Because we become increasingly aware of our true identity as Bodhisattvas of

the Earth, we spontaneously alter our patterns of behaviour, and compassion

becomes the main driving force for all our actions. President Makiguchi’s quote
goes on to say, “My goals in life became increasingly grander and loftier, and
my fears dwindled.”9 He added that with this, he set out to realize “a bold
aspiration”, which was none other than the creation of a system of value
creating education.
It is for each one of us to awaken to this “indescribable joy” of being a
Bodhisattva of the Earth, and putting our inherent virtues into practice. There
can be no better time than now to awaken to our good fortune of sharing a
lifetime with our mentor, and working to crystallize his dream.

From awareness to action

And so, we can ask ourselves the question — ‘As an ordinary person, how can I
realize these attributes and put them into action?’
The first step is to acknowledge the fact that one cannot live apart from other
living beings. The principle of dependent origination makes it amply clear that
we all originate from the same cosmic source, and that our survival and,
indeed, our well-being depends on one another.
The second is to identify with the pain of others, in the manner that is
explained by President Ikeda in his essay ‘Another Way of Seeing Things’ in the
book The World Is Yours To Change — “As long as you are suffering, whoever
you are, and whatever your suffering may be, I suffer too.”
The third is to take concrete action to relieve those around us of their
suffering.
The state of Bodhisattva is supported by the power of ‘jihi’, that is, the
compassion to share another’s sorrow, and to relieve suffering and give
happiness. Exerting ourselves to support and assist others means that we are
manifesting the primary virtue of the Bodhisattva, that is, compassion. In fact,
the state of Bodhisattva can also be described as ‘altruism’, which the
dictionary defines as, ‘unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of
others’. People in the state of Bodhisattva are concerned most of all about
practice, that is, actively challenging the problems of the real world.

Significance of having ‘mind of faith’ in casting off the transient and revealing
the true

One of the greatest benefits of practising Daishonin’s Buddhism is to develop

the ‘mind of faith’. This is the secret to victory and happiness. Connecting with
one’s mentor is essential in mastering one’s mind and this results in casting off
the transient and revealing the true, which is manifesting the world of
Buddhahood in one’s life.
In the series, The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Ikeda Sensei
writes:
The moment-to-moment inner transformation we achieve through chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo leads not only to a fundamental change in our mindset,
but to a change in the entire way we live our lives, putting us on track to attain
Buddhahood in this lifetime…. [T]he existence of a mentor — one who
embodies and lives in accord with the Law and teaches people about their vast
inner potential — is indispensable for attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.
(VC, May 2015, 100, 102)

“Leap for joy”, “rise and dance”, “leapt forth joyfully” are strong artistic images
filled with Buddhist symbolism suggesting the vigorous life and energy of
bodhisattvas emerging from the earth. “They convey the vibrant dynamism of
creative life.”7

On the occasion of the opening of the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu,
which heralded the New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu, Ikeda Sensei gave us a
clear guideline:
The heart of the great vow for kosen-rufu and the life state of Buddhahood are
one and the same. Therefore, when we dedicate our lives to this vow, we can
bring forth the supreme nobility, strength and greatness of our lives…. When
we wholeheartedly strive to realize this vow, the “poison” of even the most
difficult challenge can be transformed into “medicine” and karma transformed
into mission. (VC, Jan 2014, 30)
Thus, every time doubt creeps in, uncertainty engulfs, worry overwhelms, we
need to go back to this litmus test of whether our vow for kosen-rufu is intact.
And every time we re-confirm this vow, we further deepen our roots and
establish the world of Buddhahood within us. One will experience a surge of
joy that enables one to look at one’s problems “as dust before the wind” and
fills one with the determination to prove the greatness of the Mystic Law.
These very moments of challenge thus become profound opportunities to
establish one’s reputation as the votary of the Lotus Sutra.

Absolutely nothing can obstruct the spirit of a person who has awakened to
this original vow. Though one’s body may be cut down, absolutely no one can
destroy one’s spirit…. Even if facing hellish circumstances alone, such a person
fears nothing. (Vol. 2, 105)

Great Vow
The Great Vow of kosen-rufu in fact is not something that one makes in the
present lifetime. Rather, based on the principle of consistency from beginning
to end, the Great Vow is something that we made at the time of kuon ganjo
(time without beginning), when we attended the ceremony in the air as
Bodhisattvas of the Earth, and volunteered to shoulder the noble task of
advancing kosen-rufu in the Latter Day of the Law, an age mired with greed,
anger and foolishness. And as a result of this we gained the merit to become
Buddhas. But because we have voluntarily taken the appropriate karma to
show the power of the Mystic Law through our life, we go through these
difficult circumstances. We take on appropriate karma of health, finance or
relationships which are a part of our own unique mission, to show the great
power of the Gohonzon through our life. That is why the Bodhisattvas of the
Earth are also called “bodhisattva-Buddhas”. Through their supreme sense of
compassion and earnest resolve, they gladly take on problems and difficulties
and demonstrate how to overcome them.

Thus, living true to the vow means to dynamically advance kosen-rufu as a

Trailblazer, in one’s arena of mission and constantly engage in the practice of
shakubuku. It might so happen that our compassionate actions do not
immediately evoke a positive response, but a time will surely come when the
same individuals will be moved by our compassionate actions and very joyfully
take up the practice. Thus, living true to one’s vow also means never giving up
or stop believing in the inherent Buddhahood of others.

Shakyamuni s act of Bodhisattva

The actions of a person awakened to their Buddha nature is evident in the

most ordinary of circumstances. In fact, there is a story about Aniruddha, one
of Shakyamuni’s ten major disciples, who was almost blind, and so could not
mend a tear in his robe. When he enquired if someone could help him to
thread the needle so that he could mend the tear in his robe, he was surprised
to hear the Buddha himself asking to have the privilege of doing so: “Allow me
to accumulate good fortune [by threading the needle and thus helping a
bodhisattva]” (Happiness, vol. 1, 134). A surprised Aniruddha, who believed
Shakyamuni to be the “World Honoured One” and already the possessor of the
highest good fortune and enlightened to the Great Law, asked the Buddha
about his gesture. To this the Buddha told Aniruddha, “[T]here is no greater
seeker of happiness in the world than myself”