March 2019
SACRED WORDS
“I (Shakyamuni Buddha) will cause all living beings to cross the ocean of birth and death if they have not yet done so. I (the Buddha) will cause them to emancipate themselves from suffering if they have not done so. I will cause them to have peace of mind if they have not yet done so.
I will cause them to attain Nirvana if they have not yet done so.
(Chapter 5 of the Lotus Sutra)
聖語
「未だ度せざる者は度せしめ、未だ解せざる者は解せしめ、未だ安ぜざる者は安ぜしめ、未だ涅槃せざる者は涅槃を得せしむ。」
（妙法蓮華経薬草諭品第５）
MIDDLE WAY
Bishop Shokai Kanai
Shakyamuni Buddha could not attain Enlightenment even after the six-years ascetic practices. However, he did not return to his luxurious life in his native palace. How did he attain Enlightenment? He washed his dirty body in a river after the ascetic practices, he received a girl’s offering of milky mushed rice, gained strength, sat under a Bodhi tree and meditated. He attained the Universal Truth seeing the morning star shinning in the eastern sky.
One of the Universal Truth was to avoid extreme one way or the other. Why is it wrong? Because it is egoistic. The ascetic practice often leads to becoming a person who is a selfish saint while extreme pleasure leads to selfish satisfaction and not to caring about others.
The Middle Way of Shakyamuni Buddha is to avoid extremes and to obtain an easy and quiet mind. The universe also practices the Middle Way. It says that hot or cold lasts till the time of equinox in Spring and Autumn. The equinox day is usually 21st day of March and September when the sun rises exact east and sets exact west. So, the distance from this shore to the other shore is the closest during the year. Three days before and after the equinox day is called Hi-gan. During the time of the seven days, please visit your temple or cemetery and pray for your ancestors. Please recite the Lotus Sutra and chant the sacred title of the sutra, O’Daimoku, and send the merits you have obtained to your ancestors.
Please read the above Sacred Words from the Lotus Sutra again, the Buddha continued to say, “Having heard these teachings, they became peaceful in their present lives, they will have rebirths in good places. Enjoy pleasures by practicing the Way and hear these teachings.”
中 道
金井勝海
お釈迦様は６年間の難行苦行をされましたが覚りに至ることはできませんでした。しかし、生まれ育った快楽の王宮には戻りませんでした。何をされて覚者となられたのでしょう？苦行で汚れた体を洗い、道行く娘さんからミルク粥を頂き肉体に力がよみがえり、菩提樹の下に座り瞑想の後、翌朝東の空にキラキラと輝く明けの明星を見て宇宙の真理を覚られました。
その真理の一つは極端な道を歩まないということです。苦行と楽行の両極端を避けることです。なぜいけないかというと、エゴイズムだからです。苦行すれば自分が聖者なればいいのだと考えがちになり、楽行は自分さえ楽しければ他人はどうなっても良いと思ってしまいます。
釈尊の説かれた「中道」とは極端をさけてゆったりした心持になる事です。大宇宙も中道を実践しています。それは「暑さ寒さも彼岸まで！」と言われるように春と秋の「彼岸の中日」の時期が一番覚りへの道が開けてきます。太陽が真東から登り真西に沈む彼岸の中日は３月と９月の２１日です。中日を挟んで前後７日間を「彼岸」と言います。この時期がこちら（此）の岸とあちら（彼）の岸が一番近いのです。どうぞこの時期にお寺参りやお墓参りをしてお経を読みお題目を唱えて、その功徳をご先祖様に回し向けましょう。これが「回向」の本当の意味です。
上記の聖語をもう一度読み直して下さい。このお言葉に続いて、釈尊は「人々がお寺にお参りして、法話を喜んで聞き終わった時、現世安穏にして後に善処に生まれる」と説かれておられます。