Nichiren Shoshu Seiganzan Myoshinji Temple - New Year's Address 2010, High Priest Nichinyo Shonin/title> <meta name="keywords" content="" /> <meta name="description" content="" /> <link href="/default.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> </head> <body> <div id="page"> <div id="logo2"> <h1><a href="http://www.nichirenshoshumyoshinji.org">Nichiren Shoshu </a></h1> <h2><a href="http://www.nichirenshoshumyoshinji.org">Myoshinji Temple </a></h2> </div> <div id="menu"> <ul> <li class="first"><a href="/index.php" accesskey="H" title=""><b>H</b>ome</a></li> <li><a href="/sermons/index.php" class="active" accesskey="S" title=""><b>S</b>ermons</a></li> <li><a href="/ceremonies/index.php" accesskey="P" title=""><b>C</b>eremonies</a></li> <li><a href="/schedule/index.php" accesskey="T" title=""><b>T</b>emple Schedule</a></li> <li><a href="/tozan/index.php" accesskey="F" title="">Tozan <b>F</b>AQ</a></li> <li><a href="/links/index.php" accesskey="L" title=""><b>L</b>inks</a></li>  <li><a href="/contact/index.php" accesskey="U" title="">Contact <b>U</b>s</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="content"> <h1>New Year’s Address</h1> <h3>High Priest Nichinyo Shonin<br /> January 1, 2010</h3><br /> <p>On this early spring day of the New Year, we have welcomed the 758th anniversary of the establishment of true Buddhism. I am pleased that our Honorable Retired High Priest Nikken Shonin has welcomed the New Year in good health and high spirits.</p> <p>I extend my most sincere congratulations to all the Hokkeko believers, as you welcome this New Year with pure vitality.</p> <p>This year, we must further establish indestructible unity between the priesthood and lay believers in Nichiren Shoshu. We have come upon a truly significant year when we must vigorously advance toward our new objectives to be achieved in 2015 and 2021.</p> <p>Today, when we look around us within this country and abroad, we see the ubiquitous occurrence of tragedies and misfortunes, such as abnormal weather conditions worldwide due to global warming; changes in the ecosystem; famines and other natural disasters; wars and civil unrest; terrorist activities and insurgent uprising in numerous locations; global economic recession; dissatisfaction and distrust in government; and increasingly atrocious crimes. These all reflect the confusion and delusion that exist in our world today. </p> <p>We must bring salvation to this world of delusion—a place where people are extremely confused. The one supreme way to achieve this is for each one of us who embraces true Buddhism and the correct principles of our master Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, to follow the doctrine based on the passage that teaches, “Buddhism is like the body, and society is like its shadow.” We must acknowledge our mission as bodhisattvas emerging from the earth and embrace our great objective to save all mankind, keeping in mind that we must introduce the seed of the mystic Law and shakubuku as many people as possible.</p> <p>Many significant points are expounded for us to follow in doing shakubuku. The fundamental issue that underlies all these points is compassion.</p> <p>In the Gosho, “On Remonstrating with Hachiman” <i>(“Kangyo Hachiman-sho”)</i>, the Daishonin wrote: </p> <blockquote> <p>Now, for 28 years, since the 28th day of the fourth month of the fifth year of Kencho (1253) through the 12th month of the current year, the third year of Koan (1280), I Nichiren, have put forth my utmost efforts and have had no other purpose but to place the five and seven characters of Myoho-Renge-Kyo into the mouths of all the people in Japan. This is the same compassion as that of a mother who strives to put milk into the mouth of her infant. (<i>Gosho</i>, p. 1539)</p> </blockquote> <p>In doing shakubuku, it is essential for us to transfer the tremendously vast and profound compassion of the True Buddha into our own hearts and to thoroughly exert our utmost efforts with single-minded determination to help the people achieve true happiness.</p> <p>Without this single-minded determination, one would be looked upon disparagingly, much like how an individual “lacking compassion—who befriends and concurs with [a slanderer], even in jest—would be considered an enemy.”</p> <p>The following passage from the Peaceful Practices (<i>Anrakugyō</i>; fourteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra explains the commitment that one must possess in order to expound the Law:</p> <blockquote> <p>He should put aside all ideas of laziness, <br /> all thought of negligence or ease, <br /> remove himself from cares and worries <br /> and with a compassionate mind preach the Law. <br /> Day and night constantly he should expound <br /> the teachings of the unsurpassed way, <br /> employing causes and conditions, <br /> immeasurable similes and parables <br /> to instruct living beings <br /> and cause them all to be joyful. <br /> Clothing and bedding, <br /> food, drink, medicine— <br /> with regard to such things <br /> he should have no expectations <br /> but with a single mind concentrate <br /> upon the reasons for preaching the Law, <br /> desiring to complete the Buddha way <br /> and to cause those in the assembly to do likewise.<br /> (<i>Hokekyo</i>, p. 390; <i>The Lotus Sutra</i>, Watson, pp. 202-203) </p> </blockquote> <p>This passage instructs us to eliminate attitudes of negligence, indolence, apathy, and laziness; to distance ourselves from the delusions of grief and distress; to expound the Law with sincere compassion; to constantly teach the doctrines of the unsurpassed way, regardless of the time of day; to expound the teachings of the Buddha to all people by telling them all about karmic relationships and by using innumerable parables; to cause them to feel joy; and to refrain from seeking beautiful clothing, soft bedding, delicious drinks and food, and costly medicines. It further instructs us to single-mindedly expound the Law and to achieve Buddhahood ourselves, based on our karmic bonds, and to cause others to also achieve the same.</p> <p>Of the four peaceful ways of practice (<i>shi anraku gyo</i>), this passage describes the “practice of peaceful words” (<i>ku anraku gyo</i>). This instruction is eminently applicable to our lives today.</p> <p>Above all, we must do shakubuku upholding the spirit of the passage that states, “with a compassionate mind preach the Law.”</p> <p>We, the priests and the lay believers, have now come upon an important time in Nichiren Shoshu to launch our great shakubuku campaign. I sincerely pray that each of you will put forth your utmost efforts in doing shakubuku with true compassion in your hearts.</p> <p>In the Gosho, “On Repaying Debts of Gratitude” <i>(“Ho’on-sho”)</i>, the Daishonin writes:</p> <blockquote> <p>If Nichiren’s compassion is vast, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo will spread for ten-thousand years into the future and beyond. It possesses the beneficial power to open the blind eyes of all the people in the nation of Japan, and it obstructs the path to the hell of incessant suffering. Its benefits transcend those of Dengyo and Tiantai, and they are far superior to those of Nagarjuna and Mahakashyapa. (<i>Gosho</i>, p. 1036) </p> </blockquote> <p>I would like to conclude my New Year’s address by sincerely asking each of you to etch these golden words into your heart, as you advance with ever more devotion. </p> </div>  <div style="clear: both; height: 0;"></div> <div id="footer"> <div class="wrapper"> <p class="links">Site built by <a href="http://www.prophegy.com" title="Prohegy Web Design and Development" target="_blank">Prophegy</a> · Last update: July 12th, 2010 · This site is <a href="http://validator.w3.org/check/referer" title="This page validates as XHTML 1.0 Strict" target="_blank"><abbr title="This page validates as XHTML 1.0 Strict">XHTML</abbr></a> · <a href="http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/check/referer" title="This page validates as CSS" target="_blank"><abbr title="Cascading Style Sheets">CSS</abbr></a> compliant.</p> <p class="legal">© 2010 Myoshinji Temple</p> </div> </div>  </div>  </body> </html>