No. 551
“The entire length of our great history is condensed into the instantaneous attainment of faith. It is extremely important for us to understand this point.” Head Priest.
一念の信心を給わるという背景に如何に大きな、又長い歴史がその時その時に凝縮しているか、そこを頂くことが肝要である。 （住職の言）
No. 552
“The ignorance Shinran Shonin became aware of stands not only for the ignorance we are fully conscious of but also for that other fundamental ignorance called darkness inherent in our genes from time immemorial.” Senior priest at the temple.
聖人の自覚された「愚かさ」は、目に見えて気づかされるような愚かさだけではない。「本来的愚かさ」ともいうべく、私の遺伝子の中に無始以来組み込まれている、無明という「本質的な愚かさ」である。 （寺内老僧分の信境）
No. 553
“It says in the Avatamsaka Sutra, ‘If you talk about a good teacher then that in itself encompasses the source of all Buddhist practices’. It is through the working of Amida Buddha that you are able to see and respect those around you, objects of your like and dislike, as Buddhas and good teachers. This is the very essence of Shin Buddhism.” Head Priest at the Equinoctial Meeting.
涅槃経に、一切の佛道修行の因は「善知識を説けば、すなわちすでに摂尽しぬ」とありますが、愛憎違順の目前の人を諸佛善知識といただくことが、実は阿弥陀樣の用らきにあうこと、浄土真宗の本来の姿はそれ以外にないと思います。 （彼岸日中での住職の言）
No. 554
“The Dharma names graciously bestowed upon my parents were chiin, ‘to know the cause’ and josho, ‘consistent effort’. I feel as if my parents were always calling to me with the admonition, ‘become aware through faith of the right cause [for birth in the Pure Land] and always endeavor to follow the way.” A resident of a taya house.
勿体なくも父母に頂いた法名は「知因」と「常精」。父母から「正因を信知せよ」「常に精進せよ」と、今も常に私へ呼びかけて頂いております。 （朝参り同行の言）
No. 555
“Why do we doubt the wisdom of the Buddha? It is because we are shackled by the mind [that believes in the law] of unhappiness [coming from wrongdoings] and happiness [coming from good deeds]. This mind of unhappiness and happiness is the very source of ignorance.” Senior priest at the temple.
佛智を何故疑うのか。それは私に「罪福心」があるからである。この罪福心こそ愚かさの元凶である。（寺内老僧分の言）
No. 556
“It is often said we should never judge by appearances. We ought never to allow ourselves to be influenced by a person’s looks in such a way that we judge them self-centeredly. Rather we should strive honestly to make contact with the Buddha-nature of those that stand before us.” Resident of a taya house.
「人は見かけによらない」とよく言われるが、自分の尺度で判断せず、外見にとらわれず、素直な心で相手の佛格に接することが大切。 （多屋住人の言）
No. 557
“Daigyoin-sama said, ‘The Buddha is neither a solid, nor a fluid, nor a gas. His body in its shining gold manifestation is not his essence. Everything is included in the nembutsu through which you can learn to respect those around you, objects of your love and hate, as your own personal Buddhas.’ Ekai-sama said that it was at the precise moment she first heard these words from her master, Daigyoin-sama, that she attained faith.” Head Priest.
佛は固体、液体、気体のいずれでもなく、また金色燦然たる方便化身がその本体でもない。愛憎違順の目の前の方を佛と拝む念佛に尽きると大行院様。恵契様は、廻心はこの善知識指弾の一瞬だったと。 （住職の言）
No. 558
“Despite the fact that my own nature is ‘dark’, it is through practising Gagaku music in accordance with my master’s command that I am now in receipt of ‘brightness’.” The Director of the Chikushi Gakuso (Gagaku group of Shogyoji Temple).
自分の本性は「暗闇」でしかないが、善知識の命により雅楽をさせて頂くことで「明るみ」を頂戴している。 （筑紫楽所楽長の言）
No. 559
“Although I always thought of my goal in life of entering a taya house as being a renunciation of the world, I was very surprised to learn that it is precisely at this point that we can start benefiting others along with ourselves.” Dharma friend at Kasugayama.
多屋に入る事は疏開であって「人生のゴール」のように思っていたが、実は自利利他の出発点と聞いてビックリした。 （春日山住人の言）
No. 560
“I had always thought the Kanto district, to which Shinran Shonin journeyed in order to teach others to attain faith through his own living faith, must have been an uncultivated wilderness. Instead I learned that it was already at that time a land of ‘accumulated good from the past’, having long been cultivated by the energy of kami (gods) so that Shin Buddhism could be introduced to the people there.” Head Priest.
師亡き後、聖人が自信教人信を行ずる場として赴かれた関東は、厳しい「未開荒蕪の地」と思っていたが、しかし、聖人にとっては、神々のエネルギーによって真宗が興隆すべく、既に陶冶されていた「宿善の大地」であった。 （住職の言・取意）