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Chanting Growers Group

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Hitman

Active member
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to all! Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooo much for inspiring and making it happen. I'm off to see the wizard! I'm scared but I promise to be a brave as a lion. Oh my they just called to see if I was alright- The sound of Gongyo was ringing in the backround. Here it goes!
 

Bonzo

Active member
Veteran
Right on Hitman!

Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

peace

bonz








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Babbabud

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!
Fantastic Hitman !! So happy for you !!

Thanks for the birthday wishes friends. Its actually on the 23rd :) Should be a great week!! Have a nice Toso planned for New Years Eve with Georgialouwho !! my chanting sister :) always watching out !! We will chant the New Year in together!! Lets get started today and finish chanting this old year right on out to the new!!
Thankyou all so much for the encouragement you add each day. Its what keeps us going!. I bow to you all !!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Like the Roar of the Lion!!
 
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SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
"If a teacher has a good disciple, both will gain the fruit of Buddhahood."

(Flowering and Bearing Grain - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1,
page 909)
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
"Of course, during the year-end holidays, it's nice to take some time to
rest and recharge our batteries, but the important thing is to keep steadily
climbing the worthwhile path of self-improvement throughout our lives.

Russian literary giant Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) quotes American writer Henry
David Thoreau (1817-62) as saying: 'The biggest happiness is when at the end
of the year you feel better than at the beginning.' These words also
resonate with the Gakkai lifestyle. As we progress in our individual human
revolutions, we come to savour ever-greater happiness in our lives with each
passing year.

Let's set forth into the new year with fresh resolve--something that Mr.
Toda stressed as vitally important."


Daisaku Ikeda
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
remembering a great Bodhisatva - Ted Osaki

remembering a great Bodhisatva - Ted Osaki

Ted Osaki

Ted Osaki was born into an American-Japanese Catholic family. His father loved to fish. One day while his father was fishing on a lake, the boat's gas tank leaked gasoline, caught fire, and the boat sank. The gasoline on top of the water continued to burn, so his father was faced with drowning or burning. Even when he came up for air, there was little oxygen. He drowned, burned, and suffocated.

Young Ted Osaki went to his parish priest to ask why this happened to his father. He was told that it was God's will. Mr. Osaki found this answer lacking. Later, Mr. Osaki encountered a Buddhist priest who told him that it must have been his father's karma to have died that way; perhaps, he said, as punishment for killing fish. Mr. Osaki found this explanation unsatisfying as well.

Mr. Osaki became cynical about religion. After marrying and having two children, his wife was diagnosed with cancer of the liver. The doctors told her that they could not do anything to keep her from dying an early death.

Mrs. Osaki was determined to see her children grow.

She became involved with the Soka Gakkai. They told her that she could definitely overcome cancer if she practiced Buddhism with the Soka Gakkai. This angered Mr. Osaki. He thought it was cruel to give her false hope and use her to promote their religion. He knew that all religion, including that of the Soka Gakkai, was powerless.

His wife ignored him and spent much of her remaining days doing Soka Gakkai activities. She was dying. He felt that she was neglecting him and their children. He was furious. He was sure the Soka Gakkai was a Communist front. (Communism was the scapegoat de jour at that time.)

He decided to infiltrate the Soka Gakkai. He would pretend to believe, and when he had enough information, he would expose the Soka Gakkai for the fraud that it was, and rescue his wife.

But then his wife overcame cancer. The doctors were amazed. Osaki was happy, but confused.

The Soka Gakkai that Mr. Osaki joined (hoping to discredit it) is much different than the SGI of today. Most of the American members were Japanese war brides. They were miserable, often poor, often abandoned, often with children. They could not drive. They spoke little English. They were trapped by poverty and circumstances in a vast racist nation that hated them and let them know it. They were homesick to the core of their being, but they could not go home.

When they were introduced to the Gakkai, they met other Japanese women just as miserable as they were, facing the same life challenges. They could talk in Japanese, sing Japanese songs, and share recipes. The best hours of the day were spent doing Gakkai activities.

One by one they began to experience the benefits of practicing the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. They shared hope. The Gakkai is the architecture of hope built on a landscape of despair.

Though he could barely do Gongyo, and he knew virtually nothing about Buddhism (he was an ex-Catholic), they made Ted Osaki a leader. He was articulate. He was smart. He was handsome. He was an officer in the U.S. Army. He was a hero in the eyes of the local Soka Gakkai and his wife. Their love grew deep and strong.

He was a person that Japanese war brides could bring their husbands to and he would convince them to try the practice. He was perfect for the job. His understanding of Buddhism grew. He came to do the most perfect Gongyo I have ever heard. Even long-time members from Japan would remark "I wish people in Japan could do Gongyo like him."

With the absolute devotion and support of his wife and Gakkai peers, he became a Buddhist dynamo.

Mr. Osaki and the First Washington DC Brass Band

In the early days of the Kosen Rufu movement in Washington DC, there was a member named Pat. He couldn't keep time to save his life. When he clapped his hands, he was a danger to himself and others.

One night, just before dropping him off, Mr. Osaki asked Pat to start the first ever Washington DC Buddhist Brass Band. Pat, without thinking, said "Hai!"

Everyone thought that Mr. Osaki was kidding, but not Pat.

Pat had never played a musical instrument. He rented a trombone. He hired a music instructor. He chanted tons of Daimoku, studied, and practiced his trombone. After two months of intense effort, he was still lousy.

His music instructor was underwhelmed by Pat's musical ability, but curious about why a person with no natural ability was willing to try so hard.

Pat explained that he was a Buddhist and that he believed that if he studied, had faith, and practiced enough, he could accomplish anything. This was the kind of conviction that Pat's instructor longed for.

His instructor came to a Buddhist discussion meeting and met Mr. Osaki.

It seemed as if Mr. Osaki expected him to be there. Pat's instructor joined the Gakkai and began introducing his friends to the practice.

Many of his friends were in military brass bands.

In a short time, Pat had accumulated the best musicians in the Washington DC area, including a virtuoso tuba player (John Fake) and a great composer (David Brink).

Some of these young men went on to become great leaders and great musicians.

The Washington DC Brass Band went on to win national awards.

Mr. Osaki had shown (again) that the impossible is made possible by practicing the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
What is the Buddhism of Nichiren?

What is the Buddhism of Nichiren?

What is the Buddhism of Nichiren?

Members of the SGI practice the Buddhism taught by Nichiren, a 13th Century Japanese priest whose philosophy centered around the final teaching of the first historically recognized Buddha (known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha). This teaching, called the Lotus Sutra, declares that all living beings have the potential to attain enlightenment or Buddhahood.

Enlightenment is an awakening to the true nature of life, including the profound realization of the interconnectedness of all things — the inseparable relationship between the individual and the environment and the ability of each human being to powerfully influence both. This realization leads the individual to assume personal responsibility for his or her own condition of life and for that of the environment.

This responsibility is furthered by an understanding of the simultaneity of cause and effect. Each thought, word and deed has an immediate effect both on the individual and on his or her environment.

The goal SGI members try to achieve is to manifest Buddhahood, or enlightenment, in their lives, which will tap their creative potential as individuals and, in so doing, create thriving and peaceful families, work places and communities. The eventual goal is, through the gradual “human revolution” of the individual, to create peace and prosperity in societies throughout the world.

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

Nichiren taught that all of the benefits of the wisdom contained in the Lotus Sutra can be realized by chanting its title [Nam] Myoho Renge Kyo. Chanting these words and excerpts from the Lotus Sutra is the core of this Buddhist practice, supported by study and the propagation of teachings. Faith, practice and study are the basics of the Buddhist practice, pursuing activities for oneself and activities for the sake of others.

The Gohonzon

Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the fundamental object of respect, the Gohonzon. The object, in the form of a scroll, depicts, in Chinese characters, the law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and the life of Nichiren, as well as protective influences. Down the center are the characters Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and Nichiren’s signature. This indicates the oneness of person and Law — that the condition of Buddhahood is a potential within and can be manifested by all people. SGI members enshrine a replica of the Gohonzon in their homes as a focal point for their daily practice. The Gohonzon’s power comes from the worshipper’s faith — the Gohonzon functions as a spiritual mirror. Sitting in front of the Gohonzon and chanting, a person is able to recognize and reveal his or her own Buddha nature, the creative essence of life.

Daily Practice - Gongyo

The Japanese word gongyo literally means “assiduous practice.” Generally speaking it means to recite Buddhist sutras in front of an object of worship. The practice of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism is to recite Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and part of the second “Hoben” and the entire sixteenth “Juryo” chapters of the Lotus Sutra in front of the Gohonzon. This is the fundamental practice of Nichiren Buddhism, performed morning and evening.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin

Nichiren Daishonin was persecuted throughout his life by the Japanese government and by religious powers who considered his revolutionary teachings a grave threat to their continued authority. Nevertheless, the letters he wrote to his followers, often under the most dire conditions, illustrate that even in the midst of the greatest challenge, he was able to realize the great beauty of life and feel joy and compassion for others. These letters and treatises, more than 400 of which remain today, are collected in English as The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vols. I and II, and are the primary study material for SGI members.

Lay believers - the SGI

Until the 1930s the followers of Nichiren known as the Hokkeko were a relatively small group of lay believers, led by the priesthood of the Fuji School (Nichiren Shoshu). In 1930, a lay organization was founded by educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. During World War II, Makiguchi was imprisoned for refusing to compromise his religious beliefs and resisting pressure from the Japanese government to accept the State Shinto religion, which was used to unify the public in support of the war. He died in prison in 1944. His successor, Josei Toda, was also imprisoned, but survived to help lead the postwar growth of the Soka Gakkai (”Value Creation Society”) from a handful of members to more than 750,000 households before his death in 1958. The third President, Daisaku Ikeda, has guided the movement to its present day strength of 10 million members in Japan, and approximately 2 million members in more than 190 countries and territories abroad. The international organization, Soka Gakkai International (SGI), was formally established in 1975.

In 1991 the SGI organization separated from the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood.
 

Hitman

Active member
Hi all,

Today has been very special and with all of you the special gets to continue.

I'm being shown how to enshrine my Gohonzon and I had to share this very, very, very exciting moment with you all. So near to Bubba's! Happy Birthday Bubba! And SoCal! When's your Gohonzon Birthday, PasstheDoob? YA!


Thank you all!
 

Bonzo

Active member
Veteran
Heya Hitman! NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO!!!!! Is'nt the enshrinement cool?! That is YOUR Gohonzon!!!! You earned it Hit!!!! Woooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooo !!!!!

Congratulations my Brother!!

peace

bonz







Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Hitman

Active member
Bonzo! All!

The Gohonzon is a sight to behold I can't keep my eyes off of it!

Bonz, You don't have to stress over the Butsadan at all brother! I have one with a light from my mum! She'll be trading hers in for a Bigger Gohonzon so it worked out perfect!

When I have 15 years I'll step up in size and i'LL BE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU build a Gargantuan BUTSADAN!

This is awesome! MAY YOUR BUDDHA NATURES' ALL EMERGE AND THRIVE!
 

Hitman

Active member
Boddhisatvas!

I feel like a just took a rocket ride. I mean I got some zing in my zang. It's a full moon and the the first day of winter. Everything is so clear as if I've plugged into some great positive force. I've heard a story of people enshrining several people's Gohonzons in a day and just flying!!! I'm flying right now!

This hits for you!
 

Hitman

Active member
You're Awesome!

You're Awesome!

EasyMyohoDisco said:
Happy Birthday Bud!

After a long Hiatus, I finished this semester and we're hosting a meeting this afternoon. Day before yesterday we enshrined my girlfriend's friend (shakubuku) Gohonzon and it was a splendid occasion, and last night was her christmas party so I'm really pooped today but stronger in spirit and happy in the heart. My friends its important to remember no matter what your struggles are, winter will turn to spring and a great evil is gonna be the catapult towards your brilliant future.

I'm realizing that it doesn't matter if we're young or old, bored or interested, hungry or thirsty, but that you recognize that living as a Bodhisattva provides a basis for a stable high life condition and a very fruitful experience everywhere you go. I didn't post this but this week I had a few new people chanting at my job (during our office afternoon prayers which I was asked to lead) and it solidified in my mind that this Chanting Growers Mission is getting better by the moment.

With that intrepid spirit in mind, please know I'm with you if you choose to take action and make things happen in your life, that determination is the essence of my faith and the fuel of Champions of the Heart. I'm very proud of all of you, we are really roaring into the new year!

Keep it up! :wave:
It's just eye opening to see the effect you have on your co-workers and your environment, EMyohoD. I salute you! Chant on brother, chant on.
Ps: Receiving a Gohonzon is breathtaking! Kosen Rufu alll the way!

When you are in deep struggle is when you need to face the Gohonzon. And remember that at that crucial time you are protected.
 
E

EasyMyohoDisco

HITMAN!!!!!! WE ARE FIGHTING SANSHO-SHIMA TOGETHER! CONGRATS! Well my friend, I knew 2008 was gonna have some amazing things in store for us, I am very proud of you brother!

Yesterday at a youth meeting in my home I had my two youngest shakubukus come over a 14 year old and 15 year old, I'm friend with one of the dude's mother and they're interested in Buddhism and they hung out at my place. We made sure we prepared alot of food and had good tasty drinks for all the guests yesterday to feel comfortable and to my surprise one of the young guys was chanting for things and shared his experience about chanting for a girlfriend in 5th grade and he was not sure if the chanting worked, then in 8th grade that girl signed his yearbook saying "I really liked you alot in 5th grade maybe in high school we could get together". That began to show him how to apply his faith! Incredible, I'm soo amazing to me, that young ones like our children and friend's children can really derive meaningful benefit from our practice. I know PTD's kids chant and its a pleasure to know that we are doing well preparing the next generation of Chanting practioners of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.

I also had a great district meeting in the morning before the meeting at our place and got to discuss my vision for being a kosen-rufu pioneer in America, I really think I will be able to develop our membership better, and I'm focusing on ways to use that motive to help my life grow. It doesn't matter where you are, we have to struggle to reinforce the practice with our exsisting members and to continue to help others be facilitated in finding out about this practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! to Gohonzon. All I can say is when I'm chanting and talking to Nichiren he's talking back lately in engrish to me and we're discussing how kosen-rufu will unfold.... I'm really really close to Gohonzon at this point, and very pleased with that.


I'm very happy to hear your great news Hitman, and its nice to know my friends Bonzo, Babba, GLouWho, and Sceggers are out and about and making it happen!

Wishing you all the best,
MyohoD
 

Babbabud

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

The benefit of chanting daimoku is immeasurable and boundless. Indeed, there is infinite power in, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo just one time. The Daishonin says, "If you recite these words of the daimoku once, then the Buddha nature of all living beings will be summoned and gather around you" (MW-5, 112). Also, he teaches that the benefit of chanting one daimoku is equal to that of reading the entire Lotus Sutra, that of chanting 10 daimoku is equal to reading the sutra 10 times, that of 100 daimoku is equal to reading the sutra 100 times, and that of 1,000 daimoku is equal to reading the sutra 1,000 times!!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo !!
 

Hitman

Active member
Thanks, MyohoD. That's awesome Babba.

It would be a gift to our district for youngsters to join. It is the element we lack. No children. I'd like to be able to help develop strong young leaders. It's great to hear that you are doing it!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! Yes, Scegy, I'm going to use what I've got and love the district that I'm in! Such a unique bunch! Every shape, color and size! I'll have to find a fine buddhist woman and start creating an army of little Hits!
 

Bonzo

Active member
Veteran
You know that Easy!! I have been working so hard at getting the guy i work with to a meeting, his wife is more into the idea than he is though and i am trying to figure out how to get her to a meeteing and then im sure she would be so thrilled she would get her Husband to go as well. We had the biggest introductory mtng ive ever been to the other night and i was thinkin' that would ba the perfect time, but alas, he had an excuse, So i am going to spread my focus around a bit more and they will come when its their time to come? I just feel that if i focus all my energy on them than i will lose sight of and maybe let some Shakabukues slip by that should not.

scegy my brotha!! how are ya man?? Gohonzon comin' your way soon? You have come so far, its time dude, dont ya think? Man i allways love readin your posts bro,allways shootin' from the hip homie!!! Much Respect brother!

Looks like another beautifull day in paradise!!

hope ya'll have a great day

peace

bonz








Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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:wave: Happy Sunday to Everyone! Hope is well in all of your worlds and from what I have read it seems to be so! Although I don't post as often as I would like to; I want each and every one of you to know what you post and the words that are spoken from your heart; impact me in such a profound way and leaves me so humbled by such beauty.
HITMAN U DID IT!! See the Wizard isn't so scary after all just don't mind the man behind the curtain and all is well! As a "fortune" baby it is quite the feat to receive your own gohonzon; it is almost easy to ride on the coat tails of our parent(s) faith but just as we grow up and move out of our parents home and embark on this journey of life we too must receive our own gohonzon; no wonder I was channeling all of that before; your ancestors were yelling at me and now I know why; your family is a triple threat(grandma too or did i just f*ck that up? lol) to that devil of the sixth heaven! Stellar absolutely stellar!
"your faith guarantees that an infinite number of your ancestors and descendants will attain Buddhahood. Such is the wondrous power of the Mystic Law. How profound and important is your existence! There is also no greater way to repay your debt of gratitude owed to your parents than through faith!" D. Ikeda...faith into action

I received one of those bigger gohonzons about 5 years ago and afterwards one of the leaders came to me and said now your practice is going to be harder but yet deeper and of course he might as well said it in greek or some other language that I don't understand but with all that is going on in my life right now those words are ringing very clearly in english in my head lol!
And I will go into more at another time when I can expound more but its not in me right now but I will say that although this is one of the most difficult times I am going through it is not stopping me from being truly happy in this very moment. Big Gohonzon little Gohonzon No Gohonzon it is no matter when it comes to making the choice that you will no longer be bogged down by your suffering; that it is time to shift stuff on a deeper level and the only way to do it; to truly get to those roots of karmic suffering is to chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and the means to reflect that and to see it clearly is the Gohonzon! We are truly lucky and am so glad that we all kept our vow to be here at this time to do our part for Kosen Rufu and our own human revolution!
We Rock! :headbange

Hippy Birthday to You Babba my chanting brother; many many many happy returns! :dance: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :dance:

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
GeorgialouWho :wave:
 
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