Sensei's Daily Encouragement - January 18 2024 - Year of Fresh Departure for a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide

   

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
January 18, 2024
 
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was a tireless crusader for human rights said: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?" Do not say you will do it "someday," now is the time. Do not say "someone" will do it, you are the one. Now is the time for youth to take full responsibility and courageously pave the way for the people's triumph.
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From The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
January 18, 2024
 
If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable.
 
The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 618
Many in Body, One in Mind
Written to the lay priest Takahashi on August 6, year unknown
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Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
January 18, 2024
 
Buddhism is practiced to make one's prayers and dreams come true and to achieve the greatest possible happiness. The purpose of Nichiren Buddhism is to enable one to realize victory. The fact that prayers are answered proves the correctness of this teaching.
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Excerpt from Daisaku Ikeda - A Youthful Diary (19 November 1957) p. 356
 
My mentor's health has weakened extremely…
Rushed to the headquarters in the afternoon. Met with Sensei. Tried to persuade him, from the bottom of my heart, to cancel his plan to attend the opening and Gohonzon-enshrining ceremonies for the new temple in Hiroshima. Undaunted, he reproached me:
"As an emissary of the Gohonzon, I cannot cancel something I have agreed upon. As a man, I must go, even if it kills me. Isn't this, Daisaku, what is meant by genuine faith?"
My tears flow at his strict guidance.
"The high priest is coming, and four thousand members will be waiting. Dai, even if it kills me, you must let me go. If I die, then take care of things with everybody afterward. If I return alive, then, with a fresh determination, we'll create a new organization. What happens next depends only on the Buddha's wisdom."
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