All things are mutually related to and interdependent with all other things. They all form a great cosmos maintaining the rhythms of life.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, August 4, 2013:

In Buddhist terms, the great universe and the self—the great macrocosm and the microcosm—are one. Since the self and all phenomena are one, all things are interrelated. Termed dependent origination, this teaching explains that all things weave a single whole in which individuals live in relation to all others.  In other words, all beings and phenomena exist or occur because of their relationship with other beings and phenomena, and nothing in either the human or the nonhuman world exists in isolation. All things are mutually related to and interdependent with all other things. They all form a great cosmos maintaining the rhythms of life.

For Today and Tomorrow

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Saturday, August 3, 2013:

 

As human beings, let us reach beyond our small, limited selves and attain an all-encompassing state of being, our hearts communing with the vast universe.

Even embracing the Lotus Sutra would be useless without the heritage of faith.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Saturday, August 3, 2013:

 

Be resolved to summon forth the great power of faith, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the prayer that your faith will be steadfast and correct at the moment of death. Never seek any other way to inherit the ultimate Law of life and death, and manifest it in your life. Only then will you realize that earthly desires are enlightenment, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana. Even embracing the Lotus Sutra would be useless without the heritage of faith. -Nichiren

The greater our efforts to advance kosen-rufu, the greater the benefit and eternal good fortune we will accumulate in our lives.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Friday, August 2, 2013:

 

The greater our efforts to advance kosen-rufu, the greater the benefit and eternal good fortune we will accumulate in our lives. The more outstanding people we can foster, the stronger and healthier we will become. The more aware we are of our responsibility, the more joy we will experience. Such are the workings of the Buddhist Law.

Why was Shakyamuni Buddha so respected?

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Friday, August 2, 2013:

 

Why was Shakyamuni Buddha so respected? One of the reasons was the power of his voice. His voice is recorded as "beautiful, sweet like honey, warm and graceful, resounding and clear." He is also described as an individual who "speaks brightly, remarks brightly, narrates gracefully, talks clearly, expresses himself eloquently to make himself understood."

 

Shakyamuni called to anybody who visited him, "Welcome, welcome." It is expounded that he associated with people with his friendliness, joy and gentleness. He always politely greeted any person he encountered. He never greeted them in an unfriendly manner. It is said that he first opened his mouth to speak to the other person so that he or she would have an easier time to open up to Shakyamuni.

We must remember that for every person involved in SGI activities there is another, supporting him or her behind the scenes.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Thursday, August 1, 2013:

 

We must not allow ourselves to become bureaucratic and take for granted the efforts of those working behind the scenes. Nor must we ever forget to be considerate of those members of our families who may not be practicing the Daishonin's Buddhism. We must remember that for every person involved in SGI activities there is another, supporting him or her behind the scenes.

By wholeheartedly and directly meeting life's challenges, we bring forth from within ourselves the "three bodies of the Buddha," which are truth, wisdom and compassion.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Thursday, August 1, 2013:

 

By wholeheartedly and directly meeting life's challenges, we bring forth from within ourselves the "three bodies of the Buddha," which are truth, wisdom and compassion. The light of this internal wisdom constantly encourages and guides us toward true and correct action.

What is the purpose of life?

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Wednesday, July 31, 2013:

 

What is the purpose of life? It is happiness. But there are two kinds of happiness: relative and absolute. Relative happiness comes in a wide variety of forms. The purpose of Buddhism is to attain Buddhahood. In modern terms, this could be explained as realizing absolute happiness—a state of happiness that can never be destroyed or defeated.

The key to creating good fortune is found in faith and daimoku.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Wednesday, July 31, 2013:

 

What is the secret to victory? Mr. Toda once described that in a certain sense life is a gamble. "If you are lucky, you will win," he said. "But if you are unlucky, then sometimes no matter how hard you try you lose. This is a hard fact." That is why, in addition to ability, good fortune is essential. The key to creating good fortune is found in faith and daimoku. I hope that you will all act in accord with the fundamental Law of Buddhism and lead victorious lives filled with unsurpassed good fortune.

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Tuesday, July 30, 2013:
Religion must teach an "attitude to life." To live a life of true human dignity is certainly difficult. Life is change; it is continuous change. Nothing is constant. The four sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death are an eternal theme that no one can escape.  Amid harsh reality, people yearn from the depths of their beings to live with dignity and for their lives to have meaning, and they make efforts toward that end. The product of these human yearnings, these prayers, is religion. Religion was born from prayer. What is Nichiren's response to these prayers of human beings? What attitude toward life does he teach? The answer, in short, is the principle of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

Faith enables us to secure ultimate victory

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Tuesday, July 30, 2013:

 

Faith enables us to secure ultimate victory. It enables us to live with vigor and joy and to strive to improve ourselves—to become the very best people we can be. Moreover, faith enables us to walk through life with complete assurance and confidence, unafraid of anything.

Compassion is the very soul of Buddhism.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, July 29, 2013:

 

Compassion is the very soul of Buddhism. To pray for others, making their problems and anguish our own; to embrace those who are suffering, becoming their greatest ally; to continue giving them our support and encouragement until they become truly happy—it is in such humanistic actions that Nichiren Buddhism lives and breathes.

Daishonin's constant urging that we make tenacious efforts in the present.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, July 29, 2013:

 

The ultimate essence of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism lies in living on through to the very end, pressing ever forward, courageously taking on each new challenge we encounter and never giving up. Constructing eternal glory—the state of Buddhahood—within our own lives is the purpose of our Buddhist practice in this lifetime. Hence the Daishonin's constant urging that we make tenacious efforts in the present.

The Buddha's compassion is perfectly equal and impartial.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, July 28, 2013:

 

The Buddha's compassion is perfectly equal and impartial. The Buddha views all beings as his own children and strives to elevate them to attain his same enlightened state of life. It's not that there are no differences among people. Rather, it's that the Buddha, while fully recognizing people's differences, does not discriminate among them.

Life is a process of ongoing challenge.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, July 28, 2013:

 

Life is a process of ongoing challenge. Those who lead lives of boundless challenge realize boundless growth. In a time of tumultuous change, what people need most is the vitality to challenge their circumstances and the wisdom to open the treasure-house of knowledge and to ceaselessly strive to create new value.

If you are jealous of others, you will not advance; you will only become miserable. Please do not be defeated or consumed by such emotions.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Saturday, July 27, 2013:

 

The brilliance of true humanity lies in surmounting feelings of envy with the resolute attitude "I'll create an even more wonderful life for myself." If you are jealous of others, you will not advance; you will only become miserable. Please do not be defeated or consumed by such emotions.

Buddhism is found in the reality of society and daily life

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Saturday, July 27, 2013:

 

Buddhism is found in the reality of society and daily life. Because Buddhism is in no way separate from this reality, we must strive through our actions and behavior to be exemplary models for others.

What does attaining Buddhahood mean for us?

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Friday, July 26, 2013:

 

What does attaining Buddhahood mean for us? It does not mean that one day we suddenly turn into a Buddha or become magically enlightened. In a sense, attaining Buddhahood means that we have securely entered the path, or orbit, of Buddhahood inherent in the cosmos. Rather than a final static destination at which we arrive and remain, achieving enlightenment means firmly establishing the faith needed to keep advancing along the path of absolute happiness limitlessly, without end.

Nichiren Daishonin stresses the importance of having faith that flows ceaselessly like water rather than faith that flames up briefly like fire.

For Today and Tomorrow

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Friday, July 26, 2013:

 

Faith is perseverance. The key to victory in any struggle in life is persistence. That is why Nichiren Daishonin stresses the importance of having faith that flows ceaselessly like water rather than faith that flames up briefly like fire. To advance continuously, it is important never to become exhausted. Carrying out activities until late at night does not equate with strong faith.

The lion is most lionlike when he roars

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Thursday, July 25, 2013:

Many people talk about peace, but few really do anything about it. Very few are willing to fight the battle to the end. Josei Toda instilled in me the hard and fast rule that, even if we stand alone, we must never give up but must see the struggle through to its conclusion.  The year before he died, he said something I have never forgotten for a minute: "If we don't fight, justice will be defeated. Because justice is on our side, we must not lose, we absolutely must win. That's why we fight. The lion is most lionlike when he roars."