[SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo] 23rd Jan. 2014 To My Friends and Daily Gosho + 24th Jan. 2014 Daily Enc.

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

Thursday, Jan 23rd, 2014
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
We, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth* are the protagonists,
the heroes and heroines of world peace.
Blazing with enthusiasm to realise our epic goal of kosen-rufu,
let's focus on the tasks that are right before us.
Now is the time to advance one courageous step!

* Read more about Bodhisattvas of the Earth here: http://www.sgilibrary.org/

* "We have been born into this world as Bodhisattvas of the Earth to
take our place on the stage of our respective missions and there
perform the joyous dance of fulfilling our vow for kosen-rufu. Not
even the most terrible injustice or calamity can discourage or
intimidate us.

Thursday, Jan 23rd, 2014
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"None of you who declare yourselves to be my disciples should ever
give way to cowardice."

(The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of
Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 764)
Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, Jan 23rd, 2014

Friday, Jan 24th, 2014
—— DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ——
"I would like to share a famous passage from a letter Nichiren Daishonin wrote to Shijo Kingo. . . :

"'This life is like a dream. One cannot be sure that one will live until tomorrow. However wretched a beggar you might become, never disgrace the Lotus Sutra. Since it will be the same in any event, do not betray grief. Just as you have written in your letter, you must act and speak without the least servility. If you try to curry favour, the situation will only worsen.
Even if your fiefs should be confiscated or you yourself driven out, you must think that it is due to the workings of the ten demon daughters, and wholeheartedly entrust yourself to them.

"'Had I not been exiled, but remained in Kamakura, I would certainly have been killed in the battle.[1] In like manner, since remaining in your lord's service will likely be to your detriment, this may well be the design of Shakyamuni Buddha.' (WND-1, 824)

"The Daishonin was beset with the great persecution of being exiled to Sado Island. But because of this, he says, he actually avoided being caught up in civil strife; his being sent to Sado, therefore, was in fact a benefit.

"In the drawn-out recession we are now facing, some of our members may find themselves the victims of corporate restructuring or unemployment. However, when viewed through the eyes of Buddhism, everything has profound meaning. We must not lament our situations. As long as we have strong faith, courageous faith, we can definitely transform all hardships into something positive, turning poison into medicine.

"Please engrave these words of the Daishonin in your heart, and continue advancing resolutely forward, no matter what happens."

SGI Newsletter No. 8914, from SGI President Ikeda's speech at the 13th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting in Tokyo, on 8th Jan., 2002, shown during the 3rd Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting of the New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu in Tokyo, on 11th Jan., 2014. Issued 20th Jan. 2014, from SGI Newsletter Nos. 4981, 4996, and 4999

[1] This is probably a reference to the conflict that broke out in the second month of 1272 between the regent Hojo Tokimune and his elder half brother Hojo Tokisuke.

* 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--
JIYU NO WARERA WA
SEKAI HEIWA E NO SHUJINKO DA.
KOFU NO ROMAN NI MOETE
GANZEN NO KADAI NI IDOMO!
YUKI NO IPPO O FUMIDASE!

- KYO NO GOSHO --
"ONO ONO WAGA DESHITO NANORAN HITOBITOWA HITORIMO OKUSHI OMOWARU BEKARAZU"
(Gosho Zenshu, page 910)


------------------------------------

If you have a friend(s) who would like to get To My Friends directly get them to send an E-mail to the following address and just simply write - "subscribe"
: SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk

from there on it is all automatic!

ALSO if you want to introduce a friend to the SGI but just don't know where to start, share with them the following addresses and they can read and watch some very well put together explanations about the SGI. Check it out yourself!

http://www.sgi.org/
http://www.sgi-uk.org/buddhism/practise

Check out the following address if you are looking for an important gosho quote

http://www.nichirenlibrary.org

And for the children there's a wonderful new web-site

http://treasures-of-heart.com/

To unsubscribe from this group send an email to:
SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo-unsubscribe@egroups.com

But do drop us a line at sjlmg@wta.att.ne.jp when you leave and tell us why you are leaving as it often can help us to improve the service! Please!

To modify your subscription from receiving daily to picking up as you wish go to http://www.egroups.com/mygroupsYahoo Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo-digest@yahoogroups.co.uk
SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.co.uk

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk

<*> Your use of Yahoo Groups is subject to:
http://info.yahoo.com/legal/uk/yahoo/utos/en-gb/details.html