[sgi-tomyfriends-wagatomo] To My Friends & Daily Gosho Nov. 29th 2020 + Daily Encouragement Nov. 30th

A translation of "To My Friends" published in the Seikyo Newspaper based on President Ikeda's recent guidance, and more.

Sunday, November 29th, 2020
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
The existence of senior members 

who are constantly willing 

to take on various struggles and issues themselves

are an inspiration 

for the younger generation of members.
Those who are constantly making an effort 

to nurture others to become 

even more capable than themselves

are true champions of the people!

Sunday, November 29th, 2020
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"What can we say, then, of persons who are devoting themselves to Buddhism? Surely they should not forget the debts of gratitude they owe to their parents, teachers, and country. But if one intends to repay these great debts of gratitude, one can hope to do so only if one learns and masters Buddhism, becoming a person of wisdom."

(On Repaying Debts of Gratitude 

- WND, Vol. 1, page 690)
Selection Source: "Kyo no Hosshin," 

Seikyo Newspaper, Nov. 29th, 2020

Monday, November 30th, 2020
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"Why do we experience difficulties even though we are practising Nichiren Buddhism?

"Immediately following the Tatsunokuchi Persecution [in September 1271), the Daishonin wrote a letter explaining the principle of 'lessening karmic retribution.'* Through faith in the Mystic Law, we can make even the most hellish sufferings vanish instantly in this lifetime (cf. WND-1,199). We experience problems and adversities in life so that we can attain Buddhahood, a state of eternally indestructible happiness.

"The Daishonin encourages the three disciples to whom this particular letter was addressed [Ota Saemon-no-jo, the lay priest Soya Kyoshin and Dharma Bridge Kimbara] to advance dauntlessly in complete unity, just like the two brothers who share the same name Chudapanthaka.**.

"In these extremely challenging times of the coronavirus pandemic, our members around the globe are 'transcending all differences among themselves' (WND-1, 217) to encourage one another and illuminate society with a light of hope, courage and friendship."

Constructing the New Era, Illuminating the World with the Light of Hope, Courage and Friendship, translated from the July 17th, 2020 issue of Seikyo Newspaper, translation released October 2020. 

* Lessening karmic retribution: this term, which literally means, "transforming the heavy and receiving it lightly," appears in the Nirvana sutra. "Heavy" indicates negative karma, accumulated over countless lifetimes in the past. As a benefit of protecting the correct teaching of Buddhism, we can experience relatively light karmic retribution in this lifetime, thereby expiating heavy karma, that ordinarily would adversely affect us not only in this lifetime, but over many lifetimes to come.

** Sons of a Brahman family in Shakyamuni's time, said to have had the same name Chudapanthaka. Therefore, when one was called, both would answer. The Daishonin compares the staunch unity of his three disciples to the two brothers closeness.

The Japanese kanji is available by clicking on Seikyo Shinbun's
http://www.seikyoonline.com/news/wagatomo/

-- WAGA TOMO NI OKURU --
KURO O ITOWANAI
SEMPAI NO SHINKENNA SUGATA GA
KOHAI NO KOKORO O SHOKUHATSU SURU.
JIBUN IJO NO JINZAI O HAGUKUMU.
SONO HITO KOSO NINGEN OJA DA!

--- KYO NO GOSHO ---
"BUKKYO O NARAWAN MONO BUMO SHISHO KOKUON O WASURU BESHIYA KONO DAION O HOZEN NIWA KANARAZU BUPPO O NARAI KIWAME CHISHA TO NARADE KANAU BEKIKA"
(Gosho Zenshu page 293)

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