unless one perceives the nature of one's life, one's practice will become an endless, painful austerity

Daily Guidance Thur 11/08

For Today and Tomorrow Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda Thursday, November 8, 2012 In the "Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings," Nichiren Daishonin says with reference to attaining Buddhahood, "'To attain' means 'to open'" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 753).  Attaining Buddhahood means opening our lives to their fullest potential and revealing our innate Buddhahood. This is the purpose of Buddhism. Buddhism Day by Day Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda Thursday, November 8, 2012 The noted pacifist scholar Johan Galtung tells young people, "We must be realists in our brains while keeping the flame of idealism burning in our hearts."  Both of these—to see the world as it is and how it could be—are essential to reform.  A firm hold on reality should not entail being swamped by or resting easy in the status quo.  To pioneer uncharted ways requires that people today keep the lamp of optimism lit. Daily Wisdom From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Thursday, November 8, 2012 If you seek enlightenment outside yourself, then your performing even ten thousand practices and ten thousand good deeds will be in vain.  It is like the case of a poor man who spends night and day counting his neighbor's wealth but gains not even half a coin. That is why the T'ien-t'ai school's commentary states, "Unless one perceives the nature of one's life, one cannot eradicate one's grave offenses."  This passage implies that, unless one perceives the nature of one's life, one's practice will become an endless, painful austerity.