No. 451
“Although I am actually weighed down by a vast ocean of suffering, my happiness at having a few drops lifted away knows no substitute.” Priest at the temple.
大海ほどの苦しみを持っている自分が、ほんの二、三滴の苦しみでも解決さして頂いた喜びは何ものにも代え難い。 （寺内僧分の言）
No. 452
“The Venerable Head Priest said to me, ‘It is in the Samgha that you will find a creative way of living. It is important for you to live in a place where words of encounter with the Buddha and Dharma friends are spoken.’ For me this teaching has now become a beacon of light.” Dharma friend.
御住職より「創造とは僧伽であり、人に会い、佛さまに出会う言葉の生まれる現場に身を置くことですよ」とお教え頂いたことが、今の私の「光」です。 （ある同行の言）
No. 453
“For the past thirty years three generations of our family have been cared for by the temple. Now I understand that chomon ( listening to the Dharma) in itself amounts to an ongoing education graciously offered us by the temple.” Dharma friend.
三代三十年に亘ってお寺にお育ていただきました。聴聞とはこの事実の積み重ねでした。 （ある同行の言）
No. 454
“I attended the meeting held to commemorate Ekai-sama through whom the world first learned of Daigyoin-sama, a great person whose being went far beyond the confines of this world. The day I attended this meeting was the day I actually went and expressed my thanks to the Head Priest, our true teacher, for all his instruction and leadership.” Resident at Hasugayama.
先日、「恵契様を偲ぶ会」にお参りしました。世を出られた大行院様を、世に出された恵契様。私たちを真の知識、ご院家さまに導いて頂いたその御恩に御礼申す一日でした。 （春日山住人の言）
No. 455
“In the past I used to imagine that all the adornments of the Buddha Shrine were themselves affected by the voices of those giving service. On attending this year’s ceremony I felt as if, at the sound of the Gagaku music, they were actually dancing. The flower arrangements offered to the Buddha, the service with its chanted sutras, the strains of Gagaku music and the radiance in the eyes of the temple followers as they listened to the Dharma, all combined in this Eitaikyo Ceremony to become adornments of the Buddha Land.” Head Priest of a neighboring temple.
今まではお勤めの声に御荘厳が動いていた。今年は雅楽の音を聞いて御荘厳が躍動していた。御佛華・声明・楽の音、法話拝聴のご門徒の眼の輝き……、すべてが御荘厳となって頂いた永代経御法要であった。 （隣寺住職の御礼）
No. 456
“It is not enough merely to appreciate how much we have been protected by the Samgha and by our good teachers; the real challenge is for us to go ahead and actually practise the Seven Rules for Non-retrogression.” Young priest.
僧伽・善知識に護られている御恩だけを喜ぶのではなく、如何に自分が七不退法を行じさせて頂くかが問題だ。 （ある若僧分）
No. 457
One day Ekai-sama challenged us saying, “All those who have been keeping silent, who have spoken no word of thanks for the last ten years, stand up!”
恵契樣がある時仰った。「１０年たっても、御礼に立たぬ人スタンダップ」。
No. 458
“On listening to you talk, I sense an atmosphere of dependence wherein you merely rely on the Buddha, presuming that it is natural for the Buddha to save you. If you are not moved to take refuge in the merit-transference of the Tathagata, forsaking all else, it cannot be called true faith.” Senior person.
ある先達が申された。「あなた方の披瀝は、佛さんはわれらを助けてくれるのが当たり前と、佛に成り下がる気味がある。身をすてて、如来の廻向に帰入する働きなくば、真実信心にあらず」。
No. 459
“The Buddha-dharma is not something you can comprehend simply by listening. The moment you are awakened to impermanence, friend and foe become one. When we pass one another, please demonstrate your joy to me, even if it is but in a single phrase from the Sacred Texts. I am very sad to find no one visiting the temple with gratitude in their hearts for what Shinran Shonin has done for us. Alas!” Dharma-Mother Ekai.
「佛法は聞いて分かるものでない。『無常』を覚れば、その一念に敵と味方が一つになってしまう。私と道で遇ったら、せめて御聖教の一言でも、喜んで欲しい。聖人の御恩を思うて参る人のなきが淋しい。ああ」。 （恵契法母）
No. 460
“When by chance a performer’s foot strays too far while dancing on a Kabuki stage and he draws the other foot up next to it, people will often say “a speck of dust has appeared.” Similarly, if you try instantaneously to remedy the disaccord between your words and your actions, you will merely make matters even worse.” Senior priest.
歌舞伎の舞で、思わず一方の足が出すぎた時、すぐもう一方の足をそろえることを「ほこりがでた」というと。心口各異・言念無実をすぐつくろっても、間に合わない。 （ある老僧分）