* Today's important guidance, may take another cup of coffee and a few seconds extra to read BUT it is only a few more sips or a few seconds more!… Hang in there! And hope you have a great week…
A translation of "Words of the Week" published in the Seikyo Shinbun based on President Ikeda's recent guidance, and more.
October 23rd - 29th, 2017
-- WORDS OF THE WEEK --
"The pillar of Japan" is victorious.*
Hurrah for everyone's unstinting devotion!
Even if all of our dedicated efforts
might be unseen by others,
it is most certain that the Buddha and bodhisattvas
are witnessing them.
Now, brimming with all that great good fortune and benefit
and continuing to help others to form a connection with Buddhism,
let's advance with great pride!
*"Nichiren Daishoin declares that he will be the 'pillar of Japan', the 'eyes of Japan', and the 'great ship of Japan'. Needless to say, the reference to Japan here is not indicative of a Japan centred worldview. Japan could be regarded as a typical land in the Latter Day where the entire country is guilty of slandering the Law — for it is a land exhibiting symptoms of a deeply evil age…
"A house without pillars will collapse. Japan was a society without any spiritual pillar or mainstay. It teemed with negative influences. It wandered along aimlessly, without purpose. In such a spiritual wasteland, Nichiren Daishonin stood up alone. He must have resolved: 'I will become the spiritual pillar of this devastated country...
"This commitment and struggle qualified him to proclaim himself the 'pillar of Japan'. It is the Soka Gakkai — and, indeed, only the Soka Gakkai -- that has carried on this spirit of the Daishonin."
(Ref.: Lectures on The Opening of the Eyes by Daisaku Ikeda)
NOTE: In a hotly contested, snap Lower House election held in Japan in the midst of a typhoon, Sun., October 22nd, 2017, 8 of 9 candidates fielded by the Komeito party in single-seat constituencies won seats and another 21 won seats on the proportional representation ballot. The Soka Gakkai in Japan provides electoral support to the Komeito Party, a coalition partner of the present government. The party aims to give political voice to the most vulnerable and under-represented people of society, with policies promoting peace, social security, educational support, a safe environment and the protection of human rights. The Soka Gakkai does not provide financial backing to any candidate or political party. Outside Japan, SGI organisations do not engage in politics.
KOMEITO English website: http://www.komei.or.jp/en/
Historical information: http://www.daisakuikeda.org/main/profile/bio/bio-10.html
Monday, October 23rd, 2017
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"Winter always turns to spring."
(Winter Always Turns to Spring
- WND, Vol. 1, page 536)
Selection Source:
SGI Thailand member's experience,
Seikyo Shinbun, Oct. 23rd, 2017
Tuesday, October 24th, 2017
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"'My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow. We are very fortunate to be alive after the widespread epidemics that occurred last year and the year before. But now with the impending Mongol invasion it appears that few will survive. In the end, no one can escape death. The sufferings at that time will be exactly like what we are experiencing now. Since death is the same in either case, you should be willing to offer your life for the Lotus Sutra. Think of this offering as a drop of dew rejoining the ocean, or a speck of dust returning to the earth. A passage from ['The Parable of the Phantom City' (7th) chapter in] the third volume of the Lotus Sutra reads, 'We beg that the merit gained through these gifts may be spread far and wide to everyone, so that we and other living beings all together may attain the Buddha way' [LSOC7, 168].
(WND-1, 1003; "The Dragon Gate")
"Let us deeply bear in mind the significance of the Daishonin's words 'it is my wish'— expressing his ardent hope—as well as the fact that he directs this call to all his disciples.
"The 'great vow' is the profound wish of the Buddha to enable all people to attain enlightenment, the grand aspiration for kosen-rufu. The Buddha wishes to free all people from suffering.
"In the 'Expedient Means' (2nd) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni's fundamental vow is expressed as: 'Hoping to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us' (LSOC2, 70).
"Shakyamuni's disciples during his lifetime, realising that in past existences they had always striven together with Shakyamuni, awakened to their great mission.
"In addition, Shakyamuni's original disciples, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, had shared Shakyamuni's vow for kosen-rufu, the widespread propagation of the Law, from the remote past.
"Standing up with the same vow as one's mentor and striving to propagate the Law and encourage others in order to realise happiness for oneself and others—that is the essence of the 'great vow.' That vow, which is the very heart of Buddhist compassion, is not something upheld by only a select group of people. All disciples—in fact, all people—inherently cherish this wish or vow deep in their lives.
"The call to 'make a great vow' is also a call for each of us to awaken to the vow or fundamental wish that exists in the depths of our life."
SGI Newsletter No. 9724, The Buddhism of the Sun—Illuminating the World [23] A Religion of Human Revolution—Part 3, The Call to "Make a Great Vow", from the March 2017 issue of the Daibyakurenge, translation released 18th Oct. 2017
The Japanese kanji is available by clicking on Seikyo Shinbun's
http://www.seikyoonline.com/news/wagatomo/
-- KONSHU NO KOTOBA --
"NIHON NO HASHIRA" WA KACHI TARI.
MINA NO TOTOKI DAIFUNTO, BANZAI!
"MYO NO SHORAN" WA GENZEN DA.
FUKUUN MO BUTSUEN MO MANMAN TO
SA MUNE HARI ZENSHIN O!
--- KYO NO GOSHO ---
"FUYU WA KANARAZU HARU TO NARU"
(Gosho Zenshu page 1253)
A translation of "Words of the Week" published in the Seikyo Shinbun based on President Ikeda's recent guidance, and more.
October 23rd - 29th, 2017
-- WORDS OF THE WEEK --
"The pillar of Japan" is victorious.*
Hurrah for everyone's unstinting devotion!
Even if all of our dedicated efforts
might be unseen by others,
it is most certain that the Buddha and bodhisattvas
are witnessing them.
Now, brimming with all that great good fortune and benefit
and continuing to help others to form a connection with Buddhism,
let's advance with great pride!
*"Nichiren Daishoin declares that he will be the 'pillar of Japan', the 'eyes of Japan', and the 'great ship of Japan'. Needless to say, the reference to Japan here is not indicative of a Japan centred worldview. Japan could be regarded as a typical land in the Latter Day where the entire country is guilty of slandering the Law — for it is a land exhibiting symptoms of a deeply evil age…
"A house without pillars will collapse. Japan was a society without any spiritual pillar or mainstay. It teemed with negative influences. It wandered along aimlessly, without purpose. In such a spiritual wasteland, Nichiren Daishonin stood up alone. He must have resolved: 'I will become the spiritual pillar of this devastated country...
"This commitment and struggle qualified him to proclaim himself the 'pillar of Japan'. It is the Soka Gakkai — and, indeed, only the Soka Gakkai -- that has carried on this spirit of the Daishonin."
(Ref.: Lectures on The Opening of the Eyes by Daisaku Ikeda)
NOTE: In a hotly contested, snap Lower House election held in Japan in the midst of a typhoon, Sun., October 22nd, 2017, 8 of 9 candidates fielded by the Komeito party in single-seat constituencies won seats and another 21 won seats on the proportional representation ballot. The Soka Gakkai in Japan provides electoral support to the Komeito Party, a coalition partner of the present government. The party aims to give political voice to the most vulnerable and under-represented people of society, with policies promoting peace, social security, educational support, a safe environment and the protection of human rights. The Soka Gakkai does not provide financial backing to any candidate or political party. Outside Japan, SGI organisations do not engage in politics.
KOMEITO English website: http://www.komei.or.jp/en/
Historical information: http://www.daisakuikeda.org/main/profile/bio/bio-10.html
Monday, October 23rd, 2017
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"Winter always turns to spring."
(Winter Always Turns to Spring
- WND, Vol. 1, page 536)
Selection Source:
SGI Thailand member's experience,
Seikyo Shinbun, Oct. 23rd, 2017
Tuesday, October 24th, 2017
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"'My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow. We are very fortunate to be alive after the widespread epidemics that occurred last year and the year before. But now with the impending Mongol invasion it appears that few will survive. In the end, no one can escape death. The sufferings at that time will be exactly like what we are experiencing now. Since death is the same in either case, you should be willing to offer your life for the Lotus Sutra. Think of this offering as a drop of dew rejoining the ocean, or a speck of dust returning to the earth. A passage from ['The Parable of the Phantom City' (7th) chapter in] the third volume of the Lotus Sutra reads, 'We beg that the merit gained through these gifts may be spread far and wide to everyone, so that we and other living beings all together may attain the Buddha way' [LSOC7, 168].
(WND-1, 1003; "The Dragon Gate")
"Let us deeply bear in mind the significance of the Daishonin's words 'it is my wish'— expressing his ardent hope—as well as the fact that he directs this call to all his disciples.
"The 'great vow' is the profound wish of the Buddha to enable all people to attain enlightenment, the grand aspiration for kosen-rufu. The Buddha wishes to free all people from suffering.
"In the 'Expedient Means' (2nd) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni's fundamental vow is expressed as: 'Hoping to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us' (LSOC2, 70).
"Shakyamuni's disciples during his lifetime, realising that in past existences they had always striven together with Shakyamuni, awakened to their great mission.
"In addition, Shakyamuni's original disciples, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, had shared Shakyamuni's vow for kosen-rufu, the widespread propagation of the Law, from the remote past.
"Standing up with the same vow as one's mentor and striving to propagate the Law and encourage others in order to realise happiness for oneself and others—that is the essence of the 'great vow.' That vow, which is the very heart of Buddhist compassion, is not something upheld by only a select group of people. All disciples—in fact, all people—inherently cherish this wish or vow deep in their lives.
"The call to 'make a great vow' is also a call for each of us to awaken to the vow or fundamental wish that exists in the depths of our life."
SGI Newsletter No. 9724, The Buddhism of the Sun—Illuminating the World [23] A Religion of Human Revolution—Part 3, The Call to "Make a Great Vow", from the March 2017 issue of the Daibyakurenge, translation released 18th Oct. 2017
The Japanese kanji is available by clicking on Seikyo Shinbun's
http://www.seikyoonline.com/news/wagatomo/
-- KONSHU NO KOTOBA --
"NIHON NO HASHIRA" WA KACHI TARI.
MINA NO TOTOKI DAIFUNTO, BANZAI!
"MYO NO SHORAN" WA GENZEN DA.
FUKUUN MO BUTSUEN MO MANMAN TO
SA MUNE HARI ZENSHIN O!
--- KYO NO GOSHO ---
"FUYU WA KANARAZU HARU TO NARU"
(Gosho Zenshu page 1253)
__._,_.___
Posted by: Scobie-John Le May-Grellan <sjlmg@me.com>
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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!
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http://www.sgi-uk.org/buddhism/practice
Check out the following address if you are looking for an important gosho quote
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And for the children there's a wonderful new web-site
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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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