“Although our home is a place of accumulated karma, if there is brightness in our home, it will have the power to attract others. This spirit is the foundation of dojo and taya.” Head Priest.

“On returning home and seeing how my parents were struggling in their day to day lives, I almost cried. I felt so moved as I found myself now able to appreciate all that had been done for me. I decided I had to pay them back out of a sense of gratitude, if only little by little.” Girl student, living at Sammon Taya.

“Until recently my understanding of all that had been done for me was purely intellectual, but travelling abroad has enabled me to appreciate my upbringing with my whole being. At a time when my family was suffering great hardship, I rebelled against my parents and uttered impolite words to the Samgha. I am now deeply sorry for my behaviour.” Recent school leaver.

“Being brought up at the temple from the time I was in junior high school, I used to resent those around me constantly seeking to encourage me with the words ‘Do your best.’ But it is very much thanks to their unceasing care that I came to be offered a place at university. (eldest son)” “As I grew up I retained the mind of a child and consequently continued to struggle as a father. Now, however, I find myself maturing mentally thanks to my children. (father)” Father and son living at the temple.

“It could be said that it is to my friend, who has been instructing and guiding me with such kindness, that I owe an even greater debt than to my teacher.” “How sad I am to be awake all through this dark night, unable to consult the right person about my thoughts!” Tanso Hirose, a Confucianist leader of the Edo Period.

The following refers to a layman’s awareness of the sin of ‘receiving gifts undeservedly.’ “Despite the fact that my upbringing meant my receiving immeasurable gifts from a great teacher, Dharma friends and parents, I have not attained true faith. I am such a sinner.” Young man in his twenties.

“There is neither birth nor death. The world where I now find myself is beyond birth and death! It is really ‘four dimensional’! For me this is the only reality. I feel so blessed to live in this world.” Dharma friend recently discharged from hospital.

“I always used to think of Daigyoin-sama as a historical figure. But now I have actually seen for myself the workings of his great design in the way Andrew-san has come from London to undergo an introspection session (Chomon) after having searched after truth for so long.” Dharma friend recently discharged from hospital.

“Love in itself is not something bad. But if you wallow in it, it can turn into something that is not good. If you have some principle in mind, love will not drown you.” Joshin Matsunaga, priest of Shogyoji Temple.

“When I was given The Shinshu-seiten (The Shin Buddhist Sacred Book) in 1985, the Head Priest inscribed in it the words ‘Isshin (One Mind)’. This was because to receive One Mind of Great Compassion from the Tathagata and my Master was to be my task for the rest of my life. ” Koichi Fujisawa, Dharma friend at the Sokokan Eza.

“With the wisdom of our predecessors in one hand and with the real world and its vision of the future in the other, we should walk on our way, solving problems without any attachment to form.” Motomi Oguchi, garden designer.

“Recently I was allowed to have an exhibition of my photography at the temple. At that time I found that art has meaning only when it is seen by people.” Student staying at the temple.

“After the death of my wife I spent one and half years doing nothing worthwhile. Now, however, I have found fresh purpose in daily life doing things such as cooking, washing and cleaning.” Gentleman living at Hinosato.

“When we become ill we want to be cured through treatment. However, it is when we are ill that we seek after truth most seriously. Therefore, although being cured is certainly a happy thing, it is regrettable that we forget bodily pain so quickly.” Head Priest.

“On retiring from my company after working for thirty-five years, I visited my late son at the Memorial Hall and spoke of my retirement. At that time the evening temple bell resounded. Today I am finishing my service to the company and starting my training in the way of faith.” Dharma friend who has recently retired.

“My husband was facing death because of his illness, but until it was pointed out to me, I wasn’t aware of my own foolishness. Having returned to the Samgha, I have now regained my senses and reencountered my husband. The nembutsu pours forth with my repentance.” Female Dharma friend from Kansai District.

“I was simply in search of something that bit extra special. In retrospect, however, I came to see that what the unflagging efforts of my parents and predecessors had built up for me was the very foundation of my life. My time at the taya would remain meaningless unless I gratefully acknowledged this fact.” Dharma friend whose illness had almost proved fatal.

“When a report on the introspection session (Chomon) was made in London for the first time, participants at the meeting were moved to tears. The Chomon system bequeathed us by Daigyoin-sama represents the culmination of the long history of Mahayana Buddhism.” Kemmyo Sato, Director of Three Wheels in London.

“My parents showed me a sheet of paper on which numerous Chinese characters had been written and told me my grand father had chosen my name from those characters. I was moved to tears and thought of all the Samgha had done to educate me to a level that allowed me to feel gratitude in this way. ” Girl student at the temple after brief trip home.

“Had I not suffered I would never have been given the opportunity to experience an introspection session. I was reminded of my parents’ words, ‘It’s always darkest before the dawn’. ” From a letter by an English participant who underwent an introspection session for the first time.

“Previously I had always thought that what was important was to create things one by one. I was taught, however, that what was really important was to chip away at my selfishness little by little.” Girl student returning to the temple from Tokyo.

“At a meeting we were holding for craftsmen, a lacquer master told us, ‘Whilst absorbed in kneading lacquer, I come to wonder if I am kneading lacquer or lacquer is kneading me.’ It seemed to me to be a truly harmonious fusion.” Young Buddhist sculptor.

“I became so ill that my son started to prepare for my death. Eventually, however, I returned to the temple to recuperate, but the Head Priest said to me, ‘Your mind hasn’t come back yet.’ Through my experience at the Introspection Session I found that it was my mind which had been ill.” Dharma friend having undergone an Introspection Session.

"Hold onto the way of sincerity even if it leaves you frightened and exposed. Nothing that the truth (Dharma) can destroy is worth keeping." From a letter of encouragement written by an Englishman to his friend undergoing an Introspection Session.

“Do not search. There is no Buddha in a form you could ever conceive. Quite simply anyone who casts light about me is my Buddha.” His Eminence Jung-woo, Head Priest of Guryong Temple.

“When, thanks to her parents’ encouragement, a girl student underwent the Introspection Session, I became one of her advisers. Although mentally I already knew Shogyoji to be my spiritual home, this experience made me realise with my whole being that the temple meant everything to me. Though my entire existence was burdened by deepest karma, I found myself nevertheless accepted by my parents as their daughter. Thank you so much.” Girl Student.

“Returning to London, I imagined my Introspection Session to be at an end, but it wasn’t. I have found that introspection is something I should pursue throughout my daily life.” From a letter of thanks by an Englishman regarding the Introspection Session he had undergone for the first time.

“My mother told me that my grandmother always said the best way to thank your parents for what they have done for you is to love your children in the same way as your parents loved you.” >From a letter of thanks by an Englishman about the Introspection Session he had undergone for the first time.

“An old priest said to me ‘Firstly just say thank you, understanding comes later’. I found this to be a very good piece of advice.” From a letter of thanks by an English man regarding the Introspection Session he had undergone for the first time.

“Listening to me, one of the advisers said, ‘You have met with such suffering it becomes difficult for you to breathe, but you have caused even greater suffering to your parents’. Then for the first time I was able to say ‘I am sorry’ and ‘thank you’, feeling repentance for all my actions.” Englishman during his Introspection Session.

“Wood is a living material. First of all we have to understand its character. There is a part of wood that cannot be used. In order to protect the wood against splitting, we remove the core of the wood or cut along its side.” Master woodcrafter in Kyoto.