February 2019
SACRED WORDS
“Strive to carry out the two ways of practice and learning. Without practice and learning Buddhism will cease to exist. Endeavor yourself and cause others to practice these two ways of practice and learning, which stem from faith. If possible, please spread even a word or a phrase of the sutra to others. “
Shoho Jisso Sho, NICHIREN
聖語
「行学の二道を励み候べし。行学たえなば仏法はあるべからず。我もいたし人をも教化候え。行学は信心よりおこるべく候。力あらば一文一句なりとも語らせ給うべし。」
日蓮大聖人『諸法実相鈔』
Study Class on NICHIREN commemorating
The 800th Anniversary of Nichiren Dai’Shonin
Bishop Shokai Kanai
Our faith founder, Nichiren Dai’Shonin was born in Awa, Kominato (present Chiba Prefecture), Japan on February 16, 1222.
Nichiren Shu Shumunin (Headquarters) has been conducting many ceremonial events in all districts in Japan and overseas starting with the 100th Anniversary of Nichiren Order of North America in Los Angeles in 2014. The second to the last event will be held in Hawaii on May 16, 2021.
As you may already know, Bishop Hirai, along with the board members of Nichiren Mission of Hawaii, has planned many events and is still trying to raise funds in order to have a successful commemoration. However, in the middle of the process he and his wife returned to Japan. The committee representatives from each temple in the Hawaii district must continue to work towards this event. Time is short, even though we still have a couple years to go. Even if Headquarters want us to host one of the major events in Hawaii, if we do not know who Nichiren is and what he did for us, we cannot aim for it.
As the first step, I would like to start a study class on NICHIREN every Thursday starting on February 14th at 7 p.m. held in the library in the mansion. We will use a text book called NICHIREN by Jack Christensen who was a member of the Salt Lake Nichiren Buddhist Temple during the time I was a head minister in the 1970s. He was a high school English teacher and wrote and published a few textbooks for high school students. His way of writing was very clear, as you can imagine a beautiful scenery as you read. Although he had not been to Japan, he researched the historical background of the time Nichiren propagated the Lotus Sutra and O’Daimoku very well. Our mission has ordered ten books, so one can be purchased for $20 donation. (Nichiren Buddhist International Center also has the book for sale). The class is free. I would highly recommend everyone learn about our founder in order to strengthen our faith.
If you are interested in the class, please inform me.
日蓮大聖人降誕８００年
金井勝海
日蓮大聖人が千葉県小湊で誕生されたのは１２２２年２月１６日でした。日蓮宗では２０１４年に行われた北米開教百周年の折り、ご降誕８００年のお祝い行事をロスアンゼルスでキックオフした後、マレーシアでも盛大な祝賀法要を行いました。現在、日本国内の各教区で盛大に祝賀大法要をおこなっています。ハワイでは２０２１年５月１３日に同じように祝賀行事を行う事が宗務院で企画されています。
平井先生はこの行事を成功させる為、早くから８０万ドルの予算を立て、ハワイ教区各ミッションの代表が集まり「ご降誕８００年委員会」を設置し、いろいろと計画を立てられたようですが、急に帰国されてしまいました。いくら宗務院からハワイで祝賀行事の日程を決められても、ホストする側の我々が日蓮大聖人からどのような恩恵を受けているか知らなければ、お祝い行事への参加者は少ないでしょう。
いかに日蓮大聖人が素晴らしい方であったかを学ぶために毎週㈬夜7時からマンションの図書室にて勉強会を行います。
第1回は2月１４日です。教科書はJack Christensen著NICHIRENを使います。国際布教センターからすでに１０冊届いています。１冊２０ドルです。講義は英語で行います。授業は無料です。一人でも多くの信徒が勉強会に参加される事を望みます。興味のある方は金井上人までご連絡下さい。