New Year’s Greetings from Hongwanji in English and Nihongo
Gomunshu Kojun OHTANI, head priest of the Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan, and spiritual leader of the Jodo Shinshu tradition.
Happy New Year, everyone! At the beginning of this New Year, I would like to extend my best regards to you all.
Last year again, following the year before, Japan, as well as many other countries in the world, was struck with multiple natural disasters. I would like to convey my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives through those disasters and express my sympathy to everyone affected. In addition, we must never forget that armed conflicts and terror attacks as well as severe starvation is making it difficult to live, and lives are being lost every day.
Last September I had an opportunity to make an official visit to the temples of the Buddhist Churches of America as Monshu for the first time. This allowed me to complete the first round of visitations to all of the overseas districts which include Canada, Hawaii, South America, and the US mainland.
Although every temple and district has its own history and background, many of the overseas Jodo Shinshu temples were established and have been cherished by the Japanese immigrants and their descendants. Reflecting on how sincerely our predecessors entrusted themselves to the Buddha Dharma and how importantly they thought of their temples while facing many difficulties such as World War II, I cannot help but feel grateful and even awe for their tremendous efforts as well as many other wondrous circumstances that have allowed the Jodo Shinshu teaching to be handed down to us today.
However, a considerable amount of time has passed since the Japanese emigrated overseas, and the lifestyle of their descendants, as well as the world situation have changed greatly. In accordance with these changes, quite a few people who are not of ethnically Japanese origin have also come to appreciate the teaching clarified by Shinran Shonin, and attend our overseas temples.
What caused this is nothing but the universality of the Jodo Shinshu teaching that transcends time and space. In other words, Amida Buddha’s compassion equally reaches and nondiscriminately embraces everyone in the midst of all sorts of pain and agony.
In this year, let us continue to listen to the Dharma, considering it is directed to each one of us, and keep moving forward to share it with many other people as possible.
January 1, 2020
OHTANI Kojun Monshu
Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Kyoto, Japan
年頭の辞
新しい年のはじめにあたり、ご挨拶申し上げます。
昨年も日本をはじめ世界各地で多くの自然災害が起こりました。災害によってお亡くなりになら れた方に謹んで哀悼の意を表しますとともに、被災された方に心よりお見舞い申し上げます。ま た、これら以外にも紛争やテロ・飢餓などによって、日々多くの方が犠牲となり、困難な生活を 送っておられることも忘れてはいけません。
さて、昨年9月に、門主として初めて北米開教区を訪問させていただきましたが、これによって、 カナダ・ハワイ・南米・北米の全開教区を門主としてお参りさせていただいたことになります。各 開教区、また各お寺によって、その歴史や現在の状況は異なりますが、多くのお寺が日本から移住 された日本人の方とその子孫によって建立され、護持されてきました。第二次世界大戦をはじめと する様々な困難な状況にあっても、み教えを依りどころとして、お寺を大切に護ってこられた先人 の方々に思いを致すとき、今日の私たちにまで浄土真宗のみ教えが受け継がれてきたことの尊く、 また不思議なご縁をとても有り難く思います。
一方で日本人の方が最初に海外へ移住されてから相当の年数がたち、日系人の方々の生活も大き く変化し、また、時代状況も大きく変わりました。そのような中で、親鸞聖人が説かれた浄土真宗 のみ教えは、日本人や日系人だけではなく、世界中の多くの方に伝わり、各開教区においても、 様々な方がお寺へ来られるようになってきました。それは、浄土真宗のみ教えが、時代や場所を越 えた普遍的な教えであるからです。すなわち、様々な悩みや苦しみを抱えるすべての人々を包み込 み、摂め取ってくださる阿弥陀さまのおはたらきが普遍的であるということです。
本年も自分のこととしてみ教えを聞くとともに、多くの方にみ教えが伝わるよう努めて参りま しょう。
2020年1月1日
浄土真宗本願寺派
門主 大 谷 光淳
Editorial Note: Adapted from the Nishi Hongwanji website:
The term “Monshu” refers to the Nishi Hongwanji Head Priest. The Jodo Shinshu tradition is transmitted through the Monshu, who leads the entire Buddhist organization as its spiritual leader.
Shinran Shonin’s grandson, Nyoshin, is regarded as the second generation, thus Monshu’s post has since been succeeded by Shinran Shonin’s blood relatives. The present Monshu is the 25th generation, Sennyo Monshu, whose secular name is OHTANI Kojun. As Jodo Shinshu followers, we call him “Gomonshu-sama” with an honorific prefix and suffix.