Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Buddhism is about victory and defeat

Question: “Buddhism is about victory or defeat”. What does this mean?


Answer:

What is happiness? I’d opine that self-victory is a kind of happiness.

Buddhism is a teaching for the happiness of mankind. It is a journey of challenge from problems. When we’re facing problems in our lives, do we choose to strive forward or give up? That would be the deviation between happiness and misfortune. Nichiren Daishonin teaches “Buddhism primarily concerns itself with victory or defeat”. This urges us that achieving victory is the only option in pursuit of happiness.  We must engrave an undefeatable spirit in our life.

There was once a person questioned Ikeda Sensei: There are also outstanding people who happened to have no religion or belief. With respect to that, Ikeda Sensei explained “Yes, there are outstanding ones without a religion or belief, but we, the ones who believe in Gohonzon must be even more outstanding. In the same time, we must be people who possess humbly personality to learn from other great people.”

Despite of how outstanding someone may seem, we hardly know how would they feel from within. People who seemed to live in happiness would have their own troubles as we know. Regardless of how great one’s living in the present, it may not be assured for its eternity. Does wealth bring happiness? Does status or living in a mansion symbolize happiness? They don’t.

Some dispute for wealth; Some lost their fame and ended up terribly; While some became arrogant in pursuing fame, ruining their own future; Some were born rich, but had no love between the family members.

We should not aim to pursue the merely happiness which is volatile in its nature. Instead, we ought to predominate the fundament of changing our lives, and attain the absolute happiness. If we have a heart, as great and as brilliant as a palace, the absolute happiness will never fade no matter where we are, or what we’ve gone through.  
We could attain a proper judgment to life, and the judgment of value by our belief and participation in the organization’s activities. Just as the teaching mentioned, “Buddhism is about victory or defeat”, I hope that each of you are committed to challenge and succeed at any cost during your youth times. Let’s achieve victory together!

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Written at 9:04 PM by Paper Pilot.