Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin
On the Occasion of the April Kosen-rufu Shodai Ceremony
April 21, 2019
Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji
On this occasion of the April Kosen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony, conducted here
today at the Head Temple, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all of
you for making a special effort to participate in the Shodai Ceremony despite your
busy schedules. Normally, the Kosen-rufu Shodai Ceremony is conducted on the
first Sunday of each month. However, this month, the Grand Ceremony of the
Airing of the Sacred Treasures (Goreiho Mushibarai Daihoe), one of the two major
ceremonies of Nichiren Shoshu, conflicted with this schedule. Thus, the schedule
for the Kosen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony was changed to today. Also, the era name will
change to “Reiwa” as of the first of May. Thus, today’s Kosen-rufu Shodai
Ceremony will be the last Shodai Ceremony in the current “Heisei” era. Though
Japan’s era will change from Heisei to Reiwa, I wish that all of you will continue to
make further efforts in your practice, as we aim toward the achievement of
Kosen-rufu of the entire world.
Nichiren Shoshu currently is advancing with utmost effort, as we aim toward
our goal—to achieve a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by 2021 (the third
year of Reiwa), when we will commemorate the 800th Anniversary of the advent of
our Founder, Nichiren Daishonin. The establishment of a membership of 800,000
Hokkeko believers is the vow we pledged in front of the Gohonzon. This is the
most important goal for us right now. Thus, every single chapter must have unity
between the priesthood and laity, based on the spirit of itai doshin, and achieve this
goal without fail.
In order to achieve this goal, each one of us must have the awareness that we
are disciples and followers of our Founder Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha in
the Latter Day of the Law. We also must have a firm determination to pursue the
goal of propagating the true Law throughout the entire world, and indomitable
courage. Keeping these in mind, we must do shakubuku.
The Daishonin teaches us the following in the Gosho, Reply to Myoho bikuni
(Myoho bikuni-gohenji):
In his teachings, the Buddha gives us the following admonishment: If one is
fearful and hesitant to propagate [the Law] when encountering an enemy of the
Lotus Sutra, then this person is an enemy of Shakyamuni Buddha. No matter
how wise or good one may be, it is certain that such an individual will fall into
the hell of incessant suffering. It is just like a child who sees that a stranger is
trying to kill his parents, but does not warn them of the danger. Moreover, it
is as if you, as a vassal, knowing that someone is plotting the downfall of the
king, do not remonstrate with him, because you fear that you will suffer
hardships. (Gosho, pp. 1262-1263)
The Daishonin strictly warns us that “an enemy of the Lotus Sutra”—a person
who sees a slanderer who upholds heretical teachings, but does not conduct
shakubuku for the slanderer due to one’s fear of what people will say—definitely will
fall into the hell of incessant suffering, no matter how wise or good this person may
be.
In the Nirvana Sutra, it states as follows:
Suppose a decent priest becomes aware of one who slanders the correct Law.
If he lets the slanderer be, without reproaching, expelling, and correcting him
by exposing his faults, we should know that this priest is an enemy of
Buddhism. On the other hand, if this priest expels, reproaches, and corrects
the slanderer by exposing his faults, this priest is my disciple, as well as a true
practitioner of my teachings. (Gosho, p. 1039)
In this passage, the Daishonin teaches that if we become aware of those who
slander the true Law, and let the slanderers be, for fear of persecution, without
censuring them, driving them out, or correcting their errors by explicitly showing
their offences, in other words, if we do not conduct shakubuku, this means we are the
“the enemies of Buddhism.” Whereas, if we expel, reproach, and correct the
slanderers by exposing their faults, we are the true disciples and believers of the
Buddha. When we read this Gosho passage with reverence, we must firmly
recognize how important shakubuku is for our faith and practice of Buddhism.
Accordingly, the Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, Attaining
Enlightenment at the Initial Stage of Faith through the Lotus Sutra (Hokke shoshin
jobutsu-sho):
If they hear the Lotus Sutra, which enables people to attain Buddhahood, this
[encounter] will sow the seed of [Buddhahood] into their lives and they
eventually will attain enlightenment without fail. Therefore, Tiantai and
Miaole follow this notion and expound in their commentaries that they should
tirelessly teach the Lotus Sutra. It is like those who falter and fall to the
ground and who are able to use that very ground to push themselves up to stand
again. In the same way, even if they descend into hell, they will rise again
before long and attain Buddhahood. The people in the world today have
turned their backs on the Lotus Sutra and, for that offense, they will
undoubtedly fall into hell. Therefore, in any case, one should strongly teach
and make people listen to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Those who follow
and take faith in it will be able to attain enlightenment, and even those who
slander it will likewise attain Buddhahood in the end through the poison-drum
relationship. Nothing other than the Lotus Sutra can be the seed of
Buddhahood. (Gosho, p. 1316)
“The poison-drum relationship,” stated in this passage, is a metaphor
expounded in the Nirvana Sutra. It is said that when a drum smeared with poison is
beaten, all those who hear the sound of the drum will instantly die, whether they wish
to hear it or not. Even if they are not willing to listen to the teaching, if they hear it,
they will eventually sever their earthly desires and attain enlightenment. This is
likened to beating the drum smeared with poison.
In other words, the Daishonin teaches us that all living beings inherently
possess the Buddha nature. Thus, we can all attain Buddhahood, based on the
manifestation of the Buddha nature, through listening to the true Law, awakening
faith, and practicing it. Accordingly, now in the Latter Day of the Law, even those
with a reverse relationship, to say nothing of those with a positive relationship, can
attain enlightenment without fail by listening to Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo of the
Three Great Secret Laws and forming a relationship with the true Law.
When we revere these golden words, we must be aware that the most
important thing for us now is to have faith in the vast and boundless benefits of the
mystic Law (Myoho), and we must sow the seed of Myoho-Renge-Kyo into the lives
of as many people as possible.
Today, the priesthood and laity of Nichiren Shoshu are exerting all our efforts
and advancing forth, as we aim toward our goal—to achieve a membership of
800,000 Hokkeko believers by 2021, when we will commemorate the 800th
Anniversary of the advent of our Founder, Nichiren Daishonin. At this time, I
sincerely pray that all the Hokkeko chapters throughout the nation will achieve their
shakubuku goals that they pledged in front of the Gohonzon. Then with these
achievements, they will repay the debts of gratitude to the three treasures. Keeping
in mind that this will be the best way to repay one’s debts of gratitude, in welcoming
the auspicious occasion of the 800th Anniversary of the advent of our Founder,
Nichiren Daishonin in 2021, I truly hope you will achieve your shakubuku goals.