Waiting for Test Results? What Nichiren Daishonin Wrote About Early Treatment and Steady Faith
The longest days are the waiting days
It started with something small: a lump, a pain that wouldn't go away, an unusual result on a routine test. Then came the scan, the biopsy, the referral. And now, the waiting.
Every day feels long. You search your symptoms late at night and wish you hadn't. You picture every possible outcome. You try to act normal at work or with your family, while your mind keeps returning to the phone call that hasn't come yet.
If you're in that in-between place, the Daishonin's guidance is both practical and steadying.
What does the Gosho say about a health scare?
Nichiren Daishonin wrote, "Early treatment by a skilled physician can cure even serious illnesses, not to mention minor ones" (WND-1, 954). Getting checked, getting tested and acting early is wisdom, not weakness. He also reassured an anxious follower that protective forces "accompany us like our shadow or like our eyes" from birth to death (WND-1, 464). You are not facing this alone.
Early treatment is wisdom
The Daishonin began a letter to the lay nun Toki, who was ill, with very practical words:
> "There are two types of illness: minor and serious. Early treatment by a skilled physician can cure even serious illnesses, not to mention minor ones." > — On Prolonging One's Life Span, WND-1, 954
If you're waiting for results, you are already doing the right thing. You noticed something and had it checked. That is exactly the wisdom the Daishonin praised. Whatever the result, finding out early gives you the best possible position from which to act.
Fear sometimes makes us want to avoid the doctor altogether. The Daishonin's words gently encourage the opposite: face it early, with good medical help, and with faith.
Never unaccompanied
When Shijo Kingo's wife was frightened about her health and her future, the Daishonin wrote to her:
> "A person's body has a left and a right shoulder, on which there are two gods, one called Same Name and the other, Same Birth… From the time we enter our mother's womb until the end of our life, they accompany us like our shadow or like our eyes." > — The Unity of Husband and Wife, WND-1, 464
The waiting room can feel like the loneliest place in the world. The Daishonin's image says otherwise: you are accompanied, as closely as your own shadow.
Chanting while you wait doesn't change what the tests will show. But it changes the state of life in which you receive the result, whatever it is.
One small step for tonight
Write down the questions you want to ask when the results come, so you don't have to hold them all in your head.
Then set a limit on searching symptoms online. Spend that time chanting, walking, or talking with someone you trust instead.
Chant for clarity and calm, for the right care if it's needed, and for the strength to meet whatever comes. If anxiety is overwhelming you, tell your doctor; they can help.
Waiting for a result, and receiving good news
Nandita had lived with ulcerative colitis for more than fourteen years, through repeated hospitalisations, aggressive treatments and a constant fear of malignancy. She had almost accepted suffering as permanent. After encountering Buddhism, she began chanting, studying and supporting children in her community, choosing as her motto, "I will joyfully face the challenges." Then came another colonoscopy, and days of anxious waiting for the results. When the doctor called, the news was beyond what she had dared hope: her colon had healed, there were no biopsy spots remaining, and her medication could be significantly reduced.
Her story, and others like it, are below.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cope with anxiety while waiting for test results?
Stay grounded in the present: chant, keep routines, limit online searching, and lean on people you trust. The Daishonin reminded an anxious follower that protection accompanies us "like our shadow" (WND-1, 464).
What should I chant for before medical tests?
Chant for accurate results, for wise and skilled doctors, for calm, and for the strength to respond well to whatever you learn.
Is it okay to feel scared?
Yes. Fear is a natural response. Faith doesn't mean not feeling afraid; it means not letting fear make your decisions.
Should I delay seeing a doctor?
No. The Daishonin wrote that "early treatment by a skilled physician can cure even serious illnesses" (WND-1, 954). Acting early is wisdom.
Which Gosho should I read while waiting for results?
On Prolonging One's Life Span (WND-1, 954–956) and The Unity of Husband and Wife (WND-1, 463–465).
Sources
All passages are from The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume I (WND-1):
- On Prolonging One's Life Span, p. 954 - The Unity of Husband and Wife, p. 464