From July to November, the SGI-USA women are studying Ikeda Sensei’s lecture series The Five Eternal Guidelines of the Soka Gakkai at our America Victory Daimoku Group chanting sessions. The study passage for September follows.
Life is a series of unexpected challenges. What matters most is not whether we encounter difficulties but how we respond to them. Do we give up, complain about our misfortune or blame others for our circumstances? Or do we confront each obstacle head-on determined not to be defeated?
Ikeda Sensei reminds us that “encountering adversity is a badge of honor.”[1] By challenging each obstacle as it arises, we can forge indestructible faith and strengthen the life state of Buddhahood within us—a life condition that nothing can destroy. This is the essence of the third eternal guideline of the Soka Gakkai: Faith for Overcoming Obstacles.
Not Harboring Doubts When We Face Difficulties
Ikeda Sensei’s Guidance:
On the path to attain Buddhahood it may invariably be when one has done something like lay down one’s life that one becomes a Buddha. I think that perhaps it is encountering such difficulties as have already been explained in the sutra—being cursed, vilified, attacked with swords and staves, shards and rubble, and banished again and again—that is reading the Lotus Sutra with one’s life. My faith springs up all the more, and I am confident about my next existence. (“Banishment to Sado,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 202)
It is in the midst of great difficulties that we can manifest the life state of Buddhahood, that we can break through the shell of our lesser self and reveal our greater self that is one with the Mystic Law. For that reason, we need to continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, bring forth our courage—the heart of a lion king—and battle against all adversity.
Life is not about lamenting our fate, being at the mercy of our karma and suffering helplessly. We can overcome adversity and realize happiness for both ourselves and others. The teaching of the Mystic Law enables us to unleash the limitless power within us to do just that. That is the aim of faith in Nichiren Buddhism. And striving in our Buddhist practice with selfless dedication is indispensable in achieving this revolution of life state, our human revolution.
In “The Opening of the Eyes,” Nichiren Daishonin writes, “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” (WND-1, 283). No matter what challenges we encounter, if we steadfastly persevere in our Buddhist practice without harboring doubts, we can bring forth the life state of Buddhahood.
At a crucial moment, the important thing is that we keep pressing ahead resolutely in faith together with our fellow practitioners, that we stay on our chosen path as disciples, always keeping in mind the words of our mentor.[2]
Click here to access an editable study template for September.
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