Mr. Kaneda: "Whether you're worried about work or illness, or any other aspect of your life, it's important how you make your determination in front of the Gohonzon. Any determination prepares you for action. If your determination is weak, then the action that follows will be weak as well. If you don't make a determination, there won't be any action at all! In order to achieve anything you need energy. It's the determination that provides this energy.

When you have determined something, you have to follow it through until you have a result. Every day you must re-confirm your determination so that you will not be defeated. So the fundamental point is how you make your determination and then how to keep it rock-steady. If you lack wisdom, any action you take is ineffectual. If you lack life force or courage, there won't be any action, only fear of acting. Chanting daimoku is the best way to draw forth your wisdom, your life force, and your courage and to gain the protection of the shoten zenjin (the protective forces of the universe), who will help you when you take action. To achieve something great demands action, repeated action on a grand scale. This is why we chant. More than anything, we need wisdom, and faith produces wisdom."

The following passage from Daisaku Ikeda emphasizes a strong attitude towards inner obstacles which can loom up after making a decision.

Fight inner parasites

"Everything, including our struggle in life and activities for kosen rufu, is determined by a strong and unshakable decision. Also, the cause for defeat isn't to be found in the obstacles we encounter or the seriousness of our situation, but lies solely in the ebbing away or break in our inner determination. Shin'ichi Yamamoto had achieved such unprecedented results in spreading Buddhism since he became president because of his strong determination, his proud unabated dedication as a pupil of Josei Toda. 'I will surely realize Sensei's vision'. This resolution was the force that drove him, which was at the roots of all his thoughts.

To Shin'ichi the seriousness of the obstacles and difficult circumstances didn't matter. He started his battle being fully aware of the difficulties that were lying ahead of him. Everything was difficult, everything was impossible, if you wanted to look at it that way.

When our decision weakens, we can only see gigantic obstacles loom up at the horizon. In the end we have come to believe that they are unflinching realities. Herein lies the cause of defeat. The key to victory in our struggle for kosen rufu lies in fighting the cowardice in our own heart. Now Shin'ichi tried to bring forth a change in the inner resolve of each person, because that's where the human revolution eventually starts.

In the morning of January 3, Shin'ichi walked the grounds of the temple with High-priest Nittatsu, whilst discussing ideas on the future development of the head temple. They walked passed an enormous ceder tree which had fallen down and was lying on the ground next to the building called Daikejo. "Did you now, Mr. Yamamoto", the high-priest said, "that this tree survived the taiphoon of Ise Bay last year to be destroyed afterwards by a wood eating parasite?" "I understand. We always have to be alert for inner parasites. This doesn't only apply for the individual but also for the organization. When we forget to fight our inner enemy, the betrayer of our own heart, then the rotting will start from within. I think this ceder learns us an important lesson in safeguarding de eternal benefit of the Law."

High-priest Nittatsu smiled and nodded. Later that day Shin'ichi spoke again about this topic at the first national meeting of responsible people of the year and he emphasized how important it is for leaders to change their inner determination. "The sun of victory exists in our own hearts," he said. "Kill the inner enemy, which is called cowardice." He also emphasized on the importance of harmonious unity and being in rhythm with each other. (From the "New Human Revolution")

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This page was last modified on Sunday, August 20, 2006.