Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, December 29, 2014
Who is truly great? I hope you can develop the ability to discern true human greatness. A great person is someone who forges unity among human beings through sincere dialogue, armed with a solid philosophy, feet firmly planted on the ground. A great person is one who lives among the people and earns their unshakable trust. Fickle popularity and temporary fads are nothing but illusions.
From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Monday, December 29, 2014
To hope to attain Buddhahood without speaking out against slander is as futile as trying to find water in the midst of fire or fire in the midst of water. No matter how sincerely one believes in the Lotus Sutra, if one is guilty of failing to rebuke slander of the Law, one will surely fall into hell, just a single crab leg will ruin a thousand pots of lacquer. This is the meaning of the passage in the sutra, "Because the poison has penetrated deeply and their minds no longer function as before."
The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood
This letter is addressed to Soya, a lay follower who lived in Soya Village in Shimosa Province in the year 1276.
Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, December 29, 2014
Ralph Waldo Emerson writes: "And so of cheerfulness, or a good temper, the more it is spent, the more of it remains." Cheerfulness is not the same as frivolousness. Cheerfulness is born of a fighting spirit. Frivolousness is the reverse side of cowardly escape. Emerson also said that "power dwells with cheerfulness; hope puts us in a working mood." Without cheerfulness there is no strength. Strive to advance still more brightly and cheerfully.
Excerpt from Daisaku Ikeda - A Youthful Diary (01 April 1958) p.390
Sensei's fatigue and his critical condition were apparent in his face. Heart-rending. Ah, would this be the world's greatest man's last return to the capital? Could only chant daimoku in my heart. Could only pray for his full recovery…
Warm all day. But none of Sensei's disciples can escape the dark cloud that shrouds their hearts.
We should strive further to polish our faith. We must develop ourselves. The day passed with countless verses coming and going through my mind.
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