The Hope-Filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin - SGI-USA

The Hope-Filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin
13-“On Repaying Debts of Gratitude”
Living Buddhism Jul-Aug 2009
Kosen-rufu: A Great River Enriching Humanity Eternally--Our Victory as Disciples Is the Greatest Way To Repay Our
Gratitude to Our Mentor
Point:
The repay one’s debts of gratitude is the highest virtue. Neglecting gratitude is a reflection of a life controlled by innate negativity. As
we each deepen our faith in the Mystic Law, break through our fundamental darkness and live true to our greater self, we will come to
feel boundless appreciation for all those around us and for all who have nurtured and helped us become who we are. And we will
confidently make our way along the invigorating path of recognizing and repaying our debts of gratitude. In contrast, those who fail to
refresh their faith, who give in to negativity and are shackled by attachments to the lesser self invariably become ruled by arrogance,
cowardice or anger. If all comes down to either living based on the greater self or remaining attached to the lesser self. This difference
in the fundamental orientation of our attitude determines whether we will lead lives of gratitude or ingratitude.
1. The Lives of Genuine Buddhist Practitioners Shine with Appreciation and Gratitude
Nichiren vowed to “become the wisest person in all Japan” and, upon entering Seicho-ji at a young age diligently applied himself to
his studies in order to repay his debt of gratitude to his mother and father. It was to repay his gratitude to all living beings that, after
two decades of intensive Buddhist study, he established the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and understanding the scope of his
perilous battle, he “refuted the erroneous and revealed the true” in the realm of Buddhism.. Furthermore, because he recognized his
debt of gratitude to his country, he strictly admonished various schools of Buddhism that slandered the Law and went against the
Buddha’s original intent. After surmounting life-threatening persecutions and casting off his transient status as an ordinary person to
reveal his true identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, Nichiren revealed the Gohonzon as the object of devotion and
manifestation of his enlightened state of life. He also revealed and established the Three Great Secret Laws as the framework for
spreading the teachings of the Lotus Sutra throughout the Latter Day. Determinedly carrying out the struggle to reveal the correct Law
hidden in the depths of the Lotus Sutra that would lead all people to enlightenment, he took on the momentous battle of repaying his
gratitude to the three treasures.
2. A Treatise Containing “Matters of the Utmost Importance”
This writing contains a detailed description of his ardent pursuit of Buddhism in his youth, along with a comprehensive account of his
subsequent efforts to spread the Mystic Law. He also clarifies the immeasurable benefits of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo of the Three Great
Secret Laws, which constitutes the great Law that will lead all people to enlightenment and that is to be propagated throughout the
eternal future of the Latter Day. And he pays tribute to his first teacher by stating that this benefit in its entirety will return to Dozenbo.
3. Chanting and Spreading the Mystic Law “Without Sparing One’s Voice”
A universal teaching will only spread when the time is right and when a person willing to his or her life to propagating it appears.
Nichiren worked tirelessly “without sparing his voice” to teach people about the path he had pioneered. As a result, he established the
Three Great Secret Laws. We must never forget that Nichiren’s people-centered Buddhism has flourished solely because of unceasing
efforts to spread the Law. His unrelenting efforts to speak out and spread the correct teaching epitomize the spirit of not begrudging
one’s life. The power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will endure for eternity because the Law itself is infinitely profound and because of
the selfless struggles Nichiren underwent to establish and propagate it. Because there is depth in the teaching accompanied by a
profound struggle, kosen-rufu will advance and be achieved.
4. The Three Virtues of Nichiren Daishonin Function to Actualize Kosen-rufu
The Buddha vows to save all people. And widespread propagation of the correct teaching that continues after the Buddha’s passing is
the fundamental wish of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures and all Buddhas throughout time and space. This passage is Nichiren’s
declaration that he has actualized this vow. It also points to the Daishonin’s three virtues--those of parent, teacher and sovereign.
5. A Teaching of Transformation: “The Benefit Gained From One Day’s Practice in the Impure World”
Striving to free people from suffering at the most fundamental level in this defiled latter age is an action that brings immeasurable
benefit. Hence, Nichiren says, “A hundred years of practice in the Land of Perfect Bliss cannot compare to the benefit gained from
one day’s practice in the impure world.”
6. The Time to Open the Way for Kosen-rufu is the Latter Day
A defiled age requires the appearance of a genuine Buddha who can expound a great teaching capable of freeing the
people of suffering and positively transforming the times.
7. “I Pray to the Buddha for Final Victory”
Winning and losing are both part of life, but I pray to the Buddha with determination for final victory.
希望の経典「御書」に学ぶ・第13回
報恩抄
永遠に人類を潤す「広宣流布の大河」―弟子の勝利こそ最高の報恩
勉強会教材
｢大白蓮華｣2008年10月号
勉強のポイント
「報恩」は、生命の善性の極致です。「忘恩」は、生命の魔性の現れです。信心を深め、無明を打ち破って、
「大我」に生きゆく人生―――。そこには、自分が縁する人々、自身を育んでくれた人々に尽きせぬ感謝の
念が生じます。そして、「知恩」「報恩」の清々しい道を力強く歩みぬくことができます。反対に、信心を
忘れ、無明に覆われて、「我執」に縛られてしまえば、「慢」や「臆病」や「瞋り」に蝕まれる。他者の善
性を尊ぶ力が希薄になり、結局、不知恩と忘恩の人生に堕してしまう。「大我」に生きるか、「我執」に生
きるか。厳しく言えば、この生命の奥底の一念の違いが、「報恩」の人生か、「忘恩」の人生かを決定。
1.
知恩・報恩は仏法者の人生が放つ光彩
大聖人が御幼少にして清澄寺に登り、「日本第一の智者となし給え」との熱願を立てて修学されたのは、何
よりも「父母の恩」に報いるためであられた。また、二十年にわたる仏法探求の末に、南無妙法蓮華経の宗
旨を建立し、破邪顕正という険難の峰へ覚悟の登攀を開始されたのは、「一切衆生の恩」に報いるためであ
られた。さらに、仏意に背く当時の諸宗の謗法を誡め、民衆の不幸と国土の混乱に手を拱いている国主を諌
暁されたのは「国恩」を知るゆえであった。そして、大聖人は、大難を越え、発迹顕本され、御本尊を顕さ
れた。末法万年への流布の法体として三大秘法を顕示・建立していかれたのです。
２. 「大事の大事」を認めた重書
本抄では、初めて仏法を習った師の恩に応える形で、大聖人の若き日の求道の肝要を示されるとともに、大
聖人の弘教の全体像を明かされています。その結論として、末法万年にわたって流通していくべき民衆救済
の大法たる｢三大秘法の南無妙法蓮華経｣の無量の功徳を示されます。そして、その功徳は全て最初の師であ
る道善房に帰していくとの回向の言葉をもって、本抄を結ばれています。
３. ｢声もをしまず｣仏法を実践
いかなる普遍的な法も、時を得て、命をかけて真剣に弘める人が出現して初めて流布するのです。｢声をも
をしまず｣と仰せです。大聖人自身が、道なき道を｢声もをしまず｣流布されてきたがゆえに、末法流布の大
法たる三大秘法が確立されたのです。｢法の深さ｣と｢戦いの深さ｣―――。この二つがそろってこそ、広宣流
布が進み、成就していくのです。
４．大聖人の三徳が広宣流布を実現
｢万人の成仏｣が仏の誓願です。そして、滅後の広宣流布こそ、釈迦・多宝・三世十方の諸仏の根源の願いに
他なりません。その諸仏の願いを大聖人が実現されたことを明言されているのが、この御文なのです。この
一節には、大聖人の主師親の三徳が示されています。｢日蓮が慈悲曠大｣が｢親の徳｣、｢一切衆生の盲目をひ
らける功徳あり｣が、｢師の徳｣、｢無間地獄の道をふさぎぬ｣が｢主の徳｣となります。
５．｢穢土の一日の功徳｣とは「変革の宗教」
末法の衆生を根底から救う功徳は計り知れない。そのことを｢極楽百年の修行は穢土の一日の功徳に及ばず｣
と仰せです。厳しい試練の中で勝利の道を開いてこそ、真実の生命練磨の仏道修行になると説かれているの
です。「穢土の一日の功徳」とは、濁世の衆生を真に救う｢変革の宗教｣の真髄の表現とも言えます。
６．悪世こそが広宣流布開拓の｢時｣
仏法においては、｢時｣が重要です。濁世においてこそ、時代と民衆を救う偉大な法を説く仏が出現する必要
があるからです。
７．「最後の勝ちをば
仏にぞ祈らむ」
勝ち負けは人の生命の常なれど最後の勝ちをば仏にぞ祈らむ。断じて勝て！厳しき現実も、最後は
誓願の祈りで勝て！苦難を突き抜けて勝利の鐘を打ち鳴らせ！弟子の勝利を信ずる戸田先生の慈顔が目に浮
かびます。勝利こそ、師匠への報恩です。

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