Learning from, and Being Grateful for, Encounters
Rev. Takashi Maeda
Director, Rissho Kosei-kai International
Hello, everyone. The title of President Niwano’s message for this month is, “I’m Glad to See You.” If we could always approach our family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors with this heartfelt feeling, how much warmer and more joyful our daily lives would be.
Founder Niwano taught us that life consists of encounters. Our lives are shaped by the people we meet. Through each and every encounter, we ourselves are developed and refined.
In our daily lives, we often unconsciously judge things as good or bad, or right or wrong. However, when we become convinced that our own way of thinking is the only correct way, we develop what Buddhism calls “attachment.” As a result, we may end up rejecting or criticizing those whose values differ from our own.
Yet, encounters with people who have different perspectives—or even with those we find difficult to get along with—can be valuable opportunities for learning. The President has shared that when meeting people with different viewpoints, he has simply accepted them by thinking, “Other people have their own way of seeing things.” From his example, we learn the importance of accepting each encounter just as it is.
The Lotus Sutra teaches that the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Sounds of the World appears in thirty-three different forms in order to guide people. In other words, every person we meet may be a precious reminder that helps us recognize the limitations of our own perspective and the narrowness of our hearts.
This month, with a heart of gratitude that says “I’m glad to see you,” let us cherish each encounter and continue walking the path of daily practice.
