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Saturday

3rd October

WE have a tendency to want to know even a little of what the future holds. But, being common mortals, we only know what is immediately before us. However, the vision of the Buddha perfectly penetrates the three existences. There is no way that the prayer of a person of strong faith will not be answered.


FAITH in Buddhism is not an abstract concept separate from day-to-day reality. Our faith directly affects every aspect of our daily lives, from our beliefs about ourselves, our relationships with friends and family, to our contributions in society. Through faith, we gain the courage to take action and become experts at living. Those who show care and compassion to others, strive to excel at work and contribute to their communities show themselves to be people of genuine faith. Without such action, our faith becomes a mere formality.


YOU reveal your true potential when you wage an earnest struggle. It is “ichinen to fight,” or “the state of life to continue struggling” that makes you shine. Under any circumstances, you must have the courage to advance with composure along your chosen path and to splendidly construct your castle.


IN a certain sense, here is no simpler Buddhist practice than doing gongyo and chanting daimoku. We do not have to undertake strange austerities as in some esoteric Buddhist traditions. With machinery, too, the more sophisticated the technology, the greater the ease of operation and use. Similarly, the very superiority of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism enables us to reach the life state of Buddhahood through the very simplest form of practice.


FOUNDING President Makiguchi once said: “We are trying to faithfully carry out Nichiren Daishonin’s decree, so what could possibly be holding you back? Buddhism is not an intellectual game. Its purpose is to liberate the land and the people from suffering. To stand by with folded arms and fail to do so when the time arises is to betray the Buddha’s intent.”

NOTE: Visit http://nichirendaishoningosho.blogspot.com/ for Nichiren Daishonin's gosho, A Gift of Rice.