The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace (P30 CL May2018)

Part 3
Kosen-rufu and World Peace

Chapter 18
A Life Dedicated to Kosen-rufu

Introduction to the Chapter:

Do not ask whether the mighty flow of kosen-rufu
is an inevitable consequence of history.
Rather, always ask yourself 
whether you have the passion 
to make kosen-rufu inevitable
through your own sweat and effort.

-- Excerpted "From the Indigo, an Even Deeper Blue."


President Ikeda once said to a group of young people:

    Nichiren Daishonin writes:
"Whether or not your prayer is answered will depend on your faith." (WND-1, 1079)
What kind of faith ensures that our prayers are answered?  Faith dedicated to kosen-rufu, in which we pray and take action not only for ourselves, but for the happiness of others and the welfare of society.
    In my case, every one of my prayers has come true, because I was resolved that kosen-rufu could definitely be accomplished -- or rather, that I would accomplish it without fail -- and persevered earnestly based upon this vow.
     Kosen-rufu is an unprecedented revolution of all humankind, expanding the sphere of peace, culture, and education throughout the world while enabling each individual to reveal their Buddha nature and bring their inherent dignity to shine forth.  No life is nobler than one dedicated to this cause.

K

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There is no greater happiness for human beings than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

How incredible it is to chant this wonderful daimoku each day! Nichiren writes, "There is no greater happiness for human beings than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The sutra [Lotus Sutra] says, 'The people there [in my land] are happy and at ease'" (MW-1, 161). There is no joy, happiness and ease surpassing what we can attain through chanting daimoku. No matter how much you may pursue the things you love and skip gongyo to have a good time--all such fleeting, worldly pleasures pale beside the deep sense of satisfaction that comes from chanting daimoku.

Daisaku Ikeda, SGI President
Daily Encouragement
April 28


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six (6) difficult and nine (9) easy acts

https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/S/192

The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra [ Discussion Meeting Gosho for May 2018 ]

Discussion Meeting Gosho for May 2018

Key Points for Sharing

The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra Employ the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other. "All others who bear you enmity or malice will likewise be wiped out."1 These golden words will never prove false. The heart of strategy and swordsmanship derives from the Mystic Law. Have profound faith. A coward cannot have any of his prayers answered. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Vol 1, p 1001)

The following key points are to be shared upon understanding and explaining the “Background and Explanation” published in the May 2018 issue of Creative Life. (Included in handout)

Key Points 1.   It is important to always base ourselves on prayers to the Gohonzon 2.   The heart of compassion transforms negative to positive 3.   Courageous faith unleashes the power of the Gohonzon

1.   It is important to always base ourselves on prayers to the Gohonzon

   Nichiren Daishonin teaches here that we should always base ourselves on prayers in all aspects of our lives.

   In secular terms, the word “strategy” refers to tactics of warfare or martial arts. In a broader sense, it corresponds to the specific methods or means that we use in our work or daily life.

   The Daishonin teaches here in this Gosho passage that all of such methodology and means that we employ in our daily lives derives from the Mystic Law. Because they are all encompassed in the Mystic Law, the Daishonin is urging us to first and foremost base ourselves on prayers to the Gohonzon when we employ these methodologies and means in our daily life.

   At the same time, the Daishonin is also admonishing us not to be caught up only in tactics and methodologies and forgetting about faith when resolving issues in our lives.

   While basing our lives on earnest prayers, we exert our utmost efforts as well as exercise our wisdom in our work, daily life and Gakkai activities – this is the ultimate meaning of employing the strategy of the Lotus Sutra.

    The passage, “All others who bear you enmity or malice will likewise be wiped out", means that we can resolve any kind of problems.

2.   The heart of compassion transforms negative to positive

   The Daishonin states in this Gosho passage, “Have profound faith”.

   Faith can be said to correspond to the spirit of compassion as faith is what leads people to happiness.

   As such, it is the practice based on the spirit of compassion that will unleash the power of the Mystic Law.

   Ikeda Sensei says as follows in his guidance:

An enlightened mind—one that shines as an entity of the Mystic Law—carves out a solid, ascending path of optimism and hope, having the power to transform that which is negative into something positive. The potential for both these states of mind exist within our lives…. The power of the mind is truly unfathomable. A subtle change in our mind can change everything. The practice that lets us draw forth this power of the mind is chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for ourselves and others. From “Learning from the Gosho: The Hope-filled Writings of Nichiren Daishonin [8]”

 

 The practice for ourselves and others is an act based on the heart of compassion, the spirit in wanting to lead all people to happiness. In other words, by taking actions for the realization of kosen-rufu, the happiness of all people, by offering prayers dedicated to kosen-rufu, we can transform that which is negative into something positive, thereby manifesting the beneficial power of changing poison into medicine. 

3.   Courageous faith unleashes the power of the Gohonzon

   The Daishonin further teaches here that “A coward cannot have any of his prayers answered”.

   Why can’t a coward have any of his prayers answered?

   In another Gosho, the Daishonin uses an analogy to illustrate this point in simple terms.

   He wrote, “The fact that her prayers have gone unanswered is like a strong bow with a weak bowstring, or a fine sword in the hands of a coward.” (WND-1, p 489)

No matter how great the beneficial power of the Lotus Sutra is, whether or not it can be unleashed depends solely on our faith, the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. It all depends on whether we have courageous faith or not.

Courage gives rise to action. Without courage, we cannot become role models who shows great actual proofs in society.

For this reason, Ikeda Sensei says as follows in his guidance:

The foundation of all of our efforts, endeavors, and challenges—whether it be staying healthy, leading a fulfilling life, and showing actual proof of winning trust in the community and in society—is the strategy of the Lotus Sutra, or in other words, strong faith. From “Learning from the Gosho: The Hope-filled Writings of Nichiren Daishonin [8]”

 

   Cherishing this guidance in our hearts, let’s become role models in society who shows great actual proofs in life while we continue in our efforts to share Buddhism with others.　

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On the Buddha’s Prophecy [ Discussion Meeting Gosho for April 2018 ]

Discussion Meeting Gosho for April 2018

Key Points for Sharing

On the Buddha’s Prophecy The Great Teacher Dengyo says: "Shakyamuni taught that the shallow is easy to embrace, but the profound is difficult. To discard the shallow and seek the profound is the way of a person of courage. The Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai trusted and obeyed Shakyamuni and worked to uphold the Lotus school, spreading its teachings throughout China. We of Mount Hiei inherited the doctrine from T'ien-t'ai and work to uphold the Lotus school and to disseminate its teachings throughout Japan." I, Nichiren of Awa Province, have doubtless inherited the teachings of the Law from these three teachers, and in this era of the Latter Day I work to uphold the Lotus school and disseminate the Law. Together we should be called the four teachers of the three countries. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Vol 1, p 402)

The following key points are to be shared upon understanding and explaining the “Background and Explanation” published in the April 2018 issue of Creative Life. (Included in handout)

Key Points 1.   The Lotus Sutra is a teaching that focus on one’s own inner transformation and self-development 2.   One who remains undefeated by hardships is a Bodhisattva and a Buddha 3.   One who vows to lead all people to happiness is a legitimate successor who inherits the legacy of Buddhism

1.   The Lotus Sutra is a teaching that focus on one’s own inner transformation and self-development

   At the beginning of this Gosho passage, Nichiren Daishonin quotes the words of the Great Teacher Dengyo. 
. In a nutshell, these words of Dengyo reveal that one who propagates the profound teachings of the Lotus Sutra instead of the shallow provisional teachings is a true disciple of the Buddha.

.    Why is this so? This is because all provisional teachings other than the Lotus Sutra teaches that a Buddha is a special being and that living beings have to wait for this transcendental being to save them from their sufferings.

.    The Lotus Sutra, on the other hand, teaches that all living beings possess Buddhahood within their lives. 
. Building on this concept, the Lotus Sutra further expounds the principles of the oneness of body and mind, 
oneness of life and environment and 
the doctrine of three thousand realms in the single moment of life. 
. By expounding these principles, the Lotus Sutra teaches that by practicing its teachings, every individual can tap into their inherent potential, thereby bringing about an inner transformation within one’s life and achieving great growth as a human being. 
. This inner transformation in the life of one single individual will in turn bring about a great transformation in his or her surroundings. 
. This is what the Lotus Sutra teaches.

**   As such, what is most important here is to bring about this inner transformation within one’s life. It is to develop and change one’s life. 
. This is where everything begins. 
.
Without this inner change in one’s life, the doctrine of the three thousand realms in a single moment of life cannot stand.

.
.

2.   One who remains undefeated by hardships is a Bodhisattva and a Buddha

**

   “A person of courage” is one who is an outstanding individual who is self-reliant. Such a person is a Bodhisattva, and a Buddha.

.
   The Lotus Sutra expounds that a Bodhisattva is one who is undaunted in the face of hardships. He or she remains undefeated no matter what happens. 
. Shakyamuni Buddha encountered numerous persecutions. So did the Great Teachers T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo.

.    The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai was abused by the priests during his time who claimed that he is slandering the teachings of the Buddha and that he is an insane person.
.

The Great Teacher Dengyo was also criticized by the priests during his time. These priests spread rumours that “there is a priest who is cunningly manipulating words and this priest is actually a monster in disguise who is trying to deceive the world.”
.

 Despite being subjected to such slanders and criticism, both T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo remained undaunted and continued to preach the Lotus Sutra.
**

Furthermore, "One Who Can Forbear" is another name for Buddha. This means that one who remains undefeated in the face of obstacles without becoming disheartened and fights on no matter what happens is a Buddha.

.

3.   One who vows to lead all people to happiness is a legitimate successor who inherits the legacy of Buddhism

.
Nichiren Daishonin also persevered through numerous persecutions while spreading the great teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
.

The “three countries” in the term “four teachers of three countries” refer to India, China and Japan while the “four teachers” refer to Shakyamuni Buddha, the Great Teachers T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo and Nichiren Daishonin.
.

The legacy of Buddhism is found in correctly inheriting the fundamental aspiration to realize the happiness of all people.
.

In order to lead all people living in the evil age of the Latter Day rife with negativities and impurities, the Daishonin expounded the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and established the practice of chanting daimoku 
. ... to enable all living beings to attain Buddhahood just as they are, in their present form, thereby opening the great path of happiness for all people.
.

Ikeda Sensei explains this point in this manner: 

Established in the lineage of the “four teachers of the three countries,” the Soka Gakkai is the sole organization dedicated to accomplishing the Buddha’s decree and actually spreading the teachings of the true “Lotus school” throughout the world.  . It is a noble community of practitioners that continues to call forth countless Bodhisattvas of the Earth around the globe and advance dauntlessly toward peace, into the eternal future. .    Mr Toda cried out: “Let us lead the way to kosen-rufu!” And he proclaimed: “The Soka Gakkai is the king of the religious world!” .    Together with all of you who have joined me in this struggle, I declare with great pride: “We are the ones who are fulfilling the prophecy of the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.” . From “Learning from the Gosho: The Hope-filled Writings of Nichiren Daishonin [5]”

.

   As successors who have inherited the legacy of Nichiren Buddhism, let’s courageously exert ourselves in sharing Buddhism with others as we advance kosen-rufu together.   

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