On behalf of Myoshinji Hokkeko I want to thank you Reverend Kimura for conducting this mornings Oko Ceremony and also for you interesting message. Also, thank you Reverend Arima for you able assistance.

I was so pleased to see such a great turnout for our 22^nd Temple Anniversary and 16^th Hokkeko General Meeting on June 18^th. According to Mr. Larry Stinson we had 184 in attendance. Again I want to thank all the members that worked so hard (both before and after the ceremony) to bring about this successful event.

Of course we all know that there are many other opportunities here at the temple to enjoy and further enhance or improve our practice. To give some examples - All of us here know the importance of attending the monthly Oko Ceremony. This was one of the three guidelines for the year 2006, “The Year to Stand Up and Take Resolute Action” which was originally set forth by the Honorable Retired High Priest Nikken Shonin and is being carried forward by our current High Priest Nichinyo Shonin.

Where we are probably falling short is by not recognizing the importance of some of the other services here at the temple. For example: Reverend Kimura conducts the introduction to True Buddhism every other month. Maybe many of us have attended one or more of these secessions and feel they are repetitious. But every time I attend there is always some additional and interesting material. There is so much to learn and all this additional knowledge will add to your confidence and surely help in your shakubuku efforts.

Also, there is practice Gongyo every other month. Maybe most of us can perhaps set our Liturgy book down and follow along by heart. However, we also have probably developed some bad habits. When following the Priest in slow Gongyo, at least in my case, I always find areas where I have mispronounced when going fast. Reverend Kimura has always emphasized how important it is to do correct Gongyo.

 We should never feel over confident in these areas. The most important aspect in developing our practice is stated in the Gosho, Letter to Niike. I’m sure we all are familiar with that famous quote, “Be close to the Priest who know the heart of the Lotus Sutra.”

I have mentioned several times before about the 1 hour shodai on the first Sunday of the month and also every Thursday evening at 6:30 pm. There is great joy in being able to chant with the priest. At our last San Francisco area meeting Reverend Kimura explained that when we are on Tozan and chanting with the High Priest it is the same as chanting with Nichiren Daishonin because of the heritage of the law. He also explained that when chanting with a Chief Priest it is the same as chanting with the High Priest because the Chief Priests are representatives of the High Priest. Reverend Kimura did emphasized that when members get together for Shodai it is a very good thing and in many cases may be necessary for members that are a long distance from the temple. However he stated, when possible, please come to the temple. To make the Thursday evening Shodaikai more flexible and convenient for members to attend he is starting with 30 minutes of daimoku at 6:30pm and then evening Gongyo at 7:00pm followed by another thirty minutes of daimoku. The service will still be over before 8:00pm. I hope many of you can make it by 7:00pm for Gongyo and at least 30 minutes of daimoku.

There will come a time when we will not be physically able to come to the Temple and participate in these various services with the Priest and then we will have regrets. Let us all make a concerted effort to attend at least one of the Shodaikai a month.

What I am hoping to get across here is how important every temple service and activity is. How can we, as fairly active members, motivate ourselves to want to improve our practice and in doing so motivate other members that may not be as active as they could.

I would like to encourage all of you here today to try to continue to support our temple and by doing so improve your own practice and encourage other members to do the same. This commitment will bring about Itai Doshin and will enhance our shakubuku efforts.

Thank you all for your kind attention.

 

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