HARMONY-January 2014

DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

Happy New Year! As is tradition in the SGI and throughout the world, now is the time to make fresh resolutions for 2014. We hope that this issue of Harmony, with its theme of “Determination”, will help you keep your resolve strong in “The Year of Opening a New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu”.
Determinations are easy to make, but can be hard to maintain.
That separates a true determination from wishful thinking is conviction. You can have great intent; however, without a strong willingness to do what it takes, combined with concrete action, it will only amount to empty words.
We practice this Buddhism to make the impossible possible, not just get by with whatever life and our karma throws our way.
To set the course of our life, we need a strong wind in our sail – our Buddhist practice, and a destination – our determinations and goals.
When we embrace a determination to work for kosen-rufu, a vow to help others become happy, our sails are always full and we race towards the shores of our destination. Then, once we get there, it is off to another shore, another destination, another goal. The important thing is to begin by making a vow, a determination, and then follow it up with decisive action.
Belief in one’s self and one’s abilities has a direct correlation with the ability and willingness to follow through with determinations. If you don’t think you can do something, or constantly doubt yourself, you won’t succeed. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, for self-doubt has no age restrictions. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”*
The important thing is to believe in yourself, your Buddhahood and that of others as we move our lives forward “The essence of Buddhism lies in developing oneself through one’s own determination and tenacious effort – not by depending on anyone or anything else. At the same time, neither is it to be confused with the arrogance to suppose, ‘I alone am correct and respect-worthy.’ To believe in the immense potential with oneself is at once to believe in the immense potential existing with all people. Buddhism teaches that we should treasure the lives of others just as highly as we treasure our own.”**
Let’s make 2014 a truly victorious year as we make strong determinations and take courageous actions to challenge our self-imposed limitations, share this wonderful approach to life with others, and make our wildest dreams come true.

* Teddy Rossevelt www.brainyquotes.com
** Daisaku Ikeda www.ikedaquotes.org

Skip Williams

Quotes of the Month:

Quotes of the Month:
“Nothing is stronger than one’s determination in the moment. The immovable resolution of a single person will, in the end, move the world.”—Human Revolution p. 647