ENGLISH OKO
"SHAKUBUKU"
REVEREND YOSAI YAMADA
April 22, 1984 Today, I would like to talk about why we do shakubuku.
Shakubuku, as you know, is a method of propagating Buddhism by refuting another's attachments to heretical views, and thus lead him to correct Buddhist practice. Because you were able to receive the Gohonzon through shakubuku, I think that each one of you is aware of its importance.
What is the purpose? For what reason do we do shakubuku? This question is easy to answer. However, there may be some members who cannot understand the purpose, or the reason we do shakubuku, so I would like to put a clear reason in shape as the purpose of this lecture.
First, I would like to say that shakubuku is done in order to keep the Buddha's original purpose, which is to lead all common mortals to enlightenment. The 26th High Priest, Nichikan Shonin, says in his writings, "The Lecture on Repaying Debts of Gratitude":
"The purpose for which the Buddha left his teachings is to lead all people and enable them to attain enlightenment."
The Buddha states in the Juryo Chapter:
"Children, listen...I have this good medicine here for you now. You should take it and not worry that it will not cure you."
In the Latter Day of the Law, "children" means all people on this earth. "This good medicine" means the Dai-Gohonzon, which was left "here", meaning in this world, and "now" means this fifth 500 years after the Buddha's death.
So, the Buddha's original purpose is this -- -- to lead all mankind to enlightenment. Therefore, in order to fulfill. the Buddha's original purposely we do shakubuku. In other words, the Buddha's original purpose is achieved by our shakubuku.
Nichikan Shonin states:
"If we do not transmit and teach..."
In other words, if we do not do Shakubuku... "We go against the Buddha's original purpose. When we transmit and teach, we answer the Buddha's original purpose." From this passage, we should realize that Shakubuku is the deed which answers the Buddha's original. purpose and meets its expectations, and that there is great benefit inherent in shakubuku itself.
The Daishonin states in "The True Entity of Life":
"only, I, Nichiren at first chanted Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, but then two, three and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. "Likewise, propagation will unfold this way in the future. Doesn't this signify 'emerging from the earth'? At the time of Kosen-rufu, the entire Japanese nation will chant Nam-Myoho-Renge- Kyo, as surely as an arrow aimed at the earth cannot. miss the target."
This passage is well-known. It is the Daishonin's original purpose that all common mortals in the Latter Day of the Law come to chant the Daimoku, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Also, it is the Daishonin's last wish. We practice shakubuku in order to accomplish the original teacher's great hope for his students.
In other words, through shakubuku, we fulfill the student's obligation to his teacher. We might not be able to do shakubuku solely through our own power. However, if at first we find that we cannot, we must make a prayer to the Gohonzon to do shakubuku for Kosen-rufu. These sincere prayers of ours made in faith to Gohonzon, must lead us to shakubuku. By praying this way, or supporting members who are doing shakubuku, our own practice will mature, and it will change so that in the future, without fail, shakubuku will be the effect.
When you do individual shakubuku, it is important that you combine the power of your effort with other members whose effort and purpose is the same. Both new and old members do shakubuku in a scrimmage or shoulder to shoulder. By joining forces, our individual faith grows up. So the Daishonin admonishes us to:
"Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if only a single sentence or phrase."
With today as a turning point, will you please try to read this passage every morning when you get up and every evening before you to to bed, and please pray strongly for shakubuku. If you do that, it is definitely possible that shakubuku will be achieved. I firmly believe that the correct path of our faith and the correct direction of our devotion to world-wide propagation exists within this sincere attitude.
So, the first reason we do shakubuku is because that is the purpose of Buddhism, and this purpose was established by the Buddha.
Secondly, we do shakubuku in order to repay the four debts of gratitude.
In most societies, the idea of repaying kindness and benefit with gratitude is expected and important. If among our acquaintances, there is one who does not know how to repay kindness and benefit, he is thought of as being crude, poorly raised and unfortunately without "class". Isn't that so?
In "The Opening of the Eyes", the Daishonin says:
"Sages and worthy men are the product of families where filial piety is taught. It goes without saying, therefore, that persons who study the teachings of Buddhism must also observe the idea of filial piety and understand and repay their obligation."
In other words, the disciples of the Buddha must without fail understand the four types of obligation and know how to repay them. In the Daishonin's Buddhism, the four obligations, or debts of gratitude are owed to our parents, to all living things, the sovereign, and to the Three Treasures. This seems an enormous debt, doesn't it? How do we repay all of them?
There is one supreme way to do that. That very way is shakubuku. Nagarjuna states in "Daichido-Ron" (Treatise on the Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom"):
"Those people who don't transmit the Law and don't teach common mortals, are consequently called people who don't repay debts of gratitude."
In interpreting this passage, Nichikan Shonin states:
"If you transmit i he Law and teach common mortals, you consequently repay debts of gratitude."
We should remember the Daishonin's words with appreciation. They tell us what we should understand about obligation in his Buddhism. We should appreciate Nagarguna's and Nichikan Shonin's commentary as well. They tell us how to repay this obligation.
So, secondly, we do shakubuku to repay our debts of gratitude to our ' parents, all living things, the sovereign and the Three Treasures. The practice of shakubuku is the true way to basically relieve all people from their suffering and give them joy.
Thirdly, we do shakubuku because it is the true practice in the Latter Day of the Law.
In "On Practicing the Buddha's Teachings", the Daishonin, speaking about has age and his country, wrote:
"When one must face enemies, he needs a sword, staff or a bow. However, when he has no enemies, such weapons are of no use at all. In this age, the provisional teachings have turned into enemies of the true teachings. When the time is right. to propagate the supreme teaching, the provisional teachings become enemies. If they are a source of confusion, they must be thoroughly refuted from the standpoint of the true teaching. Of the two types of practice this is shakubuku, the practice of the Lotus Sutra. With good reason, T'ien-t'ai stated: 'The practice of the Lotus Sutra is shakubuku, the refutation of the provisional doctrine.' The four easy practices (practice by peaceful deed, words, thoughts and vows) in the Anrakugyo chapter are shoju. To carry them out in this day would be as foolish as sowing seeds in winter and expecting to reap the harvest in the spring. It is natural for a rooster to crow in the morning, but strange for him to crow at dusk.
"Now when the true and provisional teachings are utterly confused, it would be equally unnatural for one to seclude himself in the mountains, carrying out the easy practice of shoju, and avoid refuting the enemies of the Lotus Sutra. He would lose all chance to practice the Lotus Sutra."
In this passage, the Daishonin clearly states the method of shakubuku that should be used in the Latter Day of the Law. However, on the other hand, in "The Opening of the Eyes" the Daishonin states:
"In the Latter Day of the Law, however. both shoju and shakubuku are to be used. This is because there are two kinds of countries, the country that is passively evil and the kind that actively seeks to destroy the Law."
Although these are two distinct methods of propagation in this period, we do both shoju and shakubuku after considering the kind of country. In other words, shoju is included within shakubuku. Shakubuku, or helping all people accept, have faith in, and practice to Gohonzon, includes both shoju and shakubuku.
It would be well to keep the Daishonin's words in mind regarding shoju and shakubuku. We use both because, "...there are two kinds of countries; the country that is passively evil and the kind that actively seeks to destroy the Law".
At any rate, the important thing is to employ the most suitable method depending on the situation. It is more important to do shakubuku than to not do it because of an argument about method.
Finally, as the fourth reason, we do shakubuku in order to gain the great benefit from the Gohonzon. The "Jige-ge" states:
"Earnestly desiring to see the Buddha, willing to give their lives to do so."
The Gohonzon gives great benefit to people who truly have this sincere attitude. "The Record of Orally Transmitted Teachings" states:
"You become the teacher who teaches Myoho-Renge-Kyo so that you gain the great happiness."
In other words, when we attempt to do shakubuku with sincere faith in Gohonzon, we gain absolute happiness from the Gohonzon. A complainer who says, "I cannot feel the slightest touch of benefit, "or "I cannot gain any benefit at all, "has clearly forgotten about shakubuku. If you carry out shakubuku, the great benefit comes to exist in your life without fail.
The Daishonin states: "Chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo single-mindedly and encourage others to do the same; that will remain as your only memory of this human world."
Kosen-rufu, which is connected with world peace, is the Daishonin's order and the Buddha's kindest mercy extended to all common mortals. I know that you will be granted great benefits by confidently practicing the Buddhist practice -- -- shakubuku -- -- according to your ability.
I would like to close my lecture, praying that all of you will attempt to do shakubuku centering on Sogocho, with the correct attitude for the sake of that great benefit and for world-wide propagation. Thank you very much.