July 3rd

Being able to walk along the path of mentor and disciple is an important condition for living an honorable existence. When people forget to follow the path of mentor and disciple, they forget their original purpose in life and at the same time lose sight of the grand goal that they had so carefully envisioned and held on to. Unfortunately, there are far too many people who fall prey to their vanity and their small egos.

- Daisaku Ikeda

師弟の道こそ、正しい人生をまっとうするための要諦である。師弟の道を失い、自己の原点をなくした場合には、大切にしてきた大目的をも忘れ、小さな自身のエゴと虚飾に陥ってしまうことが、あまりに多い。
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 202)

May 2nd

To have a mentor in life is a matter of great rejoice, a matter of great good fortune. Beautiful and noble indeed are people, who can walk unwaveringly along their chosen path of mentor and disciple, with a sense of pride in their hearts.

-- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
人生にあって師を持てることは幸せであり、大きな喜びである。自らが決めた師弟の道を人生のほこりとして貫き通すところに、人間としての美しさ、尊さがある。

JINSEI NI ATTE SHI O MOTERU KOTO WA SHIAWASE DE ARI, OOKINA YOROKOBI DE ARU. MIZUKARA GA KIMETA SHITEI NO MICHI O JINSEI NO HOKORI TOSHITE TSURANUKI TOSU TOKORO NI, NINGEN TOSHITE NO UTSUKUSHISA, TOTOSA GA ARU.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 137)

August 14th

A life lived along with memories of one's mentor is indeed beautiful. Keeping those memories always alive and warm in our hearts, taking pride in our mentor, and spending a lifetime actualizing their ideals - herein lies the road to happiness as human beings.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
師との思い出をもつ人生は美しい。豊かである。師との思い出を大切に温め、師を誇りとし、師の理想を実現していく―――
そこに幸福な、人間としての道がある。
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 245)

March 16th

What exactly is the mentor-disciple bond? It is the bond that spurs a disciple to make their best efforts to be of service to the mentor. It is the bond that spurs a disciple to work hard to develop ability, become a fine, respectable person and live up to the mentor's expectations. It is the bond that spurs a disciple to report victory to the mentor.

-- Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese text:
SHITEI TO IU NO WA, SHISHOU NI DESHI GA TSUKAE KITTE IKU KOTO DA. DESHI GA CHIKARA O TSUKE, RIPPA NI NARI, ERAKU NATTE, SHISHOU NI OKOTAE SURU NO DA. SOSHITE SHISHOU NI SHORI O HOKOKU SURU NO DA.
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, 87 pg.)

September 16

My mother was never really particular about my school grades, but she was quite strict about how I lived my life. When I was young, she often told me to never inconvenience other people and to never lie. When I grew a little older she only added to this by saying that I should always follow through with whatever choices and determinations I had made in life.

Daisaku Ikeda

Japanese Text:
"私の母は、成績については何も言わなかったが、日頃の生活習慣などには厳しかった。小さい頃、母によく言われた。「他人に迷惑をかけてはいけない」「嘘をついてはいけない」と。少し大きくなってからは、「自分で決意したことは、責任を持ってやり遂げなさい」という言葉が加わった。"
(Josei ni okuru kotoba 365 nichi, pg. 279)