Illness and Pain Are Our Good Friends for Staying Healthy

“When Disaster Strikes, Meet It Head On”

December 8 is the day that Shakyamuni attained awakening, which we gratefully and reverently observe with the Anniversary of Shakyamuni’s Attainment of Buddhahood Ceremony. So I would like, together with all of you, to sincerely reflect upon the wondrousness of encountering the teachings expounded by Shakyamuni and the blessings we’ve received through them.

In 1828, on December 8,* the same day as the Anniversary of Shakyamuni’s Attainment of Buddhahood Ceremony, Zen master Ryokan (1758–1831) sent a letter of condolence to a friend affected by a large earthquake. I think that in Ryokan’s letter, the Truth realized by Shakyamuni is described just as though the Dharma were alive, with blood running through its veins.

In his letter, Ryokan comforts his friend by writing: “To escape death and go on living, only to experience such sadness, must be very painful indeed.” Then he advises him, “However, when disaster strikes, you should meet disaster head on. When it is time to die, you should meet death head on. Thus does the wondrous Dharma free us from disaster.”

No one in this world can avoid disasters and the sufferings of birth, aging, illness, and death. What Ryokan means is that escaping these things is beyond the power of human beings, and there is nothing we can do about them, so the only way to avoid being crushed by pain and suffering is to accept them as they are.

At first glance, “when disaster strikes, meet it head on” is a rather cold pronouncement. But every time I see or say this phrase, I am struck by its crispness and clarity, and my mind is refreshed. I even feel invigorated by the relationship of trust that Ryokan enjoyed with his good friend (the same trust sangha members enjoy with one another), as he conveyed the Truth with a solemnity overflowing with compassion, and his friend had the fortitude to accept it.

Living with such a mindset and with gratitude for each day is certainly the way to lead a healthy and peaceful life.

Just “Cultivate the Buddhist Heart”

In the Lotus Sutra, it is written that “Devadatta was my good friend.” Devadatta was a disciple and relative of Shakyamuni’s, yet he tried to kill Shakyamuni. Shakyamuni called this man “my good friend” and, according to Founder Niwano, Devadatta is like “a friend who opens our eyes to the big question of how we should be living our lives.” Furthermore, it was Yokan (1033–1111), the head priest of Zenrinji Temple in Kyoto, who said, “illness is truly a ‘good friend.’” His feelings of gratitude are evident in his saying, “I was sickly and frail, but that very illness led me to realize the Truth and attain liberation.”

When you are faced with disaster or illness, it is normal to want to feel sorry for yourself. However, if you accept them as the rules of this world and make them your good friends, instead of being overwhelmed by pain and suffering, you will awaken to the wisdom that moves you forward calmly and with strength.

There is also the view that health and illness are not in opposition to each other. Just as life and death are two sides of the same coin, when you are healthy, you can also get sick, and only when you become sick are you grateful for being healthy. This is because illness is a part of health.

In the January 2023 issue of this magazine, I talked about how we are essentially energetic beings. From Yokan’s perspective, our bodies and minds are naturally inclined to be healthy and energetic, so even if we feel unwell at times, we should be able to transform an illness into the strength to live.

Someone said that the secret to good health is “being active with all your might and getting a good night’s sleep,” which means that when you give your all to doing what you must, your latent “vital energy” comes into play. Additionally—and even more importantly for us—we thereby transcend greed and anger, continuing in our diligent practice from day to day with a tranquil mind, and cultivating our Buddhist hearts.

In order to spend the new year with even more vitality, I would like to once again call upon the Buddha with renewed feelings and, touching upon the title of one of my own books and referring to other sources, think more about cultivating the Buddhist heart.

* According to the Japanese lunar calendar, the date is December 8, 1828. In the Gregorian calendar (currently in use in most parts of the world, including Japan), this date is January 13, 1829.