WHAT DOES NICHIREN BUDDHISM SAY ABOUT DESIRES?
SOME PEOPLE SAY WE CAN FULFIL ALL OUR DESIRES JUST BY PRAYING,
IS THAT TRUE?
Nichiren Buddhism acknowledges the existence of desires as an integral part of being human and teaches the principle of “earthlydesires are enlightenment”, that encourages the transformation, rather than the elimination, of desires. Explaining that both “earthly desires” and “enlightenment” are intrinsic to all individuals’ lives, it is important to cultivate wisdom and inner strength so that we are neither negatively influenced nor controlled by our tendencies to attachment. Through powerful prayer to the Gohonzon, we are able to transform these desires into a driving force for our own growth. With such a prayer, our desires cease to cause suffering, and become an impetus for our wisdom and happiness instead.
Furthermore, prayers serve to propel us in the direction of happiness. While the Gohonzon enables each practitioner to realise their prayers, we might sometimes feel not all of our immediate desires and prayers have been fulfilled. At such a crucial moment, it is important to understand that the simple attainment of all our immediate desires does not mean our prayers have been answered. Rather, it means having the absolute conviction that everything has turned out for the best, and that the benefit accrued from our prayers will return to 155our lives in the most appropriate way.
Simply praying for our goals is not enough. It is equally necessary to make efforts and take concrete action towards the realisation of our desires. “Prayer without action is idealism and action without prayer is futile.” Giving an analogy to explain to school students how prayers are answered, President Ikeda explains, “[I]t’s misguided to think that simply chanting, without making any serious attempt to study, will improve your grades. The realisation of your prayers begins with making concrete efforts towards their fulfilment.”
Source: Value Creation, June 2016
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