NICHIREN SHOSHU TEMPLE FOR THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, EAST CANADA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Myosetsuji News ISSUE 221 NOVEMBER 1, 2019 Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin On the Occasion of the aiming toward the achievement September Kosen-rufu Shodai of this year’s shakubuku goals, as Ceremony well as the realization of the es- On this occasion of the Septem- tablishment of a membership of ber Kosen-rufu Shodai Ceremo- 800,000 Hokkeko believers by ny, conducted here today at the 2021, the 800th anniversary of Head Temple, I would like to ex- the advent of our Founder, press my heartfelt appreciation to Nichiren Daishonin. the large number of participants The Daishonin teaches the fol- in attendance. lowing [in the Gosho, The Doc- The month of September al- trine of Ichinen Sanzen (Ichinen ready has begun in “The Year of sanzen homon)]: Courageously Advancing For- Even if a medicine is com- ward,” and we have four months pounded with one hundred or remaining this year. I imagine one thousand ingredients, one’s that all of you are devoting your- illness will not be cured unless selves every spare moment to ex- ert your efforts to do shakubuku, (Continued on page 2) Gosho Quote for November 2019 On the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life and Death (Shoji ichidaiji kechimyaku-sho) All disciples and believers of Nichiren should chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo with the spirit of many in body, one in mind (itai dōshin), overcoming all dif- ferences among themselves, [to become united with the heart of the Buddha], just like fish being inseparable from the water in which they swim. This is called the Heritage of the ultimate Law of life and death. This [Heritage of the Law based on such a spiritual bond] is also what Nichiren is trying to propagate now in the Latter Day of the Law. When you are so united, even the great aspiration for kōsen-rufu can be fulfilled without fail. However, if there are any among Nichiren’s disciples who are many in body, many in mind (itai ishin), they are like subjects in a castle who destroy the fortress from within. (Gosho, p. 514) PAGE 2 MYOSETSUJI NEWS Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin (continued) (Continued from page 1) they believe it in their hearts, they do not put it into action. one puts it in his mouth. Even if You are upholding the sutra one owns treasures in a store- with both body and mind. house, he will starve unless he How admirable! (Gosho, opens it. Even if one carries p. 483) medicine in his pocket, he will die unless he takes it. Thus, even if one understands (Gosho, p. 110) these golden words in one’s heart, unless one actually puts As the Daishonin teaches in this them into action and experienc- passage, one’s act of taking faith es what the golden words state, in Buddhism is not logic or theo- it is absolutely meaningless. ry, but it is one’s actual practice. The vast and boundless benefits Likewise, our attainment of Bud- of the Gohonzon will not be- dhahood can only be achieved come part of one’s experience. through one’s actual practice, ex- The same thing exactly applies perience, and action. We cannot to shakubuku. attain enlightenment through desk theory. The Daishonin expounds the following in the Gosho, Letter The Daishonin instructs us as to Nanjo Hyo’e Shichiro follows in the Gosho, Letter to (Nanjo hyo’e shichiro dono- Chikugo-bo in the Cave Prison gosho): passage: “should he fail to de- (Tsuchiro-gosho): nounce the enemies of the Lotus No matter what great merit Sutra, he will not be able to attain When all others practice the one gains by performing good enlightenment.” Lotus Sutra, they read it with deeds; even if one transcribes their mouths but do not believe the Lotus Sutra ten million In particular, when we look at it in their hearts. And even if times, and achieves the ob- the chaotic condition of the world servation of the mind based at home and abroad, I strongly on the principle of ichinen feel that the members of all sanzen (three thousand Hokkeko chapters must put their realms in a single life- heart and soul into their practice, moment), should he fail to and courageously and bravely do denounce the enemies of the shakubuku at any cost, in order to Lotus Sutra, he will not be realize the Daishonin’s ideal—the able to attain enlightenment. establishment of the true Buddha land—described in the Rissho For example, one may loy- ankoku-ron (On Securing the ally serve the imperial court Peace of the Land through the for ten to twenty years, but if Propagation of True Buddhism). he recognizes an enemy of the emperor and neither re- In the Gosho, A Comparison ports it nor personally feels between the Lotus Sutra and enmity, all the services he Other Sutras (Shokyo to has thus far offered will hokekyo to nan-i no koto), The come to naught. Rather, he Daishonin teaches as follows: will be punished. (Gosho, When Buddhism becomes p. 322) corrupted, society becomes de- We must deeply take to heart filed and chaotic. Buddhism is the following words in this (Continued on page 3) ISSUE 221 PAGE 3 Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin (continued) (Continued from page 2) out the country. (Gosho, p. 247) like the body and society like the shadow. When the body is Engraving these golden twisted, so is the shadow. words into our hearts, we must (Gosho, p. 1469) be aware that saving many people who suffer the direst The root cause of the state of misfortune due to the poison confusion and destruction— of slander, and saving the na- unusual occurrences in the heav- tion, country, and the entire ens and natural disasters on earth, world is our primary responsi- tragic incidents and accidents, bility as disciples and follow- wars and famine, politics in disar- ers of the Bodhisattvas of the ray, flagging economies, and so Earth. In order to achieve our on—is solely due to the disorder goal of establishing a mem- of people’s ideas and religions. In bership of 800,000 Hokkeko other words, it is because people believers, commemorating the do not take faith in the true 800th anniversary of the ad- teaching but believe in erroneous vent of our Founder Nichiren teachings. Daishonin, it is most essential Thus, the Daishonin strictly ad- that we step forward and do monishes us as follows: shakubuku, following the Daishonin’s will: “One’s life If one desires peace to reign is insignificant while the Law powerfully vanquish slanderous throughout the entire nation is supreme. You should be will- teachings and use the doctrines without delay, he should first ing to give your life to propagate to censure erroneous teachings and foremost put an end to the the Law.” We must know that it to the best of your ability. slanders that prevail through- is the most precious mission giv- (Gosho, p. 403) en to the priesthood and laity of Nichiren Shoshu now. I sincerely pray that each one of us will take to heart these golden The Daishonin teaches the words, and strive to do shakubu- following in the Gosho, ku to the best of one’s ability, Questions and Answers be- following the will of the tween a Sage and a Foolish Daishonin: “One’s life is insignif- Man (Shogu mondo-sho): icant while the Law is supreme. The world today is defiled You should be willing to give with impurities. People’s your life to propagate the Law.” minds are distorted, filled Then, each of us should follow with envy, and provisional through in our practice during the and slanderous teachings remaining four months with no abound. This makes it diffi- regrets, based on the firm deter- cult for the true Law to be mination to achieve our goal of propagated. At such a time, the establishment of a member- it is of no use to practice the ship of 800,000 Hokkeko believ- reading, reciting, and tran- ers. With these efforts, I hope all scribing of sutras, or to the chapters will achieve this contemplate, meditate, or year’s shakubuku goals without discipline oneself. You fail. simply must perform shakubuku. You should PAGE 4 MYOSETSUJI NEWS Faith Experience by Shaquera Fowlkes Good morning, my name is temple, and Reverend Takika- Shaquera. My initial encounter wa answered the phone and with Buddhism was in my mid- gave my contact information twenties through the biopic: to my sponsor, Hanna, and I “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” stand before you today. I re- The actress who portrayed Tina ceived Gojukai in April of Turner was chanting Nam Myoho 2018 and my Gohonzon in Renge Kyo. Despite the chaos sur- May of 2018. As I began to rounding her, she seemed focused, chant more, my life condition even at peace. I said to myself, “I changed. want to do THAT!” I received my second mas- I began reading more about Bud- ter’s degree and began to prac- dhism and even started chanting. tice clinically with clients un- Some time passed, and I began a der federal and state supervi- relationship with a man who told sion. I also began to under- me that he would not marry a stand the relationship between woman who wasn’t a Christian. cause and effect. I needed to Because I believed that I was in stop blaming others for the love, I abandoned my interest in decisions that I made in the Buddhism and converted to Chris- past.