As to the blessings derived by you [Soya Kyoshin], who as chief mourner [for your deceased father] has recited the verse section of the “Life Span” chapter every morning for a period of thirteen years, they “can only be understood and shared between Buddhas” [The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 57].
The Lotus Sutra represents the bone and marrow of all the sacred teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime, and the verse section of the “Life Span” chapter represents the soul of the twenty-eight chapters of the sutra.
“Letter to Horen,” WND-1, 516
Gongyo is the heart of our Buddhist practice. Through it we join the magnificent assembly attended by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions and three existences, who regard this verse section of the “Life Span” chapter as their “eye” (see WND-1, 516). It propels us to a lofty state as vast as the universe, from which we can view all things and phenomena.
The great power of the Buddha and the Law appear in response to the power of our faith and practice. Strong, ever-fresh prayer is a source of immeasurable benefits. The effects of the acts of goodness we have performed will also reach the lives of all with whom we share a connection. Let’s forge ahead in our human revolution by going back to the basics and making sure we do a joyful, rousing gongyo!
From the Sept. 29, 2023, issue of the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper, Seikyo Shimbun.
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