Business Struggling? What Nichiren Daishonin Wrote to Those Who Carry It Alone

When everything rests on you

When you run your own business, there is no one to escalate to. Payroll is due whether the client pays on time or not. The order you were counting on gets cancelled. The loan instalment doesn't wait.

And there are people depending on you: employees, suppliers, family. So you keep a brave face during the day, and lie awake doing calculations at night.

If your business is struggling right now, or has already failed, you may also feel something harder to name: shame. As if a business failing means you failed.

The Daishonin's letters have a different view of that.

What does the Gosho say about business and failure?

Nichiren Daishonin told the young steward Nanjo Tokimitsu, impoverished by punitive taxes, about the wealthy man Sudatta: "Seven times he became poor, and seven times he became a wealthy man" (WND-1, 1086). He taught that treasures of the heart outweigh treasures of the storehouse (WND-1, 851), and that even a strong person "may fall down on an uneven path" when alone (WND-1, 598).

Seven times poor, seven times wealthy

Nanjo Tokimitsu was barely twenty when he became one of the Daishonin's most important supporters. As the young steward of Ueno Village, he was responsible for a large estate, the closest thing in his time to running an enterprise. When he protected fellow believers during the Atsuhara Persecution, the authorities punished him with heavy taxes on his estate and demanded unpaid labour from his village.

The Daishonin described his situation plainly: Tokimitsu himself lacked "the horse you should be riding," and his wife and children lacked "the clothing they should be wearing" (WND-1, 1087). Yet in that very letter, the Daishonin told him a story:

> "In India there was a wealthy man called Sudatta. Seven times he became poor, and seven times he became a wealthy man." > — The Wealthy Man Sudatta, WND-1, 1086

Sudatta went on to become the wealthiest man in all India.

Seven times poor. Not once. Business has seasons, and losing money is not the end of the story. What carried Sudatta, and Tokimitsu, through those seasons was not luck. It was a generous heart that stayed intact even when the storehouse was empty.

The three kinds of treasure

The Daishonin gave Kingo a way of measuring wealth that every business owner can use:

> "More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all." > — The Three Kinds of Treasure, WND-1, 851

Revenue, assets and inventory are treasures of the storehouse. Your skills, health and experience are treasures of the body. Your integrity, the trust of your customers and employees, and the way you treat people when money is tight are treasures of the heart.

A downturn can empty the storehouse. But a business owner who keeps the treasures of the heart, who pays suppliers honestly, protects employees where possible and keeps their word, still holds what rebuilds everything else.

You were not meant to carry it alone

To the lay priest Nishiyama, a village steward who often visited him, the Daishonin wrote:

> "When a tree has been transplanted, though fierce winds may blow, it will not topple if it has a firm stake to hold it up. But even a tree that has grown up in place may fall over if its roots are weak. Even a feeble person will not stumble if those supporting him are strong, but a person of considerable strength, when alone, may fall down on an uneven path." > — Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain, WND-1, 598

Entrepreneurs often pride themselves on independence. But the Daishonin says plainly: even a strong person, alone, can fall. Find your stakes: a mentor, a trusted advisor, an accountant, fellow members who will chant with you, a spouse you can be honest with. Asking for support is not weakness. It is strategy.

One small step for tonight

Write down three treasures of the heart your business still holds: a loyal customer, a reputation for honesty, a skill no one can take from you. Read them before you chant.

Then chant for the wisdom to make one clear decision this week, and pick one person to talk to honestly about where things stand.

If debt or financial pressure is becoming overwhelming, speak to a qualified financial advisor or a debt counsellor early. Getting expert help sooner is a sign of good judgement, not defeat.

From a bedroom office to a business across countries

Two years after Radhika began practising, her husband Amit's business collapsed completely and the family was buried in debt. Even then, their first prayer was that the business's employees should not suffer, and they handed the business over to one of them. They sold their home, and debt collectors humiliated Radhika at her workplace. Through daily chanting, study and encouraging other members, they kept going. Amit started an export business from their bedroom, and Radhika later left her corporate job to join him. Today the business operates across multiple countries, they have repaid every creditor, and they have moved into a home three times larger than the one they once sold.

Their story, and others like it, are below.

Frequently asked questions

What should I chant for when my business is struggling?

Chant for wisdom in every decision, for the right customers and partners to appear, and for the strength to protect the people who depend on you. The Daishonin taught Kingo to "employ the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other" (WND-1, 1001).

Does a business failure mean my practice isn't working?

No. Nanjo Tokimitsu, one of the Daishonin's most devoted followers, was impoverished by punitive taxes. The Daishonin encouraged him with the story of Sudatta, who was poor seven times before becoming the wealthiest man in India (WND-1, 1086). A setback is a business event, not a judgement of your faith or your worth.

What are the three kinds of treasure?

Treasures of the storehouse (money and possessions), treasures of the body (health and skills), and treasures of the heart (character and trust). The Daishonin taught that treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all (WND-1, 851).

Should I close my business or keep going?

That depends on your numbers, your responsibilities and honest advice from people you trust. Chant for clarity, get expert input, and make the decision from a calm mind rather than from fear.

Which Gosho should I read when running a business?

The Wealthy Man Sudatta (WND-1, 1086–1088), The Three Kinds of Treasure (WND-1, 848–853) and Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain (WND-1, 598–604).

Sources

All passages are from The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume I (WND-1):

- The Wealthy Man Sudatta, pp. 1086–1087 - The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra, p. 1001 - The Three Kinds of Treasure, p. 851 - Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain, p. 598