Chanting Growers Group

[SoCal Hippy]

He helped build the floating island stage for the '75 Hawaii convention. There are so many who have given their sweat and treasure to our movement.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=17970&pictureid=368652

Congratulations Wilson on such an awesome and beautiful butsudan for your Gohonzon. I must know your good friend as I was also involved with the advance crew in '75 to Hawaii to put on that fantastic convention. Spent 3 months in paradise and worked my butt off for kosenrufu. Doesn't get any better than that!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Got my first A for this semester today, only four more to go!

I need yall to chant for my girl (our girl) she failed a big test for the second time and is gonna need some daimoku. She doesn't know yet and I'm gonna chant and try and be in the highest life condition when she comes home to read the letter (after I get home from school). I know we are all winners in Buddhism, but the thought that "we must never quit" should always be something close to our hearts. I have trust in the Gohonzon that no matter what I'll continue to chant through the best and worst life experiences.

Thanks for all the mega support and great posts. Awesome to see such a lovely and super awesome Butsudan! Thank you all!

 

[Payaso]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

Wilson, Dan's the Man! Great piece of art.

Easy, I'm chanting for you as always!

And the rest, you know I think of you all the time.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Thanks brother C-Money! She took it like a champ and is determined to take the test again! Great thanks to all for the daimoku! I did gongyo twice tonight because of this (once before my test and with her before we ate then finally just read the letter). I didn't wanna ruin her night and encouraged her all the way through just like yall do for your brother!

Thanks so much, I have so much gratitude for all.

"*The only Buddha to be taught directly by The Law is the Buddha of Beginningless Time (the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Thus Come One).*"

Posted by PasstheDoobie

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

 

[Wilson!]

Thanks for all the cheers!!!

My life is like the merrily merrily a dream. Even the crushing obstacles are fuel for joy. (Not even, especially). I'd have been dead a very long time ago without this practice. Each breath a dream.

The trips with Dan have been the wildest. He told me the reason he bestows this gift upon me is he says, "you're a keeper." lol. I was voted least likely to survive by those who I've outlived. (ha)

Anyone who knew me when I was in my cups would have said I was a gonner. Not a drink in 20 years. Totally a result of my practice.

So today I pour my heart into diamoku before the Gohonzon. The challenges I engage today are tremondous. I'm totally amazed by this life.

Nichiren said to Shijo Kingo to regard your survival as wondrous.

I know I do. And thanks for all your encouragement.

cheers

 

[Babbabud]

Nam myoho renge kyo !!

 

[iSMOKE.KUSH]

kiirtan chanter

baba nam kavalem

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Sorry to have been so busy the last few days. Three of the kids are sick and I'm giving a Gosho lecture on the Opening of the Eyes and have been preparing for that. The Community Center rehab is coming along according to schedule, and so now the grand opening is only a month away!

Let's all continue to support one another along the path of Human Revolution!

Like Wilson! the odds of me staying alive this long weren't so good! Thank you Gohonzon!

Much love and deepest respect to all!

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Desires and Enlightenment

Desires and Enlightenment

People encountering Nichiren Buddhism for the first time are often surprised by the stance taken toward desire which seems to contradict prevailing images of Buddhism. For many, Buddhism is associated with asceticism, and indeed there are many schools and traditions which stress the need to eliminate desire and sever all attachments.

Needless to say, a life controlled by desires is miserable. In Buddhist scriptures, such a way of life is symbolized by "hungry demons" with giant heads and huge mouths, but narrow, constricted throats that make real satisfaction unattainable. The deliberate horror of these images grew from Shakyamuni Buddha's sense of the need to shock people from their attachment to things--including our physical existence--that will eventually change and be lost to us. Real happiness does not lie here, he sought to tell them.

The deeply ingrained tendencies of attachments and desire (in Japanese bonno) are often referred to by the English translation "earthly desires." However, since they also include hatred, arrogance, distrust and fear, the translation "deluded impulses" may in some cases be more appropriate.

But can such desires and attachments really be eliminated? Attachments are, after all, natural human feelings, and desires are a vital and necessary aspect of life. The desire, for example, to protect oneself and one's loved ones has been the inspiration for a wide range of advances-from the creation of supportive social groupings to the development of housing and heating. Likewise, the desire to understand humanity's place in the cosmos has driven the development of philosophy, literature and religious thought. Desires are integral to who we are and who we seek to become.

In this sense, the elimination of all desire is neither possible nor, in fact, desirable. Were we to completely rid ourselves of desire, we would end up undermining our individual and collective will to live.

The teachings of Nichiren thus stress the transformation, rather than the elimination, of desire. Desires and attachments are seen as fueling the quest for enlightenment. As he is recorded as teaching: "Now Nichiren and others who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo...burn the firewood of earthly desires and behold the fire of enlightened wisdom..."

In the same vein, the Universal Worthy Sutra states: "Even without extinguishing their earthly desires or denying the five desires, they can purify all of their senses and eradicate all of their misdeeds."

Nichiren's approach has the effect of popularizing, humanizing and democratizing Buddhism. In other words, by making the aspirations, dreams and frustrations of daily life the "fuel" for the process of enlightenment, Nichiren opens the path of Buddhist practice to those who had traditionally been excluded by the demands of a meditative withdrawal from the world, those, for example, who wish to continue playing an active role in the world.

It is thus not a coincidence that this attitude toward desires should be central to the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, with its emphasis on the role of lay practitioners. For people living in the midst of ever-changing, stressful realities, those challenges are a far more effective spur to committed Buddhist practice than an abstract goal of "enlightenment" through severing of all desires and attachments.

Overcoming problems, realizing long-cherished goals and dreams--this is the stuff of daily life from which we derive our sense of accomplishment and happiness. SGI President Ikeda has emphasized the importance not of severing our attachments, but of understanding and, ultimately, using them.

Often the faith experiences of SGI members describe events and changes that seem at first glance to be focused on the external, material side of life. But such "benefits" are only part of the story. Buddhism divides the benefits of practice into the "conspicuous" and the "inconspicuous." The new job, the conquest of illness, the successful marriage and so on are not separate from a deep, often painstaking process of self-reflection and inner-driven transformation. And the degree of motivation generated by desires can lend an intensity to our practice which ultimately reaps spiritual rewards. Bonno soku bodai--literally, "Earthly desires are enlightenment"--is a key tenet of Nichiren Buddhism. Through our Buddhist practice, even the most mundane, deluded impulse can be transformed into something broader and more noble, and our desires quite naturally develop from self-focused ones to broader ones concerning our families, friends, communities and, ultimately, the whole world.

In this way, the nature of desire is steadily transformed--from material and physical desires to the more spiritually oriented desire to live the most fulfilling kind of life.

As SGI President Ikeda says: "I believe in the existence of another kind of human desire: I call it the basic desire, and I believe that it is the force that actively propels all other human desires in the direction of creativity. It is the source of all impelling energy inherent in life; it is also the longing to unite one's life with the life of the universe and to draw vital energy from the universe."

[Courtesy January 2000 SGI Quarterly]

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Often the faith experiences of SGI members describe events and changes that seem at first glance to be focused on the external, material side of life. But such "benefits" are only part of the story. Buddhism divides the benefits of practice into the "conspicuous" and the "inconspicuous." The new job, the conquest of illness, the successful marriage and so on are not separate from a deep, often painstaking process of self-reflection and inner-driven transformation. And the degree of motivation generated by desires can lend an intensity to our practice which ultimately reaps spiritual rewards. Bonno soku bodai--literally, "Earthly desires are enlightenment"--is a key tenet of Nichiren Buddhism. Through our Buddhist practice, even the most mundane, deluded impulse can be transformed into something broader and more noble, and our desires quite naturally develop from self-focused ones to broader ones concerning our families, friends, communities and, ultimately, the whole world.

Bonno soku bodai BABY!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others."

(The True Aspect of All Phenomena - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 385) Selection source: May 2010 Daibyakurenge, pg 50.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"All of you, just as you are, with your honesty and integrity, are great individuals. From the perspective of Buddhism, ordinary people taking action for kosen-rufu and the Mystic Law are thousands of times more admirable than the graduates of any prestigious university. Academic credentials should never become justification for special privileges or the cause for self-important behaviour within the Soka Gakkai. The purpose of a university education is to enable one to contribute to society and to the welfare of others. Protecting the people, the just and honest--that's what education is for. Individuals who can do that are truly great.

"A person's genuine greatness is not determined by their academic background or social status, but by their faith, actions, and their character. The Soka Gakkai has grown to the extent it has through the efforts of ordinary people who possess invincible faith in the Mystic Law. It is crucial to never forget this fact.

SGI Newsletter No. 7983, DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES CONFERENCE-PART 2 [OF 2]. Start with Daimoku to Open a Triumphant Future, from the Jan. 24th, 2010, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated April 27th, 2010

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Everything starts with knowing ourselves. And it could be said that the study of every subject also comes down to investigating ourselves.

"Nichiren Daishonin writes: 'The sun, moon, and myriad stars are found in one's life' (WND-1, 629). The entire universe exists within us. And the Mystic Law expresses the ultimate essence or truth of our lives. Indeed, those who uphold the Mystic Law are the world's foremost philosophers.

SGI Newsletter No. 7983, DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES CONFERENCE-PART 2 [OF 2]. Start with Daimoku to Open a Triumphant Future, from the Jan. 24th, 2010, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated April 27th, 2010

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"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."

(The Opening of the Eyes - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 283) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, May 7th, 2010

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"The path of study demands a firm resolution, a determined effort, and a powerful intellectual curiosity. Please remember that learning doesn't just happen without thorough effort.

"There's no point or meaning ...if it's just a matter of obtaining a diploma without having grown mentally and as a person through your studies. In contrast, someone who is really making an effort to learn shines with intelligence, perfects their character, and grows into a more fully realised individual.

"Working hard ...advancing with all your might, you are steadily acquiring learning and deepening yourselves as people. Therein lies the true way of human existence."

SGI Newsletter No. 7988, The New Human Revolution--Vol. 23: Chap. 2, Light of Learning 51, translated May 6th, 2010

 

[Babbabud]

From Words of Wisdom, by President Ikeda, on "Life", www.ikedaquotes.org.

The voice is a mirror of our being, of our state of life. Our voice forthrightly reveals our true character, our cultivation as a human being. Our voices are ourselves.

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

"All of you, just as you are, with your honesty and integrity, are great individuals. From the perspective of Buddhism, ordinary people taking action for kosen-rufu and the Mystic Law are thousands of times more admirable than the graduates of any prestigious university. Academic credentials should never become justification for special privileges or the cause for self-important behaviour within the Soka Gakkai. The purpose of a university education is to enable one to contribute to society and to the welfare of others. Protecting the people, the just and honest--that's what education is for. Individuals who can do that are truly great.

"A person's genuine greatness is not determined by their academic background or social status, but by their faith, actions, and their character. The Soka Gakkai has grown to the extent it has through the efforts of ordinary people who possess invincible faith in the Mystic Law. It is crucial to never forget this fact.

SGI Newsletter No. 7983, DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES CONFERENCE-PART 2 [OF 2]. Start with Daimoku to Open a Triumphant Future, from the Jan. 24th, 2010, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated April 27th, 2010

Very noble, but I need my university studies in order to properly identify myself and bring my dreams to fruition. The great thing about the Soka Gakkai is that I can still be me and not totally agree with certain people, but I still work and try my best to keep kosen-rufu flourishing in my neck of the woods. Besides being able to contribute to society for the welfare of others, I need to finish with honors and get into an Ivy League University so that I could prove the power and the truth of this Buddhism to many more people.

Altruism should never be undertaken if you risk your life and limbs without the Gohonzon. Truthfully, I don't see how people can really go beyond their circumstances without a sincere appreciation for the Buddha within. This is Mugi Wasshin or our practice of Doubt Free Faith. I have no doubt that my mission as a Bodhisattva is only superceded by my inheritant State of Buddhahood. In other words, as the Buddha my mission involves success at School, Business, and in the Soka Gakkai. I introduced three people this week and helped someone who hasn't chanted in 28 years remember what Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means!

Even though I gave up once on my screen name easydisco on this thread and have wanted to give up many times recently with this sn, I won't stop because I can't stop! Badmon for life (in a good way)

 

[PassTheDoobie]

To conquer ourselves, to overcome our weaknesses that is the greatest victory. Especially when we cannot make up our minds, find ourselves wavering, that is the time to make a point of taking one step forwards. Let's break down all those walls that obstruct us with the powerful conviction that we will definitely win!

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"...'It will only be like a boar rubbing against the golden mountain; like the various rivers flowing into the sea; like logs making a fire burn more briskly; or like the wind swelling the body of the kalakula insect.' These passages mean that, if one understands and practices the Lotus Sutra just as it teaches, in accordance with the people's capacity and at the right time, then these seven obstacles and devils will confront one."

(The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 770) Selection source: "Myoji no Gen", Seikyo Shimbun, May 8th, 2010

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"The Daishonin says that when someone--no matter who they may be--carries out the practice of shakubuku, refuting error in the realm of Buddhism, the three powerful enemies are sure to appear. The practice of shakubuku as taught in the Lotus Sutra indicates the kind of refutation... which is based on the correct teaching for attaining Buddhahood; it is not by any means motivated by intolerance or self-righteousness. ...the practice of shakubuku in the Daishonin's Buddhism is grounded in a deep commitment to the correct teaching and a spirit of compassion to help guide people to genuine, lasting happiness. The spirit of refuting error in the realm of Buddhism, valuing the Law more highly than one's own life, means courageously battling the workings of the devilish nature inherent in life that slander the correct teaching and seek to plunge people into misery. When this compassionate and altruistic spirit underlies our actions, we can vanquish all error or evil.

"Because carrying out the practice of shakubuku as taught in the Lotus Sutra is the correct way of practice in the Latter Day--serving to both protect the Law and free people from suffering--it is inevitable that opposition and resistance will arise from arrogant forces. Unless we grasp this principle, we will not understand the true nature of the great obstacles that befall the votaries of the Lotus Sutra."

SGI Newsletter No. 7990, LEARNING FROM THE WRITINGS OF NICHIREN DAISHONIN: THE TEACHINGS FOR VICTORY, [15] 'On Practicing the Buddha's Teachings'--Part 3, Encountering Great Obstacles Is Proof of Propagating The Correct Teaching for Attaining Buddhahood in The Latter Day of the Law, from the March 2010 issue of the Daibyakurenge, translated May 7th, 2010