Rev. Chishin Hirai

As you are aware, I will move to the Nichiren Buddhist International Center in Hayward, California. After this news became public, my wife, Ritsuko, was asked if she would go there with me. Of course, yes, she will be going there with me! However, the more members who asked her the same question, the more she understood how everyone had been carefully observing us. True, we sometimes have fights, but be assured that we have no plans to get divorced. Don't worry.

Anyway, it was back at the end of March of 2000 when I came back here from London at the request of Bishop Ogawa. 7 years have passed since then. One of the best moments of the past 7 years was the grand ceremony of the 100th Anniversary of the Hawaii Nichiren Missions in June, 2003. We welcomed the late Archbishop Nichiko Fujii and 1,000 guests from Japan. It was the biggest ceremony ever in the history of the Hawaii Nichiren Missions. To have been able to take part in the commemorative events was and still is a source of great pleasure and pride for me. After the events, we revised our Bye-Laws, set up a new policy for Nokotsudo Columbarium, built an Eitaikuyoto and set up its policy. Recently, we published a booklet named "The First Steps to Nichiren Buddhism". We still have some more things to do, like establishing a social hall policy. However, I can say that the 100th Anniversary commemorative events are almost done, and my mission in Hawaii is almost done as well. So, I thought that the day for my new mission would arrive sooner or later. And that day has just arrived.

One of the happiest thing for me when I came back here from London was that I could chant the Lotus Sutra as loud as I wanted. I lived in a small apartment in London so I could not chant it loudly because of my neighbors. We had a old but big hondo main hall here when I came back and nobody cared when I chanted. I felt how wonderful Nichiren Mission was. And then we started construction on the new hondo. Bishop Ogawa and many people did their best to build this new hondo. As I said, I was thankful for having the old hondo before the construction. But now, I always think of all the efforts we made when we look at the new hondo, and appreciate this beautiful new structure. Many people said that they were impressed by this brand-new elegant hall. However, they might not understand our faith, efforts and special feeling. For example, only soldiers who fight on the front line understand what war is about. Nobody truly understands how wretched war is if they stay at home. That's why many people try to keep records, films and others things to convey the truth of war to the next generations to come. Only members who built the new temple can understand what it truly means. We have to transmit what the temple is and how important it is to the next generation. Otherwise, it will be a big waste to have built such a noble mission.

When the construction was completed, Bishop Ogawa told us to step forward into the next 100 years. How can we succeed in carrying out the 200th anniversary? I don't think that I can survive 100 more years. I doubt that some of you here will be able to see the 200th anniversary in 2103. We may not be able to do it by ourselves. If so, let our future family do it. The first step is to tell our children and grandchildren about our faith, efforts and special feeling that we have for this temple. I don't mean that you must go out and to spread our teachings in downtown or at Ala Moana Shopping Center. I do hope that you talk to them about the Buddha, Nichiren Shonin or your faith little by little at home. Please talk to them although some of your family members may be of a different faith or follow no faith at all. You can start by saying that Sensei told that story in his sermon or that the booklet from the temple mentioned this and that in your daily life. Only a few people ever join a new faith all on their own or with an invitation by an unknown person on the street. Most people who start new faith are asked to join by family or friends. The 100th anniversary is over, and the 200th anniversary is on the way. Please step forward one by one from now on.

I had been here previously at Betsuin for 3 years-and-a-half from 1992 to 1996. So, I have been here for over 10 years total. Words can not express enough my sincere appreciation to Bishop Ogawa, Mrs. Ogawa, Rev. Maeda, Rev. Nagayoshi and all of you. Please take care of yourselves until we see you next time. I pray for your longer and healthier lives from California.