Sensei's Daily Encouragement - 29 January 2020 - Year of Advancement and Capable People

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda

January 29, 2020 

Practicing Buddhism means being victorious. In advancing one step at a time amid the realities of our daily lives, in showing concrete actual proof, in becoming victors and successes we are demonstrating with our very beings the validity of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and serving as a source of hope and inspiration for those who will follow us on the path of faith.

 

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From The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin

January 29, 2020 

Understand then that the votary who practices the Lotus Sutra exactly as the Buddha teaches will without fail be attacked by the three powerful enemies. In the more than two thousand years that have passed since the Buddha's advent, Shakyamuni himself, T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo were the only three who perfectly carried out the Buddha's teachings. Now in the Latter Day of the Law, Nichiren and his disciples and lay believers are just such practitioners. 

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 395

On Practicing the Buddha's Teachings

Written to all followers in May 1273

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Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda

January 29, 2020 

It may seem perfectly all right to put ourselves and our own wishes first, to simply follow the dictates of our emotions and cravings, but the truth is that there is nothing more unreliable than our own mind. Life doesn't always go like clockwork and things will not necessarily turn out as we hope or plan. Consequently, Nichiren frequently stressed: "You should become the master of your mind, not let your mind master you." We mustn't allow ourselves to be ruled by a self-centered mind. Rather, we have to discipline our mind and gain mastery over it.

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Excerpt from Daisaku Ikeda - A Youthful Diary (04 December 1957) p.361 

Until ten: My childhood, as the son of a seaweed farmer.

Until twenty: Developed self-awareness, battled the devil of illness.

Until thirty: Buddhist practice and study; fighting to destroy the devil of illness.

Until forty: Perfect my Buddhist study; perfect my Buddhist practice.

Until fifty: Make my declaration to society.

Until sixty: Complete the foundation of kosen-rufu in Japan. 

Many thoughts. Signposts for the future. 

Now that I am approaching my thirties, I ponder alone how many of my life's goals I have completed.