New Year’s Address
January 1, 2009
Reverend Shogu Kimura
I wish you all a Happy New Year, marking the 750th Anniversary of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice through the Submission of the Rissho ankoku-ron. Our 68th High Priest Nichinyo Shonin and our 67th Honorable Retired High Priest Nikken Shonin have welcomed the New Year in good health and high spirits, and we, as priests and lay believers, sincerely offer our appreciation to them for the great compassion and directions they send to us.
I have just completed the New Year’s gongyo, and I have offered my sincere prayers for you to put forth increased efforts in your activities; for you to redouble your faith; for you to perform successful shakubuku; for peace and harmony to reign in your home; for the successful achievement of all your great objectives throughout this year; and for all of you to participate in the Overseas Believers’ General Tozan Pilgrimage.
We have finally welcomed the year to double the number of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and to gather at the Great Assembly. I am certain that you have been systematically proceeding forth with preparations to participate in the Overseas Believers’ General Tozan Pilgrimage, which will be held five times throughout the year. As we embrace this New Year, we have once again received three great objectives.
The first of these is:
(1) To conduct safe and successful tozan pilgrimages.
In order to successfully achieve this objective set forth by our High Priest, it is absolutely essential for each of you in attendance today to participate in the Overseas Believers’ General Tozan Pilgrimage. As a matter of course, the three obstacles and four devils (san sho shi ma) will appear forth in great profusion, as they vie with one another to try to prevent us from proceeding forth on the pilgrimage. Why do these obstacles appear? Our High Priest presented us with the following instructions:
It is precisely because the Buddhism in which you have taken faith manifests the truth that obstacles and devils appear before you. If the Buddhism that we uphold is not the correct teaching, the devils would not bother to arise. What the devil hates the most is to see people become happy as a result of their faith and practice in True Buddhism. Its devilish spirit finds the most pleasure in seeing those who embrace True Buddhism in anguish and distress; seeing them deteriorate; seeing misfortune come upon them; and seeing them fall into hell and great suffering.
(Dai Nichiren, 751-14)
Let us keep a sharp eye and see through the real intent of the devil. As priests and lay believers, let us form a solid unity, chant Daimoku, and fulfill our firm determination to participate in the General Tozan Pilgrimage without fail.
(2) To widely declare the significance of this “Year of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice” and to carry out shakubuku.
As you are aware, this has been designated the “Year of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice.” The phrase “revealing the truth and upholding justice” refers to the establishment of the True Law and propagating it. In other words, it signifies securing the peace of the land through the establishment of True Buddhism (rissho ankoku). This year marks the significant occasion of the 750th anniversary of Nichiren Daishonin’s submission of the Rissho ankoku-ron to the feudal government of Kamakura. In other words, this represents a truly significant year when we must pledge with one another to secure the peace of the land through the establishment of True Buddhism (rissho ankoku), to propagate the True Law (shoho kofu), and to establish a solid foundation for kosenrufu.
The Myoshinji Chapter has successfully achieved its shakubuku goals for two years in a row – two years ago and once again last year. Indeed, this achievement is the result of the strong faith of all of you, and the benefits that you will receive will be truly infinite. However, in our practice, there is no such thing as “having done enough” – there is no time to rest on our laurels. Once again, let us start today and proceed forth together in our devotion to successfully achieve our shakubuku goal for this year.
(3) To consistently do Gongyo and chant Daimoku, fostering the spirit of many in body, one in mind.
Needless to say, gongyo and Daimoku are the basic elements of our practice. It would be impossible for us to proceed forth to the next level without performing the basics. We must assiduously perform morning and evening gongyo without fail. As priests and lay believers, we must chant Daimoku. This would then enable us to successfully do shakubuku, achieve our various goals, and amass great benefits.
I have briefly explained the three great objectives for this year. Our foremost goal this year is for all of us to participate in the Overseas Believers’ General Tozan Pilgrimage. If there are some among you who, for various reasons, have not made a determination and are as yet undecided, I ask you to make your determination right now and proceed to redouble your efforts in chanting Daimoku and doing shakubuku, so that you will be able to participate in the General Tozan Pilgrimage. When you uphold the True practice, the obstacles and devils will cower away, and great benefits will be naturally manifested in your lives. Furthermore, you will be able to successfully achieve your objectives without fail.
In addition to the gokaihi and commemorative ceremonies during this General Tozan Pilgrimage, other venues are planned, such as the “Commemorative Exhibition of the Rissho ankoku-ron”; the “Commemorative Photo Exhibition for the Great Assembly and Doubling of the Number of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth”; and the “Photo Exhibition of Worldwide Propagation.” Moreover, our High Priest has refurbished lodging temples and shower facilities, so that the tozan experience would be comfortable and pleasant for the overseas believers. All preparations for the General Tozan Pilgrimage have been completed, and the Head Temple is ready to receive us. The rest depends entirely on our individual determinations and actions.
Now is, indeed, the time for all of us, as priests and lay believers, to form a solid unity and embrace the directions of our High Priest and the guidance from our Overseas Director Reverend Gyoyu Urushibata that we received today. Let us proceed forth with devotion to achieve the great objectives of doubling the number of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and gathering at the Great Assembly in this “Year of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice,” and let us exert our utmost efforts to successfully attain the designated objective.
I would like to conclude my address for today by sincerely praying for your continued good health and your increased achievements. I thank you all for your efforts in attending this ceremony.