My Experience during Lockdown

2020 will remain a memorable year for a long time to come for entire human kind due to the famous or rather
infamous Corona virus. Each one of us are fighting in their own way to handle this situation in a better and
positive way. Like all others, days are more hectic with work from home and household daily chores. But,
together with my family, I tried to hold a positive outlook towards the entire situation from the beginning. I am
very thankful to all those who were directly or indirectly enabling us all to stay safe in lockdown – specially
grocery and medical service delivery people and also doctors, nurses, policemen and army men who are
playing a major role in quarantining and safeguarding everyone. In the Gosho passage “On Rebuking Slander of
the Law and Eradicating Sins”, when Nichiren was kept in Izu exile, the Daishonin highly commended his brave
female disciples who in spite of challenging circumstances, sent life-sustaining offerings to him in his place of
exile, where securing food was difficult” Daishonin said to the female disciples: “You are even firmer and more
dedicated in your faith than I myself”. All these servicemen are acting as those female disciples in our lives
right now and I have immense gratitude for them.

However, things got tougher when 3 weeks back my mother fell sick suddenly with fever and severe diarrhoea.
We tried for her recovery through home remedies for a week as it was not advisable to step out during
lockdown. However, when her condition deteriorated, we tried booking an online appointment in a big
hospital. However, the appointment was cancelled last minute saying that the doctor has to check her
personally to diagnose her problem. However, we could not get any in-person appointment in any of the big
hospitals due to corona pandemic. Finally, we contacted my father’s regular diabetes doctor. This doctor owns
a small hospital which is just 4 - 5 kms away from our house. He immediately asked us to visit him. There was
no public transport. However, fortunately, I started driving car last year – which no one in my family supported
initially – but helped in this situation. One of the tyres in my car was on the verge of getting punctured – and
puncture shops were also closed. However, still I managed to take my mother to hospital along with my sister.
Mother was admitted immediately due to extreme low BP and fever and next day she was diagnosed with
Typhoid.

Initially I was very upset about the sudden turn of events in my house, but again in the same Gosho passage
(On Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins)
, the Daishonin states: “Each obstacle and difficulty we encounter forges the “iron” that is our lives, driving out
the flaws of our past offences. In this way, we are tempered into a magnificent “sword”
that nothing can destroy. This passage encouraged me and I decided to take charge of the situation as calmly
as possible. My fellow BSG friends also chanted for my mother and sister. My mom stayed in the hospital for 7
days along with my sister. It was a small hospital. So, it had no other patients and hence least chances of
corona infection. So, this was the first protection we received from the Gohonzon. Later we got to know that
no other hospitals are admitting people. This was a senior citizen hospital – so they admitted my mother on
special condition – the second protection. The doctors and nurses diagnosed my mother’s health issues
promptly on time and gave her a very good treatment – and I am happy to report that my mother is already
doing very good with her health despite the fact that Typhoid takes very long time to recover – third
protection. On the day of her discharge, half of the roads were barricaded by the police. So, while taking a long
detour, I found a puncture shop that was open and he found a screw in my tyre and fixed it – fourth
protection. So, I am really thankful to the nature and gohonzon and my fellow BSG members for all the
protection my family received, to emerge victorious with my mother’s health in this difficult situation.

Thank You!