{"id":1195,"date":"2018-08-17T06:38:49","date_gmt":"2018-08-17T06:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/?p=1195"},"modified":"2018-08-17T06:38:49","modified_gmt":"2018-08-17T06:38:49","slug":"july-2018-high-priest-nichinyo-shonins-guidance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/en\/2018\/08\/17\/july-2018-high-priest-nichinyo-shonins-guidance\/","title":{"rendered":"July 2018, High Priest Nichinyo Shonin’s Guidance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the Occasion of the July K\u014dsen-rufu Sh\u014ddai Ceremony<\/strong><\/p>\n

July 1, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Good morning, everyone! \u00a0On this occasion of the July K\u014dsen-rufu Sh\u014ddai Ceremony, conducted here today at the Head Temple, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the large number of participants in attendance. \u00a0The month of July already has begun. \u00a0I imagine both the priesthood and laity of each chapter have united, based on the spirit of itai d\u014dshin<\/em>, and are devoting themselves to their practice, day and night, aiming toward the achievement of this year\u2019s shakubuku goals. As you know, currently Nichiren Shoshu is powerfully advancing and the members of each chapter are making concerted efforts, aiming toward our goal\u2014to achieve a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by 2021, the 800th anniversary of the advent of our Founder Nichiren Daishonin. \u00a0In order to achieve our goal, we must follow the Daishonin\u2019s instruction:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If they are united with one heart, they can definitely accomplish anything.<\/p>\n

(Gosho<\/em>, p. 1389)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As these golden words teach, it is most important that everyone in the chapter, regardless of age and gender, unite as one and conduct shakubuku, aiming toward the achievement of their goals. \u00a0We have three years remaining until the target date for achieving our goal. \u00a0It is essential that all chapters, to say nothing of the chapters that fall behind in shakubuku, first and foremost achieve this year\u2019s shakubuku goals without fail.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Daishonin teaches the following on shakubuku in the Gosho, Letter<\/em> to<\/em> Nanjo\u0304 Hyo\u0304\u2019e Shichiro\u0304 <\/em>(Nanjo\u0304 hyo\u0304\u2019e shichiro\u0304 dono-gosho):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No matter what great merit one gains by performing good deeds; even if one transcribes the Lotus Sutra ten million times, and achieves the observation of the mind based on the principle of ichinen sanzen<\/em> (three thousand realms in a single life-moment), should he fail to denounce the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, he will not be able to attain enlightenment. (Gosho<\/em>, p. 322)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Daishonin teaches that no matter what good deeds one accumulates, such as transcribing the Lotus Sutra ten million times, and claiming that one has awakened to the principle of ichinen sanzen<\/em> and mastered Buddhism, if this person does not admonish and shakubuku the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, the slanderers who go against the true Law, it is unlikely that he or she will attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. \u00a0We must deeply engrave this passage into our hearts: \u201cshould he fail to denounce the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, he will not be able to attain enlightenment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, Attaining Enlightenment at the Initial Stage of Faith through the Lotus Sutra <\/em>(Hokke shoshin jo\u0304butsu-sho\u0304):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In any case, one should strongly teach and make people listen to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. \u00a0Those 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. \u00a0Nothing other than the Lotus Sutra can be the seed of Buddhahood. (Gosho<\/em>, p. 1316)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As you know, a poison-drum is a drum smeared with poison. \u00a0In the Nirvana Sutra, it states:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When a drum smeared with poison is beaten in the midst of the people, all those who hear the sound of the drum will instantly die, whether they wish to hear it or not. (Nirvana Sutra, Summary)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This passage uses a metaphor of beating a drum smeared with poison, to indicate that even those who hear the true Law but oppose it will eventually sever their earthly desires and attain enlightenment. \u00a0The Daishonin teaches that all living beings inherently possess the Buddha nature. \u00a0Thus, they can attain Buddhahood through listening to the true Law, awakening to it, and practicing it. \u00a0Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, even those with a reverse relationship, to say nothing of those with a positive relationship, can be saved without fail, if they are led to listen to Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo of the Three Great Secret Laws and form a relationship with the true Law.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thus, we must revere these golden words. Both men and women of all ages in each chapter must unite as one and eliminate the slander of evil teachings and courageously do shakubuku. \u00a0Then, it is certain that we will be able to expiate our negative karma from the infinite past of kuon<\/em> and receive vast and immeasurable benefits. \u00a0On the contrary, the Daishonin states:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Trying to attain enlightenment without admonishing slander of the Law is like seeking water in fire or fire in water. How useless! How futile!<\/p>\n

(Gosho<\/em>, p. 1040)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the Daishonin teaches in this Gosho passage, one may take faith in true Buddhism, but if this person sees those who suffer the direst distress due to slander of the Law, and intentionally disregards them and passes them by without doing shakubuku, then he can neither eradicate his negative karma from the infinite past of kuon<\/em> nor attract true happiness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Upon welcoming the auspicious occasion of the 800th anniversary of the advent of our Founder Nichiren Daishonin, which is only three years away, all the priests and lay believers of Nichiren Shoshu are exerting their utmost efforts to do shakubuku. \u00a0At this time, each of us, as a splendid Hokkeko believer, must realize that achieving our shakubuku goals and aiming toward the achievement of the propagation of the Law throughout the entire world is exactly the faith and practice that accords with the will of the Daishonin. \u00a0It is also the best way for us to be able to attain enlightenment in this lifetime.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I sincerely pray that each one of you will do shakubuku based on indomitable determination, aiming toward the achievement of your goals and make further progress. \u00a0Furthermore, at the Head Temple, a one-hour Sh\u014ddai Ceremony will be conducted from 8 AM to 9 AM, as a general rule, every day throughout the month of July, starting from today. \u00a0I hope that many people voluntarily will be participating in this Shodai Ceremony.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin On the Occasion of the July K\u014dsen-rufu Sh\u014ddai Ceremony July 1, 2018 Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji   Good morning, everyone! \u00a0On this occasion of the July K\u014dsen-rufu Sh\u014ddai Ceremony, conducted here today<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-guidance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1195"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1196,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1195\/revisions\/1196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}