Chanting Growers Group

[LeoNardoDaVinci]

Thank you PTD for taking the time to reply with knowledge and facts to weed out the slander. But I did feel a bit attacked there and even hated for just having some questions. You know me PTD you know all I am on a quest for is the truth and knowledge and wisdom, I in NO way said I believed that stuff I was looking to YOU guys to be my guides, people I trust and consider brother’s to give me their opinions that would mirror the ones in my heart. The problem my brothers, is that I d/led “The Teaching Company- Buddhism” by Professor Malcom David Eckel which contains 24, 30 minute lectures. I listened to the first 4 today on my Delivery routes. I have come to think that my path doesn’t end with the SGI but the chanting will be a tool for me on my path. I see that my path takes me to Bodhi(taken from wikipedia cuz I don’t want to rewrite my explanation of Bodhi).
- Bodhi (Pāli and Sanskrit बॊधि, lit. awakening) is a title given in Buddhism to the specific awakening experience attained by the Buddha. After attainment of Bodhi, it is believed one is freed from the cycle of saṃsāra: birth, suffering, death and rebirth. Bodhi is attained only by the accomplishment of the pāramitās (perfections), when the Four Noble Truths are fully grasped, and when all karma has reached cessation. At this moment, all greed (lobha), hatred (Pali doṣa, delusion (moha), ignorance (Sanskrit avidyā, Pāli avijjā), craving (Sanskrit त्र्श्ण, [[tṛṣṇā]], Pāli taṇhā) and belief in that which is not the self (anātmān, Pāli anāttā) are extinguished(everything is me and I am everything, everyone is me and I am everyone…I already know this and have seen it in my visions too bad it scares me, but that means there is only the self because there is no seperation… -that’s me talking there not wikipedia ). Bodhi thus implies understanding of anātman (Pāli anatta), the absence of ego-centeredness. All schools of Buddhism recognise three types of Bodhi. They are Śrāvakabodhi (Pāli: Sāvakabodhi), Pratyekabodhi (Pāli: Paccekabodhi) and Samyaksambodhi (Pāli: Sammāsambodhi), the perfect enlightenment by which a Bodhisattva becomes a fully enlightened Buddha. The aspiration to attain the state of samyaksambodhi, known as the Bodhisattva ideal, is considered as the highest ideal of Buddhism.)
I have seen the cycle of samsara and I have lived a million, million years upon years just as all of you have and I now feel like the aesthetic wandering monks of tibet. What is the point of this samsara, the point of this “all is suffering” (all is impermanent so any attachment to the impermanent ie this world, yourself, your belongings, your family is suffering) So they say you can remove yourself from this cycle by stopping the flow of karma(SGI is about changing, manipulating karma, to your and the rest of mankinds benefit(which is great) and also to be reborn into a better more possitive life, well I don’t want to be reborn what is the point if you can’t remember the past lives…its some sick prison). How do you stop the flow of karma? According to what I heard you become an aesthetic monk(a beggar) But doesn’t Buddhism teach that all actions create karma even your thoughts, words, movements. Doesn’t begging cause karma etc? How can you cease to act?! Anyways I realize that I have almost attained Bodhi 10+ times…in this life that I remember. Everytime I am attached to this damn self and this damn illusion because it is all I know so I pull back and I do not get to see the true nature of reality as Shakyamuni did. Why am I so afraid though!? Shakyamuni did it and he came back to help others! I must chant for strength on my path to Bodhi and this is all I must chant for besides maybe a way to India to start my path there as an aesthetic monk. I cannot chant for material things like I have seen some people do and suggest. I saw a 40+ year old asian buddhist at my meeting with a grill for one…which turned me off a bit as I see that be no where near the middle path. Also my district leader said and I quote “you can chant for anything, even negative things, and get results” That was scary…to think a select few may be chanting for bad things but I guess that is true of everything and all forms of life and habits so I must not focus on it. I am awakening as I write it seems. Anyways sorry to be all over the place guys but I had a much better flowing thing written but when I pressed post it said “back in a few minutes” Haha 6 devils don’t want me talking, and don’t want me awakening just like they didn’t want Shakyamuni to, but I have the tool of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo in my corner and they will not stop me. I have seen my karma in a physical form I have seen it like a spinning roladex ever changing dependant on me. I have seen these as visions on the way from the 7th consciousness to the 8th everytime I get a little more of the true nature of reality but I always pull back denying myself Bodhi and prolonging my samsara. You can all say what you will and most will not believe me to have correctly understood what has been happening to me and think me mad but I am not and I know what I am. What do you think brothers? We are all still brothers, like what I have to say or not…I just think I may be more leaning towards Tibetan Buddhism I lived many past lives in India…I am sure… I just really REALLY need to continue my study before I fully tackle my complete awakening. 4 lectures down, 20 to go(I am gonna listen to them over and over till they are engrained in my mind).

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Well my Brother--and I say this with all kinds of love, but even more "lived" life experience--thinking we know more than we know is the biggest obstacle to enlightenment. You go do what you need to do, and we'll be here if you need us. You are going against the express teachings of the Lotus Sutra, but you seem very sure that you have the ability to correctly discern what is best for you, rather than trust the teachings of the Buddha.

If you ever find that the darkness you have escaped from is returning, remember what started you out on the right path. And go back to it. To mix Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with any other teaching is a very big no-no. Huge. Not my take--it is expressly forwarned by Nichiren many many times in many many places. It's a shame you can't find the time to read this thread. Everything I am referring to is already in here.

But we don't help in the distribution of slander. You will never stop the eternity of life, Leo. Or the cycle of Life and Death. In my opinion, it cannot be done, because the Lotus Sutra says it cannot be done. The Lotus Sutra was Shakyamuni's last complete teaching. In it, the Buddha says that everything he has taught prior to that point had been preparatory. You are attempting to attend graduate school at a kindergarden.

But if it's mind candy you want rather than true enlightenment (anuttara-samyak-sambodhi), you will always find more candy in a kindergarden. Good luck!

Keep the rest of that shit out of here though. OK? Out of respect for the Law, I must ask you that. Thank you! And no hard feelings! We are and continue to be brothers.

However as your Brother, and one that has been at this longer than you have, I feel compelled to tell you that of the many that I have seen go toward the path you say is calling you, no one has ever achieved what you have described. Because it is delusion based on pre-Lotus Sutra teachings. And they no longer have power in the Latter Day of the Law. This is said by the original author of those teachings; no matter how many self described disciples claim that to be otherwise.

T

 

[Babbabud]

Leo that void will only last as long as a blink of an eye. Been there done that.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

I vowed to summon up a powerful and unconquerable desire for the salvation of all beings, and never to falter in my efforts.

[ The Opening of the Eyes - Part One, WND Page 240 ]

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the greatest of all joys."

(Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 788, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 212) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 30th, 2006

 

[Bonzo]

"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the greatest of all joys."

(Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 788, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 212) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 30th, 2006

Good morning my friends!!! Finally it has warmed up a bit over here, i hope everyone else is warm this morning as well.

have a great day!!

Joy of joys, no doubt about it!!.

peace and love :smile:

bonz




>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The Middle Way

The Middle Way

The Middle Way is a Buddhist term with rich connotations. Most simply, it implies a balanced approach to life and the regulation of one's impulses and behavior, close to Aristotle's idea of the "golden mean" whereby "every virtue is a mean between two extremes, each of which is a vice."

While the word middle denotes balance, however, the Middle Way should not be confused with passivity or a kind of middle-of-the-road compromise. To tread the Middle Way rather implies ongoing effort.

In the broadest sense, the Middle Way refers to the correct view of life that the Buddha teaches, and to the actions or attitudes that will create happiness for oneself and others. Thus, Buddhism itself is sometimes referred to as "the Middle Way," indicating a transcendence and reconciliation of the extremes of opposing views.

All these ideas are exemplified by Shakyamuni's own life, as conveyed to us by legend. Born a prince, Shakyamuni enjoyed every physical comfort and pleasure. However, dissatisfied with the pursuit of fleeting pleasures, he set out in search of a deeper, more enduring truth. He entered a period of extreme ascetic practice, depriving himself of food and sleep, bringing himself to the verge of physical collapse. Sensing the futility of this path, however, he began meditating with the profound determination to realize the truth of human existence, which had eluded him as much in a life of asceticism as in a life of luxury. It was then that Shakyamuni awakened to the true nature of life--its eternity, its deep wellspring of unbounded vitality and wisdom.

Later, in order to guide his followers toward this same Middle Way, he taught the eightfold path: eight principles, such as right conduct, right speech, etc., by which individuals can govern their behavior and develop true self-knowledge.

Since then, at various points in the history of Buddhism, Buddhist scholars have attempted to clarify and define the true nature of life. Around the third century, Nagarjuna's theory of the non-substantial nature of the universe (see April 2001 SGI Quarterly) explained that there is no permanent "thing" behind the constantly changing phenomena of life, no fixed basis to reality. For Nagarjuna, this view was the Middle Way, the ultimate perspective on life.

Nagarjuna's ideas were further developed by T'ien-t'ai (Chi-i) in sixth-century China. All phenomena, he stated, are the manifestations of a single entity--life itself. This entity of life, which T'ien-t'ai called the Middle Way, exhibits two aspects--a physical aspect and a non-substantial aspect. Ignoring or emphasizing either gives us a distorted picture of life. We cannot, for example, realistically conceptualize a person lacking either a physical or a mental/spiritual aspect. T'ien-t'ai thus clarified the indivisible interrelationship between the physical and the spiritual. From this viewpoint stem the Buddhist principles of the inseparability of the body and the mind and of the self and the environment.

Nichiren (1222-1282), in turn, gave concrete, practical form to these often quite abstract arguments. Based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren defined the Middle Way as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and taught that by reciting this phrase one can harmonize and energize the physical and spiritual aspects of one's life, and awaken to the deepest truth of one's existence.

From this perspective, life--the vital energy and wisdom that permeates the cosmos and manifests as all phenomena--is an entity that transcends and harmonizes apparent contradictions between the physical and the mental, even between life and death. SGI President Daisaku Ikeda takes the same view when he states that it is life that gives rise to DNA, not the other way around.

According to Buddhism, individuals and societies as a whole have a tendency toward either a predominantly material or spiritual view of life. The negative effects of the materialism that pervades the modern industrialized world are apparent at every level of society, from environmental destruction to spiritual impoverishment. Simply rejecting materialism out of hand, however, amounts to idealism or escapism and undermines our ability to respond constructively to life's challenges.

The historian Eric Hobsbawm titled his volume on the 20th century "The Age of Extremes." Indeed, the violence and grotesque imbalances of that era drive home the need to find new ways of peacefully reconciling apparent opposites. What is most essential, if humanity is to find a middle way toward a creative global society in the 21st century, is a new appreciation and reverence for the inviolable sanctity of life.

(from: http://www.sgi.org/english/Buddhism/more/more33.htm )

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
A wonderful post T thankyou for putting that up

 

[Guest]

So I had this huge smokeout recently, like off the charts huge. two out of four of us ended up kinda sick (lung issues after all that smoking) and i ended up paranoid like crazy, not like hearing voices but fucked in the head. During that time we only did gongyo once a day and hardly any daimoku. Because I was slacking on myself and my wife it kinda caught up recently but because of my practice when I got back I did tons of daimoku and finally today another breakthru.

I talked to my mentor about this, we fucking laughed about the sillyness that transpired and caused negative results (arguements, misunderstands, illness, depression among other embarassing shit) from this wicked abuse of the greatest marijuana harvest I ever saw in my life... and came to the conclusion which was already clear to me, just chant about it. Anything wrong anything bothering me, just chant about it. And you know what, Today I see another huge victory for me on the horizon, a victory of greater responsibility, discipline, respect and honor attributed to My Faith!

That feels so good say "My FAITH!" I who less than a year ago believed in nothing picked up my latest mantra in the hopes of finally settling into something, and click like clockwork the Buddha's predictions came true, This practice is the only practice that revolves around actual proof. I chanted for alot of stuff, I mean alot within 'reasonable' parameters.

REASONABLE, HA! that's an understatement, remember a couple month back how I was crying about my midlife crisis, the result was I got what I wanted then I got scared and rescinded the offer! touche, you ask Gohonzon, Gohonzon gives it, your blown away but can't accept it! lol, that was my predicament, and the thing is its still hanging out there like a the perverbial big old matzo ball. lol. I love this practice, and resolve to tell new people everyday about this, because I'm confident in Gohonzon and The Lotus Sutra is going to grant me passage into the next life with Gohonzon.

So I fucking make crazy mistakes as a part of my 'seemingly' never ending growing pains, when do you stop learning? apparently never! lol. I have such a seeking spirit that even though I was not going to be a part of this marijuana site and community I felt like I had to, and as a result I got into this and as a result, I got some real great friendships and people in my corner.

Never lose faith, if you do, work hard on recapturing that faith.

On that note, I LOVE LOOKING AT SEXY WOMEN! Anyone ever chant for x-ray vision? Much love to all!

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

 

[Guest]

Per Thus Come One PasstheDoobie's Guidance, Please read this Gosho over and over!

Per Thus Come One PasstheDoobie's Guidance, Please read this Gosho over and over!

On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime

If you wish to free yourself from the sufferings of birth and death you have endured since time without beginning and to attain without fail unsurpassed enlightenment in this lifetime, you must perceive the mystic truth that is originally inherent in all living beings. This truth is Myoho-renge-kyo. Chanting Myoho-renge-kyo will therefore enable you to grasp the mystic truth innate in all life.

The Lotus Sutra is the king of sutras, true and correct in both word and principle. Its words are the ultimate reality, and this reality is the Mystic Law (myoho). It is called the Mystic Law because it reveals the principle of the mutually inclusive relationship of a single moment of life and all phenomena. That is why this sutra is the wisdom of all Buddhas.

Life at each moment encompasses the body and mind and the self and environment of all sentient beings in the Ten Worlds as well as all insentient beings in the three thousand realms, including plants, sky, earth, and even the minutest particles of dust. Life at each moment permeates the entire realm of phenomena and is revealed in all phenomena. To be awakened to this principle is itself the mutually inclusive relationship of life at each moment and all phenomena. Nevertheless, even though you chant and believe in Myoho-renge-kyo, if you think the Law is outside yourself, you are embracing not the Mystic Law but an inferior teaching. "Inferior teaching" means those other than this [Lotus] sutra, which are all expedient and provisional. No expedient or provisional teaching leads directly to enlightenment, and without the direct path to enlightenment you cannot attain Buddhahood, even if you practice lifetime after lifetime for countless kalpas. Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime is then impossible. Therefore, when you (1) chant myoho and recite renge, you must summon up deep faith that Myoho-renge-kyo is your life itself.

You must never think that any of the eighty thousand sacred teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha's lifetime or any of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions and three existences are outside yourself. Your practice of the Buddhist teachings will not relieve you of the sufferings of birth and death in the least unless you perceive the true nature of your life. If you seek enlightenment outside yourself, then your performing even ten thousand practices and ten thousand good deeds will be in vain. It is like the case of a poor man who spends night and day counting his neighbor's wealth but gains not even half a coin. That is why the T'ien-t'ai school's commentary states, "Unless one perceives the nature of one's life, one cannot eradicate one's grave offenses."(2) This passage implies that, unless one perceives the nature of one's life, one's practice will become an endless, painful austerity. Therefore, such students of Buddhism are condemned as non-Buddhist. Great Concentration and Insight states that, although they study Buddhism, their views are no different from those of non-Buddhists.

Whether you chant the Buddha's name, (3) recite the sutra, or merely offer flowers and incense, all your virtuous acts will implant benefits and roots of goodness in your life. With this conviction you should strive in faith. The Vimalakirti Sutra states that, when one seeks the Buddhas' emancipation in the minds of ordinary beings, one finds that ordinary beings are the entities of enlightenment, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana. 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.

It is the same with a Buddha and an ordinary being. When deluded, one is called an ordinary being, but when enlightened, one is called a Buddha. This is similar to a tarnished mirror that will shine like a jewel when polished. A mind now clouded by the illusions of the innate darkness of life is like a tarnished mirror, but when polished, it is sure to become like a clear mirror, reflecting the essential nature of phenomena and the true aspect of reality. Arouse deep faith, and diligently polish your mirror day and night. How should you polish it? Only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

What then does myo signify? It is simply the mysterious nature of our life from moment to moment, which the mind cannot comprehend or words express. When we look into our own mind at any moment, we perceive neither color nor form to verify that it exists. Yet we still cannot say it does not exist, for many differing thoughts continually occur. The mind cannot be considered either to exist or not to exist. Life is indeed an elusive reality that transcends both the words and concepts of existence and nonexistence. It is neither existence nor non-existence, yet exhibits the qualities of both. It is the mystic entity of the Middle Way that is the ultimate reality. Myo is the name given to the mystic nature of life, and ho, to its manifestations. Renge, which means lotus flower, is used to symbolize the wonder of this Law. If we understand that our life at this moment is myo, then we will also understand that our life at other (4) moments is the Mystic Law. This realization is the mystic kyo, or sutra. The Lotus Sutra is the king of sutras, the direct path to enlightenment, for it explains that the entity of our life, which manifests either good or evil at each moment, is in fact the entity of the Mystic Law.

If you chant Myoho-renge-kyo with deep faith in this principle, you are certain to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. That is why the sutra states, "After I have passed into extinction, [one] should accept and uphold this sutra. Such a person assuredly and without doubt will attain the Buddha way." (5) Never doubt in the slightest.

Respectfully.

Maintain your faith and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nichiren

Background

This letter was written to Toki Jonin in the seventh year of Kencho (1255), two years after Nichiren Daishonin established his teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. At the time of this letter, the Daishonin was thirty-four years old and was living in Kamakura, the seat of the military government. Toki was a staunch follower of the Daishonin who lived in Wakamiya in Shimosa Province. He received some thirty letters, including Letter from Sado and one of the major treatises, The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. A retainer of Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa, Toki had become a follower of the Daishonin around 1254.

Of all his writings from the mid-1250s, On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime focuses most clearly on the tenets of the Daishonin's Buddhism;many of the other works of this period are aimed chiefly at refuting the erroneous doctrines of other schools and discussing theoretical questions. This short essay not only reflects the theories T'ien-t'ai formulated based on the Lotus Sutra, but also reveals the concrete practice for attaining Buddha-hood - namely, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - that is missing in T'ien-t'ai's theoretical framework.

Myoho-renge-kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra, but to the Daishonin it is much more; it is the essence of the sutra, the revelation of the supreme Law itself. Apparent in this work are both the depth of his thought and his conviction that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the only teaching that can lead people to Buddhahood in this lifetime.

Notes:

1. "Chant myoho and recite renge" means to chant the daimoku of the Mystic Law, or Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
2. The Annotations on "Great Concentration and Insight."
3. As used here, "the Buddha's name"denotes Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
4. This sentence can also be interpreted to read, "If one understands that one's life is myo, then one also understands that others' lives are all entities of the Mystic Law."
5. Lotus Sutra, chap. 21.

Make this weekend an utter victory in everything you apply yourself to!

Chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

 

[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."

(from: http://www.sgi.org/english/Buddhism/more/more09.htm )

 

[LeoNardoDaVinci]

Thank you PTD once again. What more can I say, thank you. I had a little bump along the way but I am back full force in the goal of kosen-rufu, I was wrong about becoming an aesthetic how easy to see now that, that will not give me peace as it did not give the Buddha peace. I get it now and I am here chanting with all of you for the betterment of our species. Thanks for being a great teacher PTD. We can do this! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! Quick question, what books are available to further my study of SGI's sect of Buddhism? I want to read them all if possible.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Congratulations Leo!

Congratulations Leo!

Your Buddha Nature has already been revealed in these previous pages. I have complete confidence where the Gohonzon will lead you.

You just kicked the Devil of the Sixth Heaven's ASS!

Dude, you just made me cry! Tears of Joy! It's the thing I feel most that I can relate to you about. I know you understand Tears of Joy. Thank you!

Deep respect,

Thomas

PS:

Start here:

http://www.sgi-usa.org/publications/books/index.html

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Always remember this,

Always remember this,

Never lose faith, if you do, work hard on recapturing that faith.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

Or at least try to remember to remember this!

Ha! We all fuck up. Some of us more than others!!! But we all have the same Buddha Nature!

That's why the Daishonin says:

"Even an ignorant person can obtain blessings by serving someone who expounds the Lotus Sutra. No matter if he is a demon or an animal, if someone proclaims even a single verse or phrase of the Lotus Sutra, you must respect him as you would the Buddha. This is what the sutra means when it says, "You should rise and greet him from afar, showing him the same respect you would a Buddha." You should respect one another as Shakyamuni and Many Treasures did at the ceremony in the "Treasure Tower" chapter." [The Fourteen Slanders / WND Page 757 ]

Always remember that every set-back is an opportunity to develop your faith by challenging the experience to provide a basis of demonstrating the Power of the Law.

And then do it!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

All these things I have done solely in order to repay the debt I owe to my parents, the debt I owe to my teacher, the debt I owe to the three treasures of Buddhism, and the debt I owe to my country. For their sake I have been willing to destroy my body and to give up my life, though as it turns out, I have not been put to death after all.

[ On Repaying Debts of Gratitude, WND Page 728 ]

 

[Babbabud]

Awesome welcome HOME Leo
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[fallenangel]

hey all , just wanted to check in and say hi to everyone . i know i havnt been around this thread for a while . hope all is well with everyone . lots of changes happening over here . im hoping it all works out for the best . nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Babbabud]

Heya Fallen great to see you stop in. Thats how it is out here in the world ....up and down ... just keep on chanting fallen and there will be plenty of ups We are so fortunate to be here!!!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[LeoNardoDaVinci]

You just kicked the Devil of the Sixth Heaven's ASS!

Dude, you just made me cry! Tears of Joy! It's the thing I feel most that I can relate to you about. I know you understand Tears of Joy. Thank you!

Deep respect,

Thomas

PS:

Start here:

http://www.sgi-usa.org/publications/books/index.html

I know all about tears of joy, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have a duty to the world, that no man woman or child may be ignorant to the beauty of the Mystic Law. To do this I must study study study! So ignorant am I to think I even have it half figured out, so ignorant. But my ignorance is fleeting and it is replaced with deep faith. I must humble myself because I really "know" so little. PTD that is ALOT of publications lol, are there any that you highly recommend as some of the better books to start with? I love you all and I hope your days are filled with ups and I hope that if filled with downs you can turn those downs into ups Love and respect to all my brothers and sisters. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

 

[Babbabud]

I dont know where there is a copy on line to read but I understand "The Buddha in Your Mirror" is a very good one.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo