TRUE FAITH

TRUE FAITH

  

This piece talks about the a very important aspect that is often not emphasized enough - Our Ichinen; Am I serious about my problem or am I simply complaining about the situation but not praying seriously about it? This guidance emphasizes the importance of actual proof, and not passively accepting a negative situation.

  

"We recite in our Gongyo, "Jiga toku burai" or "Since I attained Buddhahood". It is that crucial that we chant with conviction. To think that someone else will grant you Buddhahood is wrong. You must act yourself. 

  

I visited the Kawai residence in Fukui Prefecture of Japan to give guidance at a meeting being held there around February. Mr. Kawai who is now 51 years old had been blind from three years old after contracting measles. I told him, "You have eyeballs don't you? If you have eyes then you can open them. This Gohonzon is the Gohonzon of "The Opening of the Eyes". 

  

"The Opening of the Eyes" teaches us to see clearly. And yet you can not see - it must be because you did something against the Gohonzon and the Buddhist teachings in your past. You must have committed great slanders in the past. Ask the Gohonzon to please forgive your slanders. Express your gratitude to have had the fortune to meet the Gohonzon in this lifetime. Pledge to dedicate your life to Kosen rufu. Ask the Gohonzon to allow you to see the Gohonzon, your family and others around you so you can contribute towards Kosen-rufu." I asked him to pray in such a way. 

  

In the beginning of March, I received a message that he regained his sight after almost fifty years. Through his experience the whole Fukui prefecture has revitalized itself. It is such a surprise that one person regaining his sight can have such a great impact on an entire region. 

  

But what I wonder about this incident is why he couldn't regain his sight sooner? He was a member who offers his own home for meetings, never missed his Gongyo and had strong faith. Yet why wasn't he able to see sooner. It was because his attitude when doing his Gongyo and Daimoku was incorrect. His faith had gone off track. 

  

You must pray earnestly, "Isshin yokenbutsu fujishaku shinmyo" or "single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha". You must chant with gratitude and conviction that you will become one with the Gohonzon and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. There is no such thing as a sick or poor Buddha. Therefore all worries will be resolved. That is why you can achieve human revolution. Only human beings are able to achieve these things. 

  

Source: Guidance by Vice President Tsuji - Excerpt

  

A SHIFT IN YOUR HEART CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

A  SHIFT IN YOUR HEART CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

Importance of transforming resentment into compassion and complaints into gratitude. 

"Appreciation and gratitude increase good fortune. Complaint and negativity erase it." 

- President Ikeda 

"Complaints erase good fortune. Grateful prayer builds happiness for all eternity" 

- Kaneko Ikeda

There was a wonderful experience of a practitioner who was "working very hard" and doing everything right, BUT there was an underlying feeling of resentment and she was constantly begrudging her life . She was angry that her work was not being acknowledged and appreciated by the people around her. She kind of reminded me of a bird who charges ahead with all her might but bumps into a window each time.

We see many people who work very hard in terms of doing their duties, crazy hours of daimoku, and umpteen Gakkai activities. They have got a lot to show for it ofcourse. However, due to some stubborn cause, the relationships in their lives remain unchanged, while the bulk of the work continues to come to them, with no appreciation and people around them making their life only tougher and not easier. While this stubborn cause could very well be karma or mission, it could also have a lot to do with their attitude which had more than a whiff of resentment/arrogance/anger. 

To transform the tendency to be resentful appears to be very important. otherwise, we too could practice all our lives looking the wrong way. 

We should thus pray to:

1. Have compassion. This is key. When you bow to the image in the mirror. the image bows back to you. If you hate others, they too will revile you and detest you. You could be doing all the right things, but if your heart is not in the right place, people will respond to that negativity. Pray to transform all resentment into compassion. Pray that all positive, protective forces may enter your life and the lives of those around you as well all members. 

2. Have Gratitude. When you have gratitude for the things you have, and express gratitude frequently to those who support your life, your good fortune increases manifold.

The Art of listening with the eyes of a Buddha

The Art of listening with the eyes of a Buddha

When Sensei went to President Toda for his guidance, he was completely frustrated by the behavior of some leaders in the organization. President Toda was very strict with Sensei and told him that he needed to take the responsibility to create the kind of organization he wanted it to be. And then he said that; "Every pain, every hurt, every frustration you ever feel on account of another human being should be engraved in your heart. Never ever forget them. Then make sure you never, ever do the same to a single human being. We all want to grow and be happy and creative, but the point we most often miss, is that some people’s mission in our life is to teach us how to be a better human being through their negative example of how not to be. They are as powerful a teacher of how not to be, as the person who is the greatest example of how to be.” The issue here is; do we get the lesson or do we instead turn around and do the same thing to other people that we accuse others of doing to us?

He didn’t stop there, President Toda went on to say that we must understand that the reason we are here in this moment, in this lifetime, experiencing this problem, in this environment, with these people is because it is our mission, and our mission alone, to find the solution to the problem. The solution to the problem is never, ever waiting to see if the other person will change. Every time we wait for the other person to change we have missed our opportunity to do human revolution, to change and therefore to become happier. I too had to see the cause and effect connection with and within my life and my environment. There was a causal reason that my leader was in my life pulling out all my judgmental negativity. And so then, I started chanting with this thought: THIS IS MY MISSION, I HAVE TO FIND THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

It was clear that waiting for her to change was not the answer, it had been two years, so I was sure about it. I sincerely started chanting for the wisdom to see what it was that I needed to do to change this. And it put me on a journey towards serious self-reflection. What I saw was this: That even though I do my best, I’m not always proud of myself every day when I return home, in terms of the way I handle certain situations in my life. I also had to realize that although I had been doing my best but for two years, I had not been able to win over my judgmental self and my negativity towards this woman. When I could, I asked myself; “what makes me think that I have the right to hold another human being to certain standards?” I started to see that what I was observing in her was nothing other than a human being who, just like me, was battling with her own weaknesses, and again who, just like me had not yet been able to win over them because it is a process that takes time and it has to begin with self realisation, human revolution, challenge and change.

The moment I understood that.., really understood, not intellectually, but with my life,… a prayer came out of my life that I had never prayed before. That prayer was this… I decided that I would take total responsibility for her to have a victory over her weakness, and it meant that I was going to start sending daimoku to her life with the determination that through my daimoku alone, I was going to start battling that negativity in her. That weakness in her that I was judging so unmercifully, I was going to send daimoku to and I was going to battle within her life with my daimoku. With the determination that through my daimoku alone I would ensure that she had a breakthrough in her life. The minute I was able to chant that way, my relationship with her life changed just like that. What I realize now, is it was not her that had to change, it was me.

I chanted myself from a person of judgment, to a person of compassion for another human being’s life. When I judged her, that became my prayer and my expectation towards her, and she was my big movie screen that was projected back to me exactly what I expected of her. When I was able to take the responsibility to help her have a victory over her weakness, I found that I could have true compassion for her. My prayer and expectation towards her life became profoundly different because I had connected to another part of her life. I was able to open up to her for the first time. I then discovered that this type of sincere and deep prayer is a prayer that will allow us to speed up our human revolution and become strong powerful assets for Kosen Rufu. What I came to understand is that because there is no separation between myself and my environment, the weakness that we all experience in other people – carry the best possible messages for us to change.

Source: The Art of listening with the eyes of a Buddha, by Linda Johnson, SGI-USA WD Leader

BUILDING A SOLID INNER SELF

BUILDING A SOLID INNER SELF

  

“Building a solid and unmoving self like Mount Fuji means doing our human revolution, elevating our state of life, based on our practice of faith. It means developing a solid self that is never defeated by our environment or circumstances and is capable of transforming everything into happiness and victory. True happiness shines in the lives of those who possess such an indomitable self.” (My Dear Friends in America, 3rd edition, pg. 289)

  

This article from the Living Buddhism bears great food for thought, and below are some highlights that are particularly encouraging.

You can defeat any hardship or challenging situation by building a solid inner self!

1. Apply your daily Buddhist practice to your daily life and transform the situation.
2. Self-reflect on your own actions, how you interact and treat other people, and polish your character.
3. Whether you are dealing with difficulties at work, home, or in your daily interactions with others, make the determination to win and you will.
4. Do not dwell on what others choose to say or do.
5. Persevere with confidence and dignity along the path you choose.
6. Remember, life is all about the choices we make….even the little ones.
7. Through your Buddhist practice, you can open up and transform all areas in your life, even the most challenging ones.  Anything and everything is possible!
8. In our daily doings, take care not to create opportunities for others to take advantage of you or do you harm.   Always protect yourself and be aware of what is going on around you.
9. Exercise prudence and treat others with respect.
10. Focus on being happy and contribute to the welfare of others as well as society.

And remember….

  

“Just as Nichiren Buddhism teaches, no matter how difficult the situation, our Buddhist practice enables us to advance with confidence and dignity, aiming for absolute victory.  Our personal victory becomes a victory for kosenrufu that can encourage many.”

Source: Highlights and key points of this encouragement are taken from the article titled “Building a Solid Inner Self” - Living Buddhism, June 2012, pg. 17.

The Power of Chanting Daimoku

The Power of Chanting Daimoku

Chanting daimoku is a teaching that is "easy to embrace and easy to practice." Anyone can perform it. It can be done anytime and anywhere. It is the most highly refined and simplified method of practice. As such, it is the perfect Buddhist teaching for not only the 21st century, but the 22nd, 30th and 50th centuries, and for 10,000 years and more of the Latter Day of the Law — for all eternity.

The practice of chanting daimoku embodies the Buddha's ardent and heartfelt wish to lead all people to happiness. A practice that only certain people can carry out goes against the Buddha's spirit.

Daimoku is like light. As the Daishonin says, "A candle can light up a place that has been dark for billions of years." Similarly, the moment we offer prayers based on daimoku, the darkness in our lives vanishes. This is the principle of the simultaneity of cause and effect. At that very instant, in the depths of our lives our prayer has been answered.

Daimoku is also like fire. When you burn the firewood of earthly desires, then the fire of happiness — that is, of enlightenment — burns brightly. Suffering thus becomes the raw material for constructing happiness. For someone who does not have faith in the Mystic Law, suffering may be only sufferings. But for a person with strong faith, sufferings function to enable her or him to become happier still.

Source: `The One Essential Phrase' — 2, World Tribune, June 7, 1996 Pages. 9-10

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Let me share an experience here. At a Culture Department meeting, a man got up to share his experience. The year before, he was diagnosed with cancer. Terminal cancer. After many years of practice, this diagnosis caused him to lose all hope. He lost such hope, that he shut everyone out of his life. He went to bed, waiting to die. Fortunately for him, a gutsy WD chapter leader showed up. She made such a racket, he had to open the door. She barged on in, and started talking to him. She convinced him to chant with her. He hadn’t chanted in weeks. She made him sit front and center; she sat in back of him. Failure was not an option for her. They didn’t chant very long; maybe 30 minutes. While they were chanting, he literally got hot inside. He felt heat enter his body from his back. All this physical stuff started happening. When they got done, his will to fight for his life was re-awakened. He went to see the doctor. It was a very bleak environment. He went in and said, “I want to thank you for everything you are going to do to try to save my life. Even if you don’t succeed, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” 

The doctor was so shocked. He talked to him for a full hour, even though he had many other appointments waiting. They started a full course of treatment. Ultimately, this man was diagnosed as cancer-free. Through his life and example, we see how this woman’s ichinen woke him up. She poured her life into it. She didn’t go there with the attitude of, “I’m here to encourage you, but what you do is up to you.” 

Whether it’s us personally suffering in relationships, or with members, I really feel that in 1996 Matilda and I received guidance to change any relationship problem we’ve ever had in our life. 

Vice President Hasagawa shared that this was guidance President Toda had given President Ikeda. He was suffering from watching leaders hurt the members. It’s guidance for any situation. 

“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 it that they are a teaching us 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 a matter of waiting for the other person to change. If we do, we miss our own opportunity to do human revolution. 

Source: Leading by examples - Guidance by Linda Johnson, SGI-USA WD Leader

NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS

NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS

"Many of us have some problems that we avoid chanting about, because we are afraid to look at it directly and prefer not to think about it. Others have dreams locked up in their hearts that they are afraid to admit to even themselves let alone chant for, because they are afraid of being disappointed should they not succeed in attaining their goal. The Daishonin teaches us that power of Gohonzon has no limits. It is we who impose limits on it with our doubts and fears. How tragic it would be if we having encountered the Mystic Law, we could not fully enjoy its benefits because we lacked the courage to pray with all our hearts for what we truly wanted. Surely nothing would be bitterer than to look back over one's life and feel, 'I never accomplished what I really wanted.'"

- Daisaku Ikeda

Visible and Invisible Benefits of Chanting

Visible and Invisible Benefits of Chanting

Visible benefits are not as great as invisible benefits. In Buddhism the intangible benefits are truly great. I’m not denying the value of conspicuous benefits, but it’s important to understand this point. If you fail to do so, you may think you will always receive conspicuous benefits, and if you don’t, you may lose confidence in faith.

  

We can understand the concept of conspicuous and inconspicuous benefit in terms of absolute and relative happiness. To improve one’s life materially and physically is to attain relative happiness. But relative happiness, no matter how great, has nothing to do with absolute happiness. That’s why we are so often told not to be swayed by superficial things in our practice of true Buddhism. When you become rich, you might lose sight of that essential something in your faith, and forget about your absolute happiness. 

  

No matter what happens to you, you should continue to chant (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) to the Gohonzon. When you feel happy, you should thank the Gohonzon for your happiness. When you feel sad, you should pray to the Gohonzon so that you can replace the sadness with joy. In any event, it is the Gohonzon alone that you can depend on.

Source: Guidelines of Faith by Satoru Izumi

WHAT IS THE ATTITUDE WITH WHICH WE SHOULD PRAYING?

WHAT IS THE ATTITUDE WITH WHICH WE SHOULD PRAYING?

HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT OUR ICHINEN / DETERMINATION IS CHANNELED IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION?

"When you begin to practice Buddhism, all the infinitesimal angles of inclination—all the ways you relate to the universe—subtly change. You are positioned differently in life. The way you look at things, and the direction in which you stand in relation to things, changes. The ichinen or moment-to-moment determination, which comes bubbling up inside you when you chant, seeks a direction or an object or a goal, just as water seeks its own level. Beginning early in your practice, there are five steps to take to ensure that your ichinen/ determination is channeled in a positive direction:

1) Chant with courage. 

2) Make a strong determination or vow. 

3) Develop a concrete goal or goals. 

4) Offer resolute prayer. 

5) Take action until you see clear actual proof. 

"In the morning, it is a good idea to chant for the specific goals you want to accomplish that day, as well as the specific causes or actions you want to take in order to achieve those goals. So the day begins with determinations. 

"In the evening, you should take stock of how the day went. Report back to yourself on how well you did in terms of making your determinations come true. If some of the goals were not clearly achieved, perhaps only partially realized, then you should re-determine to accomplish them tomorrow. Each morning, make determinations and chant with determination. Each evening, re-determine to do what you need to do. When you do this over and over again, day after day—determining and re-determining to achieve your dreams—you become, in essence, a more determined person!

"When you summon the inner will or ichinen to accomplish an objective, everything about you shifts in the direction of that goal. It is as if the 'differential' of your entire being has been altered or moved a degree or so."

—The Buddha In Your Rearview Mirror; Chapter 3: How to Practice; p. 117-118

PRAY AND NEVER GIVE UP HALF WAY

ON PRAYER

  

Prayer based on the Mystic Law is a vow to win no matter what. Our prayers entail a struggle to transform despair and helplessness embodied in negative thoughts such as "I think this is impossible to achieve" into absolute conviction and courage infused in one's determination that "I will achieve it no matter what!"

In offering prayers, it is important to first set clearly defined goals. Being vague and unfocused when we pray is like shooting an arrow without looking at the target. The arrow will never hit the target unless we focus on it. The same can be said for our prayers. We must set specific goals and earnestly pray to realize these goals. On top of this, it is crucial to make determined, single-minded efforts towards that goal. Only then will the Buddhist gods (positive functions of the universe) be activated and our prayers realized.

NEVER GIVE UP HALF WAY!

Both Presidents Makiguchi and Toda declared that prayers based on the Mystic Law will bring about "sure-fire actual proofs"(just as a master shooter will always hit the target a hundred times out of a hundred).

In addition, SGI President Ikeda also taught us in his guidance: "Pray that instead of devils or negative, destructive forces infiltrating your being, Brahma, Shakra, and the gods of the sun and the moon-positive, protective forces of the universe-will enter your life! Pray that they will enter the lives of all members in your region and the entire membership of the SGI, as well. If you do this, your strength will multiply a hundredfold, a thousand fold. With such prayer, with such faith, you will be able to realize a fundamental transformation in the very depths of your life. It is the secret to achieving your human revolution."

There was an occasion when President Ikeda gave the following guidance to a member, who was confronting a grave adversity in life, during a dialogue session held at the training centre in Nagano: "There are times when our prayers seem to take ages to be fulfilled, or when they remain unrealized despite the most impassioned chanting of daimoku. During such moments, it crucial that you continue to believe in the Gohonzon and not give up half way. Only when we continue believing till the end, and chanting till the end, that we can embody the rhythm of victory of Nam myoho-renge-kyo of the great universe, thus manifesting the life state of Buddhahood in our life."

  

President Ikeda added, "Your prayers may be realized immediately but there are also times when your prayers are not answered in a short period of time. Whichever the case, without exception, you will look back and say to yourself that things worked out for the best, that you prayer was ultimately answered."

He further elaborated: "Prayer is the effort to align the gears of our life with the movement of the universe. It is an endeavor to make the entire universe our ally, and fundamentally redirect our state of life in the direction of happiness." 

  

THE SECRET IS TO PRAY TILL ONE'S PRAYER IS ANSWERED

  

When my daughter was critically ill, I had the opportunity to receive guidance from President Ikeda. He told me "When the mother is fighting so hard for Kosen-rufu, then there is no way that her child will become unhappy. Resolving to win in your struggles will lead to your child's ultimate victory; strive on with this determination. Pray until your prayers are answered. This is the secret to having one's prayers answered." 

It was just as per President Ikeda's encouragement that I persevered and continued to pray, and strive earnestly, and finally, a way forward to a life of victory for both mother and daughter opened right before us. 

The first guideline that President Ikeda set forth as part of the Women's Division Five Guidelines for Absolute Victory is, "EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH PRAYER."  

Source: Excerpt from the Gosho lecture - 'On Prayer' by Kazuko Morimoto, Shinetsu Women's Division Study Chief (Translated from the Nov 2014 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai's monthly study journal.)

GUIDANCE ON WORK AND SELECTING A JOB

GUIDANCE ON WORK AND SELECTING 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."

- Josei Toda

GUIDANCE ON FAMILY DISCORD

GUIDANCE ON FAMILY DISCORD

In his speech at the Kagawa Prefecture Women’s Division General Meeting, Shin’ichi Yamamoto (President Ikeda) touched on the subject of family discord.

“Family discord and communication breakdown between parents and children,” he said, “are not recent developments, but problems that people have suffered over since the beginning of time. I am sure that there are those who, even though they practice the Daishonin’s Buddhism, have challenging relationships with their sons or daughters, or with their daughter-in-laws, or perhaps with their spouses.

“In the end, the only way to heal these rifts in human relationships is through our Buddhist practice—that is, through expanding our life condition, changing inside, and carrying out our human revolution based on faith.

“Our parents, partners, siblings, and children are all part of the environment in which we find ourselves, and we are bound to them through karmic ties. We cannot escape from our reality.

“What are we to do, then? Instead of blaming our relationship problems on others, we can decide to change ourselves. For example, if a mother carries out her human revolution and her children begin to think she’s the best mother, then their whole attitude toward her will change and they’ll treat her with greater kindness. The same is true of our relationships with our partners.

“If we continually blame our children or partner, without reflecting on ourselves and striving to carry out our own human revolution, then we will never break through our situation. 

Nichiren Daishonin writes: ‘There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds’ (WND-1, 4). It is important for us to look at our situations from the perspective of Buddhism.

“Whether our home and family relationships move in the direction of harmony and become a ‘pure land,’ or end up more strained and unpleasant, becoming an ‘impure land,’ all depends on our inner determination.

“Chant daimoku earnestly to polish your character and cultivate a big, kind heart to warmly embrace your family, a strong invincible spirit, and rich wisdom. Bringing flowers of happiness to bloom in your families will become a powerful force for advancing kosen-rufu in your community.”

Source: SGI Newsletter No. 8872, The New Human Revolution--Vol. 26: Chap. 3, Valiant Leaders

WHAT IS THE CORRECT ATTITUDE TO DO GONGYO?

WHAT IS THE CORRECT ATTITUDE TO DO GONGYO?

  

Ikeda Sensei says: “Our morning and evening practice [of gongyo and daimoku] is an invigorating ceremony of beginningless time that revitalizes us from the very depths of our being. Therefore, the important thing is to chant [and do gongyo] each day filled with a sense of rhythm and cadence—like a horse galloping through the heavens. I hope you will chant in a way that leaves you refreshed and revitalized in both body and mind.” (The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, 16).

So, to do a refreshing gongyo, we need to first sit comfortably either on the floor or on a chair. However, it is important that our posture is one of respect.

Since it is a solemn ceremony we need to ensure we are dressed respectfully. Sensei explains, “It is best to keep your eyes open and to look at the Gohonzon…. Of course, if you do close your eyes occasionally, there’s no need to worry…. This, of course, does not apply to people who are … sight impaired, who need to simply chant or do gongyo to the Gohonzon within their heart” (Discussions on Youth, Vol. 2, 44).

We fold our hands and then start reciting gongyo in a clear voice which is audible to us. The Daishonin states, “The voice carries out the work of the Buddha” (ott, 4). Sensei adds: “A weak and unclear voice will not move the heavenly deities. That is why it is important for us to chant daimoku with voices that are clear, strong and brimming with joy” (Faith into Action, 100).

Of course, we should be careful not to disturb our neighbours.

Doing gongyo with an attitude of appreciation and joy is what we should aim towards. Sensei says, “… a person’s attitude in doing gongyo reveals itself in how that person lives. A person whose gongyo is weak will lack vital energy and will lapse inevitably into a feeble way of living. If you do gongyo only as if it were a chore or out of a sense of obligation, it will be hard for you to feel joy in your faith. Therefore, let us encourage one another to do a refreshing and rhythmical gongyo…. Let’s aim to do a superb, powerful gongyo each day, one that will move the entire universe and is infused with earnest prayers” (HR, Vol. 12, 352).

Source: Value Creation, February 2016

Simple and Clear Explanation on Chanting Daimoku

Simple and Clear Explanation on Chanting Daimoku

"Chanting is a process of polishing and forging our lives, which is why our faith is so important. Consequently, the benefit of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is absolutely not dependent on the amount we chant. 

What matters is that we chant to our own heart's content, the amount that feels right and satisfying for us. 

Nowhere in his writings does the Daishonin say we should chant a specific quantity. The efficacy of our prayers is influenced by the strength and depth of our faith, and by our determination and attitude.

At the same time, sincerely resolving to chant a specific amount is also an expression of faith.

We can chant the amount we've decided on each day, while continually renewing and deepening our resolve. It's also important that we chant honestly and openly, just as we are. 

All of us face times of worry, anguish and sadness in our lives. When we do, we can feel free to go straight to the Gohonzon with our suffering and chant about it wholeheartedly, just like a child seeking its mother's warm embrace."

"Being human, it's quite natural for our minds to wander, for all sorts of thoughts and memories to surface. There is no set form or pattern for how we should pray. Buddhism emphasises being natural. Therefore, simply chant earnestly without pretence or artifice, just as you are. In time, as your faith develops, you'll naturally find it easier to focus your mind when you chant.

It's natural for prayers to centre on your own desires and dreams. By chanting very naturally, without affectation or reservation, for what you seek most of all you'll gradually come to develop a higher and more expansive life-condition. 

Of course, it's perfectly fine as well to chant with the resolve to become a bigger-hearted person or for the welfare of your friends and for kosen-rufu - the happiness and flourishing of all humankind."

-  Daisaku Ikeda 

Breaking through Our Limitations

Breaking through Our Limitations

  

Nothing is impossible with Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. That is the spirit with which we have to learn to live every day in order to live our lives to the fullest.

Too often we limit ourselves, we settle too frequently for less than what we want. We all started practicing because we wanted to achieve something beyond what we currently had. We have to reawaken to that fact... and re-inspire and remind each other of the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

In the gosho "On Attaining Buddhahood", Nichiren Daishonin says: If you wish to free yourself, from the sufferings of birth and death you have endured through eternity and attain supreme enlightenment in this lifetime, you must awaken to the mystic truth which has always been within your life. This truth is Myohorenge-kyo (MW,Vol. 1, pg.3)

Nichiren Daishonin says the only difference between Buddha and common mortal is that a common mortal is still deluded. Too often we spend our days denying our potential. We only see our weakness and allow them to frustrate us. We are always looking for answer outside ourselves. But if we're looking outside ourselves, we're looking in the wrong place. We already have the answer. We already possess everything that we need. The solution to our problems is in the wisdom that is already inside of ourselves. We tap it every time we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the knowledge and the expectations that "I have the answer. I just need to chant to pull out."

It is very important that we start practicing aggressively. Whatever you need each moment of your life, you already have it with Nam-myoho-renge-kyo you can connect to it. You are no longer at the mercy of your environment unless you choose to be.

In the gosho, Reply to Kyo-O, Nichiren Daishonin says: Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle? (MW, Vol.l, pg.119) In this gosho, Nichiren Daishonin is not just referring to physical illness. He is talking about any problem, any obstacle. It is no mistake that he chose to refer to the lion, which is known as the king of the jungle. A lion uses the same energy to attack any prey, no matter what its size. Nichiren Daishonin goes on in that same gosho to say: "A sword will be useless in the hands of a coward." (MW,Vol.pg.120)

Excerpt - Culled from General Lecture by Linda Johnson, SGI-USA 21.3.98

Guidelines on Personal Wishes

Guidelines on Personal Wishes

I am starting with a 'Guidelines' series. These will basically consist of excerpts from this wonderful book called 'Guidelines in faith' by Mr. Satoru Izumi. It is an official Soka Gakkai book that is no longer in print. My mother and I were fortunate enough to get a copy long back when we started practicing and found it extremely helpful to develop a correct attitude towards our practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. This book has been vetted by Sensei Ikeda. 

Personal Wishes

I am sure that each and every one of you has some thing or other which worries you. Worry arises when your wishes are not realized. You feel happy when your wishes are fulfilled, and you find yourselves troubled when they are not. 

Some people are concerned only with their own personal wishes and desires. It is important to remind these people that one should pray, not only for personal matters, but also for kosen-rufu. On the other hand, some members take too casual an attitude toward their everyday lives, believing that since they are praying for the realization of kosen-rufu, their own problems will all be solved automatically. Such people often begin to harbor doubts and ask, “I am always praying for kosen-rufu. Why doesn’t my personal situation improve?”

President Toda used to teach us in the following way: “Suppose you put rice and water in a pot, and then chant to the Gohonzon that it will cook. No matter how long you chant, you ‘ll never get boiled rice.” By this he was refuting the mistaken Idea that benefits will come our way of themselves, if we only chant daimoku and make no further effort. We chant in order to gain wisdom- the wisdom which tells us to light the stove first and which helps us adjust the amount of water and the strength of the fire so that we can boil rice which is neither too hard nor too soft. 

True, we should sincerely pray for kosen-rufu. However, as long as we take an easy-going attitude, thinking that things will improve automatically, they rarely will. If we are to work for kosen-rufu, our own lives must be established on a firm foundation, which we must do our utmost to construct. It is necessary, then, that we pray both for the attainment of kosen-rufu and for the solution of our own personal problems when we face the Gohonzon.

Source: Guidelines of Faith by Satoru Izumi

CHANGING KARMA

CHANGING KARMA

"When a hose is turned on that has been out of use for a long time, initially, all the dirt and scum that was inside is flushed out. But if you keep the hose on, eventually clean fresh water will flow forth."

"Changing karma is a similar concept. Because you started practicing, the karma that had been clogging up your life has come out. This is the law of life. You can definitely transform your karma and attain happiness, so please continue to carry out faith until the very end, no matter what."

President Ikeda

The New Human Revolution—Vol. 17: Chap. 4, Green Fields 23

CHALLENGE THE IMPOSSIBLE

CHALLENGE THE IMPOSSIBLE WITH NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO

  

We have to be on a mission to help every human being become all they can be. That’s why we have the problems; to learn these lessons.  To make it not just theory.  But through our experience, through challenging problems, to develop this conviction that with Nam Myoho Renge Kyo you can do anything.  Anything. 

There was a woman I met, a couple of months ago, who had practiced with the temple, and came back to our organization.  And she had an un-diagnosable jaw problem that made it literally painful for her to talk, so she couldn’t chant hardly at all.  And she came to me for encouragement, and I encouraged her to do the united prayer.  And I encouraged her to do the united prayer because there was a woman in New York who had the same problem she did who did the united prayer and in less than a month, completely overcame it. And I shared this, and I said, “Do this.”  Because the united prayer, for the guests, is where we pray, every day, for every single member to experience the limitless potential of their life with this faith, and for them to get it in their DNA; and for them to pass it on to other human beings, so that we can really save this planet. And it’s about people really waking up to obstacles, and how obstacles have the most positive capability in our life.  We have to wake up to that, rather than rejecting it.  And that is the mission of this Buddhism.  It’s not self-centered, it’s not just about me. it’s about you winning at the same time.

I met that woman a month later.  And she came running up to me, all excited.  She had completely overcome her jaw problem.  (Applause.)  And she said to me, “I chanted and practiced in the temple, I chanted the same words, for five years, and I was never able to solve this.  In four months with the SGI, and it’s gone.”

So, my point is this.  The reason we have faith is to do what you cannot do with your own human effort.  You don’t need faith for what you can already do.  This is the reason we have faith.  But how can you ever know your limitless potential, or the power of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, unless you have the courage and guts to fight for that which is illogical in your brain?  Please challenge the impossible. The more you have the guts and courage to challenge the impossible, the more you will come to understand, you are magnificent.  Thank you.

Source: Excerpt from Linda Johnson’s Lecture – September, 2005, Chicago:  “Polishing the Reflection in the Mirror”

Why chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and not say Bacon and Eggs ?

Why chant 'Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo' and not, say, 'Bacon and Eggs'?

  

Do the words themselves have power?

  

There are two parts to this question: the first concerns the fundamental Law of life, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and the second our relationship to it.

We could ask 'why?' of many things we don't fully understand; indeed why do we call the universe, 'universe' or Great Britain. 'Great Britain'? Of course, every word has a history, but exactly why particular sounds were chosen to designate particular objects or ideas is very difficult to see even when those objects and ideas are familiar to us. Then again, the process by which the sounds of words conjure up images of their meaning in our minds is itself obscure and difficult to understand, and the effect they can have on us is even more incredible.

In short, all words have power. Words can make people happy or sad, angry or loving, and so on. Even the innocent words 'bacon and eggs’ can send you off to the shops to buy some. Language has a more profound effect on our lives than we know. Nichircn Daishonin says:

They say that.... if you so much as hear the words 'pickled plum', your mouth will begin to water. Even in everyday life there are such wonders, so how much greater are the wonders of the Lotus Sutra. (Major Writings. Vol. 3. pp. 3-4)

Historically, Myoho-renge-kyo is the title and essence of the Lotus Sutra, the highest of Shakyamuni's teachings, as translated from Sanskrit into ancient Chinese characters. Nichiren Daishonin placed nam, a Sanskrit word meaning 'devotion', in front of these characters; so that in simple terms Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means to devote one's life to the ultimate Law of the universe. Each of the characters themselves contain extremely profound principles of life, however, and together they express how everything in the cosmos works in one harmonious relationship.

Of course this is extremely difficult to believe and understand, but that does not mean it cannot be understood, or that chanting this phrase does not have a profound effect on our lives. Scientists and mathematicians use formular and language which are quite incomprehensible to most other people, but they can convey even the most difficult concepts to each other with accurate use of these expressions. Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI). says:

In the same manner when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo….with faith in the Gohonzon, even if we don't understand its profound meaning, we can tap the condition of Buddhahood. Our voice chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo permeates the cosmos and reaches the life condition of Buddnahood and all the Buddhas in the universe. It also penetrates our lives, enabling us to unlock the palace of Buddhahood or the supreme life condition of eternity, happiness, true self and purity. It is the same as music that, without any explanation, reaches and filters into people's hearts, calling forth a sympathetic response from them.

The most important point to remember is that everyone who chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, whether highly intellectual or totally illiterate, can draw out of themselves the state of Buddhahood which influences all the other states in our life and guides our actions in the very midst of our day-to-day struggles and problems. Although it is very difficult to believe at first, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the essence of everyone's life, and when we chant this phrase it affects us in countless positive ways, from the very core of our lives, from the inside out.

The extent to which we can benefit from chanting depends not on the power inherent in the characters Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is limitless, but entirely on how much sincere effort we make when we practise. The natural Law of life is in everything, but only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and taking action in our daily lives can we tap or activate it, and so enable it to work for the happiness of ourselves and other people.

Buddhism talks about the principle of the 'four powers': the power of the Buddha, the power of the Law, the power of faith and the power of practice. The first two are embodied in the Gohonzon, but are only activated by the powers of faith and practice of the person who chants to it. In other words it is the power of our faith and practice which determines the extent to which the power of the Gohonzon can appear in our lives. Josei Toda, the second president of the Soka Gakkai, said that it is vital to understand this point:

I often hear new members complain that they have not yet received any benefit. I find the majority of those people are preoccupied solely with getting benefit and pay no attention in strengthening their own powers of faith and practice. The statement 'Knock and it shall be opened unto you’ serves as a good illustration of the four powers. For example, if one exerts his powers of faith and practice to a factor of 100, the powers of the Buddha and the Law will also be manifested to the power of 100. Likewise, the powers of faith and practice exerted to a factor of 10.000 will manifest the powers of the Buddha and the Law to a factor of 10,000. We should fix this principle in our minds and dedicate ourselves to faith and practice without reservation.

Ultimately this means that we can see the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo only by putting it into practice - that is, by chanting sincerely, and taking action based on the wisdom gained from our chanting. What's more, if we do so while bearing in mind the principle of the four powers outlined above, we will begin to see that we can gradually reveal more and more of the power we inherently possess. And when we do this, we will un¬derstand that it really is much better to eat bacon and eggs - and chant only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

(by Richard Causton)

NEVER BE DEFEATED

NEVER BE DEFEATED

"Happiness is not something that exists in a faraway place. It's is within us. Faith is what taps and opens that happiness within. As long as your faith remains strong, whatever decision you make, it will take you in the best possible direction. Buddhism is reason, and faith is the driving force in our lives.

"The important thing is never to stray away from the great path of kosen-rufu. No matter what happens, no matter what hardship you may face, never abandon your faith. Throughout your life, wherever you may go in the world, persevere in your faith with steadiness, humility and determination. If you quit, you will be defeated.

"Faith is meaningless unless we carry it through until the very end. If we dont persevere in faith, we can't transform our karma or build a foundation for genuine happiness. But people have a tendency to be defeated by their own weakness. They may practise in earnest for a time, but then grow cowardly when faced with opposition or criticism  to their faith. Or when they fall ill or hit a deadlock, they may become fainthearted and start having doubts.

"Others abandon their faith because of a grudge held against another member arising from some minor personal conflict and then leave the Soka Gakkai the harmonious community of lay believers with a direct connection to the Buddha.  

To avoid this, it is important that we base our lives not on our subjective emotions but on the teachings of Buddhism and the Gosho.

"I am looking forward to your victory. I want to see you shining in triumph"

President Ikeda

New Human Revolution, Vol 9

PRESIDENT IKEDA'S GUIDANCE ON CHANTING

PRESIDENT IKEDA'S GUIDANCE ON CHANTING

♦️ Chanting should be light, refreshing and vibrant like a noble horse galloping freely across the vast open plains.

♦️ Chant with an honest and open heart just as you are. 

♦️ In times of anguish, or sadness, just go straight to the Gohonzon and chant about your problem whole heartedly.

♦️ When we've done something we regret, we can chant with a determination never to repeat the same mistake, making our daimoku the first step towards a new and better future. 

♦️ When we face a decisive challenge, we can chant strongly and courageously with the firm resolve to win. 

♦️ While battling obstacles, we can chant with the heart of a lion king, filled with confidence that we'll vanquish those negative functions. 

♦️ When we're happy about something, we can chant with a deep spirit of appreciation and gratitude.

(Source: VC, May 2011, Pg.66)

WHY SHOULD I ATTEND BSG / SGI MEETINGS ?

WHY SHOULD I ATTEND BSG / SGI MEETINGS?

  

Attending meetings is an important aspect of our Buddhist practice. The meetings have been described as an “oasis of happiness” and “source of absolute victory” as they infuse our lives with hope, happiness and great good fortune.

  

We attend meetings to seek the teachings of Buddhism. This tradition of meetings was also advocated by Nichiren Daishonin, who stated, “Those resolved to seek the way should gather [together] and listen to the contents of this letter” (‘Letter from Teradomari’, wnd-1, 206).

The majority of the meetings are held on a monthly basis in the homes of members. These are small gatherings which allow open-hearted discussion among participants so as to gain a correct understanding of the philosophy.

The core meetings are the discussion meeting and Gosho study meeting. The former provide us an opportunity to listen to experiences of members who share how they challenged various difficulties or situations through their Buddhist practice and were able to transform them into victories. They share their journey of human revolution in the process, of the value they created from a negative situation. It is a forum which allows us to learn from others’ experiences, seek answers to any questions we may have, resolve our doubts and deepen our faith.

In the study meetings, we study the Gosho, the writings of Nichiren Daishonin and Sensei’s guidance. This is practical study, which infuses us with the wisdom, compassion and courage to lead lives of happiness and value.

While attending meetings regularly is a challenge, however, the prayer and struggle to attend them fills our life with good fortune. It also enables us to develop correct faith and practice and experience the great power of the Mystic Law in our life.

Value Creation, February 2016

A Practice of Benefits

A Practice of Benefits

The following explanation of the benefits of Nichiren Buddhism comes from chapter 15 - "Why Do We Chant Every Day?" - Of President Ikeda's book "Discussions on Youth": Sometimes our immediate prayers are realized, and sometimes they aren't. Buddhism accords with reason. Our faith is reflected in our daily life, in our actual circumstances. Our prayers cannot be answered if we fail to make efforts appropriate to our situation.

In Nichiren Buddhism, it is said that no prayer goes unanswered. But this is very different from having every wish instantly gratified, as if by magic. If you chant to win in the lottery tomorrow, or to score 100 percent on a test tomorrow without having studied, the odds are very small that it will happen.  Nonetheless, viewed from a deeper, longer-term perspective, all your prayers serve to propel you in the direction of happiness.

Furthermore, it takes a great deal of time and effort to overcome sufferings of a karmic nature, whose roots lie deep in causes made in the past. There is a big difference, for example, in the time it takes for a scratch to heal and that required to recover from a serious internal disease. Some illnesses can be treated with medication, while others require surgery. The same applies to changing our karma through faith and practice. In addition, each person's level of faith and individual karma differ. By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, however, we can bring forth from within a powerful sense of hope and move our lives in a positive, beneficial direction.

It’s unrealistic to think that we can achieve everything overnight. If we were to have every prayer answered instantly, it would lead to our ruin. We'd grow lazy and complacent.

Suppose that rather than working, you spend all your money playing and are now destitute. Do you think someone giving you a large sum of money would contribute to your happiness in the long run?  It would be like making superficial repairs to a crumbling building, without addressing the root problem. Only by first rebuilding the foundation can we build something solid upon it. Faith enables us to transform not only our day-to-day problems, but our lives at their very foundation. Through our Buddhist practice, we can develop a strong inner core and a solid and inexhaustible reservoir of good fortune.

There are two kinds of benefit that derive from faith in the Gohonzon: conspicuous and inconspicuous.

Conspicuous benefit is the obvious, visible benefit of being protected or being quickly able to surmount a problem when it arises - be it an illness or a conflict in personal relationships. Inconspicuous benefit, on the other hand, is less tangible. It is good fortune accumulated slowly but steadily, like the growth of a tree or the rising of the tide, which results in the forging of a rich and expansive state of life. We might not discern any change from day to day, but as the years pass, it will be clear that we've become happy, that we've grown as individuals. This is inconspicuous benefit.

When you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, you will definitely gain the best result, regardless of whether that benefit is conspicuous or inconspicuous. No matter what happens, the important thing is to continue chanting. If you do so, you'll definitely become happy. Even if things don’t work out the way you hoped or imagined, when you look back later, you'll understand on a much more profound level that it was the best possible result. This is tremendous inconspicuous benefit.

The true benefits of Nichiren Buddhism are of a lasting and inconspicuous nature that accrues in the depths of your life.  Conspicuous benefit, for instance, might allow you to eat your fill today, but leave you worrying about your next meal. As an example of inconspicuous benefit, on the other hand, you may have only a meager meal today, but you are steadily developing a life where you will never have to worry about having enough to eat. The latter is a far more attractive prospect, I think. The more we exert ourselves in faith, the greater the benefit we experience.

(Taken from "Discussions on Youth", p225 – 228)

Relative Happiness and Absolute Happiness

Relative Happiness and Absolute Happiness

Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda taught that there are two kinds of happiness: relative happiness and absolute happiness.

Relative happiness speaks of a condition in which one’s material desires or immediate personal wishes are satisfied. While there is no limit to what we can hope or wish for, there is always a limit to what we can have materially and how long we can hold on to it. For example, we may get something we want at this moment, but the fulfillment we enjoy from getting it will not last. Through effort and planning, we may develop and adjust our circumstances to our liking, thinking this is happiness. But should those circumstances change or disappear, so will our happiness. Such happiness is called relative because it exists only in relation to external factors.

In contrast, absolute happiness means that living itself is happiness; being alive is a joy, no matter where we are or what our circumstances. It describes a life condition in which happiness wells forth from within. It is called absolute because it is not influenced by external conditions. Attaining Buddhahood means developing absolute happiness.

Beyond the troubles of just getting by in life, we often face unexpected problems. Happiness does not depend on whether or not we have problems, but how we perceive and deal with them. To cite an analogy, a person of little strength and experience who encounters a steep mountain path will view it as a daunting obstacle. But a strong, experienced hiker can confidently ascend a steep trail even while carrying a heavy backpack, enjoying the view along the way. In a similar way, one who has firmly established a life condition of absolute happiness can confidently face any difficulty. Problems can even become an impetus to bring forth a powerful life force, enabling one to calmly and confidently overcome any challenge.

For a strong mountain climber, the steeper and more rugged the mountain, the greater the enjoyment. Likewise, a person who has developed the wisdom and life force to overcome hardship will find society, which is rife with problems, to be a place for the creation of value and fulfillment.

SGI President Ikeda states: “Ultimately, happiness rests on how we establish a solid sense of self or being. Happiness does not lie in outward appearances nor in vanity. It is a matter of what you feel inside; it is a deep resonance in our lives”. In addition, the things that constitute relative happiness, such as possessions, relationships or circumstances, all disappear upon death. Absolute happiness, however, which is the life condition of a Buddha, exists on the level of life that is eternal and transcends life and death. It is a benefit that we can carry with us lifetime after lifetime.

Source: Daibyakurenge, October 2010, Soka Gakkai monthly study journal.

Faith, Practice and Study

Faith, Practice and Study

Some religions place primary emphasis on faith. Others strongly stress practice or acts of kindness. Some promote philosophical inquiry, while others discourage it, leaving such pursuits to religious professionals.

Nichiren Buddhism encourages a dynamic balance of faith, practice and study. Nichiren Daishonin writes: “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” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 386).

Faith

Faith in Buddhism is belief in our own vast potential and the limitless potential of all people to establish lives of unshakable happiness. This belief is expressed in the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the Mystic Law, the fundamental Law permeating our lives and the universe. 

Nichiren Daishonin faced numerous persecutions and hardships in the course of establishing his teaching and triumphed in every instance. He inscribed the Gohonzon as an expression of his winning state of life, so that future generations could bring forth the same life condition. He writes, “I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart” (“Reply to Kyo’o,” WND-1, 412). 

The basis of Nichiren Buddhist practice is believing deeply that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon enables all people to reveal their innate Buddhahood. When we chant to the Gohonzon with faith, we fuse our lives with the Mystic Law and reveal the wisdom, courage, compassion and all that is necessary to overcome any hardship and to help those around us do the same. Nichiren tells us never to seek the Gohonzon or enlightenment outside our own lives (“The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon,” WND-1, 832 and “On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime,” WND-1, 3). Faith in the Gohonzon, therefore, means faith in the tremendous power and nobility inherent in our lives and the lives of others. Buddhist practice and study strengthen our faith. And the stronger our faith, the more benefit and growth will result from practice and study.

Practice for Oneself and Others

Faith often begins as a simple expectation of how Buddhism can help improve one’s life. And with consistent practice, this expectation develops into conviction. Nichiren Buddhist practice consists of practice for oneself and practice for others. These are compared to the two wheels of a cart; both are necessary for the cart to move ahead properly.

Practice for oneself refers to chanting and reciting the sutra on a daily basis. We do this to bring about and maintain the high life condition necessary to establish enduring happiness. Practice for others constitutes teaching people about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and helping them establish their Buddhist practice and thereby create fulfilling lives. SGI activities aimed at further spreading Nichiren Buddhism and its humanistic philosophy are also part of this practice for others.

Nichiren writes, “Single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and urge others to do the same; that will remain as the only memory of your present life in this human world” (“Questions and Answers about Embracing the Lotus Sutra,” WND-1, 64). The happiness we create through chanting is eternal, transcending the boundaries of birth and death.

By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and teaching others, we pierce the negativity that keeps us from becoming absolutely happy. When we practice consistently, we continue to strengthen and develop ourselves, paving the way for a joyful and rewarding life.

Study

Study in Nichiren Buddhism means reading Nichiren Daishonin’s writings in order to correctly understand the Buddhist teachings and apply them more effectively in our lives. By deepening our knowledge of the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, we strengthen our confidence and conviction and learn what it means to practice correctly. Nichiren states: “Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” WND-1, 386). By continually studying and seeking the correct Buddhist teaching, we can avoid the pitfall of forming shallow views based on personal opinion or the incorrect interpretations of others. To be misled by such things will prevent us from fully bringing forth our Buddha nature and enjoying the true benefit of our practice. Therefore, we also study the words and examples of the three Soka Gakkai presidents—Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda —who have fully applied and validated the teachings of the Daishonin in this modern age.

Second president Josei Toda once remarked, “Reason gives rise to faith; faith, in turn, seeks reason; reason thus gained elevates faith; and faith thus elevated further deepens reason.” In other words, as we deepen our understanding of Nichiren Buddhism, we can establish stronger faith. And with stronger faith, we will seek further understanding of Nichiren Buddhism.

In the course of our lives, we will certainly experience difficulties and at times may wonder, if I’m practicing Buddhism, why do I have this problem? As we deepen our faith through study, we come to see the opportunity within problems and obstacles and fortify our ability to overcome them. “Buddhist study,” President Ikeda says, “provides us with a great philosophy that serves as a compass to traverse the stormy and perilous seas of life. The more solid our foundation in Buddhist study, the stronger our faith will grow” (December 9, 2005, World Tribune, p. 2).

Through deepening our understanding of Nichiren Buddhism, we can resolve our doubts and continue toward establishing a state of unshakable happiness.

Source: Introductory Exam Study Guide 2012