Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, December 31, 2012:

 

Buddhism enables us to tap from within the depths of our beings the greatest courage and strongest life force there is. Buddhas are not destined for unhappiness or defeat. Those who practice Buddhism can definitely transform all adversity into something positive, irrespective of the troubled time in which they live, their personal circumstances or the hardships that befall them.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, December 31, 2012:

 

To lead a life in which we are inspired and can inspire others, our hearts have to be alive; they have to be filled with passion and enthusiasm. To achieve that, as President Toda also said, we need the courage to "live true to ourselves." And to live true to ourselves, we need the strength of mind not to be swayed by our environment or be obsessed with vanity and superficial appearances. Rather than borrowing from or imitating others, we need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action from our own sense of responsibility.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, December 30, 2012:

 

Defeat for a Buddhist lies not in encountering difficulties but rather in not challenging them. Difficulties only truly become our destiny if we run away from them. We must fight as long as we live.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, December 30, 2012:

 

Taking good care of our health is most important. In particular, it is vital for those who are advanced in years to get sufficient rest to avoid becoming fatigued. Sleep is the best medicine. I also hope you will put your wisdom to work and find various ways to improve and maintain your health.

The Opening of the Eyes

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Monday, December 31, 2012:

 

I, Nichiren, am the richest man in all of present-day Japan. I have dedicated my life to the Lotus Sutra, and my name will be handed down in ages to come.

The Opening of the Eyes
Written to Shijo Kingo in February 1272

The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Sunday, December 30, 2012:

 

In the yard around the hut the snow piled deeper and deeper. No one came to see me; my only visitor was the piercing wind. Great Concentration and Insight and the Lotus Sutra lay open before my eyes, and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo flowed from my lips. My evenings passed in discourse to the moon and stars on the fallacies of the various schools and the profound meaning of the Lotus Sutra. Thus, one year gave way to the next.

The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra
Written to the lay nun Konichi in 1276

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Saturday, December 29, 2012:

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson writes: "And so of cheerfulness, or a good temper, the more it is spent, the more of it remains." Cheerfulness is not the same as frivolousness. Cheerfulness is born of a fighting spirit. Frivolousness is the reverse side of cowardly escape. Emerson also said that "power dwells with cheerfulness; hope puts us in a working mood." Without cheerfulness there is no strength. Strive to advance still more brightly and cheerfully.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Saturday, December 29, 2012:

 

Who is truly great? I hope you can develop the ability to discern true human greatness. A great person is someone who forges unity among human beings through sincere dialogue, armed with a solid philosophy, feet firmly planted on the ground. A great person is one who lives among the people and earns their unshakable trust. Fickle popularity and temporary fads are nothing but illusions.

The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Saturday, December 29, 2012:

To hope to attain Buddhahood without speaking out against slander is as futile as trying to find water in the midst of fire or fire in the midst of water. No matter how sincerely one believes in the Lotus Sutra, if one is guilty of failing to rebuke slander of the Law, one will surely fall into hell, just a single crab leg will ruin a thousand pots of lacquer. This is the meaning of the passage in the sutra, "Because the poison has penetrated deeply and their minds no longer function as before."

The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood
Written to Soya Jiro Hyoe-no-jo Kyoshin on August 3, 1276

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Friday, December 28, 2012:

 

Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are as if in winter, but winter always turns to spring. Never, from ancient times on, has anyone heard or seen of winter turning back to autumn. Nor have we ever heard of a believer in the Lotus Sutra who turned into an ordinary person. The sutra reads, "If there are those who hear the Law, then not a one will fail to attain Buddhahood."-Nichiren

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Friday, December 28, 2012:

 

Kosen-rufu is a very long struggle. It is a march that will continue over the 10,000 years of the Latter Day of the Law. Therefore, let us advance joyfully and unhurriedly. Activities must not be conducted in such a way that people suffer and become exhausted. Meetings should be short and not too numerous and conducted so that they are valuable and productive for all concerned.

The Swords of Good and Evil

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Friday, December 28, 2012:

 

In the next life you should use this sword as your staff. The Lotus Sutra is the staff that helps all the Buddhas of the three existences as they set their minds on enlightenment. However, you should rely upon Nichiren as your staff and pillar. When one uses a staff, he will not fall on treacherous mountain paths or rough roads, and when led by the hand, he will never stumble.

The Swords of Good and Evil
Written to Hojo Yagenta on February 21, 1274

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Thursday, December 27, 2012:

 

Religious strife must be avoided at all cost; under no circumstance should it be allowed. People may hold different religious beliefs, but the bottom line is that we are all human beings. We all seek happiness and desire peace. Religion should bring people together. It should unite the potential for good in people's hearts toward benefiting society and humanity and creating a better future.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Thursday, December 27, 2012:

 

No matter what the circumstances, you should never concede defeat. Never conclude that you've reached a dead end, that everything is finished. You possess a glorious future. And precisely because of that, you must persevere and study. Life is eternal. We need to focus on the two existences of the present and the future and not get caught up in the past. We must always have the spirit to begin anew "from this moment," to initiate a new struggle each day.

Roots of Good Fortune

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Thursday, December 27, 2012:

 

Your own offerings were not made to me, Nichiren, but to the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, we must leave it to Shakyamuni Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha, and the Buddhas of the ten directions [to fathom the greatness of] the resulting benefits.

Roots of Good Fortune
Written to the lay nun Kubo on December 27, 1281

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Wednesday, December 26, 2012:

 

It is foolish to ignore or deny the contribution of medicine. Otherwise, faith descends into fanaticism. We must use medical resources wisely in fighting illness. Buddhism gives us the wisdom to use medicine properly. Wisdom is the basic ingredient to health, to long life, and to happiness. The new century of health, then, must be a new century of wisdom.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Wednesday, December 26, 2012:

 

Good health equals Buddhism. Daily life equals faith. Taking care to avoid traffic accidents and making efforts to stay in good health, therefore, are all part of our Buddhist practice. It is important that we live wisely, striving with the awareness each day that all the actions and activities we undertake for the sake of faith contribute to our good health and well-being.

The Bodies and Minds of Ordinary Beings

Daily Wisdom

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Wednesday, December 26, 2012:

 

In addition, we live today in a time of trouble, when there is little that ordinary people can do. And yet, busy as you are, in your sincerity of heart you have sent me thick-stemmed bamboo shoots of the moso variety as offerings to the Lotus Sutra here in the mountains. Surely you are sowing good seeds in a field of fortune. My tears flow when I think of it.

The Bodies and Minds of Ordinary Beings
Recipient and date unknown

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Tuesday, December 25, 2012:
Buddhism does not ask "What religion does this person follow?" but "What is this person's state of life?" Buddhism exists to enable all people to cultivate and manifest the world of Buddhahood in their lives. Society is a realm of discrimination and distinctions. But Buddhism transcends all superficial differences and focuses directly on life.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Tuesday, December 25, 2012:
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, or philosophy, wisdom, a vision for the future. Let us always give something.