Lecture in Praise of Nichiren Daishonin

June 2015, Oko Lecture

The Joy of propagating Buddhism

by/and doing Shakubuku
Are you doing shakubuku with joy, or do you unwillingly conducting it? There may
be some among you who neglect Shakubuku due to some reasonsbecause you feel
shy about doing Shakubuku, feel that you do not have enough knowledge about
Buddhism, or may think that you lack sufficient personal experience.
However, if you have been upholding Buddhist practice in Nichiren Shoshu, you
should experience joy, positive feelings, and benefits.Therefore; you should not feel
shy or be at a loss about what to say. Do not complicate things in your mind. Simply
tell people your direct thoughts about the good things that you felt, the benefits that
you received, and the joy that you felt at the timeall those thoughts and feelings
from the time you took faith until now. This way, you will be able to accomplish
Shakubuku without fail!
We were born into the Latter Day of the Law with the mission to do Shakubuku. In
the Treasure Tower (Ken ht; eleventh) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni
encouraged the people three times to propagate true Buddhism in the Latter Day of
the Law. He asked, Is there someone who will propagate the Lotus Sutra after my
passing? In response, numerous bodhisattvas taught by the Buddha of the theoretical
teaching and those from the various directions vowed to propagate the Lotus Sutra
after the passing of Shakyamuni.However, the Buddha refused their offer. He would
not permit them to propagate it. Instead, he transferred that task to Bodhisattva Jgy
and the Bodhisattvas of the Earth as numerous as the sands of sixty thousand Ganges
Rivers, who emerged from the earth.
The Lotus Sutra predicts that those who propagate true Buddhism in the Latter Day
of the Law will encounter the three powerful enemiesextremely arrogant lay
people (zokushzjman),extremely arrogant priests (dmonzjman), and
extremely arrogant false sages (senshzjman).
Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law and the
reincarnation of Bodhisattva Jgy made his advent in the Latter Day of the Lawas
exact predicted in the Lotus Sutra. He himself also encountered persecutions from the
three powerful enemies, and endured tremendous hardships in order to propagate the
mystic Law (Myh).
We are the followers of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, because we believe in the
Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin and we strive to do Shakubuku, just as he
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instructed.There is no greater joy than to be included among the followers of the truly
honorable Bodhisattvas of the Earth and to be able to put forth our efforts in doing
Shakubuku.
Nichiren Daishonin teaches the following in the Letter to Hren (Hren-sh):
It is expounded that the benefits of revering and making offerings to the votary
of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law are a hundred, a thousand, ten
thousand, and a hundred thousand times greater than those that can be
accumulated by upholding faith with the three categories of body, mouth, and
mind, and making offerings to a living Buddha for kalpa.
(Gosho, p. 813)
Furthermore, in the Gosho A Sage Knows the Three Existences of Life
(Shninchisanzeji), the Daishonin states:
I, Nichiren, am the votary of the Lotus Sutra. Because I follow in the footsteps
of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, those who despise and slander me shall
have their heads broken into seven pieces. In contrast, the fortune of those who
believe in me will grow to the heights of Mount Sumeru.
(Gosho, p. 748)
From these passages, we can see that the consequences of slandering and persecuting
Nichiren Daishonin truly are grave. On the contrary, he expounds that those who
believe in him, honor him, and make offerings to him will amass greatbenefits as
huge as Mount Sumeru. Indeed, we do Shakubuku because we believe in the correct
doctrines and principles of the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. To express our
gratitude and talk about the preciousness of Nichiren Daishonins Buddhism is to
praise and honor it. The benefits of doing so are immeasurably huge.
Anyone can do Shakubuku actually. However, there are the principle of the three
rules of preachingthe robe, the throne, and the room (ezashitsu no sanki)teaches
us the spirit that we must uphold in doing Shakubuku.
The robe (e) refers to clothing, and it represents heart/spirit of gentleness and
forbearanceheart and we must encounter all matters with them. Doing Shakubuku
often requires patience. There are times when we receive unexpected abuse from
people. Some of you are putting forth your utmost efforts to do Shakubuku, even
when you, yourselves, are going through tremendous hardships in life. There may be
individuals who insult you and say, If your religion is so great, why dont you speak
to me about it after you show some prosperity in your own life? We should never be
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upseted by such words. We must not hesitate or waver. Instead, we must continue to
do Shakubuku. The teachings expound that those who slander people who are doing
Shakubuku will receive negative effects. On the contrary, those who are slandered are
able to expiate their negative karma and receive benefits. As we repeat this in our
lives, we will find that those slanderers will change. First and foremost, it is
important not to get angry, not to give up, and not to slacken in our continuing efforts
to do Shakubuku.
Next, the throne (za) represents a liberation from attachments and the ability to
withstand outside control. All people, for the most part, tend to form an attachment to
things and conditions. For example, we are prone to think of our environment as
unchangingthat the same conditions will continue indefinitely. In fact, however,
there is not a single thing in the world that is fixed and unchanging.Our lives also are
not fixed. Even if we are currently experiencing terrible conditions, if we exert our
utmost efforts in our faith and practice, we can advance in a positive direction and
change our conditions without fail.
In the same way, when we do Shakubuku, it is important not to be influenced by
current conditions as we talk to people. The contents of what we say should be
focused on Nichiren Daishonins Buddhism and on the benefits and joy that we have
received as a result of our faith and practice. Some of us may be of low social station
and we may be financially challenged to make ends meet. However, as long as what
we talk about consists of the teachings of the True Buddha and the benefits of a
correct Buddhist practice, there definitely will come a time when we can reach the
peoples hearts.Also, many individuals who seem to be fine on the surface may be
privately carrying various problems and hardships in their hearts. It is important for
us to continue to do Shakubuku without being influenced by our arbitrary thoughts.
Finally, the room(shitsu) refers to great compassion. In the Gosho, Repaying Debts of
Gratitude (Hon-sho), the Daishonin states:
Since Nichirens compassion is vast, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo will prevail for
ten thousand years and beyond into the future.
(Gosho, p. 1036)
Having compassion in our hearts is essential when we do Shakubuku. Compassion
refers to the removal of suffering and providing happiness. When people uphold faith
in Nichiren Shoshu as a result of our Shakubuku and when they embrace and practice
to the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching, their hardships
and sufferings can be eliminated, and they can receive true happiness in their lives.
Many people are undergoing various kinds of problems and hardships in their lives,
such as family issues, trouble with relatives, educating their children, difficulties at
work, and illnesses. We must teach them that the negative karma from evil causes in
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the past, which represent the core cause of suffering and hardships, can be expiated
through maintaining the faith, and they can proceed in a positive direction without
fail.When we can lead people to happiness through Shakubuku, this becomes our
own happiness.
The most important issue in doing Shakubuku is for us to understand and truly rejoice
that it is, indeed, a great benefit for us to be able to propagate true Buddhismand lead
people to happiness.
In the long history of Japan, there were times when religious worship and
propagation were strictly regulated. During such times, Hokkeko believers who were
our predecessors encountered countless persecutions, and the hardships they
experienced were too numerous to be entirely recorded in writing or speech.
Currently, in different countries around the world, believers are living under various
conditions and may be encountering hardships in doing Shakubuku. Based on the
principle of the profound and clear observation [by the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and
Guardian deities] (my no shran), the Gohonzon is definitely looking upon the
activities of each of us, as we propagate Buddhism through Shakubuku. These great
positive causes will bring forth tremendous benefits in our lives without fail.
High Priest Nichinyo Shonin presented the following directions to us:
We will be able to create world peace and bring happiness to the people by
eliminating slander and establishing the true Law of sowing the seed of the true
cause. We must keep this in mind. I keenly feel that we should repay our debt
of gratitude to our founder, Nichiren Daishonin by single-mindedly conducting
Shakubukurefuting heresy and revealing the truthno matter what
difficulties may arise.
(Daibyakuh, No. 906)
Let us take to heart the new goal designated by High Priest Nichinyo Shoninthe
establishment of an organization of 800,000 Hokkeko believers by the year 2021
when we will be celebrating the auspicious occasion of the 800th anniversary of the
advent of our founder Nichiren Daishonin. Lets do actual Shakubuku, full of joy.
Then, as a result of the benefits of doing so, let us celebrate the sacred anniversary of
the birth of Nichiren Daishonin and establish solid happiness for ourselves and for
others.
I would like to conclude my sermon for today by sincerely praying for your
continued good health, for your lives to be filled with great happiness, and for the
ever-increasing accomplishments in your practice.
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