Monkey and the Hyena

Spiritual Story by Anthony de Mello

A monkey and a hyena were walking through the forest when he hyena said, "Each time I pass by those bushes there, a lion jumps out of them and mauls me. I don't know why." "I'll walk with you this time," said the monkey, "and side with you against the lion." So they started to walk past the bushes when the lion pounced on the hyena and nearly mauled it to death. Meanwhile, the monkey watched the proceedings from the safety of a tree that he had run up the moment the lion appeared. "Why didn't you do something to help me?" moaned the hyena. Said the monkey, "You were laughing so much I thought you were winning."

Magically Appearing Cave

Spiritual Story by Anthony de Mello

A villager was once riding past a cave in a mountain at the precise moment when it made one of its rare magical appearances to all who wished to enrich themselves from its treasures. He marched into the cave and found whole mountains of jewels and precious stones that he hurriedly stuffed into the saddlebags of his mule, for he knew the legend according to which the cave would be open for only a very limited period of time so its treasures had to be taken in haste. The donkey was fully loaded and he set off rejoicing at his good fortune, when he suddenly remembered he had left his stick in the cave. He turned back and rushed into the cave. But the time for the cave to disappear had arrived and so he disappeared with it and was never seen again. After waiting for him a year or two, the villagers sold the treasure they found on the donkey and became the beneficiaries of the unfortunate man's good luck.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Thursday, June 7, 2012:

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enables us to make any hardship or setback the source of our new advancement and our treasure for the future. Therefore, you don't have to be afraid of making a mistake or encountering an obstacle. In short, as long as you are devoted to staying in the correct orbit of faith, you won't ever cease to advance toward your victory, even if you may go through some twists and turns in life.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Thursday, June 7, 2012:

Faith and daily life, faith and work—these are not separate things. They are one and the same. To think of them as separate—that faith is faith, and work is work—is theoretical faith. Based on the recognition that work and faith are one and the same, we should put one hundred percent of our energy into our jobs and one hundred percent into our faith, too. When we resolve to do this, we enter the path of victory in life. Faith means to show irrefutable proof of victory amid the realities of society and in our own daily lives.

The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Thursday, June 7, 2012:

 

Thus, as we have seen, even those who lack understanding, so long as they chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, can avoid the evil paths. This is like lotus flowers, which turn as the sun does, though the lotus has no mind to direct it, or like the plantain that grows with the rumbling of thunder, though this plant has no ears to hear it. Now we are like the lotus or the plantain, and the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra is like the sun or the thunder.

The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra
Recipient unknown; written on January 6, 1266

Lulu's Insanity

Spiritual Story by Anthony de Mello

A visitor to an insane asylum found one of the inmates rocking back and forth in a chair cooing repeatedly in a soft, contented manner, "Lulu, Lulu..." "What's this man's problem?" he asked the doctor. "Lulu. She was a woman who jilted him," was the doctor's reply. As they proceeded on the tour, they came to a padded cell whose occupant was banging his head repeatedly against the wall and moaning, "Lulu... LULU....." "Is Lulu this man's problem too?" asked the visitor. "Yes," said the doctor. "He's the one Lulu finally married."

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Wednesday, June 6, 2012:

I have profound reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance. Why? Because you are all practicing the bodhisattva way and are certain to attain Buddhahood. -The Lotus Sutra

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Wednesday, June 6, 2012:

Science is based on tested proof or empirical evidence. You conduct a test or experiment and then observe the results. Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, similarly, teaches that nothing beats actual proof. In this regard, it stands alone among the religions of the world. I hope that each year you will strive to show clear proof of victory in Buddhism and your studies. Please always remember that showing such proof is the mark of a true successor.

Events

1871: Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the Soka Gakkai's first president, is born.

Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Wednesday, June 6, 2012:

 

The Great Teacher Dengyo says: "Neither teachers nor disciples need undergo countless kalpas of austere practice in order to attain Buddhahood. Through the power of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law they can do so in their present form." This means that both the teacher who expounds the principles of the Lotus Sutra and the disciple who receives his teachings will, in no long time, together become Buddhas through the power of the Lotus Sutra.

Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man
Recipient unknown; written in 1265

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Tuesday, June 5, 2012:

Everything starts with you. You must forge yourself through your own efforts. I urge each of you to create something, start something and make a success of something. That is the essence of human existence, the challenge of youth. Herein lies a wonderful way of life always aiming for the future.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Tuesday, June 5, 2012:

Cowardice is harmful for it delights the enemies of Buddhism and obstructs the advance of kosen-rufu. The fainthearted cannot savor the true benefit of faith; their ability to tap the power of the Buddha and the power of the Law [of the Gohonzon] in their lives is enfeebled.

Opening the Eyes of Wooden and Painted Images

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Tuesday, June 5, 2012:

A person can know another's mind by listening to the voice. This is because the physical aspect reveals the spiritual aspect. The physical and spiritual, which are one in essence, manifest themselves as two distinct aspects; thus the Buddha's mind found expression as the written words of the Lotus Sutra. These written words are the Buddha's mind in a different form. Therefore, those who read the Lotus Sutra must not regard it as consisting of mere written words, for those words are in themselves the Buddha's mind.

Opening the Eyes of Wooden and Painted Images
Recipient unknown; written in 1264

Learning the Trade

Spiritual Story by Anthony de Mello

Noticing that his father was growing old, the son of a burglar said, "Father, teach me your trade so that when you retire I may carry on the family tradition." The father did not reply but that night he took the boy along with him to break into a house. Once inside, he opened a closet and asked his son to find out what was inside. No sooner had the lad stepped in tan the father slammed the door shut and bolted it, making such a noise in the process that the whole house was awakened. Then he himself slipped away quietly. Inside the closet the boy was terrified, angry, and puzzled as to how he was going to make his escape. Then an idea came to him. He began to make a noise like a cat; whereupon a servant lit a candle and opened the closet to let the cat out. The boy jumped out assoon as the closet door opened and everyone gave chase. Observing a well beside the road, he threw a large stone into it and hid in the shadows; then he stole away while his pursuers peered into the depths, hoping to see the burglar drown. Back home again the boy forgot his anger in his eagerness to tell his story. But his father said, "Why tell me the tale? You are here. That is enough. You have learned the trade."

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, June 4, 2012:

 

It's so important to keep the promises made to friends. This is the true meaning of friendship. To become people who can do so, however, we must first learn to keep our resolutions—the promises we have made to ourselves.

For Today and Tomorrow

 

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, June 4, 2012:

 

Death will come to each of us some day. We can die having fought hard for our beliefs and convictions, or we can die having failed to do so. Since the reality of death is the same in either case, isn't it far better that we set out on our journey toward the next existence in high spirits and with a bright smile on our faces—knowing that in everything we did, we did the very best we could, thrilling with the sense "That was truly an interesting life"?

Encouragement to a Sick Person

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Monday, June 4, 2012:

 

However great the good causes one may make, or even if one reads and copies the entirety of the Lotus Sutra a thousand or ten thousand times, or attains the way of perceiving three thousand realms in a single moment of life, if one fails to denounce the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, it will be impossible to attain the way.

Encouragement to a Sick Person
Written to Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro on December 13, 1264

King Pyrrhus of Epirus

Spiritual Story by Anthony de Mello

King Pyrrhus of Epirus was approached by his friend Cyneas and asked, "If you conquer Rome, what will you do next, sir?" Pyrrhus replied, "Sicily is next door and will be easy to take." "And what shall we do after Sicily is taken?" "Then we will move over to Africa and sack Carthage." "And after Carthage, sir?" "The turn of Greece will come." "And what, may I ask, will the fruit of all these conquests be?" "Then," said Pyrrhus, "we can sit down and enjoy ourselves." "Can we not," said Cyneas, "enjoy ourselves now?"

Planting the seed of happiness

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, June 3, 2012:

When we plant the seed of happiness that is faith and carefully tend its growth, it will produce fruit without fail. We have to bear in mind, however, that we cannot plant a seed today and expect it to bear fruit tomorrow. That's not reasonable and Buddhism is reason. If we persevere, bearing in mind the principle faith equals daily life in accord with reason, then our prayers will definitely be answered. This is Nichiren's promise to us. And his words are true beyond any doubt.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, June 3, 2012:

 

I would like each of you to rise to the challenge of revolutionizing the area where you live into an ideal community and to do so with the determination to start from where you are right now. This means building a good SGI organization in your local area—and building it yourself with loving, painstaking care, the way an artist pours his or her heart and soul into creating a work of art. It also means fostering capable people. Buddhism, after all, can only flourish if there are people who uphold and practice its teachings.

The Recitation of the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" Chapters

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Sunday, June 3, 2012:

 

As I said before, though no chapter of the Lotus Sutra is negligible, among the entire twenty-eight chapters, the "Expedient Means" chapter and the "Life Span" chapter are particularly outstanding. The remaining chapters are all in a sense the branches and leaves of these two chapters. Therefore, for your regular recitation, I recommend that you practice reading the prose sections of the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" chapters.

The Recitation of the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" Chapters
Written to Hiki Daigaku Saburo Yoshimoto's wife on April 17, 1264