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Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light / WND pg. 456
Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light / WND pg. 456
I have received your offering of various articles. Nothing would please me more than to know that you have communicated with the late Ueno, but I know that that is impossible. Unless it was in a dream, it is unlikely that you have seen him. Unless it was an illusion, how could you have seen him? Surely your late husband is in the pure land of Eagle Peak, listening and watching over this saha world day and night. You, his wife, and your children have only mortal senses, so you cannot see or hear him, but be assured that you will eventually be reunited [on Eagle Peak].
The men with whom you have exchanged marriage vows over the course of all your previous lifetimes must outnumber even the grains of sand in the ocean. Your vows this time, however, were ones made with your true husband. The reason is that it was due to his encouragement that you became a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra. Thus you should revere him as a Buddha. When he was alive, he was a Buddha in life, and now he is a Buddha in death. He is a Buddha in both life and death. This is what is meant by that most important doctrine called attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form. The fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra states, “If one can uphold this [sutra], one will be upholding the Buddha’s body.” (1)
Neither the pure land nor hell exists outside oneself; both lie only within one’s own heart. Awakened to this, one is called a Buddha; deluded about it, one is called an ordinary person. The Lotus Sutra reveals this truth, and one who embraces the Lotus Sutra will realize that hell is itself the Land of Tranquil Light.
Even if one were to practice the provisional teachings for immeasurable millions of years, if one should turn away from the Lotus Sutra, it would simply always be hell. I did not make this assertion; it was decided by Shakyamuni Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha, and the emanation Buddhas of the ten directions. To practice the provisional teachings is to be like a person scorched by fire who goes deeper into the flames, or like a drowning person sinking farther toward the bottom of the depths. Those who fail to embrace the Lotus Sutra are like persons going into fire or water. Those who rely on such evil teachers as Honen, Kobo, and other slanderers of the Lotus Sutra and believe in the Amida or Mahavairochana Sutra are going farther and farther into the fire or deeper and deeper into the depths of the water. How can they possibly escape agony? They will doubtless fall into the fiery pits of the hell of repeated rebirth for torture, the hell of black cords, and the hell of incessant suffering, or sink into the icy depths of the hell of the crimson lotus and the hell of the great crimson lotus. (2) The second volume of the Lotus Sutra reads, “When his life comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell, [be confined there for a whole kalpa, and when the kalpa ends, be born there again]. He will keep repeating this cycle for a countless number of kalpas.” (3)
Your late husband has escaped such agonies, for he was a lay supporter of Nichiren, the votary of the Lotus Sutra. The sutra reads, “If someone . . . should enter a great fire, the fire could not burn him. . . . If one were washed away by a great flood and called upon his name, one would immediately find oneself in a shallow place.” (4) It also reads, “The good fortune you gain thereby . . . cannot be burned by fire or washed away by water.” How reassuring! How encouraging!
After all, even if one looks for hell in some faraway place, the iron rods of the wardens of hell and the accusing cries of the demon guards do not exist apart from one. This teaching is of prime importance, but I will impart it to you just as Bodhisattva Manjushri explained the secret teaching of the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form to the dragon king’s daughter. After hearing it, strive even more earnestly in faith. One who, on hearing the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, makes even greater efforts in faith is a true seeker of the way. T’ien-t’ai states, “From the indigo, an even deeper blue.” (5) This passage means that, if one dyes something repeatedly in indigo, it becomes even bluer than the indigo leaves. The Lotus Sutra is like the indigo, and the strength of one’s practice is like the deepening blue.
The two characters for hell can be interpreted to mean digging a hole in the ground. Can anyone avoid having a hole dug for them when they die? This is what is called “hell.” The flames that burn one’s body are the fires of the hell of incessant suffering. One’s wife, children, and relatives vying for position around one’s body as they move toward the grave are the wardens and demon guards of hell. The plaintive cries of one’s family are the voices of the guards and wardens of hell. One’s two-and-a-half-foot long walking stick is the iron rod of torture in hell. The horses and oxen that carry one’s body are the horse-headed and ox-headed demons, and the grave is the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. The eighty-four thousand earthly desires are eighty-four thousand cauldrons in hell. One’s body leaves home for the mountain of death, while the river beside which one’s filial children stand in grief is the river of three crossings. It is utterly useless to look for hell anywhere else.
Those who embrace the Lotus Sutra, however, can turn all this around. Hell becomes the Land of Tranquil Light; the burning fires of agony become the torch of the wisdom of a Thus Come One of the reward body; the dead person becomes a Thus Come One of the Dharma body; and the fiery inferno, the “room of great pity and compassion” (6) where a Thus Come One of the manifested body abides. Moreover, the walking stick becomes the walking stick of the true aspect, or the Mystic Law; the river of three crossings becomes the ocean of “the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana” ; and the mountain of death becomes the towering peak of “earthly desires are enlightenment.” Please think of it in this way. Both attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form and “opening the door of Buddha wisdom” (7) refer to realizing this and to awakening to it. Devadatta’s changing the Avichi hell into the blissful Land of Tranquil Light, and the dragon king’s daughter’s attaining Buddhahood without changing her form, were nothing other than this. It is because the Lotus Sutra saves those who oppose it as well as those who follow it. This is the blessing of the single character myo, or mystic.
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna stated, “[The Lotus Sutra is] like a great physician who can change poison into medicine.” (8) The Great Teacher Miao-lo stated, “How can one seek the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light anywhere apart from Buddhagaya? This saha world does not exist anywhere outside the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light.” (9) He also said: “The true aspect invariably manifests in all phenomena, and all phenomena invariably manifest in the ten factors. The ten factors invariably manifest in the Ten Worlds, and the Ten Worlds invariably manifest in life and its environment.” (10)
The Lotus Sutra reads, “The true aspect of all phenomena [can only be understood and shared between Buddhas. This reality consists of the appearance, nature . . . and] their consistency from beginning to end.” (11) The “Life Span” chapter states, “It has been immeasurable, boundless [hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas] since I in fact attained Buddhahood.” In this passage, “I” refers to all beings in the Ten Worlds. Because all beings of the Ten Worlds are inherently Buddhas, they dwell in the pure land. The “Expedient Means” chapter reads, “These phenomena are part of an abiding Law, [and] the characteristics of the world are constantly abiding.” Since it is the way of the world that birth and death are eternally unchanging characteristics of life in the three existences of past, present, and future, there is no need to grieve or to be surprised. The single word “characteristic” represents the eight characteristics, or phases, of the Buddha’s existence. Even these eight phases do not transcend the two words birth and death. To be enlightened in this way is referred to as the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form by the votaries of the Lotus Sutra.
Since your deceased husband was a votary of this sutra, he doubtless attained Buddhahood just as he was. You need not grieve so much over his passing. On the other hand, to grieve is only natural for ordinary people. However, even sages are sometimes sad. Could the lamenting of all the great enlightened disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha at his passing have been meant to show the behavior of ordinary people?
You should by all means perform as much good as you possibly can for the sake of your deceased husband. The words of a wise man of old also teach that “you should base your mind on the ninth consciousness, and carry out your practice in the six consciousnesses.” (12) How reasonable it is too! In this letter I have written my long-cherished teachings. Keep them deep within your heart.
Respectfully,
Nichiren
The eleventh day of the seventh month
Reply to the wife of the late Ueno
Background
In the fifth month of the eleventh year of Bun’ei (1274), Nichiren Daishonin left Kamakura and went to live in a small dwelling at the foot of Mount Minobu. In the seventh month, the Daishonin wrote this letter to the wife of Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro, or Ueno. She was the mother of Nanjo Tokimitsu, who had succeeded his father as steward of Ueno in Suruga Province. She had raised nine children after her husband’s death in 1265and was a devoted mother and a sincere follower of the Daishonin. On this occasion she had sent the Daishonin various offerings to commemorate the tenth anniversary of her husband’s death. This letter expresses the Daishonin’s appreciation for her thoughtfulness and devotion.
Notes
1. Lotus Sutra, chap. 11.
2. There are eight hot hells, each with sixteen subsidiary hells. The hell of repeated rebirth for torture is the first of the hot hells. There victims are slashed and pounded with swords and iron staves, whereupon their body immediately regenerates; they thus experience the same suffering repeatedly. The hell of black cords is the second of the hot hells. There the occupants are either sawed in half or slashed with red-hot axes. Suffering there is said to be ten times greater than in the hell of repeated rebirth for torture. Those who have committed the five cardinal sins are said to undergo indescribable torture in the lowest and severest hell, the hell of incessant suffering. The hell of the crimson lotus and the hell of the great crimson lotus are two of the eight cold hells. They are so called because the intense cold there makes one double over until one’s back splits open and the bloody flesh blossoms like a crimson lotus flower.
3. Lotus Sutra, chap. 3.
4. Ibid., chap. 25. “His name” indicates the name of Bodhisattva Perceiver of the
World’s Sounds. The quotation that follows is from chapter 23.
5. Great Concentration and Insight. This appears in Chang-an’s preface.
6. A rephrasing of a passage in chapter of the Lotus Sutra that reads, “Great pity and compassion are the [Thus Come One’s] room . . .”
7. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.
8. The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom.
9. The Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra.”
10. The Diamond Scalpel.
11. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.
12. The source of this quotation is unknown. Concerning the nine consciousnesses, the first five relate to the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The sixth consciousness integrates the perceptions of the first five and renders them into a coherent image. The ninth, or amala consciousness, free from all karmic impurity, is the fundamental purifying force that is the Buddha nature. See also nine consciousnesses in Glossary.
Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light / WND pg. 456
I have received your offering of various articles. Nothing would please me more than to know that you have communicated with the late Ueno, but I know that that is impossible. Unless it was in a dream, it is unlikely that you have seen him. Unless it was an illusion, how could you have seen him? Surely your late husband is in the pure land of Eagle Peak, listening and watching over this saha world day and night. You, his wife, and your children have only mortal senses, so you cannot see or hear him, but be assured that you will eventually be reunited [on Eagle Peak].
The men with whom you have exchanged marriage vows over the course of all your previous lifetimes must outnumber even the grains of sand in the ocean. Your vows this time, however, were ones made with your true husband. The reason is that it was due to his encouragement that you became a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra. Thus you should revere him as a Buddha. When he was alive, he was a Buddha in life, and now he is a Buddha in death. He is a Buddha in both life and death. This is what is meant by that most important doctrine called attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form. The fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra states, “If one can uphold this [sutra], one will be upholding the Buddha’s body.” (1)
Neither the pure land nor hell exists outside oneself; both lie only within one’s own heart. Awakened to this, one is called a Buddha; deluded about it, one is called an ordinary person. The Lotus Sutra reveals this truth, and one who embraces the Lotus Sutra will realize that hell is itself the Land of Tranquil Light.
Even if one were to practice the provisional teachings for immeasurable millions of years, if one should turn away from the Lotus Sutra, it would simply always be hell. I did not make this assertion; it was decided by Shakyamuni Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha, and the emanation Buddhas of the ten directions. To practice the provisional teachings is to be like a person scorched by fire who goes deeper into the flames, or like a drowning person sinking farther toward the bottom of the depths. Those who fail to embrace the Lotus Sutra are like persons going into fire or water. Those who rely on such evil teachers as Honen, Kobo, and other slanderers of the Lotus Sutra and believe in the Amida or Mahavairochana Sutra are going farther and farther into the fire or deeper and deeper into the depths of the water. How can they possibly escape agony? They will doubtless fall into the fiery pits of the hell of repeated rebirth for torture, the hell of black cords, and the hell of incessant suffering, or sink into the icy depths of the hell of the crimson lotus and the hell of the great crimson lotus. (2) The second volume of the Lotus Sutra reads, “When his life comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell, [be confined there for a whole kalpa, and when the kalpa ends, be born there again]. He will keep repeating this cycle for a countless number of kalpas.” (3)
Your late husband has escaped such agonies, for he was a lay supporter of Nichiren, the votary of the Lotus Sutra. The sutra reads, “If someone . . . should enter a great fire, the fire could not burn him. . . . If one were washed away by a great flood and called upon his name, one would immediately find oneself in a shallow place.” (4) It also reads, “The good fortune you gain thereby . . . cannot be burned by fire or washed away by water.” How reassuring! How encouraging!
After all, even if one looks for hell in some faraway place, the iron rods of the wardens of hell and the accusing cries of the demon guards do not exist apart from one. This teaching is of prime importance, but I will impart it to you just as Bodhisattva Manjushri explained the secret teaching of the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form to the dragon king’s daughter. After hearing it, strive even more earnestly in faith. One who, on hearing the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, makes even greater efforts in faith is a true seeker of the way. T’ien-t’ai states, “From the indigo, an even deeper blue.” (5) This passage means that, if one dyes something repeatedly in indigo, it becomes even bluer than the indigo leaves. The Lotus Sutra is like the indigo, and the strength of one’s practice is like the deepening blue.
The two characters for hell can be interpreted to mean digging a hole in the ground. Can anyone avoid having a hole dug for them when they die? This is what is called “hell.” The flames that burn one’s body are the fires of the hell of incessant suffering. One’s wife, children, and relatives vying for position around one’s body as they move toward the grave are the wardens and demon guards of hell. The plaintive cries of one’s family are the voices of the guards and wardens of hell. One’s two-and-a-half-foot long walking stick is the iron rod of torture in hell. The horses and oxen that carry one’s body are the horse-headed and ox-headed demons, and the grave is the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. The eighty-four thousand earthly desires are eighty-four thousand cauldrons in hell. One’s body leaves home for the mountain of death, while the river beside which one’s filial children stand in grief is the river of three crossings. It is utterly useless to look for hell anywhere else.
Those who embrace the Lotus Sutra, however, can turn all this around. Hell becomes the Land of Tranquil Light; the burning fires of agony become the torch of the wisdom of a Thus Come One of the reward body; the dead person becomes a Thus Come One of the Dharma body; and the fiery inferno, the “room of great pity and compassion” (6) where a Thus Come One of the manifested body abides. Moreover, the walking stick becomes the walking stick of the true aspect, or the Mystic Law; the river of three crossings becomes the ocean of “the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana” ; and the mountain of death becomes the towering peak of “earthly desires are enlightenment.” Please think of it in this way. Both attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form and “opening the door of Buddha wisdom” (7) refer to realizing this and to awakening to it. Devadatta’s changing the Avichi hell into the blissful Land of Tranquil Light, and the dragon king’s daughter’s attaining Buddhahood without changing her form, were nothing other than this. It is because the Lotus Sutra saves those who oppose it as well as those who follow it. This is the blessing of the single character myo, or mystic.
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna stated, “[The Lotus Sutra is] like a great physician who can change poison into medicine.” (8) The Great Teacher Miao-lo stated, “How can one seek the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light anywhere apart from Buddhagaya? This saha world does not exist anywhere outside the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light.” (9) He also said: “The true aspect invariably manifests in all phenomena, and all phenomena invariably manifest in the ten factors. The ten factors invariably manifest in the Ten Worlds, and the Ten Worlds invariably manifest in life and its environment.” (10)
The Lotus Sutra reads, “The true aspect of all phenomena [can only be understood and shared between Buddhas. This reality consists of the appearance, nature . . . and] their consistency from beginning to end.” (11) The “Life Span” chapter states, “It has been immeasurable, boundless [hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas] since I in fact attained Buddhahood.” In this passage, “I” refers to all beings in the Ten Worlds. Because all beings of the Ten Worlds are inherently Buddhas, they dwell in the pure land. The “Expedient Means” chapter reads, “These phenomena are part of an abiding Law, [and] the characteristics of the world are constantly abiding.” Since it is the way of the world that birth and death are eternally unchanging characteristics of life in the three existences of past, present, and future, there is no need to grieve or to be surprised. The single word “characteristic” represents the eight characteristics, or phases, of the Buddha’s existence. Even these eight phases do not transcend the two words birth and death. To be enlightened in this way is referred to as the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form by the votaries of the Lotus Sutra.
Since your deceased husband was a votary of this sutra, he doubtless attained Buddhahood just as he was. You need not grieve so much over his passing. On the other hand, to grieve is only natural for ordinary people. However, even sages are sometimes sad. Could the lamenting of all the great enlightened disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha at his passing have been meant to show the behavior of ordinary people?
You should by all means perform as much good as you possibly can for the sake of your deceased husband. The words of a wise man of old also teach that “you should base your mind on the ninth consciousness, and carry out your practice in the six consciousnesses.” (12) How reasonable it is too! In this letter I have written my long-cherished teachings. Keep them deep within your heart.
Respectfully,
Nichiren
The eleventh day of the seventh month
Reply to the wife of the late Ueno
Background
In the fifth month of the eleventh year of Bun’ei (1274), Nichiren Daishonin left Kamakura and went to live in a small dwelling at the foot of Mount Minobu. In the seventh month, the Daishonin wrote this letter to the wife of Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro, or Ueno. She was the mother of Nanjo Tokimitsu, who had succeeded his father as steward of Ueno in Suruga Province. She had raised nine children after her husband’s death in 1265and was a devoted mother and a sincere follower of the Daishonin. On this occasion she had sent the Daishonin various offerings to commemorate the tenth anniversary of her husband’s death. This letter expresses the Daishonin’s appreciation for her thoughtfulness and devotion.
Notes
1. Lotus Sutra, chap. 11.
2. There are eight hot hells, each with sixteen subsidiary hells. The hell of repeated rebirth for torture is the first of the hot hells. There victims are slashed and pounded with swords and iron staves, whereupon their body immediately regenerates; they thus experience the same suffering repeatedly. The hell of black cords is the second of the hot hells. There the occupants are either sawed in half or slashed with red-hot axes. Suffering there is said to be ten times greater than in the hell of repeated rebirth for torture. Those who have committed the five cardinal sins are said to undergo indescribable torture in the lowest and severest hell, the hell of incessant suffering. The hell of the crimson lotus and the hell of the great crimson lotus are two of the eight cold hells. They are so called because the intense cold there makes one double over until one’s back splits open and the bloody flesh blossoms like a crimson lotus flower.
3. Lotus Sutra, chap. 3.
4. Ibid., chap. 25. “His name” indicates the name of Bodhisattva Perceiver of the
World’s Sounds. The quotation that follows is from chapter 23.
5. Great Concentration and Insight. This appears in Chang-an’s preface.
6. A rephrasing of a passage in chapter of the Lotus Sutra that reads, “Great pity and compassion are the [Thus Come One’s] room . . .”
7. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.
8. The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom.
9. The Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra.”
10. The Diamond Scalpel.
11. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.
12. The source of this quotation is unknown. Concerning the nine consciousnesses, the first five relate to the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The sixth consciousness integrates the perceptions of the first five and renders them into a coherent image. The ninth, or amala consciousness, free from all karmic impurity, is the fundamental purifying force that is the Buddha nature. See also nine consciousnesses in Glossary.
sLai*kRoLa
Member
Nam myoho renge kyo everybody 3 times nam myoho renge kyo nam myoho renge kyo nam myoho renge kyo
The Gosho says: "Fortune comes from one's heart and makes one worthy of respect."* The richness of our lives depends on the depth of our feelings for our friends and the action we take for their sake. Let us walk straight along the path of sincerity!
Daisaku Ikeda
* New Year's Gosho - WND-1, pg 1137, "Misfortune comes from one's mouth and ruins one, but fortune comes from one's heart and makes one worthy of respect."
Daisaku Ikeda
* New Year's Gosho - WND-1, pg 1137, "Misfortune comes from one's mouth and ruins one, but fortune comes from one's heart and makes one worthy of respect."
"In light of this, it is clear that those who now believe in the Lotus Sutra will gather fortune from ten thousand miles away."
(New Year's Gosho - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1137) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 1st, 2011
(New Year's Gosho - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1137) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 1st, 2011
"There are many trials and tribulations in life. In addition, we each have our own karma, and on top of that, when we practise our faith ardently, obstacles are certain to arise. No life is always smooth sailing. But no matter how deep the darkness of despair, faith enables us to keep the flame of hope burning in our hearts.
“Nichiren Daishonin writes: ‘Maintain your faith and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo’ (WND-1, 4). The Mystic Law enables us to overcome every obstacle, no matter how overwhelmed or deadlocked we may be, and establish a life-state of indestructible happiness.
“The important thing is to have faith in the Gohonzon, earnestly chant daimoku, and strive to share this Buddhism with others. If we do so, we’ll be able to open a way forward. We were born into this world as human beings with a mission to become strong and happy."
SGI Newsletter No. 8368, The New Human Revolution––Vol. 25: Chap. 1, Light of Happiness 11, translated Oct. 31st, 2011
“Nichiren Daishonin writes: ‘Maintain your faith and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo’ (WND-1, 4). The Mystic Law enables us to overcome every obstacle, no matter how overwhelmed or deadlocked we may be, and establish a life-state of indestructible happiness.
“The important thing is to have faith in the Gohonzon, earnestly chant daimoku, and strive to share this Buddhism with others. If we do so, we’ll be able to open a way forward. We were born into this world as human beings with a mission to become strong and happy."
SGI Newsletter No. 8368, The New Human Revolution––Vol. 25: Chap. 1, Light of Happiness 11, translated Oct. 31st, 2011
"Our manner when speaking must never be haughty or impolite, or overly familiar; always be considerate and respectful. The way we speak to others reveals our character. We should speak politely, of course, to those who are older than we are, but also to our juniors.
“When we meet members, always be the first to greet them. We mustn’t just causally stand there with our hands in our pockets and mumble a hello. Those who were once top youth division leaders need to especially take heed of this point. To greet people in a polite, courteous, and sincere manner is fundamental.
“Remember to smile when you interact with others. We’ll only make an unpleasant impression if we are always frowning, or have a sullen, morose, or irritated expression, and people won’t feel comfortable confiding their problems to us. And if people can’t talk to us, we won’t be able to cultivate unity."
SGI Newsletter No. 8369, The New Human Revolution––Vol. 25: Chap. 1, Light of Happiness 14, translated Nov. 2nd, 2011
“When we meet members, always be the first to greet them. We mustn’t just causally stand there with our hands in our pockets and mumble a hello. Those who were once top youth division leaders need to especially take heed of this point. To greet people in a polite, courteous, and sincere manner is fundamental.
“Remember to smile when you interact with others. We’ll only make an unpleasant impression if we are always frowning, or have a sullen, morose, or irritated expression, and people won’t feel comfortable confiding their problems to us. And if people can’t talk to us, we won’t be able to cultivate unity."
SGI Newsletter No. 8369, The New Human Revolution––Vol. 25: Chap. 1, Light of Happiness 14, translated Nov. 2nd, 2011
"And could not this illness of your husband's be the Buddha's design, because the Vimalakirti and Nirvana sutras both teach that sick people will surely attain Buddhahood? Illness gives rise to the resolve to attain the way."
(The Good Medicine for All Ills - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 937) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 4th, 2011
(The Good Medicine for All Ills - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 937) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 4th, 2011
On Persecutions Befalling the Sage / WND pg. 996
On Persecutions Befalling the Sage / WND pg. 996
Now, in the second year of Koan (1279), cyclical sign tsuchinoto-u, it has been twenty-seven years since I first proclaimed this teaching at Seicho- ji temple. It was at the hour of the horse [noon] on the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month in the fifth year of Kencho (1253), cyclical sign mizunoto-ushi, on the southern side of the image hall in the Shobutsu-bo of Seicho-ji temple in Tojo Village. Tojo is now a district, but was then a part of Nagasa District of Awa Province. Here is located what was once the second, but is now the country’s most important center founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo, the general of the right, to supply provisions for the shrine of the Sun Goddess. The Buddha fulfilled the purpose of his advent in a little over forty years, the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai took about thirty years, and the Great Teacher Dengyo, some twenty years. I have spoken repeatedly of the indescribable persecutions they suffered during those years. For me it took twenty-seven years, and the great persecutions I faced during this period are well known to you all.
The Lotus Sutra reads, “Since hatred and jealousy toward this sutra abound even when the Thus Come One is in the world, how much more will this be so after his passing?” (1) The Thus Come One Shakyamuni suffered innumerable persecutions: For ninety days he was forced to eat horse fodder; a huge boulder was dropped on him, and though it missed him, his toe was injured and bled; a group of eight monks led by Sunakshatra, in their conduct appearing to be the Buddha’s disciples, but in spirit siding with the non-Buddhist teachers, watched every moment of the day and night for a chance to kill him; King Virudhaka killed countless members of the Shakya clan; and King Ajatashatru had innumerable disciples of the Buddha trampled to death by mad elephants and subjected the Buddha to a series of severe trials. Such are the minor persecutions that correspond to the time “when the Thus Come One is in the world.”
Neither Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T’ien-t’ai, nor Dengyo encountered any of the still greater persecutions that the Buddha had predicted would occur “after his passing.” If one were to say that they were not votaries of the Lotus Sutra, how could they not have been? On the other hand, if one were to say that they were its votaries, without their having shed any blood—as the Buddha did—and even more so, without trials greater than the Buddha’s, it would be as if the sutra passages were empty, and the Buddha’s teachings would have already become great lies.
In these twenty-seven years, however, Nichiren was exiled to the province of Izu on the twelfth day of the fifth month in the first year of Kocho (1261), cyclical sign kanoto-tori, and was wounded on the forehead and had his left hand broken on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in the first year of Bun’ei (1264), cyclical sign kinoe-ne. He was led to the place of execution on the twelfth day of the ninth month in the eighth year of Bun’ei (1271), cyclical sign kanoto-hitsuji, and in the end was exiled to the province of Sado. In addition, countless numbers of disciples have been murdered or wounded, banished or heavily fined. I do not know whether these trials equal or surpass those of the Buddha. Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T’ien-t’ai, and Dengyo, however, cannot compare with me in what they suffered. Had it not been for the advent of Nichiren in the Latter Day of the Law, the Buddha would have been a teller of great lies, and the testimony given by Many Treasures and by the Buddhas of the ten directions would have been false. In the 2,230 and more years since the Buddha’s passing, Nichiren is the only person in the entire land of Jambudvipa who has fulfilled the Buddha’s words.
In the past, and in the present Latter Day of the Law, the rulers, high ministers, and people who despise the votaries of the Lotus Sutra seem to be free from punishment at first, but eventually they are all doomed to fall. The same is true in the case of Nichiren. There seemed at first to be no signs of protection for me. The gods who vowed to protect the Lotus Sutra, however— Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings — by now have realized in terror that if they leave their oath to the Buddha unfulfilled, as they have done for these twenty-seven years, they will fall into the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. Consequently each of them is now striving to carry out his vow. The deaths of Ota Chikamasa, Nagasaki Jiro Hyoe-no-jo Tokitsuna, and Daishin-bo, (2) who were all thrown from their horses, can be seen as punishment for their treachery against the Lotus Sutra. There are four kinds of punishment: general and individual, conspicuous and inconspicuous. The epidemics and famines that have attacked Japan, as well as the strife within the ruling clan and the foreign invasion, are general punishment. Epidemics are a form of inconspicuous punishment. The deaths of Ota and the others are both conspicuous and individual.
Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs. Slanderers are like barking foxes, but Nichiren’s followers are like roaring lions. The lay priest of Saimyo-ji, now deceased, and the present ruler (3) permitted my return from my exiles when they found that I was innocent of the accusations against me. The present ruler shall no longer take action on any charge without confirming its truth. You may rest assured that nothing, not even a person possessed by a powerful demon, can harm Nichiren, because Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four heavenly kings, the Sun Goddess, and Hachiman are safeguarding him. Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month. Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils will take advantage.
We common mortals are so foolish that we do not fear either the warnings in the sutras and treatises, or those things that seem somewhat removed from us. When Hei no Saemon and Akitajo-no-suke, (4) in their anger, wreak havoc upon us, you must demonstrate a firm resolve. Men are now being sent to Tsukushi [to fight the Mongols]; consider yourselves in the same position as those who are on their way or are already at the fortifications. So far our believers have not experienced sorrows of that sort. The warriors in Tsukushi, however, now face a dreadful fate, and if they are killed in battle, they are doomed to fall into hell. Although at present we are encountering the severe trials of persecution, in our next life we will become Buddhas. Our present tribulations are like moxibustion; at the time, it is painful, but because it has beneficial aftereffects, the pain is not really pain.
Urge on, but do not frighten, the ones from Atsuhara who are ignorant of Buddhism. Tell them to be prepared for the worst, and not to expect good times, but take the bad times for granted. If they complain of hunger, tell them about the sufferings of the world of hungry spirits. If they grumble that they are cold, tell them of the eight cold hells. If they say they are frightened, explain to them that a pheasant sighted by a hawk, or a mouse stalked by a cat, is as desperate as they are. I have been repeating these things in detail day after day, month after month, year after year. Yet with the lay nun of Nagoe, Sho-bo, Noto-bo, Sammibo, (5) and the like, who are cowardly, unreasoning, greedy, and doubting, my words have no more effect than pouring water on lacquer ware or slicing through air.
There was something very strange about Sammi-bo. Nevertheless, I was concerned that any admonition would be taken by the ignorant as mere jealousy of his wisdom, and so I refrained from speaking out. In time his wicked ambition led to treachery and, finally, to his doom. If I had scolded him more strictly, he might have been saved. I have not mentioned this before because no one would have understood it. Even now the ignorant will say that I am speaking ill of the deceased. Nevertheless, I mention it so that others can use it as their mirror. I am sure that our opponents and the renegades are frightened by the fate of Sammi-bo.
If there is an attempt to take up arms and persecute my followers on the pretense that people are uneasy about us, please write to me immediately. (6)
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The first day of the tenth month
To my followers: This letter should be kept by Saburo Saemon. (7)
Background
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter at Minobu on the first day of the tenth month of the second year of Koan (1279) to his followers in general. It reviews some of the outstanding incidents in his life. But more importantly, it contains the sole allusion to his inscription of the object of devotion for all humanity as the purpose of his life, a task that he accomplished on the twelfth day of the same month.
Around 1275, propagation efforts in the Fuji area began to produce significant results under the leadership of Nikko Shonin. There were a number of converts among both priests and laity, but as the number of new believers increased, so did official pressures. In Atsuhara, a village in Fuji District of Suruga Province, believers were subjected to a series of threats and harassments known collectively as the Atsuhara Persecution. Twenty believers, all farmers, were arrested on the twenty first day of the ninth month, 1279, on false charges, and three of them were later beheaded. In spite of these persecutions, not one of the twenty farmers abandoned their faith.
Seeing that his followers were now ready to give their lives if necessary to protect the Law, the Daishonin realized that the time had come to fulfill the purpose of his life, as is described in the first paragraph: “For me it took twenty-seven years.” “It” here means the reason for his appearance in the world— that is, the inscription of the object of devotion for the sake of all humankind.
Next, details concerning the persecutions encountered by Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin are presented. The important prophecies in the Lotus Sutra for the Latter Day of the Law are also outlined.
The types of ill effects suffered by slanderers are explained to show the impact of the strict law of cause and effect on individuals and on society. The Daishonin states that the miserable fate of several treacherous disciples, as well as the crisis facing Japan at the time, is retribution for hostility shown toward the votary of the Lotus Sutra.
At the same time the Daishonin tells his disciples that they must now “summon up the courage of a lion king.” Furthermore, he urges believers in the Atsuhara area to be prepared for the worst.
In the last section, the Daishonin cites the example of Sammi-bo, one of his earliest disciples, who was highly esteemed for his debating skill and great learning, but forsook his faith and died a tragic death during the Atsuhara Persecution.
Notes
1. Lotus Sutra, chap. 10.
2. Ota Chikamasa, Nagasaki Jiro Hyoe- no-jo Tokitsuna, and Daishin-bo were followers of the Daishonin, but they renounced their faith and plotted against other believers during the Atsuhara Persecution.
3. The lay priest of Saimyo-ji refers to Hojo Tokiyori (1227–1263), the retired fifth regent of the Kamakura government, and the present ruler, to Hojo Tokimune (1251– ), the eighth regent.
4. Akitajo-no-suke is another name for Adachi Yasumori (1231–1285), the leader of an influential clan under the Hojo regency who vied with Hei no Saemon for power.
5. The lay nun of Nagoe, Sho-bo, Noto-bo, and Sammi-bo were disciples of the Daishonin who renounced their faith.
6. The original language here is compact and abbreviated. Another possible translation of this sentence is: “As society becomes more chaotic, if any of my followers are dispatched to fight, please send me their names immediately.”
7. Saburo Saemon is another name for Shijo Kingo, a samurai and follower of the Daishonin. Kingo’s full name and title are Shijo Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon-no-jo Yorimoto.
On Persecutions Befalling the Sage / WND pg. 996
Now, in the second year of Koan (1279), cyclical sign tsuchinoto-u, it has been twenty-seven years since I first proclaimed this teaching at Seicho- ji temple. It was at the hour of the horse [noon] on the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month in the fifth year of Kencho (1253), cyclical sign mizunoto-ushi, on the southern side of the image hall in the Shobutsu-bo of Seicho-ji temple in Tojo Village. Tojo is now a district, but was then a part of Nagasa District of Awa Province. Here is located what was once the second, but is now the country’s most important center founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo, the general of the right, to supply provisions for the shrine of the Sun Goddess. The Buddha fulfilled the purpose of his advent in a little over forty years, the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai took about thirty years, and the Great Teacher Dengyo, some twenty years. I have spoken repeatedly of the indescribable persecutions they suffered during those years. For me it took twenty-seven years, and the great persecutions I faced during this period are well known to you all.
The Lotus Sutra reads, “Since hatred and jealousy toward this sutra abound even when the Thus Come One is in the world, how much more will this be so after his passing?” (1) The Thus Come One Shakyamuni suffered innumerable persecutions: For ninety days he was forced to eat horse fodder; a huge boulder was dropped on him, and though it missed him, his toe was injured and bled; a group of eight monks led by Sunakshatra, in their conduct appearing to be the Buddha’s disciples, but in spirit siding with the non-Buddhist teachers, watched every moment of the day and night for a chance to kill him; King Virudhaka killed countless members of the Shakya clan; and King Ajatashatru had innumerable disciples of the Buddha trampled to death by mad elephants and subjected the Buddha to a series of severe trials. Such are the minor persecutions that correspond to the time “when the Thus Come One is in the world.”
Neither Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T’ien-t’ai, nor Dengyo encountered any of the still greater persecutions that the Buddha had predicted would occur “after his passing.” If one were to say that they were not votaries of the Lotus Sutra, how could they not have been? On the other hand, if one were to say that they were its votaries, without their having shed any blood—as the Buddha did—and even more so, without trials greater than the Buddha’s, it would be as if the sutra passages were empty, and the Buddha’s teachings would have already become great lies.
In these twenty-seven years, however, Nichiren was exiled to the province of Izu on the twelfth day of the fifth month in the first year of Kocho (1261), cyclical sign kanoto-tori, and was wounded on the forehead and had his left hand broken on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in the first year of Bun’ei (1264), cyclical sign kinoe-ne. He was led to the place of execution on the twelfth day of the ninth month in the eighth year of Bun’ei (1271), cyclical sign kanoto-hitsuji, and in the end was exiled to the province of Sado. In addition, countless numbers of disciples have been murdered or wounded, banished or heavily fined. I do not know whether these trials equal or surpass those of the Buddha. Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T’ien-t’ai, and Dengyo, however, cannot compare with me in what they suffered. Had it not been for the advent of Nichiren in the Latter Day of the Law, the Buddha would have been a teller of great lies, and the testimony given by Many Treasures and by the Buddhas of the ten directions would have been false. In the 2,230 and more years since the Buddha’s passing, Nichiren is the only person in the entire land of Jambudvipa who has fulfilled the Buddha’s words.
In the past, and in the present Latter Day of the Law, the rulers, high ministers, and people who despise the votaries of the Lotus Sutra seem to be free from punishment at first, but eventually they are all doomed to fall. The same is true in the case of Nichiren. There seemed at first to be no signs of protection for me. The gods who vowed to protect the Lotus Sutra, however— Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings — by now have realized in terror that if they leave their oath to the Buddha unfulfilled, as they have done for these twenty-seven years, they will fall into the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. Consequently each of them is now striving to carry out his vow. The deaths of Ota Chikamasa, Nagasaki Jiro Hyoe-no-jo Tokitsuna, and Daishin-bo, (2) who were all thrown from their horses, can be seen as punishment for their treachery against the Lotus Sutra. There are four kinds of punishment: general and individual, conspicuous and inconspicuous. The epidemics and famines that have attacked Japan, as well as the strife within the ruling clan and the foreign invasion, are general punishment. Epidemics are a form of inconspicuous punishment. The deaths of Ota and the others are both conspicuous and individual.
Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs. Slanderers are like barking foxes, but Nichiren’s followers are like roaring lions. The lay priest of Saimyo-ji, now deceased, and the present ruler (3) permitted my return from my exiles when they found that I was innocent of the accusations against me. The present ruler shall no longer take action on any charge without confirming its truth. You may rest assured that nothing, not even a person possessed by a powerful demon, can harm Nichiren, because Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four heavenly kings, the Sun Goddess, and Hachiman are safeguarding him. Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month. Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils will take advantage.
We common mortals are so foolish that we do not fear either the warnings in the sutras and treatises, or those things that seem somewhat removed from us. When Hei no Saemon and Akitajo-no-suke, (4) in their anger, wreak havoc upon us, you must demonstrate a firm resolve. Men are now being sent to Tsukushi [to fight the Mongols]; consider yourselves in the same position as those who are on their way or are already at the fortifications. So far our believers have not experienced sorrows of that sort. The warriors in Tsukushi, however, now face a dreadful fate, and if they are killed in battle, they are doomed to fall into hell. Although at present we are encountering the severe trials of persecution, in our next life we will become Buddhas. Our present tribulations are like moxibustion; at the time, it is painful, but because it has beneficial aftereffects, the pain is not really pain.
Urge on, but do not frighten, the ones from Atsuhara who are ignorant of Buddhism. Tell them to be prepared for the worst, and not to expect good times, but take the bad times for granted. If they complain of hunger, tell them about the sufferings of the world of hungry spirits. If they grumble that they are cold, tell them of the eight cold hells. If they say they are frightened, explain to them that a pheasant sighted by a hawk, or a mouse stalked by a cat, is as desperate as they are. I have been repeating these things in detail day after day, month after month, year after year. Yet with the lay nun of Nagoe, Sho-bo, Noto-bo, Sammibo, (5) and the like, who are cowardly, unreasoning, greedy, and doubting, my words have no more effect than pouring water on lacquer ware or slicing through air.
There was something very strange about Sammi-bo. Nevertheless, I was concerned that any admonition would be taken by the ignorant as mere jealousy of his wisdom, and so I refrained from speaking out. In time his wicked ambition led to treachery and, finally, to his doom. If I had scolded him more strictly, he might have been saved. I have not mentioned this before because no one would have understood it. Even now the ignorant will say that I am speaking ill of the deceased. Nevertheless, I mention it so that others can use it as their mirror. I am sure that our opponents and the renegades are frightened by the fate of Sammi-bo.
If there is an attempt to take up arms and persecute my followers on the pretense that people are uneasy about us, please write to me immediately. (6)
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The first day of the tenth month
To my followers: This letter should be kept by Saburo Saemon. (7)
Background
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter at Minobu on the first day of the tenth month of the second year of Koan (1279) to his followers in general. It reviews some of the outstanding incidents in his life. But more importantly, it contains the sole allusion to his inscription of the object of devotion for all humanity as the purpose of his life, a task that he accomplished on the twelfth day of the same month.
Around 1275, propagation efforts in the Fuji area began to produce significant results under the leadership of Nikko Shonin. There were a number of converts among both priests and laity, but as the number of new believers increased, so did official pressures. In Atsuhara, a village in Fuji District of Suruga Province, believers were subjected to a series of threats and harassments known collectively as the Atsuhara Persecution. Twenty believers, all farmers, were arrested on the twenty first day of the ninth month, 1279, on false charges, and three of them were later beheaded. In spite of these persecutions, not one of the twenty farmers abandoned their faith.
Seeing that his followers were now ready to give their lives if necessary to protect the Law, the Daishonin realized that the time had come to fulfill the purpose of his life, as is described in the first paragraph: “For me it took twenty-seven years.” “It” here means the reason for his appearance in the world— that is, the inscription of the object of devotion for the sake of all humankind.
Next, details concerning the persecutions encountered by Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin are presented. The important prophecies in the Lotus Sutra for the Latter Day of the Law are also outlined.
The types of ill effects suffered by slanderers are explained to show the impact of the strict law of cause and effect on individuals and on society. The Daishonin states that the miserable fate of several treacherous disciples, as well as the crisis facing Japan at the time, is retribution for hostility shown toward the votary of the Lotus Sutra.
At the same time the Daishonin tells his disciples that they must now “summon up the courage of a lion king.” Furthermore, he urges believers in the Atsuhara area to be prepared for the worst.
In the last section, the Daishonin cites the example of Sammi-bo, one of his earliest disciples, who was highly esteemed for his debating skill and great learning, but forsook his faith and died a tragic death during the Atsuhara Persecution.
Notes
1. Lotus Sutra, chap. 10.
2. Ota Chikamasa, Nagasaki Jiro Hyoe- no-jo Tokitsuna, and Daishin-bo were followers of the Daishonin, but they renounced their faith and plotted against other believers during the Atsuhara Persecution.
3. The lay priest of Saimyo-ji refers to Hojo Tokiyori (1227–1263), the retired fifth regent of the Kamakura government, and the present ruler, to Hojo Tokimune (1251– ), the eighth regent.
4. Akitajo-no-suke is another name for Adachi Yasumori (1231–1285), the leader of an influential clan under the Hojo regency who vied with Hei no Saemon for power.
5. The lay nun of Nagoe, Sho-bo, Noto-bo, and Sammi-bo were disciples of the Daishonin who renounced their faith.
6. The original language here is compact and abbreviated. Another possible translation of this sentence is: “As society becomes more chaotic, if any of my followers are dispatched to fight, please send me their names immediately.”
7. Saburo Saemon is another name for Shijo Kingo, a samurai and follower of the Daishonin. Kingo’s full name and title are Shijo Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon-no-jo Yorimoto.
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"Therefore, wherever we dwell and practise the single vehicle, that place will be the Capital of Eternally Tranquil Light."
(Reply to Sairen-bo - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 313) Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, November 5th, 2011
(Reply to Sairen-bo - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 313) Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, November 5th, 2011
Wow this thread really has grown over the years, so good to see it still going strong. I recently has the chance to do a lot of reading and got through a fair amount of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying which i thought was amazing....anyway i hope everyone is well and i will see you all around.
Peace
Peace
When we meet those who are struggling with various hardships,
let's warmly encourage them and do our utmost to inspire them with hope.
The Mystic Law promises that we can change poison into medicine.
Absolutely any kind of problem can be overcome through this practice.
Together let's take a courageous step forwards and progress!
Daisaku Ikeda
let's warmly encourage them and do our utmost to inspire them with hope.
The Mystic Law promises that we can change poison into medicine.
Absolutely any kind of problem can be overcome through this practice.
Together let's take a courageous step forwards and progress!
Daisaku Ikeda
"Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month. Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils will take advantage."
(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 997) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 7th, 2011
(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 997) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 7th, 2011
Now is the time for us to fulfill our missions,
our unique roles,
as Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
Let's seriously make up our minds
that we will definitely win over all challenges
and boldly aim towards victory!
Daisaku Ikeda
our unique roles,
as Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
Let's seriously make up our minds
that we will definitely win over all challenges
and boldly aim towards victory!
Daisaku Ikeda
"Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
(Happiness in This World - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 681) Selection source: "Myoji no Gen", Seikyo Shimbun, November 6th, 2011
(Happiness in This World - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 681) Selection source: "Myoji no Gen", Seikyo Shimbun, November 6th, 2011
Sincere resolve.
Indomitable strong prayer.
Resolute action.
With this invincible "rhythm"
let us be victorious in absolutely every endeavour we undertake!
Daisaku Ikeda
Indomitable strong prayer.
Resolute action.
With this invincible "rhythm"
let us be victorious in absolutely every endeavour we undertake!
Daisaku Ikeda
"I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it!"
(The Opening of the Eyes, Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume-1, Page 280) Selection source: President Ikeda thoughts on the new human revolution, Seikyo Shimbun, #62, 2011
(The Opening of the Eyes, Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Volume-1, Page 280) Selection source: President Ikeda thoughts on the new human revolution, Seikyo Shimbun, #62, 2011
"Learning is indeed a lifelong process. We should never become lax or fainthearted in this engagement, but should instead tackle each and every day with zeal and daring. Let us exchange views with conscientious individuals and pay earnest attention to what they have to share, allowing us to draw lessons and deepen insights over the course of our lives. It is precisely through this ceaseless effort that we may discover and tap an inexhaustible lode of wisdom, creativity, and confidence."
SGI Newsletter No. 8370, SGI President Ikeda’s Acceptance Speech, Towards the Victory of the Century of Africa, from the Sep. 26th, 2011, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper, translated Nov. 4th, 2011.
SGI Newsletter No. 8370, SGI President Ikeda’s Acceptance Speech, Towards the Victory of the Century of Africa, from the Sep. 26th, 2011, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper, translated Nov. 4th, 2011.
****SORRY IT HAD TO BE DELETED***
uggghhh I'll try again later.
Sorry, for not posting recently, I've been smoking 4 joints a night until I fall asleep and watching too much tv. Yeah, I'm really going to determine to be a better person going forward, my life can't continue going in this direction. So many wicked feelings lately inside and I need to let them go. I'm not doing so well financially from smoking so so so much but I'm staying alive and doing the whatever I can to stay alive. I really do appreciate my life.
Thanks for everything my family. Keep up the good work.
uggghhh I'll try again later.
Sorry, for not posting recently, I've been smoking 4 joints a night until I fall asleep and watching too much tv. Yeah, I'm really going to determine to be a better person going forward, my life can't continue going in this direction. So many wicked feelings lately inside and I need to let them go. I'm not doing so well financially from smoking so so so much but I'm staying alive and doing the whatever I can to stay alive. I really do appreciate my life.
Thanks for everything my family. Keep up the good work.
- Status
