I love this quote
July 14th, 2006
“If you don’t stand up now, when will you? If you don’t exert yourselves now, when will you? How many decades do you intend to wait before you take your stand? There is no telling what condition you will be in then. You are in the prime of your life. It is a precious time in this finite existence. I say this because I want you to have no regrets!”
Extract from The New Human Revolution Volume 10, pp321-322, Daisaku Ikeda, the passage describes the inauguration of the men’s division in 1966
Hi, Jason,
Funny you should quote from The New Human Revolution.
I have this on a set of cassette tapes I purchased a long time ago. I’d been listening in the last few weeks, in fits and spurts, as I worked on crocheting a set of tops for the summer. I came to the end of the last tape two weeks ago, and thought, Bugger!, I wish I had some more good Buddhist stuff to listen to! I thought of a Greg Martin lecture I have around here someplace, but I’d have to dig around to find it.
Not a week afterward, I was given the link to your podcasts. I burned some to CDs, and they’re my constant companion as I ride the train to and from work, and I daresay I’ll probably play one or two as I finish crocheting my lovely new peacock-blue shrug this weekend.
With regard to the quote: Obviously I’m not a Men’s Division member, but Pres. Ikeda’s encouragement is relevant to everyone.
So many people I know, who do not practice but assume that I chant for “relaxation,” have no idea what this Buddhism is really about. It’s faith followed by action. It’s not about “relaxation.”
So I’ve shakubuku’ed a couple of people this week, bolstered by chanting (faith and practice) and listening to your podcasts (study).
One of those friends is an online acquaintence who wrote me last night saying she’s had some rough going lately. So I sent her the link to your podcasts, explaining that I was returning the favor of her past support and friendship with something wonderful and encouraging to listen to.
If not now (while she’s in the depths of despair) then when? If not me (her only friend who’s a member of the SGI), then who?
Thank you for giving us one more great tool for kosen-rufu. You and Karen do an amazing job! (And Florence sounds so cute!)
Vittoria
Comment by Vittoria — July 15, 2006 @ 4:59 am