From 22 to 24 September 2017, Togo District had the honor and the privilege of hosting Rev. Jozen Suenaga, Assistant Priest of Hokkeji Temple, and the Koto, Dr. Kwame Odame Boamah. This visit was the second and the last for this year, within the framework of the achievement of the district shakubuku target. It is to be mentioned that, the shakubuku target for the District was 153. Before Rev. Suenaga’s visit, 134 have been already achieved and with 19 remaining.
Assistant Priest and Koto were welcomed at the Togo-Ghana border in the afternoon of 22nd September, 2017 by the District Leader, Mr. Koffi Etékpo and the Assistant District leader Mr. Mensan Ayéna. The delegation was taken to the activity center and then to “Hotel la Concorde “.
This report outlines the activities carried out during the Assistant Priest’s stay in Togo.
- Sub-district Jikoku 1 visit
In the evening of 22nd September, the Assistant Priest visited Jikoku 1 sub-district. This sub-district is located in the south of Lomé, at an area called Kagome, close to the harbor. It has two (2) blocks (Kagome and Ichiban).
The meeting started at 6 pm with 30 minutes shodai followed by Gongyo. Rev. Jozen Suenaga read Chief Priest’s lecture, the “Parable of the Four (4) Women” which highlights the importance of accumulating the treasure of the heart as Nichiren Shoshu believers.
According to this parable, we must cultivate our heart by accumulating good deeds and keeping the precepts, because the heart follows us throughout the three existences of past, present, and future.
He reminded us that actions such as encouraging others to practice the correct Law, chanting Daimoku, being able to transmit this practice to those we encounter in our lives, and helping them to take faith in this Buddhism will remain as the only memory from this present existence. We will not be able to take your possessions or social status to the next life. Only the virtues gained from Buddhist practice will appear in your future lives, and thus, our practice is the highlight of the present life.
Rev. Jozen Suenaga concluded with 68th High Priest Nichinyo Shonin’s guidance: “We must know for certain that exerting our utmost efforts toward accomplishing our mission and repaying our debt of gratitude to the Law are essential to attaining enlightenment and the well-being of others.”
Members and guests present at this meeting asked questions for better understanding. The attendance was 85 participants including 10 guests.
- Shakubuku meeting in Tsékpo
On Saturday morning, September 23rd, 2017, Reverend and his delegation left Lome at 8:00 Am, to Tsékpo, a village located at about 55 Km north-east of Lome, which is the second sub-district visited by the Assistant Priest.
The meeting started at 9 am in accordance with the program, with 30 minutes Shodai followed by Gongyo. 8 new members received gojukai. However, after Reverend lecture on the same topic, the “Parable of the Four (4) Women”, which was followed by a very interesting question-answer section. This prompted another 11 guests to accept Gojukai, thus the total number of 19 gojukai was achieved in Tsékpo. The meeting closed around 11:45 a.m.
With the 19 gojukai achievement at Tsékpo, the Togo District achieved its shakubuku target for the year.
The meeting attendance was 74 people including 21 guests.
- Leaders Meeting
In the evening of 23rd September, 2017, there was leaders’ meeting which started at 6 p.m., at the activity center in Lome. The meeting was led by Rev. Jozen Suenaga.
A guidance of High Priest on the importance of shakubuku and nurturing the new members was at the heart of the Assistant Priest’s message.
Reverend urged leaders to do what the Buddha always did (shakubuku). In addition, the leaders will have to teach new members to do Daimoku and Gongyo, which is the basis of our faith.
They have to “show them, teach them, let them do it and praise them“.
He also emphasized on leaders attitudes in the following points:
- Be a good example as a disciple of Nichiren Daishonin (Do not miss gongyo,
chant a lot of Daimoku to accumulate virtue);
- Do not complain.
23 leaders were present at this meeting. The meeting closed around 8:20 PM
- General Shakubuku Meeting at the Lomé
On Sunday, 24th September, 2017, the general all members meeting was held at the activity Center in Lomé.
The meeting started at 9:00 a.m., with 1hour Shodai followed by Gongyo and Gojukai. The Gojukai achievement for the meeting was 54. Thus the total number of Gojukai achievement during this visit is 73. In all, Togo shakubuku target achievement for this year is 207.
The same lecture was given, followed by questions and answers.
Koto, Dr. Kwame Boamah, in his message, at this meeting, congratulated Togo district for its shakubuku target achievement. He encouraged Togo members to challenge themselves to have many of them, participate in the special Tozan pilgrimage of April 2018. This pilgrimage will take place under one condition, “if the whole Hokkeji Chapter is able to achieve its shakubuku target before Oeshiki ceremony”.
He also encouraged Togo district to participate in the Oeshiki Ceremony with 500 Togo memebers, because it is the most important ceremony of the Nichiren Shoshu and that it coincides with the Kick off meeting of the 20th Anniversary of the Temple.
The Koto ended his message by encouraging members to seize the opportunity to offer gokuyo to the Head Temple for the construction Saemon Gate in preparation for 2021 General Tozan.
- Questions asked by members and guests
During these shakubuku meetings, the lecture “Parable of the Four Women” presented by Rev. Jozen Suenaga, there was series of questions including:
- How to practice correctly in order to accumulate the treasure of the heart?
- We must seek the treasure of the heart, but at the same time, we need the money to go to Tozan. How are can you go to Tozan without looking for the treasure of the storehouse?
- Scientists are able to create or invent good things because they have created good karma, can we say that they have accumulated the treasure of the heart?
- According to the teaching of the Buddha Shakyamuni, once entered Nirvana, one no longer reborn. What does Nichiren Shoshu teach about this?
- Does the High Priest usually suggest to governments to make changes in their country as does the Christian Pope?
- How to polish our heart as you teach?
- Life is eternal, but the Christian religion teaches that only Jesus is eternal and will come back to wake us up among the dead. What do you think?
- I am illiterate, can I practice correctly?
- If the Bible is written by the man, what about the pamphlet you shared this morning?
- After death, what happens?
- Do you believe in the end of the world?
- After all, I can conclude that there is no god. What about the Buddha?
- What is the meaning of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo?
- What is the Gohonzon made of (which allow us to attain Buddhahood)?
- What is the meaning of the dream?
- What heart are we talking about? The physical heart?
- What is the meaning of juzu?
- My juzu is cut while I am practicing. Can we say that this is a bad omen?
- What is Gohonzon?
- Is it possible to have an African Priest?
- What is the treasure of the heart?
- Can we be reborn in his family after death?
Rev. Suenaga answered these questions. He asked us, as a believer, to control the other treasures (desires) and to accumulate the treasure of the heart. Buddhism, which teaches the eternity of life through the three existences, exhorts us to feel concerned about our future life. To understand the three existences means to understand the law of cause and effect. Only our heart will follow us into the future, hence the importance of accumulating the treasure of the heart. How to achieve it? To accumulate the treasure of the heart, we must:
- constantly and sincerely do Gongyo and Daimoku;
- do shakubuku.
- Determination
Togo District, following the visit of the Assistant Priest, undertakes to participate massively in the Oeshiki ceremony, the most important ceremony on Nichiren Shoshu calendar. The district is determined that at least ten (10) Togolese members will participate in the Special Tozan in April 2018.
