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Brief Guidances

Forge Ahead Fearlessly, Come What May

Words of Encouragement From Ikeda Sensei

Those who embrace the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] . . . will enjoy the happiness of the wisdom king Craving-Filled and the good fortune of the heavenly king Vaishravana. Wherever your daughter may frolic or play, no harm will come to her; she will move about without fear like the lion king.

“Reply to Kyo’o,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 412

Nichiren Daishonin sent these words to a couple struggling with the illness of their infant daughter Kyo’o. He reassures them that as long as one strives with courageous faith, one will not be defeated by illness and can transform even misfortune into fortune.

Faith in the Mystic Law enables us to attain a boundless life state in which we can “enjoy ourselves at ease” (see The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 272). We can “move about without fear like the lion king,” come what may. The key to doing so is chanting the lion’s roar of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

As members of the Soka family, let us continue confidently forging ahead together with the fearless heart of the lion king!

Translated from the October 30, 2020 Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper.

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