Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin
On the Occasion of the May Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony
May 1, 2016
Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji
On this occasion of the May 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. The earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture [in Kyushu] last month caused significant damage and a large number of aftershocks still are continuing. They say the number of aftershocks has amounted to over a thousand. Many people are living in constant fear and anxiety under these difficult circumstances. I sincerely pray for the aftershocks to subside and for the disaster-stricken areas to be reconstructed as quickly as possible. At this time, I strongly feel that once again, we should confirm the Daishonin’s intention conveyed in his Risshō ankoku-ron. Then, we must determine what we should do now and actually carry it out.
Today, there are miserable conditions around the world, including frequent, unusual occurrences in the heavens and natural disasters on earth. Regarding this chaotic state, the Daishonin teaches in his Risshō ankoku-ron that the root cause for these disasters is the fact that all people have gone against the correct Law and become wholly devoted to evil doctrines. This has caused all the guardian deities to abandon this country and sages to leave this land. And in their stead, devils and demons have rushed in to settle.
Citing various passages from the Sutra of the Benevolent King (Nin’nō-kyō), the Sutra of the Great Assembly (Daishik-kyō), and the Sutra of the Medicine Master (Yakushi–kyō), the Daishonin explains that believing in heretical doctrines and going against the true Law will invite misfortune, such as the three calamities and seven disasters. He teaches that all the causes for misfortunes, confusion, and suffering arise from slandering the true Law. If all the slanderous teachings are refuted and the virtuous mystic Law (Myōhō) is established, then all the calamities and disasters prevalent throughout the country will disappear. Then, the peaceful and stable Buddha land will appear. In order to avoid these calamities and establish the Buddha land, the Daishonin strictly admonishes that one must immediately renounce one’s erroneous belief and “take faith in the supreme teaching of the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra.” (Gosho, p. 250) “The supreme teaching of the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra” refers to the Myoho-Renge-Kyo hidden in the depths of the Life Span (Juryo; sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra of the sole essential teaching. This signifies the supreme teaching of the Three Great Secret Laws—the Object of Worship of the Essential Teaching.
The Daishonin teaches that, in order to secure the peace of the land, it is absolutely essential for all people to sever their attachments to erroneous teachings and instead, take faith in the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws. Many people throughout the world are unaware of the cause for chaos, such as extraordinary natural phenomena, as they aimlessly hustle and bustle around. Though it is true that people with various areas of expertise are trying to identify the cause of disasters and are taking steps to find solutions to the problems, I am sorry to say that they have not reached a fundamental solution.
The Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, A Comparison between the Lotus Sutra and Other Sutras (Shokyō to hokekyō to nan-i no koto):
When Buddhism becomes corrupted, society becomes defiled and chaotic. Buddhism is like the body and society like the shadow. When the body is twisted, so is the shadow. (Gosho, p. 1469)
The cause for society to become disordered—including natural disasters, tragic events, accidents, wars, famine, and so on—is solely due to the disorder of Buddhism. It is because people do not take faith in the true Law. Instead, they believe in evil doctrines. The Daishonin also expounds the following in the Gosho, Yorimoto’s Petition (Yorimoto chinjō):
Evil doctrines have prevailed throughout the land and people have fallen into the evil paths. The country is on the brink of ruin. (Gosho, p. 1129)
If one believes in heretical and erroneous doctrines, one’s mind will become disordered. The confusion of the minds of the people will make a sizable impact on the realm of the environment. Unless we understand this principle of Buddhism, we can never reach a real solution to a problem. In the Gosho, On Omens (Zuisō-gosho), the Daishonin teaches as follows:
If the people are filled with joy, a good omen will manifest in the heavens, and the Heavenly King Taishaku will work to protect the people in the land. On the contrary, if the people have strong evil minds, unusual occurrences will manifest in the heavens, and natural disasters will occur on earth.
(Gosho, p. 920)
The principle of the oneness of life and its environment is immeasurable and beyond the understanding of a common mortal. It is based on the absolute, penetrating wisdom of the Buddha, who perceived the immeasurable time and space of the ten directions throughout the three existences and revealed the truth of the universe. Therefore, there is no true solution for the miserable and extremely chaotic conditions today, unless one takes into consideration the great principle of the oneness of life and its environment.
In light of the Daishonin’s intention conveyed in the Risshō ankoku-ron, if each of us, the subjective self, discards all slanderous ideas and takes faith in the Object of Worship of the Essential Teaching—the Three Great Secret Laws of the supreme teaching of the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra—then each of our lives will be purified due to the power of the mystic Law (Myōhō), which is unfathomable and immeasurable. This purification will extend from an individual to the whole, and to the realm of living beings, thus purifying the entire society. Eventually, the realm of the environment will be reformed and become the Buddha land. On the contrary, if our lives are defiled by evil doctrines, our clouded minds will pervade the entire society. This will lead to various ominous manifestations throughout the land, such as unusual occurrences in the heavens and natural disasters on earth.
This is the principle demonstrated in the Risshō ankoku-ron. Taking the Daishonin’s intention to heart, we must conduct shakubuku, the compassionate practice to save all people, and we must aim toward real world peace and the realization of the Buddha land. This is the important mission for the priesthood and laity of Nichiren Shoshu.
Now is the time for us to advance powerfully, and exert every possible effort to do shakubuku at all costs, 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. The Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, On Practicing according to the Buddha’s Teachings (Nyosetsu shugyō-shō):
It is nonsense to seclude yourself in the mountains without refuting the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and carry out the practice of shōju at a time when the Lotus Sutra and pre-Lotus Sutra teachings are confused. You only will lose the opportunity to practice the Lotus Sutra. Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, who is correctly carrying out the practice of shakubuku exactly as taught in the Lotus Sutra? Whomever you may meet, conduct shakubuku to the people and refute the teachings of the other sects. Proclaim repeatedly with all your might that the Lotus Sutra is the only teaching that will lead the people to Buddhahood, and that the various other teachings obstruct them from attaining enlightenment and are the root cause for leading them to fall into hell. (Gosho, p. 673)
In this “Year of Advancing Further in our Shakubuku Activities,” I sincerely wish that each of us will engrave these golden words into our hearts. Then, the members of each chapter should make concerted efforts to do shakubuku, so that all the chapters achieve this year’s shakubuku goals without fail.