October 2020

SACRED WORDS

Even if it is dark at night, when a candle is lit, it becomes bright. Even dirty water, when the moon is reflected on its surface, the water looks clean. Nothing is brighter than the sun and moon. Nothing is purer than the lotus flowers. The Lotus Sutra is the teaching about the sun, moon, and lotus flower. Therefore, it is named the “Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law.” I, Nichiren am also like the sun, moon, and lotus flower. When the water of your faith is pure, the moon of the Buddha’s blessing surely reflects upon you. So, you will have an easy delivery. The sutra says, “A pregnant woman will give an easy birth to a happy child.” “A letter to Wife of Kingo Shijo

聖語

　暗闇でも灯火をつければ明るくなります。濁った水でも月の光がうつれば澄んで見えます。日中の太陽と夜の満月の光に勝る物はありません。蓮の華に勝る清浄な物はありません。法華経は明らかなること日月の如く、浄きこと蓮華の如しですから、妙法蓮華経と名付けられたのです。私日蓮もまた日月と蓮華の如しです。信心の水が澄めば、利生（仏様の利益）の月は必ず宿って仏様がお護り下さるので、楽々と安産できるでしょう。法華経には「この経を持つ者は、安楽で福子が産まれる」と説かれています。

　　　　　　　　　　『四条金吾女房御書』

Nichiren, the Real Practitioner and Prover of the Lotus Sutra

Rev. Shokai Kanai

Mr. & Mrs. Kingo Shijo had no children for many years. Since this was their first pregnancy, she worried greatly and sent her husband to their spiritual advisor, Nichiren Shonin who lived in Naetsu, Kamakura for advice. He was extremely happy to hear the good news that a new life will be able to carry on the spirit of Odaimoku. He immediately made a special gofuu or a special prayer medicine to go along with the above letter. Nichiren Dai’Shonin concluded the letter by giving her instructions on how to take the medicine and emphasized the importance of having a stronger faith in the Lotus Sutra.

By having great faith in the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Dai’Shonin lived by its Teachings through his body and mind. He was able to prove the validity of Sakyamuni Buddha’s Words.

When he chanted Odaimoku for the first time at Mt. Kiyosumi, he changed his name to NICHI-REN from Rencho. The word nichi, meaning “sun” is referred to in the Chapter 21 of the Lotus Sutra where it says, “Will be able to eliminate the darkness of the living beings of the world where he walks about, Just as the light of the sun and the moon, Eliminates all darkness.” The word ren, meaning “lotus,” is referred to in chapter 15 of the same sutra where it says, “They are not defiled by worldliness, just as the Lotus flower, is not defiled by water.” NICHIREN reinforces living and working in this world to drive out the darkness (illusion) of all living beings; he proved the righteousness of the Lotus Sutra.

At Kiyosumi Temple when Nichiren Shonin criticized Nembutsu teachings, a local estate steward Tojo Kagenobu tried to kill him with a sword, Nichiren’s master Dozenbo excommunicated his disciple and chased him away from the temple. Chapter 13 of the Lotus Sutra says, “Or drive us out of our monasteries.” When Nichiren was preaching in street corners, some people threw pieces of wood or rocks; the same chapter says, “Ignorant people will speak ill of us, abuse us, and threaten us with swords, or sticks.” Chapter 20 says, “People would strike him with a stick, a piece of wood, a piece of tile or a stone.”

Even if his hut was set ablaze, even if he and his follows were ambushed, even if he was exiled twice, even if he was almost beheaded, he did not run away but accepted all of these persecutions. Why is that? Because Chapter 13 says, “We will endure all these evils. … Because we are your messengers.” Nichiren Dai’Shonin had strong determination ①as the person who proved the Lotus Sutra as correct, ②as a great practitioner of the Lotus Sutra ③as the re-birth of Superior-Practice Bodhisattva from Underground revealed in Chapter 15, ④as savior of Japan from foreign invasions, ⑤as a savior to make all people of Japan to attain Buddhahood.

Let us show our appreciation towards HIM by continuing his legacy through chanting Odaimoku day and night to save all living beings.

日蓮大聖人

金井勝海

　四条金吾とその妻には久しい間子供がいませんでした。やっと夫人は初めて懐妊しました。新しい生命が誕生する前の母親の心は、いまだ体験したことのない不安と希望に溢れていたに違いありません。その不安のなかで力となるのが、信仰です。すがるべき人は日頃信頼している日蓮様でした。そこで鎌倉の名越に居られる聖人に夫を使いとして安産の祈願をお願いされたのです。お師匠様も大変喜ばれ、早速安産の護符をしたため、上記の手紙を添えて四条金吾に渡されたのです。

　大聖人は護符を授けられましたが、法華経への信心が大切であることを強調されておられ、この手紙の末尾に護符についての詳しいことは金吾殿に申し含めてあるから、夫を仏様の使いと思って、信心に励みなさいと結んでおられます。

　日蓮大聖人は法華経に説かれた教えを心に刻んで、法華経に説かれた通りの事を実行し、いかに法華経に説かれている事が正しいかを不惜身命に実践され、法華経の正しさを証明された方です。

　立教開宗の折、僧名蓮長から日蓮と改名されました。「日」は法華経神力品の「日月ノ光明ノ能ク諸ノ幽冥ヲ除クガ如ク、コノ人世間ニ行ジテ能ク衆生ノ闇ヲ滅ス」、「蓮」は法華経従地湧出品の「世間ノ法ニ染マザルコト、蓮華ノ水ニ在ルガ如シ」から自身を日蓮と命名されたからこそ「私日蓮もまた日月と蓮華の如しです」と述べられたのです。

　清澄寺での初転法輪の折には、念仏を批判して地頭東條景信に切られそうになった時に師匠である道善坊から破門されました。勧持品には「塔寺ヲ遠離サレン」と書いてあります。鎌倉での辻説法中には、ののしられたり石や杖でたたかれました。勧持品には「悪口・罵ラレシ、及ビ刀杖ヲ加ウル者アラン」、また常不軽菩薩品に「杖木、瓦石ヲ以ッテ之ヲ打ツ」等、法華経の説法者には迫害があると経典には説かれています。

　たとえどんな法難がやってきても「是ノ経ヲ説カンガ為ノ故ニ、此ノ難事ヲ忍バン」とも勧持品に説かれています。何故でしょう？「我ハ是レ世尊ノ使ナリ、衆ニ処スルニ恐ルル所ナシ」とも説かれており、それは法難に会うだびに①法華経の真実性を立証し、②法華経の行者としての自覚、③地涌の上行菩薩の再誕としての自覚、④蒙古軍の攻めから日本を守らなければならない、⑤法華経で全ての人々を成仏してもらいたいからこそ、どんな法難にも耐えることが出来たのです。

　私達にはそんな法難はおこりません。何故なら大聖人自身が法難をうける事により後世の人々の難を除いたからです。さあ皆さん、朝昼晩、遠慮なくお題目をお唱えして日蓮大聖人に感謝申し上げましょう。