one of my favourite guidances from President Ikeda

President Ikeda's Guidance to Soka High School Baseball Coach:

SHS finally made it to the playoffs, only to lose in the first round.

The Coach wrote to PI:
"Our ace pitcher was drafted and is gone. We are not as strong as we
were; I believe our capability is lower, but we will chant and become
a greater and more capable team."

President Ikeda: "You are wrong. You should have enough capability to
win without having to go back and chant. Become capable and then your
Daimoku will become a strong wind behind your capability. If you are
relying on Daimoku to make it happen rather than on your own
capability, then you are just using faith like a superstition. You
should practice, and therefore, become capable. The team which
becomes the most capable will be the one which practices and works
hardest and has the most perseverance. Capability is very important
because it requires constant courage and training, but if your
capability counts only 50% and you base the other 50% on Daimoku to
the Gohonzon to bring it about "somehow", then your religion has
become a crutch for you. Religion is not there to hide your
shortcomings, but to strengthen you as a human being."