[The Way of HBS]
How to practice, How to live
as a HBS Practitioner
Rev. Nisso Fukuoka
Priest: One of you plays the violin and, I believe another is an athlete. Is that correct?
Q: Yes. Isn't it important to take lessons from a teacher and practice to become proficient in whatever one is engaged in?
A: It is important to learn from a teacher.
Q: It's the same in religion isn't it?
A: Yes. Great Master Tendai said, “If your motive for the religion is impure, the practices will prove to be fruitless. No matter how one earnestly practices the religion, conducted improperly favorable rewards will not be granted. The following are ways of practice to receive merits.
First of All, Penitence
Penance is a confession to eliminate the sins and slanders that one accumulated by disparaging the Dharma, and a vow to uphold the Primordial Sacred Object, Namumyohorengekyo, the Primordial Altar and the Primordial Practice.
A: What is the key to receiving merits?
Q: It is to discard the soul of ego and truly abide by the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, isn't it?
A: Yes. In Buddhist terms, it is to possess a soul of penitence. Following is an Instructive Poem relating to the subject.
“If one does not confess to their slanders,
Your prayers will go unanswered
And meritorious benefits will not be granted"
Do not forget to request the Gohonzon for forgiveness for such things as, unconscious accumulation of slanders, the sense of not being delighted at hearing or expounding Buddha's teachings, seeing others accumulate virtuous deeds, holding in contempt the practices of the religion, and to reflect on your regrets and faults. If such a sense of penitence is born within your soul, it is said:
“Through repentance, the dusty evil spirit in one's soul
Will be swept away"
The evil spirits nesting in the soul will become uncomfortable and leave.
Q: What do you mean by that?
A: Nissen Shonin stated: The three devils are: “Illness, poverty and death". By conducting a prayer of penance, the three devils will depart from one's soul.
Importance of Chanting the Odaimoku
Q: If Hobo exists, wishes will not be answered.
A: Yes. Hobo plays a large part in blocking the light of merits. It is stated:
“Unless Hobo is swept away,
Life is benefits will not appear.
If cloudy, the moon will not appear
And its beauty cannot be observed".
The ridding of Hobo materials and offering prayer of Penance are extremely important conditions to receive benefits.
Q: Those conditions are requisites to achieving merits, but are they unconditional?
A: Yes. Offering a prayer of Penance and eliminating Hobo are analogous to a warm up before physical training. Warming up prior to exercising is a prerequisite. What is the equivalent in religious practices? Niseen Shonin stated:
“One may think that Hobo doesn't exist
But only by chanting the Odaimoku
Benefits can be attained".
“Although benefits are within religious practices,
They will be granted only through
The chanting of the Odaimoku by mouth".
The Odaimoku is the generating power to produce merits. However, it is stated in an Instructive Poem that:
“By maintaining to spread the teachings to others
As their first priority,
One's prayer for merits will be honored"
It is important to maintain the spirit of spreading the teachings of HBS to others while chanting the Odaimoku. Since a soul of self—interest lacks communion among the Fine Dharma, the Gohonzon, and Great Master Nichiren, requests for benefits may go unanswered.
Following is a sermon presented by Reverend Ishioka, the 17th Head Priest of HBS:“I encouraged a person that was hospitalized with an incurable illness to convert someone to the religion if he wanted to receive a phenomenal reward."
Q: Wasn't that person bed—ridden?
A: Yes. Therefore, that person said, “It is impossible for me to convert others as I cannot even get out of bed. In reply, Reverend Ishioka said: “If that is the case, offer a prayer of assistance to the Gohonzon. That person did exactly as Reverend Ishioka suggested, and prayed every day from morning until night asking for assistance from the Gohonzon". By doing so, that person, who was on the brink of death, received a reward of recovery and within a week he was able to get out of bed.
Q: That is truly a story of a meritorious merit.
“If one has the soul
To convert others to the religion
Pray every day as wishes are confined therein“
Do Not Grudge Buddha, Do not Grudge Great Master Nichiren
Q: By the way, there are people who receive benefits from the Gohonzon right away and some that do not. Why?
A: It is exactly as you say. An Instructive Poem stated:
“Offering a prayer of similar nature and method
Benefit are received
Depending on how earnestly one prays".
Benefits can be received from the Gohonzon based on how earnestly one prays. It also depends on the types of wishes. It is unreasonable to ask for a full day's salary when you're working part—time. How quickly one receives the benefit also depends on how one practices the religion. It also depends on the person's deepness or shallowness of their sins.
Q: Ah, so. It differs based on the type of sins, doesn't it?
A: Yes, the depth and the seriousness of the sins could affect the speed in which you can receive benefits. It is analogous to digging a well. The deeper you need to dig to reach a water vein, the longer and greater the effort it takes. But, one should never give up. A person that cannot receive merits generally is:
“The Gohonzon that fulfills
All types of prayer wishes
Cannot be answered by one's lack of endurance"
Q: We, ordinary people, tend to think that “Great Master Nichiren is looking away" and have a bitter feeling when we are praying.
A: The following is an admonishment Instructive Poem:
“To receive merits
Is dependent on one's method of practice
Do not grudge the Buddha.
Do not grudge the Great Master Nichiren".
If you have once offered a prayer asking for your wishes to be fulfilled, it is stated:
“The Lotus Sutra promises to
Fulfill all wishes of prayer
Thus, believe in it, and pray with endurance
Until the merits are granted"
Unanswered Prayer of Wishes is Merit
A: It is elucidated that “Unanswered prayer of wishes is also a benefit". We, ordinary people, have a tendency to look at our own interest of profits and losses. Therefore, we offer a prayer of greed. But, from the viewpoint of the Gohonzon, to fulfill such request may be unbeneficial for that person or their surroundings. In such cases, withholding such benefit is known as “Unanswered Merit".
Q: What kind of situations would constitute examples of “Unanswered Merit"? A lottery ticket or bets placed on horse racing would less likely to be answered because a fulfillment of the prayer by winning large sums of money would lead one to become less productive.
Shouldn't we avoid asking the Gohonzon to fulfill a prayer of winning a lottery ticket, even though we intend to donate half of the winnings to the temple?
A: It is doubtful that a part of the monies derived from gambling will be donated to the temple. Think about it and answer one's own question.
Q: It is best to refrain from such prayer, isn't it?
A: The contents of a prayer must be something that satisfies the will of the Law. If it is illness, ask for recovery of a body capable to in engage in activities to convert others to the religion. If financially poor, ask that you will become capable in making contributions like an average person. An Instructive Poem stated:
“A prayer that unnecessarily covets society
Is a body like a mist"
Explanation:
People are like the mist on a leaf that eventually evaporates. Thus, people's life is transitory. A prayer of mere want of money and self‐greediness should be avoided.
The True Significance of Offering a Prayer of Wishes
Q: By the way, with the progress of medical technology and system, it seems a need of prayer for recovery from illness has diminished
A: It seems so. Naturally, with changes in society, the substance of religion should also change. Today, with the advancement of medicine, the general public will not accept a total reliance on religious healing. HBS does not object to parishioners visiting doctors for treatment of their illnesses.
However, a parishioner of HBS should keep in mind that despite many advances in medicine, it only treats the diseased part of the human body. However, a prayer for recovery from illness in the world of religion does not end in just curing illnesses. It also improves and strengthens one's religion, a huge sub—product. No. Not only is it a sub—product. It is elucidated in an Instructive Poem that:
“Being able to practice this religion
And when a feeling of gratitude arises
This is Goriyaku"
Explanation:
One is able to deepen their faith through receiving Goriyaku. That is a true reward from the Gohonzon. The Gohonzon that provided the benefit is there for the improvement of one's religious faith. Do not loose track of that fundamental route.
Q: Isn't it important to constantly offer a prayer of wishes? We, common people, tend to slacken our practices when there is no specific objective or purpose.
A: Exactly. An Instructive Poem stated:
“By not offering a prayer of wishes
The feeling to engage in the religion
Diminishes.
Offering a prayer of wishes
Deepens and strengthen one's faith,"
An Instructive Poem elucidated:
“Let's not just offer a prayer of wishes
And neglect to chant the Odaimoku.
That is tantamount to sowing seeds in a field
And not caring for it.
The crows will ferret out the seeds
And carry them away"
Be sure to chant the Odaimoku and not just offer a prayer of wishes.
