Daisaku Ikeda Quotes

Even if things don't unfold the way you expected, don't be disheartened or give up. One who continues to advance will win in the end.

it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings.

Life is painful. It has thorns, like the stem of a rose. Culture and art are the roses that bloom on the stem. The flower is yourself, your humanity. Art is the liberation of the humanity inside yourself.

Leave behind the passive dreaming of a rose-tinted future. The energy of happiness exists in living today with roots sunk firmly in reality's soil.

A person, who no matter how desperate the situation, gives others hope, is a true leader.

A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, can even enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.

It is much more valuable to look for the strength in others. You can gain nothing by criticizing their imperfections.

I cannot say this too strongly: Do not compare yourselves to others. Be true to who you are, and continue to learn with all your might.

Reality is harsh. It can be cruel and ugly. Yet no matter how much we grieve over our environment and circumstances nothing will change. What is important is not to be defeated, to forge ahead bravely. If we do this, a path will open before us.

Rise to the challenges that life presents you. You can't develop genuine character and ability by sidestepping adversity and struggle.

The heart is what is important." There is nothing more vulnerable, nothing more corruptible than the human mind; nor is there anything as powerful, steadfast and ennobling.

With love and patience, nothing is impossible.

The determination to win is the better part of winning.

A person's true nature is revealed at times of the greatest adversity.

The institutions of human society treat us as parts of a machine. They assign us ranks and place considerable pressure upon us to fulfill defined roles. We need something to help us restore our lost and distorted humanity. Each of us has feelings that have been suppressed and have built up inside. There is a voiceless cry resting in the depths of our souls, waiting for expression. Art gives the soul's feelings voice and form.

Youthfulness is not determined by age. It is determined by one's life force. One who possesses hope is forever young. One who continually advances is forever beautiful.

A great revolution in just one single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind.

You must not for one instant give up the effort to build new lives for yourselves.

People can only live fully by helping others to live. When you give life to friends you truly live. Cultures can only realize their further richness by honoring other traditions. And only by respecting natural life can humanity continue to exist.

Faith is to fear nothing, to stand unswayed, the power to surmount any obstacle.

How aware are we of our own inner life, our spirituality-something so intangible yet so priceless? How much effort do we make to perceive that which is not obvious, which can neither be seen nor heard? I believe the exploration and enrichment of the human spirit is what determines our very humanity. Such enrichment provides an inner compass that can lead civilizations to greatness.

Buddhism holds that everything is in constant flux. Thus the question is whether we are to accept change passively and be swept away by it or whether we are to take the lead and create positive changes on our own initiative. While conservatism and self-protection might be likened to winter, night, and death, the spirit of pioneering and attempting to realize ideals evokes images of spring, morning, and birth.

People can only live fully by helping others to live … Cultures can only realize their further richness by honoring other traditions. And only by respecting natural life can humanity continue to exist. —DAISAKU IKEDA

‎"Those who give up dreams, do injury to their own hearts and cannot possibly enjoy a profound sense of fulfillment in the end.

All along, I kept this encouragement from Daisaku Ikeda close to my heart: “One thing is certain: The power of belief, the power of thought, will move reality in the direction of what we believe and conceive of it. If you really believe you can do something, you can. That is a fact. When you clearly envision the outcome of victory, engrave it upon your heart, and are firmly convinced that you will attain it, your brain makes every effort to realize the mental image you have created. And then, through your unceasing efforts, that victory is finally made a reality.

Strength is Happiness. Strength is itself victory. In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. When you wage a struggle, you might win or you might lose. But regardless of the short-term outcome, the very fact of your continuing to struggle is proof of your victory as a human being.

I was always reaching for love, but it turns out love doesn't involve reaching. I was always dreaming of the big love, the ultimate love, the love that would sweep me off my feet or 'break open the hard shell of my lesser self' (Daisaku Ikeda). The love that would bring on my surrender. The love that would inspire me to give everything. As I lay there, it occurred to me that while I had been dreaming of this big love, this ultimate love, I had, without realizing it, been giving and receiving love for most of my life. As with the trees that were right in front of me, I had been unable to value what sustained me, fed me, and gave me pleasure. And as with the trees, I was so busy waiting for and imagining and reaching and dreaming and preparing for this huge big love that I had totally missed the beauty and perfection of the soft-boiled eggs and Bolivian quinoa.

Human beings are inherently endowed with the power to bring out the best possible results from the worst possible circumstances.

The human spirit is as expansive as the cosmos. This is why it is so tragic to belittle yourself or to question your worth. No matter what happens, continue to push back the boundaries of your inner life. The confidence to prevail over any problem, the strength to overcome adversity and unbounded hope — all reside within you.

Reading is a dialog with oneself; it is self-reflection, which cultivates profound humanity. Reading is therefore essential to our development. It expands and enriches the personality like a seed that germinates after a long time and sends forth many blossom-laden branches. People who can say of a book, 'this changed my life' truly understand the meaning of happiness. Reading that sparks inner revolution is desperately needed to escape drowning in the rapidly advancing information society. Reading is more than intellectual ornamentation; it is a battle for the establishment for the self, a ceaseless challenge that keeps us young and vigorous.

There are some among the so-called elite who are overbearing and arrogant. I want to foster leaders, not elitists.

Culture is an elevated expression of the inner voice which the different peoples of the Earth have heard in the depths of their being, a voice which conveys the vibrant compassion and wisdom of the cosmic life. For different cultures to engage in interaction is to catalyze each other's souls and foster mutual understanding.

Instead of engaging in cutthroat competition, we should strive to create value. In economic terms, this means a transition from a consumer economy - the mad rush for ownership and consumption - to a constructive economy where all human beings can participate in the act of creating lasting worth.

Salute to the Smiling Faces of the 21st Century.

The economy is after all driven by people. No matter how dire the situation may be, as long as people are firm, a turnaround, revival and progress can be possible.

Why is it that sometimes our prayers seem not to be answered? This is a manifestation of the Buddha's wisdom, so that we can deepen our prayers, become stronger people, live more profound lives and secure deeper, more lasting good fortune. If our slightest prayer was answered immediately, we would become lazy and degenerate. And we could not hope to build a life of great dignity and substance.

If you become deadlocked,return to the prime point.

Present effects are due to karmic causes from the past. However, future effects arise from the causes we make in the present. It is always the present that counts.

Buhhdism is wisdom. As long as we have wisdom, we can put all things to the best use, we can turn everything in the direction of happiness.

Hope is life's greatest treasure. If you have no hope, create some!

Become like the sun. If you do so, all darkness will be dispelled. No matter what happens, live confidently with the conviction that you, yourself are the “sun.” Of course, in life there are sunny days and cloudy days. But even on cloudy days, the sun is still there. Even when you are suffering, it is vital that you strive to keep the sun shining brightly in your heart.

[Love that would] break open the hard shell of my lesser self.

A sense of being part of the great all-inclusive life prompts us to reflect on our own place and on how we ought to live. Guarding others' lives, the ecology and the earth is the same as protecting one's own life. By like token, wounding them is the same thing as wounding oneself. Consequently, it is the duty of each of us to participate as members of the life community in the evolution of the universe. We can do this by guarding earth's ecological system.

In most cases,our so-called limitations are nothing more than our own decision to limit ourselves.

The willingness to challenge hardships taps the power within human beings to transform even a place of tragedy into a stage for fulfilling one's mission.

In other words, that works of history are mere collections of facts. It is fiction alone that can show us the true nature of human beings

One cannot, without reflection, make some into bearers of goodness and others into miscreants, judging them by relative positive or negative criteria. These, like everything else, change according to historical circumstances, the character of a society, the time and subjective points of view.

changing the destiny of one individual in the word today, it becomes possible to change the destiny of all mankind

The name Soka Gakkai (literally “Value Creation Society”) means an organization whose members are committed to creating supreme value and attaining the greatest happiness.

A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation, and further, can even enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.

Human wisdom has advanced to the point where man can construct satellites. And yet man in his wisdom cannot find a way to rescue and old woman in Vietnam from her tragic plight. We can't wait to find out what the pockmarked face of the far side of the moon loks like, but we have no time to consider what meaning those wrinkles of sorrow etched deep into tha face of an old woman may have for us

Without a solid sense of self, individuals will remain spiritually enslaved to the group, even if the social system changes.

Hardships make us strong. Problems give birth to wisdom. Sorrows cultivate compassion. Those who have suffered the most will become the happiest.

Those who are aware of their mission are strong. Those who live for a mission are beautiful.

A religion that cannot help people become happy and lead fulfilling lives cannot possibly realize world peace and free the world’s people from suffering.

If everything is smooth sailing right from the beginning, we cannot become people of substance and character. By surmounting paining setbacks and obstacles, we can create a brilliant history of triumph that will shine forever. That is what makes life so exciting and enjoyable. In any field of endeavour, those who overcome hardships and grow as human beings are advancing towards success and victory in life.” – Daisaku Ikeda

Only human beings have the ability to seek growth and self-improvement. We have the capacity to consciously change the direction of our lives, to enrich and deepen our lives instead of just allowing them to flow on aimlessly.

Proprio come un fiore sboccia dopo aver sopportato il rigido freddo invernale, un sogno può avverarsi solo se si è preparati a sopportare i tormenti che ne accompagnano la realizzazione e a compiere tutti gli sforzi necessari!

I therefore hope you will pray about your problems in front of the Gohonzon. When we take our problems to the Gohonzon and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, courage wells forth and hope begins to shine in our hearts. “Faith for overcoming obstacles” is the same as “prayer for overcoming obstacles” and “chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for overcoming obstacles.

It is senseless to blame others or your environment for your miseries. Change begins from the moment you muster the courage to act. When you change, the environment will change. The power to change the world is found nowhere but within our own life.

True leaders are those who can offer appropriate advice based on their own rich experience, not people who just give orders and are all words and no substance. Leaders are first people of action who lead by personal example. They are not people who merely occupy some status or position. Leaders are people of hard work, not people of tactics and maneuvering. Above all, they are not authoritarians.

Also, times when you are suffering intensely, when you don’t know what to do or which way to turn, can become important opportunities for making great strides in your human revolution. If you tend to be easily discouraged, just refresh your determination each time that happens.

Health is not simply the absence of illness. Real health is the will to overcome every form of adversity and use even the worst of circumstances as a springboard for new growth and development. Simply put, the essence of health is the constant renewal and rejuvenation of life.” DAISAKU IKEDA

When facing adversity, we may think we’ve reached our limit, but actually the more trying the circumstances, the closer we are to making a breakthrough. The darker the night, the nearer the dawn. Victory in life is decided by that last concentrated burst of energy filled with the resolve to win.

1. Become people who seek the truth, create value and possess wisdom and enthusiasm. 2. Do not cause trouble to others, and always take responsibility for your own actions. 3. Be considerate and polite, reject violence and value trustworthiness and cooperation. 4. Boldly speak out for your beliefs and act courageously for the sake of truth and justice. 5. Cultivate an enterprising spirit and become respectable leaders of Japan and the world.

From ancient times, those systems of thought that merit the name ‘philosophy’ or ‘religion’ have developed an all-embracing worldview with at least two dimensions. The first is a theory of value, or ethics, that relates to how human life should be lived. The second is a theory of being, or ontology, which posits the structure of existence, or of the world.

Quando soffri può sembrarti che questa sofferenza duri per sempre. Ma, sii certa, non sarà così. L'inverno si trasforma sempre in primavera. Nessun inverno dura per sempre.

WHAT IS the fundamental purpose of education? Tsunesaburo Makiguchi declared, “The purpose of education is to enable children to live happy lives.

His spirit was never to waste a single moment, for once it was gone, it was gone forever.

defeat for a Buddhist lies not in encountering difficulties but rather in not challenging them. Difficulties only truly become our destiny if we run away from them.

Lack of wisdom does not make a fool. A fool, in the truest sense, is the man who regards his own misfortunes or those of others as a source of doubt or criticism of the infinite mercy of the Gohonzon.-Josei Toda

Encouragement inspires people and lights the flame of courage in their hearts. To have that effect, however, one must develop a radiant state of life and engage people with every ounce of one’s being. Such a spirit touches people’s lives and gives them hope and inspiration.

Please don't worry. As long as you're practising this faith, you can definitely become happy. That's what Buddhism is for. Also, your current suffering and misfortune exist so that you may fulfil your own unique and noble mission. Everything will turn to defeat if all you do is worry about your karma and let it make you miserable.

Shin’ichi then touched on the history of India, the reign of King Ashoka, and the principles of Buddhism that served as a cornerstone for peace. He said: “Ashoka was able to create an ideal government by basing himself on Buddhism, which teaches that all people possess the Buddha nature, the supreme and incomparable life state of Buddhahood. This principle is not only the foundation for respecting the dignity of life but also a teaching of human equality. It gives rise to a philosophy that values peace and humanism.” The two men agreed that they would need much more time to explore the various issues that they had raised in their discussion and decided to meet again for a dialogue that could provide insights for shaping the twenty-first century.

Nichiren Daishonin cites the following words, “The truer the teaching, the lower the stage [of those it can bring to enlightenment]”69 (WND-1, 785–86). [In other words, the more correct a Buddhist teaching, the greater the number of people it will lead to happiness.] If we apply this principle to the leaders who propagate the teaching, we can take it to mean that the deeper their faith, the more they will respect their fellow practitioners and the harder they will work to help even more people become happy. In the light of the law of cause and effect, through the good fortune we accumulate by treasuring and caring for many people, we will be able to attain a state of life in which we are protected and supported by many others in this and future existences. Our Buddhist practice today is the cause for becoming great leaders in lifetime after lifetime.

Soka Gakkai positions are not positions of prestige but of responsibility. The most important duty leaders have is to devote themselves to serving the members and fully discharging their responsibilities for kosen-rufu. Consequently, the more responsibility the position entails, the more resolute the person’s inner determination must be to put aside interests of “self” and work tirelessly for the Law, for kosen-rufu and for the members.

Those who have used political authority to promote their own interests feel greatly threatened by the growing numbers of Soka Gakkai–sponsored representatives who strive to realize a government that stands on the side of the people. They are afraid their own power base will be undermined. Other religious organizations also feel threatened by the Soka Gakkai’s progress. Because, were it to come down to a debate on doctrine, their defeat would be certain.

I know there must be any number of people in the world today much sicker than I ever was. I would appeal to such people to face their trials with a firm, undespairing heart and to never surrender in their battle with disease. And this applies not only to disease: No matter what kind of difficult situations one finds oneself in, some opportunity, some opening, can always be found to fight one’s way out. The important thing is always to have hope and to face the future bravely.

Becoming the master of one’s mind means having a sound compass in life and the bright beacon of faith. We must not be mastered by ordinary people’s inconstant, weak and ever-changing minds of delusion. To master our minds, we must guide them in the right direction. In that sense, the true master of the mind is the Law and the teachings of the Buddha. Shakyamuni vowed to make the Law to which he had become enlightened the master of his mind, and he took pride in living true to that vow. This is the way of life of “taking refuge in the Law” that Shakyamuni emphasized in his final injunction to his disciples before he died.5

A thousand years ago, the great Kyrgyz poet Yusuf Khass Hajib (also known as Yusuf Balasaguni), wrote: “As long as you live, any wish can be realized. As long as you have wisdom, any goal can be attained.

When you clearly envision the outcome of victory, engrave it upon your heart, and are firmly convinced that you will attain it, your brain makes every effort to realize the mental image you have created. And then, through your unceasing efforts, that victory is finally made a reality. —DAISAKU IKEDA, PHILOSOPHER

The state of Bodhisattva is a condition in which, through compassion, we devote ourselves to helping others, performing altruistic actions on their behalf.

But my friend is silent—How should I live so that my soul may ascend to the moon that shines above these impenetrable gardens? He wipes his tears and sighs. My friend lost in solitary sadness. I have vowed, I say, to live for limitless aspirations, however painful that pursuit. My friend smiles—I’ll do that too. --from the poem: Morigasaki Beach

A life spent in pursuit of the ephemeral, transitory glories of the world is also ephemeral and transitory.

The task before you now,” he said, “is to develop tremendous passion, study harder than anyone else, and devote yourselves to your practice of faith. What lies in store for those who neglect to train and strengthen themselves in their youth is a life as fragile as a castle built on sand. I would like you to advance steadily and patiently, diligently applying yourselves to your studies and thoroughly developing yourselves so that you will emerge as great people in the future.

No matter what the reason, a member who harbours jealousy, grudges or hatred for another member who is wholeheartedly striving to fulfil his or her mission for kosen-rufu commits an extremely grave offence. Nichiren Daishonin warns: “…always remember that believers in the Lotus Sutra should absolutely be the last to abuse one another

Karmic reward from the past” refers to our present life state, which is the result of past actions or causes created through our own words, thoughts, and deeds.

Nella Raccolta degli insegnamenti orali, Nichiren dà una spiegazione della parola sanscrita “namu”, che nel buddismo indica la “dedizione della propria vita” al Budda e alla Legge. Egli spiega che “‘dedizione’ si riferisce all’elemento della forma fisica che ci appartiene, mentre ‘vita’ si riferisce all’elemento della mente che ci appartiene. Ma l’insegnamento fondamentale ci dice che forma e mente non sono due cose”. In ultima analisi, ciò significa che la dedizione al Budda e alla Legge si riduce alla fede nella propria esistenza personale, che è una perfetta unità dell’aspetto mentale o spirituale e dell’aspetto fisico o materiale della vita.

Finora abbiamo parlato dei tre aspetti della vita, l’esistenza temporanea, la non sostanzialità e la Via di mezzo. Questi tre termini, che stanno al cuore della filosofia buddista, sono spesso chiamati nel loro insieme le tre verità. Tuttavia è estremamente importante capire che stiamo parlando di un’unica realtà considerata da tre differenti punti di vista e non di tre realtà separate. La Via di mezzo sostiene ciò che è tangibile (esistenza temporanea) e ciò che è intangibile (non sostanzialità, o kū), ma questo non basta a spiegare interamente la natura della vita. La Via di mezzo appare come esistenza temporanea ed esiste come non sostanzialità. I tre aspetti operano insieme per produrre una singola vita. L’esistenza interdipendente delle tre verità e la loro completa fusione in un’unica realtà sono il principio ultimo del Sutra del Loto, chiamato “unificazione delle tre verità” (en’yū no santai).

Giacevo sul tavolo operatorio,” racconta Kobayashi. “Nel momento in cui il dolore diventò insopportabile, mi sono sentito andare in pezzi e ho cominciato a volare via. Venivo trasportato a enorme velocità attraverso le vastità dello spazio.” Kobayashi sentì che abbandonava il calore della terra ed entrava in un’atmosfera più fredda. Lo spazio attorno a lui gradualmente cambiò dalla luce a un blu profondo e quindi a un nero sempre più impenetrabile. In qualche modo percepiva che la morte lo aspettava alla fine di quel nero assoluto.

Geddes percepì che la coscienza connessa al suo cervello stava per separarsi mentre quella connessa al cuore, ai reni e agli altri organi si era già quasi disintegrata.

La sensazione di Kobayashi di volare attraverso lo spazio può aver rappresentato l’inizio dell’unificazione del Sé individuale con l’entità cosmica. La morte, infatti, non è l’estinzione della vita, ma la fusione della vita individuale con la più grande, eterna vita dell’universo.

Se riusciamo ad assimilare il concetto dell’eternità della vita a un livello non soltanto intellettuale, se nel corso degli anni lo rendiamo parte integrante della nostra vita, allora esso si rivelerà uno strumento prezioso quando sarà giunto il nostro momento di affrontare la morte.

...Toynbee sembra suggerire che la comunione fra l’individuo e la vita universale che avviene nel momento della morte implichi la totale estinzione dell’individualità umana, mentre il buddismo crede che l’individualità continui a esistere in uno stato latente. Se ci si chiede se la vita umana nello stato di morte è esistente o non esistente, la risposta è che non è né l’una né l’altra cosa, poiché si trova nello stato di kū, che trascende sia l’esistenza sia la non esistenza. Nel momento della morte, la vita individuale passa dall’esistenza percettibile a quella latente, ma dato che lo stato di kū non può essere completamente definito, non possiamo fornire una descrizione completa di come esattamente il Sé continui la sua vita in questo stato. Nella Raccolta degli insegnamenti orali, Nichiren dice: “Kū significa inesistenza, ma non inesistenza assoluta. Questa inesistenza trascende ciò che appare essere esistenza.” La mia interpretazione di questo brano è che kū è il vuoto potenziale che unisce la verità dell’esistenza temporanea, la verità della non sostanzialità e la verità della Via di mezzo. Dopo la morte il nostro corpo di manifestazione si fonde con la verità dell’esistenza temporanea, il nostro corpo di retribuzione con la verità della non sostanzialità e il nostro corpo della Legge con la verità della Via di mezzo. Tutte e tre le verità sono un’unica verità, e tutte e tre sono identiche alla vita del cosmo, ma la vita costituita dai tre corpi continua a possedere la propria individualità anche nello stato di kū.

Una persona assetata d’amore può iniziare una relazione sentimentale e sentirsi appagata, e una avida di conoscenza può trovare le informazioni che cerca ed entrare nel mondo di Apprendimento. Quando la morte si avvicina, invece, le influenze esterne che potrebbero modificare il proprio stato vitale gradualmente vengono meno. Il denaro, il potere, la posizione sociale, persino l’amore non possono più causare un cambiamento di base. Quando i tre corpi della vita passano dalla condizione senziente a quella insenziente, perdono il potere di influenzare l’ambiente o di esserne influenzati. La condizione di base stabilita durante la vita diventa immutabile. Un individuo la cui vita è orientata verso il mondo di Inferno dopo la morte precipiterà nell’abisso dell’angoscia. Chi ha ceduto costantemente al desiderio continuerà ad essere torturato dalla sua avidità. Chi ha vissuto la propria vita nel mondo di Animalità, da morto proverà un terrore incessante. Al contrario, un individuo la cui tendenza di base lo ha portato a vivere la sua vita nei mondi di Umanità o di Cielo supererà il dolore fisico della morte e sarà pervaso da un senso di soddisfazione o di euforia. Chi in vita ha stabilito la tendenza al mondo di Risveglio parziale proverà un senso di appagamento spirituale anche dopo la morte. E una persona che ha vissuto una vita basata sulla compassione e sull’altruismo del mondo di Bodhisattva conserverà questi sentimenti durante l’esperienza della morte e nella condizione successiva alla morte. Una tale persona, in punto di morte, può letteralmente offrire la propria vita per guidare i vivi. Il Sé colmo di compassione vede la morte come una sfida non diversa dalla vita, come una rara opportunità per fare del bene all’umanità. La comprensione superiore che ha raggiunto lo porta a considerare la propria morte come un’espressione della compassione della vita cosmica.

La Buddità è la sorgente della compassione, del coraggio e della saggezza. Solo coloro che riescono a stabilire il supremo mondo di Buddità come tendenza di base della propria vita possono sottomettere la paura della morte al punto da riuscire a utilizzare la propria morte per salvare gli altri. Ma i mondi di Bodhisattva e di Buddità non possono essere simulati. Se la compassione che una persona ha mostrato durante la sua vita era soltanto una finzione, la morte lo rivelerà. La morte è la grande smascheratrice. Il dolore e la paura che porta con sé mettono fine alle false convinzioni e alle false fedi. Di fronte alla morte i sentimenti simulati e i desideri meschini vengono svelati. La morte smaschera invariabilmente una natura malvagia, anche se questa è stata abilmente occultata per tutta la vita. Solo vivendo una vita autenticamente buona si può essere sicuri che la propria morte sarà una fonte di forza e di verità per coloro che restano. Una volta morti, perdiamo qualunque potere di cambiare noi stessi. Il cambiamento automotivato è impossibile, perché le forze che animano i tre corpi – il corpo di manifestazione, il corpo di retribuzione e il corpo della Legge – sono divenute latenti. Ovviamente, se una persona è nel mondo di Bodhisattva o in quello di Buddità non ha alcun bisogno di cambiare se stessa. Ma se si trova in uno dei cattivi sentieri, con la morte la sua sofferenza diventa più intensa che in vita. Invece di potersi spostare da un mondo all’altro, è bloccata nel mondo verso il quale la sua vita era orientata. Se questo mondo è il mondo di Inferno, non sperimenterà più l’inferno personale ma quello universale; se è il mondo di Avidità, non proverà più una fame occasionale ma una fame incessante. Nel cosmo, così come nella nostra vita individuale, i dieci mondi esistono l’uno nell’altro, ma i morti, essendo insenzienti, possono sperimentare solo il mondo in cui la loro vita li ha condotti.

Il Sé dopo la morte sperimenta ciò che si è predisposto a sperimentare durante la vita.

...Nichiren afferma: “Apparire e accomiatarsi corrispondono alla nascita e alla morte. [...] Apparire è la concentrazione del cosmo in una mente, accomiatarsi è la dispersione di una mente nell’universo.” In altre parole, la nascita indica la concentrazione della vita universale in un Sé individuale, mentre la morte è la dispersione del Sé individuale nel continuum universale. [...] Nel momento della morte, il Sé entra nello stato di kū, in cui si confonde con tutti i generi di forze potenziali, proprio come nell’etere le onde radio sono mescolate tra loro. Quando il “ricevitore” adatto è disponibile, il Sé può riapparire come un’entità percettibile nel mondo fenomenico.

Possiamo considerare la fecondazione come la causa esterna della rinascita. La causa interna è il potenziale intrinseco del Sé che si trovava nello stato di kū. La forza di questa causa interna – vale a dire la forza del potenziale di rinascita del Sé – dipende dal mondo in cui dimora il Sé. Se il Sé dimora in uno dei mondi inferiori, la sua energia è relativamente debole; ma se dimora nel mondo di Buddità, la sua energia è pari a quella dell’universo. Da ciò deriva l’enorme differenza fra il tempo interminabile trascorso nello stato di morte da una persona che si trova nel mondo di Inferno e la durata quasi nulla della permanenza nello stato di morte di un bodhisattva o di un Budda. Il Sé nel mondo di Inferno ha un potenziale di rinascita debolissimo, mentre nel mondo di Buddità entra in gioco “l’infinito potere della compassione”.

Dato che l’universo stesso è compassione, ciò che facciamo ogni giorno è naturalmente l’opera della compassione. Ma in quanto esseri umani non dovremmo accontentarci di essere come gli altri animali o le piante. Dobbiamo invece cercare di compiere azioni di ordine superiore, così da servire meglio il Budda.