Daily Gosho - Happiness in This World

My fave lines from my favourite Gosho... Crap stuff is going to happen in our lives...fact. The difference is that as we have Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo in our lives, we can do something about it. We can take action. We can lessen our karmic retribution. We can change poison into medicine and change our suffering into mission.  We might not enjoy a stress-free existence but with every gongyo, and every minute of daimoku we chant, we are polishing the mirror inside and making the cause (and effect) for future happiness. Empowering or what!

"Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. no matter what happens."

(Happiness in This World - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 681) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=681 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 20th, 2012


Background
In the third month of 1275, about one year before this letter was written, Nichiren Daishonin warned Shijo Kingo, his loyal samurai follower who was an early convert, that as a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra he must be prepared to meet further difficulties and hardships.
In the present work, the Daishonin explains the nature of true happiness. It lies, he says, in chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Suffering is unavoidable, he adds, encouraging Shijo Kingo to “regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, no matter what happens.” The Daishonin emphasizes that this is the way to experience “the boundless joy of the Law,” or the state of Buddhahood.