611 to 620

No. 611
“When we criticise others we don’t see ourselves. ” Student attending a spring training session known as Haru-ango.

人の批判をしているときは、自分のことも見えない。 (春安居生の言)
No. 612
“How to promote the Buddha-dharma is simply a matter of conveying the joy one feels on encountering it.” Head Priest.

佛法建立は、自分が佛法に遇えた喜びを伝えることにあります。  (住職の言)
No. 613
“It is only through the sorrow of departure that we come to know the meaning of ‘death.’ The meaning of birth lies in encounter. The entire meaning of my existence is to be found in the reality that I, who have been given this physical body, have encountered true ‘life’ going beyond all form.”  Head Priest.

「死ぬ」意味は、別れる悲しみにおいてのみ知る。「生まれる」意味は、「遇う」ことにほかならない。この五体をたまわった私が、真の「いのち」に遇えた実感こそが、存在の全てであります。    (住職の言)
No. 614
“Pronouncing the nembutsu that issues from hearing the nembutsu is not to pray for the future but to respond with gratitude for what has been done by the Buddha. ” Head Priest.

称えるお念佛から聞くお念佛に。それは、未来を願うお念佛ではなく、佛恩報謝のお念佛です。    (住職の言)
No. 615
“Having received the training of chanting sutras and heard that the teaching of the chanting master is firmly based on our tradition, I felt responsible for making the most of the opportunity. ” Young priest.

声明習礼を通して、教えて頂く先生のお心を「伝承」とお聞きし、「教えて頂くことの責任」を見出しました。    (若僧分の言)
No. 616
“On reading the essays that my late master left for us, I recognized that the Buddha-dharma is beyond the category of “dogma” and was moved to respect the unimpeded single way [of the nembutsu]. ” Head Priest.

恩師の残された文章を拝していると、佛法は教えという範疇を超えていて、無碍の一道が拝まれてくる。    (住職の言)
No. 617
“Life, your life, is not something you can graduate from. What is important is that you are awakened to the failings in your daily life.” Head priest of Kofukuji Temple offering a message of congratulations to a university graduate.

人生に卒業はありません。毎日、落第を自覚することが本当の歩みですよ。    (光福寺様、大学生の卒業にあたって)
No. 618
“Up until now I’d always thought I knew everything, not realising I hadn’t understood anything. After learning the Buddha-dharma for a long time, I am now aware that there is nothing I have really understood.” Woman living at a taya house.

今までの私は、「何もわかりません」ではなく、「わかっています」の心でした。佛法を聞いているつもりで、何も聞こえてはいなかったのです。    (多屋止住の婦人御同行、蓮如上人『御一代記聞書』領解)
No. 619
“I had always thought it was I who was protecting others but the truth is that it was they who were protecting me.” Female Dharma friend.

今まで自分は他人を守っているとばかり思っていました。でも、本当に守られているのは自分自身でありました。    (婦人御同行)
No. 620
“Whenever you give a talk I’m always reminded of someone checking a long length of electric flex from one end to the other. Why not cut across the flex and reveal a cross section of the actual wire?” Elder priest.

「あなたは電線を右から左へ延々とたどっていくような話しをするなぁ。電線を切って、断面を見せるような話の仕方もあるだろう…」    (老僧分)