A translation of President Ikeda's "To My Friends"
published in the Seikyo Shimbun and more.
Monday, August 24th, 2009
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
The Daishonin states,
"The wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat."*
Strengthening our faith more than ever,
let's drive back the raging storms of obstacles and negative forces!
Let's confront them with a challenging spirit and win!**
*"Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person
attains Buddhahood. At such a time, three obstacles and
four devils will invariably appear, and the wise will
rejoice while the foolish will retreat." - "The Three
Obstacles and Four Devils", WND-I, page 637
** "People leading lives of minor good who practice faith
only for their own benefit will certainly not encounter
obstacles, but those leading lives of major good dedicated
to altruistic bodhisattva practice will most definitely be
assailed by devilish functions...
"Just like lotus flowers that bloom unsullied by the muddy
water in which they grow, we [the members of the Soka
Gakkai] boldly plunge into the midst of forces hostile to
the correct teaching people of small and medium good
who commit slander of the Law and resolutely seek to
redress their grave error and wrongdoing. It is only
natural, therefore, that the three obstacles and four
devils will furiously descend upon us. Indeed, their
appearance earns us the name of 'practitioners.
"We mustn't be fainthearted 'believers' who only desire
minor benefit for themselves and are too fearful to battle
devilish functions. Authentic 'practitioners' are those
who throw themselves wholeheartedly into battling the
three obstacles and four devils for the sake of the great
benefits of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime and
advancing kosen-rufu for the happiness of people
everywhere. All members of the Soka Gakkai are noble
'practitioners of the Lotus Sutra' of the modern day."
(SGI Newsletter No. 7832, SGI President Ikeda's Study
Lecture Series LEARNING FROM THE WRITINGS OF NICHIREN
DAISHONIN: THE TEACHINGS FOR VICTORY [6] "Letter to the
Brothers" Part 3 [of 3])
Monday, August 24th, 2009
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king
and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king
fears no other beast, nor do its cubs."
(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of
Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 997) Selection source:
"Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, August 24th, 2009
August 24th-30th, 2009
---- WORDS OF THE WEEK ----
The Daishonin says,
"(Because I have expounded this teaching, I have been
exiled and almost killed. As the saying goes, 'Good
advice grates on the ear.')
But still I am not discouraged.
Let's take on every challenge confidently,
and charge ahead with the courage of a lion king!
Chanting abundant and sincere daimoku,
let's be in perfect unity so that we can ensure absolute victory!
*"The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood" - WND-I, page
748
* The Japanese kanji for To My Friends is available by
clicking on Seikyo Shimbun's web-site address at
http://www.sokanet.
--- WAGATOMO NI OKURU ---
"KENJA WA YOROKOBI
GUSHA WA SHIRIZOKU"
SHINJIN TSUYOKU
REPPU O HANEKAESE!
KOGEKI SEISHIN DE KATE!
-- KYO NO GOSHO --
"ONOONO SHISHIO NO KOKORO O TORIIDASHITE IKANI HITO
ODOSUTOMO OZURU KOTO NAKARE SHISHIO WA HYAKUJU NI OJIZU
SHISHI NO KO MATA KAKUNO GOTOSHI"
(Gosho Zenshu, page 1190)
--- KONSHU NO KOTOBA ---
"IMADA KORIZU SORO"
DODOTO SHISHI NO YUSEN O!
TSUYOKI DE SEMENUKE!
INORI NI INOTTE
DANKETSU DE KESSHO SEYO!
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