“If we avoid challenging our own issues, we will never be able to strengthen and develop ourselves, and we will not possibly be able to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. In addition, it is also important that we try to rid our lives of general doubt and disbelief as well as grumbling and complaining. The erroneous belief that Myho-renge-kyo (The Mystic Law) exists outside of our life has at its core an inability to believe that all people, both ourselves and others, posses the Buddha nature. And this disbelief stems from fundamental darkness or ignorance. It terms of faith, this tendency to skeptically regard the Buddha nature as ‘a nice ideal but one that doesn’t really change reality,’ will manifest itself as a prayer that is weak, vague, and lacking confidence. If our efforts in faith are half-hearted, we will not be able to change our attitude or fundamentally transform our life. As the Daishonin indicates in this writing when he says, ‘You must summon up deep faith,’ (WND -1; pg. 3), if we hope to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime, we must continue striving to deepen our faith and prayer. And as our faith deepens, it will manifest as confident and concrete prayer. Because our practice of faith is aimed at attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime, it is absolutely essential that we have a solidly focused mind or attitude when chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. … our prayers can only be realized when we replace vague yearnings with concrete determinations and confident daimoku to definitely accomplish what we hope to achieve.” ( Daisaku Ikeda: Lecture On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime; p.45-46)
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 00:00:06 +0000
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