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WHY ARE WE STILL NOT CELEBRATING
NICHIREN DAISHONINS BIRTHDAY?
This is a matter of the most extreme urgency. The major events
celebrating the establishment of True Buddhism have been relegated to a
secondary status as local events in our organization and completely
disregarded in some areas or given mere lip service in others.
Why are we still not celebrating Nichiren Daishonin's
Birthday as a major event in the SGI? The Daishonin is being treated as a
secondary priest, whose milestone events signifying the establishment
of True Buddhism for all humankind are only celebrated on a local
level, if at all. If a local district or area wants to celebrate these
momentous events, it is permitted to do so only on a local level, but
these events are not being celebrated
on a national level. Why is the SGI treating Nichiren Daishonin merely as a
local priest? With all due respects to President Ikeda, President Toda
and President Makiguchi, Nichiren Daishonin is the Original Buddha of the infinite
past, which is our prime belief.
Insist that February 16, Nichiren Daishonin's Birthday,
April 28, the Establishment of True Buddhism and October 12, the
Anniversary of the Inscription of the Dai-Gohonzon be celebrated as
national events in the SGI like Soka Gakkai Day, Kosen-rufu Day and SGI Day
with all the fuss and fanfare. Ask the leaders 'what's going on'? Insist that we
implement this change, or we are in essence belittling the True Buddha.
In the Gosho "Letter to
Misawa" Nichiren Daishonin said: "Utsubusa
came a long distance to visit me despite her advanced age, but since I
was told that it was merely a casual visit on her way back from the
shrine to the god of her ancestors, I would not see her, although I
pitied her greatly. Had I permitted her to see me, I would have been
allowing her to commit slander against the Lotus Sutra. The reason is
that all gods are subjects, and the Lotus Sutra is their lord. It is
against even the code of society to visit one's lord on the way back
from calling on one of his subjects. Moreover, Utsubusa is a lay nun and
should have the Buddha foremost in mind. Because she made this and other
mistakes as well, I refused to see her. She was not the only one,
however. I refused to see many others who stopped by to visit me on
their return from the hot spring resort at Shimobe.
(The Writings of Nichiren
Daishonin. p. 896)
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