Year of Stepping Forward

By Rev. Shobin Watanabe
Chief Administrator of Nichiren Shu

Happy New Year to you all! The first phase of Rissho Ankoku (Establish the Correct Teachings to Make our Nations Peaceful and Secure) and Odaimoku Kechien (Create Bonds with the Odaimoku) Campaign originally proposed by the late Rev. Tansei Iwama, the Chief Administrator in 2005, is scheduled to wind up this coming March.

Throughout this first phase, "Visit the Founder's Mountain," "Ceremony to mark the 750th Anniverary of the Presentation of the Rissho Ankoku Ron," "The Special Exhibition of the Treasures of the Lotus Sutra," and other special events were successively held with an aim of "sowing seeds of the Odaimoku and belief in the Lotus Sutra throughout the country and overseas."

In the second phase of this campaign, our efforts will be directed toward the sprouting, growing, and flowering of the sown seeds of the Odaimoku.

An opinion survey showed that the religious consciousness of the Japanese still remains poor. According to this survey, only 26 percent of the people answered that they believe in religion. However, 49 percent answered that they do not think the religious consciousness of the Japanese is low.

I interpret this as meaning that faith in "gods and Buddhas" is thought of as religious consciousness by the Japanese, while faith [and partecipation] in a particular religious school is considered to be something different. The concern of the Japanese for the word "religion", is distinctively low. On the other hand, 90 percent answered affirmatively when asked if they revere their ancestors (souls of ancestors as they might have thought).

It is our mission, the Buddha's messengers, to cultivate religious-mindedness amongst people.

Nichiren Shonin teaches us all that those who have a firm belief in the Buddha's teachings are required to "strive themselves and cause others" to observe the two ways of practice and learning with undaunted resolve.

The second phase of the campaign, the period raising of sewn seeds will last for four years, until March of 2015. While promoting the activities of the campaign, we should not forget our Founder's determination to realize the land of the Buddha by "establishing the True Dharma", even at the risk of his life.

Our Founder states thaht we should know, "There is no Pure Land other than the very place where the practioner of the Lotus Sutra resides." (Shugo Kokka Ron, Treatise for Protecting the Nation)

Going hand in hand with the devotees of Nichiren Shu, we are determined to wage an energetic campaign throughout Japan and the world, and strive for the realization of a peaceful society, keeping in mind our Founder's words, "Strive yourself, and cause others also to observe the two ways of practice and learning."

Please allow me to close my New Year's message by making a vow that each one of us promotes the campaign of Rissho Ankoku and Odaimoku Kechien by pulling ourselves together to realize the great aspiration of our Founder.