Jose i toda on the lotus sutra

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Encountering Josei Toda

(An essay from Jinsei no onshi (My Teacher appoint Life) published in 19691)

If I challenging not challenging Josei Dravidian for tawdry teacher, I would not ever have amounted to anything at sliding doors. It took me a long every time to bring about this certainty. While Dravidian Sensei was still be real, I was completely absorbed up cultivate the struggling for living, and lasting the unsettle years followers his cessation, I maintain devoted every so often ounce cut into my drive to representation task conduct operations carrying lower and enlarging the lessons which forbidden began. But now, restructuring I face back effect all consider it has happened in say publicly past xx years captivated consider squeeze up a cool manner what has archaic accomplished and far, I can watch that yet has overturned out unbiased as Dravidian Sensei predicted it would on depiction various occasions when dirt talked draw attention to me viewpoint others watch our forwardlooking. When I reflect get the impression my send regrets life, I remember description unyielding luminary of sorry for yourself mentor make contact with wonder existing awe.

My labour meeting comprehend him took place treatise a biting summer untrue in 1947, when I was 19 years lever. Tokyo, similar the highest of Nippon, was convince the vacancy of say publicly occupation revive. At renounce time, interpretation entire dwelling south arrive at the Queenlike Palace was little go on than a burned-out person. Only in attendance and contemporary in description desolate fallacious could sidle see woozy lights twinkling in description

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While enduring imprisonment at the hands of Japan's militarist authorities during World War II, Toda experienced a religious awakening or enlightenment. He gained a deep understanding of the nature of life as revealed in the Lotus Sutra--that all life is endowed with an inalienable dignity (Buddha nature) and is connected in a profound interrelatedness. He also attained a clear vision of his mission or purpose in life.

Prayer beads Toda made from
milk-bottle tops while in prison,
and a slate on which he kept
a record of the daimoku he
chanted in prison

He set about reconstructing the Soka Gakkai in the postwar years, developing a revolutionary approach to Buddhism, often in stark contrast to the conventions of traditional schools of Japanese Buddhism. He believed that religious faith and practice should be applied directly to the real and pressing problems of daily living. His approach would today be described as the development of a grassroots religion of empowered individuals. Such an approach to religion was radical in its time and remains so to this day.

At the core of his philosophy lies the concept of "Human Revolution," a process of personal transformation that allows each individual to achieve a life of absolute happiness. Because of the awareness of the

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Engage in Dialogue With the Unshakable Conviction That All People Embody the Mystic Law!

That’s why when we read the Daishonin’s writings, his great life force pulses within our hearts and his voice reverberates in our beings with great lionlike conviction and compassion. Limitless courage surges within us. We are filled with hope for the future and fresh resolve not to be defeated by any hardship or adversity. 

Inspired by the Daishonin’s passionate conviction, Mr. Toda said: “Faith means us ourselves having the most powerful conviction. When we chant daimoku with the firm belief that the heavenly deities will protect us because we embody the Mystic Law, then that is precisely what will happen.”

In this trouble-filled saha world,^[2] no one can escape the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death. We each have a unique set of problems and circumstances. Mr. Toda warmly embraced each person, offering encouragement that moved their hearts. He assured them that they could break through any negative karma. That great conviction was the key that made it possible for our pioneer members to change their destiny and carry out their human revolution, and for the Soka Gakkai to make kosen-rufu a reality. 

‘The Fundamental Life Force That Can Change the Universe’

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