Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin
On the Occasion of the December Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony
December 4, 2016
Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji
Good morning, everyone! On this occasion of this year’s last 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.
During this year, “The Year of Advancing Further in our Shakubuku Activities,” I believe that the members in each chapter diligently devoted themselves to their shakubuku practice, with unity between the priesthood and laity in the spirit of itai dōshin. Thus, they have produced excellent results and made substantial progress.
I sincerely pay my respects to the chapters that already have achieved their shakubuku goals. I thank you for your hard work.
For the other chapters that have not yet achieved their goals, you still have one month remaining. If men and women of all ages of those chapters unite together, based on the spirit of itai dōshin, and step forward to do shakubuku, I firmly believe they will receive protection from the guardian deities and achieve their goals without fail.
There is a well-known saying by Yozan Uesugi, who was a daimyo of the Yonezawa domain in the late Edo period.
Do and it will be done; don’t do and it will not be done. If something is not done, that is because no one did it.
This adage teaches us that you can accomplish anything, if you have a firm determination. It all depends on one’s willingness.
Likewise, if we firmly believe in the power of the vast and boundless benefits of the Dai-Gohonzon, and conduct shakubuku with the spirit of, “Do and it will be done,” we surely will be able to achieve our goals.
The Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, Reply to Shijō Kingo (Shijō kingo dono-gohenji):
A mighty warrior called General Li Guang, whose mother was mauled to death by a tiger, one day found a tiger that resembled the one that killed her, and shot an arrow at it. In fact, it was just a big stone, but the arrow was lodged deep into the stone, up to its feathers. After he realized that it was a stone, he could not lodge an arrow into it again. Later, he was called General Stone Tiger.
(Gosho, p. 1292)
Citing the example of General Li Guang, the Daishonin expounds that one can accomplish anything without fail, if one confronts every difficulty with firm faith that is so strong it can pierce even a rock.
Currently, the members of each chapter of Nichiren Shoshu are making concerted efforts to carry out great shakubuku activities, based on the spirit of “willing to give one’s life to propagate the Law,” aiming toward the achievement of this year’s shakubuku goals.
We have less than one month remaining this year. The Daishonin teaches the following in the Gosho, Reply to Ueno (Ueno dono-gohenji):
Through the workings of Heavenly King Daibon, Heavenly King Taishaku, and others, all the people throughout the nation of Japan together will take faith [in the Lotus Sutra].
(Gosho, p. 1123)
Concerning the members in the chapters that have not yet achieved their goals, I hope that you will engrave these golden words into your hearts. Though we have little time remaining, I sincerely wish that all the members of these chapters work in complete solidarity, based on the spirit of itai dōshin, and earnestly chant Daimoku and conduct shakubuku, no matter what difficulties or obstacles may stand in your way. With these efforts, I believe you, too, will achieve your shakubuku goals without fail.