[SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo] 5th July 2012 To My Friends and Daily Gosho + 6th July 2012 Daily Enc.

A translation of President Ikeda's "To My Friends" published in the Seikyo Shimbun and more.

Thursday, July 5th, 2012
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
Our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies are with those
who have been affected by this week's heavy rains and flooding.*
We are chanting for your safety and speedy return to normalcy.
Deliverers of the Seikyo newspaper
please continue to make safety your top priority.
Let's all stay on strict vigil and take the utmost of precautions
to safeguard ourselves and those around us against any form of danger.

* About 25,000 people were forced to evacuate homes in Japan's Kyushu island (Wednesday, July 4th) due to threats of landslides or flooding caused by heavy rainfall that has continued since Tuesday morning.

Thursday, July 5th, 2012
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"What is most important is that, by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo alone, you can attain Buddhahood. It will no doubt depend on the strength of your faith. To have faith is the basis of Buddhism."
(The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 832)
Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, July 5th, 2012

Friday, July 6th, 2012
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"The Daishonin's followers also overcame adverse circumstances and demonstrated victory in the sphere of their work. Take, for instance, the case of Shijo Kingo. Because of his faith in the Daishonin's teachings, his coworkers, fellow samurai, spread slanderous rumors about him to his lord. Though Shijo Kingo was innocent of the charges, he was threatened with the loss of his estates, which provided his livelihood. But he chanted and took action in accord with the Daishonin's guidance, and in the end he was rewarded with three times the land he had previously possessed.

"The Daishonin offered Shijo Kingo detailed instructions concerning his behaviour. He points out, for instance: 'Since you are hot-tempered and behave like a blazing fire, you will certainly be deceived by others' (WND-1, 839). He also says: 'Your face bears definite signs of a hot temper. But you should know that the heavenly gods will not protect a short-tempered person, however important they may think he or she is' (WND-1, 849). His advice is both stern and warmly supportive. One can just imagine Shijo Kingo breaking out into a cold sweat upon reading these letters from the Daishonin!

"The Daishonin also tells his disciple: 'Do not go around lamenting to others how hard it is for you to live in this world. To do so is an act utterly unbecoming to a worthy man' (WND-1, 850). In other words, he advises him not to grumble or bewail his situation.

"In the same letter, he writes: 'Live so that all the people of Kamakura will say in your praise that [Shijo Kingo] is diligent in the service of his lord, in the service of Buddhism, and in his concern for other people' (WND-1, 851). Here, the Daishonin encourages him to win in his job, in the sphere of kosen-rufu, and in society, and to demonstrate actual proof that gains the praise and admiration of all.

"Many of our members have taken this passage to heart as personal guidance for their own individual struggles."

SGI Newsletter No. 8553, To My Young Friends—Leaders of a New Age, [4] To Youth Entering the Workforce—Part 3 [of 3], from the 24th May, 2012, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated 29th June 2012.

* The Japanese kanji for To My Friends is available by clicking on
Seikyo Shimbun's web-site address at
http://www.seikyoonline.jp/news/index.html

--- WAGATOMO NI OKURU ---
GO U HIGAI NO MINASAMA NI
KOKORO KARA OMIMAI O.
MUJI, ANNON O FUKAKU SHINNEN.
HAITATSU MO MUJIKO DAIICHI DE.
GENJU NA KEKAI O OKOTARI NAKU.

-- KYO NO GOSHO --
"NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO TO BAKARI TONAETE HOTOKE NI NARUBEKI KOTO MOTTOMO TAISETSU NARI SHINJIN NO KOHAKU NI YORUBEKI NARI BUPPO NO KONPON WA SHIN O MOTTE MINAMOTO TO SU"
(Gosho Zenshu, page 1244)



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