Happiness without hardwork is fantasy

Nichiren Daishonin discusses the meaning of the Chinese characters for the word benefit(Jpn kudoku), as follows: "The ku of kudoku means to extinguish evil and dokumeans to bring forth good" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 762).  We fight against those who try to destroy the True Law.  That struggle purifies us and brings forth benefits in our lives. Justice or happiness without a battle is just an illusion.  Thinking that happiness means a life free of hard work and effort is fantasy. 

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Prayer by Daisaku Ikeda

Prayer is the courage to persevere. It is the struggle to overcome our own weakness and lack of confidence in ourselves.

It is the act of impressing in the very depths of our being the conviction that we can change the situation without fail.

Prayers are invisible, but if we pray steadfastly they will definitely affect clear results in our lives and surroundings over time.

This is the principle of the true entity of all phenomena. Faith means having confidence in this invisible realm.

Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. It is the way to banish sorrow, the way to light a torch of hope.

It is the revolution that rewrites the scenario of our destiny.

Prayers are neither light dreams nor vague wishes.They should be firm pledges of determination.

Prayers made with such strong resolve invite clear results just as magnets attract iron.

Prayer entails an intense challenge to believe in oneself and stop diminishing yourself.

To belittle yourself is to disparage Buddhism and the Buddha within your life.

Prayer is an attempt to merge the inner workings of our life with the rhythm of the universe.

When we pray in such a way,
all the workings of the universe will function to protect us and the endless cycle of painful reality
will be transformed into a cycle of victory and happiness.

Prayer is the key to open the door to unleash that infinite human potential within our lives.

Prayer is not a feeble consolation; it is a powerful, unyielding conviction.

And prayer must become manifest in action. To put it another way, if our prayers are in earnest, they will definitely give rise to action.


Daisaku Ikeda


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From Sensei's Thoughts on NHR -- Not begrudging one's life

A Gosho passage: "One day of life is more valuable than all the treasures of the major world system" (WW-1, 231).

Let us do all we can on this precious, irreplaceable day that is today so that we have no regrets, and devote our lives to kosen-rufu and the happiness of humanity! Being ever-victorious means winning resolutely in the present; it means winning today.

From Sensei's Thoughts on NHR -- The spirit of winning in shakubuku / propagation. Prayer.

I wanted to win. I had to win. Winning and then reporting that victory to my mentor was my supreme mission as a disciple; it was also the actual practice of the teaching of the oneness of mentor of disciple.

I chanted sincerely day after day to have the strength to achieve my goal. I chanted continuously with the firm conviction that everyone I came in contact with would become an ally of our movement or would function as a protective force.

From Sensei's Thoughts on NHR -- Formation of mountain through towering struggle

The first president of the Soka Gakkai, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, offered this profound guidance: "Although there is a saying that even dust, when it accumulates, can form a mountain, there are in fact no mountains that have been made from accumulated dust. ... Real mountains are formed by sudden, dramatic shifts in the earth's crust."
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Mr Makiguchi strictly teaches us here that we can only fundamentally transform ourselves and build an unshakable state of life by engaging in an earnest struggle of great good against great evil.
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From Sensei's Thoughts on NHR -- transforming Osaka into a capital overflowing with happiness and goodwill

"We must build Osaka -- a city of honest, industrious people -- into a capital of happiness of the people overflowing with goodwill" -- this was my determination as a young lion of 28 who, from the start of 1956, began to take active leadership in the construction of Ever-victorious Kansai. Together with the Kansai members, I launched a concerted effort -- a struggle of faith and kosen-rufu -- to achieve that goal.

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Whether or not to field a candidate had been an extremely tough choice for the Headquarters. Everyone thought it was a race that could not be won. Both inside and outside the Soka Gakkai, many were saying that it was a rash move and doomed to failure. But I made a firm pledge to my mentor: "No matter what obstacles we may face, I promise you we will win. I will bring you a victory, Sensei!"

From Sensei's Thoughts on NHR -- Purpose of Osaka Campaign. Rid Osaka of sickness and poverty. -- mission of living religion

Mr. Toda clearly stated his purpose for going to Osaka, saying: "Let us rid Osaka of all sickness and poverty!" This was a solemn declaration to wipe the tears of unhappiness and suffering from the eyes of the people of Osaka.

To achieve that goal, I would have to dedicate myself earnestly to propagating the Mystic Law and imparting courage to many people from the chains of suffering.

A living religion helps people transform misery into happiness. Religion should not function as a mere source of solace or sympathy, nor as an "opiate" that offers an escape from reality.

As a result of this determination, strong, courageous individuals, who had awakened to a new way of living and found a new social awareness, stood up to work for the reform and betterment of society in which they lived. As citizens, they had every right to construct a humane society, a society that served their needs

DECIDE, CHANT , ACT

DECIDE, CHANT , ACT

No matter what's happened up to now, the important thing is to look ahead and resolve to do your best.

Everything starts from now, from this moment, from today. If you keep moving forward cheerfully and steadily, you can learn even from your mistakes and do better next time. By doing your best now, you can make the most of your past experiences and open the door to infinite possibilities. What matters is that you think about what needs to be done now and then give your all to accomplishing it.

Everyone has something they aren't good at and experiences times when they just don't want o do what needs to be done. It may seem easier to put off things we aren't good at or that we don't want to do. But the reality is that the more we delay doing those things, the more they weigh on us and the more difficult they become to do. Putting off what we need to do only causes us to suffer later.

Nichiren Daishonin says:
"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of the lion"(WND-1,412).
Like the roar of the lion, the king of beast, daimoku is the greatest source of strength that nothing can defeat. When you chant daimoku, the lion- like courage and determination to realise your goals will well up inside you. The next step is take action.


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Myo

What's the purpose of life? --- to be happy !

Daily Encouragement
November 20

What is the purpose of life? It is happiness. But there are two kinds of happiness: relative and absolute. Relative happiness comes in a wide variety of forms. The purpose of Buddhism is to attain Buddhahood. In modern terms, this could be explained as realizing absolute happiness--a state of happiness that can never be destroyed or defeated.

Daisaku Ikeda, SGI President


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NOVEMBER 18: CELEBRATING SOKA GAKKAI FOUNDING DAY

"Today, once again we are commemorating the Soka Gakkai Founding day, which is celebrated every year on Nov 18. November is our founding month. On 18 Nov 1930, our first and second Presidents Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, established the Soka Gakkai in Tokyo.

Our founding month is a month of creating new history. It is a month in which courageous, self-reliant champions of justice rise into action. Our founding month is not simply a time for reflecting on the past. It is not a page in some dusty old chronicle. Kosen-rufu is a process of endless creativity and forward movement that does not permit even a moment's cessation or stagnation.Our founding month lives on forever in the present, because our victory at each moment, right now contributes to founding an ever-victorious gakkai that will endure for the next 50, next 100 years.

This November, please write an unprecedented page of history in your lives. Please make it a month of rebirth, of breaking out of your shell – a month in which you crash through your self-imposed limitations and bravely set forth with a stand- alone spirit."

Daisaku Ikeda

(Excerpts taken from Kosen-rufu: Our Mission (Eternal Ganges Press, 2015), Vol 2, 55-60


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HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT OUR ICHINEN / DETERMINATION IS CHANNELED IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION?

HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT OUR ICHINEN / DETERMINATION IS CHANNELED IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION?

"When you begin to practice Buddhism, all the infinitesimal angles of inclination—all the ways you relate to the universe—subtly change. You are positioned differently in life. The way you look at things, and the direction in which you stand in relation to things, changes. The ichinen or moment-to-moment determination, which comes bubbling up inside you when you chant, seeks a direction or an object or a goal, just as water seeks its own level. Beginning early in your practice, there are five steps to take to ensure that your ichinen/ determination is channeled in a positive direction:

1) Chant with courage.
2) Make a strong determination or vow.
3) Develop a concrete goal or goals.
4) Offer resolute prayer.
5) Take action until you see clear actual proof.

"In the morning, it is a good idea to chant for the specific goals you want to accomplish that day, as well as the specific causes or actions you want to take in order to achieve those goals. So the day begins with determinations.

"In the evening, you should take stock of how the day went. Report back to yourself on how well you did in terms of making your determinations come true. If some of the goals were not clearly achieved, perhaps only partially realized, then you should re-determine to accomplish them tomorrow. Each morning, make determinations and chant with determination. Each evening, re-determine to do what you need to do. When you do this over and over again, day after day—determining and re-determining to achieve your dreams—you become, in essence, a more determined person!

"When you summon the inner will or ichinen to accomplish an objective, everything about you shifts in the direction of that goal. It is as if the 'differential' of your entire being has been altered or moved a degree or so."

—The Buddha In Your Rearview Mirror; Chapter 3: How to Practice; p. 117-118


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2015 Prayers

My MD members...

My impression of ceremony in the air

Sensei's personal determination

Let us be the sun

November 14

There are many people, many lives, on this planet, too numerous, in fact, to count. From this great multitude, we wondrously find ourselves together with those in our families-- as parents and children, as brothers and sisters, as husbands and wives. If we do not live joyfully and cheerfully in the company of those with whom we share this profound bond, what is life for? Should the atmosphere at home be somber, you yourself can be the "sun." By being a shining presence, you can cast the light of hope on your father, mother and whole family.

Daisaku Ikeda, SGI President


每日激励
11月14日

在这个星球上，有许多人，许多生命，数不胜数。从这一大群人，我们惊人地发现自己与我们的家人 －－  父母和孩子，兄弟姐妹，作为丈夫和妻子 －－ 居住在一起。如果我们不欢天喜地，兴高采烈的和那些与我们分享这个缘分的亲人，什么才是生活？如果家里的气氛是忧郁的，你自己可以像太阳。只要是一个光辉的存在，你可以是 你父亲，母亲和全家人的 希望之光。

池田大作SGI会长

（这是我用"Google translate"翻译，然后修改的。翻译得不好请原谅。）

Doing gongyo is a right, not obligation

November 13

Buddhism aims to make people free in the most profound sense; its purpose is not to restrict or constrain. Doing gongyo is a right, not an obligation. Because Buddhism entails practice, tenacious efforts are required, but these are all for your own sake. If you want to have great benefits or to develop a profound state of life, you should exert yourself accordingly.

Daisaku Ikeda, SGI President


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Be confident of cause and effect. Juz keep doing good

每日指导
11月 12日

在佛法看来，一切都具有意义，没有什么是白费的。因果的法理是绝对的。在佛法的世界里，没有所谓的"投机取巧"，幕后的劳苦必定显现为结果。因此，不管别人能否看见，都应勇敢地行动。

国际创价学会会长池田大作


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Fwd: The Flowering of Creative Life Force

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Leslie Chang <lesliecck@gmail.com>
Date: 12 November 2015 at 12:25:06 AM SGT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Fwd: The Flowering of Creative Life Force

http://www.sgi.org/about-us/president-ikedas-writings/the-flowering-of-creative-life-force.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=2175&utm_campaign=Routine

"....For opening the door to your own life is in the end more difficult than opening the door to all the mysteries of the universe....."

"...... The struggle to create new life from within is a truly wonderful thing. There is found the brilliant wisdom that guides and directs the workings of reason; the light of insight that penetrates the farthest reaches of the universe; the undaunted will to see justice done that meets and challenges all the assaults of evil; the spirit of unbounded care that embraces all who suffer. When these are fused with that energy of compassion that pours forth from the deepest sources of cosmic life, an ecstatic rhythm arises to color the lives of all people......."

The Flowering of Creative Life Force

 

From a speech delivered on April 18, 1974, at the Soka University entrance ceremony.

Today, I would like to discuss what I refer to as "creative life"--the creative impulse and capacities that are inherent in life itself.

I don't intend to enter into a difficult philosophical disquisition or try to offer universally applicable definitions. Rather, very simply, I would urge you, as you travel along the long and precious road of life, never to become gloomy travelers who are shadowed by a sense of failure or defeat. To this end, and in the hope your futures will be filled with honor and glory, I would like to share with you something from my own experience.

The times when I have most intensely felt and experienced the inner reality of creation have been those times when I have thrown myself wholeheartedly into a task, when I have carried through with that task to the very end. At such times, I experience a dramatically expanded sense of self. I can almost hear the joyous yell of victory issuing from the depths of my being.

This sense of fulfillment and joy is the crystallization of all the effort--each drop of sweat, each tear--expended to reach that moment. Life's inherent creativity, its dynamic vitality, is brought to the surface only through the strenuous exertions of a life of consistent action.

Such a way of life will meet with storms and heavy rains, times of seeming defeat. But the creative essence of life is never crushed or vanquished by such things. It is sustained by knowledge of the brilliant rainbow whose bright arch will eventually stretch across the inner expanse of your being.

Indulgence and indolence produce nothing creative. Complaints and evasions reflect a cowardly spirit; they corrupt and undermine life's natural creative thrust. When life is denuded of the will to struggle creatively, it sinks into a state of hellish destructiveness directed at all that lives.

Never for an instant forget the effort to renew your life, to build yourself anew. Creativity means to push open the heavy, groaning doorway of life itself. This is not an easy task. Indeed, it may be the most severely challenging struggle there is. For opening the door to your own life is in the end more difficult than opening the door to all the mysteries of the universe.related articleBringing Hope Into Focusby Dan McKinney

But to do so is to vindicate your existence as human beings. Even more, it is the mode of existence that is authentically attuned to the innermost truths of life itself; it makes us worthy of the gift of life.

There is no way of life more desolate or more pitiful than one of ignorance of the fundamental joy that issues from the struggle to generate and regenerate one's own life from within. To be human is much more than the mere biological facts of standing erect and exercising reason and intelligence. The full and genuine meaning of our humanity is found in tapping the creative fonts of life itself.

The struggle to create new life from within is a truly wonderful thing. There is found the brilliant wisdom that guides and directs the workings of reason; the light of insight that penetrates the farthest reaches of the universe; the undaunted will to see justice done that meets and challenges all the assaults of evil; the spirit of unbounded care that embraces all who suffer. When these are fused with that energy of compassion that pours forth from the deepest sources of cosmic life, an ecstatic rhythm arises to color the lives of all people.

As you meet various trials and difficulties, thus polishing all the many facets of the jewel which is life, you will learn to walk that supreme pathway of humanity. Of this, I am confident, and I am confident too that those who embrace life's native creativity now stand and will continue to stand in the vanguard of history. Bringing the creativity of life to its fullest flowering is the work of human revolution. Carrying out this kind of human revolution is your mission now as it will be throughout your lives.

--SGI President Daisaku Ikeda 

Excerpted from To the Youthful Pioneers of Soka (Soka University Student Union, 2006)

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Best Regards,

Have a nice day.

Leslie Chang

Guidance on how you can strongly deepen your Faith and bring forth many Immeasurable Benefits

⭐️⭐️Guidance on how you can strongly deepen your Faith and bring forth many Immeasurable Benefits⭐️⭐️

You should chant as if you are with your boyfriend or girlfriend, because you really seek that person, you really want to be with them. When you chant with that kind of emotion, that attitude, you get a much stronger effect. That is what is meant by the phrase 'yearning to see the Buddha'. When you chant to the Gohonzon, do it so you'll be able to bring forth that profound state of life from within you. Let each daimoku you are chanting circulate throughout your entire body, even through your bones and bone marrow.

You should chant in the same manner in which you wash your face, in other words wash it as clean as possible. When you chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, it is just like cleansing yourself, cleansing every single part of your body.

When you chant, it's just like a fire engine trying to extinguish whatever problems you are suffering or encountering. Faith is like water, right? When you are really chanting and happy many fire engines will come, but when you are just chanting along, not really happy, only one will show up.

In the Gosho it states that we are children of the Buddha. It states that our bodies are equivalent to Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Our head is Myo, throat ho, chest Ren, stomach ge, hands and feet Kyo. The most essential thing is to understand that our bodies are actually the environment of Myoho-Renge-Kyo, and contain its power. So by circulating Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo throughout your body, you will be able to overcome any problem you have within your body.

You should chant to the Gohonzon to be able to accumulate good fortune and overcome problems for the sake of kosen-rufu. You should chant that you become a very fortunate person because you would like to dedicate yourself to the cause of kosen-rufu. When you do that, you will see that the Gohonzon answers your prayers.

If you just try to force yourself to chant when you don't really feel like chanting, you are the loser. You lose the many benfits you can receive when you chant with joy. If you chant as though the Gohonzon were God, and you ask it for something, you will not get as much benefit as you can. You have to remember that you are actually the Gohonzon. The Gohonzon's wisdom is immense, boundless, and immeasurable but through our practice, we are able to receive the immense benefit which is embodied in the Gohonzon.

People throughout the world began to use electricity through the invention of the light bulb. In the same way, through the introduction of the law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo on this earth, we are trying to propagate this law throughout the world in order to achieve and realize world peace while avoiding the use of nuclear and biological weapons. This is our mission. This is the mission that every member has throughout the world, to try to propagate Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism so that we can see, in every nation, the end of war.

The first step is to bring forth Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo in our lives by chanting and circulating Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo in our bodies, so that it cleanses us right down to our blood. By doing so, we can develop strong faith- in other words, make nuclear explosions of faith within us. It is not enough to have small explosions happening in a large number of people. What is important is to have large explosions happening in even a handful of people. We need a corps of people with unshakeable faith. I hope you strongly deepen your faith and receive as many benefits as possible and advance toward kosen-rufu in your countries.

Excerpts - Paraphrased from a guidance given by Soka Gakkai Vice-President Takehisa Tsuji.


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Achieving Buddhahood

Nichiren Buddhism enables those experiencing the greatest suffering to gain the greatest happiness. The Mystic Law has the power to change hell into the Land of Tranquil Light.

To b a "Buddha in life" means to bring forth our innate Buddhahood based on this awareness and to stand up valiantly on the stage of our mission in the midst of life's painful realities to work for our happiness and that of others.

To b a "Buddha in death" means to enter the eternal path of boundless joy of the Law after having to complete our mission in this lifetime and to embark on our next journey on the bodhisattva path to continue fulfilling our vow to lead others to enlightenment.

The purpose for this present existence is to attain the lofty spiritual state in which we truly sense we are Buddhas in both life and death and that both life and death are pervaded by joy. Or rather, each moment of this existence is a struggle to achieve this state of life.

- The Hope Filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin


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self-mastery

Like the ocean that remains calm in its depths even when waves rage over its surface, and like the sun that continues shining on high even during storms, we can at each moment create value and develop our state of life, enjoying our existence to the fullest in times of both suffering and joy.

Daisaku Ikeda, Ikedaquotes.org Self-Mastery


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