To practice Buddhism with courage translates into compassion.

Daily Guidance Sat 02/11

Prayer beads Toda made from milk-bottle tops while in prison, and a slate on which he kept a record of the daimoku he chanted in prison. For Today and Tomorrow Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda Saturday, February 11, 2012 The moment we resolve "I will become healthy!" "I will become strong!" "I will work cheerfully for kosen-rufu!" our lives begin to move in that direction. We have to make up our minds.   Events 1900 Josei Toda, the Soka Gakkais second president, is born. Enrolling at Chuo University, Tokyo, 1922     1996 Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research founded by SGI President Ikeda in Tokyo; offices opened in Hawaii in 1997.       Buddhism Day by Day Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda Saturday, February 11, 2012 There was a word that second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda often stressed with the fervent wish to impart its importance to his successors. That word was courage. He once gave this clear-cut guidance: " The essence of Buddhism is compassion. We, too, need to have compassion but, being ordinary mortals, the reality is that it is quite difficult for us. Courage substitutes for compassion. I am speaking of the courage to save others from suffering. To practice Buddhism with courage translates into compassion."       Daily Wisdom From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Saturday, February 11, 2012 Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago, the Lotus Sutra that leads all people to Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way different or separate from one another. To chant Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the ultimate Law of life and death. This is a matter of the utmost importance for Nichiren's disciples and lay supporters, and this is what it means to embrace the Lotus Sutra. The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 216 The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life Written to Sairen-bo Nichijo on February 11, 1272     Women's Division Month