Daily Guidance

15th April 2013

Monday

BUDDHISM is reason, and even though you may embrace faith in the Gohonzon, you cannot progress without making effort. Rather, because you practise this faith you should redouble your effort.

WITH regards to the method of spreading the Buddhist teaching, I can see that teaching and transmitting Buddhist ideas to a wide audience through the media may indeed be one method, but to really engage each person’s heart and mind I am convinced that one-to-one dialogue is the only method. And in fact, the propagation efforts of our movement have been based on the method of personal, one-to-one contact, which has resulted in the spread of the teachings across the globe.

ONLY when you make positive efforts to develop and cultivate yourself is the true practice of the Law possible. What matters most are people. What matters is doing your human revolution. Only when you constantly struggle to achieve your own human revolution can you become a leader for a religion dedicated to the welfare of humanity.

A stone wall that seems infinitely high when seen from the ground appears no more than a slightly raised boundary line when viewed from an airplane. Similarly, if your life-condition changes for the better, so will the way you view and respond to things. You will find yourself surmounting every adversity and hardship with composure, and thoroughly enjoying the drama of life.

DIALOGUE must be conducted in a spirit of equality, with the parties involved respecting each other as equals. It must be a mutual exchange where the parties speak the truth and actual fact, and not just spout one-sided propaganda. In any event, such truly genuine dialogue is to be found in our efforts to talk to others about Buddhism and share with them our practice.

Taken from: http://dailyguidance.blogspot.com/ 
Pic:  masculineheart.blogspot.com

Daily Guidance

13th April 2013

Quite simply, there can be no true democracy unless the citizens of a country realize that they are sovereign, that they are the main protagonists, and then with wisdom and a strong sense of responsibility take action based on that realization. Democracy cannot be successful in its mission unless the people rouse themselves to become more informed and involved, unless they unite, unless they establish an unshakable force for justice and keep a strict eye on the activities of the powerful.

Taken from:http://www.sgi.org/sgi-president/daily-encouragement.html

Daily Guidance

13th April 2013

Saturday

WHEN doing home visitation, one should behave with good sense. Even with close friends, courteous behaviour is the first step to gaining understanding and trust.

WE must not try to make the merits and good fortune that we accumulate through our daimoku our own possession and keep them to ourselves. The unlimited merits of the Mystic Law transcend the narrow bounds of the self and spread out to encompass others and the entire universe. It is important to use them in a way that benefits society.

HUMANITY cannot be manifested by merely flattering others or trying to gain popularity; rather it is determined by how much you have prayed for your juniors and how hard you have exerted yourself for their welfare. That earnestness emanates from you - and it is this which impresses and moves others. For profound faith is the essence of a person's humanity.

EVERYONE without exception seeks happiness and peace. One person may pursue "treasures of the storehouse", while another pursues "treasures of the body" such as status and wealth. But true happiness lies in accumulating "treasures of the heart". And the substance of the treasures of the heart is a great state of life totally dedicated to faith.

THE times are changing ever more rapidly with each passing year. Darkness and confusion grow ever deeper. For that very reason, I hope you will all triumph with strong faith and resolute action. In accord with the Buddhist principle of "consistency from beginning to end", your victory will determine the victory for all future generations. This is the formula for winning in Buddhism. Now is the time for you to solidly secure the cause the victory in your own lives.

Taken from:http://dailyguidance.blogspot.com/ 
Pic: obcon.org 

Daily Encouragement

12th April 2013

Young people are the leaders of the twenty-first century. For that reason it is important that you have an understanding of history, that you can see through to the heart of things. A penetrating view of history is essential. A superficial one won't suffice.

Taken from: http://www.sgi.org/sgi-president/daily-encouragement.html

Daily Guidance

12th April 2013

Friday

WE can have all the power, wealth or fame in the world, but that alone would not assure us of happiness that will endure throughout eternity or allow us to create universal value. It may not be even enough to secure our happiness in this lifetime. Our true worth is determined by the philosophy and principles we cherish and by our views and attitudes towards life, society and human existence.

BUDDHISM is a search for eternal happiness. Please calmly survey the ever changing, evanescent world from the lofty perspective of faith and remain true to your beliefs and convictions. We must follow our chosen path. Let’s continue to make our way on the great road to eternal happiness and eternal development.

YOUR position in the organisation is not what is important. What is important is your growth as an individual. The SGI is an organisation that bases itself on humanistic principles. We cannot lead others by orders or commands. The only way to lead them is by examples of our humanity.

HAVING faith does not mean that you can rest easy and spend your entire life proceeding along the Great Way to Buddhahood. If your faith is faith in name alone, it has no true merits. Worse yet, in most cases you will face that most important event, your own death, in great suffering. Such faith is of no use at all. Once you have been blessed with an encounter with the True Law, you should devote the rest of your life, without regrets, to seeking the Way. That is our duty as those who have accepted the True Law; it is our life.

WHETHER we are defeated by our environment or whether we possess the strength necessary to clear a path through whatever difficulties our environment may present, is an important ingredient in achieving happiness.

Taken from:http://dailyguidance.blogspot.com/ 
Pic from: http://what-buddha-said.net/Pics/Faith_Saddha33.jpg&imgrefurl

Daily Encouragement

11th April 2013

As long as our mind of faith is connected to the Gohonzon, our benefits will never disappear. That's why it is vital for us to persevere in our Buddhist practice throughout our lives, no matter what, even if on some days our physical condition or other circumstances prevent us from doing gongyo and chanting daimoku to our full satisfaction. Those who continue to challenge themselves to the end savor ultimate victory.

Taken from:http://www.sgi.org/sgi-president/daily-encouragement.html

Daily Guidance

11th April 2013

Thursday

THE real greatness of human beings lies not in being active on the gorgeous stages. A person who lives his/her life to fulfil his/her own mission, whether in a remote region or in some inconspicuous field of society, is the most valuable person.

IN every field, there is shallow and profound. It is the same in life. Do you live for yourself alone, or for a greater purpose and value? It is easy to live thinking only of yourself. But to live for a greater ideal requires steadfast commitment and courage. The question is whether you have that determination and courage or not. In that is revealed your true worth as a person.

JUST being good-natured is not enough. In the final analysis, if you are good-natured but fail to combat injustice, you cannot protect the people. Instead, you will tend to be taken lightly, enabling those who perpetrate injustice to only grow stronger.

IF we do not read books, our brains and minds go uncultivated. Visual images alone are too transitory, too shallow, to cultivate our mental powers. On the other hand, if we do read books but only mindless ones, we will become mindless people. Making an effort to read good books is very important.

COWARDICE is also the fundamental nature of all those who have betrayed the SGI over the years. There is no more pitiful characteristic for a human being to possess than cowardice.

Taken from: http://dailyguidance.blogspot.com/ 
Pic:identi.ca