At Ikegami Honkoji Temple, a memorial service is held every year on February 16th to celebrate the birth of Nichiren Daishonin and express gratitude for his teachings. This year, right after returning from our India tour in early February, the two of us made a day trip to Ikegami Honkoji Temple in Tokyo.

The head priest and the monks entered the main hall chanting the sacred title of the Lotus Sutra, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.

The title signifies wholehearted devotion to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Chanting it is said to receive the Buddha’s merits and awaken one’s own Buddha-nature. Each year, hearing it connects my heart to the Buddha through Nichiren.

The sutra of the Lotus Sutra begins, its gentle guidance unfolding like a song.

On Nichiren’s birthday, it is said that schools of sea bream overflowed the sea. The work White Lotus Screen depicts white lotus flowers blooming profusely in the sea, with schools of sea bream swimming desperately from east to west through the clusters of white lotus flowers.

Around the time Nichiren was born, Buddhism had been destroyed in India following the Islamic invasions. Nichiren is said to have dreamed of reviving Buddhism from east to west, aiming for India’s Vulture Peak.

We have just returned from the Mahabodhi Temple, the birthplace of Buddhism.

We are immensely proud to have been able to report to Nichiren, “We prayed for the necessity of Buddhism and world peace through our paintings.”

I believe that Nichiren must have been cheering us on from behind.