Winning Together with the Roar of Faith

When Our Family Refused to Be Defeated

My name is Arvind , and my wife, Naina , and I have been practicing Nichiren Buddhism for many years. Through faith, we had overcome numerous struggles together, but nothing compared to the battle our family faced during the pandemic. Looking back today, I realize that the greatest victory was not merely recovering from illness—it was discovering the limitless courage hidden within every member of our family.

Everything changed within a few days. First, our teenage daughter developed a high fever. Soon afterward, I tested positive for COVID, followed by our son. At first, we believed we would recover at home. But my condition deteriorated rapidly. Breathing became increasingly difficult, and one night my oxygen levels dropped dangerously. I could neither stand nor walk without support.

Naina immediately rushed me to the nearest hospital. The emergency ward was overflowing with patients. Every bed was occupied, and the doctors regretfully informed her that they had no space to admit me.

Rather than surrendering to despair, she summoned extraordinary courage. Calmly but firmly, she requested the doctors to begin treatment in the waiting area itself until a bed became available. They finally arranged a temporary bed and started oxygen support, but my breathing continued to worsen.

Choosing Courage Instead of Fear

As I struggled to breathe, my family refused to let fear dictate their actions. Instead, every one of us turned toward the Gohonzon.

While lying in the hospital, I silently chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with every breath I could manage. Each inhalation felt like a victory. Every exhalation became another prayer to continue fighting.

Back home, something happened that transformed my own life condition.

Our young son requested a video call. Looking straight into the camera, he spoke with absolute conviction.

"Dad, I am not begging the Mystic Law. I am commanding it. A Bodhisattva of the Earth cannot be defeated. I have already started chanting, and I won't stop until you return home."

His words pierced through every layer of fear I had been carrying. At that critical moment, it felt as though roles had reversed. My young son had become the one encouraging me. His unwavering conviction reminded me what true faith looked like.

Meanwhile, Naina returned home exhausted, emotionally drained, yet determined not to collapse before the children.

Our son sat beside her with A Youthful Diary in his hands. He carefully read several passages aloud, explaining each one with remarkable maturity. One particular entry deeply touched both of them:

"All I can do is steel myself to meet hardships cheerfully."

He then looked at his mother and simply said, "Mom, we are going to win."

That single conversation transformed the atmosphere inside our home. Fear gradually gave way to determination.

The Battle Intensifies

Within hours, doctors shifted me to another hospital. Soon afterward, Naina received devastating news. My lungs had been severely affected, and doctors urgently needed a rare injection that was extremely difficult to obtain during the pandemic.

She had barely twenty-four hours.

People began offering medicines through unofficial channels at unreasonable prices. Others suggested alternative drugs whose effectiveness was uncertain.

Although the pressure was overwhelming, Naina remained remarkably calm.

She later shared that throughout those tense hours, one conviction never left her heart—that if she based every decision on the strategy of the Lotus Sutra, the correct protection would undoubtedly emerge.

Supported by family members, fellow practitioners, friends, and complete strangers, she contacted every possible source. Instead of allowing panic to dictate her decisions, she prayed continuously while taking one action after another.

Looking back today, she often says that breaking free from her naturally reserved personality during those days was one of her greatest human revolutions. Speaking confidently with senior doctors, administrators, officials, and suppliers no longer intimidated her. Prayer had awakened courage she never knew she possessed.

Drawing Strength from Nichiren Daishonin's Words

Inside the ICU, every passing hour tested my resolve.

The physical pain was intense. Breathing itself demanded enormous effort. More than once, I wondered how much longer I could continue.

At that very moment, a senior in faith shared with me Nichiren Daishonin's encouragement from "The Proof of the Lotus Sutra."

"Since you now appear certain to attain Buddhahood, perhaps the heavenly devil [i.e., the devil king of the sixth heaven] and evil spirits are using illness to try to intimidate you. Life in this world is limited. Never be even the least bit afraid! And you demons, by making this man suffer, are you trying to swallow a sword point first, or embrace a raging fire, or become the archenemy of the Buddhas of the ten directions?"

Reading those words reignited something deep within me.

I realized that this battle was not merely against illness. It was a struggle against fear, hopelessness, and the tendency to surrender before my mission had been fulfilled.

Filled with fresh determination, I returned to chanting with renewed focus.

Almost immediately afterward, Naina received the long-awaited message.

The life-saving injection had finally been arranged.

For both of us, it felt as though protective forces had appeared precisely when we needed them most.

That night, after receiving the treatment, I experienced my first peaceful sleep in many days. Although recovery would still take time, hope had unmistakably returned to our lives.

Discovering the Power of Encouraging Others

Although the medicine had arrived, our struggle was far from over. The following days brought fresh challenges. Due to the nationwide shortage, two doses of another critical medication were unavailable. Once again, Naina refused to surrender to anxiety. She continued chanting abundant daimoku while taking relentless action. Through a series of seemingly impossible circumstances, every required medicine reached the hospital in time, allowing my treatment to continue without interruption.

Meanwhile, back home, the condition of our children worsened. Both required stronger medication, and Naina herself began experiencing chest pain, breathlessness, and dangerously low blood pressure. The emotional burden of coordinating everyone's treatment had taken a heavy toll on her health.

Doctors explained that prolonged stress had affected her breathing pattern. Yet even in that fragile condition, her greatest concern was not herself—it was the members she had been supporting. Unable to answer their calls because of her own weakness, she felt she had failed in her responsibility.

At that moment, she remembered an encouragement she had once received from Sensei:

"I am praying for your good health and happiness."

Those simple words reignited her determination. Rather than feeling guilty, she resolved to become healthy again so she could continue encouraging others. She restarted her treatment with fresh resolve, chanting throughout the day with the determination to stand up once more.

Turning Suffering into Compassion

After a week of intense treatment, my oxygen support was finally removed. For the first time, I could perform gongyo aloud again. Those familiar words filled my heart with gratitude.

Being isolated in the hospital had been emotionally draining. Yet throughout those lonely days, fellow members continued sending songs, encouragement, and messages of hope. Every call reminded me that I was never fighting alone.

When I finally returned home, our entire family sat before the Gohonzon and chanted gratitude daimoku together. It felt less like returning from an illness and more like completing a profound human revolution.

Although physically weak, I wanted my first actions after returning home to express gratitude. The very next day, I began calling fellow members, encouraging those who were themselves battling illness and uncertainty. Even when my voice lacked strength, I silently chanted in my heart while listening to each person's struggle.

At the same time, Naina initiated a weekly relay daimoku movement among the leaders in our area. Every Saturday, members united in prayer for one another, creating a rhythm of hope that uplifted everyone involved. Personally, she challenged herself to chant five to six hours every Saturday, transforming what had begun as a health crisis into an opportunity to deepen her faith.

A Family That Grew Stronger Together

Recovery did not happen overnight. Our daughter continued to experience health challenges for several weeks, and our son also required ongoing care. Yet something remarkable had changed within our home.

Instead of complaining about prolonged medication, our daughter began turning empty medicine blister packs into colorful flowers and decorative artwork. Watching her transform reminders of illness into symbols of beauty taught us one of the deepest lessons of Buddhism—changing poison into medicine.

Gradually, laughter returned to our home. One by one, every member of our family tested negative. Our children resumed their studies with renewed confidence, carrying within them a maturity born from overcoming adversity.

Professionally too, new opportunities emerged. Naina's design work expanded through multiple meaningful projects, while I was able to restart my event management assignments with greater gratitude than ever before. We no longer viewed our careers merely as professions, but as opportunities to contribute to society with the wisdom we had gained through faith.

The Greatest Victory Was Human Revolution

Looking back, I realize that recovering from COVID was only one part of our victory. The greater transformation happened within our hearts.

Our son taught us that age has nothing to do with courage. Our daughter demonstrated how suffering can become a source of creativity. Naina showed me what fearless prayer looks like when expressed through wise action. And I learned that every breath can become a prayer when one's life is dedicated to a noble mission.

Most importantly, our struggle deepened our appreciation for the incredible network of encouragement that exists within the Soka Gakkai. Every phone call, every daimoku session, every message, and every prayer became a protective force that carried us forward when our own strength seemed insufficient.

This experience forever changed how we view obstacles. We no longer ask, "Why is this happening to us?" Instead, we ask, "How can we use this experience to encourage someone else?" That shift has become one of the greatest treasures our family has received.

My Determination

Today, I determine never to allow fear to overcome my faith. Together with my family, I will continue strengthening our mentor-disciple bond, encourage every person who is struggling, and transform every obstacle into an opportunity to reveal the limitless power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

I vow to protect the precious lives entrusted to me, deepen my prayer each day, and become a source of hope wherever I go. Together, as a family united by faith, we will continue advancing kosen-rufu and reporting victory after victory to our eternal mentor through our actions, our compassion, and our unwavering spirit.