The Brilliant Path of Worldwide Kosen-rufu: Learning from the Human Revolution

Living with the Gosho: Volume 26

On Losing Faith and Falling Evil – (WND-2, 1079) P. 06

Shakyamuni Buddha had all the thirty-two auspicious features, his body a golden color,
his face like the full moon. And yet, when evil persons looked at him, some saw his color
as ashen, some saw him as tainted, and some saw him as an enemy.
The Great Path of Upholding the Correct Teaching is Always Fraught with difficulty.

In October 1977, Shin’ichi Yamamoto attended a commemorative gongyo meeting and other celebratory gatherings held to
mark the opening of the Toda Auditorium, part of the Toda Memorial Cemetery Park in Atsuta, Hokkaido.

Conscious that there will always be adversity on the path of kosen-rufu, he reminded the members to be prepared for any
eventuality.

“Shakyamuni, who was born in India, is described as having the thirty-two superior physical
characteristics that distinguished him as a great man. He was respected and revered by the people as
the Buddha. Yet when people with impure hearts looked at him, they saw him as lowly or tainted, and
some saw him as an enemy.

“In contrast to Shakyamuni, Nichiren Daishonin was born as an ordinary being in the evil age of the
Latter Day of the Law. As such, it was only to be expected that he would encounter hostility and
opposition in propagating his teaching.

“For our part, we are ordinary people, followers of Nichiren Daishonin. We are making kosen-rufu a
reality as exactly as the Daishonin instructs. Though we are unexceptional beings who have been
disparaged by others, we are carrying out the noblest of missions. It is inevitable that we, too, will
encounter all sorts of trials and hardships.

“That is why Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda were jailed for their beliefs, and Mr. Makiguchi ultimately died
in prison. I have also faced continual opposition throughout my life. In the light of the teachings of the
Gosho, the Soka Gakkai will continue to face harsh obstacles.

“But we mustn’t allow ourselves to be defeated. We must not flinch . . . The path of upholding the
correct teachings is always fraught with great difficulties – it is unflinching faith that awakens us to this
truth.
(From the “Atsuta” chapter, The New Human Revolution vol. 26: chapter)

[Translated from the February 17, 2021 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper)

Guide Questions:

1. What are the usual responses that you receive when you share the Mystic Law with other people,
and how do you react to it?
2. Being a youthful Bodhisattva of the Earth, how important it is to regard adversity as a springboard
for the advancement of the kosen-rufu movement?

Daisaku Ikeda Quote: “Even if things don't unfold the way you expected, don't be disheartened or give up. One who continues to
advance will win in the end. it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others.”
Background

Hindi malaman kung kelan o kung sino ang tumanggap ng liham na ito at isang maliit na bahagi na lang ang
natitira sa liham na ito.

Si Nichiren Daishonin at ang kanyang mga followers ay “kinonfront” ng mga kaaway nila na mga
makapangyarihan awtoridad sa sekular at pati na sa mga religious group. Nilinaw ni Nichiren na ang
pagsasagawa ng tamang Buddhist practice sa harap ng gayong matinding opposition ay hindi ito para sa
mahihina ang mga puso. Hindi sila dapat sumuko sa kanilang kahinaan at umiwas sa kahirapan o sa mga
problema, upang hindi sila magdusa sa evil path ng buhay.

Tingin ng mga masasamang tao kay Shakyamuni Buddha, na nagtataglay ng maraming mamagagandang
katangian, ay maputla o madungis, o bilang isang kaaway sya.

The Great Path of Upholding the Correct Teaching is Always Fraught with difficulty.

Noong October 1977, dumalo si Shin’ichi Yamamoto sa isang commemorative gongyo meeting at iba pang celebratory
gatherings na ginanap tanda ng pagbubukas ng Toda Auditorium, na bahagi ng Toda Memorial Cemetery Park sa Atsuta,
Hokkaido.

Mulat na sa mga kahirapan sa landas ng kosen-rufu, pinaalalahanan niya ang mga miyembro na maging handa sa
anumang posibleng mangyari. (Atsuta, TNHR vol. 26, chapter 1)

“Si Shakyamuni, na isinilang sa India, ay inilarawan bilang may thirty-two superior physical
characteristics ito na nagpapakilala sa kanya bilang isang dakilang tao. Siya ay nirerespeto at sinasamba
ng mga tao bilang Buddha. Ngunit kapag ang mga taong may maruming puso ang tumingin sa kanya,
nakikita nila si Shakyamuni bilang mababa o may bahid, at ang ilan naman ay tingin sa kanya bilang isang
kaaway.

“Kabaligtaran ni Shakyamuni, si Nichiren Daishonin ay isinilang bilang isang ordinaryong nilalang sa evil
age ng Latter Day of the Law. Dahil dito, inaasahan talaga na makakatagpo siya ng pagkapoot at
pagsalungat sa pagpapalaganap niya ng kanyang katuruan.

"Para naman sa atin, mga ordinaryong tao tayo, na mga followers ni Nichiren Daishonin. Ginagawa
nating na magkatotoo ang kosen-rufu gaya ng itinuro ni Nichiren. Bagaman mga ordinaryong tao lang
tayo na hinahamak ng iba, ginagawa naman natin ang pinakamarangal na misyon natin. Kaya hindi
maiiwasan na tayo rin ay makakaranas ng lahat ng uri ng pagsubok at mga paghihirap.

“Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit sina Mr. Makiguchi at Mr. Toda ay nakulong dahil sa kanilang mga
paniniwala, at sa huli ay namatay si Mr. Makiguchi sa bilangguan. Naharap din ako sa mga tuloy-tuloy na
oposisyon sa buong buhay ko. Base sa mga katuruan ng Gosho, ang Soka Gakkai ay patuloy na
mahaharap sa mga malulupit na mga obstacles.

"Ngunit hindi natin dapat hayaan ang ating sarili na matalo. Hindi tayo dapat mataranta (mag-alala) . . .
Ang landas ng pagtataguyod ng tamang mga katuruan ay laging puno ito ng matinding paghihirap –ang
walang pag-aalinlangan na pananampalataya lang natin ang syang gumigising sa atin sa katotohanang na
ito.
If you propagate it, devils will arise without fail. If they did not, there would be no way of knowing that this is the correct
teaching. One passage from the same volume reads: “As practice progresses and understanding grows, the three
obstacles and four devils emerge in confusing form, vying with one another to interfere . . . One should be neither
influenced nor frightened by them. If one falls under their influence, one will be led into the paths of evil. If one is
frightened by them, one will be prevented from practicing the correct teaching.” This statement not only applies to me,
but also is a guide for my followers. (Letter to the Brothers - WND1, 501)

Kung ipinalaganap mo ito, walang duda na lilitaw ang mga “demonyo.” Pero kung hindi mo gagawin ito, wala itong
paraan upang malaman na ito talaga ang tamang katuruan. Sa isang sipi mula sa parehong volume ang mababasa na:
“Habang umuunlad ang pagsasagawa at lumalawak ang pag-unawa, ang three obstacles and four devils ay liliitaw sa
nakalilitong anyo, na naguunahan upang makapanghimasok . . . hindi ka dapat maimpluwensyahan o matakot sa kanila.
Kung ikaw ay madala sa kanilang impluwensya, maaakay ka nila sa mga landas ng kasamaan. Kung ikaw ay matakot sa
kanila, mapipigilan ka nila sa mga pagsasagawa mo ng tamang katuruan.” Ang pahayag na ito ay hindi lamang para sa
akin, kundi isa ring gabay ito para sa aking mga followers. (Letter to the Brothers - WND1, 501)

Ikeda Sensei’s Guidance – Those Who Spread the Mystic Law are the Noblest of All – P.02

Emerson also made the following observation about Napoleon: His victories were only so many doors,
and he never for a moment lost sight of his way onward, in the dazzle and uproar of the present
circumstance.” When Napoleon achieved one victory, he immediately looked to the next. He wasn’t
satisfied with the present triumph; he didn’t allow himself to relax, he didn’t give up the larger struggle.
That is the secret to winning. It is important to make one victory the cause for the next. That is the smart
course of action and the way that leads to successive victories.

Those who just bask in the glow of victory can grow complacent and lose out in the future. The moment
of triumph is the very moment to start working toward a new and larger goal. That is how the next
victory is assured.

The spirit of moving ever forward is the essence of “brave and vigorous exertion” {Jpn. yumyo shojin} [a
phrase that appears in the “Expedient Means” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which we recite during
gongyo]. If we look at each of the Chinese characters of this term individually, yu (brave) means acting
with courage and myo (vigorous) means applying all one’s wisdom, while in the compound shojin
(exertion), sho means pure and unsullied and jin means ceaseless advance. “Brave and vigorous
exertion” produces a person who always triumphs. It forges and strengthens us so that our lives are ever
victorious.

A person who can put their problems in the proper perspective, and tenaciously resolve them with an optimistic
spirit to win, no matter what, can find the courage, wisdom and ingenuity to transform even their most powerful
enemies into their “foremost good friends.” - WT

Please read: Buddhism is the Clear Mirror That Reflects Our Lives - WT