Daily Encouragement: Quotes From my Buddhist Mentor

A daily dose of wisdom

With light hearts, let’s take a fresh step forward. Life is a struggle against the limits of time. We must therefore strive to make each day one of ceaseless advancement.

— Daisaku Ikeda (from Quotations by Daisaku Ikeda)

From the New Year’s Gosho — letters of encouragement the Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, wrote to his disciples:

“The sincerity of making offerings to the Lotus Sutra at the beginning of the New Year is like cherry blossoms blooming from trees, a lotus unfolding in a pond, sandalwood leaves unfurling on the Snow Mountains, or the moon beginning to rise.”

This letter was written to the wife of Omosu in acknowledgment of offerings Nichiren Daishonin had received from her at the beginning of the year. Omosu derived his name from the area in which his estate was located, Omosu Village in Fuji District of Suruga Province. His full name was Ishikawa Shimbei Yoshisuke. His wife was the elder sister of Nanjō Tokimitsu, a very well-known disciple.

The Buddha’s writings are rich with lovely images, and apt metaphors. They are a pleasure to read and are filled with heartfelt words of support, guidance, and hope. When a follower received a letter, it was the habit that local people would gather and the letter would be read aloud so that others could be encouraged. So, I am loving and faithfully following suit in sharing quotes with all of you.

Happy 2024, and I am chanting for a hope-filled and brilliant year for all of us, filled with felicity — my word for the year.

(defn of felicity from the Oxford dictionary: intense happiness:

1. “domestic felicity”: a harmonious home
2. the ability to find appropriate expression for one’s thoughts
3. speech that pleased by its accuracy, felicity, and fluency

Keep the faith.

For more information on Buddhism look here.

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