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1. Nichiren
Buddhism
* Nichiren Shu
* the Lotus Sutra
* Our Practice
* Major Temples
2. The Buddha
& Nichiren
Shonin
* Life of the Buddha
* Life of Nichiren Shonin
* History of Nichiren
Buddhism
3. History of
Nichiren Mission
of Hawaii
* Part
I (When the Nichiren
Buddhism came to Hawaii)
* Part
II (Before the World War
II)
* Part
III (After the World War
II)
4. Sunday
Service
* Morning Service
* First Sunday - Kito
Service
* Second Sunday -
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Service
* Third Sunday -
Special
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* Forth Sunday -
Shodaigyo
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* Fifth Sunday -
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* This
Year's Calendar of
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5. Memorial
Service
* About
Memorial Service
* How
to hold Memorial
Service
6. Funeral Service
* About Funeral Service
* About other Services
related
to Funeral
Service
* How to hold Funeral
Service
7. Kito (Blessing)
Service
* About Kito Service
* How to hold Kito
Service
8. Wedding
Ceremony
* About Wedding
Ceremony
* How to hold Wedding
Ceremony
9. Other
Activities
* Columbarium (Niches)
* Eitaikyo (Perpetual
Memorial
Service)
Program
* Eitaikuyoto (Eternal
Peace
Tower)
* Visitation
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* Fujinkai (Women's
Auxiliary)
* Rainbow Conference
* Fundraise
10. Newsletter
* This Month's Newsletter
* Archive
11. This Month's
Sermon
* This Month's Sermon
* Archive
12. Facilities
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* Map
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15. Copyright |
THIS
MONTH'S SERMON
by Rev. Tetsudo Takasaki
I will speak about why Buddhism has many Sutra.
As you might know, Buddhism has about 84 thousand Sutra. Short or long
Sutra, each length is different. The Sutra was edited by Buddha's pupils
because they wanted to pass on to future generations. The contents are what
Buddha spoke and about the situations at the time.
Buddha was able to attain enlightenment by training for many years. Buddha
began to preach the doctrine to share His pleasure with all. But it was
very difficult in the beginning, because pupils were unable to completely
understand. For example, if he taught the elementary school student, as he
would a college student, they are unable to understand it. Buddha noticed
this and He began to preach from elementary level doctrine. Buddha raised
the level by degrees. When Buddha had reached the high school level, 40
years had passed. When Buddha was at the verge of passing away, it is said
that He had preached most of the doctrines. Before Buddha preached the
Lotus Sutra, he preached a Sutra that said, "For 40 years, I did not say
what I wanted to say. I was preaching doctrine to suit people of all
level."
As soon as Buddha began preaching the Sutra, He began to preach the Lotus
Sutra. The Sutra before the Lotus Sutra was the foundation to understand
the Lotus Sutra. Today, I think that the Lotus sutra is at the level of
doctoral degree. So some may think that we do not need the other Sutra but
it is a mistake, because that Buddha always had the Lotus Sutra in mind,
therefore He was able to preach those other Sutras.
It is said that the Lotus Sutra is the most difficult of all Sutra. It was
Nichiren Shonin who explained the Sutra so that it was easily understood.
Nichiren Shonin took 20 years to read all of the Sutra, because Nichiren
Shonin wanted to know what people needed to be happy. At that time in
Japan, Buddhism was active, but it was not peaceful because of, famine,
earthquake and so on, the catastrophe was continuing. Nichiren Shonin found
the reason in the all of Sutra. It was that people did not believe in the
most important Lotus Sutra.
The Lotus Sutra is the most difficult, but we are able to be the most
happiest. Therefore, please continue to believe in the Lotus Sutra.
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