You may think there are innumerable points to bear in mind when giving individual guidance, but actually there are not so many. The essential thing is that the person giving guidance fully understands the purpose of such guidance. The Japanese equivalent of “guidance” is shidd, shi meaning “to point to” and do meaning “to guide.” What do you point to and to where do you guide someone? Naturally you point to the purpose of faith and guide him to the Gohonzon, the basis of our faith.I have met with many members who, faced with various problems and troubles, were plunged into the depths of agony. One thing such people have in common is that they all forget about the limitless power of the Gohonzon at the most crucial moment. They become so overwhelmed by events taking place around them that their faith in the Gohonzon diminishes. The first and most important point you should remember in giving individual guidance is to make them realize this fact. In other words, you should tell them not to be swayed by external phenomena but to return to the Gohonzon, the basis of their faith. A human life is easily influenced. This vulnerability cannot be corrected simply by mental discipline. When you read a tragedy, tears fill your eyes. When you read a hilarious story, you burst into laughter in spite of yourself. Thus human life, this mysterious entity, manifests various conditions in response to external influences. A postcard is nothing but a piece of paper. However, if it carries a threat, the recipient trembles with fear. On the other hand, if it is full of affectionate phrases, he leaps for joy. Therefore, the important thing in life is to encounter good influences. If so, what better influence is there than the Gohonzon, the source) of the fundamental power to solve any kind of problem?For what purpose is a human being born in this world? In the final analysis, he is born to become happy and to fulfill his mission. Tree leaves emerge in spring, proliferate in summer and fall to the earth in autumn. That is their normal pattern of life. However, some leaves are eaten by worms, while others are not. Some leaves are blown away by the wind; others remain on the branches. Similarly, while all people strive in their own way to become happy, some of them fall ill, and others don’t. There are those who meet disasters and those who remain safe and sound. Whether one likes it or not, there are various differences among human beings. People often attribute such differences to either good or bad luck. Buddhism does not. According to Buddhism, such disparities result from karma created in previous existences. People must suffer in this life because of the causes they formed in the past. Everyone wants to be happy. When, contrary to one’s expectations, he meets failure or suffering, he may tend to blame it on others or on society. True, other people or society may be responsible as external causes, but no problem can be completely solved unless one seeks out the fundamental cause. Those who embrace the Gohonzon are no exception. It is vital to let members understand that the causes of everything they experience lie within them. However, just to realize this is not enough. They must endeavor to change poison into medicine. By earnestly praying to the Gohonzon in order to change their destiny for the better, they can transform their bad karma into the cause for happiness. That is why our Buddhism is called the Mystic Law. You must bear this in mind when giving individual guidance.
