Chanting Growers Group

[Desiderata]

President Ikeda

President Ikeda

“To My Beloved Young American Friends-Youthful Bodhisattvas of the Earth” ​

(Excerpts)

The world today is ailing.
This continental land, America,
is also faltering, about to succumb to the same illness.
……………..
Never forget your vow,
made in the infinite past,
to love this homeland,
to stand alone against injustice
as vibrant youth of high ideals,
undertaking the adventure
and battle for human advancement.
……………….
You who shoulder America’s future!
Recalling, learning from the assaults borne by the Daishonin,
never fear the persecutions that will
inevitably arise as kosen-rufu unfolds.
Never become base or cowardly!
Never be taken in by the false
and cunning words
of those who have betrayed their faith.
………………..
Youthful friends and comrades
swirling out onto the grand stage
of the twenty-first centrury!
Not a single one of you should fall behind.
………………..
Confident that from yet narrow path
you will forge a grand passage into the future,
I am happy and filled with joy.​

Daisaku Ikeda
New York

June 20, 1981​

This was 1981....he's so in tune with life and what's happening all over the earth. Real good truthful people are the rarest! Love you all!

 

[easyDaimoku]

Look at how appropriate today's words are my friend!

Look at how appropriate today's words are my friend!

TO MY FRIENDS- President Ikeda's Encouragement
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Those who have good friends are always youthful. When we meet and converse, joy spreads and our life condition expands.

This thread has been a constant "meeting" for me during the last 5 1/2 going on 6years. Its amazing brother Babba and Mrs.Babba got me into the mix through their sincere seeking spirit and really changed their destiny and life and proved to me the power of this practice. Same goes for me, I was all fudged up and and had no clue how I could stop feeling sorry for myself and being utterly hopeless. It took a while, I still got a long way to go, but I've come so far on my own volition. I always feel refreshed pouring out a post or two. Trust while I wasn't posting I was struggling severely.

Guess what? Its winning season again folks and this time I am hoping for the (figurative) tsunami of benefits to give me a big enough wave to ride from here to 2012! I want to win and be free, more importantly is the true reasoning behind all my acts, I'm an impulsive guy thats working on gaining patience and find ways to be happy and sustain that. The best way is by chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!" as much as possible. Its just hard and eventually impossible to gain 'enough' benefit from just a little chanting here and a little chanting there. Try it everyday as often as possible for a few days, weeks or months. You'll be surprised how better it is when you setup an altar in your room or area where you keep your Gohonzon.

For a more intermediate tip to streamline your practice try to prepare something for a study presentation. There are local meetings throughout the country and the study meeting is a great venue to deepen your faith and develop your appreciation for life so much better. By gaining some sincere tidbits you can maximize your full potential and really increase the benefits of your practice. Its all about sincerity. Everything we do should be sincere and that my 2 cents and not a law or mandate.The only law is "just chant daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!) for me and be a good human within the same aspect". Funny thing is you don't need to be good bad or indifferent when it comes to Buddhism I've found. Naw, Buddhism is Reason. Whatever works!

I'm really happy and thrilled with the advancement of the kosen-rufu in America. This is no coincidence, even if we the chanting growers must resolutely summon up every ounce of courage and fully become responsible for the sake of kosen-rufu in America, I'm afraid it will not be enough! We are required to carry out kosen-rufu throughout the world and embrace our global citizenship. Thanks to many people through this remarkable venue we learned and began our practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, however, it is up to each of us to practice fearlessly, with dignity and remember to always respect every human life (as Bodhisattva Never Disparaging would per Nichiren's guidance). Every person has the potential for Buddhahood.

Nothing can stop our advancement Chanting Growers. We will continue to win and never be swayed. Thomas laid a strong foundation. The Chanting Growers are winners and good friends. :cue in Beethoven's "Ode to Joy":

 

[easyDaimoku]

The Waterfall

The Waterfall

Like the waterfall fierce
Like the waterfall unflagging
Like the waterfall unfearing
Like the waterfall merrily
Like the waterfall proudly--
A man should have the bearing of a king.


Poem by Daisaku Ikeda

 

[easyDaimoku]

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin are a compilation of letters and treatises written by Nichiren himself to his followers. He was persecuted throughout his life by the Japanese government and by religious leaders who considered his revolutionary teachings a 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. Search The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin online: http://www.sgilibrary.org

 

[scegy]

Guys, I have a confession to make. I had been battling an addiction to pain killers for quite some time. I had almost beat it on my own when Space left us. Then I dove back into it really heavy to kill that pain. Living here in Florida, I had a prescription for massive amounts of opioids. But now I am recovering. Slowly. My garden has played a huge part in helping me through and without it I dont know if I could have done this. I look back now at how I justified my addiction. Stress, prescription, etc. It makes me want to cry to see the damage I did and to know that I lost my brother to an addiction as well.

I kept alot of things bottled up for a long time. Hell, I was just starting to open up to you guys when my world came crashing down. I felt for a long time that maybe I was just meant to suffer but now I know that is not the case and we make our future.

Swamp when i was reading your post i could totaly relate to what u've been going through with your addiction. For me it wasn't the pills it was weed that was my painkiller. I've been trying to avoid suffering for more then 10 years with it and after all these years i started to notice through my relationships with others that it's me who's the cause of that suffering, or better, my actions. Every time i felt a glimpse of suffering i just "had" to smoke one to mellow that feeling out, and as you probably know, that feeling just keeps coming back and it amplifies with the use of drugs. And in my case it amplified to the point that i got so uncontrollably mad that i lost myself in the wheel of being mad, smoking myself up and then getting even madder. At that point with the help of self observation i started to question wtf am i doing, i mean, if i'm buddha, how can i harm myself and others around me, i could no longer deny that fact. I realized and accepted that even though i really loved growing weed and smoking it, my perverse use of it was killing me. At the same time a friend talked to me in an arrogant but truthfull way and pointed out what was obvious, i have to choose. Either my perverse love of weed or my life, and i summoned up the courage of The Lion King and started to clean all my stash, everything that i could smoke and put it in big trash bags and tossed everything in the woods for the maggots to feed with. In a way i wanted a new challange, but this time it was about me being fearless enough to face my life alone, not about being stoned and "proving" i can still function pretty well on the outside.
That determination was not fresh for me, because i've been chanting about it for over 2 years and i was prepared for it, finally. Once i took that step, i never look back with regret, i'm happy about me leaving weed behind me and it's been almost half a year now that i had practically no wish to smoke it and am proud of my achievement in the most humble way.
And since i love growing so much, i now grow veggies and am gratefull for every bite of my fresh veggies i make. And above all, growing has helped me a lot in mastering patience, among other "helpers".
I've also been learning about suffering and putting a lot of thought in it. I stumbled upon a philosopher(Ekhart Tolle) which pointed out for me the meaning of suffering, and he says that "suffering is a great teacher". From that point on, my thoughts and chants were about how to be grateful for that suffering, but it's still suffering right? And thoughts like "i know many people have far grater sorrows than i have, but i still feel mine like the biggest one in MY world" and how can i deal with that feelings.
Desiderata said in one of his posts after i PM-ed him that he feels like i'm getting old or something like that and i was really frustrated about his statement for a while. After a while i figured out what that means to me, it sure is inevitable that my body is getting older but on the other hand my wisdome is getting broader...

....icmag logged me off at this point and i lost a third of my post, got my blood pressure up, but ok

...The best way for me to deal with all this suffering is to accept it as a fact of life, am trying to look at it as i look at a beautiful sunset or a really nice scenery. As a beautiful cliff can turn into a deadly situation if u fall off it, so can suffering turn into a well of strenght and wisdome. And when i remember my ever smiling never lamenting grandmother who calmly passed away as she lived her life despite the great sorrows that permeated it, i know i'm on the right path to revealing my buddha in this present life with every little victory that becomes a source of wisdome and joy.

An old Indian wisdome says, that we have two wolves fighting in each of us, one is "good" and other is "bad". The outcome of that fight depends on whom you feed. By chanting and self observing i look at them both, learn from the bad one, listen to the good one.

Easy i feel your sorrows and i chant for you to summon up all the strenght and courage in the following time.

I always wish for all of you to master your mind and conquer your weaknesses so we can build a better world where each of us is our own leader.

 

[easyDaimoku]

I always wish for all of you to master your mind and conquer your weaknesses so we can build a better world where each of us is our own leader.

True indeed my old friend. We've both aged on this thread over the last five years. I'm going to have my 6th anniversary a little later this year of being a Chanting Grower, we've come a long long way. Both being youth division, we know the struggles all too well and continue to take different approaches to find the middle way for ourselves. I'm gonna challenge myself to be a better person and climb the mountain of faith bravely.

I have been too emotional to balance things properly lately. I haven't been chanting as much as I should and gotta get in at least an hour an a half a day to regain my overall objective. There is so much going on, but when I make time for daimoku, I end up with more time for myself and for my health. I commend you for taking a break from the chronic meds old friend, but this approach isn't for everyone, and I hope to achieve something similar later this year.

I'm just scared. Really scared, my mom is like little bald skeleton. She was one of the most physically beautiful women I've known, now she looks like she was fucked up like darth vadar, starved and living in a concentration camp. Damn, we don't seem to have much time together and I'm bugging out internally and externally constantly. I had to quit the thread because I felt she was dying and I wanted to sacrifice my pleasures and prepare to mourn, etc. That was the wrong approach and babba spoke to me and asked me to come back, I respect and honor him so much. We both chant for Tony Matsuoka and Ted Osaki.

So, i'm studying for the entrance exam into business school because I'm not interested in law or politics anymore. The first test was today and I'm toast! I got a long way to go, but feel confident that I will be able to achieve a victory in regards to that. I want all of us to win, especially the most sincere of us. Our sincerity and determination is the reality we live. Our typing on the thread are just words and syntax. Our actions after or before our posts are what count. I'm confident we will win.

 

[Desiderata]

Desiderata said in one of his posts after i PM-ed him that he feels like i'm getting old or something like that and i was really frustrated about his statement for a while. After a while i figured out what that means to me, it sure is inevitable that my body is getting older but on the other hand my wisdome is getting broader...

Scegy, what I meant, imho,.....was your post(s) were blowing me away with your understanding of all these things.....in other words you were showing signs of maturing "or getting older." I forget that the word "older" to todays youth means ancient or prehistoric....LOL

When I was a teenager, I thought parents were an alien race. But I still respected much older folks for their wisdom, EXPERIENCE, and knowledge. You've been gaining experience is all I meant Scegy.

BTW bro, your posts continue to amaze me with your wisdom, and I mean it! Much love,...desi

 

[scegy]

Easy: lately i've been working quite a lot and it's taken its toll to the SGI activities, and for a long time i've been delaying work for the sake of activities and it was bothering me a lot. Because my work is mainly in my home town and it was impossible to be in two places at the same time without driving in and out all the time. So it was a challange for me not to feel like a "bad buddhist", and i really don't want to have that feeling since it resembles me too much on "not going to the church on sundays" in the catholic religion. I had this feeling of not pleasing everybody since ever, and i know it comes from the way my parrents raised me in a sense of blaming me for not being available every time and place they wanted. Choice is the thing that's the most abundant in life so i choose to work and chose to take part in the activities whenever i'm able to do so. I'm relieved every time i go to the discussion meetings and other activities that members don't blame me for not attending every meeting, all they say is "we've missed you, where have u been so long?" And this is the attitude i want to have from my parrents and give as a parrent some day and am thankfull for their patience.

My girl's father passed away 2 years ago from cancer and we were with him all the way. I can imagine it's different if the person is your parrent but i was also fond of her father as he was a laid back dude. I tried to stay strong for my girl and her mother giving them as much support as i could, i failed many times since we (me and my gf) had a really rough time at the time and with all the weed in my system it was hard to focus on the fact that i must be supportive at all times and not push with my demands. On the end it was a really ugly scene with a lot blood and it's engraved in my mind forever, but on the other hand he has left me a lesson on how to be a strong personality, how to set a side differences between us and do your very best in the worst situations. He was an alcoholic and a heavy smoker for the past 20 years of his life, and i tried to talk to him about quitting smoking and drinkig after his 2nd chemoteraphy. But he already knew that this is it for him and quitting now won't do him any good, so all he gave me back was a comforting smile and he enjoyed every cigarette and beer to the day he died. In the meanwhile he opened himself up in the way he never did in his life, and that moved me. Even in the worst times he didn't want to be treated differently and be a burden, he really did show the courage of the Lion King and was always smiling and talking to other cancer patiens and encouraging them with his enourmous will to live. I mean the guy took massive ammounts of radiation, chemotheraphy several times and was still smiling and couldn't wait the day he was dismissed from hospital so he could fix some more things and smoke a few ciggies and have a beer on top. A true fighter!
He passed on this fighting spirit to his daughters, man, they are one of the toughest women i know, never surredering always willing to give more love and always instantly accepting reality as it is. I guess accepting reality and giving space to loved ones is one of the lacking components with my parrents, specially with my mother and her family side. So i'm really grateful that i was able to know this guy because he gave me a totally different perspective on what really means to be strong.

After this I started to worry about my parrents a lot, because they've got all kinds of health problems since they retired and it's been just a few years now that i started to except their love and their personalities and it's painful to see them getting weaker, specially because i know they could take care of themselves better and enjoying life more, not just taking care of others. But my gf's father showed me that i should not burden myself with this, it's far more usefull for all of us to use the time we have in the best possible and enjoyable way, and slowly even my mother is learning how to let go of her children and my father opens himself up every now and then and those are the moments i'll remember after they'r gone.

Focusing on gratefulness and on building the best life i can for myself i think is the best gift i can give to my parents and to myself, because death is just another fact/suffering/teacher in my vast existance.

I'm glad you'r not giving up in the education sense and i hope you find more joy in the buisness department. I just wanna share something about my education time. If i had the time i would learn everything, because i'm actually interested in everything that's going on on this world, always have been. First i studied mechanical engineering and with the lack of motivation, arrogance and lazyness i dropped it after my 2nd year. I always had more motivation in studying biology and nature related things, so i picked agronomy since i love growing things. After 3 years of studying that, i was really dissapointed, since all the knowledge i got was mostly on how to grow poisonous food and deterioate
our preciouss Earth, and the whole course could be shortened to max 1 year study, everything else was just for the sake of university and their employees. I struggled all the time and wanted to make a revolution or two, was the class president all 3 years and was always fighting with lazy professors and the doctrines i did not and do not agree with. But i endured anyway, and am finishing my degree in a few months now and i tell you it's the same struggle as it was, because in some ways it seems pointless. On the other hand i have the sattisfaction of finishing something and having oppurtunities to actually contribute something to the quality of university because of my fighting/seeking spirit and learning patience at the same time. Again, first i had to accept reality so that i have the chance to change it.

Desi this was the post i was talking about:

Scegy chimed in on PM with some beautiful though about enjoying the road we all choose or climb. That's age creeping in....But I'm happy he's finding some peace.

Yesterday i explained a little bit more detailed, but the logoff has cut my "writing spirit"
After your statemen I was really thinking and observing myself for a long time if it's really age creeping on me and if that's the fact that i started to accept some things that i can not change in the way i'd wanted them to change. My conclusion was that even though i chant and work for my determinations, they are not called determinations for nothing. Being determined does not mean that if i don't get what i want in the predetermined time that then it's time to quit. It only means that i have to accept reality and have my mind opened enough that when i get what i want, i'll be able to accept it and enjoy it.

And you are 100% right, after so many years of wanting to have it my way and only selectively acknowledging Myoho Renge Kyo law(cause and effect), opened mind and years(suffering) convinced me that there is no shortcut in life.

When i'll remember what you said in a decade or more and i'll still feel as youthful as i do now, i'll be as grateful to you as i am now that you pointed that out for me and i had to figure out what was that feeling, because figuring out gains wisdome, giving up doesn't.

Let's grow into fearless lions friends

 

[Babbabud]

Nam myoho renge kyo

Thanks for the great post you guys... this thread enjoys being revived and I enjoyed every inspiring word. Thanks so much for taking the time.

Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[easyDaimoku]

Thank you Babba!

Thank you Babba!

The courage to rebuild

By DAISAKU IKEDA
Special Article from The Japan Times on Tuesday, June 28, 2011



"The journey of life is not smooth and unimpeded, but may be fraught with difficulties exceeding our worst nightmares," observed Kan' ichi Asakawa (1873-1948), a historian and peace advocate originally from Fukushima Prefecture.

More than three months have now passed since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck the Tohoku-Kanto region, leaving a trail of devastation of an unprecedented magnitude. The number of confirmed fatalities exceeds 15,000, with around 7,500 more still missing.

Each victim was someone's father, mother, child, relative or friend — each was an irreplaceable individual.

As a Buddhist, I have been offering my earnest prayers for their peaceful repose, as well as for the health, safety and well-being of all those affected by the earthquake, and for the success of relief and reconstruction efforts.

The scale of the destruction is immense, with more than 110,000 people still living in shelters and temporary housing. There is a clear need to make official responses to the disaster more focused, speedy and effective.

My heart goes out to the huge numbers of people undergoing unspeakable difficulties.

The suffering of those whose loved ones and livelihoods were swept away has been compounded by uncertainties about the future, the seemingly unending problems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the threat of economic recession, harmful rumors and many other obstacles to recovery.

But I believe we must not allow feelings of defeat to take root in our hearts. Dr. Ved P. Nanda, an expert on international law, sent a message of sympathy stating: "Now is the time to profoundly cultivate the security of the spirit, the inner strength that can overcome any threat."

The Buddhist scriptures teach: "More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all." There are no greater treasures than the highest human qualities such as compassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart.

Even though the earthquake and tsunami was a cruel catastrophe that has left everyone stunned, I believe we can see three signs of hope.

The first is a sense of human solidarity. This can be seen both locally and internationally. We will never forget how the rest of the world offered Japan prompt and practical relief as soon as the disaster occurred. The gratitude of the Japanese people is heartfelt and immense.

Also, within the affected communities, a renewed and powerful spirit of cooperation is visible. When individuals stand up together in the face of a catastrophic challenge in this way, a dignified human community imbued with mutual care and support is born. No one should be left to suffer alone.

The second sign of hope is the indomitable courage of those affected by the earthquake. Words cannot express how deeply I have been moved by the selfless acts made for the sake of others by people who were themselves victims.

I was told of one woman from Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, who saved the lives of her neighbors. As the raging waters reached the second floor of her apartment building, she held onto an air-conditioning unit, meanwhile preventing a man carrying a baby from being swept away by pinning him against a wall with her back. With her free hand she then grabbed and held onto another man by the collar. She said she was determined not to let them go even if her arms were torn off.

There are thousands of such unsung heroes still working tirelessly for the reconstruction of their communities, undefeated by the heart-wrenching loss of families and friends, homes and belongings.

At the Soka Gakkai's community centers throughout the region, survivors volunteered their help despite their own grief and exhaustion. Our relief efforts began immediately after the earthquake and included offering shelter to evacuees. We are now supporting medium- and long-term reconstruction efforts in Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima Prefectures.

A Buddhist scripture states: "When we light a lantern for others, our own way forward is lit." When one takes action for others, one's own suffering is transformed into the energy that can keep one moving forward; a light of hope illuminating a new tomorrow for oneself and others is kindled.

The third sign of hope is the passion and vigor of youth taking action.

A young man I know from Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, was swept up by the tsunami and escaped death by clinging to a pine tree above the freezing waters through the night. A plumber by occupation, he lost his shop and home.

But he refused to succumb to the crushing burden of hopelessness, assisting efforts to reestablish vital services throughout the city. Amid the ruins and on the site of his former home, he and his friends put up a huge sign that read "Gambaro! Ishinomaki (Don't give up, Ishinomaki!)" made out of salvaged wood. The sign has become a symbol of the spirit of the people of Ishinomaki.

Young people are, by their very youth, the embodiment of hope. No matter how dark it is, the sun rises where young people take a stand.

The path toward full reconstruction will be long. But we will continue to move forward, inspired by the example of such courageous youth, joining forces with others exerting themselves for the recovery of the affected communities.

Each step, no matter how seemingly small, will help plant the seeds of hope and be counted among the treasures of the heart.

The spirit of the people of Tohoku is found in these further words of Kan' ichi Asakawa: "People are not so weak that they can only live under the sway of their circumstances. ... Rather than be crushed by sorrow, let us rise proudly above it."

Daisaku Ikeda is president of the Soka Gakkai International and founder of Soka University and the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research.

(From: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20110628a3.html)

 

[SoCal Hippy]

I, Nichiren, have personally suffered each of the nine great ordeals.... These
are hardships that T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo never met. Truly you should know that,
adding Nichiren to the other three, there is now a fourth votary of the Lotus
Sutra who has appeared in the Latter Day of the Law. How glad I am to fulfill
the words of the prophecy from the sutra: "How much more will this be so after
his passing?"

(WND, 448)
The Votary of the Lotus Sutra Will Meet Persecution
Written to all priest disciples and lay followers on January 14, 1274

 

[SoCal Hippy]

The Buddha dwells within our hearts. For example, flint has the potential to
produce fire, and gems have intrinsic value. We ordinary people can see neither
our own eyelashes, which are so close, nor the heavens in the distance.
Likewise, we do not see that the Buddha exists in our own hearts.

(WND, 1137)
New Year's Gosho
Written to the wife of Omosu on January 5, year unknown

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Our present tribulations are like moxibustion; at the time, it is painful, but
because it has beneficial aftereffects, the pain is not really pain. Urge on,
but do not frighten, the ones from Atsuhara who are ignorant of Buddhism. Tell
them to be prepared for the worst, and not to expect good times, but take bad
times for granted.

(WND, 998)
On Persecutions Befalling the Sage
Written to all followers (and entrusted to Shijo Kingo) on October 1, 1279

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"Chanting daimoku is the foundation of the Daishonin's Buddhism. When we chant
sonorous daimoku, the sun rises in our hearts. We are filled with power.
Compassion wells forth. Our lives are lit with joy. Our wisdom shines. All
Buddhas and Buddhist deities throughout the universe go to work on our behalf.
Life becomes exhilarating."


"You must be strong. There is no hope of winning in this chaotic world if you are
weak. No matter what others do or say, it is important to develop your ability
and then put that ability to use. Strong faith, of course, is the best means for
drawing out one's inner strength. You each have a very important mission, and I
hope you will awaken to and be proud of that mission."


Daisaku Ikeda


Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[Babbabud]

Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Though evils may be numerous, they cannot prevail over a single great truth,
just as many raging fires are quenched by a single shower of rain. This
principle also holds true with Nichiren and his followers.

(WND, 618)
Many in Body, One in Mind
Written to the lay priest Takahashi on August 6, year unknown

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Just as I was thinking that, even if I remained free from illness, I would
surely die of starvation, the wheat that you sent arrived. It is more wonderful
than gold and more precious than jewels. Rida's millet changed into a golden
man. How, then, could Tokimitsu's wheat fail to turn into the characters of the
Lotus Sutra? These characters of the Lotus Sutra will become Shakyamuni Buddha
and then a pair of wings for your deceased father, flying and soaring to the
pure land of Eagle Peak. On returning, they will cover your body and protect
you.

(WND, 926)
Reply to Tokimitsu
Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu on July 8, 1278

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Strengthen your faith now more than ever. Anyone who teaches the principles of
Buddhism to others is bound to incur hatred from men and women, priests and
nuns. Let them say what they will. Entrust yourself to the golden teachings of
the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha, T'ien-t'ai, Miao-lo, Dengyo, and Chang-an.
This is what is signified by the expression, "practicing according to the
Buddha's teachings."

(WND, 626)
The Embankments of Faith
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on September 3, 1275

 

[SoCal Hippy]

""Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion," the Daishonin says (MW-1,
119). It is by chanting powerful daimoku, like a lion's roar, that we can move
the Buddhist deities, the protective forces of the universe. The voice is very
important -- it has profound power. While naturally being careful not to disturb
your neighbors, I hope you will endeavor to chant cheerful and powerful daimoku
that reaches all the Buddhist deities and Buddhas throughout the ten directions."


"We must make steady and persistent efforts firmly grounded in daily life. If we
travel in the orbit of "faith equals daily life," all our prayers will
definitely be answered. We can then lead lives in which all our desires will be
fulfilled. Should all our prayers be answered without our having to make any
effort, we would grow lazy. Should all our desire be achieved without our ever
having to experience suffering or hardship, we could not understand the pain and
struggles of others, and our compassion would gradually wane."


"Even in times of hardship, the important thing is for each of us to determine
that we are the star, protagonist and hero of our lives and keep moving forward.
Putting ourselves down and shrinking back from the obstacles looming before us
spell certain defeat. Through making ourselves strong and developing our state
of life, we can definitely find a way through. As long as we uphold the Mystic
Law throughout our lives, we can break through any impasse and surmount any
obstacle. We will also be able to lead all those who are suffering to happiness."

Quotes: Daisaku Ikeda


Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[Desiderata]

SoCal, you've poured about three pounds of pure inspiration over my brain! Lots of food for my spirit this week, thank you so much! Lot's of Good Karma your way brother.