自古郎女), the daughter of Soga no Umako, a powerful clansman with whom he governed. The fourth was Kashiwadenohokikimi no Iratsume(膳部菩岐々美郎女), also known as Seritsumihime(芹摘姫), the daughter of the Kashiwade Uji clan, a clan based in Ikaruga, Nara. It is said that when the prince visited Ikaruga, he fell in love at first sight with a girl picking celery.

In his later years, the prince frequently visited Ikaruga (a so-called commuter marriage), and fathered eight children with the princess alone. Prince Shotoku is buried in the Shinaga Mausoleum in the grounds of Eifuku-ji Temple in Shinaga-san, Taishi-cho, Minamikawachi-gun, Osaka Prefecture, along with his beloved wife, Kashiwade no Hokikimi no Iratsume, and his birth mother, Empress Anahobe no Hashihito.

The eldest son born to Prince Shotoku and Tojiko no Iratsume(刀自古郎女), Prince Yamashiro no Oe(山背大兄王), married Princess Tsukisine(舂米女王), his half-sister born to Kashiwade no Hokikimi no Iratsume(膳部菩岐々美郎女), and had seven children. The family of Yamashiro no Oe, who has strong ties to Prince Shotoku and　the Soga clan, were expected to succeed the throne as the "Joguoke (上宮王家royal family). However, they came into conflict with Soga no Iruka(蘇我入鹿), who was trying to support Emperor Jomei's first son, Prince Furuhito no Oe(古人大兄皇子), and the entire family committed suicide, resulting in their demise.

When Prince Shotoku died, one of his wives, Tachibana no Oiratsume, said, "He told us, 'The world is a lie; only Buddha is the truth.' Thus the prince was reborn in the land of Tenju." Thinking that this must be true, she proposed her grandmother, Emperor Suiko, to create a "Tenjukoku Mandara Shucho(天寿国曼陀羅繍帳tapestries with embroideries representing Tenjuku paradise,)'' depicting Tenjukoku to commemorate the prince and promote Buddhism.

Empress Suiko found this suggestion to be an extraordinary one, and immediately ordered Yamato no Ayanomaken(東漢末賢), Komano Kasei(高麗加西溢), and Ayanonukakori(漢奴加己利) to create the original drawings, and Kurabe no Hadanokuma(椋部秦久麻) to take overall command of the creation of the Tenjukoku Mandara Shucho(天寿国曼陀羅繍帳).

According to historical records, it is believed that when it was first made, it consisted of two curtains, each measuring about 2 meters long and 4 meters wide, joined together horizontally. However, only a small part of the whole remains today, and various fragments have been pieced together to create a frame measuring 88.8 centimetres in height and 82.7 centimetres in width. Two other fragments have also been preserved separately. Although only fragments remain, they are valuable relics that provide insight into the dyeing and weaving crafts, paintings, clothing, and Buddhist beliefs of the Asuka period, and have been designated as national treasures.

According to the Nihon Shoki, on the first day of the 12th month of the 21st year of the reign of Empress Suiko (613), when the prince was traveling to Mount Kataoka, he found a starving man lying on the road. He asked the man his name, but he would not answer. When the prince saw this, he gave him something to drink and food, took off his clothes and covered him, told him to "rest in peace."

The next day, the prince sent his attendant to see the man, who returned and told him that he had already died. The prince was greatly grieved, and had the body buried in the same place and the tomb sealed up tightly. A few days later, the prince told his attendant, "That man is no ordinary man. He must be a virtuous man(真人)," and sent a servant to take a look. When the servant returned, he said, "When we opened the coffin, there was neither a corpse nor bones. Only the clothes were folded and placed on top of the coffin." The prince had the clothes taken back and wore them as usual. The people were very surprised, and said, "It is true that the saints know the saints," and they revered the prince even more.

Later, a belief arose that this starving man was Bodhidharma, and Daruma Temple was built in Oji Town, Kitakatsuragi County, on the site of the starving man's grave.

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The above anecdote is reminiscent of the "Disappearance of Jesus' Body" in the New Testament and the "Zhenren(真人)" chapter in the sixth volume of the "Great Master" chapter(大宗師篇第六) of the "Zhuangzi(荘子)."

At the beginning of its inscription, 'Daqin Jingjiao Popular Chinese Monument (大秦景教流行中国碑: Nestorian Stele),' which was discovered in Xi'an (西安) in the 17th century by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), says, "Lo the unchangeably true and invisible, who existed through all eternity without origin; the far-seeing perfect intelligence, whose mysterious existence is everlasting; operating on primordial substance he created the universe, being more excellent than all holy intelligences, inasmuch as he is the source of all that is honorable. This is our eternal true lord Allah (阿羅訶歟), Three-One mysterious substance. He appointed the cross as the means for determining the four cardinal points, he moved the original spirit, and produced the two principles of nature;" and describes the Western Christian Church's doctrine of the 'Trinity' is expressed as 'Three-One mysterious substance (三一妙身).'

"Baptism with the Holy Spirit" of Thomas, who is said to have been the twin brother of Jesus, seems to have been fused with Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism after he had brought it to India and China, where these tide of thought were emerging at that time, and to have contributed to the birth of Islam as well as flourishing of Pure Land Buddhism and Zen culture.

The statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva sitting contemplatively in the half-lotus position (弥勒菩薩半跏思惟像) in Koryuji Temple (広隆寺) makes a circle with the thumb, middle finger and ring finger of its right hand, stands the index finger and the little finger. The shape of the hand seems to represent Prince Shotoku, Jesus and Muhammad's wishes to achieve the circular like best way with nothing lacking and nothing in excess.

Around the time Prince Shotoku galloped through the village of Ikaruga on his beloved horse Kurokoma and finally ascended to heaven in the Land of Tenjukoku, Muhammad also rode the winged horse Buraq from the Holy Mosque in Mecca to the mosque in Jerusalem, from where he ascended to heaven.

According to the dialectic of the Gospel of John,

How then can a man possess eternal life?

When he said, "You are Huichao," Zen Master Fayan thrusted vivid Self in Huichao in front of his eyes.