Hero of the World

One of the epithets of a Buddha is "Hero of the World." A Buddha is a valiant and noble champion who has conquered the suffering of life in the real world. Nichiren writes: "Buddhism is like the body, and society like the shadow. When the body bends, so does the shadow." People cannot live apart from the society. But to be constantly at the mercy of society's up and downs is a miserable existence. It is crucial for us to be strong and wise. The "body" Nichiren refers to is, on the personal level, our faith.