A Parable A Welcoming BBQ Party for the Overseas Students of Rissho Kosei-kai s Gakurin Seminary

Transcription

1 Buddha's Wisdom Changes Your Life 2011 Volume 70 7 Rissho Kosei-kai Chapter 3 of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma A Parable After listening to the World-honored One s preaching, Shariputra, who was filled with great joy, stood up immediately and said as follows: I was not able to understand the true meaning of Skillful Means, by which the World-honored One preached appropriately, depending on those who heard him, the time, and the condition. And I was convinced that I was already awakened when I first heard the Buddha Dharma. Even so, I had felt worthless and useless when I saw other bodhisattvas obtaining assurance that they would eventually attain buddhahood. But now, I finally understand that I am also a child of the Buddha. My way of thinking has been transformed by the Buddha s foremost teaching. I feel as if I ve been reborn! And I clearly understand that I am given a share of the boundless treasures called the Buddha Dharma. Then, the World-honored One said: Since my previous lives, under many buddhas, I have taught you in order to guide you to buddhahood. And I taught you in your previous life to seek the highest enlightenment. In this present life, however, you completely forgot about this, and wrongly believed that you had already attained perfect nirvana. Therefore, I teach you all the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma in order to help you recall your original aspiration as disciples of the Buddha. You will serve countless buddhas in your future lives, and The World of the Lotus Sutra will keep the teachings that those buddhas preach. After you complete the practice required of as a bodhisattva, you will attain buddhahood for sure. The World-honored One gave Shariputra assurance of becoming a buddha. At that time, the multitude in the assembly witnessed the Buddha giving the assurance of future buddhahood to Shariputra. They were filled with great joy and expressed their gratitude to the World-honored One. Then Shariputra asked the World-honored One to expound the teaching to other people so that they could understand it as well, and could more easily solve the confusion in their minds. In response, the World-honored One preached the Parable of the Three Carriages and the Burning House in detail in simple terms, so that all gathered there could understand. After he finished delivering the parable, he taught what it signified. He taught what kind recompense would come to those who went against the teaching. He also taught what mental attitude people should have in teaching this Dharma Flower Sutra to others. A Welcoming BBQ Party for the Overseas Students of Rissho Kosei-kai s Gakurin Seminary On Sunday June 12, the annual barbecue was held in Ome City on the outskirts of Tokyo, for the 19th class of overseas students at Gakurin Seminary, who were admitted to the school last April. About thirty people the staff of Gakurin Seminary and its graduate course students and staff members of Rissho Kosei-kai International participated. Up to the day before the barbecue, participants were concerned about the weather, but the day of the event was sunny and beautiful. Everyone was able to have a wonderful time at the event. Because of the Northeastern Japan Earthquake on March 11, enrollment was delayed by about one month. But now more than two months have passed since the students first came to Japan, and they have been working hard at their studies at the Japanese-language school and striving each day to to fulfill their assigned duties at Gakurin Seminary. Mr. Sujan Barua from Bangladesh, who is one of the new students, had previously served as an excellent Air Force officer in his country. He entered Gakurin Seminary with a strong wish to spread the Buddha s treasured teachings to as many people as possible. We hope that all the students will strive to diligently study and fulfill their roles to become outstanding lay Buddhist leaders in their home countries.

2 Guidance by President Niwano Filial Respect and the Buddha Way by Nichiko Niwano President of Rissho Kosei-kai The following anecdote comes to us from the early Edo period Zen master Bankei ( ), who preached Zen teachings to ordinary citizens in everyday language. A monk once came to Bankei and said to him, I was born with a quick temper. No matter how much instruction I receive from my teacher, nothing seems to help. How can I cure my quick temper? Bankei calmly replied, Well, go on, then, show me your quick temper right here and I will cure you of it. The monk then replied, I can t, as I don t have it just now. Something has to set off my temper unexpectedly. There has to be some sudden cause. At that, Bankei let out an angry roar. If it takes some cause for your quick temper to appear, then it is not due to something inborn. No matter who one s parents may be, they can only provide their child with the heart of the Buddha, which is the same for everyone. There is nothing else that parents give to their newborn child. Because of your own expectations or biases, you exhibit a quick temper. By saying that you were born with it, you are placing the blame for your own difficult problem on your parents, and that is the worst form of disrespect toward them! In Rissho Kosei-kai, the three pillars of our daily practice are respect for one s parents, ancestor appreciation, and bodhisattva practice. Bankei s anecdote gives us another chance to learn that it is important that we express gratitude toward the parents and ancestors through whom we have received this precious gift of life the Buddha s heart. Regarding filial respect, I am reminded once again of the morally instructive poem by the Japanese agricultural expert Ninomiya Sontoku ( ), which I have mentioned before: My mother and father, And their mothers and fathers, too, Reside in me. So I respect myself, And revere myself. Regarding our indebtedness for receiving life through the long chain of our ancestors lives, there is no greater expression of respect for parents and ancestor appreciation than to put into greater play and further refine the heart and mind of the Buddha, that is, the buddha-nature that we all receive at birth, and lead our lives by allowing it to shine forth with all its intrinsic light.

3 A direct linking of the spirit of the diligent practice of Buddhism with filial respect and ancestor appreciation is not much in evidence in the original form of Buddhism that evolved in India. As you may know, Buddhism followed the old Silk Road from India to China and the Korean Peninsula, and then crossed over to Japan. During this evolutionary process, Buddhism benefited from a unique path of development. In China, Confucianism provided it with a testing ground and a rich source of cultural exchange, and in Japan, it was further influenced by Shinto as well as Confucian learning. Thus, Buddhism took root in Japan in ways that were easily accepted by the Japanese. And in the process ceremonies such as funerals and rituals to express reverence for one s ancestors and thinking that stresses filial respect and care for parents came to be assimilated as part of Buddhist practice. Bankei, in the anecdote I mentioned, clearly emphasized that filial respect toward their parents is the right path that children should tread. In Rissho Kosei-kai, we place importance on reflecting on actions that may be disrespectful toward our parents, because being thankful for the kindness and generosity received from those to whom we are most closely related our own mother and father is the starting point of our Buddhist faith in expressing gratitude for all the blessings we have received and continue to receive. We could examine the relationship between Buddhism and filial respect from a cultural perspective. But putting aside such a cultural examination, we can see that filial respect is basic behavior of humanity, and at the same time it can be considered the diligent practice of Buddhism. I think all of us have had this experience personally. Of course, very few people, myself included, can say without hesitation that they always have been faithful practitioners of filial respect. Precisely because I caused my parents to worry about me when I was young, I deeply reflected on my behavior when I read in the Analects of Confucius that since parents are always anxious about their children, for children to give their parents no cause to worry is an example of filial respect. Therefore, through the responsibilities that have been assigned to me, I have tried to conduct myself from day to day by always keeping in mind how I could ensure that my parents would have peace of mind. The summer season will soon bring the Bon festival in Japan. Let us make heartfelt offerings to our ancestors, and also strengthen our vow to lead our lives in such a way that we give peace of mind to everyone that supports and sustains us whether they are our relatives or not by further studying the Buddha s teachings, putting them into practice, and sharing them with others. From Kosei, July Translated by Kosei Publishing Company.

4 Smiles Are Like Flowers from Heaven by Kosho Niwano President-designate of Rissho Kosei-kai Can I go down to the bookstore by the train station? the eldest of our three daughters, T, 9, asked me one day. We had recently started giving our children small allowances. This began after they indicated that they wanted to make a donation to a fund that was being collected for the victims of a natural disaster. Although the allowances were already small, they further divided them into three categories, for oneself, for other people, and for future use. T had saved enough of her free-use allowance to buy something she had long wanted a magazine published for third graders. Not quite ready to go shopping all by herself, she proposed to take her younger sister, K, 7, a first grader, on the bus down to the bookstore near our local commuter train station. T put her entire savings five hundred Japanese yen (about US$6.25 at current exchange rates) in her purse, and K clutched her one-hundred-yen coin in her hand, declaring, I ll take my allowance, too! The two girls then set out on their first independent shopping trip, heading for the bus stop not far away but looking rather nervous. Of course I was a little concerned about whether they would be all right all by themselves and if they would have enough money for their shopping. It would have been simpler for me to go with them and buy what they wanted. But as a mother I wanted their allowances to help them learn the importance of freedom, responsibility, and the value of money, and so I decided that letting them go alone would also teach me something. I saw them off saying simply, The two of you be careful, now. Telling myself repeatedly that they would be all right, I waited eagerly for their return. The girls came back much later than I expected, hand in hand, calling out in cheerful voices, We re home! Did you get your shopping done? I asked them. T answered, not very brightly, Um-m, yes. As things turned out, in the spirit of the adventure she had promised to buy K a first-grader s magazine as well, but when they took the two items up to the cashier, they found that even putting their money together would not be enough to buy both magazines. After deliberating for a while, T decided to buy the magazine for her younger sister, who initially was supposed to have just come along for the trip. Although that was her own decision, T was naturally a little disappointed.

5 President-designate Kosho Niwano President Nichiko Niwano s oldest daughter, Rev. Kosho Niwano was born in Tokyo. After graduating with a degree in Law from Gakushuin University, she studied at Gakurin Seminary, the training institution for Rissho Kosei-kai leaders. Presently, as she studies the Lotus Sutra, she continues to act as President-designate, making speeches for participants in the main ceremonies of Rissho Kosei-kai, and handling activities for interfaith cooperation at home and abroad. She married to Rev. Munehiro Niwano and mother of one son and three daughters. Even so, she uttered not a word of reproach to K, who happily opened the pages of her magazine, saying, Thank you so much! Come on, let s look at this together. It was touching to see T reading the stories to her little sister, and I said to her, You are being a good big sister! It makes me happy to see you being so attentive, and without thinking I gave her a big hug. Of course I had the idea to go out immediately and buy her the magazine she wanted, but I realized that this was where I had to hold myself back. Although it might have been a matter of only a few hundred yen, T had made a considered decision to use her own precious savings for her younger sister, and I wanted to show that I respected her spirit of generosity. Although she spent her free-use allowance, the decision was up to her whether to use it for herself or for someone else. I wanted her to have the experience of how it feels inside to give something of one s own to another person, and at the same time to develop the ability to imagine how others might feel when they receive a favor from someone. In fact, after this she no longer asked me to buy her something she wanted. About a week later, I said to all three daughters, I have to go out for a little while to do some shopping. Be good while I m gone. What are you going to buy? they asked me, but I didn t tell them and went out to the car and drove down to the train station plaza. When I returned, I said, This is what I bought, and took out the magazine for third graders from my bag and gave it to T. I bought this because I knew it would please you, because I wanted to make you happy, I said. T was thrilled, clasped the magazine to her heart and asked, Is it really OK? Did you spend money for me? Thank you so much! Seeing her joy, her younger sisters became excited, yelling, Hooray! You got your magazine! Lucky for you! Thanks to the seed planted by T, the room was full of smiling faces, looking like blossoming flowers. From Yakushin, May Translated by Kosei Publishing Company.

6 Journey of Discovering Myself by Ms.Adilbish Badamkhorloo Rissho Kosei-kai of Ulaanbaatar This Dharma Journey was presented at the advanced guidance for Dharma Dissemination in Mongolia, which was held at the Toyoda Dharma Center on May 14th. I graduated from the two-year Gakurin International Course in March, and now am part of Rissho Koseikai International as a special student. I would like to share my experience with you. I think most people begin their religious life when they encounter a problem they cannot solve on their own. My problems were mainly in the area of relationships, involving family and friends; I joined Rissho Kosei-kai in an effort to solve these issues. A teacher of Russian at my university provided my opportunity to encounter Rissho Kosei-kai. Our house was quite far from the local schools, so I stayed at a relative s house from the time I attended second grade until I became a university student. During the year that I entered university, my family and I moved to the capital city, Ulaanbaatar; finally, we could all live together. But because I had lived apart from my family for nine years, I had unconsciously become an isolated person, lacking in selfconfidence. I often felt like I wanted to get away from others. It was at this time I encountered Rissho Koseikai and was able to realize a great change in my life and my way of thinking. Before becoming a member of Rissho Kosei-kai, I used to associate Buddhism with priests wearing red or saffron robes, smoke from burning incense everywhere, elderly men and women holding prayer beads, people being paid to recite a sutra for some purpose, and so on. I had some mental images about Buddhism miraculous things that no one, except priests, could understand. However, when I became a member of Rissho Kosei-kai, I realized that Buddhism is what should be practiced in daily life, and my image of Buddhism completely changed. Currently, in Mongolia, many people have ideas of Buddhism similar to those that I used to have. So in order to help them understand the essence of Buddhism, I wished to study the Buddha s and the Founder s teachings and become a magnetic person who could lead people to the way of happiness. With this wish in my heart, I entered Rissho Kosei-kai Gakurin Seminary and studied as an Overseas Course student for two years. When I entered the Gakurin Seminary, I wondered why every senior student cleaned the same place in the Gakurin building every morning. So I asked a senior student; she replied that there was no special reason to do so, but she figured that cleaning the same area was a meaningful activity. Her answer inspired me to clean the same place every day as well. At first, I thought it would be easy to simply clean the same place each day. But, when I actually started to do it, I found it very difficult. I learned a lot about cleaning, but I could not find a deeper meaning in the work that would satisfy me. But through missionary training in the Dharma center and other activities, I was able to finally find significance in the cleaning task. I realized that cleaning is actually a practice of gratitude, allowing a person to develop a mind that accepts everything as being equal (beyond any sense of discrimination)

7 With students of Rissho Kosei-kai Gakurin Seminary. The third from the left of the above row. whether beautiful or dirty, good or bad, and without any feelings of like or dislike. Through cleaning the same place at the same time every day, I began to acquire a little endurance, although I used to give up quickly after beginning a new activity. Thus, for the first time in my life, I learned the importance of repetition and was able to learn much from it. Through living at Gakurin Seminary life, I also acquired the habit of self-reflection. When I heard the word awakening, I felt as if I had never heard the word before. At the time, I didn t know the reason why I felt this way. Now, however, I realize that up until I entered Gakurin, I never made it a habit to reflect on myself and examine my own mind. In my Gakurin Seminary life, I lived with a variety of people from different countries, so the environment forced me to look carefully at my own mind and ideas. It was an inescapable situation that encouraged me to face my mind. I am grateful to have been in such an environment, in which I came to understand myself a little better. Until two years ago, I often felt that I was living on my own. When something happened, I would shift the responsibility to someone else, or circumstances. But by having an opportunity to study the Lotus Sutra at Gakurin Seminary, my mental attitude has greatly changed in the past two years. Now I think that I am being caused to live with the support of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, my ancestors watching me from the spiritual world, and everyone around me. Even if something happens that I don t understand, I have learned to ask myself what the Buddha is trying to tell me through that event and what I should learn by it. I have learned well that contact with people and conditions can change a person. I want it to be a positive experience when people meet me. For me the two-year study at the Gakurin Seminary was a journey of selfdiscovery. And I have resolved to study the Lotus Sutra more, share the teaching with many people, and make my life worthwhile by walking the Buddha Way with others, while experiencing the joy of mutual liberation. I am grateful to those who led me to have a mind and heart that wants to contribute to others. Even though in the past, I had only thought of myself, from now on, I want to become a person of cheerfulness, cordiality, and kindness who can lead people to the way of happiness. For that purpose, I decided to proceed to the Gakurin Graduate Course. The other day, I was notified that I had passed the examination, and now I am striving to study Japanese in order to pass the N1, denoting the advanced level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test. I would not be here now without the many people who had supported me. From now on, I would like to go on walking the Buddha Way, keeping in mind my gratitude to others and the resolution that I first made when entering the Gakurin Seminary.

8 About the Eastern Japan Earthquake As We Pray for the Spirits of the Victims, We Renew Our Vows A memorial service for the spirits of the victims of the Eastern Japan Earthquake and tsunami, along with a prayer service for the recovery of survivors and their communities, was performed on June 18, the hundredth day after the catastrophe. Presidentdesignate Kosho Niwano and Chairman Yasutaka Watanabe were in attendance. After Chairman Watanabe led the sutra recitation, he explained about the project One Mind, which covers the activities RKK has taken following the earthquake and its future policies. Then two staff members from headquarters, who were dispatched to the Ishinomaki Dharma Center as members of each of the support teams (called Zen-yu Tai), reported what they had experienced there. Next, President-designate Kosho Niwano spoke of the importance of keeping the earthquake, and those affected by it, in mind. She also mentioned the meaning of Universal Transfer of Merit, saying, Whenever I do anything good, I would like to do it with a wish to transfer the merit of my actions to those in the stricken areas. The same memorial service and prayer was also performed in various parts of Japan. At the Sendai Dharma Center, 500 members gathered as the memorial service for the hundredth day was held. Rev. Yoshimasa Watanabe, Minister of the Dhrama Center, led the sutra recitation and 54 bereaved families served as sub-leaders. The service and prayer was also performed at the Taira, Iwaki, and Fukushima Dharma centers on the same day, but it was also performed on different days at the Ishinomaki Dharma Center on June 15 and at the Kamaishi Dharma centers on June 17.

9 A Memorial Service for the Spirits of the Victims of the Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and a Prayer for the Recovery of the Survivors and Their Communities Homage Meditation on the Place of the Way Taking Refuge in the Three Treasures Invocation (Chant the O-daimoku three times) We put our faith in The Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni Great Benevolent Teacher, World-honored One; The Tathagata Abundant Treasures, witness to the Lotus Sutra; The emanations of the Buddha in the ten directions in the past, present, and future; The four Great Bodhisattvas: Superior Practice, Boundless Practice, Pure Practice, and Steadfast Practice; The Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: Manjushri, Universal Wisdom, Maitreya, and all other Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas; Great Bodhisattva Nichiren, revered practitioner of the Lotus Sutra; Founder Nikkyo, Great Teacher of the One Vehicle; Cofounder Myoko, Bodhisattva of the Way of Compassion; The guardian spirits of Rissho Kosei-kai; And the countless heavenly spirits in the ten directions. May you all be present among us and know our deep devotion. We members of Rissho Kosei-kai, all of pure heart, gather together to conduct this sincere memorial service for the spirits of the victims of the Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and offer our heartfelt prayers that the survivors will quickly recover and rebuild their communities. Here, we reverently pray that the spirits of Ji-sei-in-ho-myo-an-higashi-nihon-daishinsai-toku several thousand more than twenty thousand persons, including men and women, boys and girls will delight in the taste of the Dharma through the sutra recitation of this memorial service. We further pray that the suffering people s lives will return to normal and that their communities will recover smootly. We earnestly pray for guidance in all things through the merit we receive from reciting the Great Vehicle Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. (Strike the gong and chant the O-daimoku once)

10 Opening Verse Sutra Recitation Universal Transfer of Merit Chanting the O-daimoku Transfer of Merit Having respectfully recited the Great Vehicle Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, may we transfer its merits to and thus reciprocate the boundless compassion of The Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni Great Benevolent Teacher, World-honored One; The Tathagata Abundant Treasures, witness to the Lotus Sutra; The emanations of the Buddha in the ten directions in the past, present, and future; The four Great Bodhisattvas: Superior Practice, Boundless Practice, Pure Practice, and Steadfast Practice; The Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: Manjushri, Universal Wisdom, Maitreya, and all other Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas; Great Bodhisattva Nichiren, revered practitioner of the Lotus Sutra; Founder Nikkyo, Great Teacher of the One Vehicle; Cofounder Myoko, Bodhisattva of the Way of Compassion; The guardian spirits of Rissho Kosei-kai; The guardian spirits of Rissho Kosei-kai ( ); The guardian spirits of member families of Rissho Kosei-kai; And the countless heavenly spirits in the ten directions. (Strike the gong once) Now, we have conducted a sincere memorial service for the spirits of the victims of the Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and we have offered our heartfelt prayers that the survivors quickly recover and rebuild their communities. We reverently offer and transfer the merits of this recitation to the spirits of Ji-sei-in-ho-myo-an-higashi-nihon-daishinsai-toku several thousand more than twenty thousand persons, including men and women, boys and girls so that they may delight in the taste of the Dharma and quickly accomplish the wonderful fruit of supreme enlightenment through the sutra recitation of this memorial service. We respectfully pray and ask that you extend your hand of compassion and sympathy through your divine communication with us, so that profound guidance and protection may be given for the recovery of the disaster areas. Homage (Chant the O-daimoku three times)

11 The Teaching of Founder Nikkyo Niwano Information Jul Creating a Lifeline by Making Positive Connections Further reports about the disaster areas will appear as information becomes available. In the past, many farmers raised silkworms. When I was young, I used to twine together about 20 threads taken from silkworm cocoons into a single bold silk string. After I moved to Tokyo, I worked as an apprentice to a gardener. One of my most important jobs was tying ropes firmly for wooden or bamboo fences and for garden plants. And when I was in the Japanese navy, a crucial job for sailors was tying ropes firmly, so knots would not come loose. I was even called a master of untangling nets during minesweeping. In such ways, I have been involved with strings and knots all of my life. Now, I have been given the great task of unraveling the tangled threads of complex causal connections, which can snare people into conditions of suffering. The way to begin to untangle this web is by creating a new string of connection with the Dharma. I feel that task, so reminiscent of my former work, has been prepared for me. The string of causal connections is invisible, but our lives drastically change depending on how we tie or untangle it. Even if people appear to be performing unrelated actions at different times, what they do is actually connected in the deepest sense. Whatever work you do, if you sincerely put your all energy into it, you will make positive connections with others and in many cases create your own lifeline. The original Japanese version of Basic Buddhism Through Comics has won a wide readership in Japan, and the book is capturing the hearts of American readers. Recently Tuttle Publishing, distributor of the English version, ordered an extra 1,500 copies from Rissho Kosei-kai International of North America. The book is now in its third printing, totaling five thousand copies. In the category of Rissho Kosei-kai s English dharma books, Basic Buddhism Through Comics may be the biggest hit since the publication of Cultivating the Buddhist Heart by President Niwano. Incidentally, Mr. Mitsutoshi Furuya, the author of Basic Buddhism Through Comics, has been a diligent member of Rissho Kosei-kai since the pioneer days. I recently re-read this book, and found it enlightening. It s not only easy to read (because of its format as a comic book), but Basic Buddhism Through Comics effectively conveys the deeper truths contained in the teachings, which only practitioners know. I heard that there are twenty million readers in America, socalled Nightstand Buddhists, who read books on Buddhism in bed. It seems to me that these readers have an insatiable thirst for knowledge and may read more books than people in Japan. In other words, they have a good eye for books on Buddhism. Why do these people have such a high opinion of this book? Please read Basic Buddhism Through Comics. I would like to know your impressions of this book. From Kaisozuikan 5 (Kosei Publishing Co.), pp (Kotaro Suzuki) Rissho Kosei-kai is a lay Buddhist organization whose holy scripture is the Threefold Lotus Sutra. It was established by Founder Nikkyo Niwano and Cofounder Myoko Naganuma in This organization is composed of ordinary men and women who have faith in the Buddha and strive to enrich their spirituality by applying his teachings to their daily lives. At both the local community and international levels, we, under the guidance of President Nichiko Niwano are very active in promoting peace and well-being through altruistic activities and cooperation with other organizations. Rissho Kosei-kai Geneva, Switzerland Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Sukhbaatar Venezia, Italy Kathmandu, Nepal Paris, France Sacramento San Jose Colorado Vancouver, Canada Seattle London, The United Kingdom Lumbini Delhi, India Sakhalin, Russia Klamath Falls Hong kong San Francisco Los Angeles RKI of North America (Irvine) Shanghai Taipei Dhaka Mayani Patiya Domdama s Bazar Satbaria Laksham Raozan Dallas San Antonio Kona Maui Tainan Chittagong, Bangladesh New York Tampa Bay Hawaii Taichung Jilung Colombo, Sri Lanka Oklahoma Tokyo, Headquarters Pusan Masan Kolkata Kandy-Wattegama Polonnaruwa Habarana Galle Chicago Dayton San Mateo Seoul, Korea Denver Pingtung San Diego Las Vegas Arizona Singapore Bangkok, Thailand RKI of South Asia Sao Paulo, Brazil Mogi das Cruzes Sao Miguel Sydney, Australia Rissho Kosei-kai International Branches SHAN ZAI Volume 70 (July 2011) Published by Rissho Kosei-kai International Fumonkan, Wada, Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL: FAX: shanzai@kosei-kai.or.jp Senior Editor; Rev. Kotaro SUZUKI Editor; Ms. Etsuko NAKAMURA Editorial Staff; Ms. Shiho MATSUOKA, Ms. Yukino KUDO, Ms. Kaoru SAITO, Ms. Mayumi ETO, Ms. Sayuri SUZUKI, Ms. Eriko KANAO and Ms. Emi MAKINO SHAN ZAI will sometimes be published in other languages in addition to Japanese, English, Chinese, Portuguese, and Thai. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at the above address. Please request permission to use contents of SHAN ZAI to Rissho Kosei-kai International.