Daily Gosho - The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life

Oh how timely! I've been talking a lot today about unity. Unity in my home, in my district and in our beloved organisation. There is nothing we cannot achieve if we are united as one, based on the oneness of mentor and disciple.

Let's strive to reach out to the members in our district and cherish each person from the bottom of our hearts. Valuing their unique qualities and contribution to kosen-rufu, we can support each other and build up the most solid foundation in our lives, community and district. Sowing the seeds for happiness in our own lives and growth of our organisation.

Give a member a call, send that text, organise a home visit - there are so many ways to deepen our bonds of friendship and become, as Nichiren wrote, "as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim." We are many in body but most definitely one in mind. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

"All disciples and lay supporters of Nichiren should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the spirit of many in body but one in mind, transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death."

(The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 217) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=216 Selection source: Daibyakurenge, Gosho for July, 2012 


Background
This letter, dated the eleventh day of the second month in 1272, was sent by Nichiren Daishonin to Sairen-bo Nichijo, a former Tendai priest who, for reasons that are unclear, was also living in exile on Sado Island. Details about Sairen-bo are scarce, but it is known that he was originally from Kyoto, and that he had studied at Mount Hiei, the seat of the Tendai school, before his exile. He was also present at the Tsukahara Debate, held in front of Sammai-do, the Daishonin’s dwelling at Tsukahara, on the sixteenth and seventeenth days of the first month in 1272. In this debate the Daishonin was the clear victor over Pure Land, True Word, and other priests from Sado and from various provinces of northern Japan. A number of people converted to his teachings at this time, among them Sairen-bo.
Sairen-bo was a highly educated priest to whom the Daishonin sent several important essays, including The True Aspect of All Phenomena and The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life. He had a number of unresolved questions about Buddhist theory, and he addressed them one by one to the Daishonin, who in turn answered these questions in written form. The Daishonin praised him, saying, “How admirable that you have asked about the transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death!” In his reply the Daishonin offers a look into the wonder of the Buddha’s own enlightenment, as well as the practical means whereby ordinary people may attain the same end.
In the first paragraph, the Daishonin states that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the heritage of the ultimate Law of life, and that the transmission of this Law is made from the Buddha to all living beings. Then he refers to the question of how we can inherit the ultimate Law of life and manifest it within ourselves.
This Law flows in the depths of the lives of those who believe in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, practice in exact accord with them, and chant the daimoku. The Daishonin declares that there is no distinction whatsoever between Shakyamuni Buddha, the Lotus Sutra, and us, ordinary people.
Viewed from the standpoint of the Daishonin’s Buddhism, this can be taken as a declaration that there is absolutely no difference or separation between Nichiren Daishonin as the Buddha of the Latter Day, the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - or the Gohonzon which embodies that Law - and ourselves, who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
In terms of time, the heritage - the mystic relationship between the Law and the lives of the people - courses eternally through past, present, and future, unbroken in any lifetime. In terms of space, the Daishonin proclaims that the heritage of the ultimate Law flows within the lives of his disciples and lay supporters who work in perfect unity for the realization of a peaceful world and happiness for all humanity.
Having stated that the ultimate Law is within the lives of human beings, Nichiren Daishonin further explains how to inherit the Law. He emphasizes the importance of the attitude, “now is the last moment . . . ,” in or der to manifest innate Buddhahood, a state that transcends both life and death.
In discussing the thousand Buddhas and the ten kings of hell, he reveals the continuity of cause and effect spanning past, present, and future. Whatever state of life predominates while one is alive will continue in the next life. Whether one can succeed to the heritage of the Law depends entirely on one’s faith. This is why he strictly warns in his conclusion, “Even embracing the Lotus Sutra would be useless without the heritage of faith.”

Daily Practice - 100 Day Campaign for a solid foundation in our lives

Our district in Romford has started a 100-day daimoku campaign, to create a solid foundation in ourselves, our family, our district, our relationships, our career, and kosen-rufu, following Fulwell District's shining example! We'll finish this campaign on the 18th of November - Soka Gakkai Founding Day. Would you like to take part with us? Here's how:

1. Decide what it is you want to change or transform
2. The amount of daimoku you will do per day towards this.  (1 hr. but no less than half hour)
3. Subscribe to Art of living and try to attend 70 % of meetings
4.  Contribute to the planning of the discussion meetings

Here's a wonderful daimoku chart to help you on your way to victory https://dl.dropbox.com/u/25421090/Daimoku%20Road.pdf Each square on the chart represents 15 minutes of chanting (1,000 daimoku). One hour's daimoku per day would equate to 400,000 daimoku over this 100-day period! 

You can chant either at home or with friends in the district. Why not call a friend and chant in your own homes, at the same time? This is called domei daimoku. Whichever way works for you, we really hope you can join us in this campaign. We've got an online calender so you can link your ichinen with global friends at http://www.doodle.com/7hga3753sm5gsqmv too.

Let's change karma into mission, and transform our obstacles into victories! Looking forward to hearing how you've won in November!

A Buddhist must not be defeated. I hope you will maintain an alert and winning spirit in your work and daily life taking courageous action and showing triumphant actual proof time and again.

President Ikeda, Faith into action

“You can’t build a tall building without first making its foundation solid and secure.”
Daisaku Ikeda

The important thing is to have the stand-alone spirit, the determination to overcome all difficulties within one’s current circumstances.  When one regards something as impossible the wall of difficulty appears higher and stronger and one loses the courage to observe reality as it is, eventually losing the ability to summon forth the power needed to confront it.  After making a half hearted effort and failing, one draws the cowardly conclusion that it was impossible, just as one has expected.

On the other hand, when one makes up one’s mind ‘to win without fail’, the imaginary wall of difficulty begins to crumble.  In one’s heart, the lion-like spirit awakens and one tackles one’s challenges head on, roaring out to them confidently, “Come on!”.

Thoughts on The New Human revolution’ Seikyo Shimbun October 6th 2003