Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

Bonz, it was on time. Thanks!

Bonz, it was on time. Thanks!

"Some people, while they may at one point have exerted themselves in faith wholeheartedly, end up defeated by persecution or succumbing to selfishness and arrogance and giving up completely. Nichiren Daishonin writes: 'To accept is easy; to continue is difficult. But Buddhahood lies in continuing faith' (WND-1, 471). Perseverance is crucial in faith. It's the source of real strength and the key to achieving our great objective."

SGI Newsletter No. 7062, The New Human Revolution—Vol. 19: Chap. 2, Song of Triumph 16, trans. Dec. 20th, 2006

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Therefore, you must summon up the great power of faith more than ever. Do not blame the heavenly gods if you exhaust your good fortune and lose their protection.."

(The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1000) Selection source: Guides for Victory by SGI President Ikeda, Seikyo Shimbun, December 21st, 2006

 

[Farmer John]

Happy Bday T!!!!!! :smile: Om nama shivaya!

 

[Bonzo]

Good im glad it was on time, as you can see i was rushing, stumbling over what to say.

So i misspell a few words here and there, write incomplete sentances. As we all have come to know its the heart that counts. Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!!


Im so excited T, I cant stand it! I have hardly slept but i will relax, i cant wait till New Years Eve! I have been chanting on and off all nite allmost, alot of things have come to light. Is it ok to chant for 15/20 minutes and then do it again a half hour later or 10 minutes later for that matter?

I just keep feeling the need to when i thought i was done. HEY!!! LIGHT BULB!! WERE NEVER DONE! We will be chanting and creating such goodnees and achieving higher and higher life conditions, which (my favorite part) CANNAOT FAIL TO AUTOMATICALLY REACH OUT TO OTHERS WHO SEE WITH THEIR OWN TWO EYES OUR LIFE AND OUR HUMAN NATURE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. Does that make sense or do i need to go to sleep?

This holiday cappucino is good!!!! he he, fun, fun, fun!!!

peace and love

bonz






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

 

[Delta9-THC]

ola and Happy Birthday PTD .... >>><<< Nam myoho renge kyo <<<>>><<<>>>

Peace

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"...it could never
come about that [the] prayers [of the
practitioner of the Lotus Sutra] would
go unanswered."(*)

Buddhism is a win or lose battle,
and daimoku is the source of victory.
Let's win with daimoku!

-Daisaku Ikeda

(*)"On Prayer," p. 345, Writings of Nichiren Daishonin (I)

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

DAILY GOSHO
Monday, December 25, 2006

Selection Source: On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of
the Land – The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 17

"Though I may be a person of little ability, I have reverently given myself to the study of the Mahayana. A blue fly, if it clings to the tail of a thoroughbred horse, can travel ten thousand miles, and the green ivy that twines around the tall pine can grow to a thousand feet."

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Your own offerings were not made to me, Nichiren, but to the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, we must leave it to Shakyamuni Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha, and the Buddhas of the ten directions [to fathom the greatness of] the resulting benefits.

[ Roots of Good Fortune, WND Page 1103 ]

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Shoten Zenjin Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Sitting here at my computer moments ago. A large tree crashed down onto of the shed directly next to my house. Missing the place im sitting by less then ten feet. If it would have fell any more this direction it would have hit the house right where im sitting. It drove the shed to the ground. I would have been hurt. It is sooo windy. There is still another part of the tree standing. Not sure i can even go cut any of it down today as the wind is way to much. I feel so fortunate. Although I am still shaking I went straight to Gohonzon to do Daimoku of thanks. I was a timber faller for many years and have seen alot of trees fall. Shoten Zenjin the protective forces have looked out for me today I assure you. Still shakin in my boots!!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Dude I immediately chanted Daimoku of appreciation for your protection.

Sincere thanks for my Birthday Wishes! Heart-felt thanks to all.

It's pretty active around here right now. Lots of good things happening. I will get back to everyone, but I wanted to especially thank FJ for officially stopping in. I also got some PM's and emails from dear friends and I am elated to know everyone is OK.

I will reply to you all. Thank you!

Belated Happy birthday to SoCal! It is one I should never miss since he influenced the Universe to have my boys born on his day! Keep posting Brother!

Easy, Gordy, and SG all send their best!

Deepest appreciation and respect,

Thomas

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"A smile is like a beautiful flower that touches the hearts of others. It is in the rich earth of the human spirit that smiles bloom."

SGI Newsletter No. 7063, The New Human Revolution—Vol. 19: Chap. 2, Song of Triumph 17, trans Dec. 21st, 2006

 

[PassTheDoobie]

In the next life you should use this sword as your staff. The Lotus Sutra is the staff that helps all the Buddhas of the three existences as they set their minds on enlightenment. However, you should rely upon Nichiren as your staff and pillar. When one uses a staff, he will not fall on treacherous mountain paths or rough roads, and when led by the hand, he will never stumble.

[ The Swords of Good and Evil, WND Page 451 ]

 

[fallenangel]

hey all , wishing eveyone a joy filled day .
babba ..so glad no one was hurt

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

SoCal a belated happy happy to you !! Great to see you FA

-----------------------------------------------------------------


SGI PRESIDENT IKEDA'S DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT
Wednesday, December 27, 2006

No matter what the circumstances, you should never concede defeat. Never conclude that you've reached a dead end, that everything is finished. You possess a glorious future. And precisely because of that, you must persevere and study. Life is eternal. We need to focus on the two existences of the present and the future and not get caught up in the past. We must always have the spirit to begin anew "from this moment," to initiate a new struggle each day.

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Ok I got up and turned it up today and put the peddle to the metal. Got the tree all cut up and burned. There is still the other part standing there but it will be safe for now. I spent alot of time looking at this thing and how it fell. Im amazed at how it all happened. Ive crawled back up inside to see how all my carpentry tools are. My generator , my compressors , table saws , power washer, all kinds of stuph all seems to be unhurt. Everywher something of real value was sitting something stopped the roof before squashing it. We had a couple power outages and I had been standing out there working on the generator not 30 minutes before the tree fell. I am so amazed that this thing could posibly land on all our stuff like this and not really hurt anything. Shoten Zenjin. I feel so fortunate. It has moved me to more daimoku then normal so it must be all good. woooooooohoooooooooo
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

All that just made me smile! Well done, Bud!

All that just made me smile! Well done, Bud!

heavenly gods and benevolent deities
[諸天善神] (Jpn.: shoten-zenjin)

Also, Buddhist gods, protective gods, tutelary gods, guardian deities, etc. The gods that protect the correct Buddhist teaching and its practitioners. Gods who function to protect the people and their land and bring good fortune to both. Heavenly gods and benevolent deities is a generic term for the Buddhist pantheon that includes Brahma, Shakra, the four heavenly kings, the Sun Goddess, the gods of the sun and moon, and other deities. Many of these gods and deities were traditionally revered in India, China, and Japan. They became part of Buddhist thought as Buddhism flourished in those areas. Rather than primary objects of belief or devotion, Buddhism tends to view them as functioning to support and protect the Buddha, the Law, or Buddhist teachings, and practitioners.

The "Introduction" (first) chapter of the Lotus Sutra describes a scene in which the heavenly beings or gods gather to hear the preaching of the sutra. The "Peaceful Practices" (fourteenth) chapter of the sutra says, "The heavenly beings day and night will for the sake of the Law constantly guard and protect [those who practice as the sutra teaches]." In the Lotus Sutra, the gods are regarded as the guardians of those who embrace the sutra. In The Treatment of Illness, Nichiren (1222-1282) writes, "The fundamental nature of enlightenment manifests itself as Brahma and Shakra, whereas the fundamental darkness manifests itself as the devil king of the sixth heaven" (1113). Here the gods are viewed as manifestations of the Buddha nature in one's life. The Golden Light Sutra reads: "Though this sutra exists in the nation, its ruler has never allowed it to be propagated. In his heart he turns away from it, and he takes no pleasure in hearing its teachings... . In the end, he makes it impossible for us [the four heavenly kings] and the other countless heavenly beings who are our followers to hear this profound and wonderful teaching. He deprives us of the sweet dew of its words and cuts us off from the flow of the correct teaching, so that our majesty and strength are drained away... . And once we and the others abandon and desert this nation, then many different types of disasters will occur in the country, and the ruler will fall from power." This passage may be interpreted as indicating that the gods gain their strength from the Buddhist Law, and that they are the inherent functions of nature and society that protect those who uphold that Law.

From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Let's sincerely cherish and maintain
good relationships with our longstanding friends!
At the same time, let's cheerfully make new friendships with many other people!
Good friendships will certainly guide both ourselves and others to victory.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The Gift of Rice / WND pg. 1125

The Gift of Rice / WND pg. 1125

I have received the sack of polished rice, the sack of yams, and the basket of river laver that you took the trouble to send me by messenger.

Human beings have two kinds of treasure. One is clothing and the other is food. A sutra states, "Sentient beings live in dependence on food." (1) This passage means that living beings dwell in this world owing to food and clothing. Fish dwell in water and regard water as their treasure. Trees grow on the earth and regard the earth as their treasure. Human beings have life owing to food, and regard food as their treasure.

Life is the foremost of all treasures. It is expounded that even the treasures of the entire major world system cannot equal the value of one's body and life (2). Even the treasures that fill the major world system are no substitute for life. Life is like a lamp, and food is like oil. When the oil is exhausted, the lamp goes out, and without food, life will cease.

In worshiping all the deities and Buddhas, the word namu is put ahead of their names. To explain exactly what namu means, namu is a word from India. In China and Japan it is translated as "dedicating one's life." "Dedicating one's life" means to offer one's life to the Buddha. In accordance with their status, some have wives and children, relatives, fiefs, and gold and silver, while others have no treasure. Whether one has wealth or not, no treasure exceeds the one called life. This is why those known as the sages and worthies of ancient times offered their lives to the Buddha and then became Buddhas.

The boy Snow Mountains offered his body to a demon to receive a teaching composed of eight characters (3). Bodhisattva Medicine King burned his arms as an offering to the Lotus Sutra. In our own country too, Prince Shotoku peeled off the skin of his hand and copied the Lotus Sutra on it, and the sovereign known as Emperor Tenji (4) burned his third finger as an offering to Shakyamuni Buddha. Because these things are the affairs of worthies and sages, they are impossible for us to do.

However, as for the matter of becoming a Buddha, ordinary people keep in mind the words "earnest resolve" and thereby become Buddhas. When we carefully consider what exactly earnest resolve refers to, it is the doctrine of observing the mind. When we inquire into what exactly the doctrine of observing the mind refers to, it means that offering one's only robe to the Lotus Sutra is equivalent to peeling off one's skin; and that in a time of famine, offering the food that is the only means for sustaining one's life that day to the Buddha is offering one's life to the Buddha.The blessings from this are in no way inferior to those Bodhisattva Medicine King gained by burning his arms, or the boy Snow Mountains gained by offering his body to a demon. Thus, what is appropriate for sages is offering in actuality [offering one's life itself for the Law]. What is appropriate for ordinary people is offering in principle [sincerely offering what is important to one's own life]. This is the teaching called the paramita of almsgiving (5) for the observation of the mind that is set forth in the seventh volume of Great Concentration and Insight.

The true path lies in the affairs of this world. The Golden Light Sutra states, "To have a profound knowledge of this world is itself Buddhism." The Nirvana Sutra states, "All of the non-Buddhist scriptures and writings in society are themselves Buddhist teachings, not non-Buddhist teachings."

When the Great Teacher Miao-lo compared these passages with the one from the sixth volume of the Lotus Sutra that reads, "No worldly affairs of life or work are ever contrary to the true reality," he revealed their meaning and pointed out that although the first two sutras are profound, since their meaning is still shallow and fails to approach that of the Lotus Sutra, they relate secular matters in terms of Buddhism, whereas the Lotus Sutra explains that in the end secular matters are the entirety of Buddhism.

The essence of the sutras preached before the Lotus Sutra is that all phenomena arise from the mind. To illustrate, they say that the mind is like the great earth, while the grasses and trees are like all phenomena. But it is not so with the Lotus Sutra. It teaches that the mind itself is the great earth, and that the great earth itself is the grasses and trees. The meaning of the earlier sutras is that clarity of mind is like the moon, and that purity of mind is like a flower. But it is not so with the Lotus Sutra. It is the teaching that the moon itself is mind, and the flower itself is mind. You should realize from this that polished rice is not polished rice; it is life itself.

Background:

This letter is missing the name of its addressee and the date of composition. The title, The Gift of Rice, derives from the opening passage of the letter, in which Nichiren Daishonin gives thanks for the offerings made. It also indicates the theme for this letter, which addresses the spirit of offering in Buddhism. While sages of old practiced "offering in actuality," giving their very lives for Buddhism, ordinary people in the present age practice "offering in principle," giving what sustains or is of value to their lives. Ultimately, the Daishonin says, "earnest resolve" is what makes offering, or almsgiving, in Buddhism a meaningful act. The Daishonin thus equates the polished rice he has received to life itself.

Life at Mount Minobu was harsh, and the Daishonin and his disciples were often in need of food and other provisions. Fortunately, he had a loyal group of lay supporters who helped provide him with necessities.

Notes:

1. Source unknown.
2. A similar passage is cited in The Commentary on the Brahma Net Sutra as a quotation from The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom.
3. The story of the boy Snow Mountains offering his body to a demon is found in the Nirvana Sutra. "A teaching com-posed of eight characters" refers to the last sentence of the following passage: "All is changeable, nothing is constant. This is the law of birth and death. Extinguishing the cycle of birth and death, one enters the joyof nirvana."
4. An account of Prince Shotoku (574-622) peeling off the skin of his hand is found in A Personal Commentary on Matters concerning Prince Shotoku. An account of Emperor Tenji (626-671), the thirty-eighth emperor, burning his third finger is found in A Brief History of Japan.
5. The paramita of almsgiving is one of the six paramitas, or practices, for Mahayana bodhisattvas.
6. This passage actually appears in T'ien-t'ai's Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra as an annotation to the following passage from the "Benefits of the Teacher of the Law" chapter of the Lotus Sutra: "The doctrines that they preach during that time will conform to the gist of the principles and will never be contrary to the true reality. If they should expound some text of the secular world or speak on matters of government or occupations that sustain life, they will in all cases conform to the correct Law."

 

[PassTheDoobie]

To hope to attain Buddhahood without speaking out against slander is as futile as trying to find water in the midst of fire or fire in the midst of water. No matter how sincerely one believes in the Lotus Sutra, if one is guilty of failing to rebuke slander of the Law, one will surely fall into hell, just a single crab leg will ruin a thousand pots of lacquer. This is the meaning of the passage in the sutra, "Because the poison has penetrated deeply and their minds no longer function as before."

[ The Essentials for Attaining Buddbahood, WND Page 747 ]

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Let's clearly and strongly set our minds
on what we are aiming for,
through our earnest daimoku let's make a whole new start!
There is no strategy that is superior to the strategy of the Lotus Sutra.*

Daisaku Ikeda

* "No matter how earnestly Nichiren prays for you, if you lack faith, it will be like trying to set fire to wet tinder. Spur yourself to muster the power of faith. Regard your survival as wondrous. Employ the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other." "The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra", WND, page 1000