Study Class on Nichiren Commemorating The 800th Anniversary of Nichiren Dai’Shonin

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。

Installation Ceremony Message

January 2019

Bishop Shokai Kanai

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS OF NICHIREN MISSION OF HAWAII!

I was installed as the 15th head minister of this temple on Sunday, December 9, 2018. The following is a part of the message given to the congregation.

Aloha! At the beginning of the ceremony, past Bishop Chishin Hirai handed me this HOS-SU, the symbol of the head priest of this temple. This horse tail-like Hos-su was originally used to chase away flies, mosquitos and other insects at the time of Sakyamuni Buddha, but it is now used for purification of the sanctuary. This Hos-su is inherited from the former Bishop Joyo Ogawa. You know him very well better than me. But I will tell you how we are related. Of course, he was my senior overseas minister and several years older than me. I often followed after him. He was trained as an overseas minister at the Los Angeles Nichiren Buddhist Temple in early 1960s under Bishop Ryobo Fujiwara, the head priest of the temple.

I was also trained under him at the same temple for six years from 1964 to 1970. Rev. Ogawa had been already transferred to the Salt Lake Nichiren Buddhist Temple in Utah. My first temple as a head priest was the same temple in Salt Lake City after Rev. Ogawa who had transferred to the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Temple in California. As you already know he was assigned as Bishop of Nichiren Mission of Hawaii District in 1989. Now I am HERE following after Bishop Joyo Ogawa.

Therefore, this Hos-su is very meaningful to me and to YOU!

By the way, if my memory is correct, Bishop Ogawa at the banquet of the 110th Anniversary of Nichiren Mission of Hawaii mentioned, “this temple will send the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Shonin around the world!” I was very excited to see what he was going to do. Since then many years have passed, and he became sick and passed away. I respect him very much.

Although I do not know what he intended to do, I somehow figured out what he meant. So, I will try to accomplish his and my wish.

My goal at this temple is to educate and raise Dharma teachers, lay-leaders, substitutes of Nichiren-shu priest, part-time ministers and full-time ministers. These Dharma teachers should be American-born especially people born and raised in HAWAII. What I mean of the part-time ministers will be someone who has a steady job and steady income. So, he or she does not have to depend on pay from a temple or mission. These good candidates are senior citizens who are in or near retirement. When I talk about a full-time minister, it may take five to six years at least and cost a lot of money for his or her education and travelling expenses to Japan several times before completing Shin-gyo Dojo. In order to materialize Bishop Ogawa’s and my WISH, I must educate and train all of you little by little. If you are interested in or have some idea on this program, please let me know.

The future of Nichiren temples in Hawaii relies on THEM! Great Bodhisattva Nichiren Dai’Shonin said in Shoho Jisso Sho, “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 Lotus Sutra to others.”

This message if from our founder, the Great Bodhisattva Nichiren Dai’Shonin.

Thank you very much for listening. MAHALO!

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo