Buddhism Day by Day

Appreciate Culture and Art
We should all develop the mind to rejoice in, praise and share in the gift of those who have artistic talents and a richness of heart, whether they achieve wide recognition or not. Cultivating such a beautiful mind is a very worthy effort. Culture and art are not just decorations. They are not just accessories. What matters is whether culture enriches the essential substance of our lives. 20/10


Sharing experience
Our individual experiences of triumph over our problems give courage and hope to many others. Our personal victories, in other words, become parables expressing the power of the Mystic Law. And those who hear our experiences can share them with still others. 19/10


Relative and absolute happiness
Such things as money, fame, and material possessions offer a fleeting satisfaction, something that can be called relative happiness. However, when we transform our lives internally, when we develop within ourselves a brilliant inner palace, then we can be said to have established absolute happiness. If we develop a state of mind as vast and resplendent as a magnificent palace, then nothing—no matter where we go or what we may encounter in life—can undermine or destroy our happiness. 18/10


Cut the iron chain of destiny
One's actions in previous existences are all engraved in and contained in this lifetime. The causes for our present suffering or joy, happiness or misery, all lie in our own past actions. But Nichiren Buddhism enables us to fundamentally reform our destiny. When we truly base ourselves on Buddhism's view of life's eternity, we realize the first thing to change is how we live in the present. In Nichiren Buddhism, change arises from the depths of our being. Strong, pure vitality abundantly wells forth. The iron chains of destiny are cut, and our original identity, the fresh and robust world of Buddhahood, appears. 17/10


How to manifest the power of Buddhahood
The air around us is filled with radio waves of various frequencies. While these are invisible, a television set can collect them and turn them into visible images. The practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo aligns the rhythm of our own lives with the world of Buddhahood in the universe. It "tunes" our lives, so to speak, so that we can manifest the power of Buddhahood in our very beings. 16/10


Mind of great compassion
I view things through the Buddha eye, I see the living beings in the six paths, how poor and distressed they are, without merit or wisdom, how they enter the perilous road of birth and death, their sufferings continuing with never a break, how deeply they are attached to the five desires, like a yak enamored of its tail, blinding themselves with greed and infatuation, their vision so impaired they can see nothing. They do not seek the Buddha, with his great might, or the Law that can end their sufferings, but enter deeply into erroneous views, hoping to shed suffering through greater suffering. For the sake of these living beings I summon up a mind of great compassion. -The Lotus Sutra 15/10


Bold and daring
Life is best lived by being bold and daring. People tend to grow fearful when they taste failure, face a daunting challenge or fall ill. Yet that is precisely the time to become even bolder. Those who are victors at heart are the greatest of all champions. 14/10


Supreme benefit of faith
Josei Toda explained the supreme benefit of faith as follows: "Attaining Buddhahood means achieving the state in which we are always reborn overflowing with abundant and powerful life force; we can take action to our heart's content based on a profound sense of mission; we can achieve all our goals; and we possess good fortune that no one can destroy." The purpose of faith is to realize a state of eternal happiness. This existence is as fleeting as a dream. We practice faith to awaken from this dream and firmly establish a state of eternal happiness in the depths of our lives during this lifetime. 13/10


Difference between belief like fire and water
Today there are people who have faith in the Lotus Sutra. The belief of some is like fire while that of others is like water. When the former listen to the teachings, their passion flares up like fire, but as time goes on, they tend to discard their faith. To have faith like water means to believe continuously without ever regressing. -Nichiren 12/10


Strength in others
It's valuable to look for the strengths in others—you gain nothing by criticizing people's imperfections. In fact, it is helpful to take a step back, for even a moment each day, and try to consider the feelings and positive qualities of others of whom you are critical. 11/10


Shallow and profound
Shakyamuni taught that the shallow is easy to embrace, but the profound is difficult. To discard the shallow and seek the profound is the way of a person of courage. -Nichiren. 10/10


True winner
Those who say "I'll do it," who are willing to take on a challenge even if they are alone, are true winners. The determination, the commitment to take action yourself, is the force that leads to victory. As Buddhism teaches in the principle of a life-moment possesses three thousand realms, our mind or attitude can change everything. 9/10