Chanting Growers Group

[Dutchgrown]

(Maybe someone that started in the Bath will grace our thread with a post again soon?)

Deepest respect!

T

That would be me! I found it the best place to start as I relaxed and let my mind unwind and open up.

Sorry, my apologies...have been fighting a cold and sinus infection, not been around much, but you are all in my thoughts everyday. Yes, keep chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! Much love and respect to you all.

dg

 

[Babbabud]

Time flys when your having fun
much love to all that read this thread!!
nam myoho renge kyo

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"This moment, this instant is important, not some unknown time the future. Today, this very day is what matters. You must put your whole being into the time that exists now for future victory rests in the present moment."

Pres Ikeda (6/11/04 WT pg6)

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"We have to directly connect witht the Gohonzon. This is the path whereby an ordinary person can easily become a Buddha."

Pres Ikeda (2/03 Living Buddhism pg41)

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"The Daishonin urged Shingo Kingo to live happily in the present, without brooding on events of the past or needlessly troubling himself over what might happen in the future. Happiness does not lie in the distance. It is found in the here and now."

Pres Ikeda (Learning from the Gosho, p. 244)

 

[Guest]

"The Daishonin urged Shingo Kingo to live happily in the present, without brooding on events of the past or needlessly troubling himself over what might happen in the future. Happiness does not lie in the distance. It is found in the here and now."

Pres Ikeda (Learning from the Gosho, p. 244)

Thank you Socal! Bullseye! I can always come to this thread for some guidance, or at least to reread my posts and keep the essence fresh in my mind.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"No matter how high your status in society or your leadership position in the Gakkai, it’s meaningless if you aren’t able to attain Buddhahood. Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime is the essence of our Buddhist practice, its ultimate goal, its fundamental principle, and its foundation. The truly wise know that and share it with others."

SGI Newsletter No. 6877, Never Forget the Vow of Mentor and Disciple (At a representatives conference commemorating May 3, Soka Gakkai Day, held at the Soka Culture Centre in Shinanomachi, Tokyo, on April 25, 2006) Translated June 13th, 2006

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The Daishonin states, "If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, (whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable.)."* Our ultimate goal of kosen-rufu will be achieved by us having perfect unity(transcending all differences among ourselves) and through our actions based on the resolute spirit of "oneness of mentor and disciple"!**

*"Many in Body, One in Mind" - WND, page 618

** "Oneness of Mentor and Disciple":

http://www.sgi-uk.org/index.php/buddhism/mentordisciple

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Unity in Buddhism

Unity in Buddhism

'Many in Body - One in Mind' and the 'Oneness of Mentor and Disciple'

In many of Nichiren Daishonin's writings, the principle of unity is stressed again and again. Unity starts with the individual. He writes: 'Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure.' (1)

We all know what it is like to be 'at cross purposes' - those feelings of indecision, confusion or vagueness. Maybe we have also experienced the opposite feeling when we are focused on a goal and confident that we will not deviate from our path towards it, and ready for any problem that may appear to try to hinder us.

Truly fulfilling our potential, however, is dependent on more than not being 'at cross purposes' with our self. Although practising Nichiren Buddhism brings happiness to each of us as individuals, this alone is not enough. As Nichiren Daishonin explains:

All disciples and lay supporters of Nichiren should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the spirit of many in body but one in mind, transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death. Herein lies the true goal of Nichiren's propagation. When you are so united, even the great desire for widespread propagation can be fulfilled. But if any of Nichiren's disciples disrupt the unity of many in body but one in mind, they would be like warriors who destroy their own castle from within. (2)

Many in Body, One in Mind

When we look at our neighbours, our colleagues, even members of our family, we can see that while there are clearly similarities between some groups of people, there are also enormous differences. Around the world, cultural and language differences can appear insurmountable.

Nichiren Daishonin accepts that we are all very different; in fact we are each unique. He asks us to learn to respect other people's unique characteristics and differences. This becomes much easier to do when we look beneath the surface and recall that everyone has the qualities of a Buddha deep in their lives, even if it is not yet apparent.

Although we are all different ('many in body'), it is possible for us to share a common goal, or 'one mind'. This does not mean that we all have to 'think the same', as past experience of totalitarian regimes may indicate. Indeed, it is essential for us to develop our own unique qualities to the full. As Nichiren Daishonin pointed out, different sorts of fruit are perfect in themselves. A pear, for example, should not try to be, or to taste like, a plum. All of our own individual talents and characteristics are necessary for us to realise our goal of a harmonious peaceful world. The essence of 'many in body - one in mind' (Jp. itai doshin) is for us to learn how to transcend the differences between us; to develop respect for each person in our environment.

The concept of many in body, one in mind is based on the vow of Shakyamuni Buddha, which is contained in the Lotus Sutra, 'to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us.' (3) Therefore true enlightenment only comes from helping others to achieve the same state of life. This vow is at the heart of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings.
Consequently, those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo share the same ideal of basing their actions on the qualities of courage, compassion and wisdom, which is in fact 'attaining Buddhahood'. When we see a positive change in our self, we naturally want to encourage others to reveal their potential in the same way. This leads to a desire for the widespread propagation of Buddhist philosophy throughout the world so that society becomes based on fundamental respect for life, rather than on greed, anger or foolishness.

This leads to another important principle - that of the 'oneness of mentor and disciple', or as it is sometimes referred to - 'the mentor and disciple relationship'.

The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple

The 'oneness of mentor and disciple' is a principle which has profound significance in Buddhism. Nichiren Daishonin re-confirmed Shakyamuni's plea to his followers to: 'Rely on the Law and not upon persons'(4). Therefore, we do not worship or pray to statues of the Daishonin or Shakyamuni. Rather we have an object of devotion - the Gohonzon - which is a representation of Nichiren Daishonin's enlightened life state. However, the Daishonin also stated that we should 'seek out the votary of the Lotus Sutra and make him our teacher.' (5)

There are many examples in society of the relationship between a teacher and student, or a master and apprentice. Generally this relationship occurs when a mentor or teacher has some knowledge or skill which they want to pass on to someone else. In the case of Nichiren Buddhism it is the essence of the teachings that the mentor is communicating. Both mentor and disciple are therefore equal and united in their desire to become enlightened. A true mentor desires that the disciples will eventually surpass them in understanding whilst a true disciple shares the same sense of responsibility and commitment to the Law as the mentor.

We may come to a time when we think we understand everything about Nichiren Buddhism. At this point we can stop making as much effort in our practice as we previously did. Then, without being aware of it, start to stagnate in faith and stop seeing positive changes in our life. In order to continue developing our self and speaking with sincerity to others about the teachings, it is vital for us to remain close to the heart of Nichiren Buddhism so that we are able to maintain a strong life state.

We consider that Nichiren Daishonin is our mentor because he provided us with a profound teaching . He first expounded Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and inscribed his enlightened life-condition in the Gohonzon, which enables us to reveal our own inherent Buddha nature. His life is an inspiring example of the potential an ordinary human being has to single-mindedly achieve all their goals. We are able to read about his extraordinary life in the many letters of encouragement he wrote to his followers. Consequently, Nichiren Daishonin has been called the 'mentor of life' (6).

Daisaku Ikeda was born in 1928 and began practising this Buddhism just after the Second World War, when he was 19 years old. He became the third President of the Soka Gakkai in 1960. His example has shown us how to practise and spread Nichiren Daishonin's teachings in twenty-first century. Therefore, he has been described as the 'mentor for kosen-rufu [widespread propagation]' (7). SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's guidance and activities are thoroughly based on his profound understanding of the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.

Studying any of Daisaku Ikeda's guidance we can see how he has continually applied the principles of Nichiren Buddhism in order to achieve wonderful victories in all areas of his life. Yet he does not proclaim himself to be our 'mentor'. His great pride is to be the disciple of his predecessor second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda (1900 - 1958), who in turn was the disciple of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871 -1944).

The mentor-disciple relationship in Nichiren Buddhism depends upon the disciple or how the disciple responds. We choose the mentor, not the other way round. If we look at this from another angle, we can see that it is the activities and achievements of the disciple that validates the mentor. This concept is very different from a traditional understanding of the function of religious leaders, such as guru's, saviours or saints, to give security and reassurance to their disciples.

President Ikeda clarifies this as follows:

The Daishonin urges his followers to practise 'just as Nichiren' and to 'spread the Lotus Sutra as he does'. Disciples who wait for the mentor to do something for them are disciples of the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings. True disciples of the Lotus Sutra are those who struggle just as the mentor does.(8)

The oneness of mentor and disciple in Nichiren Buddhism is not a passive relationship, where the disciple waits for instructions from the mentor. It is an active two-way process based on a vow or pledge that both disciple and mentor make to continuously develop their characters for the sake of the happiness of other people.

President Ikeda has likened the concepts of 'many in body, one in mind' and the 'oneness of mentor and disciple' to the process of making a beautiful cloth or carpet:

The warp represents the bond of mentor and disciple, and the weft to the bond of fellow members. When these are interlaced, a splendid brocade of kosen-rufu is created. (9)

The mentor-disciple relationship provides the vertical 'structure' and the members are like the individual multi-coloured strands of thread that bonded together form the 'pattern or design'. This principle applies to people chanting together in small local groups as well as to the world wide organisation.

If we wish to see a change in the core values of our society, then learning how to work in harmonious co-operation with our fellow human beings is crucial. Nichiren Daishonin's teachings are rooted in a humanistic belief that each person is deeply worthy of respect. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo gives each person the ability to reveal their highest life condition. President Ikeda's guidance and actions for peace becomes a model for us to transform our society.

__________________________________

(1) Nichiren Daishonin, 'Many in Body, One in Mind' (WND p. 618).
(2) Nichiren Daishonin, 'The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life' (WND p. 217).
(3) Burton Watson, The Lotus Sutra (Columbia University Press, 1993) p. 36.
(4) Nirvana Sutra
(5) Nichiren Daishonin, 'The Opening of the Eyes' (WND p. 278).
(6) See Suzanne Pritchard's article 'The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple' in the Art of Living, September 2004.
(7) ibid
(8) Daisaku Ikeda, The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings (SGI-Malaysia, 2004) Vol. 1, pp. 164-165. See also 'The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings' No. 8 (SGI Newsletter No. 5290, 2 October 2002).
(9) Daisaku Ikeda, The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings (SGI-Malaysia, 2004) Vol. 1, p. 135. See also 'The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings' No. 7 (SGI Newsletter No. 5251 22 August 2002).

(from: http://www.sgi-uk.org/index.php/buddhism/mentordisciple )

 

[PassTheDoobie]

My deepest thanks to the Buddhist gods that have mystically delivered this to me to share with you all. The above is in complete agreement with everything I have ever been taught by 'my' mentors. Listening to other SGI members, I had come to fear that the doctrine which I was brought up to embrace had somehow been changed.

I am greatly relieved to find that it has not. 'Woo-hoo!' to SGI-UK for getting it right!

 

[Babbabud]

nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Guest]

! I am seeing things much clearer with that prespective ! Its great to begin my day with the intention to make it one of my best days yet, and even better to further understand that which I am working so hard towards achieving, which is, a consistent practice with a consistent life.

I have lost 10 pounds of fat since I started chanting, I'm in the best shape of my life mentally and physically, I have more energy throughout the day and those around me have been "feeding" off my energy.


Last night I have a tough night again and I just ended up sitting down and chanting and toking(note to self must grow more!) the problem out. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is my answer. Seek your Gohonzon!

lotsa love to MeanMisterMustard, your a special person and a Bodhisattva of the Earth! Lotsa love to always, scegy, delta-9, Bartender(much love! your doing excellent), dutchgrown (i love chanting in the tub too, your a testament to my faith in Buddhism, always overcome!) gypsy (a million thanks skipper, you have no idea how much I am indebt to you, your a frontiers man you pioneered a few things I also have come to grow into!, all the best mate)socal( you make me so proud to know your my brother, glad your "flowing like water", it really gives me a boost to read your posts)PTD(always always without a doubt, you hit me right in my heart, your a great friend, I swear after I read some posts, I sit here thinking wow, t just dedicated all these hours to me, let me read that again then print it out!, love you brother)bud(your family is in my prayers everyday, you know the rest)those I didnt mention including 'the chimney'(love you!)and everyone else, join me chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

yours,
myohodisco

 

[SoCal Hippy]

A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering

A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering

When I asked him about what you told me the other day, I found it to be exactly as you said. You should therefore strive in faith more than ever to receive the blessings of the Lotus Sutra. Listen with the ears of Shih K'uang and observe with the eyes (1) of Li Lou.

In the Latter Day of the Law, the votary of the Lotus Sutra will appear without fail. The greater the hardships befalling him, the greater the delight he feels, because of his strong faith. Doesn't a fire burn more briskly when logs are added? All rivers flow into the sea, but does the sea turn back their waters? The currents of hardship pour into the sea of the Lotus Sutra and rush against its votary. The river is not rejected by the ocean; nor does the votary reject suffering. Were it not for the flowing rivers, there would be no sea. Likewise, without tribulation there would be no votary of the Lotus Sutra. As T'ien-t'ai stated, "The various rivers flow into the sea, and logs make a (2) fire burn more briskly."

You should realize that it is because of a profound karmic relationship from the past that you can teach others even a sentence or phrase of the Lotus Sutra. The sutra reads, "Nor will they hear the correct Law - such people are difficult (3) to save." The "correct Law" means the Lotus Sutra; it is difficult tosave those who are deaf to the teachings of this sutra.

A passage from the "Teacher of the Law" chapter reads: "If one of these good men or good women [in the time after I have passed into extinction is able to secretly expound the Lotus Sutra to one person, even one phrase of it, then you should know that] he or she is the envoy of the Thus Come One." This means that anyone who teaches others even a single phrase of the Lotus Sutra is the envoy of the Thus Come One, whether that person be priest or layman, nun or laywoman. You are already a lay practitioner and therefore one of the "good men" described in the sutra. One who listens to even a sentence or phrase of the sutra and cherishes it deep in one's heart may be likened to a ship that crosses the sea of the sufferings of birth and death. The Great Teacher Miao-lo stated, "Even a single phrase cherished deep in one's heart will without fail help one reach the opposite shore. To ponder one phrase and practice it is to (4) exercise navigation." Only the ship of Myoho-renge-kyo enables one to cross the sea of the sufferings of birth and death.

The Lotus Sutra speaks of "someone finding a ship in which to cross the (5) water." This "ship" might be described as follows: As a shipbuilder of infinitely profound wisdom, the World-Honored One of Great Enlightenment, the lord of teachings, gathered the lumber of the four flavors and eight teachings, planed it by honestly discarding the provisional teachings, cut and assembled the planks, forming a perfect (6) unity of both right and wrong, and completed the craft by driving home the spikes of the one true teaching that is comparable to the flavor of ghee. Thus he launched the ship upon the sea of the sufferings of birth and death. Unfurling its sails of the three thousand realms on the mast of the one true teaching of the Middle Way, driven by the fair wind of (7) "the true aspect of all phenomena," the vessel surges ahead, carrying aboard all people who can "gain entrance through (8) faith alone." The Thus Come One Shakyamuni is at the helm, the Thus Come One Many Treasures takes up the mooring rope, and the four bodhisattvas led by Superior Practices row quickly, matching one another as perfectly as a box and its lid. This is the ship in "a ship in which to cross the water." Those who are able to board it are the disciples and lay supporters of Nichiren. Believe this wholeheartedly. When you visit Shijo Kingo, please have an earnest talk with him. I will write you again in more detail.

With my deep respect,

Nichiren

The twenty-eighth day of the fourth
month

To Shiiji Shiro

Background:

Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter at Kamakura in the first year of Kocho (1261), about two weeks before he was exiled to Ito in Izu. Virtually nothing is known about the recipient, Shiiji Shiro, other than that he lived in the province of Suruga and was acquainted with two of the Daishonin's leading disciples, Shijo Kingo and Toki Jonin.

The title of this letter is drawn froma passage in the "Medicine King" chapter of the Lotus Sutra that speaks of "a ship in which to cross the water." In this letter, the Daishonin teaches that the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra is the "ship" that can unfailingly transport one across the sea of life's in-evitable sufferings to the distant shore of enlightenment.

Notes:

1. Shih K'uang, in Chinese legend, was a court musician whose sense of hearing was so keen that he could judge the quality of a newly cast bell, where ordinary musicians could not. Li Lou's sight was so acute that he could see the tip of a hair at a hundred paces.
2. Great Concentration and Insight.
3. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.
4. The Annotations on "The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra." "The opposite shore" represents nirvana, or enlightenment, while this shore where we live represents illusion.
5. Lotus Sutra, chap. 23.
6. "Forming a perfect unity of both right and wrong" means that both good and evil are eternally inherent in life. Provisional sutras hold that wicked people can-not attain enlightenment, but the Lotus Sutra reveals that even such people possess the Buddha nature, giving the example of Devadatta attaining Buddhahood.
7. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.
8. Ibid., chap. 3.

 

[SoCal Hippy]

...."This means that anyone who teaches others even a single phrase of
the Lotus Sutra is the envoy of the Thus Come One."....

Let's all be Envoys of the Thus Come One!!!!

 

[Guest]

Gosho Excerpt:

"In judging the relative merit of Buddhist doctrines, I, Nichiren, believe that the best standards are those of reason and documentary proof. And even more valuable than reason and documentary proof is the proof of actual fact."

Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain,
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pg# 599)
Written to Nishiyama Nyudo on 22 June 1275 from Minobu
http://sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/wnd/concord/pages.view/599.html




Daily Encouragement:

It's foolish to be obsessed with past failures. And it's just as foolish to be self-satisfied with one's small achievements. Buddhism teaches that the present and the future are what are important, not the past. It teaches us a spirit of unceasing challenge to win over the present and advance ever toward the future. Those who neglect this spirit of continual striving steer their lives in a ruinous direction.

Lectures and articles about Nichiren Buddhism: http://sgi-usa.org/buddhism/

 

[PassTheDoobie]

We practice a faith that enables us to certainly transform all of our earthly desires into enlightenment.* It is because we have problems and obstacles to overcome that we can chant daimoku even more earnestly, even more seriously. Through such challenges and struggles, we can elevate our life condition and develop ourselves so that we can become capable of sincerely and wholeheartedly encouraging other people, truly understanding their sufferings and pains.

Daisaku Ikeda

* "Desires and Enlightenment":

http://sokagakkai.info/html3/sg_today3/philosophy3/desires_enlight3.html

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Desires and Enlightenment

Desires and Enlightenment

People encountering Nichiren Buddhism for the first time are often surprised by its stance 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. He sought to tell them that lasting happiness can never be based on attachments subject to constant flux.

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

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. Nichiren is recorded to have taught, "Now when Nichiren and his disciples chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, they . . . burn the firewood of earthly desires and behold the fire of enlightened wisdom. . . ." (Gosho Zenshu, Ongi Kuden, p. 710)

In the same vein, the Universal Worthy Sutra states: "Without either cutting off earthly desires or separating themselves from the five desires, they can purify all their senses and wipe away all their offenses." (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Earthly Desires Are Enlightenment, p. 318)

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 because of the demands of a meditative withdrawal from the world. Those who wish to continue playing an active role in the world are able to practice Nichiren Buddhism.

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" realized through severing 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 personal experiences of SGI members describe events and changes that at first glance seem 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 "conspicuous" and "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 broad and noble. Our desires quite naturally develop from self-centered ones to altruistic prayers for our families, friends, communities and, ultimately, the happiness of all humanity.

In this way, one's desires are steadily transformed from being primarily material and physical to more spiritually-oriented desires that are based on Buddhist compassion. This transformation of desires leads to a life full of increasing fulfillment.

As SGI President Daisaku 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."

 

[Babbabud]

Countdown to visiting the SGI cultural center in san fran. T minus 7 days. wooohooooo
nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Guest]

200 pages, Cheers to new beginings! Welcome to the Chanting Growers Thread where....

200 pages, Cheers to new beginings! Welcome to the Chanting Growers Thread where....

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

Thanks for the great post PTD. We have discussed how important it is to trust that in the Gohonzon, you have the means to fulfill each and every desire of yours and become extraordinarily happy.

From Namu Shakamuni-butsu to Nichiren Diashonin to you to me to our children and their children, it has always been within us! I have had to struggle and continue to struggle at times in life, only to elevate myself to a higher lifecondition and further take advantage of all the benefits I am creating in the process.

If there exists a votary of the Lotus Sutra, then the three types of enemies are bound to exist as well.

Devadatta was the enemy of the Buddha who tried to oppose Shakyamuni and caused suffering for those he touched. For some people, "devadatta" is also their enemy of choice. They think of the "devil" as a real entity and imagine him possessing their opponants like the "devil" in the story the "Exorcist." If only evil were that easy to identify or that easy to fight!

But the truth is, that the only real enemy of the Buddha is "Fundamental Darkness".

This day will be great, because I will harness my strength and fortitude to overcome the devil of the sixth heaven and triumph in the face of any adversity.

I truly am a Nichiren Buddhist, no other time in my life have I expirienced such clarity and such a deep well of hope!



Gosho Excerpt:

"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 the bad times for granted."

On persecutions befalling the sage
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pg# 998)
Written to Shijo Kingo on 1 October 1279 from Minobu
http://sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/wnd/concord/pages.view/998.html




Daily Encouragement:

Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, later remarked that one's inner life is the true Olympics. Life itself is an Olympics where we strive each day to better own personal records.

Lectures and articles about Nichiren Buddhism: http://sgi-usa.org/buddhism/


p.s. internal corruption leads to conflict! work it out! know and control your mind!

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Congratulations to the Chanting Growers Group for attaining 200 pgs!!! and no indication of slowing down.

My thanks to all who contribute and view here for the continuous encouragement obtained thru the philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism.

Nam myoho renge kyo