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Chanting Growers Group

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PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
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"My wish is that my disciples will be cubs of the lion king, never to be laughed at by the pack of foxes. It is hard to encounter a master like Nichiren, who since distant kalpas in the past down to the present day has never begrudged his body or life in order to expose the faults of his powerful enemies!"

(In the Continent of Jambudvipa - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 1061) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, June 22nd, 2009
 

Babbabud

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Thanks so much for all the encouragement this thread brings to my family daily !!
Nam myoho renge kyo
 

Payaso

Original Editor of ICMagazine
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Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

My thoughts are with you all...especially on this day when Pluto did a dance with the Sun and Neptune. Strange times indeed.

I pray you all are well.......
 
E

EasyMyohoDisco

It is so fucking unbelievable sometimes how a Bodhisattva like me can't help another Bodhisattva do the right thing. It doesn't matter who it is, we can only ultimately control our destiny and our life. Chanting for others sure does help though, I have been chanting for a friend's son to graduate from High School and I just got news the other night that he is, after his mother almost convinced me he would repeat his senior year. I told her, lets chant for him together and at our houses whenever we can. Everytime I do gongyo these days I also got a long list written in my million daimoku chart book and i read through it and send special daimoku for those intentions. My friend's son graduating from high school has been in there and is going to become a reality.

Either way, for me it is those we love the most that hurt us the most in the end. Truth is I'm dissapointed my lady won't goto school and won't apply to school and get matriculated. I have been trying for over a year and I keep trying and trying and trying and it is killing our relationship. I keep killing our relationship too goddamnit, jesus chirst I'm slandering so much the hole I've been digging is deep. I know it is and I'll get out of it.

Nichiren is right that bad things and good things in life are just facts of life and mean nothing in the overall scheme of life for Bodhisattvas. We have to keep making causes to chant and to conquer fundamental darkness. Bold action and thought is required to avoid defeat and I'll do my best to innovate some cool means to justify the ends I'll have to sleep in.

I'll keep you posted!

P.S.- After next monday or tuesday I'll be away for a while, but hopefully not for long! If you need me just call :)
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
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"Muster your faith, and pray to this Gohonzon. Then what is there that cannot be achieved?"

(Reply to Kyo'o - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 412) Selection source: Gosho Study: Why are our prayers answered, Seikyo Shimbun, June 23rd, 2009
 

PassTheDoobie

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"Although I and my disciples may encounter various difficulties, if we do not harbour doubts in our hearts, we will as a matter of course attain Buddhahood. Do not have doubts simply because heaven does not lend you protection. Do not be discouraged because you do not enjoy an easy and secure existence in this life."

(The Opening of the Eyes - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 283) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, June 24th, 2009
 

PassTheDoobie

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The power of our youth is indispensable in order for us to be constantly and unremittingly victorious. Let us develop a strong consolidation of capable young people to take the lead! The time has come for the genuine members of the youth division to reveal their true and essential identity,* to boldly stand at the vanguard and gloriously lead our movement of truth and justice.

Daisaku Ikeda

* Casting off the transient and revealing the true: The revealing of a Buddha's true status as a Buddha, and the setting aside of that Buddha's provisional or transient identity. http://www.sgilibrary.org/search_dict.php**

* The “transient” to be cast off is weakness; it is cowardice. The Daishonin, by manifesting his “true identity” of courage, demonstrated for all people the principle of “casting off the transient and revealing the true.” It is by standing up to all hardships with determination, by making the Daishonin’s courageous spirit our own, that we can actualise this principle.

Source:
http://www.sgi-usa.org/memberresources/mensdivision/study/04/openingofeyes2004.pdf
 

PassTheDoobie

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**casting off the transient and revealing the true

**casting off the transient and revealing the true

[発迹顕本] ( Jpn hos-shaku-kempon )

The revealing of a Buddha's true status as a Buddha, and the setting aside of that Buddha's provisional or transient identity. In the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni declares: "In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of meditation not far from the city of Gaya and there attained supreme perfect enlightenment. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddhahood." Through this statement, he discards his provisional identity as the Buddha who first attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree in India and reveals his original enlightenment, or the enlightenment he attained numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past.This concept has also been applied to Nichiren (1222-1282), who wrote in The Opening of the Eyes: "On the twelfth day of the ninth month of last year [1271], between the hours of the rat and the ox [11:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M.], this person named Nichiren was beheaded. It is his soul that has come to this island of Sado and, in the second month of the following year, snowbound, is writing this to send to his close disciples" (WND/269). Nichikan (1665-1726), the twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji temple, who was known for his commentaries on Nichiren's writings, interpreted this passage on two levels: First, the phrase "this person named Nichiren was beheaded" corresponds to the passage from the Lotus Sutra that reads, "[Ignorant people] will attack us with swords and staves"; and "his soul that has come to this island of Sado" corresponds to the Lotus Sutra passage "again and again we will be banished." This, Nichikan said, shows that Nichiren is the votary of the Lotus Sutra who lives in the spirit expressed in the sutra to "care nothing for our bodies or lives but are anxious only for the unsurpassed way." Second, Nichikan attributed a deeper significance to these passages, citing another passage from Nichiren's writing Persecution by Sword and Staff that reads, "All the Buddhas of the past, present, and future attain enlightenment during the hours of the ox and the tiger [1:00-5:00 A.M.]" (WND/965), and compares this with the above passage from The Opening of the Eyes. "The hours of the rat and the ox" indicates the time Nichiren as an ordinary person died; hence the phrase "this person named Nichiren was beheaded." Because the "hour of the tiger" is the time immediately following Nichiren's attempted execution, Nichikan interprets this to indicate the time Nichiren as the Buddha was born; hence the phrase "It is his soul that has come to this island of Sado." In identifying Nichiren as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, Nichikan also referred to a passage from Nichiren's Reply to Kyo'o that reads, "I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart. The Buddha's will is the Lotus Sutra, but the soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (WND/412).
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
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"Muster your faith, and pray to this Gohonzon. Then what is there that cannot be achieved?"

(Reply to Kyo'o - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 412) Selection source: Gosho Study: Why are our prayers answered, Seikyo Shimbun, June 23rd, 2009
 

PassTheDoobie

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"No one should lightly choose death. The true brilliance of being human shines when we strive to live out our lives with all the vigour we can summon, no matter what adversity we face."

SGI Newsletter No. 7801, The New Human Revolution--Vol. 22: Chap. 3, High Seas 23, translated June 22nd, 2009
 

PassTheDoobie

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"The Czech playwright and novelist Karel Capek (1890-1938), who sounded a warning against Nazi Germany, said: 'As long as our spirit remains unbroken, it will not be dormant. A dormant spirit is like a river that does not flow. We call such a river a dry river.'

"Never hesitate to speak the truth, to speak out for what's right. Say what is on your mind. State your case clearly. Explain yourself at length so that your listener can really understand and relate to what you're saying. Never remain silent. At times, it may even be necessary to respond quickly and directly to confront malice or prejudice. Our voice is our power. Our voice is our weapon for truth."


SGI Newsletter No. 7802, WOMEN’S DIVISION AND YOUNG WOMEN'S DIVISION EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE--PART 3 [OF 3], Live True to Your Convictions, from the Feb. 24th, 2009, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated June 23rd, 2009
 

PassTheDoobie

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"I entrust you with the propagation of Buddhism in your province."

(The Properties of Rice - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 1117) Selection source: Editorial, Seikyo Shimbun, June 25th, 2009
 
E

EasyMyohoDisco

Still posting on this banned connection somehow and it feels extra-special every other time! For the record when you download over 100gb (in about 10 days) of torrents sometimes your ISP will send you a warning or shut-down your service. I think it is so myoho that I can post on this thread and keep my connection alive here.

This Buddhism will not survive if we do not keep reading Nichiren Daishonin's writings and everything else that stems from them. The Daishonin's writings are the earth and our lives are the seeds. When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! we begin to bloom over and over again!

I especially appreciate all the special words of direct guidance and encouragement that come in the form of definitions, explanations, articles and thoughts based on the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. Throughout the history of this website we really did our best from time to time, make life difficult for ourselves and each other. Through our practice we have used those issues as fuel to go above and beyond our expectations and limits to be where we are today. I'm sure many chanting growers feel the same way.

Without 10 foot swells in the sea, a captain won't learn to appreciate the majesty of his ship. Likewise, without the troubles we go through to prove the truth and bring out the correct we will become courageous in faith and determination thereby appreciating our lives and everybody's life as best we can.

Play with your children, have fun with your pets, goto meetings as often as possible because summer is here!

Make it happen buddies!
 

PassTheDoobie

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"Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month."

(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 997) Selection source: Soka Gakkai President Harada's speech, Seikyo Shimbun, June 26, 2009.
 

PassTheDoobie

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This day -- today -- holds the promise of unimaginable possibilities, the amount is unlimited! Let's live out each day of our noble and precious lives to the fullest, enjoying every moment as though performing a dance, boldly and courageously for the sake of kosen rufu!

Daisaku Ikeda
 

PassTheDoobie

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"Suffer what is there to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, no matter what happens."

(Happiness in This World - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 681) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, June 27th, 2009
 

PassTheDoobie

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"The Daishonin writes: 'Iron, when heated in the flames and pounded, becomes a fine sword. Worthies and sages are tested by abuse' (WND-1, 303). Iron is tempered by fire to become steel, which can then be forged into a magnificent sword. The same is true of people. It is actually to our advantage to undergo hardship and struggles in life."

SGI Newsletter No. 7803, 30TH SOKA GAKKAI HEADQUARTERS LEADERS MEETING--PART 1 [OF 2], Maintain a Youthful Spirit, from the June 21st, 2009, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated June 25th, 2009
 

PassTheDoobie

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As the Daishonin writes, "Human beings never fail to prosper when they make good causes."* Let's talk about and spread the wonderful philosophy of Soka far and wide. Through such efforts, we will certainly open up the glorious path of victory overflowing with good fortune and benefit!

Daisaku Ikeda

* Gosho - The Third Day of the New Year - WND-1, page 1013, "Just as flowers open up and bear fruit, just as the moon appears and invariably grows full, just as a lamp becomes brighter when oil is added, and just as plants and trees flourish with rain, so will human beings never fail to prosper when they make good causes."
 

PassTheDoobie

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It's important to keep on challenging and making resolute efforts towards our goals without ever giving in! Making such efforts and having such a challenging spirit is the way to open up the road to kosen rufu and at the same time to expand our own lives. With a strong tenacity of purpose let us launch ourselves fearlessly into the midst of our struggles!

Daisaku Ikeda
 
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