Transformative power of gratitude
Times of IndiaAuthored by Minoru Harada We live in an era of increasing loneliness, alienation, and anxiety. Daisaku Ikeda, third president of the Soka Gakkai, writes: “When we live with a sense of gratitude, we will never be deadlocked…Gratitude is a source of fundamental human strength.” A person who actively expresses gratitude is invincible – never crushed by negativity, never defeated by adversity. This sentiment is echoed in the Indian epic Mahabharat through the well-known tale of Ekalavya, who exemplified profound gratitude towards his guru Dronacharya. Despite never receiving direct instruction, he expressed deep gratitude to his guru, an act of humble acknowledgement of the inspiration he drew from his guru’s guidance. The Lotus Sutra tells the story of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, a practitioner who bowed to every person he met, declaring: “I have profound reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance, for you are certain to attain Buddhahood.” Rather than criticising others, he saw their highest potential.
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