Daily Encouragement - 26 July 2011

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda Tuesday, July 26, 2011   Faith is perseverance. The key to victory in any struggle in life is persistence. That is why Nichiren Daishonin stresses the importance of having faith that flows ceaselessly like water rather than faith that flames up briefly like fire. To advance continuously, it is important never to become exhausted. Carrying out activities until late at night does not equate with strong faith.       From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Tuesday, July 26, 2011   Faith in this sutra means that you will surely attain Buddhahood if you are true to the entirety of the Lotus Sutra, adhering exactly to its teachings without adding any of your own ideas or following the arbitrary interpretations of others.   The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1030 Letter to Niike Written to Niike Saemon-no-jo in February 1280       Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda Tuesday, July 26, 2011   What does attaining Buddhahood mean for us? It does not mean that one day we suddenly turn into a Buddha or become magically enlightened. In a sense, attaining Buddhahood means that we have securely entered the path or orbit of Buddhahood inherent in the cosmos. Rather than a final static destination at which we arrive and remain, achieving enlightenment means firmly establishing the faith needed to keep advancing along the path of absolute happiness limitlessly, without end.      Sensei on Dialogue - Words of Wisdom Without dialogue, humans are fated to walk in the darkness of their own dogmatic self-righteousness. Dialogue is the lamp by which we dispel that darkness, lighting and making visible for each other our steps and the path ahead.