Daily Encouragement: Quotes From my Buddhist Mentor
A daily dose of wisdom
“Treasures of the heart” are the riches that we accumulate within ourselves: An inner strength that cannot be defeated by any adversity; the creative power to live out our lives with perennial joy, fulfillment and vitality. They are the wellspring of indestructible happiness.
— Daisaku Ikeda (from Quotations by Daisaku Ikeda)
Daisaku Ikeda is referring to the “Three Kinds of Treasures” gosho from the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol 1.
Within this gosho it reads:
“It is rare to be born a human being. The number of those endowed with human life is as small as the amount of earth one can place on a fingernail. Life as a human being is hard to sustain — as hard as it is for the dew to remain on the grass. But it is better to live a single day with honor than to live to 120 and die in disgrace. Live so that all the people of Kamakura will say in your praise that Nakatsukasa Saburō Saemon-no-jō is diligent in the service of his lord, in the service of Buddhism, and in his concern for other people. More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all. From the time you read this letter on, strive to accumulate the treasures of the heart!”
The Daishonin is referring to financial wealth, bodily health, and finally the treasures of the heart: faith, hope, compassionate action, friendship, and such qualities that are intangible as the most desired — treasures of the heart.
He speaks of how rare it is to be born a human being. (This is a suggestive comment. What one could almost imply from this, is that there are many planets in the universe, perhaps also inhabited with different life forms?) And because it is rare to be born a human being — and we have a brief life span — we have little time in which to make causes to generate happiness for ourselves and others. We surely shouldn’t waste the opportunity.
The Buddha also suggests how to live — perhaps one of the first “how to” books ever — in terms of general attitude and behavior. He proposes we should live so that people view us a person as “diligent” in service of his lord (translated for our time— our job), as Buddhist practitioners, and in service of others. Words to live by.
Wishing you all many treasures of the heart this holiday season and to creating more in 2024!
Keep the faith.