HIGAN-E (OBSERVANCE OF THE EQUINOX)
OKO LECTURE 1/8/95
Myogyoji Temple
Reverend Shoshin Kawabe
In "Shiiji Shiro Dono Gohenji" ( "Reply to Lord Shiiji Shiro"), Nichiren Daishonin stated,
"A person who hears even a single phrase or a single verse of this sutra and absorbs it into their life will become a ship which sails across the great ocean of life and death. The Great Master Miao-lo stated, 'If people absorb even a single phrase into their lives, they will all reach the shore of Nirvana. To ponder and practice it is to eternally employ it in the voyage.' Sailing across the great ocean of life and death would be difficult without being in the vessel of Myoho-renge-kyo.
"In the first place, the ship in the passage from
the Lotus Sutra which reads, '...like acquiring a ship in which to cross,'
was constructed by the founder, the Enlightened World-Honored One, an artisan
of boundless skill. He gathered the logs of the Four Flavors and Eight
Teachings, planed them by honestly discarding the provisional teachings,
laid them side by side with the principle that human life contains both
evil and good, and drove in the spikes of 'the Lotus Sutra is the supreme
of the five flavors.' He then shoved off upon the great ocean of life and
death. He hoisted aloft the sails of the Ten Worlds, the Ten Factors and
the Three Thousand Worlds upon the mast of 'the Middle Way contains the
one and only Law,' and, securing the tail wind of the true entity of all
phenomenon, placed on board all mankind, who gains entry through faith.
When Shakyamuni Buddha takes the helm and Taho Buddha takes hawser in hand,
the Four Bodhisattvas, that is, Jogyo and the others, place the lids on
the cargo boxes and quickly man the oars. Such is the ship of '...like
acquiring a ship in which to cross.' Those who should board it are Nichiren's
disciples and lay believers. Believe it wholeheartedly."
(Heisei Shinpen Gosho (HSG) [Heisei Era New Edition Gosho], page 1555.
For reference, see MWND, Vol. 1, pages 10, 11 [A
Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering])
Good morning, everyone. Today is the first Oko lecture of this year. It is truly worthy of respect that all of you, being fatigued from your daily work and in the midst of this cold weather, have in this manner not begrudged your lives in order to repay your debt of gratitude to Nichiren Daishonin, and have made a pilgrimage to this Bodaiji in order to listen to the teachings of Buddhism. In addition, I have respectfully placed all of your offerings before the Buddha, and have humbly prayed that you will double your efforts in faith and practice.
This is something which occurs in Japan, and I'm sorry to trouble you with these "Japanese things," but in Japan, the temple with which one is affiliated, and this includes all sects of Buddhism in general, is called "Bodaiji." "Bodai" means "enlightenment" and "ji" means "temple." In other sects, people regard the temple which holds their family grave as being the temple with which they are affiliated. They regard Buddhism as existing for the sake of holding memorial services for the deceased, and temples as the locations for those services. Subsequently, this idea has become the breeding ground for the slang term "funeral priests," which belittles Buddhism. Actually, in regards to other sects, this term is exactly correct.
Other sects' use of the word "Bodai" fundamentally refers to the life which exists after death. Not just lay people, but priests as well use the word "Hotoke" ("Buddha") in reference to the deceased. In particular, they don't care about practicing or anything. There is the saying, "Dead men tell no tales." Just from this alone we can see how groundless the other sects of Buddhism are. If death is true happiness, and we naturally become Buddhas after we die, there's no need to live. It would be really comfortable.
From the ancient past, Hokkeko members have referred to the temple with which they are affiliated as "dojo." "Dojo" means "practice site." To be more specific, they refer to it as "kimyo eshi no dojo." "Kimyo" means "devotion," "eshi" means "to serve the Buddha as disciples, learn his practice and receive his teachings."
I think that in explaining it in this way, you can understand in general the significance of Nichiren Shoshu temples. When Hokkeko members say "Bodaiji," it means "The place where we ourselves serve the Buddha, study Buddhism and practice it in order to attain Buddhahood." I think you can understand very well that Nichiren Shoshu temples differ at the very roots from the temples of other sects. Because of this difference, I think it is extremely important to make pilgrimages to the temple with this significance kept firmly in mind.
Today I will talk about the "Higan-e," or "Observance of the Equinox." I think probably none of you are used to hearing this term. It is a Buddhist ceremony which has been conducted in Japan from ancient times on every spring and autumnal equinox.
"Higan" means "the other shore," and refers to the place of clear enlightenment. In contrast to that, the place where we live is called "shigan," or "this shore," and refers to a defiled world of suffering. "Higan-e" means "a ceremony to reach enlightenment." In a reply he sent to Lord Sone, Nikko Shonin stated,
"I definitely received your offerings for higan.
Being rare objects from the Fuji area, it is fine to present anything at
all."
(Nichiren Shoshu Rekidai Hossu Zenshu [The Complete Writings of the Successive
High Priests of Nichiren Shoshu], Vol. 1, page 149)
We can see from this that this ceremony was being conducted at Taisekiji in those days. Since Nikko Shonin conducted it, we can also naturally conclude that Nichiren Daishonin conducted it as well.
As you know, on the days of the spring and autumnal equinox, day and night are the same length. Day is bright, night is dark. In terms of phenomena, this lightness and darkness are of equal duration. According to Buddhism, this shows that all things are equal with no distinctions.
This is a bit of a digression, but in general the teachings of other sects regard objects not visible to the eye as being something fantastic and as being the ultimate (God, for example). However, they offer you no guarantees about it. This is truly irresponsible. In contrast, Nichiren Daishonin's one and only Buddhism is throughout the teaching of shiki shin funi (oneness of the physical and the spiritual), and begins by admitting the entirety of true reality. Accordingly, it explains, "Physical objects and reality are themselves the Law."
This meaning is stated in the following passage from "Hyakumai Ippai Gosho" ( "A Single Bag of Polished Rice"):
"Those sutras are still shallow, and since they do equal the Lotus Sutra, they inform people of secular Laws based upon Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra does not. It explains that the secular Law is nothing less than the entirety of Buddhism. The "spiritual" of the provisional sutras is presented in such a way that the spiritual gives rise to all Laws. For example, the spiritual is like the earth, and plants and trees are like all Laws. The Lotus Sutra does not. The spiritual equals the earth, and the earth equals plants and trees. The provisional sutras say that the clarity of the spiritual is like the moon and the purity of the spiritual is like a flower. The Lotus Sutra does not. It is a doctrine which says that the moon is itself the spiritual and the flower is itself the spiritual. Know from this that polished rice is not polished rice. It equals life." (HSG, page 1545. For reference, see MWND, Vol. 1, page 269. [Gift of Rice])
Matter and the Law do not exist as separate entities, and matter is not born from the Law. The Law and matter are a single, simultaneous existence temporally and spatially. As to how this could be is not commonly asked. Therefore, the concept of God itself ignores the reality of principles. I think this is a little difficult, but unless you accurately understand this in your heart, you will not understand Buddhism. Higan-e as well is a ceremony which originated because of the respectworthiness of this reality. On the days of the spring and autumnal equinox, day and night are equal. Accordingly, there is no predominance either way. This is described as, "The Buddha delights in the Middle Way," and means the Middle Way and completeness. Accordingly, this ceremony contains the profound meaning of Buddhism's oneness of the spiritual and the physical, oneness of good and evil, union of Yin and Yang and phenomena equals principles. Therefore, I must say that this is an important ceremony.
In addition, the benefit of practicing on that day is greater by far than on other days. Ushitora Gongyo is conducted between darkness and light. I've spoken about this before, but that is the time when all Buddhas attain Buddhahood. The time between darkness and light shows perfect impartiality, and possesses the profound significance of the simultaneity of cause and effect of earthly desires equal enlightenment. This also possesses the profound significance of the perfect Middle Way. This is my personal interpretation, but I have to say that from that standpoint, the time of Ushitora Gongyo possesses the same profound significance as the day of the spring and autumnal equinox. Therefore, Japanese Buddhism from ancient times has conducted this ceremony on that day, and has anticipated the attainment of Buddhahood by means of a tremendous practice. This meaning is already lost in other sects, and only its custom remains.
I explained earlier that higan is enlightenment and shigan is the world of suffering. Between these two shores stretches an unusually wide ocean known as the great ocean of life and death. It is absolutely impossible to sail this ocean in a Hinayana ship which holds only one, two or three people. It would sink as soon as a wind came. We must have a solid and large boat, known as Mahayana, which holds many people. "Shojo Daijo Bunbetsu Sho" ( "On the Differences between Hinayana and Mahayana") states,
"A passage from the Hoben Chapter of the First Volume of the Lotus Sutra reads, 'If a single person is improved through Hinayana...' Not only do T'ien-t'ai and Miao-lo say that the Agon sutras are Hinayana, but hey also stipulate that the bekkyo (specific teaching) Kegon Sutra and the tsugyo (connecting teaching) Nirvana Sutra of Mahayana are also actually Hinayana." (HSG, page 704)
A passage from"Ueno Dono Gohenji" ( "Reply to Lord Ueno") reads,
"Having now entered the Latter Day of the Law, the
Lotus Sutra and the other sutras are useless. There is only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
(HSG, page 1219. For reference, see MWND, Vol. 3, page 266.)
These passages teach that in comparison to the Lotus Sutra, which is the true Buddhism of Shakyamuni Buddha, all other teachings are Hinayana, and that in comparison to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is the Great Law of the Latter Day, all other teachings, including the Lotus Sutra, are Hinayana. In general, Hinayana is the
teaching which spread throughout Southeast Asia, but ultimately it refers to all religious teachings which are religious teachings in name only and through which one cannot attain Buddhahood. There is absolutely no other way to sail across this huge ocean of life and death other than chanting daimoku to the Gohonzon of Nichiren Daishonin.
A passage from "Issho Jobutsu Sho" ( "On Attaining Buddhahood in a Single Lifetime") reads,
"If the people's hearts are defiled, the land will
be defiled as well. If their hearts are pure, the land will also be pure.
The land is not divided into two, the Pure Land and the Defiled Land. It
only appears that way, according to the good or evil in our own hearts."
(HSG, page 46. For reference, see MWND, Vol. 1, page 4.)
A passage from Ueno Dono Gokeama Gohenji" ( "A Reply to the Widow of Lord Ueno") reads,
"There is no Pure Land or Hell outside of ourselves.
They only exist within our own breasts. One enlightened to this is called
a Buddha. One deluded about this is called a common mortal. That which
is enlightened to this is the Lotus Sutra. That being the case, if one
embraces the Lotus Sutra, they will enlightened to the fact that Hell equals
Paradise."
(MSG, page 336. For reference, see MWND, Vol. 2, pp. 239, 240.)
These passages show that the world of enlightenment, thought to exist on some far-away shore, exists in this defiled, sinful world of suffering where we ourselves live. This is called "The saha world equals paradise." Other religious teachings say that Heaven or the Pure Land exists after death, and if we pray to God, then we can go there and live in peace. However, have you even once heard anyone say, "I've been there, and it's a nice place." I don't think so. Since you haven't, it doesn't exist. We are born into this world, and we die in this world. This is truth and reality. There is no such thing as being born apart from this world or dying apart from this world. Saying that which does not exist actually does exist deceives people, so it is called a heretical doctrine.
"Hell equals Paradise" is also stated as "The opposite shore equals this shore." In short, we who must be born and who must pass away exist in this real world where we now live. Convinced that all people equally possess the brilliant world of Buddhahood within their lives, anyone who practices and chants daimoku to the Gohonzon will definitely open up a brilliant human life within themselves. In accordance with our shakubuku, this world will become the Buddha land of true peace. How could this world possibly become peaceful by ignoring it and praying to go to Heaven after we die? When we look at our ever increasing crime rate and our unending, useless wars, we can see just to what extent the religions which cause people to suffer have spread. One more very important thing. "The opposite shore equals this shore" indicates the great ocean of life and death.
We can attain the sokushin jobutsu (attaining Buddhahood with this very body) of earthly desires equal enlightenment depending upon how diligent we are in our faith and practice of itai doshin (different bodies, the same mind). Since this fundamentally means that our attainment of Buddhahood exists in life, we are suspicious of Buddhahood which exists only in life and is missing in death.
A passage from "Ueno Dono Gokeama Gohenji" ( "A Reply to the Widow of Lord Ueno") states,
"While he was alive, he was a living Buddha. Now
he is a deceased Buddha. Whether living or deceased, he is a Buddha. This
is the important doctrine of attaining Buddhahood with this very body."
(HSG, page 336. For reference, see MWND, Vol. 2, page 239.)
I think you can probably understand "living Buddha" with an ordinary explanation, but I think it is probably somewhat difficult to understand what a "deceased Buddha" is. Even if I were to talk about it all through the night, I could not explain it completely, so today I will give only the conclusion.
The same letter states,
"Do not doubt that since the deceased Lord was a
practitioner of this sutra, he attained Buddhahood with his very body...Be
all the more diligent in conducting memorial services to your heart's content.
This is also stated in the words of a deceased man of virtue. 'Keep one's
mental attitude in the ninth consciousness, and keep one's practice in
the sixth consciousness.'"
(HSG, page 338. For reference, see MWND, Vol. 2, pp. 243, 244.)
"Keep one's mental attitude in the ninth consciousness, and keep one's practice in the sixth consciousness," is an extremely profound doctrine, but to explain it simply, it means to "Practice with body and soul, with conviction in one's own Buddhahood." We often attempt to understand the attainment of Buddhahood through knowledge, but this is useless. It does more harm than good. We absolutely cannot understand it through theory.
"Somoku Jobutsu Sho" ( "On the Attainment of Buddhahood by Plants and Trees") states,
"The attainment of Buddhahood by plants and trees indicates the attainment of Buddhahood by insentient beings... The fact that toba (memorial tablets) are erected and the eye-opening ceremony for them is performed when we common mortals pass away indicates that plants and trees attain Buddhahood as we attain Buddhahood in death." (HSG, page 522)
When we observe Higan-e, I will talk a little bit about how important it is to offer these memorial services and these memorial tablets, but offering these memorial tablets is a practice which surely must not be overlooked when it comes to the attainment of Buddhahood by the deceased. It is clear from the standpoint of Buddhist reasoning that the benefit of these memorial tablets exerts a tremendous influence upon the deceased. In saying that this higan-e is a ceremony to sail across the great ocean of life and death, I think it would be fine to think of it as a ceremony in which not only we who are living attain Buddhahood, but as a ceremony in which, by offering memorial tablets, both the living and the deceased, practicing in accordance with the principle of the oneness of life and death, accumulate tremendous benefits. Since we observe this ceremony as an important yearly event, I hope you will please offer memorial tablets with a positive state of mind and accumulate benefits. Thank You.