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Welcome to “Singularity Chanting,” a world of chanting held in the metaverse. Here, you can experience clearing your mind’s filter, free from the self and delusions. Let’s begin a journey of becoming one mind, united in spirit, while feeling the spirit of Nichiren, who lived a harsh life on the remote island of Sado. By deepening your connection with yourself and others, you can take a step closer to a more peaceful world.
Words of Encouragement from the Writings of the Great Saint Nichiren:
An Encouraging Passage from the Great Saint Nichiren’s Writings “Kaimoku-sho”
Original Text
“Even in the midst of various difficulties, if you do not harbor doubts, you will naturally reach the Buddha realm. Do not doubt even if you do not receive the protection of the heavenly deities. You must not lament that the present world is not peaceful. I have taught this to my disciples morning and evening, but it seems they have all abandoned their faith by harboring doubts. It is the nature of a foolish person to forget what they have promised when the time comes.”
Meaning
Even when facing various difficulties, if you continue to hold on to your faith without doubting, you will surely reach the state of enlightenment attained by the Buddha. Even if you do not feel the protection of the heavenly deities, you must not doubt. You must not lament the fact that the present world is filled with hardships. I have explained this to my disciples morning and evening, but it seems they have abandoned their faith by harboring doubts. Humans are weak beings and tend to forget their promises when the time comes.
Explanation
This passage is from the words spoken by the Great Saint Nichiren to his disciples, as recorded in the “Kaimoku-sho.” At the time, the Great Saint Nichiren was in the harsh situation of being exiled to Sado Island, but even in such circumstances, he expounded on the importance of persevering in faith to his disciples.
The words “Even in the midst of various difficulties, if you do not harbor doubts, you will naturally reach the Buddha realm” indicate that in order to overcome difficulties and attain the enlightenment of the Buddha, it is essential not to doubt one’s faith. Even when facing difficulties, if one maintains faith without doubting, one will surely receive the protection of the Buddha and reach the state of enlightenment, as expressed with certainty.
The words “Do not doubt even if you do not receive the protection of the heavenly deities” indicate that even if one cannot feel the presence of unseen protectors, one must not doubt one’s faith. The Buddhist teachings have various unseen protectors, and those with strong faith can always receive their protection. Even if one cannot feel this protection, it is important not to harbor doubts and to persevere in maintaining faith.
The words “You must not lament that the present world is not peaceful” indicate that the suffering of the present world should be accepted as a natural occurrence and not lamented. This world is a mixture of suffering and joy, and hardships are given as opportunities for spiritual cultivation. Lamenting the sufferings of the present world and doubting one’s faith hinders the pursuit of Buddhist practice.
The words “I have taught this to my disciples morning and evening, but it seems they have all abandoned their faith by harboring doubts” suggest that the Great Saint Nichiren is lamenting the fact that despite repeatedly expounding on the importance of faith to his disciples, they harbored doubts and abandoned their faith. The Great Saint Nichiren is conveying his heartfelt efforts in guiding his disciples to gain a true understanding of the Buddhist teachings and overcome difficulties.
The words “It is the nature of a foolish person to forget what they have promised when the time comes” reflect the Great Saint Nichiren’s self-awareness of human weakness as he addresses his disciples. All humans are weak beings who may sometimes forget their promises. However, the Great Saint Nichiren expounds that it is important to overcome such weakness and persevere in maintaining faith.
Source
- The Great Saint Nichiren’s Writings “Kaimoku-sho”
Encouragement from this Passage
This passage provides us with the following encouragement:
- If we maintain faith and continue our efforts, we can surely overcome difficulties and achieve our goals.
- It is important to believe in and be grateful for the existence of unseen protectors.
- The hardships of the present world are opportunities for spiritual cultivation, and we must not lament them.
- It is important to listen carefully to and put into practice the teachings of our ment
ors.
- It is important to be aware of our human weaknesses and strive to overcome them.
The powerful words of the Great Saint Nichiren give us courage and hope. When facing difficulties, I want to remember this passage and persevere in maintaining my faith.
