Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda, Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Without courage we cannot be compassionate. Courage and compassion are inseparable, like the two sides of a coin. Faith is the wellspring of courage. The Daishonin says, "Nichiren's disciples cannot accomplish anything if they are cowardly".  A cowardly person cannot realize victory in life. Unless we have the courage to really dedicate our lives to kosen-rufu, we cannot construct true happiness for ourselves and others.

Happiness held is the seed.....Happiness shared is the flower

excerpted from  Lotus Flower http://lotusflowersgi.blogspot.com/

Words of Wisdom

A person who cannot genuinely empathize with others can never excel as a leader. So much of what ails society today is the result of too many people in leadership positions who do not or cannot identify with the plight of their fellow men and women. It is in enduring pain and struggles that the earth of our humanity is cultivated. And it is from this earth that a capacity to be genuinely concerned for the welfare of others blossoms.

Beliefs are nothing to be proud of.

Believing something is not an accomplishment. I grew up thinking that beliefs are something to be proud of, but they’re really nothing but opinions one refuses to reconsider. Beliefs are easy. The stronger your beliefs are, the less open you are to growth and wisdom, because “strength of belief” is only the intensity with which you resist questioning yourself. As soon as you are proud of a belief, as soon as you think it adds something to who you are, then you’ve made it a part of your ego. Listen to any “die-hard” conservative or liberal talk about their deepest beliefs and you are listening to somebody who will never hear what you say on any matter that matters to them — unless you believe the same. It is gratifying to speak forcefully, it is gratifying to be agreed with, and this high is what the die-hards are chasing. Wherever there is a belief, there is a closed door. Take on the beliefs that stand up to your most honest, humble scrutiny, and never be afraid to lose them.
Excerpted from raptitude.com

Excerpt from "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime " Nichiren

Life at each moment encompasses
the body and mind and the self and
environment of all sentient beings in
the Ten Worlds as well as all insentient
beings in the three thousand realms,
including plants, sky, earth, and even
the minutest particles of dust. Life at
each moment permeates the entire
realm of phenomena and is revealed in
all phenomena. To be awakened to this
principle is itself the mutually inclusive
relationship of life at each moment
and all phenomena

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda, Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Because life is long, you should not be impatient. What matters most is that you embrace the Gohonzon throughout your life. It is vitally important to continually challenge yourself to chant even a little more daimoku and to pray before the Gohonzon for the fulfillment of your desires.