16 Jul 2008
Adapted from the "Light of Compassion" chapter of The New Human Revolution by SGI President Ikeda
Fumie Shearing, who was acting as the central figure for the members in Washington, DC,USA came out of her house to greet Shin'ichi and his party. Her arm was bandaged, and she wore sunglasses and a scarf around her head."What happened?" Shin'ichi asked in concern. "Excuse me for looking like this," she began, and went on to explain that her gas oven had exploded from a gas leak. "Are you alright?" asked Shin'ichi anxiously. "Yes, the doctor said the burns are minor." "Well, I'm glad to hear that," Said Sin'ichi. He continued, "Buddhism teaches the principle of lessening karmic retribution. Through the benefit of faith, we can transform heavy, negative karma accumulated from our past lives and receive its effects in much lighter form in this lifetime. Your accident today may be an example of this principle. For all you know, you may have been saved from a much bigger tragedy. It is important that you dedicate yourself to your practice with this conviction and with a corresponding sense of gratitude. This will open a path towards good fortune and courage. "
"At the same time however, please make a determination not to have any more accidents and pay keen attention to preventing them. If we think we will be protected just because we chant and allow ourselves to grow careless, we are not practicising faith correctly. Rather, because we are practising faith, we must stay alert at all times, doing everything we can to avoid accidents. This is true faith. When we practise this way, the power of our daimoku will come alive as wisdom and good fortune."
Shin'ichi wanted to retute the kind of faith that placed hope for salvation in an external power - a trap that the members could easily fall into.
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