The lion is most lionlike when he roars.

July 25th, 2008; 1:17 PM

Current mood:determined

Buddhism is, in a sense, an eternal struggle between the Buddha and demons; in other words, a contest between positive and negative forces. If we fail to be assailed by negative influences, we cannot be said to be truly practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. Buddhist practice lies in bravely facing and overcoming adversity.

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Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Friday, July 25, 2008

Many people talk about peace, but few really do anything about it. Very few are willing to fight the battle to the end. Josei Toda instilled in me the hard and fast rule that, even if we stand alone, we must never give up but must see the struggle through to its conclusion.

The year before he died, he said something I have never forgotten for a minute: "If we don‚'t fight, justice will be defeated. Because justice is on our side, we must not lose, we absolutely must win. That‚'s why we fight. The lion is most lionlike when he roars."