A Guide to the - Rissho Kosei-kai

The Ordinary WayWhen a baseball outfielder races for a batted ball and makes a successful diving catch,everyone applauds him for making a fine play. But in reality, a fine play is when the outfielderguesses where the batter is likely to hit the ball, goes to that spot, and makes the catch withease. This is a simple strategy, but it is the ideal way to play baseball. We learn from this thatwhat at first glance appears difficult can be surprisingly easy, and that it can be rather difficultto carry out calmly what appears quite commonplace.This reminds me of an anecdote concerning the thirteenth‐century swordsman TsukaharaBokuden. One day, as five or six of his young followers were walking along a road, a horsetethered by the road suddenly kicked at one of them. When the young man nimbly dodged theblow, his companions were filled with admiration. They returned to their training hall and toldtheir master what had happened. Tsukahara frowned and grumbled, "You have not practicedenough." The young followers protested and said, "If that is so, then please walk along thatroad and show us how you would deal with the horse." Tsukahara agreed. When they came towhere the horse was tethered, Tsukahara walked briskly down the road on the side across fromthe horse.He then admonished his disciples: "A horse kicks. You never know when it will kick. Sowhenever you go near a horse be sure not to get too close. Keeping your distance as you go byis how to be prepared. This is none other than the secret of swordsmanship." The baseballanecdote and Tsukahara's admonition hold true for anything in life.The Japanese Buddhist term shojin, meaning assiduity, includes the meaning of doing ordinarythings in ordinary ways. It is not the doing of something that is especially difficult or thatborders on the impossible. Doing commonplace things, slowly but steadily, always withvigilance, always conscientiously‐‐this is true assiduity.There are all kinds of mottoes to encourage assiduity in the workplace, such as "Everyemployee is a salesman," "Devote yourself to cost‐consciousness," and "A debt of long standingis comparable to a tenfold decrease in sales." Each is important, but if one becomes overlyinclined toward developing competent people, one will end up merely developing skills.Someone once said, "It is enough for a man to read books, keep company with friends, andpolish his sword." If we adapt this recommendation for businessmen, it might be, "Continuallyexpand your information network," and "Cultivate your job skills." These maxims alone,however, seem a bit bleak. Why not go one step further? "Constantly delve into yourself,""Cultivate your ability to consider others," and "Polish the sword that cuts off worldly desires."With capable employees a company's short‐term performance is sure to improve. But it is thenurturing of a solid spiritual framework among its employees that will guarantee a company acentury of prosperity. It seems to me that good fortune over the long run depends on quiteordinary actions, such as greeting others first, keeping promises, and not complaining ormaking excuses. If one can unflaggingly do commonplace things every day, that is all that isnecessary. More than being merely sufficient, it may even be called the secret of assiduity.Before attaining enlightenment, the Buddha for six years practiced continual austerities at therisk of his life, but finally realized that this was not the way to truth. After bathing in a river, heate the milk gruel a village maiden offered him. Not bathing in rivers and not eating nutritiousfoods had been part of his austerities. Renouncing asceticism and returning to the life of anordinary person, he fell once again into contemplation and ultimately attained enlightenment.The essence of his teachings from then on was that by living in truth and doing the right thing,all people will find happiness, and the whole world will be at peace.39