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Nichiren, and each follows for the most part its own preferences. Only our Fuji School carries

on with the teachings established by the Founder Nichiren, thus the doctrines and observances

of this school for the four hundreds years since this temple's founding, are- precisely those set

forth by the Master Nichiren. For this reason our morning and evening gongyo consists of

recitation of only the two chapters [the Hoben and Juryo Chapter (Rokkan Shou, Taisekiji Edition, p. 193)

This all indicates the importance of what Nichiren Daishonin wrote in the Gosho, Establishing the

Four Bodhisattvas as the Object of Worship: "Those who call themselves my disciples and practice the Lotus Sutra
should all practice as I do" (Shimpen, p. 1370; MW-III, p. 298). Thus we must etch into our hearts the importance of
submitting ourselves to his golden words and practicing the teachings and formalities as the Daishonin taught, observing
and preserving them precisely and solemnly.

Now I'd like to turn to the matter of serving, or taking routine care of, the Gohonzon. The original model for this appears
in the Daibadatta Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, and tells of how one should continually remain at the Buddha's side and
serve him, as exemplified by "collecting fruits, drawing water, gathering firewood, and preparing meals":

I offered him [the Buddha] anything he wanted. I collected fruits, drew water, gathered firewood, and prepared meals for
him. I even allowed my body to be his seat. I never felt tired in body or mind. (Kaiketsu, p. 422)

In other words, caring for the Gohonzon is something you do without begrudging any effort, as expressed in an old poem.

The Lotus Sutra All I have gained, I have gained through serving:Gathering firewood,

picking vegetables, and drawing water.

Nikko Shonin and Nichimoku Shonin also set examples fro us about how our attitude

should be in taking care of the Gohonzon: Nikko Shonin stayed continually by the

Daishonin's side to serve him, following him almost like a shadow; and Nichimoku

Shonin is said to have developed a small depression in his head from carrying water he

had drawn on his head to the Daishonin's hut at MountMinobu. We should always

remember that their attitudes in serving the Daishonin should be models for our own when

we serve the Gohonzon.

This is further exemplified by an old Nichiren Shoshu saying "Learn faith from Nikko

Shonin; learn how to advance your practice from Nichimoku Shonin." This means that Nikko Shonin is our model fro
attitude in faith, ant that we advance your pactice from

Nichimoku Shonin" This means that Nikko Shonin is our model for attitude in faith, and

that we should look to Nichimoku Shonin to learn how to further our practice. They both show us that nothing surpasses
service to the Master on the way to becoming a Buddha.

Faith has always been the central creed of Nichiren Shoshu, and particulary doing

Gongyo and serving, taking care of the Gohonzon are the most fundamental of all

fundamentals--the very starting poin---of Buddhist practice. So more than anything else,

doing gongyo and taking care of the Gohonzon need to be done with an attitude of

sincerity requiting our debt of gratitude to the Gohonzon.

In serving the Gohonzon, most important is a solemn attitude informed by a sincere wish to requite our debt of gratitude
to the True Buddha and the recognition that we are in the presence of the True Buddha Nichiren Daishonin himself, the
Teacher of the Buddhism of Planting in Mappo whose life is embodied in the mandala of Myoho:

They [priests of past ages] would place even the smallest offerings on the alter in the sight of the Founder and pay the
utmost respect to the True Buddha as if he himself were there.'

Every morning, we clean the alter, offer fresh water, newly cooked rice, and greens; and

at morning and evening gongyo, we light candles and incense to dignify the space in front

of the Gohonzon. All these acts are acts of offering. GcLo. Lighting the candles,

And burning incense is an act of sincerely offering. Even when you ring the bell, you

should do so serenely and with sincerity--not ringing it haphazardly--since you're

making an offering of sound to the Gohonzon. Lighting the candles, too, is a means of

of offering light to the Gohonzon--it also signifies burning the confusion, suffering, and

impurities in our hearts and kindling the flame of the Buddha's wisdom. And burning

incense is an act of sincerely offering fresh, purifying fragrance to the Gohonzon.

In essence, we should "constantly accompany and serve" and "believe in and submit

ourselves to the Buddha by starting every day and finishing every day together with

the Gohonzon in our homes, as the Daishonin teaches in the Ongi Kude: "Morning by

morning awaken with the Buddha; night by night retire with the Buddha" (Shimpen,p.

1749). This reiterates how doing gongyo daily, without missing a day, is the most

important part of our practice. Isn't is wonderful to be able to live a life wrapped in

the great compasion of the Gohonzon, as described by the sutra passage, "living

beings are enjoying themselves".

it is also said that "Faith derives from dignifying". Our dailey practice and the manner

in which we carry it out are our means fro manifesting faith. Nichiko Shonin also wrote:

The manner of practice starts with drawing water, paicking flowers(for offering) and

vegetables (for the Buddha's meals) and gathering firewood and our other routine

dailey chores. the manner of practice is crucial to observances in this school; though

we say faith first, practice second, study third, without practice there would be no way to

bring faith forth, and all study would be futile.

"Ushi Kegi Shou Chuukaiyou" ["Annotations to the Kegi Shou"],

Fuji Shuugakku Yousbuu, vol. 1, p. 121