Sunday, April 1, 2012

Guidance by Vice President Tsuji - Excerpt 3


The third and last piece talks about the a very important aspect that is often not emphasized enough - Our Ichinen; Am I serious about my problem or am I simply complaining about the situation but not praying seriously about it? This guidance emphasizes the importance of actual proof, and not passively accepting a negative situation.

 "I visited the Kawai residence in Fukui Prefecture of Japan to
 give guidance at a meeting being held there around February.
 Mr. Kawai who is now 51 years old had been blind from three
 years old after contracting measles. I told him, "You have
 eyeballs don't you? If you have eyes then you can open them.
 This Gohonzon is the Gohonzon of "The Opening of the Eyes".

 "The Opening of the Eyes" teaches us to see clearly. And yet
 you can not see - it must be because you did something against
 the Gohonzon and the Buddhist teachings in your past. You must
 have committed great slanders in the past. Ask the Gohonzon to
 please forgive your slanders. Express your gratitude to have
 had the fortune to meet the Gohonzon in this lifetime. Pledge
 to dedicate your life to Kosen rufu. Ask the Gohonzon to allow
 you to see the Gohonzon, your family and others around you so
 you can contribute towards Kosen-rufu." I asked him to pray in
 such a way.

 In the beginning of March, I received a message that he
 regained his sight after almost fifty years. Through his
 experience the whole Fukui prefecture has revitalized itself.
 It is such a surprise that one person regaining his sight can
 have such a great impact on an entire region.

 But what I wonder about this incident is why he couldn't regain
 his sight sooner? He was a member who offers his own home for
 meetings, never missed his Gongyo and had strong faith. Yet why
 wasn't he able to see sooner. It was because his attitude when
 doing his Gongyo and Daimoku was incorrect. His faith had gone
 off track.

 You must pray earnestly, "Isshin yokenbutsu fujishaku shinmyo"
 or "single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha". You must chant
 with gratitude and conviction that you will become one with the
 Gohonzon and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.There is no such thing as a
 sick or poor Buddha. Therefore all worries will be resolved.
 That is why you can achieve human revolution. Only human beings
 are able to achieve these things." - Mr Tsuji

--On a side note, I had had very weak eyesight as a child and had worn glasses for more than a decade till last year. I could barely see or read much without them. My parents would lament at my eyesight but I had got so used to it that it didn't bother me much. Upon their insistence, I went in for corrective surgery last year and have been off glasses with great eyesight since then. I feel such a sense of relief it is unbelievable. I really am able to relate to this guidance not only because of the eyesight experience but also because sometimes we get so used to a situation being a certain way that we dont even feel the need to change it, it may be a health, relationship or work problem. I feel this guidance is very valuable for tracing and overcoming that one stubborn situation in our life that has stuck on persistently to our lives towards this May 3rd - shivani

No comments: