Oeshiki, October 8, 2006

On behalf of our Myoshinji Hokkeko Chapter I would like to thank you Reverend Kimura for conducting the Oko and the Oeshiki Ceremony this morning, “Celebrating Nichiren Daishonin’s Eternal Life” and for your inspiring message. We also want to thank Reverend Arima for his assisting and participation in this very historic ceremony.

I also would like to thank all the members that put so much effort into cleaning the inside and out side of the temple, the pot luck preparation and set up and of course the flower making. I saw there were many new faces enjoying the flower making while socializing. Thank you all very much. Those that were not able to help in the preparation can still take part in the clean up after the celebration.

Also, a special thanks to Mr. And Mrs. Gillis for their encouraging experience and determination. Thank you both very much.

I am so very happy to see so many here in attendance this morning to help celebrate one of the most important and significant ceremonies in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, “Celebrating Nichiren Daishonin’s Eternal Life.” It is especially gratifying to see so many of you that have traveled great distances to be here this morning. Thank you all very much.

Back in October 1993, our then Assistant Priest Reverend Doken Nakano told a very interesting and profound story in his sermon which deals with faith and karma. I actually repeated the story in my message back in October 2004. Maybe some of you remember it but there are probably many of you that haven’t heard it or perhaps you have forgotten it so I thought it worth repeating so please bare with me.

“The Agama Sutra mentioned the following story. There was a king in olden times. One day he was walking around and watched a cluster of people. “What’s happening he thought?” As he got closer he could see one priest was preaching to the people. The king was listening to his words. The priest said: “Human beings must die. After we die, we have to go on a long and frightening trip of death alone.” The king thought: That’s fine. I don’t have to go on a trip of death alone after my death because I have four wives. When he returned to his house he called his first wife. He asked her by saying; “I have gone through a lot of hardships to become your husband. I have done everything I could for you so please go on the trip of death with me when I die.” “No! she exclaimed. No matter how you ask, I cannot do so,” and she declined immediately. The king said: “fine, I have three more wives.” He then called his second wife. He asked her the same thing. The second wife said; “I can go with you to the entrance hall.” “Oh no!” the king replied and told his servant to call his next wife. His third wife said: “I have no reason to go with you because the first and second wives cannot go. But I will go to the cemetery with you.” The king had no other choice but to ask the last wife. He doesn’t care for her so much so he does not call her very often. But as the proverb says, ‘A drowning man will catch at a straw.’ The forth wife said, “You are not dear to me but if you say don’t follow you, I will follow you where ever you go. If you go into hell, I will follow you there. If you go the paradise, I will follow you there too.”

Then Reverend Nakano goes on to say, “This sutra teaches us that everyone has these four wives. The first wife indicates our lives. No matter how we say we want to live, we must die someday. The second wife indicates our property, status and fame. We cannot bring them with us after we die. The third wife indicates our relatives. They come to see us off to the cemetery, but no relatives get into the grave with us. The fourth wife is the most important. She is our faith and karma. If we practice the correct teaching, then we can receive a correct effect. Of course, evil causes bring evil effects, and they follow us to our next life.”

The moral to this story then, is your fourth wife will always follow you into your next life even if you do not want her to. She is our faith and karma which we have accumulated in this and past lives. This story shows us how important our daily practice is. Let us strive to strengthen our faith and practice to attain enlightenment in this and all future lifetimes.

Nichiren Daishonin states:

“To have faith like water means to believe continuously without ever regressing.” (MWND Vol.2, p.296)

In closing I would just like to mention how honored I am to accept another term as Koto of this wonderful Myoshinji Hokkeko Chapter. We have a great group working hard in supporting our Chief Priest and our Hokkeko Chapter including our Vice Koto, Kanji, Coordinators and Communicators. I would like to thank them all for their dedication and hard work. And of course all you members that are also so dedicated who continue to support our Chief Priest and Temple year after year. Thank you all very much. I would also like to recognize our past Kotos, Norman Smith who passed away August 4, 1999, Nike Ruley and Arthur Whitney who worked so hard for so many years. Thank you all very much.

Thank you all and for you kind attention.