Gomonshu-sama’s 2024 New Year Greetings

New Year’s Greeting   •   January 1, 2024

Happy New Year, everyone! At the beginning of this New Year, I would like to extend my best regards to you all.

Over the last year, innumerable people worldwide have been affected by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and forest fires. I was particularly shocked by the wild fires that devastated the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. This disaster completely destroyed the temple hall of Lahaina Hongwanji Mission and one temple member was reported to have lost his life. I would like to offer my deepest condolences to all who have perished in those calamities. I would also like to express my sympathies to those who are still coping with the dire situations. It is my sincere hope that all who have been affected will soon be able to return to a normal daily life.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022 is still continuing. Not only that, conflict between Israel and Palestine has once again flared up from October 2023, embroiling nations concerned with victimizing a large number of people many of whom are civilians. Looking at the appalling state of the world, the following words of Sakyamuni Buddha come to mind. “Everyone fears violence and is scared of death. In consideration of all life, do not kill and do not make others kill.”

Every one of us who has received life as a human being, no matter the reason, must be ensured equally of human rights, and no one’s life should be threatened. In reality, however, conflicts and terrorist attacks have occurred everywhere in the world and for many people, their right to live and exist has been threatened. As Buddhists who aspire for peace, we must keep Sakyamuni Buddha’s words seriously in our hearts and pursue our endeavor of contributing toward world peace and security.

During the last year, we observed the Joint Celebration of the 850th Anniversary of Shinran Shonin’s Birth and the 800th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Jodo Shinshu Teaching at Hongwanji, Kyoto for a total of 30 days, divided into 5 sessions during the period from March 29 to May 21. On this occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to those who came to Japan to attend, as well as those who supported it in various ways. This celebratory event could be realized only because our predecessors have cherished the Jodo Shinshu teaching as their spiritual foundation for many years no matter when or where they were, and carefully transmitted it to us today

Let us, too, continue listening to the teaching as the center of our life while cherishing each day

OHTANI Kojun

Monshu

Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha

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。

昨年も世界各地で地震・洪水・山火事など様々な災害が起こり、多くの方が被災されました。特にハワイ・マウイ島における山火事ではラハイナ本願寺の本堂が全焼し、メンバーの方々の被害も報告されています。ここに災害によってお亡くなりになられたすべての方々に謹んで哀悼の意を表しますとともに、被災された皆さまに心よりお見舞い申し上げます。皆さまが一日も早く、日常の生活を取り戻されますことを願っております。

また、2022年2月に始まったロシア連邦によるウクライナ侵攻はいまだに続いており、2023年10月以来、イスラエルとパレスチナの武力衝突では関係国を巻き込んで、民間人を含む多くの犠牲者が出ています。私がいま思い起こしますのは、「すべての者は暴力におびえ、すべての者は死をおそれる。己が身にひきくらべて、殺してはならぬ。殺さしめてはならぬ。」（『ダンマパダ』第129偈）というお釈迦様のお言葉です。

この世に生を受けた私たちは、いかなる理由があろうとも等しく人権が保障され、命が脅かされるようなことがあってはなりません。しかし、現実には世界各地で紛争やテロが勃発し、生存の権利が脅かされている人々が数多くおられます。平和主義を掲げる仏教徒である私たちは、お釈迦様のお言葉を深く心に刻み、国際社会の平和と安全に大きく貢献することが求められています。

さて、昨年は本願寺において3月29日より5月21日までの5期30日間にわたり、「親鸞聖人御誕生850年立教開宗800年慶讃法要」をお勤めいたしました。ご参拝くださいました皆さま、お力添えを賜りました皆さまに心より感謝申し上げます。私たちが立教開宗800年の慶讃法要をお勤めできましたことは、時代や場所を超えて多くの先人の方々が、浄土真宗のみ教えを生きる支えとして、今日まで大切に受け継いでこられたからに他なりません。

これからもみ教えを聞き、それを支えとして、一日一日を大切に過ごしてまいりましょう。

2024年1月1日

浄土真宗本願寺派

門主　大谷光淳