Fundamentals
of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism (cont.)
5.
The Head Temple and Local Temples
As
mentioned in the first section, “What We Believe,” the ultimate
existence of Buddhism is the Dai-Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin.
Nichiren Daishonin bequeathed the entirety of Buddhism including the
Dai-Gohonzon, to the Second Founder, Nikko Shonin.
And every successive High Priest has transmitted down True Buddhism
by “The Transmission of the Heritage of the Law to Only One Person.”
The
place where the Dai-Gohonzon is enshrined and the High Priest resides is the
central place of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
That is the present Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple, Taisekiji, located
at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan. Taisekiji
is the fundamental sanctuary of faith and practice for the entire Nichiren
Shoshu priesthood and laity. It
is a most important practice that we make a pilgrimage to Taisekiji and do
Gongyo to the Dai-Gohonzon under the conduction of the High Priest.
However,
it is impossible to make a pilgrimage to the Head Temple every day in our
actual daily lives. Therefore, each successive High Priest has transcribed the
Dai-Gohonzon and enshrined it in every local temple, not only in Japan but
other countries as well. The
High Priest dispatches other priests, appointing them as Chief Priest of
local temples as his substitute, in order for Nichiren Shoshu believers to
correctly practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
For example, Taisekiji, where the Dai-Gohonzon is enshrined, is the
root and trunk of a tree, while local temples are branches.
Every
Nichiren Shoshu believer can correctly practice Buddhism and attain a
supreme life, which is the attainment of Buddhahood, by belonging to each
local temple where they can learn about Buddhism.
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2008 NST Myosenji All Rights Reserved