[SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo] 21st Feb. 2013 To My Friends and Daily Gosho

* Apologies for the delay today! Slight technical problems! Hope you have a GREAT day! ...

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

Friday, February 22nd, 2013
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
No matter how cold it might get
and no matter how tired they might be,
our proud Ojo-kai group members* responsibly continue
to do their duties day after day.
Thank you all so very much for your selfless dedication!
I hope that all of you stand tall
as the great pillars of our Men's Division!

*Ojo-kai is a group comprising of Men's Division members and takes the role of protecting our SGI community centres.

Friday, February 22nd, 2013
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"I am praying that, no matter how troubled the times may become, the Lotus Sutra and the ten demon daughters will protect all of you, praying as earnestly as though to produce fire from damp wood, or to obtain water from parched ground."

(On Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 444) Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, February 22nd, 2013

Saturday, February 23rd, 2013
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"There is one passage of the Orally Transmitted Teachings that I have always taken deeply to heart since my days of supporting and assisting Mr. Toda: 'If in a single moment of life we exhaust the pains and trials of millions of kalpas, then instant after instant there will arise in us the three Buddha bodies[1] with which we are eternally endowed. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is just such a "diligent" practice' (OTT, 214)."

"This passage teaches the essence of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime. 'The three Buddha bodies with which we are eternally endowed' refers to the boundless life-state of Buddhahood within us. The key to manifesting this life-state in each instant is to expend in a single moment of life millions of kalpas' worth of strenuous effort. 'Millions of kalpas' means an infinite expanse of time. Through practising Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism with this kind of concentrated effort, we can bring forth our inherent Buddha wisdom and life force.

"The Daishonin teaches that only through intense struggle, undaunted by hardships, can we attain Buddhahood in this lifetime, carry out our human revolution, and transform our life-condition. In a sense, my days have been a continuous, arduous, all-out struggle. I have been through inconceivably bitter experiences time and again.

"On those occasions, this passage sustained me, helping me renew my resolve, chant daimoku, overcome all hardships, and emerge triumphant.

"It is important that you courageously exert yourself, too, for the sake of kosen-rufu, the happiness of others, and your own future."

SGI Newsletter No. 8721, The New Human Revolution––Vol. 26: Chap. 1, Atsuta 56, translated 19th Feb. 2013

[1] The three bodies of the Buddha refer to the Dharma body, the reward body, and the manifested body. The Dharma body is the fundamental truth, or Law, to which a Buddha is enlightened. The reward body is the wisdom to perceive the Law. And the manifested body is the compassionate actions the Buddha carries out to lead people to happiness.

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

--WAGATOMO NI OKURU--
SAMUI NAKA, TABONA NAKA
HIBI, CHAKUNIN O TSUZUKERU
HOMARE NO OJO-KAI NO TOMO YO!
HONTO NI ARIGATO!
IDAINA SONEN NO HASHIRA TARE!

-- KYO NO GOSHO --
"IKANARU YO NO MIDARE NIMO ONO ONO OBA HOKEKYO JURASETSU TASUKE TAMAE TO SHIMERERU KI YORI HI O IDASHI KAWAKERU TSUCHI YORI MIZU O MOKEN GA GOTOKU GOJO NI MOSU NARI"
(Gosho Zenshu, page 1234)



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