Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin

On the Occasion of the February Kosen-rufu Shodai Ceremony

February 2, 2008

Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji

            On the occasion of the February Kosen-rufu Shodai Ceremony, conducted today at the Head Temple, I would like to express my appreciation to the believers in attendance for your sincere participation.

Since the first day of the New Year, I have discussed this subject at every opportunity. I have set two objectives to be achieved this year. Please exert your utmost efforts to fulfill them. The first is for each chapter to fulfill its pledge and objectives set for this year. In other words, each chapter must achieve its shakubuku goal, no matter what.

Secondly, we must ensure the complete success of the General Meetings for the Advancement of the Great Assembly of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, the first of which will be held tomorrow at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka. These General Meetings will be held at four venues across Japan, and we need to ensure complete success at all four venues. Then, we can make a breakthrough in our great shakubuku activity for the grand celebration in 2009.

Shakubuku is the compassionate act of saving all living beings. I am sure you must have heard the term, “Poison Drum Relationship.” There is another term called the “Heavenly Drum.” When we combine these two terms, they are known as “the two drums of Poison and Heaven.”

These terms appear in the Gosho, “Shuku Jissho-sho.” The Daishonin quotes the following passage from Dengyo’s Clarification Based on the Doctrine of T’ien-t’ai (Ehyo Tendai shu):

Those who praise him will receive blessings that will pile up as high as Mount Sumeru, while those who slander him will be committing a fault that will condemn them to the Hell of Incessant Suffering. It will be a Heavenly Drum Relationship for those who take faith and a Poison Drum Relationship for those who slander. Both those who believe and those who slander will attain enlightenment without fail.                                          (Gosho, p. 1348)

             Here, the word “praise” means to revere; therefore, this passage indicates that one should revere the Gohonzon. This person will “obtain fortune like just like “anmyo.” The meaning of “anmyo” is explained in the Gosho: “Anmyo” is the name of Mount Sumeru. (Gosho, p. 791) This means that those who praise the Buddha will gain tremendous fortune that piles just as high as Mount Sumeru.

             The Gosho also states: “Incessant Suffering” is another name for Avichi Hell. (Gosho, p. 791) This means that those who slander the Gohonzon will fall into Avichi Hell.

            The passage continues, “It will be a Heavenly Drum Relationship for those who take faith, and a Poison Drum Relationship for those who slander.” Here, the term, “Heavenly Drum” refers to the drum that sits in the hall in Trayastrimsha Heaven (Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods). The Heavenly Drum is said to sound by itself, even if no one beats it. Those who hear its beat will expiate evil, accumulate good causes, and summon up great courage. The sound of this Heavenly Drum is likened to the voice of the Buddha.

             By contrast to the Heavenly Drum, there is the Poison Drum, which is a drum smeared with poison. When living beings hear the Lotus Sutra being preached and slander it, they will form a relationship with the Lotus Sutra, even if they oppose it, and they will receive the seed of enlightenment. This is called the Poison Drum Relationship. This term originally appeared in the Great Nirvana Sutra, which stated that the teachings of that sutra correspond to the Poison Drum. When the Poison Drum is beaten, all those who hear it will die. In other words, when one hears the Nirvana Sutra, even if one does not have the intention to hear it, one’s troubles and Earthly Desires will be eradicated. This is explained as the Poison Drum Relationship.

           Today, in the Latter Day of the Law, many more living beings form a Reverse Relationship with the True Teaching than those who form a Direct Relationship with it. The Reverse Relationship, or Poison Drum Relationship is formed, and from there, the people will be able to attain Buddhahood. Therefore, we must insist on letting the people hear and learn about the Three Great Secret Laws of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Of course, it will be very difficult to get people to listen to the True Teaching and some may even curse and slander us. However, even if one slanders the Lotus Sutra and criticizes the Gohonzon, it is still very precious to have a relationship with the Gohonzon, as illustrated by the principle of the Poison Drum Relationship.

          The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai taught that the Poison Drum corresponds to eradicating evil, and the Heavenly Drum corresponds to creating fortune. Thus, the last sentence of the passage, which states, “Both those who believe and those who slander will attain enlightenment without fail,” means that not only those who believe in the True Law, but even those who slander it will surely attain Buddhahood.

         In short, those who believe the Law will form a Direct Relationship with the Buddha for the attainment of Buddhahood. Those who are shakubukued, but still slander the Law, will form a Reverse Relationship, as illustrated by principle of the Poison Drum Relationship. As taught in the above passage, both types of people will definitely attain Buddhahood. Therefore, it is important to realize that the essence of shakubuku is to sow the seed of Buddhahood and allow one to form a relationship with the Buddha, regardless of the reaction of the other party. With that, I hope all of you will be steadfast in your practice and never forget the meaning of doing shakubuku.

         Tomorrow, we will be holding the General Meeting for Western Japan. I am sure that among the believers here today, some of you will be participating in the General Meeting tomorrow. This activity is a “Pre-General Meeting.” “Pre” signifies before or preliminary. We are currently focusing all our efforts on achieving the objectives set for next year, which are the achievement of “Doubling the Number of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and gathering at the Great Assembly.” This is our main and central focus. The General Meeting for the Advancement of the Great Assembly of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth is being held this year, one year before 2009; therefore it is called a “Pre-General Meeting.” We must all gather at this Pre-General Meeting with a solid determination, so that all of us can advance together toward 2009. We must ensure the complete success of this event and powerfully move ahead, carrying our joy, inspiration, and courage forward to next year.

           I would like to conclude my address today by sincerely praying that those of you participating in tomorrow’s General Meeting will keep in mind and completely understand what I have said, and that you will powerfully press ahead.