February 2012 Koto Address
On behalf of the Myoshin-ji Hokkeko, I would like to thank Reverend Kimura and Reverend Natsui for conducting today’s OKO and Otanjo-e Ceremony. I would also like to thank Reverend Kimura for is lecture and guidance.
We should appreciate the fact that we are given the opportunity to show our appreciation to Nichiren Daishonin each month by participating in the OKO Ceremony. This month, we have also been given the opportunity to celebrate Nichiren Daishonin’s advent as the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. As you know, the purpose of Nichiren Daishonin's advent in this world was to save the people in the Age of Mappo from suffering by establishing the Dai-Gohonzon and sowing the seed of the True Cause for Enlightenment in our lives which is chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to the Gohonzon. I am sure that we are all eternally grateful that he did this for us.
So how are you all doing so far in this year of “Advancing Kosen Rufu Through Shakubuku”? I am sure that you all have begun to focus on the 3 practical points that were set by the overseas department. Today, I wanted to focus our attention on the second practical point since we just held the Otanjo-e Ceremony.
“To accomplish our individual shakubuku goals through consistent shakubuku activities.”
In his New Year’s address, Overseas Department Chief Reverend Gyoyu Urishibata said this about accomplishing our individual shakubuku goals through consistent shakubuku activities:
“doing shakubuku is a basic part of our practice. Finding people to shakubuku will arise through one’s relationships or karmic bonds. Based on these karmic bonds we can do shakubuku.’
I just wanted to stop and take a moment to consider what practice is. When I looked up the definition I found a few explanations:
- To do or perform habitually or customarily; make a habit of:
- To do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill:
- To carry out in action; observe
I am bringing this up only to say that when you first start to practice something it feels uncomfortable. As you begin to practice habitually or repeatedly it becomes more familiar to you and it becomes easier. As an example, most people cannot just sit down at a piano and start playing it. It takes a lot of practice to learn and become familiar enough with it to play well. When someone first starts out, it is very difficult and discouraging but with determination and practice each time they play it gets easier.
The last point in our definition of what practice is, “To carry out in action”, applies to our efforts to do shakubuku. Taking action to do shakubuku is a difficult part of our practice for many of us. When we tell someone about the practice and they do not listen, it can become discouraging. However, please don’t get so discouraged that you stop taking action. Remember, the more you practice, the easier your practice of shakubuku will get. I know that each end every person in this room that practices this great Buddhism wants to share the joy of this practice with everyone around them. So we all need to muster up our courage and determination and have strong faith that when we chant to the Gohonzon with the accomplishment of Kosen Rufu in mind, we will find the people with whom we share a karmic bond so that we can shakubuku them.
When we do so we will fulfill the true intention of the Advent of the True Buddha Nichiren Daishonin which is to accomplish Kosen-Rufu and alleviate the suffering that is occurring in this Age of Mappo.
I know that daily life activities also make it very difficult for us to do shakubuku but I hope that we all can make a strong determination to accomplish our “individual shakubuku goals through consistent shakubuku activities” so that we can overcome our difficulties and experience the true joy and benefit of this practice.
Thank you all for listening and for all the efforts that you are making to share this True Buddhism with others in this “Advancing Kosen Rufu Through Shakubuku”.
David Murphy
Koto