|
Okyobi Address Good morning! I would like to express my deep appreciation to our Chief Priest Reverend Shogu Kimura, and Assistant Priest, Reverend Shindo Imafuku, for conducting the Shodaikai and Okyobi ceremonies this morning. It is quite fortunate to chant with the priesthood for Kosenrufu and participate in the monthly memorial service for the deceased. Now, we have a little more than a month to go for the 4th Overseas Members General Tozan that will be held at the Head Temple Taisekiji in April. This type of large Tozan for overseas members is a continuation of the 750th Anniversary Tozan in 2002, which commemorated when Nichiren Daishonin chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the first time and publicly urged others to follows. I remember, at that time, there were a total of over 265 members from Myoshinji temple, who participated with unity of faith and spirit and great appreciation to the Daigohonzon. As you know, this coming Tozan will not be a vacation. We will need to focus on accomplishing it with the true spirit of the Hokkeko; the same kind of spirit demonstrated 700 years ago by Abutsubo. It took him six weeks to walk round trip from Sado Island to Mount Minobu where Nichiren Daishonin lived, and he was over 85 years old. Not only did he do this once, but three times in five years. Also, during the Atsuhara persecution, Hokkeko believers risked their lives to practice this Buddhism. Centuries later, the Kanazawa Hokkeko believers kept their faith when confronted with 150 years of persecution. These are just a few examples of those who courageously devoted their life to the true teachings with the aspiration of establishing a lasting peace through embracing the correct Buddhist Law, no matter what the obstacle. Today, the number of Nichiren Shoshu believers is growing all over the world. Especially in East Asia, where hundreds of thousands of people have converted to Nichiren Shoshu, in part due to the conspicuous actual proof of the Gohonzon’s power after the Tsunami disaster in December 2004. That Tsunami killed over a quarter of a million people, but no Nichiren Shoshu believer lost their life. And also, ten years ago, there was a great earthquake in Kobe, Japan that killed over six thousand people. But again, no Nichiren Shoshu believer lost their life. The up-coming April Tozan is an important step toward the success of the Tozan in 2009, commemorating the 750th anniversary of the “Year of Revealing the Truth through the Treatise ‘On Securing the Peace of the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism’ which Rissho Ankoku Ron. So let’s all of us, even those who are unable to go this time, unite with our Chief Priest, Reverend Kimura, in faith and spirit and pray for a very successful 4th Overseas Members General Tozan. Thank you |