As I whizz around on my bike, in the lovely Dorset countryside, it seems easy for me to forget that I am in my late fifties.
I don’t feel any older than I did forty years ago, in fact, my stamina is far better now than it was then.
I know that I have been fortunate enough to avoid serious illness, but maybe all this exercise is the cause of that.
Daisaku Ikeda, in his daily encouragement, sees things slightly differently, but the principles are very much the same …
In the twinkling of an eye we grow old. Our physical strength wanes and we begin to suffer various aches and pains.
We practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism so that instead of sinking into feelings of sadness, loneliness and regret, we can greet old age with an inner richness and maturity as round and complete as a ripe, golden fruit of autumn.
Faith exists so that we can welcome, smiling and without regrets, an old age that is like a breath-taking sunset whose dazzling rays colour heaven and earth in majestic hues.
So if, like a few of my friends, you are thinking ‘I should really be doing more to stay fit, to look after this aging body, but I just don’t have time … maybe tomorrow’ don’t put it off another day. It’s not all about Buddhist Practice, though I do chant, in time to my breathing, as I cycle my way to wherever.
Here in the UK, we are enjoying a welcome extension to the summer, but it won’t last. So get your bike out, get your running shoes on, get into those speedos (ok, maybe not), but whatever you decide to do, get out in the fresh air, stretch those legs, fill those lungs and make the causes for a longer, fitter, happier life.
P.S.
If you haven’t done any exercise for a while, maybe you should go and talk to your doctor before going nuts and doing some lasting damage. A little wisdom goes a long way.
It may seem perfectly acceptable to put ourselves and our own wishes first, to simply follow the dictates of our emotions and cravings, but the truth is that there is very little that is more unreliable than our own mind.
The Sanskrit word Buddha means “One who is awakened [to the truth].” While the term was widely employed by various schools of the time, it eventually came to be used exclusively in reference to Shakyamuni. At the same time, the word Buddha implies “to bloom.”
Passing on the ideas and ideals behind Buddhist teachings is a little like sewing a hidden gem into the lining of a friends clothes.
My own experiences with Nichiren Buddhism have shown me how powerfully it can change your life.
Religion must teach an “attitude to life.” To live a life of true human dignity is certainly difficult.
When you truly devote yourself to achieving your goals, you will not be bothered by shallow criticism.
The capitalist system in western society has caused many of us to become addicted to wealth and be dominated by the pursuit of money and power.
My dear old friend Billy Brown had a favourite saying, ‘that everyone had the right to his opinion’. He was generally joking, but sometimes he meant it.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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