April - NSTNY.org

NICHIREN SHOSHU TEMPLE
FOR
THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, EAST CANADA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Myosetsuji News
A PRIL 1, 2016
I SSUE 178
Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin
On the Occasion of the February
Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony
Good morning everyone!
On this occasion of the February
Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony, conducted here today at the Head Temple, I would like to express my
heartfelt appreciation to the large
number of participants in attendance.
As you know, February is the
month when our founder, Nichiren
Daishonin, was born.
On February 16 in the first year of
Jō’ō (1222), 794 years ago, Nichiren
Daishonin made his advent into this
world at Kataumi, located in Tōjō
County of Awa Province (presently
Kamogawa City in Chiba Prefecture).
The advent of the True
Buddha
Nichiren
Daishonin in the Latter
Day of the Law already
had been prophesized in
the Lotus Sutra by
Shakyamuni
Buddha
3000 years earlier.
Shakyamuni Buddha
taught the following in
the Wondrous Powers
of
the
Tathagata
(Jinriki;
twenty-first)
chapter of the Lotus Sutra:
Just as the sunlight or
the moonlight dispels
the darkness, this person will
practice [Myoho-Renge-Kyo] in
the world and eliminate [the fundamental] darkness of all living
beings. (Hokekyo, p. 516)
Concerning this passage, the
Daishonin teaches the following in
the Gosho, Letter to Jakunichi-bō
(Jakunichi bō-gosho):
The sutra states, “Just as the
sunlight or the moonlight dispels
the darkness, this person will
practice [Myoho-Renge-Kyo] in
the world and eliminate [the fundamental] darkness of all living
beings.” Carefully ponder on the
meaning of these words. “This
person will practice [MyohoRenge-Kyo] in the world” means
that Bodhisattva Jōgyō makes his
advent in the first five hundred
years of the Latter Day of the
Law, reveals the light of the five
characters of Nam-Myoho-RengeKyo, and illuminates the fundamental darkness and the darkness
of earthly desires. The efforts of
(Continued on page 2)
Gosho Quote for April 2016
On the Buddha’s Behavior
(Shuju onfurumai-gosho)
Devadatta was the foremost of good influences to Shakyamuni Buddha. When one looks at
one’s present world, one can see that it is not one’s friends but one’s formidable enemies who
will help him grow.
(Gosho, p. 1063)
M YOSETSUJI N EWS
P AGE 2
Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin (continued)
(Continued from page 1)
Nichiren and his followers to have
all the people in the country of
Japan embrace the Lotus Sutra
are the work of the envoy of Bodhisattva Jōgyō. (Gosho, pp. 13931394)
This passage from the Wondrous
Powers of the Tathagata chapter of
the Lotus Sutra is the very passage
where Shakyamuni Buddha prophesized that Nichiren Daishonin would
make his advent in the Latter Day of
the Law. The Daishonin's transient
status is [the reincarnation of] Bodhisattva Jōgyō (Superior Practice),
while his true identity is the True
Buddha from the infinite
past of kuon-ganjo.
Shakyamuni Buddha restrained the bodhisattvas
[taught by the Buddha] of
the theoretical teaching from
propagating the true Law
after his passing. Instead, in
the Emerging from the Earth
(Jūji yujutsu; fifteenth)
chapter of the Lotus Sutra,
he summoned forth the bodhisattvas [taught by the
Buddha] of the essential
teaching, including Bodhisattva
Jōgyō, the leader of all the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. He then transmitted to the Bodhisattvas of the
Earth the essence of the Lotus Sutra,
Myoho-RengeKyo as the essential Law in four
phrases, entrusting
them with future
propagation in the
Latter Day of the
Law.
The Daishonin
made his advent in
the Latter Day of
the Law as the
reincarnation
of
Bodhisattva Jōgyō. However, his
status as Bodhisattva Jōgyō is a
provisional identity in every regard.
From the standpoint of his inner
realization, the Daishonin is the
reincarnation of the Buddha with the
property of intrinsically perfect
wisdom from the infinite past of
kuon-ganjo.
The Twenty-sixth
High Priest Nichikan
Shonin stated the
following in his
writing,
The
Meaning Hidden in
the Depths (Montei
hichin-shō):
From
the
superficial
perspective of his
external status, he
is Nichiren, the reincarnation of
Superior Practice (Jōgyō). Based
on the profound mystery of his
inner realization, he is Nichiren,
the reincarnation of the
Buddha with the property
of perfect wisdom. Thus,
let it be known that the
true identity is the
Buddha with the property
of perfect wisdom. The
provisional
identity
constitutes
Bodhisattva
Jōgyō, and revealing the
true entity is Nichiren.
(Six-Volume Writings, p. 49)
Now, in the Latter Day of
the Law, Shakyamuni’s
Lotus Sutra of the surface
meaning of the words is no longer
effective to cure the illnesses of all
living beings. The attainment of
enlightenment for those without the
seed of Buddhahood in the Latter
Day of the Law only can be realized
through the advent of the True
Buddha from the infinite past of
kuon-ganjo and his supreme
teaching.
The Daishonin teaches the
following in the Gosho, Reply to
Priest Takahashi (Takahashi nyūdo
dono-gohenji):
In the Latter Day of the Law,
(Continued on page 3)
I SSUE 177
P AGE 3
Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin (continued)
however, the Hinayana sutras
entrusted
to
Mahakashyapa,
Ananda, and others; as well as the
Mahayana sutras entrusted to
Bodhisattvas Manjushri, Maitreya,
and others; as well as the Lotus
Sutra entrusted to Bodhisattva
Medicine
King,
Bodhisattva
Avalokiteshvara, and others—all
these teachings can no longer work
as medicine to treat the people’s
illnesses. Only the words of these
sutras are still in existence. The
illnesses of the people will be too
serious while these medicines are
too ineffective. At that time,
Bodhisattva Jōgyō will make his
advent, in order to bestow
upon all people in the entire
world the five characters of
Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo.
(Gosho, p. 887)
The
mystic
Law
(Myōhō)
that
the
Daishonin upholds now
is not just the five
characters of Myo-HoRen-Ge-Kyo as the title
of the Lotus Sutra. It is,
in
fact,
the
five
characters of Myo-HoRen-Ge-Kyo of the true
Law of the infinite past
of kuon-ganjo.
These five characters
of Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo
Latter Day of the Law. In terms of
constitute the original Law through
the Law, it is the true Law of the
which Shakyamuni Buddha as well as
infinite past of kuon-ganjo.
Furthermore,
the
Daishonin expounds the
following in the Gosho,
Reply to Ueno (Ueno donogohenji):
Now, in the age of the
Latter Day of the Law,
neither the Lotus Sutra nor
the other sutras have the power to
all the Buddhas of the three
save the people. Only Nam-Myohoexistences attained enlightenment. It
Renge-Kyo can lead all people to
is the fundamental Law that saves all
Buddhahood. (Gosho, p. 1219)
living beings throughout the
three existences. The five
characters of Myo-Ho-RenGe-Kyo, the true Law of the
inconceivably remote past
of kuon, signify the MyohoRenge-Kyo of the oneness
of the person and the Law.
In terms of the person, it is
the reincarnation of the
Buddha with the property of
intrinsically perfect wisdom
of the infinite past of kuonganjo. It is the True Buddha
Nichiren Daishonin, who
made his advent in the
This is the month when our
founder Nichiren Daishonin,
the True Buddha in the Latter
Day of the Law, was born. I
sincerely pray that all of us
will offer our sincere
congratulations on the birth
of the True Buddha Nichiren
Daishonin.
At the same time, I wish
that, as disciples and
followers of the Daishonin,
the priests and lay believers
will unite in the spirit of itai dōshin
and devote themselves to their
practice without begrudging their
lives, aiming toward the achievement
of kōsen-rufu throughout the entire
world. Our immediate goal is to
achieve a membership of 800,000
Hokkeko believers by 2021, when we
will commemorate the 800th
Anniversary of the Advent of our
Founder Nichiren Daishonin. I
sincerely hope that all the chapters
will achieve their own goals without
fail, so that, with this achievement,
we will be able to repay our debts of
gratitude for the vast and boundless
benefits of our founder Nichiren
Daishonin.
M YOSETSUJI N EWS
P AGE 4
Long Island Area report by coordinator — Sandy McIntosh
This year, Long Island has begun a
definitive climb up the mountain.
We've just given a presentation at the
Introductory meeting about Nichimyo
Shonin, the lady, who with her small
child, travelled on foot from Kamakura to Sado Island to visit Nichiren
Daishonin, a distance of more than
284 miles. This May, Long Island
members will themselves be going on
Tozan. But the long journey up the
mountain for Long Islanders actually
began in January, when many members who had joined us during the last
several years, but who lived far from
Long Island, transferred to areas closer to their homes. That left us with
our core membership and the necessity to recognize that we had, once
again, returned to our beginnings,
with fewer members living at farflung points over the full 118 mile
stretch of the Island. This is really a
great opportunity for those of us
practicing on L.I. Now, it's up to us
to practice harder, do more shakubuku, take more responsibilities for
meetings and bringing members and
guests to the temple. And, at the very
base of this opportunity, is our
chance to wake up early and chant
more Daimoku, and then meet with
each other more frequently to chant
and plan our campaigns.
Our determination is to accomplish
our shakubuku goal, bringing in new
members who will come to share our
passion for the happiness of our
neighbors, friends and relatives on
lives, and our determination to chant
Long Island. Like Nichimyo Shonin,
together to share the rewards of that
we are on the road with only the
faith with others.
basic necessities for the journey: our
faith in and experience with the
Gohonzon to enrich our personal
FAITH EXPERIENCE BY Long Island member — Tita Rivas
In Spanish
Buenos días.
Mi nombre es Tita y quiero compartir esta experiencia con ustedes.
Hace 5 años hablando con Teresa
Malihan ella vió algo en mí, y me
dijo: “Tita te invito al templo. ¿Te
gustaría ir? Yo te recojo por tu casa”.
Ella vivía en Long Island, más lejos
de donde yo vivo, pero pasaba por el
mismo expressway. Yo le dije:
“Está bien”.
El domingo siguiente me paso a
buscar a las 9 de la mañana. Yo
estaba lista. En el camino, me
preguntó si quería recibir
Gojukai, y yo le dije que sí. En el
templo, completamos el formulario y recibí la ceremonia.
Ella me enseñó a hacer el
Gongyo. Me resultó difícil pero
aprendí. Desde entonces, me levanto a las 5.30 de la mañana para
hacer el Gongyo de la mañana
porque yo trabajo en la ciudad y
tengo que llegar temprano. Teresa
me dijo que el siguiente paso era
tener Gohonzon en mi casa. Ella
me ayudó a preparar el altar para el
Gohonzon y así recibí al Buda en mi
casa.
El siguiente paso fue viajar a Japon
para hacer Tozan y orar ante el DaiGohonzon. Yo le pregunté: ¿Cuántas
horas de vuelo son? Ella me dijo que
eran 14 horas en vuelo directo. Yo
pensé: “es lejos”. Pero dije que sí.
Esa fue mi determinación para el viaje. El Tozan fue en febrero. Yo estaba muy contenta. Todo salió de maravilla. Llegamos a Japon, pasamos un
día en un hotel y después viajamos al
Templo Principal. Desde el primer
momento que llegué sentí tranquilidad, paz, armonía con todos los
compañeros. Todo es unión. Se siente
bonito. Hasta me olvide de Nueva
York como si me hubiera transportado a otro mundo. Y aunque algunas
veces hay que levantarse a la 1.30 de
la mañana y caminar por el Templo
(Continued on page 5)
I SSUE 177
P AGE 5
FAITH EXPERIENCE BY Long Island member — Tita Rivas (continued)
The following Sunday, she picked
me up at 9 am. I was ready to go.
Principal para participar de Ushitora On the way she asked if I wanted to
Gongyo, se siente bien. Yo quiero
receive Gojukai, and I said yes. In
decirles a las personas que nunca han the temple, we completed the form
ido a Tozan que hagan todo lo posi- and I received the Gojukai ceremoble para ir. De ese modo podrán sen- ny.
tir y experimentar lo maravilloso que
She taught me how to do Gongyo.
es. Orando con fe al Dai-Gohonzon
It was difficult but I learned. Since
por la concreción de todos nuestros
then I've gotten up every morning at
objetivos. Sin dudas, veremos los
5.30am to do Gongyo because I
beneficios. Oremos Nam-Myohowork in the city and I have to get
Rengue-Kyo con mucha fe para que
there early.
tengamos resultados positivos.
Teresa told me that the next step
Muchas Gracias.
would be to have the Gohonzon enIn English
shrined in my house. She helped me
Good morning, I'm Tita and I want to prepare the altar for Gohonzon.
And so, I received the Buddha in
to share my experience with you.
(Continued from page 4)
Five years ago, I met
Teresa Malihan. I think
she saw something in me
because she asked, "Tita,
I'd like to invite you to the
temple. Would you like to
go? I'll pick you up at
your house. " She lived on
Long Island, quite a distance from where I live,
but she had to travel the
same highways. I said,
"Okay".
From the first moment I
arrived at the Head Temple I felt tranquility,
peace, and harmony with
all the members. I felt
much closer to everyone.
It felt nice. I even forgot
New York as if I had been
transported to another
world. And although
sometimes on Tozan you
have to get up at 1.30am
and walk around the Head
Temple to participate in
Ushitora Gongyo, it still
my home.
The next step was to travel to Japan, to go on Tozan and pray in front
of the Dai-Gohonzon. I asked: How
many hours will we be flying? Teresa
told me it was a fourteen hour direct
flight. I thought, "It is far." But I said
yes. That was my determination for
the trip.
feels good.
I want to tell everyone who has
never been on Tozan to do everything
possible to go so that you can experience how wonderful praying with
faith to Dai-Gohonzon for the realization of our objectives is. There is no
doubt that you we will see the benefits. Let's chant Nam-Myoho-RengeThat Tozan was in February. I was Kyo with faith to have positive revery happy. Everything went so well. sults. Thank you so much.
We arrived in Japan, spent a day at a
hotel and then traveled to the Head
Temple.
M YOSETSUJI N EWS
P AGE 6
FAITH EXPERIENCE BY A Young Brother in Prison
Well let me start off by saying I’m
currently in the SHU (Segregated
Housing Unit) or what we call the
hole (locked in a cell 23 hours a
day). I’ve been back here for seven
weeks now. After reading the “Lord
of the Rings,” three times and starting a fourth time, for some reason I
kept glancing at the copy of
“Nichiren Shoshu, Basics of Practice” you sent me in 2012 that the
Chief Priest signed for me.
I said to myself “ah . . . why
not, let’s finally read it.” I started
reading and soon found myself
actually studying it. The next or
maybe two days from when I
started the book, I found myself
chanting Daimoku and doing
Gongyo. I immediately felt a sudden change in myself. I felt calm
with a strong will. I felt happy,
regardless of my circumstances or
predicament. I was faithfully doing morning and evening Gongyo
every day.
Let me give you a little insight into
a problem I had with my immigration
status. I came to this country at a real
young age, 9 or so. Though, I was a
legal resident, I never applied for
U.S. citizenship. Many years later I
found myself in jail, not only facing
14 years with a maximum of life, but
also facing possible deportation. I
found out that being that I came to
this country a minor and my father
being a U.S. citizen at the time of my
arrival, I had the opportunity to be
naturalized.
I filled out the immigration form in
2012 and in late 2015, received notice that my request was granted and
that I would be required to appear
before an Immigrations and Customs
officer upon my release from prison
to receive my certificate of United
States citizenship.
Even with this letter, I was still being labeled as a possible deportation
on my institution files. I showed my
case manage the letter, but she said
there was nothing she could do.
was doing. Being that I’m in the
SHU, it’s not like I can leave the cell
and go somewhere to be by myself to
do Gongyo. I got a celly about a
week ago and somehow I felt a little
hesitant, a little embarrassed and I
Two weeks after I started practicdidn’t do evening Gongyo, But, the
ing, my case manager came to visit
next morning, I mustered my courage
me in the SHU. She told me that I
and said, “celly check this out, I’m a
would be released in September 2018
Buddhist and I do morning prayers
and that I was a United States citiand evening prayers. I’m going to
zen. I said: “Excuse me, what did you
need for you to give me my space
just say?” She began “your current
and respect when I’m getting my
prayers done. All he said was,
“That’s cool celly, I don’t have a
problem with that.” And then he
said “if you don’t mind me asking,
what is that? What is Buddhism
about?” I said to myself, wow it
was that easy. I explained about
the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect and how we have the power
(potential) to become a Buddha
(enlightened) by way of NamMyoho-Renge-Kyo and what karma was and how we can eradicate
our negative karma by chanting Namrelease date is . . .” I interrupted, “not
Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
that part, what you said after that.”
She answered “you are a United
Now, people ask me: “you’re a
States citizen.” She went on to exBuddhist. . . Are you serious, a Doplain that Immigration had wrote her minican Buddhist, don’t you have to
saying that they didn’t need anything be Chinese or Japanese or something
further from me and that I was now a like that to be a Buddhist?” All I can
United States citizen. Instantly, I real- do is laugh because that’s how ignoized that this was the power of Nam- rant we can be at times. But you
know, I break it down for them and
Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
give them a broad understanding of
When I broke the news to my
what Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism
friends and family, everyone was reis all about.
ally happy for me, especially my
brother. I told him how I felt happy
Please do me a favor and give the
and at peace, no matter my circumChief Priest my regards and tell him I
stances since I started practicing. He really appreciate him taking the presaid “Wow bro, that’s great man. I
cious time to inscribe the book
should be practicing.” Before I even “Basics of Practice” for me. That
really means a lot to me, I never got
realized it, I was doing shakubuku.
the chance to express my gratitude. I
When I started practicing I was in
hold that book dearly, I feel special
a cell by myself, which was great
that he would do something like that
because I didn’t have to worry about
for me. I hope to hear from you soon.
having to explain to anybody what I
3
Monday
4
Tuesday
5
Wednesday
9:00 AM
8:00 PM
3:30 PM
3:30 PM
7:20 AM
6:00 PM
9:30 AM
9:00 AM
6
Thursday
1
Saturday
2
24
17
19
20
25
26
27
Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM
Gongyo 6:30 PM Gongyo 6:30 PM
Gongyo 6:30 PM
18
22
23
Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 10 AM
Intro Mtg 7:00 PM Gongyo 2:30 PM
(Manhattan)
28
29
30
21
Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 10 AM
New Member's Study 10 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM
Intro Mtg 7:00 PM Gongyo 2:30 PM
Korean Oko 12:30 PM
Gongyo 6:30 PM Gongyo 6:30 PM
Risshu-e
Ceremony 6:30 PM (Myosetsuji)
Evening Gongyo 2:30 PM
Japanese Oko 12:30 PM
Evening Gongyo 2:30 PM
Uptown & Bklyn Cleanup
Group Memorial 10 AM
Evening Gongyo 2:30 PM
MDS & NJ Cleanup
Gongyo 6:30 PM Gongyo 6:30 PM
Gongyo 6:30 PM
Children's Meeting 12:30 PM
Evening Gongyo 2:30 PM
Qns & West Cleanup
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 10 AM
Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM
Oko Ceremony 10 AM
Gongyo 6:30 PM
Intro Mtg 7:00 PM Gongyo 2:30 PM
Support Staff Meeting 12:30 PM Gongyo 6:30 PM Gongyo 6:30 PM
(Myosetsuji)
Youth Meeting 12:30 PM
Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 10 AM
Intro Mtg 7:00 PM Gongyo 2:30 PM
(Manhattan)
Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 10 AM
Intro Mtg 7:00 PM Gongyo 2:30 PM
(Myosetsuji)
7
8
9
Friday
April 2016
Myosetsuji Temple
215 W. 98th St. #3B
(Amsterdam & Broadway)
Manhattan
Intro Meeting
Kosen-rufu Chanting 10 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM Gongyo 7:30 AM
Bronx & LI Cleanup
Sunday
Monday - Friday
Re-opens on Mon/Tue/Thurs & alternate Fridays
Saturday
Sunday & Holidays
Close
Open
M YOSETSUJI
T EMPLE
143-63 Beech Ave.
(Entrance on
Parsons Blvd.)
Flushing, NY 11355
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