​　What is the （Buddhist） sermon? We think it casually a talk spoken in temple.  It is different from the words, for example, speech, lecture, discourse, and not the same even preach. All these words have the meaning, inform a person of some knowledge or a way of thinking. But sermon have quite another attribute, is beyond the knowledge, even the intention of a speaker. As it were, the truth of the Buddhism began to speak itself. There is no value we must say, without such impress and times somewhere in sermon. It may be very difficult for us,

depending on daily emotion and condition that day. Sermon is, like an unsettled weather, not easy to comprehend, grasp, almost a miracle in the ordinary world. However the people, who experienced the marvels, have a self-evidence of that time, including an insight, the wavering nature of their mind itself.

　Since Haya Akegarasu met Manshi Kiyozawa, a trend arises in the history of modern japanese Buddhism. It may called Koukoudou origin, named after the

boarding house they together lived, had produced, affected many great priests,

scholars, artists widely. The spirit, what they have in common, is the dialogue

of Buddhist truth（Engi）, between the human pain, doubt, reality and the force

of  reliever（Amida Buddha）. Through the sincerity of these mental contact,

representing thoughts in words as they are, a moment of hard human life is

overcome. Surely in these times, named Jōdo （Pure Land）,when the truth of Buddha shines on wonderful, are the ground that all our life can rely on.

　The platform of sermon in Myoutatsuji is one and the same, that Haya used to preach lifelong. It is old and heavy, but unchanged, because it symbolizes the spirit of tradition. The priest of temple is several and human-like, but sermon must be the times and place, where truth comes beyond our sence. However differcult it may be, true words were not in center, temple have lost the original significance. I, rather an idle man, manage to preach the sermon in this true spirit. Please come to hear the sermon, even a little more occaisions are.

                                                                          （Teruo Akegarasu）