Today is the last Sunday service of IBC for this year. The topic of my Dharma Talk is Itai Doshin, meaning,
Many in Body but One in Spirit. It is followed by the phrase Hashu Kyoko, Going together Hand in Hand.
Founder Niwano emaphasized the importance of this phrase especially in the evening of his life. For us in
IBC too, I think, it is very important.

During the founding period of Rissho Kosei-kai, Founder Niwano and Co-Founder, Myoko Naganuma, whom
we simply called Myoko-sensei, travelled everywhere together for guidance work.

When the place they were to visit was far away, Founder Niwano would give her a ride on the luggage carrier
of his bicycle. If the place was still farther, they would ride buses and trains. Sometimes, they visited more
than thirty homes and offered spiritual guidance to dozens of people.

Founder Niwano and Myoko-sensei were truly friends on the road to fullfil their mission. They were like two
wheels of a cart. This, I think, was the very first Itai Doshin and Hashu Kyoko of Rissho Kosei-kai.

With the growth of membership, enthusiastic members became leaders and supported the two co-founders
by following their example. This led the organization to become a big, a kind of expansion of Itai Doshin
and Hashu Kyoko.

During the first half of　his life, Founder Niwano devoted himself wholeheartedly to disseminating the Lotus
Sutra to help individual people live happier lives. In the second half of his life, his activities deepened in the
social sphere, widening to an international scope. He emphasized interreligious cooperation for world peace.

He was convinced that the Lotus Sutra is the vehicle of world peace. For him it was quite natural that as
someone practicing the Lotus Sutra he would devote himself to disseminating faith during the first half of his
life and focus his energy on world peace during the second half.

He also thought that no single religion could achieve such a huge goal as world peace. People of all religions
would need to cooperate with each other for that end. This was a much larger step of Itai Doshin and Hashu
Kyoko.

Two important encounters for Founder Niwano are worthy of special mention here.

One was a private meeting with the late Pope Paul VI, during the Second Vatican Council in 1965. The Pope’s
words at that time raised Founder Niwano's expectation for religious cooperation from mere possibility to firm
conviction.

The second was in 1968 with the Rev. Dr. Dana McLean Greeley, then President of Unitarian Universalist
Association of North America. They joined together in devotion to peace activities. They shared a strong
sense of solidarity and began concrete steps toward organizing WCRP in the spirit of Itai Doshin and
Hashu Kyoko.They worked together hand in hand for nearly two decades until Dr. Greeley passed away.

This year, WCRP VIII was held for the second time in Kyoto, the birth place of WCRP. Immediately after the
assembly, a follow-up rally was held here in Fumon Hall. Many foreign representatives applauded Founder
Niwano for his exceptional efforts and contributions when he was alive, and also expressed appreciation
that President Nichiko Niwano is now making remarkable efforts following in his father's steps.

Now, let me refer to Itai Doshin and Hashu Kyoko in activities of IBC.

The IBC was started in 2001, the year of the dawn of the 21st Century. Dr. Gene Reeves was living in
Taiyoso, a facility of Kosei-kai near its headquarters. While dining at a nearby Chinese restaurant one day,
he noticed two Chinese customers. While eating, they talked with each other in English. China is a huge
country.

The languages in various parts of the country are very different. For the two Chinese, it was easier to
talk in English. This was a hint to Dr. Reeves. Rissho Kosei-kai has the wonderful religious practice
called “hoza.” In the Tokyo Metropolitan area there are many non-Japanese residents.

English seems to be their common language. Why not form an English-speaking hoza at Kosei-kai
Headquarters? Dr.Reeves discussed this idea with Dr. Shinozaki and their proposal was accepted by
Kosei-kai. A few staff members such as Mr. Hagiwara and a handful of English speaking lay members
gathered with Dr. Reeves as the regular Dharma teacher on Sundays.

This was the origin of IBC. It was a modest start of a new type of Itai Doshin and Hashu Kyoko by an
American and several Japanese. Public relations activity began with weekly announcement in various
English language newspapers.

Six years have passed since then. This year, in 2006, there were four big international events which
were held by Rissho Kosei-kai or to which it was strongly committed:

In March, the 32nd World Congress of IARF was held in Taipei, with many RKK participants, including
members of IBC.

In August, as already mentioned, the 8th World Assembly of WCRP was held in Kyoto, supported by RKK and
IBC. In October, the 3rd World Sangha Assembly was held in Tokyo. And finally, in November, the Centenary
Anniversary of the birth of Founder Niwano was celebrated at Kosei-kai Heaquarters.

To each of these events, we in IBC were committed either directly or indirectly in various ways. In some way,
our IBC activities were related to these events. The IBC even planned and organized related events.
Through them, as a part of entire Sangha, we helped promote Itai Doshin and Hashu Kyoko.

In the World Sangha Assembly, many highlights touched us.

Mr. Takahashi from Boston said with joy that the live internet program connecting several overseas Kosei-kai
churches and chapters with Fumon Hall was technically the best possible.

12 booths for simultaneous interpretation were in full operation by Kosei-kai members both from Japan and
from other countries, without outside professionals.

A live performance of the popular Kosei Wind Orchestra which included popular songs intoxicated everyone in
the audience which filled the huge hall. All the domestic Japanese members waved pen-lights expressing joy
in their sense of oneness with overseas members.

Recreational programs in which members from Korea, Brasil, and so on participated were also attractive.
International participation in the Oeshiki parade was noteworthy. Most overseas members here for the World
Sangha gathering, including many non-Japanese, as well asIBC members, joined in the parade.

There were 6 large groups wearing folk costumes and waving flags which attracted not only members but
also many of the general public in the gallery. Pam-san's repeated calling with colleagues of "IBC, IBC" is
still vivid in my ears.

A special lecture by Dr. Reeves was attended by far more people than usual from around the world. The IBC
Sunday service the next day was also well attended by overseas participants in the Dansan. This room was
overflowing with people, and quite a few had to listen from the corridor.

In the special session, Mr. Igor Pereverzev, interpreted the lecture for Korean members from Sakhalin.
He was born in Moscow and currently is living in Thailand working for a travel agency and travelling to
various places related to Buddhism. He is new Kosei-kai member. With information given by Miss Sato,
an IFDG staff-member, Mrs. Suzuki was able to put Mr. Pereverzev on the list of those receiving IBC information by email.

Like Mr. Simon in the UK, he might be able to attend IBC Sunday services from time to time, perhaps
on a business trip to Tokyo. His example makes us aware of many people in the world are traveling
today. According to a statistic, if my memory is not incorrect, 18 million people move from one place to
another in a year. In addition to being for non-Japanese who live in Japan, the IBC can be for those
who come to Tokyo from time to time from abroad.

Mrs. Ichihashi, who is in charge of the calender of Dharma talks plans to ask overseas ministers for the
schedules of their visits to Japan, so that they can be invited to give talks. We can expect those
ministers to be more aware of the IBC, and also be mindful when any of their members come to Tokyo,
urging them to go to the IBC Sunday service.

A sense of oneness based on the Dharma is gradually spreading among Kosei-kai members universally.
This year members of the Brazil Church and those of Chichibu Church had a wonderful meeting during the
World Sangha Assembly. The ministers and leaders of the two churches wrote joyful reports. This friendly
relation between a church in Japan and one overseas was started through IBC channels about a year ago.

In summer of this year, Mr. Sebastian Dehio attended IBC Sunday services as many times as possible during
his 3-month stay in Tokyo. He was introduced to us by Rev. Uno of the Chichibu Church. Before Sebastian
returned to Germany, he visited the Chichibu Church and became a member of Kosei-kai. His wife, a
daughter of a leader of the Church, was waiting in Germany for him to come home. A few weeks later,
Mr. Sawahata in RK/Geneva flew to Germany to visit Dehio and his wife for tedori, attention and care.
Miss Hirota and Miss Fujimoto of RK/UK planned to become Dharma friends with Mrs. Dehio who is close
in age to them.

Thus, one single chain of a sense of oneness based on the Dharma shows us the possibilities of making
several additional chains.

Similarly, the Brazil church, in addition to having useful relations with the Chichibu church,has started
cooperative efforts for dissemination among Brazilians who live in Japan. This efforts was started by
Rev. Goto, former minister of IBC, now advisor. The IBC has been an English speaking congregation.
However there a lot of non-Japanese whose mother tongues are not English.

Those from Brazil, South Korea, and Taiwan are more in number than those from English speaking
countries. In several cities in Japan, non-Japanese residents are 40% or nearly half of entire population.

Rev. Nagashima, the minister of the Brazil Church, and Mrs. Sasaki, assistant to the minister, made efforts
to contact Brazilian residents of Japan while they were in Japan a couple of times this year.
We can see Itai Doshin among people geographically distant and among different cultures, and also among
different age groups.

Preceding the World Sangha Assembly, the World Youth Meeting was held in August. At this meeting, the
headquarters in Tokyo and 11 overseas branches were linked to each other by internet. During the two day
meeting, a total of 500 people participated.Overcoming the time difference, even at midnight, they stayed
awake and enthusiastically shared their views on faith and peace. In NY, one person joined RKK the following
day and another wanted to guide his friend to join the Sangha.

In Oxford, a plan was proposed for holding a study class on Buddhism by internet for people living in distant
places. Many young people who attended WCRP VIII in various ways are trying to network through the
internet.

Buddhism teaches that not only human beings but all living and non-living things have buddha nature. Here
we can even see the internet, a non-living mechanism, playing a very important role to promote Itai Doshin
and Hashu Kyoko.

Another youth event has been proposed by Mr. Kadota, "The Lotus Sutra and Founder Niwano in English"
was held on November 12th in Taisei Hall. On that very morning, Dr. Reeves spoke in his Dhharma talk
about diversity in the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. In the afternoon, in Mr. Kadota’s program, diversity was
seen in various ways. 60 people made 44 presentations, including group presentations, reading, reciting or
speaking.

Many used internet projected on a screen or showed books with cheerful gestures or even by dancing.
Though mainly youth, their age also varied. Some groups included pre-school children and there were
presenters who looked rather elderly. A majority came from churches in the Kanto area, but there were also
students from Gakurin, both Japanese and from overseas, and from the Hoju Vocational College for Women
From IBC Biswas-san and Sati-san made presentations. Therefore it was quite international. The main
purpose was to spread the movement of "studying Buddhism in English" widely.

The first session was very successful. For a second time, next year 2007, the head of the Kansai district,
Rev. Sono, has already agreed to hold a Kansai session at the Osaka Fumon Hall even setting the date for
August 19th.

Last but not least, let me refer to the English translation of the guide for tours to Suganuma, the birth place
of the Founder, which was made by members of IBC and the Language Service. The original Japanese text
was made by Suganuma staff-members. It was used by Japanese guides. Volunteers from IBC and the LS
worked on the English version and after finishing it went to Suganuma themselves to guide overseas
members going there as a part of the World Sangha Assembly tour. This service was very helpful and highly
appreciated.

The second of the Three Marks of the Dharma is that "Nothing has an ego," which means that "every thing is
inter-dependant." Therefore we need to cooperate with each other in order to have as much chance as
possible of achieving our common goals. That is why Founder Niwano teaches us the importance of Itai Doshin
and Hashu Kyoko.

The year 2007 is drawing near. It’s less than ten days away. For IBC, it will be the seventh year.
In kanji, Odaimoku, consists of 7 characters. And even in baseball, in Japan the 7th inning is called "lucky
seven."

With the birth of Kosei-kai International, we are going to have an expansive, fortunate year.

I wish you all a happy new year!