Living With Fearlessness and Mission
In 2019, Prakash Verma was introduced to Nichiren Buddhism through one of his daughter’s friends.
From the very beginning, the philosophy resonated deeply with him.
He immediately felt drawn toward the idea that every individual possesses limitless potential and dignity.
Soon, chanting daimoku and doing gongyo before sunrise became the foundation of his daily life.
Each morning felt like a fresh celebration of life.
Prakash threw himself wholeheartedly into Buddhist activities.
He opened his home for meetings, actively encouraged friends to attend gatherings, subscribed to Value Creation , and rarely refused any opportunity to contribute.
Through sincere efforts alongside district members, he gradually underwent profound human revolution.
One of the biggest changes he noticed was within his temperament.
Slowly, he learned to control his anger and react more calmly to situations.
At the same time, visible benefits also emerged.
His business flourished financially, and his elder daughter found a suitable life partner.
Faith had begun transforming both his inner life and external circumstances simultaneously.
When Everything Changed
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like many businesses across the country, Prakash’s construction and transport business collapsed almost overnight.
Years of stability suddenly disappeared.
Yet despite the financial uncertainty, he continued practicing Buddhism with the same enthusiasm and determination.
He also actively supported people affected by the pandemic and reached out to others facing fear and hardship.
But even greater challenges were waiting ahead.
In August 2021, Prakash experienced mild chest pain.
Initially, he ignored it.
But after repeated insistence from family members, he finally consulted a cardiac surgeon.
The medical reports stunned everyone.
Doctors discovered multiple severe heart blockages and an extremely low blood ejection fraction.
Some even wondered aloud how he had continued functioning normally for so long.
Almost immediately afterward, another crisis unfolded.
His family members tested positive for COVID, forcing him to temporarily isolate himself at a relative’s home before surgery.
Within days, Prakash found himself facing a life-threatening operation amid enormous uncertainty.
Fearless Even Before Surgery
Despite the circumstances, Prakash refused to surrender to fear.
Before being taken for surgery, he recorded a message of determination for the district discussion meeting.
Members and family continuously chanted for his health and recovery.
The doctors themselves later expressed surprise at his unusually positive and fearless attitude both before and after surgery.
Even while hospitalized, Prakash continued speaking to people about Buddhism.
At one point, he introduced the nurse caring for him to the practice.
The surgery and recovery went remarkably smoothly.
Where many people would have become consumed by fear, Prakash chose encouragement and dialogue instead.
A Second Battle: Cancer
After gradually recovering, Prakash resumed both business rebuilding and Buddhist activities.
But in May 2022, he noticed blood in his urine and went for medical consultation.
The diagnosis was devastating.
He had cancer.
Doctors advised immediate surgery.
However, they were deeply concerned about whether his weakened heart could survive such a major operation.
Anxiety naturally arose.
But instead of collapsing mentally, Prakash turned once again to the Gohonzon.
One passage from Nichiren Daishonin became central to his prayers:
“Illness gives rise to the resolve to attain the way.”
(“The Good Medicine for All Ills,” WND-1, p. 937)
Prakash began trying to understand his suffering from a completely different perspective.
Rather than asking, “Why is this happening to me?” he started asking, “What is my mission through this struggle?”
District members once again supported him wholeheartedly with daimoku.
The surgery lasted twelve hours.
One kidney had to be removed.
Later, he learned that he had nearly died during the operation and had to be revived.
The case drew significant attention due to its complexity.
In media interviews afterward, even the surgeon remarked that he had rarely encountered a patient with such fearlessness and positivity.
Prakash’s greatest victory during the surgery was not merely survival — but refusing to surrender internally even in the face of death.
Turning Suffering Into Mission
After surviving cancer, Prakash felt he had been given a second life for a reason.
He became convinced that he had survived because he still had many people to encourage and introduce to Buddhism.
Recovering physically took time.
But even during recovery, he never stopped talking to others about chanting and hope.
His own victory over cancer became powerful actual proof.
Dialogue gradually became his way of life.
He began sharing Buddhism with:
Relatives
Friends
Business associates
Neighbors
Acquaintances
Whenever someone faced suffering, Prakash naturally found himself chanting and encouraging them.
When one neighbor suffered a severe brain stroke and hovered near death, Prakash chanted beside the family and shared Buddhism with them sincerely.
Moved by his conviction and compassion, eight members of that family eventually began practicing.
He also encouraged a Stage 4 cancer patient who had nearly given up hope.
Gradually, the patient’s condition began improving.
In another instance, he supported worried parents whose young child struggled with speech development.
The child gradually began speaking.
His suffering had transformed into a source of hope for countless others.
Continuing to Challenge Himself
Initially, Prakash’s wife and daughters worried constantly about his recovery after surgery.
But seeing him actively participate once again in meetings, activities, and district responsibilities gradually reassured them.
Step by step, he returned to work.
First for a few hours.
Then eventually full-time.
Even amid recovery, he continued challenging himself as a Buddhist practitioner.
When the BSG Entrance Exam was announced, he initially hesitated because of his age.
But deciding not to limit himself, he studied sincerely and chanted wholeheartedly.
At the age of sixty-three, he successfully cleared the exam.
Today, Prakash is cancer free.
And more than ever before, he feels deeply determined to continue transforming his karma through human revolution and contribution.
A Line That Stayed With Me
“Illness gives rise to the resolve to attain the way.”
Reflection
Life-threatening illness often forces people to confront fear at the deepest level.
Some become consumed by anxiety.
Others discover an entirely new purpose for living.
Prakash’s journey shows that Buddhism does not deny suffering.
Instead, it teaches us how to transform suffering into mission, courage, and compassion.
Sometimes, the greatest proof of inner strength is not avoiding hardship — but becoming a source of hope for others while enduring it ourselves.
Key Takeaways
Challenges can awaken a deeper sense of mission in life.
Fearlessness is built through faith and determination.
Actual proof inspires hope in others naturally.
Human revolution transforms suffering into compassion.
Dialogue and encouragement strengthen both ourselves and others.
Forward With Determination
Today, Prakash remains deeply determined to:
Continue introducing people to Nichiren Buddhism
Advance kosen-rufu through dialogue and encouragement
Build a private kaikan for members in the future
Continue transforming his karma through human revolution
Above all, he remains determined to use every moment of his life to inspire hope and courage in others.
Inspired by a published Buddhist experience and retold with commentary, reflection, and adapted storytelling.