CategoryTo My Friends

When we do something, do we approach it with a negative attitude—grumbling, “Oh, not again! I hate this!”—or a positive attitude—telling ourselves brightly, “All right, here’s a fresh opportunity to gain good fortune!”? This seemingly small, subtle difference in attitude can make a huge difference in our lives. It can change things 180 degrees. From

Prayer in Nichiren Buddhism is free of all arrogance and conceit. The very act of sitting before the Gohonzon and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo pulses with the humble spirit to transcend attachment to one’s own shallow wisdom and limited experience to become one with the Law of life and the fundamental rhythm of nature and the universe,

Let’s start by offering words of praise. All of us are human and bound to experience ups and downs in our moods and emotions from time to time. But as leaders, let’s always make a point of starting off by warmly greeting everyone and expressing our appreciation for their efforts. Doing so lifts not only

Late at night on April 24, Shin’ichi opened his diary. Recalling the events of the day, he felt a tumult of emotion. “This day that should have marked our fresh, hope-filled departure toward the twenty-first century was all too somber,” he thought…He picked up his pen and wrote to record this day for posterity. After

Late at night on April 24, Shin’ichi opened his diary. Recalling the events of the day, he felt a tumult of emotion. “This day that should have marked our fresh, hope-filled departure toward the twenty-first century was all too somber,” he thought. “The members attending the prefecture leaders meeting looked heavyhearted….” He picked up his

Prayer is not something abstract. Many today may regard the intangible, unseen realm of life as nothing more than a product of the imagination. But if we were to view things only from a material perspective, then our relationships with people and things would largely appear to arise solely from the chaos of randomness. The

All people are pioneers traveling the frontiers of life. Therefore, it is up to you alone to cultivate and develop your own life. You must wield the hoe of faith, sow the seeds of happiness, and persevere tenaciously. The sweat of your efforts for kosen-rufu will become precious gems of good fortune, forever dignifying your

In the light of the law of cause and effect, through the good fortune we accumulate by treasuring and caring for many people, we will be able to attain a state of life in which we are protected and supported by many others in this and future existences. Our Buddhist practice today is the cause

The path up the hill of life doesn’t follow a straight line. There are successes and mistakes. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. With each step on our way, with every curve and corner we navigate, we grow a little bit more. In this process, prayer functions as a powerful force preventing us from

When individuals awaken to their innate mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, it imparts to their lives a deep and essential meaning. This awareness is the pivotal driving force for human revolution—transforming people’s lives, directing them toward the creation of value, and enabling them to change the most painful karma into the most wonderful mission.

Everything that happens in our lives has meaning. Moreover, the way of life of practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism is to find and discover meaning in all things. Nothing is insignificant. Whatever a person’s karma may be, it definitely has profound meaning. This is not just a matter of outlook. Changing the world starts by changing

When Mr. Toda became second Soka Gakkai president and made his vow to attain a membership of 750,000 households, I pledged: “Mr. Toda is a great teacher of propagation. As his disciple, I vow to become a champion of propagation!” And having made that pledge, I threw myself wholeheartedly into the challenge, creating a groundswell

Children are envoys from the future. To speak with children is to speak with the future. Their problems will be different from those of our generation—they may face problems we can’t even begin to imagine. Therefore, let us support them and lend them a helping hand, so that they may stand up and move forward

Let us focus even more attention on each person, doing our utmost to encourage them and foster their precious potential. When each person develops inner strength and wisdom, they can bring forth double, triple, ten times their present capabilities. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 69

When winter arrives, trees are, for a while, bare of flowers and leaves. But they possess the life force to grow fresh green leaves when spring comes. Similar to this, but on an even more profound level, for us, as practitioners of the Mystic Law, death is the dynamic process by which our life itself

Practicing Nichiren Buddhism and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enable us to positively transform all of those sufferings, in accord with the principle of changing poison into medicine. The poison of suffering is transformed into the medicine of joy. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 49

To practice Nichiren Buddhism is to live with the unshakable conviction that the most painful and trying times are opportunities for changing karma, for carrying out our human revolution, and that no matter how difficult the situation, we can ultimately, and without fail, transform it into something positive. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and

Wherever practitioners of the Lotus Sutra chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, just as an echo answers a sound and a shadow follows a form, their prayers will unfailingly produce positive results there. The Daishonin teaches that our lives are transformed—both spiritually and physically—by prayer, which in turn exerts a positive influence on our environment. From The Wisdom for

Teaching people the power of Nichiren Buddhism today is just as challenging as it would have been trying to teach people a thousand years ago about atomic energy or explain to them the wonders of radio and television. You can do your best to explain the teachings of Buddhism, but people still may not understand.

Nothing provides greater reassurance and hope than words of encouragement brimming with conviction based on personal experience. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, p. 275