Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda, Thursday, March 31, 2011

Position and appearances are irrelevant. The important thing is to carry out our personal duty, our commitment, no matter what anyone else may say. This is a life of true victory, a life of unsurpassed nobility and fulfillment.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, que nous appelons daimoku est le nom
de la Loi fondamentale sous-tendant la nature essentielle de
l’univers, Loi de la vie. Cette invocation se distingue donc des
formules magiques ou des mantras.
Ce terme représente la fusion de la vie d’un être humain avec la
Loi éternelle et universelle à laquelle le Bouddha s’est éveillé.

The Journey Towards Oneness
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While controlling your mind, which is at once both extremely subtle and solemnly profound, you should strive to elevate your faith with freshness and vigor. When you do so, both your life and your surroundings will open wide before you and every action you take will become a source of benefit. Understanding the subtle workings of one's mind is the key to faith and attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda, Monday, March 21, 2011

Why is it that sometimes our prayers seem to not be answered? This is a manifestation of the Buddha's wisdom - so that we can deepen our prayers, become stronger people, live more profound lives and secure deeper, more lasting good fortune. If our slightest prayer were answered immediately, we'd become lazy and degenerate. And we couldn't hope to build a life of great dignity and substance.

Your Attitude in Front of the Gohonzon From Dr. Yamazaki

       Your attitude in front of the Gohonzon is like being on a holiday.

It is necessary to cut yourself off from work, from daily life.

This is important in order to regenerate, to be free of tension and relaxed.

If your practice is a prolongation of your social life, it will not be effective.

     In the ceremony in the air (Gongyo), you cut yourself off from the earth

rising above. If you are dominated by your problems in front of the Gohonzon

nothing good appears. It is necessary to rise above, to make it a special moment

relaxing. This is a ceremony of " Ku". I am a Buddha in front of the Gohonzon!

    The Gohonzon is like a mirror, it is not necessary to be either imprisoned,

nor attached, nor dominated, nor guilty, nor worthless, nor have arrogance

in order enter the world of the Gohonzon.

It is necessary to be indifferent to your own thoughts. You do not fight in front

of the Gohonzon. Be relaxed as though being in the air without limits.

With this kind of ichinen for 15 minutes........this is enough.

      From your first daimoku, change the world, feel the universe, realize

" Ku", "Ke", and "Chu"!

      ("Ku" is the world of the Buddha; "Ke" is oneself, "Chu" is all the

strength and wisdom of the universe.)

       You can recuperate all the forces of the universe. The wisdom to listen,

to believe, to meditate, and to decide. Reject your own arrogance in order

to allow your own wisdom to appear, going beyond time and space to

Detoxify yourself in front of the Gohonzon. Nothing is too far away in the morning and in the evening.....this is when you are Buddha.

You must have confidence to find a sense of the Ceremony in the Air and

declare your conviction to be the Buddha of eternal life, the Buddha of

Ichinen Sanzen, and the Buddha of confidence and joy!

Taking responsibilty

It's amazing how owning up and taking responsibility can change your life . I have a tendency to blame others for a lot of little things , especially my children . I thought I had overcome it by chanting and hearing the various experiences of members who have started to take responsibility for their own lives . However , it's not a one time thing .i.e you take responsibility then it's done . I was reminded of this the other morning when I went to make myself a soymilk/fruit shake . My blender has a spout at the bottom so you can open it up and let out the liquid . I had washed the blender the previous day and left it on the dish rack to dry . When I poured in my soymilk it all came pouring out from the bottom. My immediate response was to blame my daughter because she hadn't replaced the cap . Of course , it had been me , not her that hadn't replaced the cap . It hit me like a ton of brisks , it had been me that had not replaced the cap.Now ,I'm always keeping track of who I blame.