The Significance of Mentor and Disciple in Buddhism
Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can — Ralph Waldo Emerson
It’s often said that when a student is ready, the teacher appears. My teacher appeared when I started practicing Nichiren Buddhism. A philosophy of life, deeply rooted in establishing a mentor and disciple bond.
I first heard of Dr. Daisaku Ikeda (Founding President of the Soka Gakkai International) in the year 2000.
January 2000 is when I found my spiritual calling in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhist practice. The famous year when the apocalyptic Y2K bug, turned out to be a hoax.
It was also the year when I was at the lowest point in my life, lost, lonesome, and unhappy. Buddhism sounded like the perfect salve for my bruised soul.
Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a lay Buddhist organization following the tenets of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhist Teachings from Japan. New to the practice when I first attended SGI Buddhist gatherings, I enjoyed the rhythmic chanting, the personal narratives of faith-based experiences, and the warmth of its members. Every prayer meeting ended with video guidance from Ikeda Sensei, the 3rd President of Soka Gakkai who lived in Japan. This was my exit point, the minute the video came on, and the room went dark, I would gracefully leave.
Why?
As a newcomer, I didn’t care much for a Japanese-speaking President, of a lay Buddhist organization, I knew little about.
For the most part, he spoke highly of his mentor, 2nd President Josei Toda, or quoted famous philosophers and Buddhist Sutras. My twenty-something brain had no patience for this.
This nonchalant attitude continued for a few years, till I read ‘A Youthful Diary’, a personal memoir of Dr. Ikeda’s journey from being a WW2-era lost youth (like me) to becoming the President of a United Nations recognized Buddhist World Peace organization.
His book piqued my interest. I wanted to learn more.
- How did a young twenty-year-old, WW2 survivor, end up heading a religious organization and spreading it worldwide to over 193 countries?
- How did a Japanese-speaking-only person host peace dialogues with powerful world dignitaries, and write yearly peace proposals to the United Nation?
- How did a person with no formal college education end up receiving over 200+ honorary citizenship and university degrees from world-renowned institutions?
- How did a person predicted to barely live a year by his doctor, beat his life-threatening Tuberculosis, and continue to live a long healthy life, till today?
- Why do people around the world respect him?
The answers to these questions were hidden in the philosophy he dedicated his life to spreading around the world; the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.
He applied these teachings vigorously in his daily life and showed actual proof. The results are for all to see.
From a poor, sickly, farm boy, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda transformed himself into an energetic, compassionate, protagonist leader of world peace.
Was I persuaded by his example? Not entirely. What if he was an anomaly?
The cynic in me had to experience this practice for myself to believe in it. In fact, I questioned it at every step and tested it in every area of my life.
When the mountains of obstacles started crumbling in my life, I realized the power of this spiritual practice.
Now, over 2 decades of being a Nichiren Daishonin Buddhist, I am convinced. My mentor was right, and this student was ready.
“Ultimately, we are responsible for our own destiny. It may seem to us that our fate is predetermined, whether by our genes or by our environment. What really matters, however, is how we can improve ourselves from this moment forward, how we can change the circumstances that we find ourselves in. This enormous transformative force is what Buddhism is all about. In this struggle lies the source of never-ending youth and vitality.” — Dr. Daisaku Ikeda
Key lessons from Dr. Daisaku Ikeda’s life, books, and SGI publications.
1. Buddhism Transforms Life’s Poison into Medicine.
Even Saints and Sages cannot escape the sufferings of life, Buddhism gives us the tools to overcome challenges and turn poison into medicine. It erases the word impossible from our life and shows us the way to convert adversities into profound victories.
“We should never decide that something is impossible and buy into the belief, “I’ll never be able to do that.” The power of the entire universe is inherent in our lives. When we firmly decide, “I can do it!” we can break through the walls of self-imposed limitations.” — Dr. Daisaku Ikeda
2. For Genuine Happiness, Pursue a Worthy Cause.
A life filled with meaningful purpose is never dull or unhappy. As we achieve our own desires and become happy, it’s natural to want to share this philosophy to guide other fellow humans. This is how SGI spreads world peace. It starts with individual happiness that spreads into the community, society, and the world.
“Philosophy should inspire people with a sense of purpose and instill in them the power to lead life to the fullest.” — Dr. Daisaku Ikeda
3. Dream Big and Never Give Up.
We’re only as small and insignificant as our limited thinking. Nichiren Buddhism inspires us to reach our limitless life potential and reveal our highest life state. We do not practice Buddhism to live a mediocre life. This practice helps us grow beyond our limited life view to live a balanced, happy, and cause-awakened life.
“The real struggle in life is with ourselves. The true secret of success is the refusal to give up, the refusal to fail; it lies in the struggle to win the battle against one’s own weaknesses.” — Dr. Daisaku Ikeda
4. Put Faith into Action.
Buddhism is generally looked upon as a passive, meditative practice performed in remote mountains, away from reality. Not Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. This practice emphasizes putting Faith into Action, right where you are, in your current circumstances. We pray for our goals and then take the necessary action to fulfill them. Faith and action go hand in hand, one without the other is incomplete.
“Our Buddhist faith and practice give us the power to win out over despair and resignation and to keep moving ever forward. Through our efforts to press on, we can polish ourselves and expand our state of life.” — Dr. Daisaku Ikeda
5. Be Fearless.
As Nichiren Buddhists, we chant ‘Nam Myoho Renge Kyo’ a mantra that awakens the buddha latent within all of us. Once awakened to our true potential, the Buddha (Enlightened One) can overcome any and all obstacles fearlessly.
“Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. It is the way to banish sorrow, the way to light a torch of hope. It is the revolution that rewrites the scenario of our destiny.” — Dr. Daisaku Ikeda
Summary
In Buddhism, the role of the mentor is to empower the disciple, even the most skeptical ones like me. The mentor’s goal is to constantly remind us of our profound potential, instilling confidence in our unrealized possibilities. It is the mentor’s own life, as much as their teaching, that provides this inspiration. Exactly what Dr. Ikeda has successfully accomplished through his life and work by inspiring 12+ million practitioners like me, around the globe.