Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

“Showing them the same respect you would a Buddha,”*
let’s make every effort to praise all of our fellow members
who are so selflessly dedicating themselves to
achieving kosen-rufu at the very forefront of our activities!
Encouragement is the driving force for great advancement.

Daisaku Ikeda

* “Therefore, Universal Worthy, if you see a person who accepts and upholds this sutra, you should rise and greet him from afar, showing him the same respect you would a Buddha” – The Lotus Sutra, “Encouragements of the Bodhisattva Universal Worthy” chapter 28, "The Fourteen Slanders." WND p. 757

 

[PassTheDoobie]

“It also states that, if the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds.'

(On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 4) Selection source: “Kyo no Hosshin”, Seikyo Shimbun, July 9th, 2008

 

[Hitman]

I'm standing up on the corner of the ropes like Jimmy Superfly Snuka, it's a tag team cage match and as soon as you belly him off you, SoCal, I'm coming down with the body slam on the devils of the sixth heaven.

I went to my shakabuku's house last night and showed the mighty words of the Liturgy of the Lotus Sutra! Slow and steady, so slow with my fingers on every syllable, I even was forgetting the words. Afterwards, we read the prayers aloud! Then I hit him up with the real speed and rhythm of a meeting.

Thank you to you all!

Hit- Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Go SoCal! Go!!!

Go SoCal! Go!!!

Our own personal experiences in faith and the practise
are what really inspire and encourage others.
It is vital that leaders share,
with the great confidence and conviction that they have in this practise,
their own personal dramas of victory

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[Desiderata]

Hi guys, the inspiration is boiling! I'm working long hours again. Mo later!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Myo means to revive, that is, to return to life."

(The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 149) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, July 10th, 2008

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"True courage--this is none other than having compassion for others. Mr. Toda thoroughly taught me this, and I've always put it into action.

"From today, I would like all of you to remember that courage is ultimately compassion. Please uphold the jewelled sword of courage and compassion in your hearts. People lacking courage become cowardly and self-serving."

SGI Newsletter No. 7579, 8th NATIONWIDE YOUTH DIVISION LEADERS MEETING--PART 2 [OF 2], Win through Courage, Triumph with Valour (Held in conjunction with the Future Division General Meeting and the Soka Alumni Meeting, at the Soka University Auditorium in Hachioji, Tokyo, on May 4th, 2008. Translated July 2nd, 2008

 

[Babbabud]

Im with you Desi working plenty of hours lately. Hope things are going well for everyone !! Kick some ass So Cal !!
Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs."

(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 997) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, July 11th, 2008

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Today, let’s make a fresh start
with the strong determination;
"It's what I do from now that matters most!"
From where we stood yesterday,
let’s, today, progress one more step.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[SoCal Hippy]

The Gohonzon itself is an unlimited source of hope. And the
Daishonin's Buddhism is the Buddhism of hope.

Looking back, we see that the Daishonin inscribed Gohonzon for his
followers for the first time after his near execution at Tatsunokuchi
and his subsequent exile to Sado Island —in other words, amid life-
threatening persecutions. His exile to Sado was tantamount to
imprisonment. It was in that harsh, cheerless "prison," where no hope
seemed possible, that the Daishonin first inscribed the Gohonzon,
which would bring hope to all humankind. This is most significant.

He did not inscribe Gohonzon in some magnificently ornate temple, nor
did he do so in order to gain authority and power while living in the
lap of luxury. Rather, amid dire persecution, he continued to cherish
the great hope of kosen-rufu — a hope that blazed in his heart as
bright as the sun — and he infused the Gohonzon with his
indefatigable fighting spirit to achieve that goal.

The Daishonin declares, "I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi"
[black Chinese ink] (The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.
1, p. 120). The Gohonzon is thus infused with the Daishonin's spirit
for kosen-rufu. Consequently, from a strict standpoint, the lives of
those who have lost the spirit of faith, the spirit to work for kosen-
rufu, no longer can commune and fuse with the Gohonzon.

The Daishonin teaches that "the Gohonzon is found in faith alone" (MW-
1, 213). The Gohonzon and the world of Buddhahood are found in faith
dedicated to fighting for kosen-rufu. "Never seek this Gohonzon
outside yourself," writes the Daishonin (MW-1, 213).

When Mr. Toda was in prison, he didn't have the Gohonzon with him.
However, he had faith that was dedicated to kosen-rufu. That is why
he was able to attain a profound realization of the reality of life
and the universe while in prison.

On the other hand, even if a person possesses the Gohonzon but lacks
faith, it will be useless: No benefit will be forthcoming.

The 26th high priest, Nichikan, emphasizes the importance of our
faith when he stresses that the Gohonzon is the "object of devotion
for observing one's mind (enlightenment)," that is, for believing,
for faith. He urged believers never to forget this point.

The Gohonzon is the object of devotion for enlightenment — or,
expressed more simply, the object of devotion of faith.

World Tribune 08/13/1999
Ikeda

 

[SoCal Hippy]

IKEDA: More remarkable still is how during his Sado Exile the
Daishonin was able to write, unperturbed by his circumstances, such
important works as "The Opening of the Eyes," which clarifies the
object of devotion in terms of the Person, and "The True Object of
Devotion for Observing the Mind," which elucidates the object of
devotion in terms of the Law. It was in this place of exile that he
clearly revealed the means for leading all people to enlightenment
over the ten thousand years and more of the Latter Day of the Law. He
resolutely opened the path to attaining Buddhahood for all.

When viewed from the perspective of the Daishonin's state of life,
there was absolutely no room for confusion or worry, no matter what
persecutions assailed him. Whatever authority attempted to attack
him, they could not undermine in the slightest his immense state of
life as the Buddha.

The Daishonin perfectly fused his life with the Mystic Law that
encompasses the entire universe and established a sure path to convey
the joy of this infinite and boundless realm to all people. This in
itself is an example of the great joy experienced by the Daishonin, a
joy that surpasses all other kinds of fulfillment. He taught us the
means by which we can achieve that same state of life.

President Toda summed up the Daishonin's life-condition with one
simple word—hope. He said:
"When we look at the lives of great people of the past, we find that
they remained undefeated by life's hardships, by life's pounding
waves, and that they held fast to hopes that seemed but fantastic
dreams to most. Moreover, they let nothing stop or discourage them
from realizing those aspirations. They were able to do this, I feel,
because their hopes themselves were not limited to personal desire or
self-interest, but were based on a wish for the happiness of
humanity. This gave them extraordinary conviction and confidence."

At the age of sixteen, Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter
Day of the Law, awakened to the great wish to lead all people to
happiness. Enlightened to the profound truth of the universe, he
devoted himself from then until the age of thirty-two to study of the
Buddhist sutras aimed at solidifying his conviction. Until his death
at sixty-one, he remained wholeheartedly committed to every one of
the hopes and dreams he held in his youth. It is as if he had
established a magnificent palace of hope in his life!

The Daishonin lived with tremendous hope from the time of his youth
until his death. This exemplifies the true conduct of a Buddha.

President Toda offered these remarks at the start of 1957, the year
before his death. Just as he is talking here about the Daishonin's
life being dedicated to a great vow, President Toda also lived the
latter half of his life filled with tremendous hope.

MORINAKA: It was in 1957 that President Toda's pledge to achieve a
membership of 750,000 households was accomplished.

IKEDA: President Toda also said that upholding faith in the Gohonzon
gives us the vitality to live our lives with hope. Encouraging his
fellow members to live with the same great hope as he did, he once
remarked:

"Whether young or old, I would like you to possess firm hope and to
live out your lives enveloped in that hope. It's important to
remember that the life force that enables us to live with hope is
found in the Gohonzon, which is the entity of the oneness of the
Person and the Law and the very life of Nichiren Daishonin, the
Buddha of the Latter Day."

(from series: Lectures on the Lotus Sutra)

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"If one does not meet up with a teacher, one's perverse wisdom will
grow day by day" (WND, vol. 2, p.7).

In the Chinese classic Records of the Three Kingdoms, we find these
words: "The realm is in turmoil. Without individuals of outstanding
ability, it cannot be saved." When society is in confusion and
disarray, we need leaders who can bring forth brilliant wisdom and
show the way forward.

Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the founder of our movement, opened wide the
path of wisdom of Soka value-creation so that women and young people
in particular could surmount any problem they encountered in life. I
believe there is a profound significance in the fact that the women's
division and the student division were established in June, the month
of Mr. Makiguchi's birth.

A noted Chinese educator has commended us, calling the Soka Gakkai
a "university without walls" and an "academy for lifelong learning"
where people of all ages can study together—including students imbued
with a spirit of friendship and endeavor; youth with a commitment to
justice and an international outlook; and women who brim with
optimism, uphold sound principles and are actively involved in
society.

In every place and community, the wisdom we bring to our leadership
responsibilities for kosen-rufu adorns our lives with benefit.

The noted British historian Arnold J. Toynbee was fond of the words
of the It be ancient Greek dramatist Aeschylus: "Wisdom comes alone
through suffering." This is quite similar to the ay Buddhist
principle of problems or sufferings leading to enlightenment. The n
more we sincerely chant and grapple with problems for the sake of
Buddhism and the happiness of others, the greater the wisdom that
will well forth in our lives.

Among Shakyamuni's disciples was he one named Chudapanthaka. Even
though this disciple had difficulty lth remembering any of the
Buddha's many teachings, he applied himself to his Buddhist practice
with sincerity and dedication out of gratitude to his teacher and
was, thus, able to attain all Buddhahood. In contrast, Devadatta,
another of Shakyamuni's disciples, had p committed to memory 60,000
teachings, but arrogantly opposed his teacher and, as a result, fell
into the hell of incessant suffering.

If we stray from the path of mentor and disciple, we will be lost.
The Great Teacher T'ien-t' ai of China warns as much in his Great
Concentration and Insight, when he says, "If one does not meet up
with a teacher, one's perverse wisdom will grow day by day" (see The
Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 7).

"What would second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda—my mentor in
kosen-rufu—do in the same situation?" This has been my focus in every
struggle I have undertaken. My efforts have not been for myself, but
for my mentor and for kosen-rufu. That is why wisdom flows forth. I
have triumphed because I have always based my prayers and actions on
the shared commitment of mentor and disciple.

In the middle of the second priesthood issue [which began in December
1990], a Soka Gakkai women's division member in Chiba Prefecture-the
place where Nichiren Daishonin was born-stood up bravely to a priest
who tried to intimidate her with his clerical authority. She told him
bluntly: "Do you think you can achieve worldwide kosen-rufu simply by
wearing robes and being arrogant? The first three presidents and the
members of the Soka Gakkai have always led the way in spreading
Nichiren Buddhism around the globe. The priesthood has flourished
solely because of the Soka Gakkai. The Soka Gakkai is the group that
has practiced just as the writings of Nichiren Daishonin teach!"

It is vital that our successors in the youth division be aware of the
depth of this wisdom that shines in the lives of the noble, yet often
unheralded members of the Soka Gakkai, great champions of philosophy
and wisdom. I hope the youth will learn and cultivate such wisdom
through earnestly exerting themselves in their Buddhist practice and
Soka Gakkai activities.

Dr. Harvey Cox, a well-known Harvard scholar of religion, has said
that the wisdom and practice of human revolution, as articulated by
the SGI, offer a way to lead our troubled society in the direction of
harmony and stability.

Humanity is longing for the wisdom of Soka value-creation.

Mr. Toda urged us: "With courage and wisdom, break through all
obstacles that block the way forward."

Heeding his advice, let us take another resolute step forward today
toward absolute victory.

Since we share the mission of Bodhisattvas of the Earth, we should be
fearless, confident of our infinite Buddha wisdom.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"When we thoroughly dedicate our lives to Buddhism, we approach the
condition of oneness of the Person and the Law; we move a step closer
to the immense state of life of Nichiren Daishonin; we advance toward
attaining Buddhahood; we become one with the Mystic Law.

On the other hand, a person who carries out a self-centered practice
veers from the sure path of the Mystic Law and kosen-rufu. The Person
and the Law are thrown totally out of alignment. The life of such an
individual becomes confused and out of control. It careens into a
crazy, downhill spiral.

A self-centered existence may seem free and uninhibited, but the truth
of the matter is that it will only lead us to suffer in the life-state
of Hell. In contrast, a life dedicated to Buddhism and the happiness of
our fellow members will enable us to attain the state of Buddhahood, to
achieve enlightenment."

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Whether or not your prayer is answered will depend on your faith."

(Reply to the Lay Nun Nichigon - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 1079) Selection source: Soka Gakkai member's experience, Seikyo Shimbun, July 12th, 2008

 

[Hitman]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Be Hit with Peace everyone, Kosen Rufu!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"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. 2, page 1062) Selection source: Soka Gakkai member’s experience, Seikyo Shimbun, July 13th, 2008

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"No one can better bask in summer's balm
than those who have endured winter's bite.
Similarly, it is those who have suffered
through life's darkest hours who are able
to truly savor the bright dawn of happiness.
The person who has transformed the worst
of fate into the best of fortune is
life's champion."

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[Hitman]

Let's all be champions! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Though public opinion may seem a matter of great importance, it is something created by human beings. The Mystic Law, on the other hand, is the principle that governs the entire universe. It is of a totally different scale. When we understand this, we can attain the state of a Buddha. This is hard to fully grasp, however, which is why faith is crucial. It all comes down to having faith. The Daishonin cites the words [of T'ien-t'ai]: "Belief means to be without doubt" (OTT, 54). When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo without doubt in the Gohonzon and make steadfast efforts for kosen-rufu, we can realise eternal happiness in our lives.

SGI Newsletter No. 7582, 19th SOKA GAKKAI HEADQUARTERS LEADERS MEETING--PART 1 [OF 2] "It is the Heart That is Important," on June 18th, 2008, from the June 23rd, 2008, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun. Translated July 10th, 2008.