Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Monday, January 19, 2009
Suffering and undergoing hardships for the sake of friends and for spreading the Law shows the sense of responsibility of a genuine leader and is the behavior of a bodhisattva. There is no suffering or hardship that a Bodhisattva of the Earth cannot surmount. So no matter what happens, I would like you to steadily advance one step at a time, always chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with a vibrant voice.
Just wanna share this with all of you...
Faith Requires Persistence and Struggle
"The darker the night, the nearer the dawn."
SGI President Ikeda often mentions that significant achievements are produced by desperate, behind-the-scenes struggles.
It was recently reported that the U.S. government approved a genetically engineered drug that is expected to relieve the chronic anemia suffered by thousands of people with kidney disease. It seems that, once injected with this drug, many people with serious kidney ailments will no longer need frequent blood transfusions.
The discovery of the drug was actually the personal determination of one scientist who worked day and night on this particular project. The chairman of the biotechnology firm that owns the rights to the drug said of the scientist, "He has an extraordinary energy level and incredible persistence."
The odds of finding this particular genetic blueprint was compared to searching through ninety editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica to find a single sentence. The scientist's former project director said the feat compared to "finding a sugar cube in a lake one mile wide, one mile long and one mile deep."
For three years this man struggled day and night, rarely seeing his wife, two young sons and infant daughter. Other scientists thought the project might even kill him. His research assistants ultimately abandoned him, thinking that a discovery was impossible.
Finally, upon his success, he stated that he always believed he was right. He said, "People look on you like you are a dummy or a failure. They don't know how tough it is. A scientist dissolves his career into nothing if he does not succeed.
The same principles hold true in the world of faith. SGI-USA General Director Williams is fond of the saying "the darker the night, the nearer the dawn." This means that at the moment we are about to give up, we must once again determine to fight on, chanting daimoku until we break the shackles that forbid us from realizing our drerams.
For example, if we pour water into a large cup filled with sand, it appears as if the sand merely absorbes the water without an effect. If we add enough water, however, the sand eventually reaches its saturation point and the water spills over the side.
The practice of Buddhism requires action after action, with the spirit to persist, no matter that, until our dreams are finally achieved and our sufferings alleviated. Courage and tenacity are the keys. The Gosho states:
Therefore I say to you, my disciples, try practicing as the Lotus Sutra teaches, exerting yourselves without begrudging your lives! Test the truth of Buddhism!
(The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol 3, pg 181)
The scientist who stood alone and painstakingly fought to reveal a healing drug has left a legacy that will ultimately benefit mankind. The philosophy of true Buddhism, which the world is waiting for each of us to reveal, will benefit mankind to an even greater extent. Perseverance in faith is vital to that quest.
Many unexpected things happened this month...Shall not talk much on it. I will never look back anymore and move forward. To retreat is not to advance. I must never do that anymore. And please! NO MORE SHANSHOSHIMA FOR NOW! I must get both of eyes check. If not sure go blind...
For now i gonna focus more on SPSD 25 anniversary. 81 YMDS and new friends. Gonna plan strategy plus I must keep pushing myself to reach 39 secs for 50m free style. I MUST get into com squad! Nothing much left.
Off and out...
DOMO KUN
life can really make a sport of me.
dark_tiga_89@hotmail.com
