Devil Defeated

Devil Defeated (pp 48-49)

‘Their enthusiasm and vigor seemed to have no limit. They were elated – almost overly so. They were intoxicated by the new strength they had discovered through their practice. At times they even felt annoyed by the guidance from the Tokyo leaders who had cared for them so far. On their part, the leaders from Tokyo were delighted to see things going so well. They overestimated their own ability to give guidance and from time to time goaded the Osaka members on to work harder. The local leaders grew loath to be ordered about by the Tokyoites. The Tokyo leaders felt highly indignant at the hostility they sensed in the locals. Friction frequently arose between the two. Their feud began to cause unexpected slips to occur in their activities, and they openly criticized each other for the errors.’

Who knows what evil lurks …?
A Tokyo leader and a local leader got into a heated argument. Shinichi, overhearing their rant, waited until they ran out of steam. Then he began to chew out the Tokyo leader, saying, in effect, that they should be friends, not enemies. The leader from Tokyo, realizing his mistake, apologized profusely. The Osaka guy, observing the behavior of the man from Tokyo, also became remorseful. Tension and silence prevailed.
     Turning to the Osaka leaders, Shinichi scolded them as well, pointing out their arrogance and saying that they had forgotten the real enemy.

‘Misfortune comes from one’s mouth and ruins him, but fortune comes from one’s mind and makes him worthy of respect’

     Quoting from the New Year’s Gosho, Shinichi continued his guidance, reading from the gosho On Itai Doshin as well. At last Shinichi felt that the devil had been defeated.

     ‘The tide of propagation, which rose higher and higher all over Osaka in April, kept the few Nichiren Shoshu temples in the prefecture extremely busy. Jomyji Temple in Miyakojima, for instance, was inundated every day with people desiring to receive the Gohonzon and those who introduced them to the faith. As a result, the nearby Sakuranomiya Station was crowded from morning til night.

Points to ponder
     What caused the friction between the two groups?
     Reflect on the gosho quote, ‘Misfortune comes from one’s mouth and ruins him, but fortune comes from one’s mind and makes him worthy of respect’
     Consider Shinichi Yamamoto’s approach to solving the crisis.
     Read the part about the gosho, On Itai Doshin. Reflect on the importance of unity. Could 800 soldiers really defeat 700,000 troops?