Daily Gosho - Letter from Sado

Let's be as courageous as Nichiren Daishonin, who despite facing slander, persecution and exile, kept his courage, faith and determination throughout. He did this out of compassion for those living in the Latter Day of the Law. Every time we do Gongyo, we are redeterminating to practice with this courageous spirit - the heart of a lion king - and if we are the same mind as Nichiren, we most definitely are Bodhisattvas of the Earth... 

"... those with the heart of a lion king are sure to attain Buddhahood. Like Nichiren, for example."

(Letter from Sado - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 302) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=301  Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, August 5th, 2012


Background
This letter was written on the twentieth day of the third month, 1272, some five months after Nichiren Daishonin had arrived on the island of Sado to begin his exile there. He addressed it to Toki Jonin, a samurai serving as a leading retainer to Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa Province, to Saburo Saemon (Shijo Kingo) in Kamakura, and to other staunch followers.Nichiren Daishonin had been banished on the tenth day of the tenth month, 1271. Charges of treason had been brought against him by Ryokan, the chief priest of Gokuraku-ji temple in Kamakura, and by Hei no Saemon, deputy chief of the Office of Military and Police Affairs. Hei no Saemon was resolved to execute the Daishonin at Tatsunokuchi before he was to be delivered to the custody of Homma Shigetsura, the deputy constable of Sado. The attempt at execution was unsuccessful, however, and after a delay of almost a month Homma’s warriors escorted the Daishonin to the coast of the Sea of Japan. After a delay there caused by bad weather, the Daishonin finally arrived on Sado on the twenty eighth day of the tenth month.
Nichiren Daishonin was housed at first in a dilapidated structure known as Sammai-do, where he lived exposed to the wind and snow that blew in through gaps in the roof and walls. After five months he was able to move to more comfortable quarters at Ichinosawa. The Daishonin engaged in debates with Pure Land and other priests and actively propagated his own teachings. While on Sado he wrote two major treatises, The Opening of the Eyes and The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. In the second month, 1274, the Daishonin was pardoned and returned to Kamakura on the twenty-sixth day of the third month.
In this writing the Daishonin first states that the only way to attain Buddhahood is to be willing to offer one’s life, one’s most precious possession, to Buddhism. Next, he says that the method of propagation known as shakubuku is appropriate to this age, and that one can attain Buddhahood only by dedicating oneself to it. He then declares that he is the “pillar, sun, moon, mirror, and eyes” of and “father and mother” to the country; these are symbolic references to the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, who is perfectly endowed with the three virtues of parent, teacher, and sovereign. He also mentions his earlier prophecies in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land concerning political upheaval and violent feuds within the country.
Lastly, he gives an elaborate explanation of karma or destiny, stating that his present difficulties arise from the fact that he slandered the Lotus Sutra in a past existence. Using himself as an example, he elucidates to his disciples the kind of spirit and practice by which they can alter their karma. He adds that persons who try to propagate the correct teaching of Buddhism vigorously will invariably face opposition, and that such opposition in reality presents an opportunity for them to change their karma. Those who have given up their faith and instead criticize are admonished that their actions bear the heaviest consequences. He compares their lack of vision to fireflies who laugh at the sun.

Daily Gosho - On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime

I'll be honest - I know that throughout my practice, there are times when I've worshipped a Honzon, rather than devoting myself to the Gohonzon and the power of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.  That Honzon, in the past, could have been a boyfriend and at times, work. Our challenge as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, is to develop our faith in the Mystic Law, as the one true teaching, discarding all provisional teachings. We should  truly believe, within the depths of our whole being, that our lives are Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. In his lecture on this Gosho, Sensei reminds us of President Toda's impassioned guidance: "Propagating the Mystic Law in the Latter Day means firmly believing that your life is nothing apart from Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo!" (p35, Lectures on "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime") 

"Nevertheless, even though you chant and believe in Myoho-renge-kyo, if you think the Law is outside yourself, you are embracing not the Mystic Law but an inferior teaching."

(On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 3) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=3 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 3rd, 2012


Background
This letter was written to Toki Jonin in the seventh year of Kencho (1255), two years after Nichiren Daishonin established his teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. At the time of this letter, the Daishonin was thirty-four years old and was living in Kamakura, the seat of the military government. Toki was a staunch follower of the Daishonin who lived in Wakamiya in Shimosa Province. He received some thirty letters, including Letter from Sado and one of the major treatises, The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. A retainer of Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa, Toki had become a follower of the Daishonin around 1254.
Of all his writings from the mids, On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime focuses most clearly on the tenets of the Daishonin’s Buddhism; many of the other works of this period are aimed chiefly at refuting the erroneous doctrines of other schools and discussing theoretical questions. This short essay not only reflects the theories T’ien-t’ai formulated based on the Lotus Sutra, but also reveals the concrete practice for attaining Buddhahood - namely, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—that is missing in T’ient’ai’s theoretical framework.
Myoho-renge-kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra, but to the Daishonin it is much more; it is the essence of the sutra, the revelation of the supreme Law itself. Apparent in this work are both the depth of his thought and his conviction that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the only teaching that can lead people to Buddhahood in this lifetime.

One Europe with Sensei!

SGI-UK members are invited to a Study Lecture by SGI Europe General Women's Leader, Mrs Takahashi, as part of the 30th Scotland General Meeting. It's being held on Sunday 14th October, 2pm - 4pm, in Perth, Scotland.

Please contact your local district leader to register for a place (places are limited and on a first come, first served basis). More information on travel and accommodation can be found at www.horsecross.co.uk/contact  

Hope you get to attend!

The fired-up Singapore Soka Association!

Would love to have seen this performance! Watched by an audience of 26,000, 640 members of the Singapore Soka Association perfected their routine over four months' practice. Looks amazing guys! Many congratulations! http://www.sgi.org/news/c-activities/ce2012/ssa-fiery-performance-national-day-parade.html

Daily Practice - latest SGI-UK e-bulletin out now!

Latest issue of the SGI-UK e-bulletin is online now at http://www.sgi-uk.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/sgi_e_bulletin_issue79.pdf

So much content, so much inspiration! Wonderful to see how every corner of the land is being touched by our vibrant daimoku...

Daily Study - New Podcast - A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering, part 1

Another way to increase our study of the Gosho...how fantastic! Jason and Karen Jarrett have published a lecture study on "A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering", based on President Ikeda’s guidance in Newsletter 8518.  Here is Part 1 of Podcast. For future study material, why not subscribe via A Buddhist Podcast or link up via Twitter!

Background information and the Gosho itself can be viewed at A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering on the SGI Library.

Thank you very much, Jason & Karen!

Daily Practice - Chanting for safety during the Paralympics

Thanking everyone for their efforts to ensure  a safe and amazing Paralympics!

Daily Guidance for daimoku for the safety of all during the Paralympics ELA'12 - Monday 10th September - tozo hosted by Newham

Now is the time to show brilliant actual proof of worldwide kosen rufu by reading with our lives the Daishonin’s words: ’Try practising as the Lotus Sutra teaches, exerting yourselves without begrudging your lives! Test the truth of Buddhism now!’. Together let us take on the great, altruistic struggle to elevate the life-state of all humankind! President Ikeda, Newsletter 8088