Sensei's Daily Encouragement - October 20 2022 - The year of Youth and Dynamic Progress



    

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
October 20, 2022

President Toda detested formality. And for this reason, as his disciple, I have tried to place foremost emphasis on substance. Formalities are important in certain cases, but mere formality without substance is evil. Formalities in and of themselves have no life; whereas substance is alive. Formality is provisional and substance essential. Formality is conventional and therefore conservative, but substance provides the impetus for progress and development.
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From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
October 20, 2022

From here we are going to cross the sea to the island province of Sado, but at the moment the winds are not favourable, so I do not know when we will depart. The hardships along the way were worse than I could have imagined, and indeed more than I can put down in writing. I will leave you to surmise what I endured. But I have been prepared for such difficulties from the outset, so there is no point in starting to complain about them now. I shall accordingly say no more of the matter.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter from Teradomari
Written to Toki Jonin on October 22, 1271
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Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
October 20, 2022

We should all develop the mind to rejoice in, praise and share in the gift of those who have artistic talents and a richness of heart, whether they achieve wide recognition or not. Cultivating such a beautiful mind is a very worthy effort. Culture and art are not just decorations. They are not just accessories. What matters is whether culture enriches the essential substance of our lives.
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Excerpt from Daisaku Ikeda - A Youthful Diary (10 November 1955) p.270/271

Morning gongyo is most crucial. It determines today's victory or defeat, whether this day of life will be one of prosperity or decline. Gongyo is the practical application of the philosophy of 'the simultaneity of cause and effect.'
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