Visible benefits are not as great as invisible benefits. In Buddhism the intangible benefits are truly great. I’m not denying the value of conspicuous benefits, but it’s important to understand this point. If you fail to do so, you may think you will always receive conspicuous benefits, and if you don’t, you may lose confidence in faith.
We can understand the concept of conspicuous and inconspicuous benefit in terms of absolute and relative happiness. To improve one’s life materially and physically is to attain relative happiness. But relative happiness, no matter how great, has nothing to do with absolute happiness. That’s why we are so often told not to be swayed by superficial things in our practice of true Buddhism. When you become rich, you might lose sight of that essential something in your faith, and forget about your absolute happiness.
No matter what happens to you, you should continue to chant (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) to the Gohonzon.
When you feel happy, you should thank the Gohonzon for your happiness.
When you feel sad, you should pray to the Gohonzon so that you can replace the sadness with joy. In any event, it is the Gohonzon alone that you can depend on.
Source: Guidelines of Faith by Satoru Izumi
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