Category: Lectures

The Śākyamuni Buddha often speaks of the “six paramitas” as a way for followers Of the Buddha to practice his teachings. “Paramita” is a Sanskrit term, which literally translates to “go to Higan” in English. “Higan”, as we all may know means ‘the shore of the Sanzu River” and is a Buddhist holiday celebrated for seven days during the spring and autumnal equinox, where individuals focus solely on practicing Buddhism. In Buddhist literature, “higan” is a common euphemism referring to the attainment of Enlightenment and hence the purpose of practicing the six paramitas during “higan” is to lead individuals to Enlightenment.

The six paramitas are as follows: 1. fuse (generosity), 2. jikai (observance of Buddhist precepts), 3. ninniku (patience), 4. shojin (energy and diligence), 5. zenjou (meditation), and 6. chie (wisdom cultivated by studying the Buddhist teachings). Out of these six, jikai, zenjou, and jikai are also classified as sangakū or the ”three ways of learning.”

Fuse (generosity), the first paramita, can be practiced by providing monetary or psychological support to an individual or providing voluntary service to the community. Jikai (observance of Budddhist precepts), the second paramita, requires that an individual be very careful and aware of their five senses so as not to allow any intrusion, which may affect their practice and keep them from upholding the five Buddhist precepts. The third paramita, ninniku (patience), means solely to always be calm and maintain a harmonious relationship with all. Though it may seem easy, this may be one of the harder paramitas to practice. This is because it is hard not to be upset when living in this suffering world and in a society where many individuals commit crimes. In such a situation, we are advised to take our time to contemplate on the situation because often times, it is our emotions that keep us from making reasonable decisions. When we calm down, we tend to realize that we were overreacting about something very minor. While this is not always the case, we can say that the majority of our situations are similar to such. Shojin (energy and diligence), the fourth paramita, is often used interchangeably with doryoku, another Japanese term meaning to persevere and hard. The fifth paramita, zenjou (meditation), means to escape and avoid greediness and anything considered negative in order to maintain a peaceful state of mind. Lastly, chie (wisdom), the sixth paramita, emphasizes the need to understand the Four Noble Truths which are as follows: 1. the nature of suffering; 2. the reason behind the suffering; 3. the destruction of suffering; and 4. the path leading to the end of suffering.

As we approach “higan” we must think about these six paramitas and the ways that they will help us not only approach Enlightenment, but to also think about accumulating good karma and becoming a better individual. I hope that you will take the time to really practice these six paramitas this coming “higan.”

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
March / April 2021

Even after 750 years since Nichiren Shonin presented the “Rissho Ankoku Ron” to the Japanese government, many scholars still debate the significance of the document to history and to the present day. Many argue that the document created the basis and structured the significant teachings present in Nichiren Shu Buddhism. While there are many arguments that can be made on the basis of the “Rissho Ankoku Ron,” this is not to say that the document itself is in fact the equivalent of Nichiren Shu Buddhism. As a result, out of the many ideas that the “Rissho Ankoku Ron” presents, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the significance of the document to us as not only Nichiren Buddhists, but also as individuals living in this world today.

From a historical perspective, the “Rissho Ankoku Ron” is seen as a document presented to the Japanese government, predicting the Mongolian invasion of Japan due to the corrupting nature of Japan as a country. However, Nichiren Shonin used religion to explain the main consequence of this corruption by inferring to the departure of protective deities from Japan.

In a sense, the document questions Nichiren Shonin’s approach to religion as a basis for life. He seems to suggest that religion in general is important for not only human beings, but also for all creatures living in this world. Nichiren Shonin continuously emphasizes the significance of the Lotus Sutra throughout his life and most importantly in the “Rissho Ankoku Ron”, suggesting it also as the “only” way to save Japan. However, we can also reflect this idea to Nichiren Shu Buddhism as well, where the significance of the Lotus Sutra as the supreme teaching of the Sakyamuni Buddha is emphasized.

From this we get the sense that Nichiren Shonin tried to use the Lotus Sutra to create a better life in this world that we live in today. As mostly all Buddhist leaders of Nichiren Shonin’s time emphasized, we are living in “mappo” or the “Age of Degeneration of Buddhist Law.” Many suggest that Nichiren Shonin tried to use the document as a way to suggest that using the Lotus Sutra, it is possible to create peace in this world. However, it is in this respect that we can still relate the “Rissho Ankoku Ron” to our world today. While we still know that we are living in the age of “mappo,” there seems to be less concern about this, compared to the Kamakura Period. Nonetheless, what remains the same is the desire of all creatures in this word to live in what we consider to be “peaceful.” In some ways, we can equate this idea of peace to a type of utopia. However, the term “utopia” may not be correct because it seems to make this peace unattainable because the idea of creating a utopia is unrealistic – not everyone can live the lifestyle that they desire no matter what they do. While I will not go into detail to explain this in this newsletter, I have continuously stated before that in some cases, this relates to our karma that we have accumulated in our past and present lives.

One idea to consider is the relationship between the “Rissho Ankoku Ron” and the Enlightenment that we wish to reach once we leave this world. While it seems as if the document itself does not relate to the afterlife, we can also see the inference made in the document, that by practicing the Lotus Sutra, we will not only be able to live a happy life in this world, but we will also be led to Enlightenment. This may all seem very simple, however, like explained in previous newsletters and in my sermons, this notion of practicing cannot be summarized into one word because it can consist of many actions besides praying. Therefore, I wish that all of you will use this occasion of celebrating Nichiren Shonin’s “Rissho Ankoku Ron” to further understand what it means to practice the Lotus Sutra and what we ourselves can do in order to live a peaceful life in this “mappo” that we live in.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
January / February 2021

Right now, at this moment, we are living our life as human beings. However, there are those that are tired of living a life as a human being, which is a depressing prospect. Buddhists emphasize the teaching of “transmigration,” which is the process of reincarnating through the many stages of the suffering world. We are not randomly born as humans, but are here right now due to the cause and effects created during the numerous past lives that we have lived. Through every reincarnation, we accumulate such actions, which lead us to this present moment. Living this life as a human being is important because the realm of humans is the only escape route from this suffering world. If we think of it this way, it would be unfortunate to waste our whole lifetime in this manner, when such an opportunity is a possibility.

Sakyamuni Buddha expresses the necessary graciousness involved in us being born as human beings in the following manner: “It is hard to be born as a human being. It is hard enough to provide life to those that have already lived in this suffering world—thus reincarnation. It is hard to meet the right teaching.” This quote states how while being born as a human being should be considered a benefit, at same time, it is hard to find the right teaching and follow the right teaching in the expected time period that every individual has in every life. To be able to accomplish this goal is difficult and thus to know that you may repeat this process of self-discovery and continued training in the next life is an interesting idea to consider.

In the Buddhist form of transmigration, it is stated that there are six realms of the suffering world. By ordering the levels of suffering from the least to the greatest, it would be the following. First and foremost, heaven consists of the least suffering. The second is the realm of men or rather us, human beings. Third is ashura, individuals who always desire to fight. Next is the realm of animals, followed by hungry spirits. Lastly, hell, is the realm with the most suffering. The last three realms obviously involve the most suffering and are thus known as the three evil paths. In order to avoid such realms it is stated that we must make benefits through good deeds. Once you fall into these three evil paths, it is said to be difficult to escape such realms and to be born in the realm of human beings is impossible. In realm of hungry spirits and the realm of animals, it is quite hard to accumulate good deeds and make benefits in the way that human beings can. No matter how many times the individual goes through reincarnation and no matter how many lives they live, it is hard for them to be born a human being. However, it is possible for the individual to fall into the sub-realm of hell, abi, the lowest of hell where the sinners suffer interminable pain.

The idea that humans are the only individuals able to escape the suffering world was created from such reasoning. Thus, human beings are only individuals with the possibility of obtaining emancipation from the six realms of the suffering world. Many of you may be wondering if being born as human being is much more beneficial than being born into the realm of heavenly beings. The answer to that is yes. It is more beneficial to be born as human beings due to the following reasons. When we are born into the world of heavenly beings, we have the physical body that we use and that enables us to create benefits and move up the ladder to better realms. However, in world of heavenly beings, without our body, we are unable to create benefits that we created as human beings. It is true that individuals born into heaven live a rather relaxed life; however, emancipation from the suffering world is not a possibility. Thus, as a result, we are able to live in heaven through using up our benefits. When we use up all of the good deeds that we have accumulated, we are forced to return to the different realms, including that of the realm of human beings and create benefits once again to move up that ladder, creating the possibility of obtaining enlightenment and escaping from the six suffering realms once and for all. As human beings we are underneath the realm of individuals in heaven, however, if we think of this idea of such ability and opportunity to practice through finding the right teaching we are actually very lucky to be born into this realm. Such opportunity is only provided to human beings.

This is why, as stated in “verses for opening the sutra” or kaikyoge that we chant during the service, we must understand the gratitude that we must have towards being born into this realm and meeting the teaching of Buddhism to provide us with the opportunity to escape the suffering world once and for all.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
November/December 2020

Many miso (soybean paste) companies have been using the modern method of making miso, which is significantly different from the traditional methods that have lasted for hundreds of years. With the demand surpassing the supply of miso, the factories are rushing to meet this demand by speeding up the process of making miso. The time used to mature the miso has decreased, leading to the loss of the desired flavor that the Japanese are so accustomed to. Therefore factories have been adding glutinous malt-sugar to imitate the natural sweetness. Traditional methods of making miso however have not been completely lost. Old miso companies have continued to make miso by letting it sit for the desired amount of time in the traditional big barrel. The sign of this old method is seen by the remains of the mold that is used to ferment miso from the rice, barley, and soybeans, left on the walls of the shacks where the barrels are placed. Mold from the previous batch of miso is included in the new batch to further draw out the desired flavor. The malt-sugar is not enough to bring out this flavor.
The same can be said about the sutras that I chant daily inside the temple. Just like the mold, every time I chant the sutra, each Chinese character stays inside the temple and does not disappear. Each character is essentially a Buddha. When you come to the temple, each Buddha enters your spirit and provides you benefits and guidance in your life.

Nichiren Shonin mentions in one of his teachings the story about a famous Chinese calligrapher named Oryou and his son, Iryou. Oryou did not approve of Buddhism, especially the Lotus Sutra and therefore never wrote any sutras. At his deathbed, Oryou made Iryou vow never to write any sutras even when he became a famous calligrapher. After some time, just like his father, Iryou acquired respect as a calligrapher by many, including the emperor of China. The emperor that had gained an interest in Buddhism desired to have the sutra written by Iryou. However, having vowed never to write any sutras, Iryou refused the job, but in the end, was forced to fulfill the emperor’s wishes. Iryou wrote the sutra with regret and remorse for having broken his promise with his father. He cried in front of his father’s grave and eventually fell asleep in front of the tombstone. In his dream, he saw his father who approached him to tell him, “I have fallen into the suffering world and have been trapped in this world of darkness for having rejected Buddhism. At first, I tried calling your name many times, but you were unable to hear me. Then one day, I saw a small light in the distance. I walked towards the light and saw that it was a Chinese character. In hesitance, I asked what it was. It answered, “I am ‘myo’, one of the Chinese characters of the sutra that your son wrote.” The light was a Buddha. The light continued to accumulate and many more appeared. Thanks to the sutra that you wrote, I was able to escape from the suffering world due to the light that Iryou, you provided me.”

Similar to this story, each Chinese character is guiding us and helping us to make benefits. The next time you chant the sutra, please try to think about the significance of each character that you are chanting and this may help in your own practice of Buddhism.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
September/October 2020

I am hoping that everyone is staying healthy and safe despite this pandemic that has changed the lives of so many people. As the death tolls increase worldwide, we continue to worry about the second wave of COVID-19. Everyone is left in a state of confusion, not knowing how much longer we will have to stay within the confines of our home or practice social distancing.

No one can predict when a natural disaster or pandemic will occur. While very different from the current COVID-19 situation, I was recently reminded of a story of a person affected by Typhoon Vera (also known as Isewan Typhoon) that struck Japan in September 1959. This is known to be one of the deadliest typhoons to have hit Japan, causing 5,238 deaths. During the early years of my training as a minister, I visited various temples in the countryside with my master. During one of those visits in 1968, my master and I were talking with the head minister of the temple when we saw an individual approaching us, beating a Japanese hand drum and chanting the odaimoku. We could tell from afar that the individual was not a minister, though it was apparent that he was on a pilgrimage on foot (angya). We waited for him to finish chanting the odaimoku and the head minister offered him tea, as he joined us for a conversation. We asked him why he was on this pilgrimage, to which he replied that he had lost his whole family when Typhoon Vera struck Japan almost 10 years prior. At the time, he was lost in his ways and did not know what to do. That was when he received a Japanese hand drum from the head minister of his temple, who suggested that he go on this pilgrimage across Japan to pray for his family members that he lost.

Because of this individual, the spirits of his family members who passed away as a result of Typhoon Vera were properly prayed for and could peacefully leave this human realm. However, with Typhoon Vera, there were also situations where all the family members passed away with no individual remaining to pray and guide the+ spirits after death. We are unfortunately seeing the same situation with COVID-19. As we currently pray for the end of this pandemic and for all the individuals whose lives have been affected by this coronavirus, I am hoping that you will also take the time to pray for these spirits as well.

I hope that all of you will remain hopeful that this will one day all pass. I look forward to seeing you once this suspension of public gatherings ends and we can start our Sunday services again.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
May/June 2020

Many of us try to justify our actions and beliefs using primarily logic and reason. This makes sense because many of our beliefs are built in our experiences, which allow us to justify and provide what we consider to be support for making the decisions we make and taking the actions we take. However, we rarely see these terms being used to describe someone’s faith in a religious belief. Though there are various explanations behind this, one of the main reasons probably has to do with the fact that we ourselves cannot fully experience or even see the “higher being” or deities that we believe in. That being said, many people still try to use solely scriptures and texts to deepen their faith, thinking that comprehending written words alone will give them something even remotely close to the “logic” and “reason” that some of us so often yearn for in our religious practice. However, it is my belief that text alone cannot teach you or help you to fully understand your faith – some knowledge must be acquired through action and experience.

My reason for believing this has to do with my experiences with aragyo, which I have talked about multiple times in the past. Aragyo ended this year on February 10th, with all the practitioners exiting the Nakayama Hokekyo-ji Temple via the zuimon or gate. The zuimon opens only twice a year (on the first and last day of aragyo) and permits only the practitioners to pass through these gates. Though I passed the zuimon for the last time during my fifth and final practice over ten years ago (2008), I still remember the sadness I felt, to know that I will never pass this gate again. I had completed my first aragyo practice before coming to the U.S., thinking that I would never have the opportunity to undergo this practice again. However, 13 years later, I entered aragyo for the second time, soon followed by the third, fourth, and fifth time, the last few times even being asked to enter aragyo. And while it is true that every time I entered aragyo, I underwent ascetic training that was both strenuous on my mind and body, I was also able to acquire knowledge and have experiences that I would not have had otherwise. It was through these experiences that I learned that not everything can be explained via logic or reason.
In the same way, I am also reminded of Nichiren Shonin who, through his practice and studies during his exile to Sado Island, underwent the realization that he was the reincarnation of Visistacarita (Jp. Jogyo Bodhisattva), who is thought to protect not only the Lotus Sutra, but also its devotees. Though this may be a little difficult to explain, it is in fact my belief that Nichiren Shonin’s spirit was not initially that of Visistacarita and by this, I mean before he started his practice of the Lotus Sutra. It was through finding the Lotus Sutra, fully embracing it, and risking his life to spread the teachings of the Lotus Sutra to many people that he acquired the spirit of Visistacarita into his own. To further explain, throughout my own training as a minister, I feel as if the spirits of various benevolent deities
(Shoten zenjin) have entered my own spirit to not only help me further my practice, but also protect me during any arduous training I have undergone and also help me spread the teaching of Nichiren Shonin and the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, it is my belief that our actions will reflect the spirits that enter our own pre-existing spirit and protect us – those that commit crimes will have several types of evil spirits entering their soul, only to destroy them from within. However, taking actions to deepen our faith and making an effort to live our life to the fullest by following the teachings of the Lotus Sutra will allow for these benevolent deities to enter our own spirits and protect us from within. This is why faith cannot just be acquired through solely logic or reason, but requires action – you have to work for it.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
March/April 2020

In some of the previous newsletters, I have talked about my experience as the head minister of the San Francisco Nichiren Buddhist Church. When I became the head minister in 1976, the church itself was just an apartment room. Aside from the monthly services I held there, I also prepared the church newsletter and performed other daily tasks for the church. However, these tasks could only keep me busy for so long and I was always searching for other activities that I could do. I really wanted to go to the local Adult School to learn English but I did not have money to take the bus and gave up on this idea. I also spent some time reading the few books that I had brought from Japan and was left trying to find more books in the church, but could not find too many. I also tried to spend my days chanting the sutra, however, the neighbors told me that I was too loud, and I had to find other ways to continue my daily practice without disturbing my neighbors.

As a result, I decided that I would hand deliver my handwritten church newsletter along with the Nichiren News by doing “angya” (walking while also beating my handheld taiko and chanting the odaimoku). I walked from Sunset District all the way to Downtown San Francisco, passing through Haight-Ashbury District, the birthplace and center of the hippie community. During one of my trips, I remember passing through the Haight-Ashbury District only to be surrounded by several hippies. At the time, I did not understand or speak any English, so I was very confused and slightly troubled by this situation. Therefore in that moment, I decided to escape that situation by handing them the Nichiren News and quickly walking away.

During one of my other trips, I was approached by a woman at a stop light. I remember her pointing to the sky and yelling, “There is only one God!” She proceeded to spit at my feet and quickly ran away. I felt several different types of emotions — I was angry, shocked, and very frustrated that I could not say anything back to her. However, I still had newsletters to deliver and could not just stop my angya. As I proceeded to continue walking and chanting the odaimoku, I was able to calm down and remembered the words of the Never Disparaging Bodhisattva (Jp. Jofukyo Bosatsu) in Chapter 20 of the Lotus Sutra. The Bodhisattva states to those who scrutinize the Lotus Sutra, “I respect you and I do not disparage you. The reason for this is because you are all practicing the way of the Bodhisattva and will all become Buddhas.” Though there are many people living in this world right now, but there are not too many individuals who know about the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Shu, especially in the United States. It is equivalent to the number of specks of dust and dirt that we can place on a fingernail, a common phrase in Buddhist literature to refer to the scarcity or rarity of a situation.

Unfortunately, many people in this world face a lot of different types of discrimination, one of them being related to religious beliefs. Although that woman tried to disparage or belittle me, at least through that experience, she was able to hear the odaimoku and in turn become exposed to the Lotus Sutra. Every single person has a Buddha nature and therefore a potential to reach Enlightenment and become a Buddha. One of our tasks ss Buddhists is to help people realize that they have this Buddha nature and that through practice, they can reach Enlightenment. When more and more people come to realize this, the world will become more peaceful and closer to heaven or paradise.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
January/February 2020

In the Hannyakyo sutra, the Buddha states, “A foolish person always looks for a person’s bad qualities and uses those faults against them, boasting to everyone as if they themselves are perfect.” Every human being has a greed for knowledge or curiosity-trying to learn more about what they do not understand or trying to make certain, the things that are unclear to them. This is why we have education, which in turn assists in the development of knowledge and a better understanding of the world around us and ourselves.

Often times our education is driven by our own curiosity to learn more, for example, about a particular topic. Unfortunately, for many people, most of this curiosity is driven by wanting to validate rumors or seeking out the truth that has nothing to do with themselves. The society’s desire to acquire such information is why magazines that write about the private lives of celebrities are topping the sales charts today. As many of you know, most of these magazines often exaggerate and add their own fake storyline to make the story seem more interesting and one that people would want to read about. Even during family gatherings or when meeting with friends, people often focus on and enjoy gossiping about the flaws of other people. Sometimes they go as far as to involve themselves in family disputes and troubles of these people. As with many of the magazine writers, many enjoy overexaggerating little mistakes and adding their own twist to these rumors that they hear. For many of these people, gossiping is their hobby and they enjoy hearing and spreading rumors. Therefore, in most cases, these people that spread these rumors hold no grudge against the person they gossip about.

What do these people really gain from spreading these rumors about different people? Those people who take these actions will eventually have the same done to them, not realizing that they will have to suffer the repercussions of the bad karma that they have accumulated from these actions. Much of the suffering that we experience in this “suffering world” is one that we often times cannot control. However, this action of spreading rumors is one that every person can control and prevent. There is nothing more foolish than suffering as a result of actions that we ourselves can control.

As a result, many people forget about the important qualities that we ourselves hope to portray and in turn, see in others. These qualities may include honor and respect for others. We acquire and develop these qualities through the experiences that we have throughout our life. In this process, we are also purifying our spirit and accumulating good karma.

As this year comes to an end, I am hoping that we will all take the time to reflect on the actions we took this year and think about ways that we can improve the next year.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
November/December 2019

In Buddhism, it is said that as human beings we are born into this Saha world, or world of suffering. But becoming a minister in this suffering world involves being prepared to undergo a lot more hardships and struggles that others may not face.

I would like to briefly talk about our Buddhist attire. We must treat our koromo and hakama that we wear as items that we received from the Buddha. When I was just a shami all those years ago, one of my daily duties was to fold my master’s kesa, koromo and hakama. I recall one day, my master decided to watch me fold his Buddhist attire. I had been standing on my knees while folding his koromo and my knees had briefly touched the edge of it. My master immediately became very angry with me and told me that I should never be stepping on or even touching his koromo with my knees. Despite the fact that it was winter, for the next month, my master forbade me from wearing my koromo, and would only let me wear my thin hakui. Needless to say, that experience taught me the importance of my koromo.

When I underwent my 100 days of aragyo training, which as you may know also occurs annually during the winter, I was also only allowed to wear my hakui and koromo. All of you may think that it is just a thin hakui. But this hakui was vital in saving me from the cold winter weather. Every time I finished my 100 days of aragyo training, I appreciated my hakui a lot more. It is this hakui and koromo that I received from the Buddha that helped me complete my aragyo trainings.

Also, when you look a kesa closely, you can see that looks like a patchwork quilt, like small pieces of cloth sewn together. The reason for this lies in the origin of the kesa. It is said that the first kesa was made by a minister who combined the small pieces of cloth that he received as a donation and token of appreciation from various lay members. This donation in Japanese is called “fuse.” Interestingly, the kanji character for “fuse” is written as “donating or giving cloth.” As ministers, we receive this fuse for saving others through propagating Buddhism. Once again, similar to the hakui and koromo, we must treat our kesa as an item that we received from the Buddha as a token of appreciation for saving others through spreading the teachings of the Buddha.

As ministers, we undergo various forms of training and learn through various measures. One of these includes learning through reading books and other forms of literature. However, there is so much that we cannot learn from just reading. It is undoubtedly essential to learn through reading; however, it is through our own experiences and realizations that we further progress as ministers.

Lastly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everybody who celebrated my 30-year anniversary. I really appreciated it, thank you.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
September/October 2019

Recently many religious communities have been frequently using the term “interface” to describe the notion and possibilities of merging doctrines and teachings of different religions. Is the frequent use of this term suggesting to us that maybe many religions need to somehow change in order to better adapt to the rapidly changing and advancing world? Does this mean that many religions need to find a way to unify? With this, we must consider the purpose of religion and its importance in our daily
lives.

Often through the news, we see instances of people forcing their own ideas upon others. Examples can be seen in politics in the form of capitalism and communism as well as in economics where different companies try to expand their business and fight over global power. In all instances, especially in the case of politics, we see that this can become a form of oppression. In such cases, people try to find a way out and understand what ultimately makes them happy. This is the same with religion. In the case of Buddhism, we are taught that all individuals are born into this suffering world; however, we are all trying to find some sort of happiness. However, how can people find happiness, while accepting the inevitable suffering (along with the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path) in this world?

People cannot live life without concerns or problems. They want to live a healthy life, they need some money to survive, and they also want their family to live a life filled with happiness and joy. In such situations, they often rely on religion in the hopes of it helping them fulfill their wishes. Yet, it is also true that religious leaders of some established religions that have existed for several centuries or even thousands of years, believe that using religion for the sole purpose of attaining certain benefits is indecent. They believe it takes away from the fact that there is more to religion than just attaining benefits.

When I first came to the United States, there were only a few priests who had been properly trained to use kito (ritual prayer). This was because at the time, many priests believed that the only way of propagating Nichiren Shu was to focus on teaching the Nichiren Shu doctrine to both the members and the public. As a result, they believed that only the first 22 chapters of the Lotus Sutra (which consists of 28 chapters total) were most important teachings. Interestingly, the 23rd to 28th chapters focus on the benefits that could be obtained from accepting the Lotus Sutra as well as the Shoten-zenjin (protective deities). It is through kito that we learn of these chapters. Without learning or knowing about the existence of these chapters, would people continue to maintain faith in the Lotus Sutra?

Nichiren Shonin himself preached the importance of the Lotus Sutra during his time. However, he also used kito to pray for everyone’s happiness and well-being. Interestingly, the most prominent priests in the history of Nichiren Shu were all famous kito practitioners. In a way this could suggest to us the importance of one again focusing on kito as a way to aid in attaining happiness. It is also true that there are some Nichiren Shu priests who believe that kito is a shaman-like teaching that should not be propagated outside of Japan. It is such beliefs that have led to the misunderstandings behind the purpose of kito and its proper usage.

Many believe that the purpose behind religion is to pray for world peace and for your ancestors. Yet it is also important to focus on religion to help us find our own happiness in this present life. We cannot attain world peace without first obtaining individual happiness.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
July/August 2019