Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, November 25, 2013
Please do not forget your mother's love or the hardships she has endured for you. I am convinced that while people keep the memory of their mothers' loving faces alive in their mind, they will never go far astray. Similarly, as long as we bear in mind the Daishonin's profound compassion and live in deep appreciation of it, our lives will be illuminated brightly by the light of Buddhahood. And enveloped in the Gohonzon's great compassion, we will walk along a path that is filled with tranquillity and immeasurable joy.
From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Monday, November 25, 2013
Strive ever harder in faith, and never give in to negligence. All the people appear to believe sincerely when they first embrace the Lotus Sutra, but as time passes, they tend to become less devout; they no longer revere nor make offerings to the priest, giving themselves up to arrogance and forming distorted views. This is most frightening.
The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1027
Letter to Niike
Written to Niike Saemon-no-jo in February 1280
Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, November 25, 2013
Suppose that a person is standing at the foot of a tall embankment and is unable to ascend. And suppose that there is someone on top of the embankment who lowers a rope and says, "If you take hold of this rope, I will pull you up to the top of the embankment." If the person at the bottom begins to doubt that the other has the strength to pull him up, or wonders if the rope is not too weak and therefore refuses to put forth his hand and grasp it, then how is he ever to get to the top of the embankment? But if he follows the instructions, puts out his hand, and takes hold of the rope, then he can climb up – Nichiren
Excerpt from Daisaku Ikeda - A Youthful Diary (01 March 1951) p. 94
Buddhism is a battle. Whether we are victorious or defeated - doesn't this determine happiness or unhappiness, construction and growth or retreat and ruin? This month again, I must conquer myself, conquer my circumstances, and advance victoriously within society.
No comments:
Post a Comment