Effort and happiness are indivisible
In one of his writings, renowned microbiologist René Dubos, stated. "History teaches that man without effort is sure to deteriorate; man cannot progress without effort, and man cannot be happy without effort." This is indisputable. You may be experiencing various hardships now, but because you continue to make efforts in the midst of those challenges, no matter how painful they are, you will definitely become happy. Effort and happiness are indivisible. 30/6
Polished Mirror
Originally, every person's life is a brilliantly shining mirror. Differences arise depending on whether one polishes this mirror: A polished mirror is the Buddha's life, whereas a tarnished mirror is that of a common mortal. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is what polishes our lives. 29/6
Value of Life
If you are unwilling to make efforts to heal yourself, it will be very difficult to cure your illness. One day of life is more valuable than all the treasures of the major world system, so first you must muster sincere faith. -Nichiren 28/6
Impact of a Religion
When individuals practice a teaching as intended, the expected result becomes manifest in their lives as well as in their environment. Religion not only deals with spirituality but also has a significant impact—positive or negative—upon people's daily lives and their society. The nature and extent of a particular religion's impact becomes the standard for evaluating its validity. 27/6
Live without regret
This lifetime will never come again; it is precious and irreplaceable. To live without regret, we must have a concrete purpose, continually setting goals and challenges for ourselves. And we need to keep moving toward those specific targets steadily and tenaciously, one step at a time. 26/6
The Power of prayers
The first thing is to pray. From the moment we begin to pray, things start moving. The darker the night, the closer the dawn. From the moment we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with a deep and powerful resolve, the sun begins to rise in our hearts. Hope—prayer is the sun of hope. To chant each time we face a problem, overcoming it and elevating our life-condition as a result—this is the path of "changing earthly desires into enlightenment," taught in Nichiren Buddhism. 25/6
Buddha exists in our own hearts
Flint has the potential to produce fire, and gems have intrinsic value. We ordinary people can see neither our own eyelashes, which are so close, nor the heavens in the distance. Likewise, we do not see that the Buddha exists in our own hearts. -Nichiren 24/6
Giving joy, courage, hope, assurance to others
If a person is hungry, we should give them bread. When there is no bread, we can at least give words that nourish. To a person who looks ill or is physically frail, we can turn the conversation to some subject that will lift their spirits and fill them with the hope and determination to get better. Let us give something to each person we meet: joy, courage, hope, assurance, philosophy, wisdom, a vision for the future. Let us always give something.
Compassion of Buddha
The Buddha keenly understands various sufferings as though his own children were experiencing them. Sorrow and empathy well from his life. A Buddha is a person of compassion. Josei Toda said: "Compassion is not a Buddhist austerity. It is something that should be expressed unconsciously and naturally in one's actions, and in the workings of one's heart. The Buddha knows no path of living apart from that of living with compassion." 22/6
Importance of getting your priority right
Certainly there will be times when you wish you had more spending money, more time to sleep and more time for fun and recreation. You may feel restricted now, but you should consider your current situation as the perfect set of circumstances for your growth. Within the restrictions that define your present existence, the only thing to do is to discipline yourself and head in the direction of growth and self-improvement. 21/6
Buddhism shows thw correct way of life
Buddhism elucidates the dignity of human life on the most fundamental level. Buddhism is not merely a philosophy that observes truth from an objective point of view or in light of reason. It is oriented toward practice and the study of human beings that shows the correct way to live. Buddhism aims to prove the true dignity of human life through the individual's life and his or her actions to help others do the same. In other words, Buddhism is a practice to revere human life, one's own as well as others'. 20/6
Shallow Perspective
If you always have a shallow perspective and pay attention only to trivial things, you are sure to get bogged down in all kinds of petty worries and concerns, and not be able to move forward. Even relatively minor hurdles or problems will seem insurmountable. But if you look at life from a broad viewpoint, you naturally spot the way to solve any problem you may confront. This is true when we consider our own personal problems as well as those of society and even the future of the entire world. 19/6
Real merit of Human Being
What decides our real merit as human beings? Ultimately, it comes down to the philosophy we uphold and the actions we take based on our convictions. 18/6
True sincerity
When we interact with others with true sincerity, the other person will more often than not come to respect and value our own character. And this is all the more so when our actions are based on prayer.
Conversely, holding others in contempt only leads to being held in contempt oneself: one whose life is tainted by feelings of hate toward others will come to be reviled by others.
Let us open the path to mutual respect and harmonious coexistence so as to bring an end to this vicious circle that has long been part of human destiny.
Unflagging Optimist
The writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was an unflagging optimist. How was he able to maintain such optimism? Because he was always active. He did not allow his life to stagnate. He writes: "It is better to do the smallest thing in the world than to hold half an hour to be too small a thing." Spending thirty minutes a day assiduously challenging some undertaking can completely change our lives. 16/6
Establishing eternal happiness
The joy of heaven is ephemeral like a mirage or a dream. A life spent in pursuit of a mirage is itself a mirage. The purpose of Buddhist practice is to establish an eternally indestructible state of happiness; not a fleeting happiness that perishes like a flower but an internal palace of happiness that will last throughout all time. 15/6
Revitalization of Human Beings
Wherever we are, it is necessary to begin with the revitalization of individual human beings. That will lead to the reformation of society and the world through human revolution. That is the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. And actions directed toward that end, I would like to stress, represent the wisdom of the Lotus Sutra. 14/6
Make the most out of Life
No one can escape death. Precisely because of this, when people resolve to live at each instant with all their might, to make the present moment shine by living true to themselves and leading truly humane existences, they can summon forth immense strength. At the same time, they can manifest a considerate spirit toward others. Herein lies the Middle Way. Buddhism is the philosophy that teaches this essential way of life. 13/6
Overcoming gloomy day of life
There may be times when life seems gloomy and dull. When we feel stuck in some situation or other, when we are negative toward everything, when we feel lost and bewildered, not sure which way to turn—at such times we must transform our passive mindset and determine, "I will proceed along this path," "I will pursue my mission today." When we do so a genuine springtime arrives in our hearts, and flowers start to blossom. 12/6
Victors of life
Life is about scaling one mountain, then facing the next one, followed by the one after that. Those who persevere and finally succeed in conquering the highest mountain are victors in life. On the other hand, those who avoid such challenges and take the easy route, descending into the valleys, will end in defeat. 11/6
Wasting your life away
"All right, let's get to work again!"—this is the spirit of people of genuine substance. Those who avoid hard work or neglect the things they have to do, who just while away their time, eating, sleeping, playing, watching television—such individuals will never experience true happiness, satisfaction or joy.
Making a vow
In any field of endeavor, making a vow is the foundation for achieving something great. If for whatever reason a person gives up halfway or backslides, his or her commitment hasn't been based on a vow. Halfhearted desire doesn't amount to a vow. 9/6
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