'Daimokuji,' New Nichiren Shu Temple, Born in Singapore

Published by the Nichiren Shu Headquarters & Kaigai Fukyo Koenkai No. 145 December 1, 2004 (1) ‘Daimokuji,’ New Nichiren Shu Temple, Born in Singapore By Rev. Ryuken Akahoshi General Manager of Nichiren Buddhist International Center Another dedicated group keeping their faith in the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Shonin was newly reborn and joined the Nichiren Shu Order in Singapore. The inauguration ceremony of Singapore Daimokuji Temple of the Fivefold Hill took place on November 13, officiated by Rev. Myosho Obata, who is in charge of missions in Southeast Asia, assisted by Rev. Kanshin Mochida from Nichiren Shu Headquarters and Rev. Gakugyo Matsumoto, former overseas minister in Hawaii. It was wit- nessed by Rev. Ryuken Akahoshi, General Manager of Nichiren Bud- dhist International Center. In front of the altar totally remod- eled and shining in gold, the temple The congregation gathering at the inauguration of the Daimokuji Temple in Singapore hall was filled with enthusiastic mem- altar the complete 28 chapters of the ple of the Fivefold Hill and also slandering the Dharma. They seemed bers who have been keeping their Lotus Sutra written in Chinese charac- decided to join the Nichiren Shu to be happy to receive answers clear- strong faith in the Odaimoku for the ters along with Chinese pronunciation, Order.” ing up their doubts. last twenty years or so in Singapore. which he finished typing in only one The members’ enthusiasm and On the second day of the ceremo- They were also congratulated by year. The atmosphere of the temple power of faith appeared in loud and ny, November 14th, the ceremony of members of the Penang Ichinenji hall was so energetic with about harmonized voice of chanting the receiving precepts or Jukai was offici- Temple, the Klang Kan-onji Temple, eighty people in total. Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku along ated by Rev. Obata. During the cere- both in Malaysia and representatives During the ceremony, Rev. Obata with the sound of a drum beaten by a mony Rev. Akahoshi and Rev. Mat- of the Jakarta Rengeji Temple of reported to the Buddha and Nichiren young lady. They seemed to feel joy sumoto blessed the altar and also all Indonesia. They came to Singapore to Shonin about the new Nichiren Shu to have their temple refreshed and the members. There were about 10 celebrate this commemorative occa- temple of Singapore stating, “This begin the new era of the temple with families who received individual sion together. It took a 12 hours long temple used to be called Lotus Sutra the Nichiren Shu Order. Nichiren Shu Mandala and about 25 bus trip. One of the Klang members, Buddhist Association and has been a One of the dedicated members, individuals who received precepts by Mr. Lee Beng, offered to the temple’s central place of having faith in the Mr. Alvin Quah, who is the secretary vowing to keep the Great Mandala Lotus Sutra for more of the temple, stated his joy of joining and the Odaimoku. than twenty years in Sin- Nichiren Shu, “Although I had been a Under the guidance of Rev. Obata gapore. Although they Christian, I was attracted to the phi- and great support of Nichiren Shu had about one thousand losophy of Nichiren Shonin and con- Headquarters, Nichiren Shu in South- membership once, they vinced to the philosophy of mankind east Asia is strongly and firmly grow- faced some difficulties in Buddhism. Then I became deter- ing with faithful members of Penang, within the group. Since mined to spread the Law of the Bud- Klang, Jakarta and Singapore and has then, the Board of Direc- dha. My mind set was completely a bright future. tors of the temple and changed regarding Christianity and members have been Buddhism. I understand that Bud- Disaster Aid Donation independently keeping dhism emphasizes life of dignity. I their faith in the Lotus was also moved by Bishop Tansei Also on this occasion, the members Sutra and the Odaimoku. Iwama’s lecture in China. I under- of the Penang Ichinenji Temple made Last year I started com- stand that Nichiren Shu is the open the donation of 417,000 Japanese yen munication with the community following the origin of to the Nichiren Shu Disaster Aid, Lotus Sutra Buddhist Sakyamuni Buddha.” which supports the victims and the Association by visiting Following the ceremony, Rev. temples hit by the current Japanese Singapore. Finally the Akahoshi gave his lecture in English disasters including the flood and earth- relationship between the about the doctrine of Nichiren Shu. quakes in Niigata Prefecture this fall. temple and Nichiren Shu He talked about why the Odaimoku is The Jakarta Rengeji Temple also had matured and they saving people. Some members asked donated US$125 to that aid, and the Rev. Nun Myosho Obata officiates the inaugural changed the temple’s him questions such as how they can Klang Kan-onji Temple announced ceremony at the Singapore Daimokuji Temple name to Daimokuji Tem- eliminate sufferings or what is Hobo, their support to that aid. Dharma), Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro-dono Writings of Nichiren Shonin, Doctrine 3, Published Gosho (A Letter to Lord Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro), and Soya Nyudo-dono-gari The third volume of the Writings tion Promotion Association (NOPPA), of the Nichiren Shonin Zenshu, Vol- gosho (A Letter to Lay Priest lord of Nichiren Shonin compiled by Dr. which has published eleven volumes ume III: Theology 3, written by Pro- Soya), in which Nichiren describes his Kyotsu Hori, former bishop of of English translation of the writings fessor Gyoko Otani of the Rissho Uni- unique theology of the five principles Nichiren Mission of Hawaii and pro- of Nichiren in Japan and U.S. A. The versity, Tokyo, and published by the for propagation. The remaining writ- fessor at the Tokyo Rissho Junior Col- last three of these books, published Shunju-sha in 1994. It constitutes sev- ings chiefly concern the comparison lege for Women, and edited by Dr. Jay and distributed by the University of enteen writings of Nichiren such as between the Lotus teaching against Sakashita, instructor of religion at the Hawaii Press, are the translation of the the Hoonjo (Essay on Gratitude), one other schools of Buddhism, showing University of Hawaii, has recently first three volumes of the Nichiren of the five major writings of Nichiren, Nichiren’s untiring efforts to establish been published and distributed world Shonin Zenshu (Complete Writings of which provides a general history of the teaching of the Lotus Sutra as the wide by the University of Hawaii Nichiren Shonin) written in modern Buddhism in India, China, and Japan. True Dharma. Press. Japanese by modern scholars of Also included are the Kyoki Jikoku- Those interested, please contact This book is the eleventh project of Nichiren Buddhism. sho (Treatise on the Teaching, Capaci- University of Hawaii Press the English Translation committee of The latest volume, which has just ty, Time, and Country), Ken Hobo-sho Honolulu, Hawaii 96822-1888 the Nichiren Shu Overseas Propaga- been published, is the English version (Clarification of Slandering the True www.uhpress.hawaii.edu (2) Nichiren Shu News tion, in which the truths of emptiness, transiency and the middle way are The State of Ichinen Sanzen (5) compatibly united. The contemplation By Rev. Kanji Tamura tion of the “mutual possession of ten tioner must dive into the existing of emptiness is total negation, while (translated by Rev. Kanshin Mochida) realms” and the “ten aspects of exis- transient world again, sharing the that of transiency means total affirma- tences,” it is revealed that the flow of same viewpoint with them and lead tion. It is said that the contemplation Ten Aspects (2) our one thought is not only connected them into the Buddhist way. Thus of the middle way is the actual state —“Three Time Refrain” and united with every move of the going back to the viewpoint of living of enlightenment appearing through The practice of the Daimoku body and mind of all living beings, beings and observe things from it is negation and affirmation. The reason chanting taught by Nichiren Shonin is but also spreads over the whole envi- called the contemplation of transien- why the ten aspects is read three the integration of the world of “3,000 ronmental world surrounding us. cy, and the condition of the real world times is that the whole existence Existences Contained in One In the previous article, we revealed by this contemplation is revealed through the ten aspects origi- Thought” doctrine. “3,000 described each of the “ten called the truth of transiency. nally indicates the state of the three- Existences Contained in One aspects of existences,” and 3) A practitioner, in the course of fold truth of harmonic assimilation of Thought” means that our this time we would like to improving himself and upgrading his emptiness, transiency and the middle minds contain the three thou- explain the meanings of practice by guiding others, should be way. Moreover, the whole universe sand worlds: the whole uni- “three time refrain.” When able to achieve the contemplation of unveiled through ICHINEN SANZEN verse. The numeral symbol we chant the Lotus Sutra, the middle way, truly free and univer- is, to some extent, the state of the of 3,000 is derived from chapter 2 “Expedients,” we sal, which could indicate emptiness as threefold truth of harmonic assimila- multiplying the conceptual are supposed to read the part well as transiency without being tion of emptiness, transiency and the middle way. categories of “mutual posses- Rev. Kanji Tamura describing the ten aspects attached to either of these viewpoints. sion of ten realms,” “ten three times.

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