INSPIRING QUOTES BY PRESIDENT TODA ON FAITH

INSPIRING QUOTES BY PRESIDENT TODA ON "FAITH"

President Toda used to say: "Don't be impatient. Since you have embraced the Gohonzon, your situation will definitely improve. There's no need to worry. Sure there will be hard times, times when you feel like crying. But as long as you have the Gohonzon, your life will become bright and joyful." As long as we persevere in faith, we will become happy. We must never doubt this no matter what happens but always advance resolutely, staunchly enduring all hardships and obstacles along the way. This is what true faith is."

"Soka Gakkai Second President Mr Toda warmly encouraged members who were facing various problems in life, such as business difficulties, financial worries, illness and family discord. He said: "Nichiren Daishonin overcame every obstacle. This is actual proof of the power of faith. You have the Gohonzon. You have the strategy of faith. Live as a spiritual champion. You'll definitely be able to find a wonderful solution beyond anything you've imagined. Faith that is not defeated by any adversity is what enables us to build a citadel of eternal happiness."

"President Toda once said, 'Your faith is full-fledged if you can truly tap absolute confidence from the depths of your heart and say, 'I am all right because I embrace the Gohonzon and everything is all right with me because I worship the Gohonzon.' Furthermore, you will be completely all right when you can say with firm conviction, 'This morning I did Gongyo and, at any given moment, I am dedicated to Myoho. My life is absolutely fine.'"

"A Soka Gakkai women's division leader once asked second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda what was most important when talking to others and trying to communicate the greatness of the Mystic Law to them. He replied with a question of his own: 'What is the most important thing in life and faith?'

"Uncertain as to how to respond, the leader remained silent.

"'It is conviction,' replied Mr. Toda. 'When you read newspaper stories about people who have been defeated in life, it's because they have lost conviction. As practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism, therefore, we must always prize and value above all the absolute conviction demonstrated by the Daishonin.'

"On another occasion, Mr. Toda also said: 'You truly are a person of strong faith if you have the deep-seated conviction that everything will be fine because you have the Gohonzon, that you will be okay because you chant to the Gohonzon. You know you don't need to worry about having to do this or that, or how things are going to turn out. You uphold the Gohonzon. You chanted before it this morning, you are upholding it now. If you have the conviction that your life will be all right, then it will. From today, adopt that attitude. There isn't the slightest doubt that you will become happy.'

"In this way, Mr. Toda stressed the importance of having absolute conviction in faith."

Source: as quoted by President Ikeda in various articles / speeches / guidances.