Gosho to duscuss

Manifesting the Qualities

of the Law
orthy persons deserve to be called so because they
are not carried away by the eight winds: prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor, praise, censure, suffering, and pleasure. They are neither elated by prosperity
nor grieved by decline. The heavenly gods will surely protect one who is unbending before the eight winds. (The
Eight Winds, WD p. 794)

This sentence, spoken by Nichiren, shows that the wise do not

allow themselves to be influenced
by praise or criticism, or swayed
by the ups and downs of public
opinion. In other words, since our
hearts react in their own unique
way, the manner in which we
interpret our own personal circumstances is of vital importance;
therefore, we must try to have the
greatest spiritual and mental clarity. In Buddhism it is said that
someone with a disturbed mind
will distort what they hear, no
matter how logical the truth they
are shown.
Our circumstances change constantly. A great mission cannot
succeed if those in charge of it are
worried about their popularity or
criticism from others. Any progress, is in fact obstructed, by the
greed, anger and stupidity to
which all human beings are prone.
Society requires a harmonious
cooperation and a broad vision.
Moreover, as the Daishonin warns

in this letter, a truly wise person

must keep in mind both the happiness of others and Kosen-rufu,
applying the power of faith and
his greatest unceasing efforts in
order to achieve these.
In Buddhism, ones life-state
is an essential question. This philosophy does not measure human
beings according to race or ethnic
origins. Neither does it take into
account academic achievements
or social status. Instead, it focuses entirely on the life-state and
heart of each individual.
This letter was addressed to
Shijo Kingo, who, as a result of
his excellent professional achievements, aroused the envy of his
work colleagues, and was therefore persecuted, slandered and forced to endure terrible circumstances.
In this respect, in his letter, the
Daishonin speaks largely of Shijo
Kingos life-state and the princi-

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Gosho to duscuss

ple which teaches that wisdom

comes from faith.
In this same document we find
the phrase, You must be aware of
where the real problem lies, and
act with caution.
When people are burdened with
worries, they tend to make a
mountain out of a molehill. The
same can be said of countries.
The most trivial matters can be
enough to make us fluctuate between joy and sadness. Then life
becomes emotionally unstable,
and we find ourselves bouncing
back and forth between happiness
and sorrow, and this, coupled with
a narrow outlook on life, makes
for profound suffering.
A year before writing this letter,
in his famous document entitled
Happiness in This World of
June 1276, the Daishonin offers
similar guidence to Shijo Kingo:
Though worldly troubles may
arise, never let them disturb
you. (Happiness In This World,
WND p.681)
When things are going well, we
feel that we can take on the world,
but life is full of obstacles and
unexpected events, and when
these occur, we realise that we
cannot isolate ourselves from
others, and therefore we go in
search of encouragement and

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mutual support. It is of vital

importance that we keep in close
contact with people who are sincere and encouraging. That way
we can prevent destructive forces
from entering into our lives.
Encouragement and mutual support can provide enormous
strength.
Nichiren Daishonin did everything in his power to support and
protect his disciples. He gave
them the spirit of faith so that they
would be able to confront and
overcome all obstacles, and
through his behaviour showed
them the enormous power of the
Mystic Law.
He was especially close to Shijo
Kingo and sent him many letters
offering encouragement and guidence. He taught him how to be
wise, and immune to the influences of the eight winds, as the Buddhist teachings manifest in the
behaviour of their believers.
The Daishonin transmitted the
essence of human behaviour to
Kingo, and his guidance was
meticulous and sincere on the
most diverse issues. Dont lose
your temper!, Always be
alert!, Watch out for accidents!, Think ahead!, If our
are going to drink, dont overdo
it!, Recognise and value your
friends in faith, Dont scold
your women!, Respect others!.

Manifesting the Qualities of the Law

He bravely showed Kingo that

there was no strategy more
powerful that that of the Lotus
Sutra. He declared: It is the
heart that is important, and A
coward cannot have any of his
prayers answered. (The Strategy
of the Lotus Sutra WND p.1001)
Both ignorance (illusion) and
the dharma nature (enlightenment), are inherent in our lives.
In The Entity of the Mystic
Law, the Daishonin says that
when we understand that our lives
are endowed with both ignorance
as well as the Buddha nature, we
can understand the illusion that is
found in evil, dismiss it, and then
base our lives on the state of the
dharma nature. This specifically
means basing our lives on prayers
and faith in the Lotus Sutra, and
manifesting in our everyday lives
the qualities of the life state of
Buddhahood, in our behaviour.
Firm faith in the Law is the wonderful way in which those whose
lives are obscured by illusion can
come into contact with their inherent Buddha nature and reveal
that state which is inseparable
from the dharma nature.
All our activities stem from the
belief in the Buddha nature of all
people. This does not refer to
something special, which is removed from our everyday lives; but
is about us being true to ourselves. The important thing is to

believe in our potential, strive to

reveal our Buddha nature, grow as
human beings, and above all be
happy without fail ... and help
others to do the same.
In order for humanism, as proclaimed by the Buddhist teachings, to flourish, the key lies in
the absolute belief in the fundamental goodness of human beings
and in the dedication to cultivate
this goodness, as much as in oneself as in others. This way of
living is what the Daishonin calls,
the behaviour of a human being.

tances. In times of hardship, we

need to tenaciously persevere,
with profound conviction in this
unchanging fact. Difficulties fine
tunes and polishes our lives,
which can then shine with good
fortune and benefits No precious
stone not even the largest can
glitter and shine until it has been
cut and polished. This is also true
of human lives.

How, specifically, then did he

tell Shijo Kingo to be wise? In
short, he offered guidance concerning his behaviour as a human
being, especially with regard to
valuing those around him, and in
controlling his short temper.
What is important is to clearly
identify our own weaknesses, and
transform them instead of hiding
from them, thus creating a solid
identity for ourselves which cannot be shaken or affected by anything. By facing and overcoming
our negative and destructive tendencies, we can consolidate a
powerful faith.
Life is full of ups and downs.
The benefits we accumulate in the
depths of our lives, however,
when we embrace the Law, are
indestructible under any circums-

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