Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
Let's give our sincerest encouragement to those friends
who are going through rough times in their lives.
Our empathy and warmth of concern in sharing their suffering
will kindle a fire of hope
and become the source of great courage for them.
Let us be leaders whose presence is like a radiating sun.
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable."
(Many in Body, One in Mind - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 618)
Selection source:"Myoji no Gen", Seikyo Shimbun, November 9th, 2010
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"Those who uphold the Mystic Law have the power to withstand any adversity. The daimoku of the Lotus Sutra--Nam-myoho-renge-kyo--has the beneficial power to lessen karmic retribution and change poison into medicine.
"Here, let us look at some of the encouragement and guidance that the Daishonin sent to other followers who were struggling with illness.
"In 'On Curing Karmic Disease,' which is addressed to the lay priest Ota, he writes that even illnesses that result from karma and are the most difficult to cure can be healed by the good medicine of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-renge-kyo (cf. WND-1, 632). And he cites a passage from the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai's Great Concentration and Insight that explains: 'Even if one has committed grave offences...the retribution can be lessened in this life. Thus, illness occurs when evil karma is about to be dissipated' (WND-1, 631). This expresses the principle of 'lessening karmic retribution.'
"The Daishonin explains that Ota is most surely experiencing his present illness so that he can avoid worse suffering that would appear as retribution for his past slander of the Law. He also assures him that he will definitely be healed and his life span extended (cf. WND-1, 634). The Daishonin even goes so far as to say that should there fail to be signs of recovery, Ota should cry out: 'The Buddha, the eye of the entire world, is a great liar, and the Lotus, the wonderful sutra of the single vehicle, is a scripture of clever flourishes. [If this is not the case, then] the World-Honoured One [Shakyamuni Buddha] should give me proof if he cares about his good name' (WND-1. 634). In these words of encouragement, the Daishonin is voicing his wholehearted wish that Ota regain his health.
"Elsewhere, the Daishonin assures the lay nun Toki (Toki Jonin's wife), who was suffering from a protracted illness, that because Buddhism has the power to change even fixed karma, it was definitely possible for her to extend her life. He tells her: 'Sincere repentance will eradicate even fixed karma, to say nothing of karma that is unfixed' (WND-1, 954); and 'You can rely on the power of the Lotus Sutra to cure even illness that is due to karma' (cf. WND-1, 656).
"Being gravely ill doesn't necessarily mean that one will die. The Daishonin writes to the lay nun Myoshin, the wife of the ailing lay priest Takahashi: 'A person's death is not determined by illness' (WND-1, 937). He continues: 'Could not this illness of your husband's be the Buddha's design, because the Vimalakirti and Nirvana sutras both teach that sick people will surely attain Buddhahood? Illness gives rise to the resolve to attain the way' (WND-1, 937). If, as a result of falling ill, one deepens one's determination in faith, then the path to Buddhahood will definitely open. Illness then becomes 'the Buddha's design.'
"No doubt the Daishonin also wished to convey this powerful conviction to Tokimitsu. In 'The Proof of the Lotus Sutra,' he writes in a similar vein: 'In the end, through the help of the Lotus Sutra, they will attain Buddhahood' (WND-1, 1108). The Daishonin is urging Tokimitsu to have absolute confidence that he will gain the life-state of Buddhahood."
SGI Newsletter No. 8098, LEARNING FROM THE WRITINGS OF NICHIREN DAISHONIN: THE TEACHINGS FOR VICTORY, [20] 'The Proof of the Lotus Sutra' The Prayers of a Votary of the Lotus Sutra to Overcome Illness, from the September 2010 issue of Daibyakurenge, translated Nov. 5th, 2010
* The Japanese kanji for To My Friends is available by clicking on Seikyo Shimbun's web-site address at http://www.sokanet.jp/sg/sn/member_support_top.html
--- WAGATOMO NI OKURU ---
NAYAMI O KAKAERU TOMO NI
MAGOKORO NO HAGEMASHI O
ATATAKANA [DOKU] NO KOKORO GA
KIBO NO HI O TOMOSU!
TAIYO NO SHIDOSHA TARE.
-- KYO NO GOSHO --
"ITAI DOSHIN NAREBA BANJI O JOSHI DOTAI ISHIN NAREBA SHOJI KANAU KOTO NASHI"
(Gosho Zenshu, page 1463)
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