A Buddha is not a superhuman being. One who has attained this state continues to experience problems, suffering, and pain and is still subject to illness and to temptation by devilish forces. For that reason, a Buddha is a person of courage, tenacity, and continuous action who struggles ceaselessly against devilish functions. From The Wisdom … …
If we simply follow our easily swayed, unenlightened minds, our potential will quickly wither away. Or, even worse, we may give in to negative and destructive impulses. Such is the subtle nature of the workings of the mind. Because our minds are the key to attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime, we must overcome our own … …
Mr. Toda’s profound insight was that elevating the character of all humankind is the key to solving every problem humanity faces. His vision extended to our world today. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 9
Youth is not something that fades with age. Our attitude toward life is what makes us young. As long as we maintain a positive attitude and a spirit of challenge, we will continue to gain depth and richness, and our lives will shine with the brilliance of gold or burnished silver. From The Wisdom for … …
The mentor-disciple spirit of the first three presidents is the foundation. As long as the Soka Gakkai carries on this spirit, it will continue to develop and thrive forever and succeed in realizing worldwide kosen-rufu. I would like you, my successors in the youth division, to inherit the first three presidents’ fighting spirit for kosen-rufu … …
In many cases, other family members are not practicing Nichiren Buddhism. There is no need to worry or grow anxious about this. That is because, if we ourselves stand up earnestly and confidently in faith, we can lead all of our family and relatives in the direction of happiness and hope. We are like a … …
To practice Nichiren Buddhism is to always live with hope. It means to take it upon oneself to create hope, actualize it, and continue to advance in ever higher spirits toward still greater hope. And faith is the driving force that enables us to do this. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part … …
Rather than being thankful because we are happy, being thankful itself will make us happy. Also, chanting with gratitude puts us in rhythm with the universe, turning our lives in a positive direction. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 67
Kosen-rufu extends “horizontally” through growing networks of friends and “vertically” through the transmission of faith from parent to child, from one generation to the next. The only way forward is to entrust the future to the younger generation. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 399
Mentors and disciples are like runners in a relay race. They are pressing ahead, passing the baton forward on the shared path of justice, happiness, and peace for all humanity. The mentors run ahead to later pass the baton to the disciples. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. … …