Selection Source: The Joy Of Faith — President Ikeda’s Message to
the CEC, November 30, 2001, World Tribune, December 14, 2001, pg. 1
None of the efforts you have made for kosen-rufu are in vain. Only
by overcoming obstacles does the true worth of a practitioner
shine. To the degree that you challenge yourself to climb the
mountain of kosen-rufu, overcoming obstacle after obstacle, you will
accumulate more “treasures of the heart.” As leaders of America,
please lead lives of composure, based upon the great conviction that
faith is the source of infinite hope. In his writings, Nichiren
Daishonin states, “I praise myself, for I cannot hold back the
upsurge of joy in my life” (GZ 334). The essence of Buddhism lies
in the joy of faith. In other words, being able to truly enjoy
ourselves reflects the essence of Buddhism. Fully enjoying your
devotion to the Mystic Law, brimming with confidence, please always
be cheerful in spreading the seeds of happiness across your country
and constructing a truly peaceful paradise in this land of freedom
and justice, this land of America.
