This study series covers Soka Spirit topics to be presented by a youth or student division member at Soka 2030 meetings on the last Sunday of each month.
Struggles are an undeniable aspect of life. Yet, through engaging in Buddhist practice, we learn to view hardships as essential opportunities for growth.
Nichiren Daishonin teaches that only by overcoming obstacles can we reveal our Buddhahood:
Although I and my disciples may encounter various difficulties, if we do not harbor doubts in our hearts, we will as a matter of course attain Buddhahood. (“The Opening of the Eyes,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 283)
Rather than holding on or succumbing to our doubts, through steadfast faith in Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can turn them into fuel for our progress. Faith means having confidence in our own and others’ Buddha nature and the resolve to remain undefeated by devilish functions.
If we lose sight of this, we risk becoming “worms within the lion’s body”—those who destroy the community of believers from within. Our history offers cautionary examples, including: Devadatta, who sought to divide Shakyamuni’s Buddhist Order, and Masatomo Yamazaki, who turned against Ikeda Sensei and tried to use his position to disrupt the Soka Gakkai’s efforts for kosen-rufu.[1] These individuals lost their sense of gratitude for their mentor and were consumed by their negativity.
The Devil King and His Minions
To gain further insight into the negative inner workings of life, let’s take a look at the devil king of the sixth heaven, a personification of “the fundamental source of all negative functions that try to prevent people from attaining Buddhahood.”[2]
This negative function is called a “robber of life” for depriving people of wisdom, as well as Freely Enjoying Things Conjured by Others because he takes pleasure in manipulating others. This devilish nature is expressed in harmful behaviors like bullying, war, the development of nuclear weapons and the emergence of dictatorships.[3]
The devil king also commands ten kinds of troops, representing hindrances that challenge practitioners. These are: 1) greed, 2) discouragement, 3) hunger and thirst, 4) craving, 5) sleepiness, 6) fear, 7) doubt and regret, 8) anger, 9) preoccupation with fame, fortune and false glory, and 10) arrogance and contempt for others.
Sensei explains why the devil king attacks Buddhist practitioners:
“It is because this saha world in which we live is originally the realm of the devil king, and he enjoys free reign in exploiting the living beings there. But then, the votary of the Lotus Sutra comes along with the correct teachings of Buddhism and seeks to transform the impure land into a pure land—in other words, to realize kosen-rufu.
“Alarmed by this, the devil king sets out to attack the votary of the Lotus Sutra. That is why the path to kosen-rufu entails an intense struggle with devilish functions.”[4]
By sincerely practicing and seeking Nichiren’s teachings and Sensei’s guidance, we can cultivate the wisdom, courage, compassion and resilience to prevail. As Sensei wrote:
“We can transform oppression and opposition into a springboard for tremendous growth in faith. Adversity is not necessarily an obstacle. Our attitude determines whether we view hardship as an obstacle or as a means to elevate and strengthen our faith.
“Please strive your hardest to vanquish the devil king of the sixth heaven and his ten kinds of troops—in other words, the devilish functions within your own lives. Chanting gives us the strength to do that. The ‘sharp sword’ of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can sever the fundamental ignorance innate in our lives. Let’s make chanting our top priority in everything we do!”[5]
When we earnestly confront negativity in our lives, we not only transform suffering into joy but inspire others to do the same, opening the path to unsurpassed happiness and victory for all people.
How the Devil King’s Ten Troops Can Seep Into Our Efforts for Kosen-rufu
Adapted from The New Human Revolution, vol. 27, pp. 251–59
1) Greed: allowing selfish desire to destroy one’s faith
2) Discouragement: being so consumed by worry and sadness that one stops making efforts in faith
3) Hunger and thirst: intense desire that depletes one’s physical energy to take any action or do SGI activities
4) Craving: being dominated by a powerful, uncontrollable desire that leads to abandoning one’s faith
5) Sleepiness: drowsiness that prevents one from chanting or studying Buddhism
6) Fear: anxiety about facing alienation or persecution that causes one to slacken in or quit one’s Buddhist practice
7) Doubt and regret: losing faith in the Gohonzon and regretting one’s practice
8) Anger: disengaging in activities due to resentment and jealousy toward others; example—using someone’s poor leadership as the reason for not attending activities
9) Preoccupation with fame, fortune and false glory: valuing status over faith; examples—being so focused on attaining wealth that one makes light of Buddhist practice, or losing interest in faith after not being appointed a desired leadership position
10) Arrogance and contempt for others: looking down on or not listening to others; engaging in activities only to seek praise and applause
Regarding the battle against these insidious minions of the devil king, Ikeda Sensei says:
“If we summon ever stronger faith with each difficulty we encounter, we will be able to turn negative influences into positive ones. In fact, that is a hallmark of genuine faith.
“In contrast, some people feel resentful and quit practicing when a leader, seeking to help them grow, points out an error in their faith. They make someone who was acting as a ‘good friend’ function in their lives as an ‘evil friend.’
“Ultimately, it’s up to the faith of each individual whether someone becomes a good friend or bad friend.” (The New Human Revolution, vol. 27, p. 258)
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