Late last year, when we first heard about the 4^th Overseas General meeting, Reverend Kimura gave us guidance not to worry about the money or how to get to Japan but instead to simply chant with a desire to see the Daigohonzon and the way to Tozan would open up.  By following this guidance 104 members from the Myoshinji Chapter of Hokkeko will be attending the 4^th Overseas General meeting this month.  Out of all the members in Myoshinji 104 members represents just under 13% of the total membership. 

Surprisingly,  Reverend Kimura’s guidance is the way for all Myoshinji chapter members to go on Tozan.  When we review the Gosho we find the following passage in “The Sutra of True Requital” ;

“In addition, it is easy to sustain our concern for someone who is before our eyes, but quite a different thing when he or she is far away, even though in our hearts we may not forget that person.  Nevertheless, in the five years from the eleventh year of the Bun'ei era (1274) until this year, the first year of the Koan era (1278), that I have been living here in the mountains, you have three times sent your husband from the province of Sado to visit me.  What profound sincerity!  Your faith is weightier than the great earth, deeper than the great sea!”  [, MW Vol.6, page 245]

This Gosho was written October 19, 1278 to Sennichi-ama the wife of Abutsubo.  From this letter it is clear that Nichiren Daishonin praised her deep faith and seeking spirit even though she remained behind on Sado Island.  The journey from Sado to Mt. Minobu is said to have taken about 22 days, Abutsubo stayed in Mt. Minobu supporting Nichiren Daishonin and cleaning up around his hermitage for 30 days, then he would make the journey back to Sado Island.  Abutusbo was probably gone for about 3 months .  This was at a time when they were being persecuted by Nembutsu believers and bandits and pirates operated freely in Japan.  It was a dangerous trip to make and a dangerous time to be home alone.  Clearly, to make the Tozan possible husband and wife supported each other and relied entirely on protection of the Shoten Zenjin which could only occur through single-minded faith in the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.

The Lotus Sutra says, “Single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do no begrudge their lives”.  When Reverend Kimura urged us all to chant with a desire to see the Daigohonzon, he was urging us to chant with the single-minded yearning described in this Lotus Sutra passage.  That way we would all be able to go on this Tozan even though only 13% of us will attend physically.  Let’s all continue to chant together to muster this single minded yearning to see the Daigohonzon so that we will all be on this Tozan together.  And then certainly let’s all strive to attend the Tozan in 2009 to commemorate the 750^th Anniversary of the Rissho Ankoku Ron together.