御书1169页

南无妙法莲华经如狮子吼。

唱奉题目的人，什么也不怕。我们无须畏惧任何东西。无论发生什么，也能够明朗、充满希望地前进。这是最幸福的人生。

池田SGI会长 09.12.1997

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of lion.

We who chant daimoku are unafraid. There is nothing for us to fear. Whatever happens, we can move forward with optimism and hope. This is no happier life than this.

SGI President Ikeda 09.12.1997

勇气是克服难的原动力

利剑于不前之人无所用也，法华经之剑但为信心勇猛者之用，如虎生翼。

《经王殿御返事》

《经王殿御返事》是日莲大圣人于1273年在佐渡写给四条金吾的一封书信。收信人虽是「经王」（四条金吾的女儿），但是经王当时仍是幼儿，因此，实际上是写给四条金吾或夫人日眼女的书信。

通解：
即使持着锋利无比的剑，如果使用的人没有勇气也毫无用处。妙法之剑对有坚强的信心、有勇气的人，才有用处，正如俗语所说：“如虎生翼”一般。

勇气决定人生胜负
人生中相信没有比勇气更重要的事了。勇气决定了人生的成败。许多伟人的成功背后，都有无数次凭勇气挑战困难的体验。再大的目标、再高的理想，如果缺少实践的勇气的话，只有论为纸上谈兵。信心的世界也一样，如果没有实践的勇气，即使得到了成佛的法，最终也犹如入宝山而空回。

什么是勇气？
所谓「勇气」，就是勇于向前迈出一步的精神，能如此坚持不懈的话就是勇气。信心的第一步也是由于当初决心接收和勇于挑战宿命的开始。

对于勇气，大作家歌德曾指出：「失去财产和名誉并不重要，因为只要你重振精神就能立即得回。但是如果失去勇气，就等于失去一切。」再说，勇者无惧、无畏才是最高的幸福，无论发生什么不畏惧，那即是成佛的境界。

大圣人指出，如果连十尺的河也没办法跨过，又怎么能跨越二十尺的河呢？修行也是同理，假如交通问题、时间问题、人事问题也没有勇气去挑战和克服，又怎能跨越三类强敌，达成广宣流布与世界和平呢？

勇气本身有如动力、引擎，牵引我们迈向胜利幸福之道。例如每当我们被宿命折磨时，便下定决心勇敢挑战，此时勇气发动了信力行力，结果也就将生命的巨大潜能，南无妙法莲华经的大生命引发出来。

题目是勇气的动力
站在实践的立场来说，点燃、发动 勇气这引擎之火的，就是题目南无妙法莲华经。题目才是勇气的动力，能决心唱题去挑战本身就是勇气了。为了信念，不对任何迫害屈服的才是最大的勇气，能为信仰行动的人，是勇气中的勇士。

摘于三月份宇宙一九九九年

Courage is the propeller to overcome difficulties

A sword will be useless in the hands of a coward. The mighty sword of the Lotus Sutra must be wielded by one courages in faith. Then he will be strong as a demon armed with an iron staff.

Reply to kyo'o (MW-I-120)

Explanation:

Although a premium sharpedged sword is in hand, but if the person wielding it lacks any courage, the sword is of no use at all. Similarly, the mighty sword of the Lotus Sutra can only manifest its usefulness and power to those who maintain steadfast faith and who are courages, much like the saying, "a tiger with endowed wings".

Reply to Kyo'o is a letter written by Nichiren Daishonin in 1273 to Shijo Kingo while on exile to Sado Island. Althougth the letter is addressed to Shijo Kingo's infant daughter, Kyo'o, it seems likely that it was intended for her parents, Shiji Kingo and Nichigennyo.

Courage Determines Victory or Defeat in One's Life

There is nothing more important than courage in life. Courage is the linchpin of life's victory or defeat. Behind many successful man, there is a wealth of experience of countless courages challenge against obstacles. No matter how grand the ideals, if there is no courage, all is but mere words. Similarly, in the world of faith, if there is no courages practice, it is as if we returned from a treasure tower empty-handed though we have found the path to attain Buddhahood.

Courage, is none other than the spirit of dauntlessly forging ahead and advancing forward. To be able to persist with such a spirit is the cornerstone of courage. The first step in faith starts from the moment we decide to take up faith and challenge our own karma with courage.

On courage, as proclaimed by the great writer, Goethe, "It doesn't matter if money and fame are lost, because you could get them back once you get up and fight again. However, if courage is lost, you have lost everything."

Furthermore, there is a saying, "Courageous men fear not." being fearless is the supreme state of happiness. To be undaunted no matter what happens in life is to have attained the life state of Buddhahood.

Nichiren Daishonin point out: "If one cannot get cross a river ten feet wide, how can he cross one that is a hundred or two hundred feet?" Our practise in faith runs in the same vein. If we don't even have the courage to challenge and overcome problems like traffic jam, time management, relationship problems, how can we hope to overcome the powerful enemies of Buddhism, and to achieve worldwide kosenrufu and world peace?

Having courage means having the power to propel ahead, the power to initiate and motivate, thus leading one towards the path of victory and happiness. To illustrate: When we are suffering at the mercy of one's karma, we must determine to take courage in one's hand and challenge them. This courage that we mustered, will bring us the power of faith and the power of practice. This in turn will lead to the manifestation of our great life force from within, the working of the profound power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Daimoku is the 'Engine' of courage
From a practical standpoint, the lifetime that inflames and propels the 'engine' of courage is none other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Daimoku propels courage. Therefore, to be able to summon up the determination to chant daimoku is already displaying courage. Not succumbing to any threat and persecution for the sake of our belief is the greatest courage of all. Those who act on behalf of one's conviction in faith are heroes among heroes.

Extracted from Cosmic March 1999

御书1315页

逐乎不逐但依信心。

要持着希望和具体的目标，贯彻强盛信心的祈求。要依着祈求作出实践的行动。

·池田SGI会长

Whether or not your prayer is answered will depend on your faith.

It is important to persist with strong prayer, cherishing great hope and focusing on concrete goals. And it is vital to take action in accordance with those prayer.

·SGI President Ikeda

What does Nam-myoho-renge-kyo mean?

It is not easy to give a short answer to this question that includes all the aspects of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Here are two answers:

It is the title and the heart of the Lotus Sutra and it is the Law that explains the workings of life.

The Lotus Sutra
The Buddhist teaching which explains that everyone has the same potential as the Buddha is the Lotus Sutra ('sutra' means 'teaching'). The Lotus Sutra was originally recorded in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit entitled Saddharma-pundarika-Sutra. As the teachings of Buddhism spread they were translated into the languages of the cultures they travelled to. The Lotus Sutra was translated into Chinese, and when it reached Japan, it was known as Myoho-renge-kyo. The title of a sutra was considered to encapsulate the teaching it contained. It was also the practice to place the Sanskrit word 'Nam' (or 'devotion') before the names of Buddhist teachings or characters in order to praise them.

Nichiren Daishonin taught that the act of praising the Lotus Sutra would enable the qualities of the Buddha, the reservoir inherent in our lives to emerge. Therefore, he placed the word 'Nam' in front of the title of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-renge-kyo. This appears very simple; but the practice itself is very profound.

As we consider each of the constituent parts of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we start to sense its profundity. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is referred to as the 'Law of Life'. Although it is just six syllables, each signifies profound truths that go to the heart of the universe, the issue of life and death, and the law of cause and effect.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
'Nam' is an action word. The act of praising our potential will make it emerge. 'Nam' is the word that turns this principle from a theory into a reality. The Lotus Sutra, although profound, is merely a teaching. But, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a practice that will have actual results. The literal meaning of the word 'Nam' is 'respect or 'dedication' - so the whole phrase has the simple meaning of 'devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra'.

'Myoho' explains at least two major principles of life: the relationship between life and death, and the relationship between our most enlightened, or Buddha, state and all our other nine conditions or states of life. The 'ten states of life' or 'ten worlds' will be covered in a future part of this series.

How do the teachings of Buddhism view the relationship between life and death? We all have a birthday. That is, quite simply, the day when we emerged into the world as a baby. We also have some idea of what was happening to us in the nine or so months before we emerged from the womb. Before that, however, other than the knowledge that a sperm and an egg come together at a particular moment, things are not so clear. Biologists cannot give definitive answers as to where or what we consciousness was before conception and philosophers have also struggled to explain this. Buddhism teaches that all our constituent parts, not just physical ones, but mental and spiritual as well, existed in a state of latency, waiting for the right conditions to emerge before we could start the process of being born after conception. Before conception, we are latent, or 'myo'. This means that our life energy is waiting for the necessary circumstances before it can take on a physical form.

'Ho', which means law, or phenomena, describes the manifest state and particularly the emergence of the newborn baby into the world. We remain alive - manifest - until the point when, for whatever reason, our bodies can no longer support our lives. The body dies, and the constituent parts separate. At this point we cease to be 'ho' and return once more to the latent state of 'myo'.

Buddhism teaches that life is a cycle. We emerge from 'myo', become 'ho' and return to 'myo' again. This rhythm continues forever. The cycle of the seasons echoes this process. We see new growth in spring, maturity in summer, harvest and decline in autumn before a period of apparently bleak withdrawal in winter. But winter never fails to turn into spring once more, and cycle starts again. We feel our Buddhahood at work because our chanting has caused it to appear according to another fundamental life principle: 'renge', which is about how the effect exists simultaneously with the cause.

This literally means the lotus flower. The lotus flower rests on the surface of the pond, its roots going deep into the water and drawing on the nutrients it finds in the mud at the bottom.

The image of the lotus flower means that the Buddha is not a perfect being, detached from the realities of life, either in a monastery or in some other, unearthly realm. Rather, the Buddha is an aspect of our own lives, which we can draw upon. It is because of the trials and tribulations of real, everyday life in this world that the Buddha's qualities can be revealed.

'Renge' signifies the process of cause and effect at work deep within the life of each person.

The word 'kyo' literally means 'sutra', or teaching. It is the vibration of our voice, which is so important in our Buddhist practice. It is said that the voice does the Buddha's work. This is why we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo aloud, rather than performing silent meditation.

'Kyo' is the interconnectedness of all phenomena; and is the way our prayer or the sound of our chanting can affect people and situations out of our immediate sphere.

<已心佛界抄>

这天是创价学会第二任会长户田城圣逝世纪念日。

在这里和大家分享一篇御书，摘自<覆义净法师书>之<已心佛界抄>：-

日莲云：“一者妙也，心者法也，欲者莲也，见者华也，佛者经也”。弘通此五字，为“不自惜身命”是也。

在日莲而言，一就是妙，心就是法，欲就是莲，见就是华，佛就是经。将这五字弘通，就是“不自惜身命”。

英文版本如下：-
I, Nichiren, say that 'single' stands for myo, or mystic, 'mind' for ho, or law, 'desiring' for ren, or lotus, 'see' for ge, or flower, and 'Buddha' for kyo, or sutra. In propagating these five characters, practitioners should 'not hesitate even if it costs them their lives'.

How Buddhism Works

When you first come across Buddhism, it is common to wonder how it can make a difference to life. How can you find solutions to problems in daily life through the practice of Buddhism? The answer lies firstly in engaging with the fundamental truth or the Law of life and secondly in realising that this Law is affecting your inner life and your outer life.

Until now we have probably had a very western 'dualistic view' of how life works, thinking that one's mind is in some way separate from one's body, and one body is separate from its surroundings.

Eastern philosophy, and Buddhism in particular, teaches the absolute opposite of this: Buddhism sees our mind and body, and our body and our environment as aspects of the whole, which are deeply related, originating from the same source of life, and are mutually dependent.

Quite simply this means that change in one immediately effects a change in the other. Therefore, if you can bring about a change in your mind, it will affect your physical body, likewise a changed person will effect a change in their environment. This means seeing changes in your family, in your workplace and in your society.

Nichiren Daishonin decribes it in this way:"... if the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. These are not two lands, pure or impure themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds."

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo immediately makes improvements in your inner life. That means you find you can start to be able to view life more positively, and hopefully, you can view things from different perspectives, you have new thoughts and courage about your life.

What you are doing through chanting is 'changing your mind' ~ this means changing your thoughts, which results in a change to your actions ~ thoughts of what you do and what you say. This is called changing karma ~ changing thoughts, words and deeds.

As this change takes place, the effect can be clearly felt by you and seen by others as you start to behave differently and go about your life in a different way, often with renewed vigour, hope and courage. Your changing life shows itself in your day-to-day living, affecting everything you do. Because we are not separate from, but deeply connected to everything, the powerful transformation that takes place inside ourselves spreads outwards and brings about change in our environment. This is how the practice actually works.

As SGI President Daisaku Ikeda said: Nichiren Buddhism enables us to transform the place where we are now into a 'land of Eternally Tranquil Light' and there construct a palace of happiness. To that end, you have to change the karma that makes you suffer... There is no other way than to dramatically transform your own life-condition. When you change your state of life, your environment will naturally changing as well. This is the principle of the oneness of life and its environment. A grand palace of happiness exists within your own heart. Faith is the key that opens the door to that palace.

New Year’s Resolution

“Misfortune comes from one’s mouth and ruins him, but fortune comes from one’s mind and makes him worthy of respect.”

“Misfortune comes from one’s mouth,” represents a slanderous or belittling attitude towards the Law or towards the innate dignity of life.

“Fortune comes from one’s mind” refers to the mind of faith that believes in the Mystic law. Positive mental inclinations, such as joy, appreciation, forbearance, compassion and the like, are all sources of merit and good karma. At every moment, we are creating our destiny through our intentions, words and actions. These are the “three categories of action” that are opened to the human being to create karma, whether good or bad. By basing all these three on the mind of faith, we can create the best karma of all.

One’s attitude towards faith can be reflected in our daily life. Happiness or unhappiness can be determined by the reality of our life condition. In this sense, we should have the spirit of ‘starting afresh’ and that everyday is New Year’s Day and, every moment is the first step towards our human revolution.

Thus, maintaining sincere faith with courage, hope and confidence should be our eternal guideline. Strong confidence in the Gohonzon is the treasure of our life and the source of our great fortune. Moreover, confidence un faith is crucial to fully manifesting the power of the Gohonzon n one’s daily life.

When we believe in the Gohonzon from the depth of our life, and live with a deep sense of mission, we can change our entire destiny in the course of our practice and eventually be victorious in life. We may have many problems at present, but we can say that there are small compared to the good fortune we have already gained from practicing true Buddhism. Faith is more powerful than our problems.

In this connection, it is ideal if our New Year’s resolutions are also based on the ‘mind of faith’ in the Gohonzon. All our personal determinations will take on new significance and scope when framed as resolutions to show proof of the power of faith, thus advancing the spread of Nichiren Daishonin’s true Buddhism.

题目

以下是一位干部传来的简讯。与大家共勉之：-

题目的力量是伟大的。

痛苦的时候正需要题目；束手无策的时候就要题目。

题目让我们涌现生命力、勇气百倍，能够改变现状。

信心是一切胜利的引擎。

佛法的实践

信心愈成长，愈能看清自己。

因为能看清自己的缺点，

所以也会努力想克服缺点而变得谦虚。

同时，这不但会使自己变得谦虚，

也能发现别人的优点。总之，

祈求「反省自己」、「磨练自己」和

「广大自己」，不断提升境涯，

这就是佛法所讲的实践。

与昨天的自己比较

信心就是「向上」。

总是朝向明天，刻下

「比起昨天的自己有所改变」的历史。

认识如何有意义地度过今天

一天的人，就是人生的幸福者。

这认真的日日的累积会给人生

带来「胜利」和「光荣」。

不是与他人比，应该比较的是

「昨天的自己」。

Ichinen

"One's ichinen when chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo permeates the entire universe. It can move anything." ~ SGI President Ikeda


The word “ichinen’ (determination) is used frequently and loosely in many different ways in our conversations.

Theoretical explanation of its meaning can take many forms but to really understand and develop a strong ichinen in our practice of Buddhism to attain human revolution can be very difficult. It requires strong faith in the Gohonzon and consistent efforts at practice and study in the development of a strong ichinen to accomplish human revolution.


What is Ichinen?

‘Nen’ of Ichinen means to think.

In our day to day activities, innumerable thoughts spring into our minds. And a thought at one moment will disappear back into the depths of our consciousness in the next moment. Some thoughts come to the surface of the mind again and again, while others continually remain dormant in the depths of the unconscious.

A thought at any moment that orients your life to somewhere or something in one way or another is called Ichinen.

When we use the term outside of faith, it customarily denotes a strong inclination or wish. In this sense, ichi (literally one) means one among many.

In our Buddhist philosophy, however, ichi has another meaning. That is, not one among many, but one that includes all the aspects of life of one’s whole being. In this sense, this Ichinen means one’s whole-hearted belief and devotion to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Timewise, Ichinen ranges from the infinite past to the infinite future, and spacewise, throughout the whole universe. Therefore, all of our activities can work powerfully to bring happiness to others and ourselves at the same time.

Strictly speaking, the concept of Ichinen could not possibly be explained in a short time, since it deals with an expression of the ultimate reality of life. Likewise, Ichinen as a term expresses our life at any given moment yet simultaneously possessing the potential for all 3,000 possible states of existence.

One's Ichinen and its Environment

The Gosho , On Attaining Buddhahood, states, "... if the minds of people are impure, their land is also impure; but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are no two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil or our minds."

This passage teaches that happiness or unhappiness in the final analysis lies within the mind, or Ichinen, in the depths of one’s life. In other words, it is this Ichinen in the innermost depths of one’s life that determines one’s happiness or unhappiness and further, even changes the environment.

Viewed from a deeper perspective based on Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, the ultimate power which brings about change to everything on earth exists in the Ichinen you develop by chanting daimoku to the Gohonzon, you can establish your Ichinen in the state of Buddhahood.

No matter what circumstances you may be in, it is your immovable Ichinen that enables you to open the internal palace of happiness and establish lives which are fulfilled in every respect. This is the purpose of faith and practice, and nothing else. The strong Ichinen towards the Gohonzon and the realization of kosen-rufu is the ultimate driving force to change everything in this world.

SGI President Ikeda in his guidance said,” I am aware that you are striving to practice under very difficult circumstances. But if you have any thoughts which attribute the cause of your difficulties to your environment, that is, to your country, and if you want to live in another place, thinking this country is good and that country is bad, it is a reflection of your unstable Ichinen.

It is like chasing after a dream. When you are truly determined that the place where you are now in is the place where you will practice true Buddhism, then you will see the ‘environment’ change into an ‘eternal enlighted land’.

While you are dedicating yourselves to activities towards kosen-rufu based on your faith, you can elevate your life-condition, and when this happens, you can expand the realm of your Ichinen limitlessly, accumulating abundant good fortune. In this way, you will be able to establish the correct path towards absolute happiness which defies any negative influences in the environment.”

Ichinen and Daily Practice

When Ichinen is used in reference to our daily practice, it has to do with what we are trying to accomplish and our attitude towards the Gohonzon. It also involves the strength of our desire and sincere prayer to the Gohonzon.

In the Gosho, Persecution by Sword and Staff, states that one should seek Gohonzon, “… as you crave food when hungry, seek water when thirsty, beg for medicine when ill…”

When we are hungry, the only thing we really concentrate on which holds our attention is food. It is a strong desire which must be satisfied.

Similarly, to develop this “hunger” or seek mind towards the Gohozon, is part of the development of our Ichinen. The more we polish the tarnished mirror of our life, the more we will be able to see and understand our life. This is a process of ten, fifteen to twenty years of practice. We need not worry – there are definitely times when we may not reach the intensity of Ichinen that we desire in a short period of time. Consistency is the key to developing a truly strong Ichinen.

Buddhist Practice

Nichiren Daishonin taught that there as three aspects to our practice of Buddhism if we are to fully develop this vast potential of Buddhahood and establish a solid foundation for our happiness. These are faith in the object of devotion - the Gohonzon, the practice of chanting and teaching others; and Buddhist study. Hidden inside all of us are many priceless treasures, such as wisdom, courage, compassion, absolute happiness and life force. Ultimately, if we do not unlock our own treasure trove then these treasures will go to waste. The three practices enable us to unlock the treasures of our lives.

Nichiren Daishonin says in The True Aspect of All Phenomena: Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability; even if only a sentence or phrase. (WND, pg 386)

Through our daily practice of chanting and our efforts to spread this teaching, we are able to win over our struggles and challenges and manifest Buddhahood in daily life. By studying the writings of Nichiren Daishonin, we begin to understand our inseparability from the life of the universe and gradually we see the Mystic Law at work in our own lives. Living more harmoniously and in rhythm with our true nature, as we continue to practice, our lives and the environment begin to manifest actual proof. It is faith that motivates us to begin to practice and that sustains us as we develop.

As SGI President Ikeda explained to the youth: "It (faith) encompasses truth, courage, wisdom and good fortune. It includes compassion and humanity as well as peace, culture and happiness. Faith is eternal hope; it is the secret to limitless self-development. Faith is the most basic principle for growth."

The Daishonin alludes to the result of this correct practice in The Three Kinds of Treasure, the Daishonin says: "The heart of the Buddha's lifetime of teachings is the Lotus Sutra, and the heart f the practice of the Lotus Sutra is found in the 'Never Disparaging' chapter. What does Bodhisattva Never Disparaging's profound respect for people signify? The purpose of the appearance in this world of Sakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, lies in his behaviour as a human being." (WND, pg 852)

In our case, continually working for kosen-rufu in society makes our existence respectable; that is, contributing to society as long as we live is what makes our lies significant.

What would happen if we just did two practices, rather than three? If we just had faith and practice and no study, we could easily grounded in real understanding. When that happens we can be manipulated by others, just following rules because we have been told to. Study puts our Buddhist practice into context and makes our faith indestructible. As we study and learn from the writings of Nichiren Daishonin and from President Ikeda, we in turn become teachers. Awakening others to the benefits of Buddhist faith is an immense source of joy.

From a different perspective, if we just studied, without practice or faith, we would be following a theoretical and intellectual teaching. Without faith and action, how could we unlock our many treasures?

Through the light of faith, practice and study, we naturally keep developing within the reality of our daily life, creating the ultimate cause for our happiness. In other words, when all three are being put into action, we really begin to enjoy our practice. We begin to enjoy seeing our wisdom, compassion and courage in action. By continuing to develop our faith, we are able to build a happy fulfilling life with a solid foundation, living with spontaneity, flexibility and joy.

供养

什么时供养？

为什么要供养？

这是一般说到供养时的主要问题。

一般上都认为供养是施舍或作财的布施。在严厉的佛法来说，供养不单止于此。在佛法上所说的供养，正确的意思就是供给奉养，充满对佛、法、僧的三宝报恩感谢之意，而真心地供奉出种种财物。

供养又分为：
(一) 事供养(过去圣人们将身奉献的供养)
(二) 理供养(凡夫的供养)

这两种供养都是说出将生命供养给佛之际的两种方法。

事供养

所谓，事供养就是指圣人、贤人们所行的归命方法。即是实际地将自己的生命为佛法而尽力修行的做法。

在佛法的立法看，对成为末法时代一切众生成佛之本因的南无妙法连华经的宣弘与流布，以不自惜生命的精神努力宣弘妙法之贡献；绝无后悔，持续到底的实践，可说是事供养。

大圣人在同一御书里也具体地举出事供养的例子。比如雪山童子为了听取半句偈而投身于鬼神的故事。

理供养

理供养就是破自己坚贪之心而舍(施)予人们。对于自身的财物，于广宣流布的活动中，作出毫不保留的供养，就是理的供养。

日连大圣人这样说明：“为圣人则事供养；为凡夫则理供养。”

即是圣人及贤人为了归命佛法而将生命布施、供养的事就是[事供养] 。

相反，<志向>即是尽信心底真心的一念，供养衣、食等凡夫布施就[理供养] 。

比起像圣人及贤人般，说出了凡夫在事实上，虽然不是供养自己的生命，可是由于供养于予佛和生命相等的财物，结果得到匹敌于事供养的功德而成佛的。

<为凡夫则理供养>日连大圣人强调着对佛法僧三宝的供养，最重要的就是做供养这个人底信心(意志) 内容。

另一方面，要特别留意的是，在事、理供养，这两种供养方式来说，绝不能有所偏差。如果只以事供养作为真正供养的话，便会堕入有危险性底‘只要舍弃生命便什么也行’的安易主义里去。

又如果，只是以理供养，认为供养财物便行的话，会变成只要‘有财的人’便能成佛底差别思想。大圣人舍弃这两种极端，认为只在财物和凡夫的信心底关系中，有着衡量供养本质的基准的。

就如为了半句偈而奉献己身的雪山童子的故事，可说是表现菩萨的求道心应有的态度。我们在末法今日，没有必要实行像雪山童子般修行。通过受持御本尊，实践‘信行学’，更寻求更高深的佛法，就这样通达到雪山童子的修行。

在佛法的立场来看，对佛法真心诚意的供养是必定能够积聚起无限的福运，同时得到诸天善神的守护也是必定的事。

我们在早晚勤行、唱题是对着御本尊而进行的。可以看到在御本尊的右边写着<有供养者福过十号>。

所谓福过十号就是在信仰受持和供养御本尊之际，所得到的功德之大是难以想像的，好像宇宙般那么大。

所谓<福>就是根据受持和供养的妙法，并且赞叹它而能够获得到的功德与福运。

<过十号>的<十号>，就是佛<如来>的十号。即是佛所拥有的十种称号，也是指佛的十种优越福德、作用。

故此，福过十号的意思：我们供养御本尊所得到的功德与福运起越了供养十号即佛所得到的福德。所以，我们应该明白到：

a) 供养御本尊
以法的供养，纯碎地信受、称赞和宣弘这妙法的伟大。

b) 以财的供养
用金钱所供养的一切，是多么了不起的，和积聚起福运的行动。

供养并不是纯碎指物质(财)的供养而已。因为物质本身并不重要，由于供养而想得到利益般的功利心，不能说得上是供养的精神。

再说到供养的精神时，应该如何诸于修行呢？

正确的供养姿态，必须出自信心修行感恩之一念。

任何性质的供养必须充满强烈的自发心。不可存在讨价还价的念头。或者觉得不好意思，不得不供养的情形。这种被动的供养不是真诚的。

当然，这也不是说我们完全不可以期待供养后的功德。相反地，根据日连大圣人的教导，我们应该有这种确信才对。这句话怎么说呢？

日连大圣人所关注是我们应该从修行中发掘御本尊的伟大。然后在感恩报德及令法久住强盛的一念下，自发作出供养。基于这种精神，一切的供养，无论何种形式，何种数目对我们的生命都存在意义深长的作用的。

因此，我们应该铭记，每日学会活动是对自己内奥的御本尊的供养。

此时，适合末法之时的最高供养之修行，就是奉献一生于向广布迈进，尽一切努力推进广宣流布的活动。所有对广宣流布的活跃和贡献的行动，从勤行、唱题到折伏及钻研佛法，可以说是包含在法供养。

The Story of Sessen Doji

Long time ago, deep in the snow mountain, lived a young man named Sessen Doji. In seeking a true law, he practiced Buddhism by himself. His goal was to be able to attain Buddha hood one day so that he could save people from suffering.

One day, a Buddhist god who had been watching Sessen Doji’s behaviour, decided to test how strong his faith was in seeking Buddhism.

There was a wind blowing and Sessen Doji heard a voice saying, “All is changeable, nothing is constant. This is the law of birth and death.”

He was surprised and happy to hear this. Suddenly as he opened his eyes and he saw a hungry demon in front of him.

Sessen Doji asked the demon, “Was it you who said those words? Can you please finish the whole Buddhist verse?”

Replied the demon, “Did you ask me something? I have had nothing to eat for days and I might have mumbled some nonsense. The only thing I want now is FOOD!”

Sessen Doji then asked the demon to name the food he wanted to eat. He promised to give whatever food the demon wanted.

The demon answered that it was human fresh and warm blood that he wanted.

Sessen Doji replied boldly, “The food you want is right here. It’s not necessary to look anywhere else. Since I’m still living, my fresh and blood are still warm. Please teach me the rest of the verse and I will offer you my body in exchange.”

The demon said, “If you will be true to what you say, I will teach you the rest of the verse.”

Placing both hands together, Sessen Doji bowed to the demon out of respect and waited to hear the rest of the verse.

The demon completed the verse, saying, “Extinguishing the sufferings of birth and death, one enters the joy of nirvana.”

Overjoyed at hearing this verse, Sessen Doji recited it over and over again so that he would be able to carry it with him into his next life. He began to inscribe the verse on rocks and cliffs, and on the trees which lined the road side. He wanted other people to read and understand the verse thus enabling them to attain Buddha hood.

To fulfill his promise to the demon, Sessen Doji plunged himself into the demon’s mouth.

Suddenly, Sessen Doji felt himself being caught in mid-air by gentle arms. Looking down, he saw that he had been saved by the Buddhist god.

Actually, the demon was Taishaku, the Buddhist god. He asked Sessen Doji for forgiveness.

Sessen Doji bowed to Taishaku with deep gratitude for being able to learn the Buddhist teaching.

Sessen Doji was reborned as Sakyamuni Buddha.

冬必为春

Got the following encouragement from a RC member:-

"In the well-known words of the English poet Shelley: 'If winter comes, can spring be far behind?'

"In 'The Opening of the Eyes,' the Daishonin writes: 'By observing a single flower in bloom, one can predict the advent of spring' (WND, 268). In the winter of life, too, if we advance with the Buddhism of the sun in our hearts, the warmth of spring is sure to come. The Daishonin also famously declares

"'Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are as if in winter, but winter always turns to spring. Never, from ancient times on, has anyone heard or seen of winter turning back to autumn. Nor have we ever heard of a believer in the Lotus Sutra who turned into an ordinary person.' (WND, 536)

"Life is a struggle, a struggle that we must win. And the Daishonin promises that the Buddhism of the sun enables us to do so. When each of you brings the fragrant flower of victory to bloom in your lives, the spring of hope will arrive.

"Mr. Toda once said: 'Obstacles exist to test and train us, so they are like a judo instructor who throws his students about to make them stronger. If you face every obstacle with the readiness to confront it and the determination to win, you'll be able to overcome the most challenging difficulties.'

He also said: 'The Daishonin's Buddhism guarantees that those who suffer the most will become the happiest.' I hope all of you will cheerfully and positively show actual proof in your lives that winter always turns to spring."