Daily Guidance

---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----

Courage is vital in life. People who lack courage cannot bring forth true compassion, nor can they savor true joy. They are cowardly and servile. Courage is also the essence of practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and urge others to do the same; that will remain as the only memory of your present life in this human world."
(Questions and Answers about Embracing the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 64)

Daily Guidance

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Mr. Toda stressed: "No matter what situation you find yourself in, when you base yourself on deep and powerful faith, you'll be able to overcome everything. When you yourself change, grow, and take responsibility, you can win in all things. It all comes down to you. Be responsible for your own life."
Everything depends on us ourselves. Everything rests upon whether we have the strong determination in faith to fight and win. Do our lives brim with fighting spirit? Do we shine with an undefeatable spirit? This is what decides victory in any endeavor.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"It is rare to be born a human being. The number of those endowed with human life is as small as the amount of earth one can place on a fingernail. Life as a human being is hard to sustain-- as hard as it is for the dew to remain on the grass."
(The Three Kinds of Treasure - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 851)

Daily Guidance

--- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ---

The important points for the unity of 'Many in Body, One in Mind' are our great vow for achieving kosen-rufu, our sincere respect for our fellow members, and our resolute spirit of 'Oneness of Mentor and Disciple'. Let's all be victorious together with the strategy of the Lotus Sutra!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"I am praying that, no matter how troubled the times may become, the Lotus Sutra and the ten demon daughters will protect all of you, praying as earnestly as though to produce fire from damp wood, or to obtain water from parched ground."
(On Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 444)

Daily Guidance

---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----

Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the founder of our Soka movement, said: "When we encounter a challenge or trial, we should be even more determined to press forward tenaciously and lead undefeated lives."

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"I know your faith has always been admirable, but now you must strengthen it more than ever. Only then will the ten demon daughters lend you even greater protection. You need not seek far for an example. Everyone in Japan, from the sovereign on down to the common people, without exception has tried to do me harm, but I have survived until this day. You should realize that this is because, although I am alone, I have firm faith."
(The Supremacy of the Law - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 614)

Daily Guidance

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As Nichikan Shonin (1665-1726), a great restorer of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, famously wrote: "No prayer will go unanswered." And Josei Toda declared: "Without a doubt, pure faith is rewarded with benefits."

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Carry through with your faith in the Lotus Sutra. You cannot strike fire from flint if you stop halfway."
(Earthly Desires Are Enlightenment - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 319)

Daily Guidance

---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----

There is no such thing as a life that is free of hardships. We experience adversity precisely so that we can achieve true peace in life. But unless we are aware of our inner strength to withstand hardships, we will find ourselves in a situation where one difficulty gives rise to another, and we will ultimately be crushed by their weight. The Latter Day is a time when people's lives are shrouded in darkness or ignorance, and destructive influences prevail. People are drawn into a downward spiral of negative causes and misery. Therefore, if we hope to guide people to happiness in the Latter Day of the Law, it is of utmost importance to teach them about the power they possess within to triumph over suffering. This is the teaching of the Daishonin's Buddhism.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"When we revere Myoho-renge-kyo inherent in our own life as the object of devotion, the Buddha nature within us is summoned forth and manifested by our chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is what is meant by 'Buddha.'"
(How Those Initially Aspiring to the Way Can Attain Buddhahood through the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 887)

Daily Guidance

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Beethoven declared: "My art shall be exhibited only in the service of the poor." To struggle with one's own destiny while at the same time striving to impart courage to others so that they can challenge and triumph over their own destinies- this calls to mind the bodhisattva way of life. A bodhisattva firmly believes that there is no hardship or suffering that cannot be surmounted.
The doctrine of changing karma taught in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is an unrivaled principle of victory in life, bringing hope, courage, and confidence to all people. It embodies a philosophy of supreme humanism showing that each individual inherently possesses the power to weather any destiny. It also constitutes a tenet of unsurpassed respect for the sanctity of life, revealing the fundamental causality of life by which we can actually tap and manifest this power. In short, it represents a hope-filled teaching for all humanity, illuminating as it does the latent power innate in each person's life.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"A blue fly, if it clings to the tail of a thorough 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 the Land - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 17)

Daily Guidance

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"First, I will do it!" Our earnest and wholehearted attitude to challenge ourselves is what will increase everyone's momentum to challenge themselves. Joyfully and cheerfully, let's march together toward a glorious victory!

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"It is like the lion king, the monarch of all the creatures that run on the ground, and like the eagle, the king of all the creatures that fly in the sky."
(The Sutra of True Requital - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 929)

Daily Guidance

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Marie wrote: "The life of a great scientist in his laboratory is not, as many think, a peaceful idyll. More often it is a bitter battle with things, with one's surroundings, and above all with oneself." This is the heartfelt cry of a person who has ceaselessly struggled. She further noted: "Between the days of fecund productivity are inserted days of uncertainty when nothing seems to succeed, and when even matter itself seems hostile; and it is then that one must hold out against discouragement." Her words hold true not only for scientific research but all areas of life.
There were times when the Curies felt despondent because nothing seemed to be going right in their efforts to isolate pure radium. After all, they were dealing with a chemical process when their actual field of specialty was physics. Even Pierre, with his deep-seated commitment, reached a point where he was worn out by the fruitless struggle and ready to give up. It would be very difficultto overcome the obstacles, he decided, and perhaps they should wait until they could work under better conditions before making another attempt. Out of concern for his wife on whom the exhausting work was taking a heavy toll, Pierre advised that they take a break from their undertaking, at least temporarily.
However, Marie refused to give up. She didn't know the meaning of the term. She was confident that radium existed, and she was determined to undergo any hardship to isolate it. When faced with a challenge, a woman with a strong will is unbeatable. Marie was also of the belief that with a bit of creativity one could work happily anywhere, no matter how challenging one's environment.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Live so that all the people of Kamakura will say in your praise that Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon-no-jo is diligent in the service of his lord, in the service of Buddhism, and in his concern for other people."
(The Three Kinds of Treasure - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 851)

Daily Guidance

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True beauty is the inner glow of life itself. Nothing shines so beautifully as the life of a person who is striving earnestly for a great ideal.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Believe in this mandala with all your heart. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?"
(Reply to Kyo'o - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin,Vol.1, page 412)

Daily Guidance

---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----

True beauty is the inner glow of life itself. Nothing shines so beautifully as the life of a person who is striving earnestly for a great ideal.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Believe in this mandala with all your heart. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?"
(Reply to Kyo'o - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin,Vol.1, page 412)

Daily Guidance

---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----

Does political power or wealth make a person great? Judging a person's merits by such criteria is a grave mistake. Moreover, from the perspective of the universal Law of Buddhism that operates across the three existences of past, present, and future, the sphere of worldly power is small and insignificant. There is nothing for us to fear.
We who practice this unsurpassed Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin are the bodhisattvas of whom the Lotus Sutra speaks, the most noble and admirable "treasures of the nation" and "treasures of the world." Innumerable heavenly deities and Buddhas-- the positive and protective functions of the universe-- will unfailingly support and protect us. Please be absolutely assured of this. Let's proceed on the great path of genuine happiness with courage and optimism, viewing the world from a lofty and elevated state of life.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Be diligent in developing your faith until the last moment of your life. Otherwise you will have regrets."
(Letter to Niike - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 1027)

Daily Guidance

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The Great Teacher Dengyo (also known as Saicho; 767-822), who propagated the Lotus Sutra in Japan some 1,200 years ago, during the Middle Day of the Law, wrote: "Who, if not the bodhisattvas, are the treasures of the nation and the benefactors of the nation?" He proclaims that bodhisattvas, as depicted in the Lotus Sutra, are the genuine treasures and benefactors of a country.
And who today, in the Latter Day of the Law, chants and propagates the daimoku of the Mystic Law in accord with the Daishonin's teachings and carries out the work of Bodhisattvas of the Earth for the sake of others, for society, for the nation, and the cause of world peace? None other, I declare, than all of us, the members of the SGI. This is something of which we have good reason to be proud.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Regard your service to your lord as the practice of the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by 'No worldly affairs of life or work are ever contrary to the true reality.'"
(Reply to a Believer - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin,Vol.1, page 905)

Daily Guidance

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Allow me now to share an episode from the Chinese historical text Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian (Ssu-ma Ch'ien; c. 145-86 B.C.E.). Centuries ago in ancient China, King Hui of Wei said to King Wei of Qi: "My realm is small, but I possess ten jewels that, while only an inch in size, can each fully illuminate a dozen chariots. How is it that a realm as powerful as yours has no such treasure?"
King Wei of Qi replied calmly: "What I regard as a treasure is quite different from what you call a treasure."
What, then, was the treasure of King Wei of Qi? He replied that he had four exceptionally talented ministers, each of whom governed their assigned territory wisely and expertly. The light of these four talented ministers, said the king, surely illuminated a distance of more than a thousand miles.
In other words, no amount of jewels or material wealth constitutes a nation's true treasure. It is not material things, but rather talented and able individuals who are the true treasures of a nation. This was the belief of the King Wei of Qi --a belief applauded and endorsed by the historian who recorded this incident, Sima Qian.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Myo means to revive, that is to return to life."
(The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 149)

Daily Guidance

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Shin'ichi remarked: "Thank you for coming here from your respective countries. The Gakkai organization exists to help each member develop his or her individuality, not to tie them down or restrict them. Rather than thinking of the Soka Gakkai as an organization comprised of individuals, we should consider it as something that exists within the heart of each person. In other words, an awareness of being a Soka Gakkai member should give us courage and serve as a cornerstone of our personal conscience.
"While it is vital for us to have a passionate desire to learn about Buddhism, seek guidance in faith, and forge unity among members, what is essential based on that is that we do our very best to support the happiness of ourselves and others, in a free and unfettered, natural manner."

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month. Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils will take advantage."
(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 997)

Daily Guidance

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Using the example of cherry, peach, plum, and damson blossoms, the Daishonin teaches that each unique entity, just as it is, possesses Buddhahood (cf. OTT, 200). The essence of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is for each individual to reveal from within their own true and highest potential. There's no need to pretend, to try to be someone you're not, to be impatient and anxious, or to doubt yourself. The Soka path of mentor and disciple is a great path of victory and happiness that will enable you to shine your brightest and in your own unique way.
The important thing is uniting with your fellow members and moving ahead together with hope and confidence, respecting and encouraging each other and not being swayed by passing problems or events.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Just as flowers open up and bear fruit, just as the moon appears and invariably grows full, just as a lamp becomes brighter when oil is added, and just as plants and trees flourish with rain, so will human beings never fail to prosper when they make good causes."
(The Third Day of the New Year - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 1013)

Daily Guidance

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When new capable people come to the fore, a new age opens. Future victory depends on successfully fostering young leaders.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), founder of the modern nursing profession, is well known for her emphasis on the importance of training and lifelong learning. In particular, she warned her students not to let their "time of training slip away." Those who receive training in their youth move forward along the path to victory in life.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Rather than offering up ten thousand prayers for remedy, it would be better simply to outlaw this one evil."
(On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 15)

Daily Guidance

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It has been 61 years since I became a disciple of Mr. Toda. I have triumphed in every struggle for the sake of the Law through the power of faith based on the shared commitment of mentor and disciple. A great stream of young people continues to "emerge from the earth" to carry on this supremely strong and noble lineage of faith. This makes me very happy.
Don't be defeated in life;

renew your determination in faith,

the winning faith of Soka.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"The voice carries out the work of the Buddha, and it is called kyo."
(Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 708, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 4)

Daily Guidance

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Mr. Toda warmly encouraged members who were facing various problems in life, such as business difficulties, financial worries, illness, and family discord. He said: "Nichiren Daishonin overcame every obstacle. This is actual proof of the power of faith. You have the Gohonzon.You have the strategy of faith. Live as a spiritual champion. You'll definitely be able to find a wonderful solution beyond anything you've imagined. Faith that is not defeated by any adversity is what enables us to build a citadel of eternal happiness."

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Life is limited; we must not begrudge it. What we should ultimately aspire to is the Buddha land."
(Aspiration for the Buddha Land - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 214)

Daily Guidance

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"Everyone encounters illness at some time in their life. The important thing is to use that experience to expand our life-state based on deep faith in the Mystic Law. This is what enables us to attain a profound sense of happiness and savour the joy of health on the eternal level of life-- something that those who haven't battled with illness can never know. That's what our Buddhist practice is for. Through faith, we can ultimately move our lives in the most positive direction, no matter what the situation. I wish you all the best of health.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Whether or not your prayer is answered will depend on your faith."
(Reply to the Lay Nun Nichigon - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 1079)

Daily Guidance

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"In the last year of his life, Tolstoy remarked: “The more challenging our circumstances, the more material they provide for our spiritual development.” People who avoid difficulties and spend all their time in idle pursuits are not noble or great, no matter how lofty a title or position they might have."

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone."
(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 997)

Daily Guidance

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"Neither Mr. Toda nor Mr. Makiguchi ever said that a prestigious academic background was crucial in practising the Daishonin's Buddhism. Of course, we all know that society places importance on academic background and titles, and the presence of highly educated, widely recognised people within our organisation can help promote deeper trust among the general public. But in the realm of faith itself, faith is ultimately what counts. In our organisation, those to whom we should offer the greatest respect are the members who actively share the Daishonin's Buddhism with others.
"For example, a person doing judo can read a lot of books that have nothing to do with judo and brag about being well educated and smart, but that has no bearing on their practise of judo. To judo athletes, winning at judo is what counts. Simply put, the same principle holds true for our Buddhist practise."

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"Exert yourself in the two ways of practise and study."
(The True Aspect of All Phenomena - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 386)

Daily Guidance

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The ancient Greek poet Pindar wrote: "Valiant acts are the [highest] wall of men." When one stands up intrepidly, one becomes a fortress. Courageous people especially are an invincible fortress of truth and justice.

--- DAILY GOSHO ---

"If you propagate it, devils will arise without fail. If they did not, there would be no way of knowing that this is the correct teaching."
(Letter to the Brothers - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 501)