You can make a defeat the cause for future victory. You can also make victory the cause for future defeat.

Daily Guidance Sat 10/06

For Today and Tomorrow Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda Saturday, October 6, 2012 Mr. Toda once told me: "You can make a defeat the cause for future victory. You can also make victory the cause for future defeat." The Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is the Buddhism of the True Cause, the Buddhism of the present and future. We don't dwell on the past. We are always challenging ourselves from the present toward the future. "The whole future lies ahead of us! We have only just begun!"—because we advance with this spirit, we will never be deadlocked. Buddhism Day by Day Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda Saturday, October 6, 2012 If you summon your courage to challenge something, you'll never regret it.  How sad it would be to spend your life wishing, "If only I had a little more courage." Whatever the outcome, the important thing is to take a step forward on the path that you believe is right. There's no need to worry about what others may think. It's your life, after all. Be true to yourself. Daily Wisdom From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Saturday, October 6, 2012 The Nirvana Sutra teaches the principle of lessening one's karmic retribution.  If one's heavy karma from the past is not expiated within this lifetime, one must undergo the sufferings of hell in the future, but if one experiences extreme hardship in this life [because of the Lotus Sutra], the sufferings of hell will vanish instantly.  And when one dies, one will obtain the blessings of the human and heavenly worlds, as well as those of the three vehicles and the one vehicle. The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 199 Lessening One's Karmic Retribution Written to Ota Saemon-no-jo, the lay priest Soya and the Dharma Bridge Kimbara on October 5, 1271