“Immeasurable Light and Life”

At the beginning of the year, I would like to send you my greetings.

May we all continue to live every moment and every day of this year in appreciation of the Nembutsu.

I wonder how you all spent this past year. There are a number of armed conflicts all over the world and climate change seems to have occurred. Those whose work or daily lives have been directly affected by these things must feel particularly threatened, but even those of us who are not directly influenced feel somewhat anxious. All lives are interrelated, and therefore, armed conflicts or climate change cannot be regarded as the problems of other people. We must address them as issues that concern us all.

Some of you may wonder how peace issues and environment concerns are related with the teaching of the Buddha, or how on earth they are connected with being born in the Pure land to attain Buddhahood. I recognize that the basis of Buddhism is my attainment of enlightenment or my birth of in the Pure land, and so the teaching is not a wonder drug which can immediately solve those problems. Taking into account, however, the fact that the human race has caused serious problems on a global scale by pursuing self-centered desires without careful consideration, you cannot say that Buddhism is not irrelevant to these issues. Buddhists seek enlightenment because actual humans, due to their ignorance and blind passions, constantly cause damage to their own lives and the lives of others, thereby deepening everyone’s suffering. It is said that Bodhisattva, who are regarded as ideal beings in Buddhism, can not feel happy unless all others people also become happy. As we have been given only limited amounts of air and water on this planet, let us make every effort to lead a moderate way of life and realize a society where everyone helps each other, so that all people are able to live life fully and with joy.

January 1, 2008                                                                   

年　頭　の　辞

 光寿無量　新しい年の初めにあたり、ご挨拶申し上げます。

今年も、お念仏とともに一日いちにち、一時ひとときを大切にして、過ごしましょう。

過ぎ去った一年をどのようにお過ごしになりましたか。世界各地で武力紛争が続き、気候も今までとは違ってきたように感じられます。お仕事や生活に直接、影響を受けた方は切実にお感じだと思いますが、そうでなくても、なにかしら不安を感じます。各々のいのちが複雑に繋がっていることを考えますと、紛争も気候の変化も人ごとではなく、我が身の課題として、対処したいものです。

平和問題、環境問題が仏教の教えとどう関わるのか、往生成仏と関係があるのか、と疑問に思われる方もあるかもしれません。確かに、仏教の基本は私の成仏、あるいは私の往生成仏ですから、これらにすぐ役立つ特効薬とは言えません。しかし、人類が自己中心的な欲望を野放しにして、深刻な地球規模の難問を引き起こしていることを考えると、仏教と無関係とは言えません。仏教徒がさとりを求めるのは、現実の人間が無知と欲望によって自らのいのち、他のいのちを傷つけて、苦しみを深めているからです。仏教徒の理想像とも言える菩薩は、人々が幸せに成らない限り、自分も幸せになれないと言われます。空気も水も限られた地球ですから、すべての人々がこころ豊かに生きられるように、節度ある生き方、助け合う社会を実現したいと思います。 

２００８年１月１日

浄土真宗本願寺派

門主　大谷　光真