{"id":665,"date":"2017-05-02T09:47:31","date_gmt":"2017-05-02T09:47:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/?p=665"},"modified":"2017-07-23T08:50:39","modified_gmt":"2017-07-23T08:50:39","slug":"february-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/en\/2017\/05\/02\/february-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"February 2017, High Priest Guidance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

February 5, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

On this occasion of the February 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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As you know, February is the month when our founder, Nichiren Daishonin, was born. \u00a0On February 16 in the first year of J\u014d\u2019\u014d (1222), Nichiren Daishonin made his advent into this world, which had been prophesized in the Lotus Sutra. \u00a0The Daishonin\u2019s transient status was [the reincarnation of] Bodhisattva J\u014dgy\u014d (Superior Practice), while his true identity is the True Buddha from the infinite past of kuon-ganjo<\/em>. \u00a0The purpose of his advent was to lead all living beings in the Latter Day of the Law to enter the Buddhist path and enable them to attain Buddhahood in one\u2019s present form, through Myoho-Renge-Kyo of sowing the seed of the true cause.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, Letter to Jakunichi-bo\u0304 <\/em>(Jakunichi bo\u0304-gosho):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sutra states, \u201cJust as the sunlight or the moonlight dispels the darkness, this person will practice [Myoho-Renge-Kyo] in the world and eliminate [the fundamental] darkness of all living beings.\u201d \u00a0Carefully ponder on the meaning of these words. \u00a0\u201cThis person will practice [Myoho-Renge-Kyo] in the world\u201d means that Bodhisattva Jo\u0304gyo\u0304 makes his advent in the first five hundred years of the Latter Day of the Law, reveals the light of the five characters of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, and illuminates the fundamental darkness and the darkness of earthly desires. (Gosho<\/em>, p. 1393)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We must correctly embrace the great aspiration of our founder Nichiren Daishonin\u2015saving all living beings in the Latter Day of the Law. \u00a0Then, we must do shakubuku\u2014refuting heresy and revealing the truth\u2014based on the spirit of itai d\u014dshin<\/em>, as we aim toward the achievement of the propagation of the Law throughout the entire world. \u00a0Herein lies the most important mission for both the priesthood and laity of Nichiren Shoshu.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the Gosho, Reply to Soya\u00a0<\/em>(Soya dono-gohenji), the Daishonin teaches the following:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If a priest and his followers become aware of an enemy of Buddhism, and let the slanderer be, without reproaching him, there is no doubt that all of them will fall into the hell of incessant suffering. (Gosho<\/em>, p. 1040)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Daishonin strictly admonishes that if a priest and his followers see someone committing a slander but do not carry out shakubuku to this person, then both the priest and his followers definitely will fall into the hell of incessant suffering.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thus, no matter what adversity or obstacle may arise, it is important that each of us courageously do shakubuku, etching into our hearts the following golden words:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the Latter Day of the Law, Nichiren and his followers will encounter adversity when they practice Myoho-Renge-Kyo, but they should understand that actually, it is peace and pleasure. (Gosho<\/em>, p. 1762)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is essential that both the priesthood and laity make concerted efforts, in the spirit of itai d\u014dshin,<\/em> and advance forth, aiming toward the achievement of our goal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today, many people suffer the greatest misery due to the poison of slander of evil doctrines and sects, including the Soka Gakkai. \u00a0We must resolutely point out the errors of their merciless, evil deeds\u2014deceiving the people\u2019s minds and separating them from the correct faith. Then, we must save these many straying people.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This year is \u201cThe Year to do Shakubuku, develop your faith, and help others develop their faith and practice.\u201d \u00a0If you achieve shakubuku, you must help the new member to engage in his or her daily practice and grow to become a full-fledged Nichiren Shoshu believer. \u00a0The responsibility lies with the chapter, as well as with the person who achieved shakubuku.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you achieve shakubuku and do nothing more for the new believer, it is like giving birth to a baby but not taking care of the child afterwards. \u00a0There is no act more heartless than this. \u00a0Moreover, if you neglect helping a new member develop their faith and practice, you lack a sense of responsibility.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Therefore, the sponsor who achieved shakubuku must make concerted efforts, together with the other members of the chapter, to help a new believer to be able to conduct daily Gongyo, participate in the Oko Ceremony, make a tozan pilgrimage to the Head Temple, and practice shakubuku. \u00a0Herein lies the significance of \u201cThe Year to do Shakubuku, develop your faith, and help others develop their faith and practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I wish that you will engrave this into your minds. \u00a0Then, upholding the will of our founder Nichiren Daishonin, I hope that you will exert your utmost efforts to propagate the mystic Law and help others develop their faith, based on the noble mission of saving all living beings. \u00a0I sincerely hope that you will devote yourselves to your practice more than ever, as we aim toward our goal\u2014the establishment of a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by 2021, when we will commemorate the 800th Anniversary of the Advent of our Founder Nichiren Daishonin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin On the Occasion of the February K\u014dsen-rufu Sh\u014ddai Ceremony February 5, 2017 Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji   On this occasion of the February K\u014dsen-rufu Sh\u014ddai Ceremony, conducted here today at the Head<\/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":[33,35],"class_list":["post-665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-guidance","tag-2017-guidance","tag-high-priest"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665","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=665"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":792,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665\/revisions\/792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}