Oko Sermon September 9, 2007
Reverend Shogu Kimura
“The Problem to be Pondered Night and Day” (“Toki-dono gohenji”)
I hope my disciples will ponder this matter, cutting short their sleep by night and curtailing their leisure by day. Do not spend this life in vain and regret it for ten thousand years to come. (Gosho, p. 1169, MW-5, p. 173)
This Gosho, “The Problem to be Pondered Night and Day” (“Toki-dono gohenji”), was written by Nichiren Daishonin in Minobu, on the 23rd day of the eighth month of the third year of Kenji (1277), when he was 56 years of age. It was addressed to Toki Jonin and all of the disciples and followers. The original document is stored at Nakayama Hokekyoji Temple. Based on the contents of this Gosho, it has also been called, “Admonition to Stay Away from Slanderers” (“Fuka shingon hobosha ji”).
In this writing, the Daishonin cites seven references from two sutras and two treatises. He notes four passages from the Lotus Sutra and one from the Nirvana Sutra (Nehan-gyo). He also cites one passage each from the treatises On the Treasure Vehicle of Buddhahood (Kukyo ichijo hosho ron) by Bodhisattva Saramati and Resources for Attaining Buddhahood (Bodai shiryo ron) by Bodhisattva Nagarjuna. The Daishonin used these references to demonstrate that slanders caused by negative influences will infinitely increase the evil causes of the people.
The Daishonin further explains that bodhisattvas from olden times, such as Vasubandhu and Ashvaghosha, and ancient men of wisdom, such as Chi-tsang, Hsuan-tsang, Pu-k’ung, and Dengyo, all upheld difficult practices seeking the Law in order to show the heresy or validity of a teaching. He declares that the teachings of Kobo, Jikaku, and Chisho are unable to determine heresy or truth. Furthermore, the heretical doctrines taught by these three teachers denigrate the Lotus Sutra, the true purpose for the Buddha’s advent into this world. The Daishonin states that these doctrines had been the source of slander in Japan for more than four hundred years and had led many people to the Hell of Incessant Suffering. This is why he says the following to Toki Jonin and all his disciples and followers:
I hope my disciples will ponder this matter, cutting short their sleep by night and curtailing their leisure by day. Do not spend this life in vain and regret it for ten thousand years to come. (Gosho, p. 1169, MW-5, p. 173)
The Daishonin teaches that we must follow the precepts, even by cutting short our sleep and curtailing our leisure, so that we may reveal slander. He further states that he hopes his “disciples will ponder this matter,” since revealing slander is, indeed, the way to achieve enlightenment.
In my sermon this month, I would like to embrace the will of the Daishonin, who strictly directed us to uphold the Law, even by cutting short our sleep and curtailing our leisure. We must never be careless and gradually fall into the condition where we violate the instructions not to “spend this life in vain and regret it for ten thousand years to come.” Together, let us seek the Daishonin’s essential spirit.
Nichiren Daishonin begins this Gosho by citing a quote from the Parable (Hiyu; third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra:
One who refuses to take faith in this sutra and instead slanders it [immediately destroys the seeds for becoming a Buddha in this world]. … [There will be those who slander a sutra such as this in the Buddha’s lifetime or in the age after his death.]. They will despise, hate, envy and bear grudges against those who read, recite, transcribe, and embrace this sutra. … After they die, they will fall into the Avichi Hell. … In this way they will be reborn there again and again for kalpas without number. (Gosho, p. 1167, MW-5, p. 167)
The Daishonin uses multiple examples to explain the frightening consequences of slandering the Lotus Sutra. He also cites the treatise On the Treasure Vehicle of Buddhahood by Bodhisattva Saramati:
They recognize only false doctrines, distance themselves from good friends, approach with familiarity such slanderers of the Law who delight in attachment to the teachings of the lesser vehicle, and do not believe in the great vehicle. Therefore they slander the Dharma of the Buddhas. A wise man should not fear enemy households, poisonous snakes [snakes, fire, poison], Indra (Taishaku-ten), thunderbolts [the thunderbolts of Indra], attack by swords and staves, or the various wild beasts such as tigers, wolves, and lions. For these can only destroy one’s life, but cannot cause him to fall into the Avichi Hell, which is truly terrifying. (Gosho, p. 1167, MW-5, p. 168)
In other words, the tangible elements in our lives that people in society generally fear are not the things that we should truly fear. They may take our lives, but they cannot lead us to fall into the Hell of Incessant Suffering. We must truly fear slander and evil acquaintances who urge us to commit slander.
Thus, the common fears of people in society are not capable of killing the spirit. However, the poisons of slander and the frightening powers of an evil acquaintance are capable of destroying a person’s heart. This is what we should fear the most. The Daishonin emphasized this in the next passage from the same treatise:
What he should fear is slander of the profound Dharma as well as companions who are slanderers, for these will surely cause him to fall into the frightful Avichi Hell. (Gosho, p. 1167, MW-5, p. 169)
Thus, slander brings forth infinite evil causes. Furthermore, the negative influence of bad companions who are slanderers will cause our lives to fall. There is nothing more frightening than these. Being in the company of these evil acquaintances who slander will ultimately lead to us to commit the Five Cardinal Sins, which are: injuring the Buddha, killing one’s father and mother, taking the life of the Buddha’s disciples, and disrupting the unity of the Buddhist order. The Five Cardinal Sins are also known as the “five incessant karmic consequences.” These are truly alarming. However, the Daishonin teaches that, even under these circumstances, if a person makes a determination, repents of his evil offenses, and practices to expiate them, he will eventually be able to resolve his difficulties. Far more frightening than committing the Five Cardinal Sins is the “slander of the profound Dharma”—the great sin of slandering the Lotus Sutra—since the karmic consequences of doing so would cause a person to suffer for infinite kalpas. Nichiren Daishonin cited the following passage from Bodhisattva Nagarjuna’s treatise, Resources for Attaining Buddhahood:
The World-Honored One expounded five causes leading to the Hell of Incessant Suffering. … But if, with respect to the profound Law that one has yet to comprehend, one were to remain attached [to lesser teachings, and declare that this is not the Buddha’s teaching, …] then the accumulated sins of all the above-mentioned five acts would not amount to even a hundredth part of this offense. Gosho, p. 1168, MW-5, p. 169)
The evil cause of the slander of holding heretical views, based on one’s lack of faith and understanding of the profound Law are much more serious than the commission of the Five Cardinal Sins or the five incessant karmic consequences. The “profound Law” is none other than the Lotus Sutra, the essence of Shakyamuni’s lifetime teachings, which expounds the way for all people to attain enlightenment. Even if we are unwitting participants in slandering the Lotus Sutra, we must be fully aware that we will suffer the frightening karmic consequences. Thus, it is apparent that Nichiren Daishonin discussed the views of wise men from olden times in order to teach us to be careful of the real dangers before our very eyes. He wrote the following:
A worthy man, while dwelling in security, anticipates danger; a deceitful flatterer, while dwelling amid danger, takes security for granted. (Gosho, p. 1168, MW-5, p. 169)
A wise man, even if he is in a safe place, is always cautious about possible dangers and acts accordingly. By contrast, a fool, even if he is in imminent danger, fails to recognize his situation and destroys his life. In the same way, a wise man fears slandering the Law. I hope that you are able to see how critically important it is to distinguish between heresy and the True Law.
The Daishonin stated that among the four kinds of believers of the Eight Sects as well as of the Pure Land and Zen sects, from the emperor and the retired emperor on down to their vassals and the common people, there was not a single person who was not a disciple or supporter of one of the three great teachers: Kobo, Jikaku, and Chisho.
The Daishonin then cited doctrinal teachings of each of these teachers that constituted heretical views. Jikaku assumed that, “[even though the Flower Garland (Kegon) and other sutras are termed ‘esoteric,’ they do not fully expound the secret teaching of the Tathagata;] therefore, they differ [from the Shingon teachings].” Chisho said, “When compared with the Vairochana (Dainichi) Sutra, the Flower Garland and Lotus are mere childish theory.” Kobo remarked, “[Each vehicle that is put forward is claimed to be the true vehicle, but] when examined from a later stage, they are all seen to be mere childish theory.” The Daishonin indicates that all three of these teachers expounded heresy and promoted the deception that the Lotus Sutra is a frivolous teaching. He further declares that, currently in the nation, all the people, from the highest sovereign down to the lowly commoners, are entirely attached to the heretical teachings of these so-called three great teachers. To make matters worse, in the last 400 years, there has been no one in the nation of Japan who has pointed out the slanderous deeds of these three teachers. Then, Nichiren Daishonin addresses the people who embrace the deceptions propounded by these three men:
Should any thinking person place credence in this assertion? (Gosho, p. 1168, MW-5, p. 171)
He explains the importance of discarding all slanderous, heretical beliefs and upholding the truth of the Lotus Sutra. The Daishonin further presents the following admonition to his disciples and followers:
I hope my disciples will ponder this matter, cutting short their sleep by night and curtailing their leisure by day. (Gosho, p. 1169, MW-5, p. 173)
The Daishonin’s admonition shows that distinguishing the heresy or truth of the Law is, indeed, the essence of attaining enlightenment in this lifetime. In the Latter Day of the Law, the only way to achieve the salvation of all mankind is through the True Buddhism of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, from the depths of the Buddhism of the Sowing of the True Cause, the essence of the Lotus Sutra. We must be able to detect and eliminate the slander that leads people onto the evil paths. Moreover, our supreme efforts in this life must be focused on attaining enlightenment through upholding the True Law. We must never lose sight of the Buddha’s admonition that we must “ponder this matter, cutting short our sleep by night and curtailing our leisure by day.” If we live our entire lives in vain, we will have ten thousand years of regret.
This principle of “pondering this matter, cutting short our sleep by night and curtailing our leisure by day,” strictly applies to our daily Buddhist practice. In order to attain enlightenment in this lifetime, we must constantly be cautious and devoted as we perform our daily practice, and we must take Nichiren Daishonin’s admonition to heart. The directions, instructions, and objectives presented by Nichiren Daishonin, the Second High Priest Nikko Shonin, the Third High Priest Nichimoku Shonin, and all the successive High Priests rest on this principle.
Nichiren Daishonin wrote the Rissho ankoku-ron, admonishing the nation, because he sought peace and tranquility for the country, the society, and the people. Furthermore, he entrusted his disciples and followers with his objective to achieve Kosen-rufu. As priests and lay believers of Nichiren Shoshu, we have continued our practice to achieve Kosen-rufu for over 700 years. We have followed the Daishonin’s golden objective to reveal slander and discard it.
Our current High Priest Nichinyo Shonin stated the following:
“Until Kosen-rufu is achieved, propagate the Law to the full extent of your ability, without begrudging your life.” I ask each of you to etch these words deep in your heart and exert your utmost efforts into doing shakubuku. I am convinced that this is, indeed, essential for our attainment of enlightenment in this lifetime.
(Daibyakuho, Vol. 707)
As priests and lay believers, let us live our lives based on the great objective of achieving Kosen-rufu and attaining enlightenment in this lifetime. I would like to conclude my sermon for this month by praying for your ever-increasing devotion and achievements and for your continued good health.