Daily Guidance

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Compared to Mr. Toda's time, our organization is much better off in every regard. We have community and culture centers throughout Japan as well as many capable members. Still, if leaders become lazy and indifferent, grow arrogant, lose their fighting spirit, and forget the spirit of mentor and disciple, defeat is inevitable. True disciples fight resolutely and honor their mentor with their victory. That is the essence of repaying one's debt of gratitude to one's mentor.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"There is no true happiness for human beings other than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The Sutra reads, '... Whereliving beings enjoy themselves at ease.'"
(Happiness in This World - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 681)

Daily Guidance

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Buddhism is not an abstraction or empty idealism. Soka Gakkai members striving earnestly for kosen-rufu are incomparably noble entities of the Mystic Law who enjoy the full wisdom and power of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the universe. I hope that each of you will triumph resolutely over every difficulty you face, proud of the unsurpassed life you are leading and with a deep awareness of the infinite and immeasurable good fortune you possess.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"... chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Continue your practice without backsliding until the final moment of your life, and when that time comes, behold! When you climb the mountain of perfect enlightenment and gaze around you in all directions, then to your amazement you will see that the entire realm of phenomena is the Land of Tranquil Light. The ground will be of lapis lazuli, and the eight paths will be set apart by golden ropes. Four kinds of flowers will fall from the heavens, and music will resound in the air. All Buddhas and bodhisattvas will be presentin complete joy, caressed by the breezes of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. The time is fast approaching when we too will count ouselves among their number."
(The Fourteen Slanders - The Writings of NichirenDaishonin, page 760)

Daily Guidance

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The American Renaissance thinker Henry David Thoreau(1817-62), whose writings I have read avidly since the days of my youth, wrote in his masterpiece Walden: "To him whose elastic and vigorous thought keeps pace with the sun, the day is a perpetual morning." This is even truer for those of us whose lives are dedicated to the Mystic Law. While causing the sun of time without beginning to constantly rise in our lives, we are able to forever enjoy a morning of hope imbued with the four virtues of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. No dark despair can be found in such a life.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha' may be read as follows: single-mindedly observing the Buddha, concentrating one's mind on seeing the Buddha, and when looking at one's own mind, perceiving that it is the Buddha."
(Letter to Gijo-bo - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin,page 389)

Daily Guidance

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The Daishonin says: "Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase"(WND, 386). The benefit gained by those who share the Mystic Law with others is boundless and immeasurable. I hope that you, burning with a mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, will pray together, encourage one another, and rejoice together as you plant seeds of hope, victory, and happiness in all those you encounter. Victory is ultimately achieved through faith, determination, and unity.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"I pray that my followers will be cubs of the lion kingand never incur the ridicule of packs of foxes."
(Enbudaichu gosho - Gosho Zenshu, page 1589)

Daily Guidance

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You may call yourself a global citizen, but unless you are firmly rooted in your local community, your ideas are bound to remain abstract and ungrounded. The American educator and philosopher John Dewey (1859-1952) wrote:"Democracy must begin at home, and its home is the neighborly community." SGI members around the world have been taking action as good citizens in their local communities and winning the trust and understanding of their neighbors.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"To be praised by fools -- that is the greatest shame."
(The Opening of the Eyes - The Writings of NichirenDaishonin, page 287)

Daily Guidance

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Good human relations are developed through friendly greetings. Cheerfully and politely, let's start conversations with others with the kind ofv oice that impresses them and opens their hearts!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Although I and my disciples may encounter variousdifficulties, if we do not harbor doubts in our hearts, wewill as a matter of course attain Buddhahood."
(The Opening of the Eyes - The Writings of NichirenDaishonin, page 283)

Daily Guidance

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"Live true to yourself!"* This is what my mentor, Josei Toda, used to say. You are the main character of your own life. Let's all live out our lives with confidence and conviction by being true to ourselves!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Is it true that there is illness in your family? If so, it cannot be the work of demons. Probably the ten demon daughters are testing the strength of your faith."
(The Two Kinds of Faith - The Writings of NichirenDaishonin, page 899)

Daily Guidance

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A transformation in the inner life of a single individual can spur and encourage similar changes in others, and as this extends into society, it generates a powerful vortex for peace that can steadily shape the direction of events. The collective impact of "ordinary citizens," awakened and empowered, can propel humankind toward the twin goals of genuine disarmament and a flourishing culture of peace.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"If anything should happen to you, just as the moon emerges to shine in the dark night, so the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo will appear as a moon for you. Be convinced that Shakyamuni Buddha, the Buddhas of the ten directions, and the son who preceded you in death will appear in this moon."
(The Sons Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye - The Writings ofNichiren Daishonin, page 1050)

Daily Guidance

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A Turkish proverb says: "Iron shines when used, but rusts when not." The capacities of people who are working hard and striving with all their might never get rusty; they are constantly being polished and forged. Lazy people, on the other hand, no matter how much inborn talent they have, often fail to realize their potential and wind up in defeat. It doesn't matter how intelligent they are or how good a school they attended. This is just the way life works. Constant challenge and unceasing effort are absolutely critical.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"A blue fly, if it clings to the tail of a through bred horse, can travel ten thousand miles, and the green ivy that twines around the tall pine can grow to a thousand feet."
(On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of theLand - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 17)

Daily Guidance

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Faith based on the mentor-disciple spirit is the key to opening the treasure within our lives which is as vast as the universe. Moreover, courageously exerting ourselves in chanting daimoku and taking action for kosen-rufu is the direct path to attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"The greatest evil among evils produces consequences that not only affect the perpetrators personally but extend to their sons, their grandsons, and so on down to the seventh generation. And the same is true of the greatest good among good. The Venerable Maudgalyayana put his faith in the Lotus Sutra, which is the greatest good there is, and thus not only did he himself attain Buddhahood, but his father and mother did so as well. And, amazing as it may seem, all the fathers and mothers of the preceding seven generations and the seven generations that followed, indeed, of countless lifetimes before and after, were able to become Buddhas. In addition, all their sons, their wives or husbands, their retainers, supporters, and countless other persons not only were enabled to escape from the three evil paths, but all attained the first stage of security and then Buddhahood, the stage of perfect enlightenment."
(The Offerings for Deceased Ancesters, page 820)

Daily Guidance

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Myoho-renge-kyo is the Law inherent in our own lives. The ongoing moment-to-moment transformation in our hearts and minds that we achieve through chanting daimoku not only leads to a fundamental inner change, but to a change in the entire way we live our lives, putting us on track to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime, and it further creates a groundswell for the great transformation of all humankind that is kosen-rufu. The dynamic force for change on all levels is Myoho-renge-kyo.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"When we scrutinize the sutras and treatises with care, we find that there is a teaching about a precept known as following the customs of the region that corresponds to this. The meaning of this precept is that, so long as no seriously offensive act is involved, then even if one were to depart to some slight degree from the teachings of Buddhism, it would be better to avoid going against the manners and customs of the country. This is a precept expounded by the Buddha."
(The Recitation of the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span"Chapters, page 72)

Daily Guidance

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Day by day, through consistently chanting daimoku, we can accumulate the causes and effects for attaining Buddhahood that make it possible to transform a mind clouded by the innate darkness of life into a mind reflecting the essential nature of phenomena and the true aspect of reality (cf. WND, 4). The virtues of these causes and effects over time become the bone and marrow of our beings, with flowers of benefit blossoming in our characters and actual lives.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Nichiren is like the plant, and my teacher, the earth."
(Flowering and Bearing Grain - The Writings of NichirenDaishonin, page 909)

Daily Guidance

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When someone is encountering hardship, let's offer kind words of encouragement to that person with lightning speed! Let's do our very best to inspire them so that they can hopefully move on to tomorrow and courageously challenge to overcome all obstacles!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"It is said that, if a teacher has a good disciple, both will gain the fruit of Buddhahood, but if a teacher fosters a bad disciple, both will fall into hell. If teacher and disciple are of different minds, they will never accomplish anything."
(Flowering and Bearing Grain - The Writings of NichirenDaishonin, page 909)

Daily Guidance

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If we follow the mind of delusion of ordinary people - a mind that tends to be weak and easily swayed-our inner potential can rapidly wither or, even worse, we may succumb to negative and destructive impulses. .. The Daishonin states: "Become the master of your mind rather than let your mind master you" (WND, 502). ... Becoming the master of one's mind means having a sound compass in life and the bright beacon of faith. We must not be mastered by the inconstant, weak, and ever-changing mind of delusion of ordinary people. To master our mind, we must guide it in the right direction. In that sense, the true master of the mind is the Law and the teachings of the Buddha.

(Source: SGI Newsletter No. 6931, featuring SGI President Ikeda Study Lecture Series, ON ATTAINING BUDDHAHOOD INTHIS LIFETIME, [6], The Mystic Nature of Our Lives, Becomethe Master of Your Mind Rather Than Let Your Mind Master You. Translated from the June 2006 issue of theDaibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai study journal)

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"... because of these praises of the Buddha he will gainimmeasurable blessings. And if one lauds and extols thosewho uphold this sutra, one's good fortune will be evengreater ."
(Letter to the Lay Nun of Ko - The Writings of NichirenDaishonin, page 595)

Daily Guidance

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Peace is not simply the absence of war. A truly peaceful society is one in which all people can maximize their potential and build fulfilling lives free from threats to their dignity. When ordinary citizens around the globe join hands to call for peace, a solidarity of awakened and empowered individuals can propel humankind toward the twin goals of genuine disarmament and a flourishing culture of peace. This is what drives the SGI's movement of Buddhist humanism as we look with hope to the future

(Source: SGI President Ikeda's Peace Proposal 2006)

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"And if the mind of faith is perfect, then the water of wisdom, the great impartial wisdom, will never dry up. "
(Letter to Akimoto - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin,page 1015)

Daily Guidance

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There is nothing more dignified than life! There is nothing that is more precious than peace! Let's spread this great noble philosophy over the world as far and wide as we possibly can!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"While the eyes of ordinary people are blind to this, the eyes of the Buddha see it. A sutra passage states that there are paths by which birds and fish come and go in both the sky and the sea. A wooden statue [of the Buddha] is itself a golden Buddha, and a golden Buddha is a wooden statue. Aniruddha's gold turned into a hare and then a corpse. In the palm of Mahanama's hand, even sand turned into gold. These things are beyond ordinary understanding. An ordinary person is a Buddha, and a Buddha, an ordinary person. This is what is meant by three thousand realms in a single moment of life and by the phrase "I in fact attained Buddhahood."

(The Izu Exile - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page36

Daily Guidance

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Faith in the Mystic Law is an eternal struggle between the Buddha and devilish functions. We should thus engrave these words of the Daishonin deeply in our hearts :"Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month. Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils will take advantage" (WND, 997). Those who strive in faith with unwavering resolve are able to ward off devilish influences. They can see through and vanquish the devilish functions that take root in the hearts of those around them. That’s why we need to strengthen our faith "day by day and month after month."

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"In the light of the above points, this shows, my followers, that you had better cut short your sleep by night and curtail your leisure by day, and ponder this! You must not spend your lives in vain and regret it for ten thousand years to come."
(The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day - The Writingsof Nichiren Daishonin, page 622)

Daily Guidance

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Let's respond wisely and flexibly to the changes of the times! If there is anything that needs to be taken care of, let's take appropriate and necessary action right away! That is a fundamental principle for success.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Gold can be neither burned by fire nor corroded or swept away by water, but iron is vulnerable to both. A worthy person is like gold, a fool like iron."
(The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 217)

Daily Guidance

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The Daishonin states,"The voice carries out the work of the Buddha."*It is very important that our leaders try to make their speech as clear, concise and easy to understand as possible, using the kind of voice that can profoundly inspire their fellow members!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"And yet, though one might point at the earth and miss it, though one might bind up the sky, though the tides might cease to ebb and flow and the sun rise in the west, it could never come about that the prayers of the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra would go unanswered."
(On Prayers - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page345)

Daily Guidance

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If we avoid looking at death, any happiness that we achieve will be a fleeting illusion. It is by gaining a proper understanding of death that we really know how to live and how to contribute meaningfully to society and civilization.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"It must be ties of karma from the distant past that have destined you to become my disciple at a time like this. Shakyamuni and Many Treasures certainly realized this truth. The sutra's statement, 'Those persons who hadheard the Law dwelled here and there in various Buddhalands, constantly reborn in company with their teachers,' cannot be false in any way."
(The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life - The Writingsof Nichiren Daishonin, page 217)

Daily Guidance

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Let's have friendly dialogue with as many people as we can so that our movement for kosen-rufu will further advance! Let's make every possible effort to foster all of our Future Division members (children and young people aged between 6 and 18) so that we can help "to ensure that the Law will longendure"! *Let's all create value everyday!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"The word 'wonderful' means inconceivable. The word 'sound' refers to the sounds uttered by all living beings, the voice of the Wonderful Law. "
(Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 774, The Record of theOrally Transmitted Teachings, page 176)