| "Though worldly troubles may arise, never let | | | | defines the difference between victims and |
| them disturb you. No one can avoid problems, not | | | | survivors, winners and losers. When faced with a |
| even sages or worthies." | | | | problem, we only have two options, winning or |
| "Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there | | | | losing. For a person grounded or growing spiritually |
| is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as | | | | and in faith, losing is not an option. |
| facts of life." | | | | Changing the way we choose to view obstacles |
| These are two of my favorite quotes from The | | | | can make a huge difference in how we approach |
| Writings of Nichiren Daishonin and they happen to | | | | them and in our success in overcoming them. I |
| also be two of the most famous quotes from his | | | | have learned to view problems as blessings. I |
| writings. | | | | have learned that all challenges and struggles are a |
| Nichiren Daishonin was a man who devoted his | | | | result of the law of cause and effect; that I have |
| whole life to showing mankind how to overcome | | | | had some part in causing them, either through my |
| their struggles and challenges and to show that is | | | | actions in this life or a past one, and that I can |
| possible for anyone to achieve enlightenment in | | | | view obstacles as challenges to be overcome, not |
| this lifetime. He believed we should challenge the | | | | irresolvable situations that defeat me and render |
| obstacles in our lives with the "courage of a lion | | | | me powerless. Nichiren Daishonin also says that |
| king" and fight to overcome them, refusing to be | | | | the deeper the challenge or struggle you face, the |
| defeated or give in. He says, "It is the same with | | | | deeper the lesson you will learn. |
| a Buddha and an ordinary being. When deluded, | | | | A friend once gave me what I considered to be |
| one is called an ordinary being, but when | | | | some very enlightening advice. She told me to be |
| enlightened, one is called a Buddha." His writings | | | | grateful for the problems and struggles that I |
| have taught me many things about challenging and | | | | have in my life, because they would be the very |
| overcoming my problems, and I would like to | | | | fuel that would eventually awaken my fighting |
| share some of them with you. | | | | spirit and enable me to stand up and fight rather |
| I often reflect on the words "No one can avoid | | | | than be defeated by them. |
| problems, not even sages or worthies." Those | | | | It is of the utmost importance that we never |
| words alone tell me that struggles and challenges | | | | allow ourselves to give in or be defeated by our |
| are unavoidable as long as we are living on this | | | | problems. There is great benefit in standing up |
| earth. If we honestly look at problems and | | | | and facing our challenges and in overcoming the |
| struggles and the purposes they serve in our | | | | obstacles in our lives. The first thing it teaches us |
| lives, we can readily see that problems and | | | | is that we are all responsible for our own lives and |
| struggles are of great benefit to us and | | | | for taking control and changing the things in our |
| necessary to our growth as spiritual people. It also | | | | lives that challenge us the most and cause us our |
| helps us to realize that struggles and challenges | | | | deepest suffering. We, and we alone, are each |
| are not always a reflection of how much farther | | | | solely responsible for our lives and the events |
| we have to go, but can also be a reminder of | | | | that take place in them. Taking responsibility for |
| how far we have come. | | | | resolving our problems forces us to stand up and |
| For example, by evaluating a problem when it | | | | fight, to rely on our own inner power and wisdom |
| arises, we can ask ourselves a simple question: | | | | instead of looking outside of ourselves for the |
| How would I have reacted in the past? By | | | | answers. It allows each of us to commune with |
| examining our current reactions to the situation | | | | the God within, creating deeper spiritual |
| we are faced with and comparing them to how | | | | connections and a stronger spiritual faith in our |
| we would have handled it in the past, gives us a | | | | lives. It is in the exact moment that we decide to |
| lot of information concerning our growth, the | | | | take responsibility for our lives that our focus |
| strength of our spiritual faith, how much | | | | shifts from a place of blame to a divine state of |
| confidence we have in ourselves concerning our | | | | self-empowerment and self-love. |
| ability to overcome problems and challenges, and | | | | The overcoming process will also result in our |
| also the areas where we need to do some more | | | | having a more positive attitude about life. It will |
| work. | | | | give us a stronger sense of our abilities to deal |
| We are not forced to grow in easy times, but | | | | with whatever life throws our way. By knowing |
| when faced with obstacles we are challenged to | | | | that we survived it the last time, we are |
| stand up and fight. It is important that we not | | | | empowered with a sense that we can survive it |
| allow ourselves to be defeated by our problems, | | | | once again, lessening the fear that arises when |
| but that we work that much harder to overcome | | | | obstacles come to awaken our fighting spirits, yet |
| and defeat them. It is this very attitude that | | | | once more. |