New Year’s Address
Reverend Gyoyu Urushibata
Overseas Department Chief
January 1, 2010
I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to all the Nichiren Shoshu believers around the world, as we welcome the New Year of 2010.
On this occasion of the first day of 2010, I would like to make a resolution for the further advancement of worldwide Kosen-rufu, with the overseas priests and believers of Nichiren Shoshu working together.
Last year, in Nichiren Shoshu, under the guidance of 68th High Priest Nichinyo Shonin, the General Meeting of the Great Assembly of 75,000 believers, which was the most important event of the 750th Anniversary of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice through the Submission of the Rissho ankoku-ron, was greatly successful. Altogether, the General Tozan of 500,000 Believers was splendidly achieved.
Alongside the Hokkeko activities in Japan, the Overseas Department made preparations for the General Meetings that were held on five separate occasions for the Great Assembly of 20,000 Overseas Believers. We were able to hold all five General Meetings due to the joint efforts of overseas priests and believers.
All priests and believers around the world are starting to progress in high spirits toward the new objectives from High Priest Nichinyo Shonin by making the great success of the General Meeting a new step towards a fresh resolution.
Nichiren Shoshu made objectives for 2010, “The Year of Advancing Toward Kosen-rufu”.
“The Year of Advancing Toward Kosen-rufu” means to proceed forth toward Kosen-rufu under the vigor of the success of the General Meeting of the Great Assembly of 75,000 believers and the achievement of the General Tozan of 500,000 Believers.
Based on the objectives for 2010, “The Year of Advancing Toward Kosen-rufu”, The Overseas Department presented the following three objectives for the actual practice of priests and lay believers around the world:
- To forge ahead toward Kosen-rufu with the spirit of many in body, one in mind.
- To carry out shakubuku toward increasing the membership of all nations by 50 percent by the year 2015, when we will celebrate the auspicious occasion of the 770th Anniversary of the Birth of Second High Priest Nikko Shonin.
- To consistently do Gongyo and chant Daimoku, while fostering capable individuals.
“To forge ahead toward Kosen-rufu with the spirit of many in body, one in mind” means for us to make the success of last year’s General Meeting for the Great Assembly of 20,000 Overseas Believers a starting point to begin vigorously making progress toward Kosen-rufu with unity between priesthood and lay believers.
The next objective is “to carry out shakubuku toward increasing the membership of all nations by 50 percent by the year 2015, when we will celebrate the auspicious occasion of the 770th Anniversary of the Birth of Second High Priest Nikko Shonin.” This is the new objective from High Priest Nichinyo Shonin toward the next step. The meaning of this objective is to increase the actual active membership by 50% over the next 5 years. This does not mean to do shakubuku to merely increase the current membership by 50%. If we take into consideration members who will pass away and those who will stop practicing, we must realize that it is necessary to actually perform a shakubuku increase of 60 %.
The next objective is “to consistently do Gongyo and chant Daimoku, while fostering capable individuals.” Gongyo and chanting Daimoku are the basics of practice and the source of our life force.
It is important to earnestly do Gongyo morning and evening, and consistently chant Daimoku to experience benefits and joy to nurture your life force. With this, conduct shakubuku, and continue to hold high-spirited Hokkeko activities. This will enable you to discover capable individuals and foster them.
Toward achieving Kosen-rufu, it is very important to correctly pass down the True Teaching to the next generation by fostering capable individuals.
These three points are the actual practice for the 2010 objectives from the Overseas Department.
I hope you will understand their intention, and continuously conduct activities in high spirits during this entire year.
Nichiren Daishonin teaches in the “Orally Transmitted Teachings” (“Ongi kuden”):
Accepting and upholding this Law is the single character “faith.” A sword that extirpates fundamental darkness is the single character “faith.” Believing and understanding with no doubts leads one to overcome fundamental darkness. (Gosho, p. 1764)
High Priest Nichinyo Shonin states the following in regard to “fundamental darkness”:
“Fundamental darkness” means the fundamental illusion inherent in one’s own mind…The natures of enlightenment and fundamental darkness are both inherent in one’s life. Fundamental darkness manifests as the function of the devil.
Also, regarding the “Orally Transmitted Teachings” (“Ongi-kuden”), He states:
With firm faith, based on believing and understanding with no doubts, one can overcome devilish functions of any form, even fundamental darkness, which is the most difficult illusion to surmount. After all, devils could never compete with the Buddha. However, if our faith is weak, we give in to devilish functions.
Throughout this year, let us priests and lay believers around the world together follow the High Priest’s guidance, and first of all eliminate the devilish functions in one’s own heart through firm faith. Then, let us overcome all obstacles and assiduously practice for oneself and for others.
I
would like to conclude my New Year’s address by praying from the bottom
of my heart for each of your happiness, progress toward Kosen-rufu in
your respective countries, and peace around the world.
January 1, 2010
Overseas
Department Chief
Rev. Gyoyu Urushibata