Words of Reverend Shoshin Kawabe, Myogyoji Temple,
West Chicago.
Gohonzon bestowal ceremony
Congratulations on receiving the Gohonzon. The ceremony
to welcome the Gohonzon to your home signifies your gaining the source
that leads to the most fulfilled life, founded upon faith. If is an important
and solemn ceremony to receive in your home the most noble and dignified
True Buddha who will correctly guide your life. The following are important
points for the Gohonzon enshrinement ceremony and handling and care of
the Gohonzon. We sincerely hope for your thorough understanding and observance
of these points.
Please do not open the envelope and unroll the Gohonzon on the way
home after the Gojukai ceremony. You must wrap the envelope with a cloth
(fukusa) and safely place it in a case or bag you brought for that reason.
When you carry the Gohonzon in a case or bag, please be careful to protect
it from any external pressure. Please keep the Gohonzon in the envelope
until it is ready to be properly enshrined.
The Gohonzon may be enshrined in just about any room of the house,
be it on the first or second floor. The important thing, however,is to
consider the most suitable place for the Gohonzon. Places with heavy foot
traffic that stir up dust; those too near the distracting noises of the
bathroom or kitchen; or others that you may think are not appropriate for
the Gohonzon should be avoided.
Before the Gohonzon enshrinement ceremony, you must prepare a Buddhist
altar (butsudan) and various Buddhist accessories (butsugu such as an incense
burner, vase(s) for evergreens, candle holder(s), a water cup, a bell and
bell striker. Your Buddhist accessories should include either the three-piece
set of one incense burner, one vase and one candle holder (sangusoku);
or the five-piece set of one incense burner, two vases and two candle holders
(gogusoku). If the Buddhist altar is freshly painted, please make certain
that the paint is dry before enshrining the Gohonzon. Also, the room should
be cleaned beforehand.
Ideally, a Buddhist altar is positioned so that the Gohonzon is facing
south. This, however, is a guideline; if the floor plan or the arrangement
or the room does not allow you to place the altar in this fashion, you
can be flexible. In some cases the altar may face due east, and you would
have to turn you back to the Gohonzon when you recite the first prayer
in morning Gongyo. To avoid turning your back completely to the Gohonzon
in such instances, you should position yourself slightly off line from
the Gohonzon during the first prayer. Also, if the altar is on the east
wall and you cannot do the first prayer with out directly facing the Gohonzon,
again you should seat yourself slightly off line.
After all the necessary preparations are made, you can proceed with
the enshrinement ceremony itself. First, all participants should wash their
hands and rinse their mouths. Secondly all participants, except the one
enshrining the Gohonzon, should start chanting Daimoku solemnly to the
empty altar (the enshriner should be chanting Daimoku silently). Next the
enshriner should take away any accessories that may interfere with the
enshrinement and put them on a separate table. (If you wish, you may put
a white table cloth on this separate table).
The enshriner then places an evergreen clipping or a piece of white
paper between his or her lips (do not use incense). If a leafy green plant
like shikimi, the traditional evergreen offering, is used, it is most appropriate
to have the glossy side up. Gloves should not be worn; the enshrinement
of the Gohonzon should be conducted with bare hands. The enshriner removes
the Gohonzon from its protective envelope.
Please show due respect to the Gohonzon and carefully remove the Gohonzon
from the envelope. After unrolling the Gohonzon halfway, the leader then
hangs the Gohonzon by the string attached to the two nails on the top of
the Gohonzon. Then, holding the bottom wood part, unrolls the Gohonzon
very slowly, letting the weight of the wood do the work. Without using
undo pressure, treat the Gohonzon, which is made of wood and paper, with
the utmost care. You can touch the brown frame part of the Gohonzon if
necessary, but please never touch the white part of the Gohonzon with the
inscription of the Chinese characters, handle the Gohonzon very gently
with the utmost care and with the lightest touch. The Gohonzon can be wrinkled
if too much pressure is applied to it. No matter how long it takes, please
handle the Gohonzon carefully. Also, never breath on the Gohonzon.
After it is enshrined, you may notice that the bottom of the Gohonzon
curls upward. In time, it will straighten out. If, however, the member
is particularly concerned, the enshriner may take the Gohonzon out of the
altar, roll the Gohonzon backward one-third of the way and then roll up
the Gohonzon again in the normal direction halfway and re-enshrine it.
(Never roll the Gohonzon backward while it is enshrined in the altar).
During this ceremony, only an experienced person should handle the Gohonzon.
Generally speaking, the bottom wood part of the Gohonzon should be
at eye level. If the Gohonzon hangs too high, you can adjust the level
using the string. You may also adjust the height of the altar. If you wish
to adjust the height of the altar, however, you are encouraged to do so
in advance. Please do not move the altar once the Gohonzon is enshrined.
Also, please avoid enshrining the Gohonzon too low that you would look
down at it.
After the enshrinement is completed, the enshriner bows deeply to the
Gohonzon with palms together in reverence. Then the enshriner places the
Buddhist accessories in their proper positions. (Please be careful not
to spill the water or knock down the vases or candlesticks). In addition,
sufficient distance should be maintained between the Gohonzon and the Buddhist
accessories to avoid any accident.
Next the candle(s) and incense should be lit, fresh water should be
placed in a cup just for the Gohonzons use and placed on the altar, and
the leader and all participants begin the sutra recitation. Please do not
conduct either morning or evening Gongyo during the ceremony. The Hoben
and Juryo chapters (parts A, B and C of the sutra book) are then recited
once, followed by about five minutes of Daimoku. (This five minutes is
a basic guideline). After chanting Daimoku, the following silent prayers
will be read: the second, the third, the second portion of the fourth and
fifth prayers. During the second part of the fourth prayer, it is recommended
that you pray to deepen your faith, to expiate negative karma created by
the slander of the Law, that each successive generation of your family
carries on the practice of faith in the Mystic Law eternally, for the peace
and prosperity of your family, and for the achievement of Kosen-rufu (peace
achieved by the wide propagation of True Buddhism).
After reading the silent prayer, the ceremony will be concluded by
chanting Daimoku Sansho (three times). Please use a candle snuffer to extinguish
the candles, instead of blowing them out or fanning them with your hand.
Since the Gohonzon is made of paper and wood, after many years it may
become discolored or slightly deformed. We must, however, try to prevent
this as best we can. We must not begrudge our efforts to keep the Gohonzon
in good condition. For example, we should be careful not to splash wax
or water on the Gohonzon. Writing or painting on the Gohonzon is absolutely
prohibited. We should also exercise precautions to prevent any accidents
caused by children or pets. The Gohonzon should not be exposed to direct
sun light. Unless you are conducting Gongyo chanting Daimoku or cleaning
the altar the doors or the altar should be closed to protect the Gohonzon.
Furthermore, the following conduct is strongly prohibited: sketching
or painting and image of the Gohonzon, photographing the Gohonzon, videotaping
the Gohonzon, and photocopying the Gohonzon. Please contact your local
Nichiren Shoshu Temple for guidance should you find any thing unusual about
the Gohonzon, have questions about its care or accidentally commit any
of the prohibited conduct. Now that you have received the Gohonzon and
enshrined it in your home, you can begin your sincere daily practice with
the True Buddha every day. Your daily Gongyo and Daimoku, as well as any
other offering (remember to offer fresh water everyday) to serve the Gohonzon,
will become the source of your infinite benefit and good fortune.