President Toda's Quote on Finding a Job

"There are three standards for selecting a job: the three values of beauty, benefit and good. Everyone's ideal is to get a job they like (beauty), that is materially rewarding (benefit), and where you can contribute to society (good). The real world, however, is not as accommodating a place as you may think. Those who find a job that meets their ideal from the outset are doubtless few and far between. More often than not, people have to work at a job they never expected to have to do.


"Without running away from a disagreeable job, you should continue to work hard while praying to the Gohonzon. By continuing in this way, in the end you will definitely find yourself in a position that you like, that is profitable, and, moreover, that creates great good for society.

"Not only that, when you later look back on this period of struggle, you will see that none of your hard work was wasted, that your past efforts have all become precious assets. You will then understand that everything you have been through had meaning."

President Toda Encourages a Member Suffering in an Unhappy Marriage

“What do you think is the main reason for your being so afflicted with troubles despite having taken faith in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism? Is it because you lack faith, as inferior religions often preach, or because your opposing husband is all wrong? No, these are not the fundamental reasons. Rather, it is because of the strict law of cause and effect. Even if you never heard of this law, you cannot escape its workings. It is the teaching of the Buddha. It is completely different from the deceitful words of vainglorious school founders and professional religionists. It is not falsehood but truth.

Even if you become conversant with the law of cause and effect, however, solutions are still not easily attained. For the sake of finding the most basic solution, Nichiren Daishonin inscribed for all posterity the true object of devotion, the Gohonzon. All you have to do is to strive for the revolution of your life by devotedly chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon. A sapling does not grow into a great tree in a day, nor does a baby mature in a day or two. It takes long years of faith in order to change one’s bad destiny…”

“What counts is whether you will practice this principle with confidence or be overcome by doubt and discontinue. The result will be determined accordingly, for good or for bad. Be determined that the more opposition you meet in your faith, the sooner you will be able to purify your life, which is stained with bad karma. You will no doubt come to understand this at a later date. Once you remove the cause of your evil karma, you will naturally be free of it for all time. Then the course of your life will be greatly changed for the better.

“The Universal Worthy Sutra reads, ‘The sea of all karmic obstacles arises from illusions. If you wish to make amends [for your past karma], sit upright and meditate on the true entity of life, and all your offenses will vanish like frost and dewdrops in the sunlight of enlightened wisdom.’

“Unless you carry through your faith to this extent, all will be for naught. If you continue your faith amid difficulties, whether you like it or not, and whether you feel tortured or not, you will later enjoy a refreshed feeling as if you have applied moxa to an injury. Compared with the eternity of life, a trial period of a year or even six months is a mere flash. So long as you embrace strong faith, you will find the fundamental path to family revolution. Continue your faith with courage. I guarantee you with my whole life that things will change for the better.”

Source: The Human Revolution - Volume 1-3 (New Edition, Chapter: New Start, Pg. 330 - 331)

The two Bundles of Reed – Essay by Sensei Ikeda

There is a Buddhist concept called “ Engi “ or "dependent origination", which means that all phenomena are interrelated. In other words things exist only in relation to other things. Though, in Japan, the word “Engi” has now come to mean omens or luck in popular usage and is often used in negative context, it originally meant “arising in relation”. It means that, not a single phenomenon, whether sentient or insentient, exists in isolation, independent of other phenomena. Everything in this world comes into existence in response to causes and conditions. We see this in the web of nature, in the relationship between man and woman and their environment, between the individual and society, between parents and children, husband and wife, and so on.

Shariputra, a disciple of Shakyamuni who was known as “foremost in wisdom”, explained the concept by means of a following analogy:

Suppose there are two bundles of reeds. They can remain standing as long as they lean against each other. In like manner, because this exists, that exists and again because that exists, this exists. If one of the two bundles is removed, then the other will fall. Similarly without this existence, that cannot exist, and without that existence this cannot exist.

This is a skillful metaphor. It definitely hits home in describing the problem of environmental disruption whereby both Man and Nature fall together. Moreover, I think it has something to teach us in terms of our human relationships.

Human relationships are not easy to handle. Misunderstandings between husband and wife, conflicts between couples and their in-laws, and so on are as old as human history, but they still remain very difficult to resolve. However, even if one person embraces the firm view of life that because of that “this exists”- or in other words,”because of that person I can develop”- then he / she need never experience the pointless conflicts in human relations.

The other person’s good or bad points do not determine one’s happiness or unhappiness. In case of a young wife for example, her present existence is in relationship to her mother in –law and husband, whatever sort of people they may be. One who realizes this point can turn everything, good and bad, into an impetus for personal growth.

Of course, I am well aware that this is easier said than done. I think therefore it is all the more vital that we foster a sense of community and co existence based on the awareness that we are all interrelated.

We are all human beings who, through some mystic bond, were born to share the same limited life span on this planet, a small green oasis in the vast universe. Then how can we quarrel with each other or victimize one another?

I firmly believe that profound mutual compassion is what will change discord into harmony.

Source : Treasures of the Heart (Pg. 20 - 22)

Sensei's Poem - Written on the day he met President Toda

Traveler
Where have you come from?
Where are you going?

I forge ahead
Searching for light
In this unformed moment near dawn,
After the moon has set
But before sunrise.

I spring up from the soil
To drive the darkness from my mind,
To find a tall tree no storm can bend.

The True Entity of Life - A lecture by Daisaku Ikeda

“Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if only a single sentence or phrase.”

Nichiren Daishonin wrote the letter (of which this is an extract) in May 1273 on the island of Sado and sent it to one of his disciples, Sairen-bo. Sairen-bo was a learned priest who had formerly belonged to the Tendai sect, but he was drawn to the Daishonin’s noble character and became his disciple around February 1272. He followed his new teacher’s guidance faithfully, and out of his profound desire for understanding, asked the Daishonin to explain some fundamental Buddhist doctrines. In answer, the Daishonin wrote such important letters as “Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life”, “The Oral Teachings”, and “On the Attainment of Buddhahood by Insentient Beings”. “The True Entity of Life” is another of these letters. Its title comes from the phrases shoho jisso, or ‘the true entity of all phenomena”, which appears in the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Rather than giving a purely literal explanation, the Daishonin clarified the profound meaning of this phrase from the view point of his own enlightenment.

The passage above appears in the concluding section of the “The True Entity of Life” and explains the fundamental path of faith and practice for all followers of Nichiren Daishonin. As SGI members, we carry out the fundamentals of faith, practice and study just as the Daishonin taught us.

The three elements of faith, practice and study are actually inseparable. In this passage, however, Nichiren Daishonin with great insight draws a distinction between faith on the one hand and practice and study on the other. By doing so, he teaches us to base all our actions, including practice and study, on our faith in the Gohonzon.

I believe that one of his reasons for distinguishing faith from study and practice can be grasped from the sentence preceding aforementioned passage. It states:

“Believe in the Gohonzon, the supreme object of worship in the world. Forge strong faith and receive the protection of Shakyamuni, Taho and all the other Buddhas.”

If your faith in the Gohonzon is strong and profound, you will enjoy the protection of all the Buddhas in the universe. For this reason, it is important to maintain faith wholeheartedly, day by day, month after month and year after year.

In a similar vein, Nichikan Shonin, the 26th High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu, writes in the Threefold Secret Teaching that, “Strong faith in the Lotus Sutra is in itself Buddhahood”.

Both this quotation and the passage I just cited suggest that the purpose of our constant practice and study is to strengthen our faith in the Gohonzon. In conclusion, faith is deepened through practice and study, and at the same time, practice and study should be based on faith. We must understand this relationship and bear it in mind.

“Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study”.

Practice and Study are like the two wheels of a cart or the two wings of a bird. Sometimes you may find it very difficult to continue both practice and study, but both are essential aspects of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. As long as we pursue practice and study, we advance steadily towards the individual goal of attaining Buddhahood and the common goal of Kosen rufu. Some people may want to keep faith by themselves. However, it is not easy for someone practicing alone to make constant efforts up until the last moment of his life to strengthen his practice and study. This is why we need an organization in which we encourage each other. Moreover, in order to promote our noble goal of kosen rufu and foster the unity of many in body, one in mind, we must maintain close communication amongst ourselves.

Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism is not theoretical but actual. By this I mean that it is found in the three specific elements of faith in the Gohonzon, the practice of Gongyo and Shakubuku and the study of Daishonin’s teachings. By developing these three, we show clearly to others the way by which all people can attain true happiness.

Those who practice, but neglect study cannot explain this Buddhism convincingly or lead others to it. They will not only fail to fulfill their responsibility of propagating the great law but may even cause people to disrespect it.

On the other hand, those who devote themselves to study without practice cannot obtain real benefit. No matter how much they may know about the writings of Nichiren Daishonin, they cannot draw great good fortune from the Mystic Law. The ultimate aim of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism lies in attaining Buddhahood, and for this, practice is indispensible. One who boasts of his knowledge of Buddhism and finds self satisfaction in the study of abstract theory alone is no longer a Buddhist, much less a follower of Nichiren Daishonin. Many people of this sort neglect practice and make no effort to transmit the law into society or into the future. They assume a critical attitude towards those who embrace the Lotus Sutra, thereby creating bad karma for themselves.

Practice is divided into two: practice for oneself and practice for others. Simply stated, the former means to do Gongyo and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; the latter means to do shakubuku and spread faith in the Gohonzon. These are the fundamental disciplines of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. When you read the letters of Daishonin, you will find that some emphasize practice for oneself while others emphasize practice for others. “The True Object of Worship” written in April 1273, explains the Gohonzon theoretically, and reveals the path of enlightenment, setting forth the principle that embracing the Gohonzon is in itself attaining Buddhahood. It deals primarily with practice for oneself. However, ‘On Practicing the Buddha’s Teaching’, which was written in the following month, urges us to carry out practice for others, that is shakubuku.

In essence, as the Daishonin clearly declares in “The Three Great Secret Laws”:

“Now in the latter day of the law, the daimoku (i.e. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) which Nichiren chants is different from that of previous ages. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo entails practice both for oneself and others.”

In short, one who courageously devotes himself to practice both for himself and for the benefit of other people, can be said to have strong and correct faith.

Of course, the most fundamental practice is to do Gongyo and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon. However, we sometimes find people who self righteously insist that because embracing the Gohonzon is in itself attaining Buddhahood, they need not practice Shakubuku to lead others to the Gohonzon, I want you to understand that such people lack compassion.

When we feel joy in faith and gratitude for the Gohonzon’s boundless mercy, that joy will be reflected in our daily lives and spread outwards into the society. At the same time, we will quite naturally desire to share our joy with others. All sincere efforts based on this desire produce great benefit, serve to deepen our faith and are definitely linked to the spread of Buddhism.

From another viewpoint, we do shakubuku and propagate this teaching because we wish to help people overcome their unhappiness. Fundamentally, people are unhappy because, ignorant of the Gohonzon which is the enlightenment of Nichiren Daishonin and the essence of all Buddhism, they live trapped in the six lower worlds and cannot overcome the sufferings of birth and death. They do not realize that the storms of the nine worlds are coming and think they are safe, when in reality they base their happiness on relatively transient and superficial things.

There is a widespread misunderstanding that religious faith is only a matter of a human being’s inner world, or that a religious person is one who withdraws to some quiet place and devotes himself to contemplation. If this were the case, religion would be too egoistic. As long as faith remains limited to one’s inner world, its significance will not be great. It should spread outwards and influence the realities of life and society. This is the meaning of Nichiren Daishonin’s ‘Rissho Ankoku Ron’. It is precisely because our faith can positively influence the environment that we dedicate ourselves to the cause of Kosen rufu.

The practice of shakubuku further strengthens the pillar of faith in your heart. Propagating the eternal and universal law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is an action of mercy, justice and conviction. In terms of time, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is eternal, and in terms of space, it pervades the entire universe. Therefore, our activities to propagate this Law will definitely contribute to lasting world peace and human welfare. In this sense, our Buddhist movement is laying the groundwork for peace and culture at the most fundamental level.

Source: The Buddhism of the Sun (Pg.109-112)

The Fusion of Reality and Wisdom - Essay by Sue Thornton

In a television interview, Paul Tortellier, the famous cellist was asked by the interviewer, 'Has playing music taught you anything about life?' Without pausing for a moment's thought Tortellier replied, 'Through playing the cello and playing with other musicians I have learned that to enjoy life, you must know how to play your instrument really well'. He then added, 'It does not matter what instrument we play, what matters is that we play in the same key'.

The capacity to create value in life depends on the fusion of objective reality and subjective wisdom. Tortellier's cello is the objective reality, he himself having the subjective wisdom, or ability to play it. The cello and man produce a fusion of two things. The result is fine music.

In case of Tortellier, he is an outstanding musician playing a fine instrument, thereby creating beautiful music; separated they can create nothing. If Tortellier offered his cello to a five year old boy, he would probably produce nothing resembling music. Alternatively, we could ask Tortellier to fly an aeroplane, and he would porbably never get it off the ground. What is required is the interaction between the ability to create value inherent within Tortellier as the subject, and the corresponding value capable of being produced by the object, the cello. When the subject and the object are perfectly fused, something of great value is created.

There are many ways of relating to our surroundings to produce something valuable. However, only limited human potential is tapped by any single relationship. The fusion between wisdom and reality derived from Buddhist practice, however, opens up a much wider area of creativity. It reaches the essential nature of each individual and taps the richest source contained within a person and this has a far-reaching influence over his interaction with the outside world.

How is this possible? The extent to which wisdom is drawn out of a individual depends on what object is relating to which subject. Most objects have their limitations. They may produce, with human application, certain creativity; they may produce some self knowledge or happiness in the process.

It was in order to show the full, limitless potential of human life that Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon. This scroll, or mandala, can be be described as the objective reality of Buddhahood or the external reality that encompasses all the power of the universe. The Gohonzon can exist only because every human being has the same rich condition within, even though it is latent or undeveloped.

Nichiren Daishonin inscribed, in an objective form, the Buddhahood that he realized from wihtin his own life and which he knew to be inherent in all life. As the cello brings out Toretellier's musical creative ability, the Gohonzon, representing objectively the highest condition within man brings out the universal wisdom often untapped within human life. This is called the Buddha wisdom. Chanting to the Gohonzon reveals this condition. The Gohonzon is the perfect mirror of this inner potential.


Source: The Buddhism of the Sun (Pg. 28-29)

Guidances for Youth from President Ikeda: FINDING YOUR MISSION

Question: How do I discover my mission in life?

Answer (President Ikeda): First, I want to repeat that you do not find it by standing still. What's important is that you challenge yourself in something, it does not matter what. Then by making most consistent effort, the direction you should take, will open up before you naturally. It's important, therefore, to have the courage to ask yourself what you should be doing now, this very moment.

The key, in other words, is to climb the mountain that is right before you. As you ascend its slopes, you will develop your muscles, increasing your strength and endurance. Such training will enable you to challenge still higher mountains. It is vital that you continue to make such efforts.

Climb the mountain in front of you. When you reach the summit, wide new horizons will stretch out before you. Little by little, you will understand your mission.

Those who remember they have a unique mission are the strong ones. Whatever their problems, they will never be defeated. They can transform all of their problems into catalysts for growth towards a hope filled future.

Life is about scaling one mountain, and then facing the next one, followed by the one after that. Those who persevere and finally succeed in conquering the highest mountain are victors in life. On the other hand, those who avoid such challenges and take the easy route, descending into valleys, will end in defeat. To put it simply, we have two choices in life: We can either climb the mountain before us, or descend into the valley.

Source: 'The Way of Youth - Buddhist Common Sense for Handling Life's Questions (Pg. 92)'

Always Seeking the Law Within Ourselves

Through his writings, the Daishonin emphasizes that the key to realizing a great transformation which lies in our “heart” is nothing else but our Ichinen or our inner resolve. This admonition is extremely strict, because it means if we ever forget this fundamental point, we will be unable to attain enlightenment and that once we become negligent in renewing our determination, our practice of chanting diamoku will not bring about the beneficial power inherent within the mystic law.

No matter how much or how long we have been practicing Nichiren Daishonin`s Buddhism, if we are in fact seeking the law outside ourselves, then it could be said that we are in danger of lapsing into a non- Buddhist approach to life. You may think that this is unlikely, but actually it can happen to anyone of us. President Ikeda says that we should never forget the Daishonin's strict admonition that "you must never think that (any of the eighty thousand sacred teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha`s lifetime or any of the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas of the ten directions and three existences) are outside yourself ".

The practice for chantimg Diamoku is meant for attaining Buddhahood in this life time by manifesting the mystic truth that is inherent in all people. Since it is the way to enable all living beings to attain Buddhahood, no other practice is more wondrous. However once we lose sight of the wonderful, mystic truth within us, we will also loose sight of the essential message of the Buddhism – that of enabling every person to attain Buddhahood. We will then find ourselves in effect practicing an “ outer, non- Buddhist way”. For this reason, Nichiren Daishonin strictly warns against the attitude of looking for solutions outside yourselves.

Seeking the law outside yourself means that you are defeated by your fundamental darkness.

The foundation of our practice lies in opening up our innate Buddha nature for which we need to engage in a constant inner struggle. If we allow ourselves to be defeated by the functions of the three obstacles and four devils, then we will not be able to attain Buddhahood in this life time .

If we engage in this battle, then we can bring forth from within us the wisdom and insight of a Buddha, gaining control over our fundamental darkness. However, once we stop fighting, our inherent fundamental delusion will obscure our Buddha nature, strengthening our innate five poison of Greed, Anger, Foolishness, Arrogance and Doubt. This is exactly what had happens to us when we think that the law is outside ourselves.

Examples of wrong attitude in faith

President Ikeda enumerates five erroneous attitude in faith,which are in sharp contrast to seeking the law within ourselves :

1. Shifting responsibility to others:
The purpose of this practice of faith lies in establishing within us an indomitable self that is as solid and dauntless as Himalayas.However if we forget about the original purpose of the faith we can veer off the correct course and thus end up seeking the law outside ourselves.For instance ,though you may chant diamoku,if you pray while blaming others or your environment,making them out to be bad ,you are actually avoiding dealing with your own fundamental delusions – in other words ,you Are seeking the law outside yourself .This means you are offering prayers to the Gohonzon while keeping your fundamental darkness intact. This type of prayer is no different from tring to scoop up water with a strainer .It stands to reason that your situation will not improve ,no matter how much time goes by .

2. Escapism:
When one depends upon the external forces, such as a God or a Buddha, or some kind of supernatural power to fulfil one's wishes then one is escaping from reality, that is, one is trying to escape or is not confronting something and one does not want to face their individual problems. This type of attitude in faith is typical example of trying to find the law or solution outside oneself.

In this kind of erroneous faith one is using faith as a cloak to hide away from actual problems. This attitude is comparable to the case where, in climbing a mountain, one just wanders aimlessly around in the foothills without taking the first step up the slope without which one cannot scale the mountain. It is important that we challenge our own problems; else we will never be able to develop ourselves enough to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.

3. Disbelief, Grudges and Complaints:
If one suspects that the idea of Buddha nature is little more than mere theory or that nothing will really change, this basic disbelief will find expression as a prayer that is vague or lacks conviction. Such half hearted prayer can never function to transform our inchinen or life itself .

Grumbling or complaining are an expression of our general disbelief. Although we know that it is not good to complain it is still hard to restrain ourselves from complaining and having grudges.

It may be difficult for ordinary people to avoid complaining, but as practioners of the mystic law, we should be able to handle our inner negativity wisely, using it as a leverage for our further growth. In other words, President Ikeda says, “While you may not be completely free of grudges and complaints, as long as you are advancing forward you are alright.” It is vital to set our ichinen or solidify our determination. For example if one is going to shoot an arrow without a clear target, it is hard to pull the bowstring back to its fullest.

4. Ill feelings and resentments towards fellow members:
Disbelief in one’s own innate Buddhahood is problematic, but it is also equally problematic to fail to believe that Buddha nature exists in others as well. This is because negating the existence of Buddhahood within another’s life also means to follow the path of seeking the law outside oneself. Having ill feelings or jealousy towards fellow members and making slanderous remarks against them makes one a Non Buddhist. These are the causes by which we deny the Buddha nature inherent in our comrades.

As indicated, in The Heritage of Ultimate Law of Life, we cannot achieve the great goal of kosenrufu without the unity of Many in Body One in Mind. It is the devilish function or the fundamental darkness existing within oneself that prevents us from uniting with our fellow members or achieving harmonious unity.

5. Cowardice
We should never give in to cowardice. No matter what kind of trials and tribulations we may confront, we should never waver and continue to generate courage to challenge the situation. The power of Myo ho renge kyo is the force with which we can overcome any obstacles.

President Ikeda says, “Perceiving the devilish functions in life as they are and struggling without trying to escape reality – This is the way of life, that one who chants daimoku should choose”. Nichiren Daishonin writes, “The prayers that Nichiren and my disciples offer cannot be fulfilled if we were cowardly”.

By arousing courage based upon faith, we can dispel the heavy clouds of cowardice, darkness and delusions and be illuminated by the sun of the Mystic Law as the flower of MyoHo Renge Kyo comes to bloom in our life.

All the above mentioned life tendencies reflect the pattern where we seek the Law outside ourselves and these attitudes function to deepen and strengthen our innate fundamental darkness. Therefore what we need to do is exactly the opposite of all these five negative attitudes which is:

1) Faith with which we stand alone
2) Self Challenge
3) Conviction
4) Unity
5) Courage

The true and correct attitude that we must have is to seek the law within our life.

Source: Blue Deeper Than Indigo - Pg: 74 - 79 (Excerpt from the Explanation of the Gosho 'On Attaining Buddhahood in this Lifetime').

Leader’s Guidance by President Ikeda – As Shared in a Lecture by Linda Johnson

Why are we leaders in the SGI? We have made a commitment to help other people change. The only reason we should take on responsibility in the organization is that we continue to make a commitment to help other people change their life through Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. Each of you is a "life coach" and your job is to teach people how to win in life through Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. The job is coaching; helping each person to keep expanding their capacity. This requires us to constantly use our life to challenge that person to go beyond what is comfortable. You don't become a great athlete, or you don't become a great person without going beyond what is comfortable. Growth is uncomfortable. It means stretching beyond what you think you can do. Getting out of your comfort zone. We must grow beyond expecting it to be easy.

There is a difference between not being easy and having to suffer. How can we use our lives to help people change? Growth can be a joyful challenge. How can we really use our lives to help people really change?

We detach from our members' problems. "Yeah, he/she is suffering with that; I've visited them and tried to encourage them, and I call now and then. How can I help them if they don't have a seeking spirit? There's nothing I can do. It's up to them. We need to go to the next level of learning; of using our ichinen to ensure that our members grow. This has 100% to do with us, not them.

President Ikeda's definition of ichinen: 1996, the last time he was here, I attended a private dinner with about 50 people. He talked about what happened when he became president in 1960. He looked at all of us, without any arrogance.

"When I became the third president of the Soka Gakkai, the organization was in financial debt. There were three dilapidated headquarters buildings in Japan for the members. There were six staff members. That's it. Those were the conditions under which I assumed the presidency. Today, there are 1,300 community and culture centers in Japan alone, for the members to meet at. Our finances are very secure. We have established the Soka school system. Even more than that, Buddhism has spread from Japan to 138 countries (now, 165) around the world." He looked at us and said, "I am telling you this for one reason only. This is what the ichinen of one person can do.

"There was absolutely no arrogance in him; he was trying to share with us the power of prayer, the power of ichinen, such that shoten zenjin would emerge. He was trying to shake up each one of us. We have the same potential. We accept way too little. Wake up! "I'm not special; I'm just an example of what you have.

Every pain, every hurt on account of another human being, engrave it in your heart. Never forget; never do it to another human being."

People teach us through negative example of how not to be, as powerfully as how to be. Some people's mission is to teach through negative example. Our problem is that we separate from them; we don't get that they are a teacher on how to be better. Or, do we turn around and do the same thing? The reason we're there, experiencing that problem, is because it is our mission to find the solution. The solution is never, ever, ever waiting for the other person to change. If we do, we miss our own opportunity to do human revolution.

There was a person who's sister had a child killed by a drunk driver. She spiralled downward in grief. The member was in pain, watching her sister. She was feeling really helpless; "What can I do?" I shared with her an experience I had where I was suffering on account of a senior leader. I was judgemental of her. After two years, I finally remembered Vice President Hasagawa's guidance. "Hmm, maybe it would be a good thing to apply it." It's my mission to find a solution. The answer is only inside of my life. And, a prayer emerged.I would take responsibility through my prayer that the person would be able to win over her own weaknesses.

When you look at another human being you just see them in one moment of their process of their human revolution. At this moment, they may be controlled by the dark side. Like me; for two years, I could not win over being judgmental. We usually think, "They're not doing their best." But it's not about someone doing their best. I realized that's not what it's about. Sometimes things are so deep in our life, it's a process. We have to keep chipping away. This is just another human being working on their own weakness. I take responsibility through my prayer that she has a breakthrough. This is different than praying for someone's happiness. That doesn't work for me. When I am in judgement, it's, "You are so messed up, you need my help." That is not a place of compassion. You can't win until you change your judgement of them into compassion. When I took responsibility, I couldn't chant that prayer without changing myself. Immediately, the prayer had the power to change our relationship.

So, I shared this with that member; it didn't matter that the sister was in another state. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is so powerful, you can reach anyone in the universe "Study the Gosho; believe Nichiren Daishonin when he tells you that it can change immutable karma." Don't just sit back and observe the problem of our members, but ensure their breakthrough.

Within a month, I got an email. She had started chanting that way for her sister. Not only did her sister have a breakthrough over her grief, her sister started chanting. She had tried to shakabuku her for years. Through that prayer, something reached her sister. She is like a new woman. Another sister also started chanting. That prayer is so profound.

As leaders, we have the responsibility and obligation to not be bystanders. We have to learn to use our ichinen to ensure that each person has a victory. With that prayer, we are helping another human being win. What else is Buddhism? We become alive; we become invincible; not shaken by obstacles, by using our life to help someone else win.

This is vital and crucial. Our only function is to help other people grow. In order to do that, we must let go of control. People can't grow if we keep denying them opportunity. Whenever we are in this process, i.e., "I know how to do it the right way," we are reticent to allow someone else to do it because it might not be up to our expectation. No matter how good we are, someone gave us an opportunity at some point. And we weren't good right away. Why do we expect others to be great the first time? And, we don't get better by just doing it again ourselves.

I was in an area where there were these "control freak" women district leaders. The meetings were suppressed. "I'm the district leader; we will do the meeting the way I want." It's not my personal organization; it's all of ours. We have to let go. This is a real test; if you think you're good at something, how many people can you teach to do it even better than you? How do we do it all? We are busy people. Wife, mother, leader, lover. Time management comes down to letting go, and inspiring others to do something. This frees us and gives us more joy in our practice. We need lots of people doing things. Buddhism is not about "you doing more and more and more and more. When we hold on to things, we are not advancing kosen-rufu; we are stifling the development of Buddhism in the world. What is easier in the short term is death in the long run. It is easier for you to do it; but it stifles other people and prevents other people from growing. We keep bogging everything down with an attitude of "it has to be my way or no way."

So many of you say you rarely go for guidance. "I know what they'll say; 'chant.‘" I want to encourage you to change that attitude.

The purpose of guidance to send you back to the Gohonzon with a new attitude. We can't always do that for ourselves because we are too close; just like the part about the eyebrows. We can't see it. And, we think we already know what they are going to say...chant!

One of my leaders said, "The act of opening our life to another human being is the cause to cut the karma in half." We need each other. We need at least a minimum of one good friend; someone you could share your most painful dirt with, and it's OK, you know that person will never reject you. We need somebody who can always help us stay on the straight and narrow. We can't see our own negativity until we are so off-track that to come back, takes tremendous effort. If we are just one step off, it's much easier.

We must challenge ourselves to grow. We need someone to be strict with us to challenge us to grow.

It is absolutely vital that we go for our dreams. As women we are born nurturers. The weak side of nurturers is that we sometimes lose ourselves. This is a disservice. Flip the order, and put yourself first. This is not selfish. Only in going for our own dreams do we have the motivation to get out of bed with enthusiasm. We can't do it because of other's stuff. The burning passion in your own belly is what moves you; it adds a whole dimension of excitement to your life. When you give up on your dreams you give up on yourself.

Leading by example: when you're alive, really challenging life for some purpose, it's infectious to people around you. People closest to you get the worst of you. They deserve the best of you, not the worst. If you put yourself last, they get your worst. Don't be satisfied with the crumbs in life. Don't sit on the curb and watch everyone else go by. I don't think so; I didn't start practicing to watch everybody else win. When you are pursuing your dreams, happiness oozes out of you.

Only with struggles can we win over ourselves and encourage others. It's our experience that allows us to have the conviction in the power of prayer, and take that conviction and put it in someone else's life. Some leaders share everybody else's experiences instead of any of their own; you feel nothing coming from their life. James Hermann quoted, "A fate greater than death is to be dead but still alive." When we give up on our dreams, we are accepting slow death. I don't believe we become happy merely because we chant, or chant for a certain number of years. We become happy because we decide we are going to, and chant from that decision. Failure is no longer an option. "I've decided the obstacle will not win." When we make that decision, fueled by prayer, our life transforms, changes.

We keep going on; accepting; "This practice is too hard." We don't need to accept being unhappy. "I'm taking back control of my life; I refuse to allow suffering to control me." Everything immediately changes; not on the outside, but on the inside.

Enlightenment just as we are. Nichiren Daishonin de-mystifies life. All life has two functions; an enlightened, constructive side, and an unenlightened, destructive side. Nothing in life is all positive or all negative. We have it; everything has it. The circumstances we find ourselves in never define who we are. It's how we choose to use our circumstances are the reason we are the way we are - or the reason we can change.

I can choose to use my circumstances as justification for failure, or choose to use them as a motivating factor to change my life. The world of Buddha exists in every world. I really feel we never need to get rid of anything we go through; fear, doubt, anger. We associate these things with "negative." I used to chant to get rid of them. I decided I need to understand that the world of Buddhahood exists in everything; I should understand there's a constructive side. I chanted to connect with the enlightened side, to transform my life in a positive way.

President Ikeda says, "Persevere without fear or doubt." Honestly, as long as we are human, we'll have fear and doubt. Those are natural. I don't believe he's saying, "You won't have it at all." When we get this point, through chanting I can connect with this point and master it, and no longer fear fear. Now I realize it has a positive side I can always connect to through my prayer. It's my choice; it's a condition we create by winning over the negative side of the doubt and fear to call out the positive.

Never be defeated by the circumstances we find ourselves in. "Faith should never be an obligation; rather, it is our right." Only we can win our happiness. An easy-going life does not lead to happiness. Only when we face life and challenge it can we achieve true happiness.

We must not detach, whether it's in our or a member's life; there's nothing we can't change in our life.

Maintaining Hope - Guidance by President Ikeda

Question : Sometimes I feel so hopeless and pessimistic. What can I do to increase my self confidence ?

Answer: First Please understand that life is long ! The way Things are now will not last forever. Even if you have problems, even if you have made mistakes or have done things you regret, your whole future still lies ahead of you. Don’t worry endlessly over every obstacle or problem. Above all do not despair or be defeated by your impatience.

Nothing is hopeless. The worst mistake you can make when you are young is to give up on a dream, to not challenge yourself for fear of failure. The past is the past and the future is the future. Keep moving forward with the steady eye on what is ahead, telling yourself: “I` ll start from today “,”I ll start fresh from this moment!. This Spirit -starting from the present moment – is the heart of Buddhist philosophy.

Happiness in life does not depend upon how well things go in your youth. No matter how many mistakes you make, you always have another chance. Be ambitious and keep striving towards the future. If you are not happy with your achievements in high school, then give it your all at college. If that’s not to your satisfaction, there is still hope after graduation as you challenge yourself as an active member of the society. True success in life does not reveal itself until we reach our forties or fifties. If you experience setbacks along the way, continue with the fighting spirit into your forties, fifties, sixties & seventies.

My experience after more than seventy years of life has taught me to clearly recognize the human patterns that determine victory or defeat.

Many of the most famous people in our history appeared far from outstanding in their youth. Winston Churchill was well known for his many failures at school. Mahatama Gandhi wasn’t a remarkable student either, he was shy timid and a poor speaker.

So don’t be too hard on yourself. You are still young – a work in progress and still developing. To be growing and improving are wonderful things. Just continue to press on tenaciously and find your way forward despite the suffering and pain that are part of youth and growing up. Indeed that’s the only way to grow.

It is important not to loose hope. Losing hope is in a way, like living in the winter of the spirit. The English romantic poet Shelly said “If winter comes, can the spring be far behind?” No matter how long and bitter the winter may be, the spring always follows. This is the law of universe the law of life.

The same applies to us .If we seem to be withering an endless winter, we mustn’t abandon hope. As long as we have hope, spring is near. It will come without fail.

Spring is the time of blossoming. Buddhism teaches that all things have unique beauty and a unique unfolding. Every person has a singular mission, his or her individuality and way of living. It is important to recognize this truth and respect it. That is the natural order of things. That is how it works in the world of flowers- and in the world of human beings, different kind of flowers bloom harmoniously in beautiful perfusion.

THE ART OF LISTENING WITH THE EYES OF THE BUDDHA - By Linda Johnson

I think the ability to hear ourselves, and the ability to see everything from the viewpoint of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, means to be able to view all of life from the standpoint of the law of causality.

THE GOHONZON IS NOT OUTSIDE US

I find that so many people still chant to the Gohonzon as if it were some God or some force outside of themselves. The attitude with which we chant, and the attitude with which we view the Gohonzon is most important, because if we have a distorted view, we will have a distorted practice, and it is that distorted practice and view, that we will teach to others.

We know from study that the characters on the Gohonzon represent the two sides of life and all of the positive/negative attributes that exist within life, including that fundamental darkness that coexists within every human life. Nichiren Daishonin says that there is no life that has one without the other. The characters representing both aspects of life are written on the Gohonzon. For me what is exciting is to know, that even without my being able to read it, Nichiren Daishonin wrote all of these characters on the Gohonzon, which represent every aspect of life, in such a way that every character is looking at the centre just like you and me. Every character is looking at Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Think about the Ceremony in the Air. Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the axis of the universe and we're forming a circle around that axis.

All of us are looking at Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. It is the centre that every character is looking at. Why? It is because Nichiren Daishonin is giving us a continual message every time we look at the Gohonzon. The message is that we must base our life on the Law and never on the person. It is the mystic law that has enabled every Buddha throughout eternity to be able to manifest their fullest potential, and that it is the key, which is the centre, for everything. We have to make Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo the centre of our life and we have to base our life on Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. It means being able to see and to hear ourselves. It means that whenever we are facing a problem, we don't just try to use our brain to figure it out, or strategise how to fix it. Many members still do this, and after they have racked their brain as to what to do in order to get from Point A to Point B or to fix the problem, they then chant the solution to the Gohonzon to make it work! (laughter). I think that this is practising incorrectly. Let me tell you why.
When we talk about the nine levels of consciousness, the first five are our senses. Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste and Touch. The sixth level is the conscious mind. The seventh is the unconscious mind. The eighth level is what we call the karma storage area, which is that area in our life that has accumulated every cause we have ever made throughout all existences. Below that is the ninth level of consciousness, which Buddhism says, is the one pure, unchanging reality of our life.

Every single one of us has fortune and lack of fortune in our life. In the areas in which we have fortune, we can do the same things we see other people do and we can achieve our goals but in the areas of your life where you lack fortune, you can do the identical thing you see your neighbour doing, but the object of your desire seems to move further and further away (laughter), right?

EXCHANGING MISFORTUNE FOR FORTUNE

When we are dealing with problems in our lives, they have a causal connection to us. Many times they come from that place in our life where we lack fortune. And so, if we use our brain to strategize how to fix things, our brain can only go to the eighth level of consciousness, which is the karma storage. That is the area which stores up and accumulates all of the causes we have ever made, and it's seems to be the place in which; WE DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE FORTUNE (laughter). Our brain then devises a solution based on lack of fortune. By following this "mental" solution, we will keep reinforcing the same pattern of karmic tendencies over and over in our lives.

But what Nichiren teaches is that by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo you can pierce through the eighth level of karma storage. Pierce through it, be unaffected by it, and you can reach the pure unchanging reality and infinite wisdom of your life that is unaffected by karma storage. That answer is the correct answer for your life. It's not affected by your karma in the area in which you lack fortune. And this is why I believe Nichiren Daishonin says we must become the master of our mind rather than allowing our mind to master us.

My point is this; when we pray, we need to start from a determination such as: "I will accomplish X," (whatever X is). We also have to understand from Buddhism that we create our life every moment through our thoughts, our words, and our behavior.

Prayer in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is profoundly different from prayer in other religions. We are not praying to something outside of ourselves to bestow something on us. Instead, our prayer here is the determination that; "I will create the object or thing that I am praying for through my causes of thought, words, and actions. I am the creator of my life and I will take the responsibility to create the thing that I am praying for, and that after I have chanted this kind of determined daimoku, I will accomplish X." I then must come to a realization... "How in the world am I going to do this? That answer only exists inside of my life. I can tap my wisdom for the answer when I have the belief and conviction, that the answer exists inside of me." And I start chanting with the determination to pull that wisdom up from within my life to clearly see what it is that I need to do in order to create the thing that I'm praying for. That is why President Ikeda says:
"Benefit comes from you. Nobody gives you benefit."

Source: THE ART OF LISTENING WITH THE EYES OF THE BUDDHA - By Linda Johnson, SGI-USA WD Leader, Nov 2003 (Abridged), Edited by Adrian Mollica April 6th 2004

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo - The Mystic Truth that Embraces And is Inherent in All Things

What is this “mystic truth that is inherent in all living beings”? The underlying philosophy of the Lotus Sutra is that all people can attain enlightenment by perceiving the “mystic truth” that is inherent in all life. However it was Nichiren Daishonin who identified and grasped this mystic truth. He states: “This truth is Myoho-Renge-Kyo”. This is the stance of Nichiren Buddhism and we study the gosho from this standpoint.

The Great Teacher T’ien-T’ai, expounded the practice of “observing the mind” as deeply looking into one’s own life and recognizing the ten worlds within it, and of clearly perceiving the world of Buddhahood within oneself and revealing it.

However, the practice of “observing the mind” as taught by the Great Teacher T’ien-T’ai could only be carried out by an elite subset Buddhist practitioners who had left the secular world and had become monks. However, the practice of “contemplation and meditation on the law” is originally a task to deeply perceive one’s own heart. Our life contains both fundamental enlightenment as well as fundamental darkness. Therefore, without an extremely solid practice of contemplation or meditation, one would probably end up amid the delusion of fundamental darkness instead of reaching an enlightened state. T’ien-T’ai himself warned of this danger. Therefore, only people who had become real experts in the practice of contemplation and meditation on the Law could correctly carry out the practice of observing the mind.

Nichiren Daishonin states that it is virtually impossible for the common mortals of the Latter Day of the Law to pursue such a practice of contemplation and meditation on the Law as expounded by the Great Teacher T’ien-T’ai. He believed that such a teaching is not a religion for the people. President Ikeda explains this as follows:

‘The question is how to enable all people to perceive this “mystic truth” that is originally inherent in all living beings. A widely accessible Buddhism will not be possible if only a very limited number of people can follow the way set forth for apprehending the mystic truth. Before the Daishonin, the great teacher T’ien-T’ai of China tried to establish the means for perceiving this mystic truth through the practice of contemplation and meditation on the Law. But it is not a means that was readily accessible for the people of the Latter Day of the Law.’

So how did the Daishonin solve this problem? President Ikeda puts forth the conclusion as follows: “The initial step the Daishonin took in opening the great path to universal enlightenment was to name the mystic truth.” This is an important point. By giving “the mystic truth” a name, the Daishonin made it possible for anyone to engage in this practice. Naturally, to name this “truth” one needs to know its essential nature. Therefore, only Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, could give it the correct name.

President Ikeda explains that naming something is an “act of creativity”. One can give a name to something only when on accurately understands its true essence. He further writes that giving something a name that essence becomes open to all people and its value can be shared by everyone. When we understand this, we can understand the profundity of the passage – “This truth is Myoho-Renge-kyo”.

Not only did Nichiren Daishonin name the truth of Myoho-Renge-Kyo, he also established the method of practice by which all people can enter the realm of this truth. President Ikeda explains:

‘The Daishonin’s next step in opening this great path was to establish the practice of chanting daimoku. The Daishonin appended the word Nam to the universal truth of Myoho-renge-kyo and established the practice of invoking this truth. Nam means “dedicating one’s life to”. Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo aloud represents a determination and vow to dedicate one’s life to the realm of truth of Myoho-renge-kyo in thought, word and deeds.’

At the same time, chanting daimoku enables each person to actualize a way of life based on the universal truth of Myoho-renge-kyo. The crucial point in chanting daimoku in the Daishonin’s Buddhism is not simply intoning the name of an “external truth”. Chanting daimoku constitutes a practice to actually summon forth the “inner truth” that pervades the universe and our own selves and live our lives in accord with that truth. This practice could be described as a process of establishing a self capable of activating and tapping from within the “mystic truth originally inherent in all living beings”.

We often explain that Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is a fundamental Law or principle that pervades the universe as well our own lives. Conversely, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, the Law of our own lives, is itself the Law of the Universe.

By chanting daimoku we are able to summon forth our own innate Buddhahood. The wisdom and compassion of the Buddha that emerges through chanting daimoku enriches our being and brings happiness to ourselves and others. As more and more people come to chant daimoku for their own happiness and that of others, it will be possible to forge a dedicated alliance of people whose lives shine with the Buddha’s compassion. As more people are led to true happiness in this life, they become the central people in creating lasting peace in this world. This is the essence of kosen-rufu. Accomplishing kosen-rufu does not mean that all people on this earth should embrace the Daishonin’s Buddhism and practice it. Rather, as more people awaken to the principles of Buddhism, as taught by the Daishonin, the efforts, dedication and power of these awakened people moves the world towards peace.

Our task is to call out to as many people as possible, so that they can strive to awaken to the Buddhahood within themselves. Therefore, we need to have an organization devoted to kosen-rufu in order to keep doing this. This is the SGI organization. Therefore all members of SGI have this incredibly significant mission. We have awakened to the conclusion of Buddhist teachings that has been taught in the last millennia. We have the mission, responsibility and role to convey this conclusion.

Source: Blue Deeper Than Indigo - Gosho Study Series Vol. 1 (Pg:63-66)

Lion Cubs Will Become Lions – A Dialogue between Ikeda, Saito and Morinaka

IKEDA: A lion is valiant and resolute. It is powerful. It brims with a majesty that subdues all other animals. It is these qualities of the lion king that the Daishonin focuses on in his writings. He cites, for example, the passage in the Lotus Sutra that speaks of “the power of...the lion’s ferocity” (LS15, 218). He also describes the Buddha as a lion king successfully refuting the non-Buddhist believers who outnumber him.

MORINAKA: In comparing the Lotus Sutra to other sutras, the Daishonin says it is “like a
wrestling match between a lion king and a fox or a rabbit” (Gosho Zenshu, p. 852).

IKEDA: He also focuses on the lion’s calm and fearless manner.

SAITO: In a well-known passage, the Daishonin says: “Wherever your daughter may frolic or play, no harm will come to her; she will move about without fear like the lion king” (WND, 412). This refers to the benefit gained by those who believe in the Gohonzon.

IKEDA: In many places, the Daishonin mentions the formidable might of the lion that inspires awe and respect in all other animals. He also makes reference to the distinct characteristic of the lion king of summoning every ounce of strength in an attack, never taking any opponent lightly. This is the principle of “advancing three steps, and then gathering oneself to spring.”

Above all, the metaphor of the lion king is used in the Gosho to represent the Buddha, and Nichiren Daishonin in particular. The Daishonin writes, “The votary of the Lotus Sutra is like the sun or the lion” (WND, 613). In another place, he describes himself as being “like the lion king” (WND, 856).

SAITO: The Daishonin also compares the Lotus Sutra, the king of all sutras, to the lion king.

IKEDA: At any rate, of utmost importance is the oneness of mentor and disciple. A lion cub will also become a lion. Hence, the Daishonin teaches that we should struggle with the same spirit as the mentor.

He writes: “The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs” (WND, 997), and “A calf
begotten by an ox king will become an ox king; it will never become a lion king. A cub sired by a lion king will become a lion king; it will never become a human king or a heavenly king”(WND, 323). A lion cub grows into a lion. Likewise, though ordinary people, the children of the Buddha who strive to realize kosen-rufu will definitely become Buddhas. This is the very essence of the correct teaching of Buddhism.


To assert that the Buddha exists apart from human beings and that ordinary people are only ever destined to be guided by the Buddha is not genuine Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra teaches that all people are Buddhas, and that Shakyamuni seeks to enable all to attain the same lofty state of life as he.


SAITO: Yes. Though the other sutras expound the greatness of Shakyamuni and the Buddhas from other lands, they do not reveal the greatness of human beings from the standpoint that all people without exception have the capacity to become Buddhas. Only the Lotus Sutra fully and completely sets forth a philosophy of respect for human beings.

IKEDA: From the perspective of those who are the Buddha’s disciples, people who just revere the Buddha from afar as mere bystanders do not qualify as genuine disciples.
Unless we wage a great struggle for the happiness of all people with the same dedication as the mentor—just as the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas of the Earth have struggled together as one since the distant past—we cannot call ourselves the lion’s cubs.Worse, if we are lion cubs whose actions incur the ridicule of “foxes,” then we do not qualify as successors of the lion king.

We only carry on the legacy of the Lotus Sutra, the scripture of the oneness of mentor and disciple, when we firmly make the heart of a lion king our own and struggle as one with the mentor.

None of us believe from the start that we possess great power and ability. But when we gain courage from the mentor, the strength to take action and fight wells forth in our lives. We already possess that strength and ability within us. When we embrace the Mystic Law, that is the lion king, that power and ability naturally well forth.

The Daishonin writes: “Suppose a lion has a hundred cubs. When the lion king sees its cubs attacked by other beasts or birds of prey, he roars; the hundred cubs will then feel emboldened, and the heads of those other beasts and birds of prey will be split in seven pieces” (WND, 949).

The practice of the hundred cubs, who represent the disciples, is to gain courage from the
roar of the lion king, the mentor, and defeat other beasts and birds of prey that attack them.

SAITO: In other words, if the disciples only rely on the mentor to battle and defeat devilish forces without taking on the struggle themselves and emerging victorious, they cannot possibly carry on the mentor’s spirit.

Source: 'The Heart of the Lion King' - Study Material for April 2010

The Birds of the Snow Mountains - By Daisaku Ikeda

If winter comes, can spring be far behind? When I hear these words, my heart warms up. Winter indeed never fails to turn into spring. But the word winter may remind many people including me of the snow covered mountains of the Alps, or the white mountain ranges of the Himalayas.

There is a commentary on the Lotus Sutra called, 'Gathered Leaves of the Lotus Sutra from a Grove on Eagle Peak’ which includes the legendary story of Kankucho (literally, birds tormented by cold). This commentary is a well known Chinese work on the Lotus Sutra, the highest Buddhist scripture expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha in India. The story is as follows:

In ancient times, there were mountains in India called Snow Mountains. These mountains were so high that the cold there penetrated to the marrow and as the name indicates snow lay deep on the ground throughout the year. In the mountains lived two homeless birds called Kankucho. When evening fell and darkness gathered, the female bird, unable to bear the cold, would cry, “I am perishing from the cold”. To which the male bird would reply, “Let us build a nest when the day dawns”. But as soon as the sun rose and the birds were bathed in the warm sunshine, they forgot all about the cold which tormented them during the night. They reasoned – “We might be destined to die today or tomorrow; nothing is changeless in this world and we are strangers to eternal peace and tranquility”. Thus they spent their entire life in vain without ever building a nest.

This story may bring to mind ‘The Ant and the Grasshopper’ which appears in Aesop’s fables: “Why should we work assiduously when we never know what tomorrow may bring”. This ostensibly wise attitude makes the bird all the more pitiful.

I believe this story offers a penetrating insight into the darker side of the human nature. There are more cases than we imagine where people habitually make great efforts at pretence but betray their true nature at a crucial moment. No matter how serene another’s life may appear to be, that person invariably may have some suffering or trouble which others are not aware of. Even though we may not suffer as often as the Kankucho birds who were tormented every night, human beings are destined to face great difficulties at least several times or several dozen times in the course of our lives, with hardly more than a staff to lean on. If we wait till the last moment, however no matter how frantically we prepare either to retreat or to advance and stake our lives, it will be too late as time is irreversible. Then all we can do is cry out in agony just as the birds cried in distress in the bitter cold of the snow mountains.

What I mean by a staff is some steadfast belief or a firm mind which remains unperturbed even in the face of greatest difficulties. I tend to believe that the nest that the Kankucho birds kept vowing to build implies not only a warm dwelling place but also a foundation on which an unwavering mind can be established and a spirit that will neither be carried away by pleasure nor be defeated by suffering can root. The foolishness of Kankucho birds represents nothing other than the vulnerability of the human mind to change and fluctuation. It also indicates the human tendency to take the line of least resistance avoiding immediate task that require prompt action.

You can live like rootless seaweed, adrift at the mercy of the waves or you can live upto your conviction. I firmly believe that the choice will determine whether or not you can make your life worth living. If you choose the latter, I think you need a deep solid core in your life. In order for you to develop that core, you must take constant efforts, to train yourself spiritually.

Source: Treasures of the Heart (Pg. 49-52)

The Principle of the Buddha Nature Manifesting from Within And Bringing Forth Protection from Without

Here, the Daishonin explains one of the key Buddhist principles – namely, the principle of “the Buddha nature manifesting itself from within and bringing forth protection from without “. In other words when we activate the Buddha nature inside us, it will induce the protective functions to work from without.

It is we ourselves who posses the Buddha nature, and as such it is also up to us to awaken to it and manifest it. When we practice the Daishonin`s Buddhism, the mystic life comes to “permeate our life and exert its influence“; that is our Buddha nature once revealed pervades in our life in the same way as the burning incense imbues our clothings with its fragrance. Our Buddha nature emerges like a fragrance wafting in the breeze. And while we speak of receiving protection from the heavenly deities or the positive forces of the universe, the first step in that process is to embark on our own inner transformation.

Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to the Gohonzon, the object of devotion in the Nichiren Daishonin`s Buddhism, is infact the same as summoning forth and praising the Buddha nature that is inherent in our own life and resides in all things in the universe. In response to the sound of our chanting, by which means we reveal our Buddha nature, all benevolent deities throughout the universe move into action to protect us. This principle succinctly expresses the unique character of Nichiren Daishonin`s Buddhism, which is completely different from faith that pins hope for salvation on the agency of some external power.

This concept of “Buddha nature manifesting itself from within“indicates a power that is existing and is generated from inside us. Buddhism is known as the inner way. Therefore we do not seek Buddhahood, or the life of Buddha, outside of us, but rather within.The life state of Buddha that is characterized by the four noble virtues of eternity, purity, trueself and happiness is found within our own mortal being that experiences the delusion of earthly desires and sufferings of birth and death .The Daishonin`s Buddhism enables us to tap into and manifest that benefit in our life.

In other words, because we all possess the Buddha nature, when we chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo with a clearly focused mind, the life of the Buddha is summoned forth within us and emerges. Manifesting our inner Buddhahood causes protection to arise from without. All of this hinges on our inner focus or resolve.

In the light of the principle of “The Buddha nature manifesting itself from within and bringing forth protection from without “, we can definitely change any situation or environment by transforming our fundamental mindset and revealing our Buddha nature. All fear vanishes the moment we believe with all our heart “ I alone am the scriptwriter of my life“.

Next, in this letter the Daishonin states: “What is hidden turns into manifest virtue“. Unseen virtue turns into conspicuous rewards. To practice the mystic law is to proceed along the path of victory; all virtue will manifest in visible form without fail. When we forge ahead with this deep, unshakable conviction, our future will open up in wonderful ways that we could never possibly have imagined. This is the conviction and the declaration of the Daishonin, The Buddha of the latter day of the law.

Source : Value Creation Jan 2010/Vol 5 /Issue 1: Pg. 69-71

What Happens When We Die – By Akemi Baynes

We live and then we die. Many think of death as something dark, like ‘THE END’. Buddhism asserts that whilst all physical manifestations of life must decline and disintegrate, life itself cannot be destroyed. Death is the unseen state of life. It is the time when a person’s entity gathers energy to take on a new visible form. This continual rhythm of physical appearance, followed by death, is the very rhythm of life itself. Indeed the characters Myo-ho (of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo or Mystic Law) mean just this. How does Buddhism view death? One starting point in answering this question lies in recent evidence in medical research.

Professor Raymond Moody, an American philosopher and psychologist, has run a clinic for ten years. During this time more than 200 people who in clinical terms have died, have started to breathe again and returned to life. His book ‘Life After Life’, includes many of these experiences. Some can be classed as hallucinations but many of the stories seem to be true. With the numerous examples there are many similar factors. Firstly, at death, life leaves the physical body and floats above it and, regardless of the condition of the body, there is still consciousness, sight and hearing. There, as if on a screen in front of you, you see what you did, what you felt, and what you thought throughout the whole of your life. All this happens very fast and as you see it, you are able to feel joy for the good things and deep suffering for the things you want to hide. Thirdly, in this place, you feel you meet other people who have died. However, there exists some line between this world and the unknown world and before you cross over, you can sometimes, according to the experiences, be pulled back.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross originally did not believe in life after death. She made a special study based on the experiences of the dying and her conclusions are similar to Raymond Moody’s. She mentions particularly the part where the dead person sees everything that they did during their life time. She concludes that there is no such thing as a god to judge you; you judge yourself. She is convinced that death is only leaving matter and that life continues.

There are of course theories about ‘this thing’ that leaves the body at the time of death, which can see, hear and feel. Professor Okabe, a Japanese scientist, thinks that life after death is a form of energy, because energy is never destroyed:
“I think the main part of being is this particular energy and the physical body is a secondary factor. All physical matter changes in each person completely over seven years. If you think that it is the body that is the primary factor of life, then you are completely different person to the one you were seven years ago. But this ‘energy’ is constant, therefore everyone knows that they are the same person as when they were a child. This energy is able to function only because of the physical body. Death is only changing the form of energy. When you are alive, the energy is very active but when you die it becomes passive. It continues in a cycle between the two states forever.”

Okabe’s idea is very close to Buddhist thought. Buddhism says quite simply that this energy is life itself. Being alive or being dead are just different manifestations of life itself. This not only applies to human beings, but to everything throughout the universe.

The body, alive or dead, is also a part of universal life. It is like the rain that we see falling, which then disappears into the earth. The water drains underground, eventually flowing into a river and onwards to the sea. When this water evaporates from the surface of the sea it loses its physical form, until it again forms clouds and then rain. Because of our knowledge of science we know that the water itself does not change, only its physical form. From this example you could say that water as a liquid is like visible life and that the evaporated water is like death. The liquid and the evaporated water are just two cycles of the same substance. Similarly, life itself does not change, but it shows itself in two different forms, life and death, and just like the water, it will move in the cycle continually.

Despite the experiences of people who have died and then returned to life, it is impossible to know where life went to. This question is in the realm of philosophy and religion. It is something you cannot physically or scientifically prove. A famous Buddhist teaching by Vasubandhu (approximately 5th Century AD) describes the experience of death and birth:
“At death, the body is separated in two, the seen body and the unseen body. This unseen body is called sai-shin which means ‘very small body’ that cannot be seen by the physical eye. It is so small that it can move through any physical matter. The eyes, ears, nose and tongue keep perfect sense, not as a body, but as ability. This small body is able to float and fly any distance instantly. Every life in this condition has the potential to be born again, but it cannot be born when and where it likes, it is decided by what the person did while he was alive. He is born in a situation or place which is most suitable for the causes he made. At the moment when the female egg is fertilized by the male, if it is suitable for someone’s new life, this ‘very small body’ arrives there instantly, and a new physical form starts. When the physical body dies, it is impossible to change either the good or bad effects contained within its life. There is also no fixed time when it will be born again. For some it will be a very long time. It is all decided by what that person did during his life.”
This teaching very clearly describes karma.

Buddhism goes deeper than psychology in asserting nine consciousnesses. The ability to hear, see, feel, smell and taste are the first five. The sixth consciousness is our conscious mind. The seventh is active both when we are awake and sleeping. This is the realm of abstract thought and judgment. All the latent feelings or the six consciousnesses appear in our dreams through this seventh consciousness. Near to death, the six consciousnesses become latent and the seventh consciousness appears very strongly. Within this seventh consciousness is the deep desire to live. At death, the eighth consciousness becomes the strongest, with the first seven consciousnesses becoming latent. At the time of death all the seven consciousnesses, though latent, still exist or are stored within the eighth. The eighth level is where karma is stored during life. When life separates from the physical body, these seven consciousnesses continue to exist dormantly. The desire to live life again is still contained within the seventh consciousness. This will be the force to return to life again, but this will only be achieved in accord with the karma created by the causes made during the previous life through these seven consciousnesses, now stored in the eighth. When physical life starts once more, the seven consciousnesses again become strong, and the eighth level becomes latent.

Karma is every function of our lives, our thoughts, words and deeds (i.e. the workings of the seven consciousnesses) which are then carved into our lives. Our thoughts, words and deeds, whether good or bad, are not judged in the end by morals or the laws of society. Those based on the protection and development of life will be stored as good karma and those causing destruction, hurt or harm to life, as bad karma. This karma created within the seven consciousnesses is stored at the eighth level. Therefore, when you die, your life will be latent in the universe exactly as it was at the point of death and, since the seven consciousnesses are latent, they are unable to react to any environmental influence to change your life state.

We might imagine that life after death will be peaceful and a time of resting, but just as you can have a happy or unhappy dream, after death you can also feel joy or suffering. It is important, therefore, to look at one’s present life very strictly. The Buddhist theory of the nine consciousnesses is concerned with how we can be sure to build up good and valuable causes with our seven consciousnesses so that there are plenty in store at the eighth level at the point of death. In this respect the importance of the ninth consciousness becomes clear. The ninth consciousness is described as the essence of universal and eternal life (Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo), which can, if we choose to make the effort, permeate all the other eight consciousnesses.

The process of dying brings to the fore the main tendency of our lives. As one approaches the moment of death, one’s life centers on one of the ten states, the one which relates most strongly to his karma. After physical death we will remain in this state, latent in the universe, exactly as we were at the point of death.

If our lives are inclined towards suffering in the six lower worlds then we can expect to experience these in the latent state. The aim of Buddhism is to enable us to change the fixed direction which we have built up over many lifetimes. Buddhism is concerned with allowing us to bring forth the ninth consciousness, which is unaffected by this karma. Having done this in life, the ninth consciousness will remain predominant while dead. What happens when we die depends on what we do now to reveal the Buddha state.

Source: The Buddhism of the Sun (Pg. 42 – 45)

The Meaning of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo : By Pat Allwright

The title of the Lotus Sutra is Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Nichiren Daishonin added the word ‘Nam’, meaning devotion or dedication. Translated superficially, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo means, ‘I devote myself to the inexpressibly profound and wonderful truth, the Law of Life, expounded in the Lotus Sutra, which embodies the loftiest teachings of Buddhism’.

Nichiren Daishonin said: “To practice only the seven characters of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo may appear limited, yet since this law is the master of all Buddhas of the past, present and the future, the teacher of all bodhisattvas in the universe, and the guide that enables all human beings to attain Buddhahood, its practice is incomparably profound.”

In another writing he says: “Since all laws and phenomena are included in the five characters Myoho-Renge-Kyo, the word kyo (literally sutra) is the crown of all sutras. It thus envelops all the sutras”.

In other words, the title, Myoho-Renge-Kyo contains the essence of teachings of the Lotus Sutra which itself contains all Buddhist teachings. ‘The One Essential Phrase’ explains the importance of name. An extract reads: “… included within the title, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, is the entire sutra consisting of all eight volumes, twenty eight chapters and 69,384 characters without exception”.

Each Chinese character has a wealth of meaning which makes it the most suitable language for written teaching. It is not possible here to study all the aspects of the meaning of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo because, as explained above this would be to explain the entirety of the Buddhist philosophy. What follows is a basic outline.

Myoho is often translated as Mystic Law. Mystic implies difficult to discern. Myo refers to inherent enlightenment and ho to inherent ignorance. Myo refers to death and ho to life. Ho relates to all phenomena which can be seen or experienced through the senses, whereas myo relates to those aspects of life which are unseen. For example, if someone is very sad it is obvious from their facial expression and reactions. But when the same person becomes happy and starts laughing, where does the sadness go? We cannot say that it exists as it did before, but on the other hand it does still exist somewhere within that person’s life and can reappear at some other time. This is called the state of ‘neither existence nor non-existence’ and is described as Mystic. Thus life in all its myriad manifestations, both physical and non-physical, is following a continuous cycle of myo and ho, latent and manifest, death (the unseen or latent state) and life (comprising birth, growth, and physical decline).

Myo has three more meanings which Nichiren Daishonin explained in ‘On the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra’: To Open, To be Endowed and Perfect, and To Revive. The inherent energy of life is expansion. This is what to open means. To be endowed and perfect means that every element in life has this quality; for example, every drop of water in the ocean contains the properties and elements of the ocean itself. To revive refers to the regenerating and recreating the force of life.
Myoho describes life in its entirety, which is difficult to comprehend and is therefore called Mystic. Ho refers to individual phenomena whereas myo refers to universal rhythm of life, which harmonizes and unifies. Ho is the nine states, whereas myo is the Buddha state. Both aspects are, of course, inseparable. This is why a life based merely on ho, that is, on symptoms or outward appearances, tends towards defeat and destruction whereas life based on myoho is always tending towards creativity and harmony.

Renge means lotus flower and signifies the simultaneous nature of cause and effect, since in the lotus, the flower and the seed pod appear at the same time. Renge indicates the simultaneity of myo (Buddha) and ho (Nine states). In terms of our Buddhist practice the nine states are the cause and the Buddha state the effect.

There are actually two causes, the inherent cause and the external cause, and two effects, the latent effect and the manifest effect. We all have the inherent cause for enlightenment to Buddhahood. The external cause is the Gohonzon and our relationship with it is chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. This instantly creates the manifest effect of Buddhahood and we also create a tendency (latent effect) to experience the Buddha state in the future. We should be clear that Renge does not mean that we can live now and pay later. Renge explains the simultaneity of cause and effect which means we suffer right now when we act in a destructive way.

“As to the question of where exactly hell and the Buddha exist, one sutra reads that hell exists underground and another sutra reads that the Buddha is in the west. However, closer examination reveals that both exist in our five foot body. The reason I see it this way is that hell is the heart of a man who inwardly despises his father and disregards his mother, just like the lotus seed, which contains both flower and fruit at the same time.”

Finally, since the Lotus flower blooms in muddy swamps, renge also signifies life’s ability to purify itself.

Kyo has two meanings. The first is sutra, teaching, sound or vibration. Sounds never stop. Everything affects everything else in the boundless universe.
“Kyo denotes the voices and sounds of all living beings. One interpretation says, ‘voice makes an essential part of the Buddhist practice’. This is called kyo and the three existences of life are also called kyo”.

Thus kyo also means thread as in the weft of cloth. This signifies continuity or the flow of past, present and future; the perfect teaching which explains the eternal flow of life.

Through this explanation, limited though it must be, it can be seen that Myoho-Renge-Kyo has infinite depth. All Buddhist principles and philosophies arise through deeper study of these characters. But how can we use it in our lives? Myoho-Renge-Kyo is a beautiful, all-embracing truth, but if remains pure theory it is useless. This is where Nam comes in.

Nam is derived from the Sanskrit word Namas which means devotion or salutation. In Chinese, it was translated as kimyo. Ki means to return to the unchangeable, unshakable truth, and myo (a different myo from that of myoho) means to be based on wisdom which functions according to the circumstances. So the action of Nam, devoting or concentrating ourselves on chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon, means to return to this unchangeable truth of Myoho-Renge-Kyo and then live our lives based on the wisdom which arises, according to whatever situations occur in our daily lives. In terms of action kimyo means to unify one’s individual life with the rhythm of the life of the universe.

Ultimately, happiness does not depend on anything outside us. A good job, marriage, or any other situation in life can just easily be a source of suffering as it can be of happiness. This is why we chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo: TO ENSURE AN UNSHAKEABLE CONDITION OF LIFE.

Source: The Buddhism of the Sun (Pg. 54-56)

Cause and Effect – By Daisaku Ikeda

The people and the society of our age might be compared to a ship in the middle of the ocean which has lost its compass. Without an accurate guide to lead them, they sail aimlessly along towards the future.

Everyone hopes to lead a happy life. For this reason, people throughout the ages have sought religion and various theories have been expounded as to how to become happy. In reality, however, how many have ever succeeded in realizing this objective? There is a widespread tendency throughout society to belittle human life. I cannot help but believe that this trend originates from the ignorance about the principle of cause and effect.

Economics has its principles. Science has its criteria. Likewise Buddhism has discerned the Law or fundamental principles at work in all phenomena in the universe. A passage in the collected writings of Nichiren Daishonin reads:
‘There are shadows in the darkness, but man fails to discern them. There are routes in the sky by which birds fly, yet man cannot see them. Though invisible to us, there are certain currents in the sky and in the ocean for fish and birds to follow.’

Likewise, the principle of causality may remain imperceptible to the eyes of us ordinary people. Another passage states:
‘A person writing at night may put out the lamp, but the words he has written still remain. It is the same with the destiny that we create for ourselves in the threefold world.’
Although we cannot see the works because of the darkness, they nevertheless remain written. Similarly, according to the principle of cause and effect, the karma we have formed remains an inseparable part of our lives. '

We ordinary people tend to be engulfed by the rapid changes of the society, caring only for praise or to avoid blame. However, as long as we allow ourselves to be carried away by such continual flux, we can never expect to obtain a sure guarantee of happiness. A passage reads:
‘If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present.’

Causality as taught in Buddhism is strict. It permeates the past, present and future. Furthermore, it is not something imposed on us by others, some God for example. Both causes and effects are entirely of our own making. All our actions without exceptions are imprinted in our lives as either good or bad karma.

The law of causality is invisible, but each single moment of our lives contains all phenomena in the universe including ourselves, cause as well as the effect, without exception. Therefore it is described as strict. If things we are dealing with are tangible, we may be able to contrive various ways of evading them. The common law of society and the law of land fall into this category. In contrast, the universal law is a net that no one can escape. No matter what deception, disguise or cunning we may employ, we can never expect to slip through this invisible net.

‘Letter from Sado’ by Nichiren Daishonin states the following with regard to cause and effect:
‘One who climbs a high mountain must eventually descend. One who slights another will in turn be despised. One who deprecates those of handsome appearance will be born ugly. One who robs another of food and clothing is sure to fall into the world of hunger… This is the general law of cause and effect.’

No matter where we may be, we always live with the karmic retribution of everything that we have done in the past. Because we are governed by the general law of causality, we will be forced to agonize under the harshness of our karma throughout our lives. There will be nothing but total darkness ahead, and we, as common mortals, will find it impossible to change our destiny. For instance, Buddhism condemns killing. One who takes life (the most precious treasure of the universe) whether it is another person’s or his own, is certain to receive the retribution of being killed in this existence or the next.
However, this is a shallow view of the law of cause and effect and if this were all that Buddhism taught, we would have to consider our destiny fixed and unchangeable. We would be compelled to live passively and timidly, lest we commit some evil act or other. Nichiren Dashonin’s Buddhism goes far beyond the general law of cause and effect by teaching a supreme law which enables people to break through the fixed chain of causes and effects by opening up the Buddha nature innate within them, which is untouched by karma.

Most people are unknowingly, but profoundly, affected by their destiny or karma. Some are at the mercy of their fate. Others, battered by their own destiny, lapse into a life of resignation. As long as they remain ignorant of the causal law they will have no choice but to repeat the cycle of birth and death in this turbulent sea of suffering. In order to change this tragic destiny of mankind, Nichiren Daishonin established the Buddhism of the essential cause: the cause to manifest one’s innate Buddhahood. It enables the pure life force of the Buddha state, which has existed within us from time without beginning, to well forth in an unceasing current. It changes all the tragic causes and effects that lie between and unveils the pure causes and effects which exist from the beginningless past towards the present and future. This is liberation from the heavy shackles of destiny we have carried from the past. This is the establishment of free individuals in the truest sense of the term.

Source: The Buddhism of the Sun (Pg. 19-21)

The Benefits of Nichiren's Teachings - Lecture by President Josei Toda

When I view the situation in this world, I find rich people and I find poor people. There are families in which man and wife live happily together, in others there are always quarrels. There are homes in which the members all enjoy good health and a happy life. There are homes full of sick people. There are healthy people and there are unhealthy people. Why is this?
No occidental philosophy has been able to account for this. It has been explained only by the Buddhist philosophy of the Orient. Its conclusion is that our life is eternal and that we may die in this world, but we must be reborn in this world again. Just as a man who lived yesterday lives today too, a person who lives in his present life will have to be reborn. Just as we must recognize the existence of our next life we must recognize our past life. This is the basis of the Oriental Buddhist Philosophy. Whether you know it or not, it is the fact of life.
Therefore a person who is healthy today gave cause in his past life for his present good health. A person who is rich today gave cause for it in his past life. This is the Buddhist explanation of the fact that there are people who are noble and humble, rich and poor, happy and unhappy. If any one of you here is poor or suffering because of lack of money, it means that you, according to Buddhism, were a burglar in your past life. I think there are many ex-burglars here now. ‘Not me. It must be my neighbor,’ you might say. But then you tell yourself there isn’t much you can do about this life. But you can be a rich man in your next life and have a good husband or have a good child.
For that, you must do good deeds now to make sure that your next life will be what you want. This is the basis of Buddhist theory.
But just think for a moment. Everyone wants to overcome his destiny. A poor man, no matter how foolish, would not think that he should be content with his status. A sick man would not say that he is content being sick. He wants to be cured; he wants to be healthy. A poor man wants to be a rich man. This is quite natural. Yet the law preached by the Buddha is inexorable.
It holds that you cannot change your life now; you must wait until your next reincarnation. This is a problem indeed, isn’t it? But if this is the only solution Buddhism can offer, then I would not like to be a Buddhist. No thanks, because I couldn’t tell if I could have it my way in my next life.
But the Buddhist law of Nichiren Daishonin is better than that of the Buddha. That’s the reason why we shout; ‘We are not the pupils of the Buddha. Buddha’s law is of no use. It’s got to be Daishonin’s Buddhist law’. Daishonin said; ‘I am making thing called The Gohonzon. If you recite “Nam MyoHo Renge Kyo” in front of this Gohonzon, I will endow you with the condition you failed to create in your past life, enabling you to overcome your destiny instantly.’ This is a wonderful thing for which we must be grateful.
If there is a poor man among you, all you must do is to believe in this Gohonzon and carry out Shakubuku in earnest. Then you will have the good luck with which you did not come in this world.
When I hold a question and answer session in at Taiseki ji, I hear many questions. The two simplest ones are how a poor man can become rich and how a man suffering from tuberculosis can be cured. A man in the primary stage of tuberculosis can definitely be cured. I think there are many people who want to have a lot of money. But they can’t get money by wishing, I think. I want you to become rich by having a firm faith in the Gohonzon. How about it? Do you mind that?
Suppose the Tokyo University Hospital invented a medicine that would be sure to make you rich if only you had it injected into you between the hours of six and seven in the morning, I am sure everyone would get up early in the morning and go to the hospital. And they would get the shots even though they might have to wait for one or two hours. And if the medicine was so effective that if you continue to take it for one year you would make hundreds of thousands of yen, and if you continued this for two years you would make millions of yen, and for three years so many more millions of yen, and if a doctor could really do this, then I would think there would be a long line of people in front of his clinic. You too would go there, I am sure.
Now, you can get the same result without having to go to the Tokyo University Hospital but by sitting in your own home for only thirty minutes in the morning. You don’t have to spend a single yen for the train or tram fare. The only thing that you would need would be candles and incense sticks. Isn’t this a cheap investment? People who don’t do this, I say, are fools. Do it in the morning and in the evening. Don’t ever doubt the Gohonzon. Keep faith. If you doubt, it will be no good.
If you do as I tell you, and if things don’t work out as you want by the time I come back to Niigata next time, then you may come up here and beat me and kick me as much as you want. With this promise, I conclude my talk for tonight.

Source: K. Murata, Japan’s New Buddhism (New York and Tokyo: Walker/Weather hill, 1969), pp 108-10.