Good Morning Everybody,
Hope all is well with you. We've come to the end of that discussion about the meaning of the word faith in Buddhism. Todays passage is a bit of a leap forward. It comes at the end of Chapter Three which is essentially about the life and legacy of Nichiren Daishonin, and it's headed Actual Proof, and it makes what seems to me to be an essential point. So here goes,
' So it could be argued that the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is offering you the opportunity to put the claims that it makes to the test in your own life. Make the decision it says, summon up from within this self-belief, this determination that you are prepared to tackle the things about your own life that you wish to change,' exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study' as Nichiren puts it, and observe the results in your own life, to see whether or not it delivers its promise.
And that ' whether or not ' is crucially important of course. Both options are wholly valid. It's not a practice that one could continue on the basis of someone else's belief! But basically that's the process that I went through some 25 odd years ago, with no small measure of doubt and scepticism as I've mentioned. But there's nothing wrong with a with a dash of healthy scepticism, or even a heavy dose of it. Scepticism is a great asker of difficult questions that demand answers. In the event I've travelled, as I'm sure many others have befor eme and since, from a profound scepticism to an equally profound commitment toa practice that has brought immense value and joy into my life. and I have not the slightest doubt, into the lives of those around me.
People frequently ask me, ' where do you get your constantly positive spirit from? ' I have only one answer, from the daily practice of Nichiren Buddhsim.
Enough for today.
See you next time.
Best wishes,.
William
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