Oko Sermon January 2009
Reverend Shogu Kimura
January, 2010
Forging Ahead to Achieve Our New Objectives
Once again, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year.
Nichiren Daishonin wrote the following in his “New Year’s Gosho” (“Mushimochi-gosho”):
New Year’s Day signals the beginning of the day, the month, the year, and the spring. Those who celebrate this day will amass virtues and will be loved by others, as clearly as the moon traveling from west to east steadily becomes full and the sun moving from east to west grows increasingly brilliant….Suffering starts from one’s mouth and destroys him. Happiness originates in one’s heart and brings him honor. The sincerity with which one makes offerings to the Lotus Sutra now, in the New Year, can be likened to the blossoms that adorn the trees, the lotus bud that emerges from the pond, the sandalwood that blooms in the Snow Mountains, or the first moon rising in the sky. Japan, as an enemy of the Lotus Sutra, now invites suffering from one thousand miles and beyond. However, those who believe in the Lotus Sutra will draw forth happiness from ten thousand miles away. (Gosho, p. 1551)
Explaining this passage, Nichijun Shonin, the Sixty-fifth High Priest of the Head Temple, gave us the following directions:
New Year’s Day marks the beginning of the New Year and the beginning of all things. It is a time when a person discards his worn-out clothes and replaces them with new ones. Men, women, young, and old all seek to renew their determinations in the New Year. As people are born and advance in age, they are likely to be influenced by their environment and are inclined to acquire some negative tendencies. If they return to their original state, they will all be good individuals. The New Year is a time when people return to their original states. Therefore, those who cherish and revere the New Year are the very people who rejoice in returning to their original conditions. These are people with a splendid character and a positive mental attitude….The Lotus Sutra reveals the infinite past of kuon-ganjo, and it teaches us to return to our life condition from a time with no beginning. It is likely that the practice of cherishing and celebrating the New Year originated with the Lotus Sutra. There is also great significance in making offerings to the Lotus Sutra in the New Year. It means that we infuse our spirit into the New Year’s celebration. Benefits and our attitude towards them represent the fundamental source that draws forth all elements of happiness. (Nichijun Shonin zenshu, Vol. 1, p. 512)
We cherish and celebrate the New Year because, in so doing, we uphold the principle of the infinite past of kuon-ganjo as expounded by Nichiren Daishonin, and return to the original source. The Daishonin teaches that mystic functions and benefits will result when we cherish, make sincere offerings, and celebrate this fundamental source. Therefore, it is most essential to celebrate the New Year according to the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. In fact, our daily practice of Gongyo and Daimoku is the very means by which we can return to the infinite past of kuon-ganjo. Based on this, we must progress one new day at a time. Unfortunately, most people in society have lost sight of this profound Buddhist practice and the significance of the New Year and the resulting benefits. They are completely manipulated by the evil customs and fanfare of heretical religions and doctrines. In reality, most people pass the time in idle tedium, according to their own convenience.
The Parable (Hiyu; third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra contains the following passage:
Separating oneself
from falsehood and delusion-
This alone may be called emancipation.
(Hokekyo,
p. 173; The Lotus Sutra, Watson, p. 72)
The Daishonin states the following in the Gosho, “On Women’s Attainment of Buddhahood” (“Nyonin jobutsu-sho”):
All mankind has strayed away from the center of the Law and truth and wandered into the hub of delusion and instability. People have been steeped in the three categories of action, consisting of physical, verbal, and mental action, and their good deeds have been scarce while their negative karma has been plentiful. Thus, it is as the scriptures say: “Each day, every person has 800,004,000 [800 million 4,000] thoughts, and each such thought represents karma affecting their three crossings.” (Gosho, p. 344)
Benefits and positive practices result only from knowing the truth and practicing according to the truth. Therefore, if one separates himself from the mystic Law (Myoho) of the infinite past of kuon-ganjo and descends into the world of delusion and instability, and if he steeps himself in a realm of arbitrary views and heretical religions and doctrines, he will amass negative karma. As a result, this person will continuously experience pointless conflicts and misfortune.
Nichiren
Daishonin explained the following in his Gosho, “The Protection of
the Guardian Deities of the Lotus Practice” (“Dojoshin shugo
ji”):
The mind is the master of this body. (Gosho, p. 1052)
He further
states in, “Nichigen-nyo’s Offering of Shakyamuni’s Statue,”
(“Nichigen nyo shakabutsu kuyo ji”):
When one shakes his head, his hair waves; when he works his mind, his body follows; when a strong gale blows, the grasses and trees cannot remain motionless; when the great earth moves, the vast oceans are unsettled. Thus, when the master Shakyamuni is moved, how can the grasses and trees not sway, and how can the waters keep from churning? (Gosho, p. 1351)
This means that we can manifest benefits that will enable us to overcome anything, when we believe in and pray to the Dai-Gohonzon, the fundamental essence of true Buddhism. However, all people are affected by the convictions in their minds and the issues that they have learned up to the present—both positive and negative. These become the driving force for their actions. Therefore, when people constantly have been exposed to mistaken information and when they constantly have been subjected to or taught negativity, unbeknownst to them, they themselves gradually are transformed by these influences. This is because they do not know of any alternatives. For this reason, it is essential for us to encounter true Buddhism and to believe in it; moreover, we must have a teacher who will correctly teach us and guide us to it. No one could ever attain happiness or bring salvation to others through the ways of a deluded common mortal. Doing so would be impossible as long as there is resentment, hatred, or greed. It is imperative to cultivate compassion and a seeking spirit for true Buddhism.
Fortunately, we have been able to encounter the true Buddhism of our master Nichiren Daishonin, the true Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. Furthermore, we have been able to meet the High Priest, who has received the Lifeblood Heritage of the Law and who correctly guides and directs us. Based on this, we have been able to understand the true objectives and mission of our birth into this world.
In order to successfully achieve our objectives and our mission, we must discard completely the thoughts and the way of life of a common mortal. In other words, we must rid ourselves of the secular notions of advantages and disadvantages and self-centered ways of living. We must transform ourselves and live our lives based on the practice for ourselves and for others (jigyo keta). We must form a solid unity of different bodies but one mind (itai doshin), based on the truth, and infuse the world with fresh vitality. When we, ourselves, change as a result of this transformation, those around us also will change without fail.
Naturally, we must expect to encounter the three obstacles and four devils (sansho shima) and the three powerful enemies (sanrui no go-teki). By carrying through strong faith and defeating the obstacles, we can also change the world and cause the Buddha land to manifest in our midst.
Last
year, High Priest Nichinyo Shonin gave us two great objectives as an
important first step in the achievement of this change. They are:
- To increase the
membership of all Hokkeko chapters by 50 percent by the year 2015, when
we will be celebrating the auspicious occasion of the 770th anniversary
of the birth of Second High Priest Nikko Shonin.
- To achieve a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by the year 2021, when we will be celebrating the auspicious occasion of the 800th anniversary of the advent of the Founder Nichiren Daishonin.
In
the Gosho, “The Selection of the Time” (“Senji-sho”),
Nichiren Daishonin wrote:
Of the ten factors of life (ju nyoze), appearance (so nyoze) is the most important. It is the reason for the Buddha’s advent into the world. Wise men are aware of what may occur, just as snakes know their own realm. A single drop of water accumulates to form the vast seas. Dust particles collect to create Mt. Sumeru. When I, Nichiren, initially took faith in the Lotus Sutra, I was like a dewdrop or a miniscule dust particle in all of Japan. When two, three, ten, and eventually hundreds of billions of people recite the Lotus Sutra and share it with others, they will form a Mt. Sumeru of perfect enlightenment (myogaku) and an immense sea of great nirvana. Do not seek any way other than this by which to attain Buddhahood. (Gosho, p. 868)
The advent of a single Buddha has changed the world. Today, we, as the disciples and followers of the Buddha, must continue this heritage. When two, three, and more individuals with one mind join efforts and vigorously advance together, kosen-rufu can be achieved without fail. The Daishonin explained that we can then attain enlightenment. We must etch this point deep into our hearts and cooperate with each other as we proceed toward our new objectives. Let us progress with courage and pride and work in each of our respective countries to attain true world peace and salvation for all mankind.