Daily Gosho - Reply to a Believer

Reminded me of a conversation I had with another member this week. We were discussing the attractiveness of running away from a particular situation and how much freedom that would afford them. Not so! We cannot escape our realities just by fleeing from them. No matter what we're facing in our environment, whether that be work, home (or both!), we have to stand up and win. Let's achieve abundant victories by transforming our 'reality' into 'Eagle Peak'!

"Regard your service to your lord as the practice of the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by 'No worldly affairs of life or work are ever contrary to the true reality.'"

(Reply to a Believer - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 905) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=905 Selection Source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shinbun, October 13th, 2012


Background
This letter is thought to have been written at Minobu in the fourth month of the first year of Koan (1278), when Nichiren Daishonin was fifty-seven. The year and recipient of the letter are not certain. Judging from its content, it is probable that it was addressed to Shijo Kingo, one of the Daishonin’s staunch followers in Kamakura. Shijo Kingo, who was then in a precarious situation, must have wished to abandon the secular world to escape from his trouble with his lord and fellow warriors. However, the Daishonin teaches him to regard his service to his lord as the practice of the Lotus Sutra. As a ranking samurai, Shijo Kingo’s service to his lord was his vocation and occupation. In modern terms, therefore, “service to one’s lord” would equate to one’s job.

Daily Gosho - The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings

Loving the reminder of the 'great vow' that we, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, all made at Eagle Peak. That we would stand up, united with our mentor, and propagate the Lotus Sutra.  As Sensei says in his speech "On Eagle's Peak" (17th September 2006), 

"To strive in faith with the same commitment as one’s mentor means to continue advancing amid great difficulty and adversity with unwavering resolve together with the mentor toward the goal of realizing the great vow of kosen-rufu. Those who maintain this spirit in faith throughout their lives will be able to gain the vast and expansive life-state of the pure land of Eagle Peak -the state of Buddhahood - for all eternity. Moreover, they will be able to lead their family and loved ones to that state of life as well."

Unwavering. Determined. Committed. Let's strive even harder, creating unity based on the oneness of mentor and disciple, and propagate with courage, conviction and compassion....

"The 'great vow' refers to the propagation of the Lotus Sutra."

(The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 82) Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 6th, 2012