First of all, I would like to thank Reverend Kimura and Revered Arima for conducting today’s Kosen Rufu Shodakai and Okyo-bi ceremony.  I would also like to thank Reverend Kimura for his address today as well.

Two weeks ago, we had our General Meeting/Temple Anniversary.  I was very impressed and inspired by the determinations and experiences that we heard from the members of different parts of our Temple’s area.  A few of them were young adults that had the vibrant youthful sprit that really showed through after going on Tozan for their first time.  For those of you that attended, I think that you will agree that it was truly a great way to celebrate and mark the 2006 General Meeting and Temple Anniversary.

When they were talking about the Tozan, it reminded me of my experience at the head temple and the profound impact it had on me.  The day that we were able to view the Daishonin’s tooth, pass by our current and retired High Priest, and chant to the Dai-Gohonzon for over an hour was most memorable for me.  I remember coming out of the Hoando feeling very close to the Dai-Gohonzon.

I also felt the compassion of the High Priests who work tirelessly day after day to promote Kosen Rufu.  All the ceremonies and meetings that it takes to carry out the traditions of Nichiren Shoshu cannot be easy.  They display such discipline.  It must take an abundance of Daimoku to develop the amount of courage, compassion, and commitment to lead the great task that Nichiren Daishonin has charged us with, Achieving Kosen Rufu.

When I got back from Tozan, I naturally started reviewing my practice.  I know for me, the one area of my practice that really needs some development is my own compassion for others and making my Shakabuku efforts more consistent.  I know that it is important because   Nichiren Daishonin, the High Priests, and all the Chief Priests and Assistant Chief Priests have constantly emphasized this as one of the essential parts of our practice.  In fact, in June 2005, Reverend Kimura’s Oko lecture was on a Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man (Part II).  In it, he discussed the importance of doing Shakabuku.

After reading his lecture, I decided to read the entire Gosho.  There were a couple of paragraphs in Part I that gave me pause to think.  If you don’t mind, I would like to share them with you.

“Having received life, one cannot escape death.  Yet though everyone, from the noblest, the emperor, down to the lowliest commoner, recognizes this as a fact, not one person in a thousand or ten thousand truly takes the matter seriously or grieves over it.  Suddenly confronted with evidence of the impermanence of life, we may be frightened at the thought that we have remained so distant from Buddhism and lament that we have been too engrossed in secular affairs. Yet we assume that those who have preceded us in death are wretched and that we who remain alive are superior.  Busy with that task yesterday and this affair today, we are helplessly bound by the five desires of our worldly nature.  Unaware that time passes as quickly as a white colt glimpsed through a crack in the wall, ignorant as sheep being led to the slaughter, held hopeless prisoners by our concern for food and clothing, we fall heedlessly in the snares of fame and profit and in the end make our way back to the familiar village in the three evil paths, only to set out on the road again, reborn time after time in the six paths of existence.  What person of feeling could fail to grieve at such a state of affairs or could fail to be moved to sorrow!”

Well, for some reason, a light bulb went on.  I realize now that I need to keep the big picture of life in mind and help others realize this as well.  Reverend Kimura stated it another way in his June 2005 Oko lecture.

“Our lives are eternal and permanent.  Our existence in this world is but a tiny segment of that life.  Naturally, we will come forth to exist in the next life and in the life after that.  Life continues eternally.  It would be sad, indeed, if our existence in this life is peaceful and comfortable but our future lifetimes are characterized by continuous suffering.” 

The other paragraph that I want to share in this Gosho says:

“And yet we have obtained birth in the human world, something difficult to achieve, and have encountered the sacred teachings of the Buddha, which are rarely to be met.  We are like the one-eye turtle finding a floating log with a hole in that that fits him exactly.  How regrettable it would be then if we did not take this opportunity to sever the bonds of birth and death making no attempt to free ourselves from the cage of the three fold world.”

I realize from this that by being fortunate enough to encounter this True Buddhism in this life that I have a chance in this life to avoid those future lifetimes of continuous suffering. 

I need to make an effort now to maintain correct faith and practice by increasing my efforts at Shakabuku.  Reverend Kimura also stated in the June 2005 lecture.

“The Diashonin has instructed us and our High Priest continues to encourage us to perform Shakabuku.  The performance of Shakabuku is none other than the practice that we must perform to repay our debt of gratitude for being born into this world as humans and for being able to encounter True Buddhism in this life.  Being selfishly satisfied with attaining one’s own happiness, alone, goes against the Daishonin’s principal of obligation or debt of gratitude.  Those who lose sight of this debt of gratitude would be unable to attain enlightenment.”

I want to pay my debt of Gratitude so I am going to use our High Priests as examples of the courage, compassion, and commitment that I need to develop.  I am going to chant and take action to mention Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to at least one person everyday.  I am going to chant to meet a Bodhissava of the earth who will come to the Temple and join us on our mission.  I am going to chant that Myoshinji Temple can develop our young adults so that we can maintain our youthful sprit and enthusiasm.

We have been given a goal of doubling the number of Hokkeko believers that we send to the Head Temple in 2009 to celebrate the “Year of Revealing the Truth through the Treatise ‘On securing the peace of the land through the propagation of True Buddhism’ (Rissho Ankoku Ron)”

This is our chance to pay our Debt of Gratitude.  I hope that we can all work in Itai Doshin with the priesthood to accomplish this goal ahead of us.

Thanks for listening.