2012 October
DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,
This month we look at Confidence in Faith.
We all know confident people. They are sure of themselves and their decisions, and seem to have no obstacles in their path, sometimes they can even come across as arrogant. Yet many people admire them and strive to be like them, hopefully without the arrogance.
There are numerous seminars and books on how to develop confidence in many aspects of our lives; confidence in ourselves, work, relationships, family, with friends, quick decision-making, finance. These tips hold value in helping us feel better, but it may be all very superficial and crumble at the first signs of a real crisis.
Bu confidence in faith is something different.
Confidence in faith cannot be taught or given to you; there is no magic pill that you take and “poof’ you have it. It is something that you develop on your own, from deep within your life. It grows through the process of studying, chanting and experience. As we study, we come to understand the profundity of this Buddhism. As we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we experience first-hand the benefits of our practice, thus the benefits are serving as catalyst to deepen our faith.
It sounds easy to achieve – just study, chant and have great things happen! How could we not have confidence in the power of this Buddhism and the power of our lives?
However, as our practice deepens, our fundamental darkness will try to emerge and take hold. If we let it, all the positive results and confidence we have built-up will be eradicated. Succumbing to our inner darkness means we are planting doubts in ourselves and in the validity of our practice, thus preventing us from being absolutely happy.
Doubt is a powerful and elusive emotion. It can creep into our thoughts, our lives, without us even realizing it is there. It sometimes seems easier to criticize ourselves than praise ourselves, why is that? When we start thinking negatively about ourselves, or the situation, this is a sign that our fundamental darkness is hitching a ride. But we should not let this unwanted passenger sit next to us and negate our Buddha nature. If we do, our confidence in faith will start erode away.
Confidence in faith is embracing the realization that we have Buddhahood within. It is the absolute conviction that no matter what the obstacle, the situation, the circumstance, we can definitely change it. Through our chanting, manifesting our Buddhahood, changing our karma, we can be absolutely happy, and help others become happy as well.
We hope this issue of Harmony will assist you in strengthening your confidence in faith.
Skip Williams
Quote of the month
“And yet, though one might point at the earth and miss it, though one might bind up the sky, though the tides might cease to ebb and flow and the sun rise in the west, it could never come about that the prayers of the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra would go unanswered.” (WND1, p.345)
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