New Year’s Eve Gongyo Address
December 31, 2009
Reverend Shogu Kimura
Good evening everyone! Together with you, I have just completed the final gongyo for this year, the “Year of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice.” I extend my sincere thanks to all of you for traveling long distances to come to Myoshin-ji Temple, in spite of your busy schedules on this New Year’s Eve.
Thanks to your efforts, more than 260 Myoshinji believers were able to participate this year in the General Tozan Pilgrimage of 20,000 Overseas Believers, celebrating the 750th Anniversary of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice through the Submission of the Rissho ankoku-ron. Indeed, I am convinced that your faith, characterized by a profound reverence and great yearning for the Dai-Gohonzon, and your strong spirit to never give up until the very end have enabled us to manifest these results.
Tomorrow we will welcome the “Year of Advancing Toward Kosenrufu.” We will launch our first step towards our goal of increasing the Hokkeko population by 50% by the year 2015. This is an important process that we must complete in order to achieve our objective of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by the year 2021. It would be absolutely impossible for us to attain any future objectives without first successfully achieving this goal.
Nichiren Daishonin wrote the following in his gosho, “Reply to Lord Shijo Kingo” (Shijo-kingo dono gohenji):
Even if I, Nichiren, pray sincerely for you, if you do not possess faith, it would be tantamount to trying to set damp kindling wood on fire. Motivate yourself and earnestly bring forth your power of faith. (Gosho, p. 1407)
Furthermore, the Daishonin stated the following in the gosho, “Reply to Kyo’o” (Kyo’o dono gohenji):
Exert your sincerest determination in faith and pray to this Gohonzon. Then, how can there be anything that cannot be achieved?(Gosho, p. 685)
As individual disciples of Nichiren Daishonin, we must, first and foremost, advance forth with devotion by upholding strong faith, as we form a solid unity between priesthood and lay believers and proceed to achieve the most imminent objective in 2015. In order to be successful, there is no way other than to advance forth with devotion by forming a unity characterized by different bodies but one mind (itai doshin), based on the directions of our High Priest. Ever since our High Priest assumed his position, he has constantly presented us with his profound directions on the benefits of performing shakubuku. During the Kosenrufu Daimoku Meeting (Kofu shodai kai) in November, he said the following:
In the Rissho ankoku ron (“The Treatise on Securing the Peace of the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism”), the Daishonin states that the cause for confusion, unhappiness, and suffering in people is entirely characterized by the venomous acts of slander by heretical religions and doctrines. He further explains that, as soon as we are able to eliminate this slander, we would, without fail, be able to achieve happiness as individuals, happiness in the home, and peace within the country and throughout the world. In other words, the path to true happiness will open forth as we do shakubuku. Therefore, it is essential for us to courageously exert forth our utmost efforts in shakubuku. (Dai-Nichiren Vol. 766, p. 43)
Shakubuku is, indeed, the supreme way by which to save all mankind from confusion and delusion. Global peace starts with shakubuku, one person at a time. Thus, I ask you to have conviction that the great benefits of doing shakubuku are infinitely beyond our perception and understanding as common mortals.
Starting in the New Year, let us all, as priests and lay believers of Myoshinji, form a truly solid unity based on different bodies but one mind and strive forth to do our utmost in response to our High Priest’s directions, to achieve the objective of increasing the Hokkeko membership by 50% by the year 2015.
With these words, I would like to conclude my brief final address for this year.
Thank you very much for your attendance tonight.