How to Get Benefits by Practicing

How to Get Benefits by Practicing

Pray for goals you think impossible.

  

When you ask something to the Gohonzon, you have to totally rely on the Gohonzon. You should not think a bit like, "That's too much to ask" or "It probably won't happen" You should leave things to the Gohonzon. If you have the attitude like "I am praying, but it won't probably happen.", nothing will come true. Prayer should be simple. "I got a problem. The Gohonzon, please help me out" That's all. No more nagging. If you think you can solve the problem by yourself, you should do it by yourself and you will not need to chant. You can pray only for what seems impossible for you. You do not have to think of how to solve. If there is a way to solve the problem, you will try it and solve it. Only when there seems to be no way to solve the problem, you pray. You should pray only for something impossible.

  

One day an owner of a small company asked me, "My company is on the verge of bankruptcy because of the recent economic sluggish. How can I overcome this?" "I have no idea", I answered. How can others have the good idea for you, when that person has no idea? "You came to see me since you could not come up with any good idea, didn't you?

   

Then why don't you ask your parents?" "I don't have parents", he replied. "Your parent is the Gohonzon, isn't it? You can ask the Gohonzon whatever you want. You are the child. You can ask the Gohonzon frankly like a sweet child. But you say 'Hey, Mom, give me 10 bucks', it will be no good. You should ask honestly and sincerely, "Mom, would you do me a favor? Could you buy me that? It does not matter how old you are now. Pray honestly and strongly to the Gohonzon. You have the parents that can make every your wish come true. Why don't you ask?"

   

He went home with strong determination He got a big order a week later. Because another company went bankrupt and his company could take over some of the business. Not only he could evade bankruptcy, but also his business expanded and now is very prosperous.

   

We pray because there is no way to solve. Faith is to pray for something impossible. For the Gohonzon, there is nothing impossible. For us, it is impossible. So we pray. This is faith. If you think even a bit, "It may be impossible" when pray, you do not believe in the Gohonzon. This is doubt on the Gohonzon. If you think, " I won't make it" or "It won't happen to me", this will be also doubt on the Gohonzon. If you think "I am not good ", this will be also doubt on the Gohonzon. "I am weak now, so I pray to be strong" This is a correct attitude in practice. Since it is impossible, we pray. If it were not impossible, we wouldn't need to chant. Do not use your brain when chant. Just use your heart. As long as you are using your brain to think of strategies, you cannot make things change. Ask the Gohonzon your every wish and leave everything to the Gohonzon.

   

Excerpt from Summary of Guidance by Soka Gakkai Vice President Hajime Kawai, 1996