QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION (MR HARADA, OCT 2nd, 2015)
Q: I am not able to do shakubuku. I cannot seem to encourage people to come out for activities or take up faith in the Gohonzon. My wish is that they will come and chant and change their karma. No matter how I talk to them about my great experience, I am not successful in my shakubuku. This has been going on for 20 years.
ANS: I would like to praise you because shakubuku is something which is difficult to do. But you have tried to do it for 20 years now.
When we do shakubuku, we are sowing seeds of Buddhism. There are two types of relationships people have with Buddhism – a direct relationship or an adverse relationship.
Ultimately, the one who sows the seed will receive the same benefit as the one who listens. You must be very convinced that the people you have shakubuku for the past 20 years will one day come to believe in the Gohonzon.
If you continue in your endeavour, one day your friends will feel gratitude to you. You also owe debts of gratitude to them because it is because of them that you can do shakubuku. I hope you will engrave this confidence in yourself – that you are really practising ND's Buddhism. They will come to take faith one day. You must have this undefeated spirit we learnt just now.
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