--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"As practise progresses and understanding grows, the three obstacles and four devils emerge in confusing form, vying with one another to interfere ... One should be neither influenced nor frightened by them."

* three obstacles and four devils - At a time when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood, or at a time when a person is at a turning point in doing their human revolution, the negative aspect of life will always appear in some form. This is an unavoidable fact of life! Nichiren Daishonin assures us of this and asks us to transmit it as an axiom or principle of faith so that it is understood by all those who practise.

This negative aspect is often referred to as the 'three obstacles and four devils' (in Japanese, sansho shima). Obstacles refer to things which appear to be outside of ourselves (but which ultimately have their origins in our lives) and the devils, or negative elements, are 'internal'. What makes these obstacles and devils serious is that if we are influenced by them we may stop practising Buddhism. They confront us at a specific point in time - usually when we are about to grow in our lives and move forwards. The fact that at a difficult moment we may think that we should stop practising is a sign that it is an attack of one of the three obstacles and four devils. From a positive point of view these hindrances enable us to see a weakness in our lives so that we can chant and become stronger in that area.

(Ref.: http://www.sgi-uk.org/index.php/buddhism/humanrevolution)
(Letter to the Brothers - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 501) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, April 7th, 2008