* A new round of exerts from the Five Eternal Guidelines started yesterday which means a slightly extended Daily Encouragement. We do hope you can spare just a few more seconds to read this REALLY essential read!… Hope you have a great day!
A translation of President Ikeda's "To My Friends"
published in the Seikyo Shinbun and more.
Friday, October 21st, 2016
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
Let's make a new start each day
by chanting daimoku with the refreshing rhythm
of a galloping white horse.
Friday, October 21st, 2016
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
Let's make a new start each day
by chanting daimoku with the refreshing rhythm
of a galloping white horse.
With this ever-victorious rhythm of life,
let's advance vigorously along the path
let's advance vigorously along the path
of our noble mission!
Friday, October 21st, 2016
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"The more gold is heated in the flames, the brighter will be its colour; the more a sword is whetted, the sharper it will become. And the more one praises the blessings of the Lotus Sutra, the more one's own blessings will increase."
("The Blessings of the Lotus Sutra", WND-1, page 673)
Selection Source: Kyono Hosshin
Seikyo Shimbun: October 21st, 2016
Selection Source: Kyono Hosshin
Seikyo Shimbun: October 21st, 2016
Saturday, October 22nd, 2016
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings says: Concerning the "peaceful" practices of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law and the practices carried out by Nichiren and his followers now in the Latter Day of the Law, you should understand that, when one practises the Lotus Sutra under such circumstances, difficulties will arise, and these are to be looked on as [peace and comfort]. (OTT, 115)
"The above passage from The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings[1] is a comment on the 'Peaceful Practices' (14th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. It asserts that true peace and comfort are found in fighting against difficulties—the principle that difficulties or obstacles are in fact 'peace and comfort' (cf. OTT, 115).
"One kind of obstacle is facing persecution by the three powerful enemies[2] because we are correctly practising the Lotus Sutra. There are also obstacles that crop up in life, or when we try to challenge our destiny—these function help us to bring forth our inherent Buddhahood. In both cases, only by winning out over these negative workings that seek to destroy our faith—what Buddhism terms as the 'three obstacles and four devils'[3]—can we attain Buddhahood in this lifetime and realise the goal of kosen-rufu.
"What exactly is this 'peace and comfort'? The Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai[4] of China defines 'peace' as meaning 'immovable,' and 'comfort,' as 'free of worry.'[5] In other words, 'peace' means faith that is unshaken by any obstacle, and 'comfort' means faith that enables one to live without fear or regret.
"Mr. Toda stressed the importance of overcoming each difficulty we face: 'Each time we surmount a mountain of tribulation, we solidify within us a life state of Buddhahood that nothing can destroy.' Challenging each problem as it comes is the crucial point. We don't wait for our faith to be deep enough to do so. It is through tackling difficulties that we can polish our lives and forge indestructible, diamond-like faith. As the Daishonin states: 'A sword, even when exposed to a great fire, withstands the heat for a while, because it has been well forged' (WND-1, 839).
"I therefore hope you will pray about your problems in front of the Gohonzon. When we transform problems into prayer as we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, courage wells forth and hope begins to shine in our hearts.
"'Faith for overcoming obstacles' is the same as 'prayer for overcoming obstacles' and 'chanting daimoku for overcoming obstacles.'
SGI Newsletter No. 9468, The Buddhism of the Sun—Illuminating the World, [11] The Five Eternal Guidelines of the Soka Gakkai—Part 3 [of 5], "Faith for Overcoming Obstacles"—Confronting Challenges with the Heart of a Lion King, True "Peace and Comfort", from the March 2016 issue of the Daibyaku-renge, translation released 20th Oct., 2016
"What exactly is this 'peace and comfort'? The Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai[4] of China defines 'peace' as meaning 'immovable,' and 'comfort,' as 'free of worry.'[5] In other words, 'peace' means faith that is unshaken by any obstacle, and 'comfort' means faith that enables one to live without fear or regret.
"Mr. Toda stressed the importance of overcoming each difficulty we face: 'Each time we surmount a mountain of tribulation, we solidify within us a life state of Buddhahood that nothing can destroy.' Challenging each problem as it comes is the crucial point. We don't wait for our faith to be deep enough to do so. It is through tackling difficulties that we can polish our lives and forge indestructible, diamond-like faith. As the Daishonin states: 'A sword, even when exposed to a great fire, withstands the heat for a while, because it has been well forged' (WND-1, 839).
"I therefore hope you will pray about your problems in front of the Gohonzon. When we transform problems into prayer as we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, courage wells forth and hope begins to shine in our hearts.
"'Faith for overcoming obstacles' is the same as 'prayer for overcoming obstacles' and 'chanting daimoku for overcoming obstacles.'
SGI Newsletter No. 9468, The Buddhism of the Sun—Illuminating the World, [11] The Five Eternal Guidelines of the Soka Gakkai—Part 3 [of 5], "Faith for Overcoming Obstacles"—Confronting Challenges with the Heart of a Lion King, True "Peace and Comfort", from the March 2016 issue of the Daibyaku-renge, translation released 20th Oct., 2016
[1] The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings is a collection of oral teachings delivered by Nichiren Daishonin on Mount Minobu and recorded by Nikko Shonin.
[2] Three powerful enemies: Three types of arrogant people who persecute those who propagate the Lotus Sutra in the evil age after Shakyamuni Buddha's death, described in the concluding verse section of the "Encouraging Devotion" (13th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The Great Teacher Miao-lo of China summarizes them as arrogant lay people, arrogant priests, and arrogant false sages.
[3] Three obstacles and four devils: Various obstacles and hindrances to the practice of Buddhism. The three obstacles are (1) the obstacle of earthly desires, (2) the obstacle of karma, and (3) the obstacle of retribution. The four devils are (1) the hindrance of the five components, (2) the hindrance of earthly desires, (3) the hindrance of death, and (4) the hindrance of the devil king.
[4] T'ien-t'ai (538–597): Also known as the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai or Chih-i. The founder of the T'ien-t'ai school in China. His lectures were compiled in such works as The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, and Great Concentration and Insight. He spread the Lotus Sutra in China, and established the doctrine of "three thousand realms in a single moment of life."
[5] T'ien-t'ai, The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 8.
* The Japanese kanji is available by clicking on Seikyo Shinbun's
http://www.seikyoonline.com/news/wagatomo/
-- WAGA TOMO NI OKURU --
HAKUBA GA KAKERU YONA
SUGASUGASHII DAIMOKU KARA
ICHINICHI O SHUPPATSU SHIYO!
JOSHO NO RIZUMU O KIZAMI
IKIIKI TO ZENSHIN O!
http://www.seikyoonline.com/news/wagatomo/
-- WAGA TOMO NI OKURU --
HAKUBA GA KAKERU YONA
SUGASUGASHII DAIMOKU KARA
ICHINICHI O SHUPPATSU SHIYO!
JOSHO NO RIZUMU O KIZAMI
IKIIKI TO ZENSHIN O!
--- KYO NO GOSHO ---
KOGANE WA YAKEBA IYOIYO IRO MASARI TSURUGI WA TOGEBA IYOIYO TOKUNARU · HOKEKYO NO KUDOKU WA HOMUREBA IYOIYO KUDOKU MASARU.
("MYOMITSU SHONIN GOSHOSOKU", Gosho Zenshu page 1241-2)
__._,_.___
Posted by: Scobie-John Le May-Grellan <sjlmg@yahoo.co.uk>
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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"
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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/practice
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/
And if you are looking for back editions of To My Friends click on...
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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/mygroups
: 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/practice
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/
And if you are looking for back editions of To My Friends click on...
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SGI-ToMyFriends-Wagatomo/conversations/messages
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/mygroups
.
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