November 2021
SACRED WORDS
To begin with there are two kinds of illnesses: minor and major. Even a major illness can be cured, and the life span lengthened if a skillful physician is available to treat it immediately, to say nothings of a minor illnesses. Also, there are two kinds of karma: mutable karma and immutable karma. Even an immutable karma will inevitably disappear when fully atoned for, to say nothing of a mutable karma. The Lotus Sutra says in Chapter 23, “This sutra is a good medicine for the diseases of the people of the world.” . . . Therefore, when I prayed for the recovery of my ill mother through the Lotus Sutra, not only did she actually recover from her illness but also extended her life span by four years.
Nichiren Dai’Shonin "Kaen Jogo Sho"
聖語
病には２種類あります。重病と軽病です。重病でも良い医者に早くかかれば完治し寿命を長らえる事ができます。軽病は、言うまでもありません。業にも２種類あります。定業（ジョウゴウ）と不定業です。定業（宿命的業）でも一生懸命に懺悔すれば必ず消えます。不定業は言うまでもない事です。法華経に「此ノ経ハ即チ閻浮提ノ人の病ノ良薬也」と説かれています。. . . 私日蓮は母の病気平癒を祈った結果、現実に病を癒やしたのみならず、四ケ年の寿命を延ばす事ができました。
『可延定業御書』意訳
A LETTER TO A SERIOUSLY ILL WOMAN
Rev. Shokai Kanai
The above Sacred Words are parts of a letter from Nichiren Dai’Shonin addressed to Jonin Toki’s sick wife. He advises a good medical doctor, Shijo Kingo, to make a diagnosis using his strong faith in the Lotus Sutra. In addition, Nichiren Shonin describes an example of his sick mother’s and living another four years.
Eleven years before his mother became sick on April 28, 1253, Nichiren, at the age of 31, chanted “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” in public and delivered his first sermon at Seicho-ji Temple. However, due to his bitter criticism on the Nembutsu faith, he received the hateful ire Tojo Kagenobu, an estate steward of Awa Kominato. Thus, he was excommunicated by his master Dozenbo and expelled from the Temple. Therefore, even if his father passed away, he could not return to his hometown.
The news of "Mother is critically ill!" caused Nichiren to go home. He returned to Awa at the risk of his life and met his seriously ill mother at her bedside. His mother who saw the appearance of her son for the first time in 11 years was filled with infinite emotion. In response, Nichiren nursed his mother from the bottom of his heart and prayed for her recovery from sickness. The result was as stated in the Sacred Word above.
The joyfulness of the mother/son reunion encouraged the mother who lay down on her sick bed to receive Nichiren's pure and sincere prayer, which finally brought about his mother's revival. She was able live another four years.
I wake up before sunrise every morning, receive the reiki of the universe, and after chanting, I send the energy of the universe and radiances of O’Daimoku to all the believers in the Lotus Sutra in the state of Hawaii. During the morning service, I offer a memorial prayer to all their ancestors, recite the Dharani Spells to Deity Kishimojin, and pray, “Reject the plague of all members, heal the disease, and turn this great calamity into a small calamity, and small calamity turns into no calamity at all. NAMU MYOHO RENGE KYO!”
重病の信徒への手紙
金井勝海
上記の聖語は、富木常忍の療養中の妻に宛てた日蓮大聖人からのお手紙の一部です。法華経への強い信仰と良き医者である四条金吾に診断をしてもらいなさいと助言をし、さらに大聖人の母上の病気平癒と寿命長久の実例を述べておられます。
日蓮大聖人は満３１歳の１２５３年４月２８日に「南無妙法蓮華経」と公の場で唱え立教開宗されました。しかし念仏信仰の批判をした為に、法話の途中で地頭東條景信の怒りをうけ、師匠道善坊からは破門され、清澄寺から追放されてしまいました。従って父親が他界されても故郷へは帰ることができませんでした。
「母危篤！」の知らせが日蓮聖人を帰郷にふみ切らせたました。命がけで安房へ帰り、重病の床にある母と対面されました。１１年振りに我が子の姿を見た病床の母は、無量の感慨に包まれました。それに答えた日蓮様は懸命の看護をし、平癒を祈念されました。その結果は上記の聖語の通りです。
母子再会の喜びは、病の床に伏す母を勇気づけ、日蓮様の純粋で誠を尽くした祈りはついに母上の全快をもたらし、命を取り留めた母はさらに４年の長寿を保ちました。
私は毎朝、日の出前に起き、大宇宙の霊気を頂き、唱題行の後、ハワイ州の全信徒に大宇宙のエネルギーとお題目の光を送っています。本堂での朝勤では、皆様のご先祖様に法味を捧げ供養し、鬼子母神堂では陀羅尼神呪を唱え「檀信徒皆様の災いを退け、病を癒やし、大難は小難に小難は無難に！」と毎日祈っております。