Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin
On the Occasion of the April Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony
April 3, 2016
Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji
Good morning, everyone! On this occasion of the April Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony, conducted here today at the Head Temple, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the large number of participants in attendance.
This is the month when our Founder Nichiren Daishonin declared the establishment of true Buddhism. In regards to the declaration date of the establishment of true Buddhism, there are two theories: the theory of March 28 and the theory of April 28 in the fifth year of Kenchō (1253).
In some Goshos, such as Letter to the Priests of Seichōji Temple (Seichōji daishu chū) (Gosho, p. 946), The Great White Ox Cart (Daibyaku gosha-sho) (ibid., p. 1188), and Orally Transmitted Teachings (Ongi kuden) (ibid., p. 1732), the declaration date is indicated as March 28. However, in other Goshos, such as On Persecutions Befalling the Buddha (Shōnin gonan ji) (ibid., p. 1396), and Letter to Nakaoki nyūdo (Nakaoki nyūdō-goshōsoku) (ibid., p. 1431), the declaration date is specified as April 28.
Thirty-first High Priest Nichiin Shonin expounded on the two theories of the March declaration and the April declaration. In his writing, Interpretation of both Declaration Dates of the Establishment of True Buddhism (Shūshi konryū Sanshigatsu egōshō), he taught that March 28 signifies the Daishonin’s inner realization, whereas April 28 represents the propagation of the Law to the people around the world.
Furthermore, based on a detailed examination of these two theories of March 28 and April 28, Sixty-seventh High Priest Nikken Shonin gave us the following profound sermon on the occasion of the Kaisen Grand Ceremony commemorating the 750th Anniversary of the Establishment of True Buddhism in 2002:
We can observe several distinctions between the March theory and the April theory. March 28 signifies the declaration of the Daimoku of inner realization, while April 28 is the revelation of the Daimoku of the propagation of true Buddhism. March 28 represents the sermon of refuting heresy, while April 28 denotes the sermon of revealing the truth. Furthermore, the March declaration specifically reveals the great Law for a small number of close people, whereas the April declaration signifies the Daimoku to be propagated for all people. In particular, the passage in the Gosho, Letter to the Priests of Seichōji Temple (Seichōji daishu chū) confirms that the declaration date is March 28. Considering that the sermon also was given in March, I believe that it is truly appropriate to conduct a grand ceremony for both March and April to repay our debts of gratitude to the Buddha.
(Dai-Nichiren, May 2002, p. 79)
Accordingly, our denomination conducts ceremonies for both March 28 and April 28 in order to repay our debts of gratitude to Nichiren Daishonin, unlike the other sects who are unquestioning supporters of only April 28. In the Gosho, On Remonstrating with Hachiman (Kangyō hachiman-shō), the Daishonin teaches the following:
For the past twenty-eight years, from the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month of the fifth year of Kenchō (1253) through the twelfth month of this current year, the third year of Kō’an (1280), I, Nichiren, have done nothing else but one thing. That is, to dedicate myself to have all the people of Japan chant the five and seven characters of Myoho-Renge-Kyo. This act of compassion is the same as a mother trying to put milk into the mouth of her infant.
(Gosho, p. 1539)
Our Founder Nichiren Daishonin, who made his advent into this world in the Latter Day of the Law, declared and established the great Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo hidden in the depths of the Life Span chapter of the Lotus Sutra of the Essential Teaching. The purpose of his advent was to lead all living beings for the ten thousand years of the Latter Day of the Law to the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form, with his deep compassion. Furthermore, the Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, Repaying Debts of Gratitude (Hō’on-shō):
Since Nichiren’s compassion is vast, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo will prevail for ten thousand years and beyond into the future. It possesses the beneficial power to open the blind eyes of all the people in Japan, and it blocks the path to the hell of incessant suffering. Its benefits surpass those of the teachings of Dengyō and Tiantai, and are far superior to those of Nagarjuna and Mahakashyapa. (Gosho, p. 1036)
This passage reveals the three virtues that Nichiren Daishonin possesses. “Nichiren’s compassion” signifies the virtue of a parent. “Open the blind eyes of all the people in Japan” represents the virtue of a teacher. “It blocks the path to the hell of incessant suffering” indicates the virtue of a sovereign. Thus, our Founder Nichiren Daishonin, who possesses the three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent, reveals that his Buddhism is the great Law that can save all living beings throughout the entire world, not only during his lifetime but also for ten thousand years and beyond into the future.
We must take the challenge to do shakubuku all the more, in order to propagate this great Law, which will save all living beings throughout the whole world. The Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, The True Entity of All Phenomena (Shohō jissō-shō):
Although I, Nichiren alone, at first chanted Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, two, three, then a hundred people gradually began to chant and propagate it. So shall it continue into the future. (Gosho, p. 666)
As the Daishonin demonstrated through his own actions, the path that we must follow toward kōsen-rufu is to chant the five and seven characters of Myoho-Renge-Kyo so that, “two, three, then a hundred people gradually begin to chant…” In the Gosho, On Practicing According to the Buddha’s Teachings (Nyosetsu shugyō-shō), the Daishonin teaches as follows:
“The Lotus Sutra is the teaching of shakubuku, the refutation of the provisional doctrines.” Since these are the golden words [of the Buddha], eventually every person who clings to the provisional teachings will surrender [to the true Law] and become a follower of the Buddha. Then, all the people throughout this world will discard the provisional teachings and take faith in the one vehicle of Buddhahood. When the mystic Law (Myōhō) alone prevails in the land and the entire nation chants Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, the wind will blow gently without causing the branches to rustle, and the rain will fall softly without breaking a clod. The world will become like the times of Fuxi and Shennong. The people will be able to drive away disasters and misfortune and gain the ability to live long lives. The principle of the eternity and immortality of both the person and the Law will be revealed. Be assured that all of these events will occur. There is no doubt about the written evidence [in the sutra] of “peace and security in this lifetime.” (Gosho, p. 671)
Today, Nichiren Shoshu is advancing powerfully, based on unity between the priesthood and laity in the spirit of itai dōshin, aiming toward our goal—to achieve a membership of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by 2021, the 800th Anniversary of the advent of our Founder Nichiren Daishonin. Thus, I hope that we will engrave into our hearts the will of our Founder Nichiren Daishonin who declared and established true Buddhism based on his deep compassion. Then, as followers of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, I sincerely wish that all of us, with a deep sense of our noble mission to save the people, will devote ourselves to do shakubuku, based on unity in the spirit of itai dōshin, and achieve our goal.