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Brief Guidances

Challenging Times Are Opportunities for Human Revolution

Words of Encouragement From Ikeda Sensei

There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, the rising and setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter, and spring give way to each other. Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood.

“The Three Obstacles and Four Devils,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 637


In the course of life, we face unexpected difficulties that make us wonder, Why me? Why now? But the most challenging times are crucial moments, opportunities for doing our human revolution.

The tougher our circumstances, the more we need to chant the lion’s roar of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and continue forging ahead with courage. By doing so, we will accumulate solid good fortune and expand our life state.

Turning everything into a springboard for attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime is the way of wise practitioners in Nichiren Buddhism.

Translated from the May 13, 2021 Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper.

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