New Year’s Eve Gongyo Address
December 31, 2008
Reverend Shogu Kimura
Good evening everyone! Together with you, I have just completed the final gongyo for this year, the “Year of Great Advancement.” I extend my sincere thanks to all of you for traveling long distances to come to Myoshin-ji Temple, in spite of your busy schedules on this New Year’s Eve.
This year, like last year, we were able to successfully achieve our shakubuku goal. Thus, we have been able to establish a solid foundation that will enable us to attain our objective characterized by our firm determination to go on the Overseas Believers’ General Tozan Pilgrimage in the coming year.
Tomorrow we will welcome the “Year of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice.” Are all of you prepared to go on the Overseas Believers’ General Tozan Pilgrimage that will take place next year?
Our High Priest Nichinyo Shonin stated:
It is essential for each of you to advance forth your faith and practice by upholding the objectives to Double the Number of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and to gather at the Great Assembly. When you proceed forth towards these objectives, you yourselves will be able to experience benefits. It is certainly fine to pray for your personal matters, but you must first advance forth with devotion towards the objectives to Double the Number of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and to gather at the Great Assembly. By so doing, you will naturally be able to receive wonderful benefits.
(Daibyaku-ho, June 1, 2006)
As individual disciples of Nichiren Daishonin, we must form a solid unity between priests and lay believers and advance forth together with devotion to successfully achieve the objectives set forth for next year.
Indeed, the long-awaited occasion will come upon us next year. I ask you to focus not only on your own wishes but also on the people around you. If you find that there are fellow believers who have yet to make their determination to go on a tozan pilgrimage, I ask you to offer them encouragement.
Let us exert forth our efforts so that all the priests and lay believers of Myoshinji Temple are able to participate in the tozan pilgrimage next year and live up to the expectations of our High Priest.
With these words, I would like to conclude my brief final address for this year.
Thank you very much for your attendance tonight.