Doubts are normal at the beginning
Everyone has doubts. Doubts are normal. Until you have proved to yourself that you have the Buddha nature within and can handle anything in your life, it is easy to fall into doubt when times get tough. Doubts mean dwelling on fears, anxiety and the feeling that you can’t possibly make your goal.
To Master Doubt is to Master Your Mind
Learning to master doubt is part of learning to master your mind. Remember that you want to create what you want not what you don’t want. The more you dwell on your fears the more likely you are to create them in the future. So when tempted to fall into them remember to pull your mind out of your fears and refocus on your goal – what you want. At the beginning this is a real discipline and you may have to redirect your thinking many times in one day. Take heart though, it does get easier.
Study Helps
Study something from Nichiren Daishonin or President Ikeda such as the promises of Buddhism. Deepen your practice. This will make handling doubts easier. Study will give you encouragement.
Connect With A Long Term Practitioner
When faced by doubts it is important to ask questions and talk with a long term practitioner. That person can encourage you, share experiences and remind you how to use the practice to overcome your doubts and fears.
Get in touch with someone who can identify your steps of progress as you move towards your goal. Sometimes it is hard to recognize small steps and seeing the progress you are making will give you encouragement.
When Having Doubts,Chant
When you have doubts just lay them aside for a while, and chant to the Gohonzon. Then exert 100% effort to take action in dealing with the steps of the challenge.
Learning To Handle Doubt is Part of the Process
Doubts are normal until you have established the unshakeable life state of Buddhahood, which remains unswayed by whatever is happening on the outer levels of life. Everyone has to learn to handle doubt. It is part of the process.
Ways to Handle Doubt
- Keep your mind focused on your goal, what you want, not your fears and what ifs.
- Study something such as the promises of Buddhism for encouragement.
- Talk with a long term practitioner, who will share experiences, and remind you of the steps of progress.
- Chant to the Gohonzon and then take action to deal with the next step of the challenge.
- Doubts are normal and learning how to master them is one of the steps to establishing Buddhahood in your life
“How to Handle Doubts”, Margaret Blaine, The Practical Buddhist