{"id":716,"date":"2017-06-01T16:58:18","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T16:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/?p=716"},"modified":"2017-07-23T08:17:02","modified_gmt":"2017-07-23T08:17:02","slug":"may-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/en\/2017\/06\/01\/may-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"May 2017, High Priest Guidance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

May 7, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

On this occasion of the May 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 May already has begun. \u00a0I imagine both the priesthood and laity of each chapter have united in the spirit of itai do\u0304shin<\/em>, and are devoting themselves to their practice, day and night, aiming toward this year\u2019s shakubuku goals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shakubuku is the supreme Buddhist practice, which was established by our Founder Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha in the Latter Day of the Law. Shakubuku is the correct and best way to save all living beings in the Latter Day of the Law.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today, Nichiren Shoshu is powerfully advancing, 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 the challenge to achieve ko\u0304sen-rufu, it is not what you say but what you do that counts. \u00a0Every member of each chapter must unite as one and do shakubuku in the spirit of itai do\u0304shin<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Parable of the Poisoned Arrow\u201d is one of the most famous Buddhist parables. It is contained in the Collection of Medium-Length Agama Sutras (C<\/em>h\u016b<\/em>-agon-ky\u014d)<\/em>. \u00a0You probably know this story. In simple terms, it goes as follows:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One of Shakyamuni\u2019s disciples begged his master to answer various questions: \u201cIs this world everlasting? \u00a0Or is it in flux? \u00a0Will the world end? \u00a0Is the Buddha still existing after his passing?\u201d \u00a0Shakyamuni did not answer these questions in a straightforward way. \u00a0Instead, he responded by saying, \u201cSuppose a man is wounded by a poisoned arrow [and people bring him to a surgeon]. \u00a0Suppose the man should say, \u2018I will not let this arrow be taken out until I know what sort of a person shot me. \u00a0What is the name of the person? Was the person tall or short? \u00a0Was the person a townsman or a villager? \u00a0What is this arrow made out of? \u00a0What is the name of the doctor who will examine me?\u2019 \u00a0And, if he refuses to allow the arrow to be removed before all of these questions are answered, this person will die. \u00a0What is most important is first to remove the poisoned arrow and provide first aid.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This parable warns us that we tend to postpone what we need to place emphasis on now. \u00a0Instead, we focus our eyes on other issues. \u00a0In other words, it is essential that we know what is most important right now.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What we must accomplish now, by any means, is for all the chapters to achieve their shakubuku goals, which they vowed to accomplish in front of the Gohonzon. Then, with these achievements, we should welcome the 800th anniversary of the advent of our Founder Nichiren Daishonin in 2021.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

If they hear the Lotus Sutra, which enables people to attain Buddhahood, this [encounter] becomes the seed [of Buddhahood] for them, and they eventually will attain enlightenment without fail. \u00a0Therefore, Tiantai and Miaole follow this notion and expound [in their commentaries] that one should tirelessly teach the Lotus Sutra. \u00a0It is like those who falter and fall to the ground, but are able to use that very ground to push themselves up to stand again. \u00a0In the same way, even if they descend into hell, they will rise again before long and attain Buddhahood. \u00a0The people in the Latter Day of the Law will definitely fall into hell as a result of turning their backs on the Lotus Sutra. \u00a0In 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.<\/p>\n

(Gosho<\/em>, p. 1316)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe poison-drum relationship\u201d is a metaphor expounded in the Nirvana Sutra. It is said that when a drum smeared with deadly poison is beaten, all those who hear the sound of the drum will instantly die. \u00a0The poison-drum relationship also is called a reverse relationship. \u00a0Teaching and making a slanderer listen to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra corresponds to forming a relationship with true Buddhism, which will be the cause for the attainment of Buddhahood for the slanderer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today, the priesthood and laity of Nichiren Shoshu are making concerted efforts, and the members of each chapter are moving forward, aiming toward our goal\u2014to achieve a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers. \u00a0At this time, I believe that it is essential for each of us to understand the significance of the poison-drum relationship. \u00a0Then, we should feel certain that now, in the Latter Day of the Law, Myoho-Renge-Kyo of sowing the seed of the true cause is the great Law that can lead both those with positive and reverse relationships to the direct path of attaining Buddhahood. \u00a0With this firm belief, we must devote ourselves to do shakubuku more than ever.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I sincerely pray for your further endeavors in your practice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin On the Occasion of the May K\u014dsen-rufu Sh\u014ddai Ceremony May 7, 2017 Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji   On this occasion of the May 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-716","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\/716","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=716"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":789,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716\/revisions\/789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.senmyozanhokkejitemple.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}