[The Way of HBS]
How to practice, How to live
as a HBS Practitioner
Rev. Nisso Fukuoka
“How fortunate I am, having obtained this precious human body and having come in contact with the mysterious Fine Dharma. I cannot hold back my tears when I think that I came in contact with the Fine Dharma, which is difficult to follow".
(Nissen Shonin's Gokyoka)
Explanation:
Nissen Shonin elucidated that he was glad to have come in contact with the true teachings of the Lotus Sutra, that was left to us by Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Shonin. He was also grateful to have been able to maintain its teachings and to spread it. He felt that the relationship stemmed from his past life. Thinking about it, he could not hold back his tears.
A human being is the Lord's creation. What is the reason for this noble and wonderful creation? Dogs have a better ability to differentiate smell beyond man. Crows and owls have better vision than man. Why then is man considered a superior being? In my opinion, it is because what is invisible can be seen by his soul. There is a word, “Sympathy". In Japanese, it can mean to transfer your thoughts to others and to become sensitively aware of their mind and to mutually share their sorrows and pain together. To be able to see an invisible string linking one another is an exceptional trait possessed only by man.
Man can take pride in being the Lord's superior creation because we possess the characteristic of sensibility. We are living in an existence bound by various types of relationships, such as blood relatives, namely parent and children, husband and wife, siblings and relatives. We also have relationships with neighbors, people in the area, work and businesses. There is one other thing which members of Hommon Butsuryu Shu should remember. That is, the relationship to the Fine Dharma.
What is this Relationship to the Fine Dharma?
It is a bond between Buddha who overlooks and protects us and the priceless teachings elucidated and left to us by Shakyamuni Buddha, Nichiren Shonin, Nichiryu Shonin, and Nissen Shonin. It is also, the temples that we belong to, the Head Priest and priests who guide us, and the communication of encouragement between members. We, members of HBS possess the sense of being grateful to have had the good fortune to come in contact with this religion and to share its joy.
Why is it a priceless and grateful religious bond?
Nichiren Shonin, in a letter to Jyakunichibo, stated: “To be born as a human being is rare, but I was born as a human being. To be able to come in contact with Buddhism is rare, but I was able to do so. Beyond that. I was able to come in contact with the Lotus Sutra. In the end, I became a practitioner of the Odaimoku, because I, in the past, held practices for the various Buddhas.
Our chanting of the Odaimoku, which was entrusted to Jyogyo Bodhisattva and coming in contact with Hommon Butsuryu Shu was not a coincidence. It is the deep relationship acquired from the past life, said Nichiren Shonin.
No one accepted the strong relationship to the Lotus Sutra and who harbored a deep sense of receiving joy following an act of hearing or seeing something good more than Nichiren Shonin.
Nichiren Shonin, in the document, “All Things Are The Truth By Themselves" stated: “I cannot hold back my tears when I think of the great persecution confronting me now, or when I think of the joy of attaining Buddhahood in the future. Birds and crickets cry, but never shed tears. I, Nichiren, do not cry, but my tear flow ceaselessly. I shed my tears not only for worldly affairs but solely for the sake of the Lotus Sutra"
Nissen Shonin, who founded Hommon Butsuryu Shu, stated: “How fortunate I am, having obtained this precious human body and having come in contact with the Buddha's teaching". Nissen Shonin, like Nichiren Shonin, had shed tears of the joy because of his relationship with the Dharma. Members of HBS should have a soul of gratitude in having a religious relationship to the respectful Nichiren and Nissen Shonins.
A soul of gratitude of the religious relationship has influential power. What is it? It is a power to create a good bond between blood relatives, environment￣ and society. A person who possesses a joyful sense and who constantly helps others will certainly receive merits to attain family harmony, self‐improvement, better work, and business relationships. Therefore, sit before the altar, and recite the prayer, “How fortunate I am, having obtained this precious human body and having come into contact with the Buddha's teaching".
