(Photo above by Helena Lopes / Pexels)
Finding time in a hectic schedule is definitely not easy. But when we talk about handling a busy schedule from the Buddhist perspective, it’s not about calculating how much time we give to each activity.
Rather, it’s more about our perspective. When we decide to expand our capacity, chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and take one step forward, we can make the best use of our time. Need motivation? Read these four tips from the Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda.
When we decide to expand our capacity, chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and take one step forward, we can make the best use of our time.
Tip #1: There’s no such thing as waiting for the right time; we create it.
We have to make a determination, pray and take action. Unless we do so, our environment will not change in the least; though five or ten years may pass, “that time” will never arrive ... “That time” is the moment you resolve from the depths of your heart, “Now I will stand up and fight!” From that instant, your destiny changes. Your life develops. History begins.
Ikeda, The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, p. 26
Tip #2: Everything starts with making a decision to win and deciding to never give up.
Speaking to a young person struggling with finding balance in their life, Ikeda encourages them saying:
To get right to the point, it boils down to making a decision to do your best in everything and then having the determination not to retreat a single step. When placed in severe circumstances, people all too easily tend to give up, convinced that the situation is hopeless, before even considering what concrete actions they could take. In their hearts, they have already conceded defeat without even putting up a fight. That, in fact, is the cause of all failure. … You have to bring forth your wisdom and life force, and then exercise your ingenuity. … A hundred people will come up with a hundred different creative ways, but in every case the basic principle is the same.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 4, p. 145
Tip #3: Exert 100% effort in each moment.
Ikeda reflects on when he was 28 years, with grand goals but a limited about of time to accomplish everything he needed to do:
The future exists right now. How we act and live in this moment—and in each passing day—determines the future. A sutra says, “If you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present” (“The Opening of the Eyes,” WND-1, 279). “It’s now or never! Don’t let this precious moment slip by!” This was what [Daisaku] told himself.
The New Human Revolution, vol. 30, p. 3
During his own extremely busy schedule at that time, Ikeda shows that through his moment-to-moment struggle to encourage others, we can multiply our ability to create value at each moment.
Tip #4: Powerful morning gongyo and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are key.
The ability to manage time comes from developing a powerful life force—where even challenges can become something that moves our lives toward even greater growth, day after day. Everything then comes down to doing a powerful morning gongyo and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Ikeda writes:
Failing to win in the morning can lead to an unsatisfactory day. And an unending succession of such days can add up to an unsatisfying life. On the other hand, winning in the morning, getting off to a good start, leads to a productive day and puts you on a path to solid progress, ultimately culminating in a life of fulfillment and victory.
Nov. 10, 2017, World Tribune, p. 6
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