What's new
  • ICMag with help from Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest in November! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!

Chanting Growers Group

Status
Not open for further replies.

Bonzo

Active member
Veteran
Really enjoying all the reading T, :woohoo: killer stuff! Thanks dude. Didnt read that article yet SoCal gonna do that this morning.

Man is it a beautifull day here, its been windy and blowin the smog out, love this time of year. :woohoo: Hope ya'll are blessed with a beautifull day as well! :woohoo:

:dance: Nam myoho renge kyo :dance:
:dance: Nam myoho renge kyo :dance:
:dance: Nam myoho renge kyo :dance:

peace

bonz :wave:








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

 
Last edited:

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
Arrogance vs Confidence

Arrogance vs Confidence

Mistaking Arrogance for Confidence by ShinYatomi

Nichiren Daishonin was often condemned by his contemporaries as "an extremely arrogant priest" for his confidence as a votary of the Lotus Sutra to "fulfill the Buddha's predictions and reveal the truth of his words" (WND, 400-01). Just as Nichiren's confidence was misconstrued as arrogance, we may be inclined to mistake our arrogance for confidence and others' confidence for arrogance. One of the five delusive inclinations, arrogance is considered in the Buddhist tradition both as a hindrance to enlightenment and as a cause for suffering. For this reason, mistaking arrogance for confidence is likely to set off a downward spiral of delusion and suffering. The fine line between arrogance and confidence, therefore, must be redrawn more clearly to distinguish happiness from delusion.

Judging One's Self-worth by Comparison With Others

The first of the seven types of arrogance, which are enumerated in some Buddhist scriptures, points to the essential quality of arrogance - "to think that one is superior to those inferior to oneself and that one is equal to one's equals" (The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 579). Why is this arrogance? Isn't it just telling it like it is? What is implied here is that arrogance is essentially our inclination to judge our self-worth by comparing ourselves with others.

Certain comparisons between oneself and others may be objectively true - such as income, IQ or physical appearance. But to constantly judge one's self-worth through comparison with others in whatever standards chosen is to become arrogant. Of course, this is not to deny some merits that comparison and competition bring to our lives, such as motivation for improvement and an opportunity for self-reflection.

The correct assessment of our circumstances through comparison is essential to improving our lives. In fact, those living in isolation or unwilling to learn from others are arrogant. Comparison with others becomes a cause for concern when it becomes the sole measure for judging our existence. Put simply, if we start thinking of our lives as happy or unhappy, meaningful or meaningless, solely based on comparison with others, we may as well consider ourselves arrogant.

Arrogant people feel good about themselves only through affirming their superiority to others. Our sense of superiority is always relative to whomever we are compared with and never constant because of our changing circumstances. False confidence based on superiority, therefore, easily turns into a feeling of inferiority and self-disparagement, like a millionaire feeling poor among billionaires, a Ph.D. feeling foolish among Nobel laureates or a healthy person feeling overweight among supermodels. This is why false humility or self-disparagement is considered as arrogance in Buddhism. (See the nine types of arrogance in The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 457.) Put another way, arrogance and self-disparagement are two sides of the same , coin; we cannot have one without the potential for the other.

Genuinely confident people, on the other hand, feel great about themselves without comparing themselves with others. Such people are aware of their intrinsic personal strength or merit worthy of praise and respect. Confident people can put into perspective their ups and downs of life. Their missed promotion or lost love does not spell out their failure as human beings. Their financial success or academic achievement does not necessarily make them superior to their peers. So long as they continue to be aware of their innate positive quality and strive to cultivate it, people will remain confident regardless of their external circumstances. And Buddhism teaches that the most reliable source of confidence is our innate Buddha nature.

Arrogance Is Egotism, Confidence Is Altruism

What clearly distinguishes the arrogant from the confident is whether they desire and act for others' happiness greater than their own. Arrogant people are keenly aware that their self-esteem depends upon their superiority to others, so they often take delight in pitying the less fortunate since it reaffirms their superior status.

The "kindness" of the arrogant, however, extends only so far as it supports their self-importance; it continues as long as the less fortunate remain less fortunate. Precisely for this reason, the arrogant cannot desire and act for the supreme happiness of others because they fear it would diminish their own happiness. This explains why it is often easier to feel ambiguous pity for our underpaid coworkers than to share their joy over their sudden promotion. One's loss must be another's gain-this is the basic assumption of life held by the arrogant who cannot stop comparing their fortune with that of others.

Confidence, on the other hand, makes genuine altruism possible. Since confident people's self-worth does not depend upon others, they are free to care for others and fight for their happiness with the hope that it exceeds their own. In fact, the confident see their contribution to others' happiness as proof of their expanding humanity and as a source of great joy.

(To Be cont'd)
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
Arrogance vs Confidence (continued)

Arrogance vs Confidence (continued)

Confidence Is To Appreciate Oneself

In the late winter of 1272, Nichiren Daishonin wrote with his numbing hand: "I, Nichiren, am the richest man in all of present-day Japan. I have dedicated my life to the Lotus Sutra, and my name will be handed down in ages to come" (WND, 268).

A reformer who challenged the corrupt religious authority of his day, Nichiren was exiled, after a failed execution, to a remote northern island of Japan, expected to die naturally or to be murdered. Destitute, he was living in a hut in a field scattered with abandoned corpses, and everything pointed to his approaching death.

These words, however, clearly express Nichiren's confidence that he gave his life to the spread of the essential teaching of Buddhism, that is, the universality of Buddha-hood. His life meant something for him, although it seemed to have come to nothing. When he lost everything, he gained the one thing that mattered most-indomitable confidence that all people, no matter how miserable they may appear, have the supreme potential of Buddhahood.

Through his own example, Nichiren demonstrated that confidence need not depend on possessions or circumstances. Genuine confidence is to love and praise ourselves even in the worst possible state, not for how we appear to others but for what we are in the innermost of life.

The Arrogant Are Insecure and Needy

The difference between arrogance and confidence also shows in our emotional state. Arrogance makes us insecure, whereas confidence gives us peace of mind. The more arrogant we become, the more keenly we feel the dependence of our happiness upon the misfortune and weakness of others.

This ironic dependence makes the seeming confidence of the arrogant increasingly insecure. The more they bolster this false self-confidence on the outside, the less secure they become inside; so the "happiness" of the arrogant is self-consuming.

As mentioned earlier, confident people are deeply aware that they derive their confidence from strengthening their innate qualities and need not depend on others. So the more confident people are, the more peaceful they will be with both themselves and others. Even in disagreement or when pointing out the errors of others, confident people can remain calm and open-minded. Since they need not defend their self-worth by "winning" the argument, confident people can stay focused on the merits of different views and opinions without becoming hurtful toward others.

Nichiren, for example, wrote from exile, "Whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never yield!" (WND, 280). His vow to be steadfast in his belief comes with the condition-"so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false." This was an expression of the unruffled openness of the confident, not the blind obstinacy of the arrogant.

Think about how people behave at work. Unlike an arrogant manager who takes any suggestion as a personal criticism and everyone in the office as a potential threat, a confident manager takes even personal criticism as an opportunity for self-reflection and further improvement. The inner state of an arrogant person is constantly agitated, waiting for any opportunity to assert a sense of superiority. But the inner state of a confident person absorbs even an untoward event like a pebble tossed into a bathtub as opposed to a wineglass.

As it is clear now, arrogance is not too much confidence. The essential difference between arrogance and confidence is not one of quantity or degree but of quality and origin. Arrogance is needy and dependent on others, derived from comparison with the external. Confidence is free and independent of others, found and cultivated in the self.Absolute Superiority Is a Dangerous IllusionMistaking arrogance for confidence distorts our view of humanity-the way we relate to others and ourselves. Such misconception spells out only tragic suffering for individuals and society. Long before his rise to power, Adolf Hitler wrote: "Self-confidence must be inculcated in the young national comrade from childhood on. His whole education and training must be so ordered as to give him the conviction that he is absolutely superior to others" (Mein Kamph, Ralph Manheim, trans., p. 411).The epitome of arrogance, Hitler mistook the illusion of absolute superiority for supreme confidence. He debased education, turning it from a vehicle of equality and happiness into a cogwheel in the evil machinery of discrimination and destruction. Education must teach confidence, not arrogance. Likewise, Buddhist learning is to strengthen our faith in the inherent Buddha nature of others and ourselves, not to promote elitism among practitioners.

Nichiren was well aware of the danger of judging one's self-worth through comparison with others. He, therefore, admonished his disciples: "When you look at those of superior capacity, do not disparage yourself. The Buddha's true intention was that no one, even someone of inferior capacity, be denied enlightenment. Conversely, when you compare yourself with persons of inferior capacity, do not be arrogant and overproud. Even persons of superior capacity may be excluded from enlightenment if they do not devote themselves wholeheartedly" (WND, 62).Here Nichiren explains that one's potential for enlightenment is in no way diminished by one's capacity to understand Buddhism since all people are equally endowed with supreme Buddhahood. What is most important for our happiness is to develop conviction in this intrinsic potential shared by all people. Our tendency to compare our capacity with that of others will only lead us astray from genuine happiness.

Nichiren, therefore, urges us to win over our arrogance in order to enjoy authentic happiness: "Now, if you wish to attain Buddhahood, you have only to lower the banner of your arrogance, cast aside the staff of your anger, and devote yourself exclusively to the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra" (WND, 58-59). Here, Nichiren indicates the close relationship between arrogance and anger. T'ien-t'ai, a sixth-century Chinese Buddhist scholar, described those in the state of anger as "always desiring to be superior to others" (GZ, 430). Anger is akin to arrogance; it may be described as frustrated arrogance.

As Nichiren suggests here, we can overcome our deep-seated arrogance and anger through our devotion to the "one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra"-that is, the teaching of the universality of Buddhahood and its essential practice as chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. As we deepen our confidence in our own Buddhahood and this selfsame potential of others, the need to compare ourselves with others will diminish, and we will be free to appreciate and enjoy lives of our own making.

(from the March 7 and March 14, 2003, World Tribune}
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Today let's try to develop ourselves even more than yesterday.
Let's challenge to overcome all the barriers and obstacles
that we ourselves have put up in our minds and hearts
that have limited our possibilities!
This is what the Buddhist principle of "true cause" is about,
- moving ever forward from the present.


Daisaku Ikeda
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
true cause
[本因妙] (Jpn.: honnin-myo)


Also, the mystic principle of the true cause. One of the ten mystic principles of the essential teaching (latter half ) of the Lotus Sutra formulated by T'ien-t'ai (538-597) in The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra. It refers to the practice that Shakyamuni carried out countless kalpas in the past in order to attain his original enlightenment. The term contrasts with the true effect, or the original enlightenment Shakyamuni achieved countless kalpas before his enlightenment in India. The true cause is indicated by the phrase in the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, "Originally I practiced the bodhisattva way ..." Profound Meaning defines "bodhisattva way" as the true cause of Shakyamuni's original enlightenment. Shakyamuni did not clarify, however, what the bodhisattva way was. T'ien-t'ai interpreted it as a reference to the first stage of security, or the eleventh of the fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice, i.e., the stage of non-regres-sion, the attainment of which he defined as the true cause for Shakyamuni's original enlightenment. However, what teaching or Law Shakyamuni had practiced to attain the stage of non-regression remained unclear. Nichiren (1222-1282) identified the true cause, or fundamental Law, that enables all Buddhas to attain their enlightenment, as the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Because he fully revealed the true cause for attaining Buddhahood and established a universal way of practice, in his lineage Nichiren is called the teacher of the true cause, while Shakyamuni is called the teacher of the true effect.

From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
arrogance
[慢] (Skt.: mana; Jpn.: man; Pali.: mana)


In Buddhism, a function of the mind that obstructs Buddhist practice and the way to enlightenment. Arrogance means to hold oneself to be higher than and to look down upon others, and therefore hinders correct judgment. Buddhism discerned the functions and pitfalls of an arrogant mind, and various Buddhist writings define seven, eight, and nine types of arrogance. A number of figures representing arrogance appear throughout the Buddhist scriptures as well, such as the five thousand arrogant persons in the Lotus Sutra and the Great Arrogant Brahman in The Record of the Western Regions. Expressions such as "the banner of arrogance" and "the banner of pride" are also found in Buddhist writings.

See also: Great Arrogant Brahman; five thousand arrogant persons; nine types of arrogance

Great Arrogant Brahman
[大慢婆羅門] (Jpn.: Daiman-baramon)


(n.d.) A Brahman in the kingdom of Malava in India, described in The Record of the Western Regions, Hsüan-tsang's record of his travels through Central Asia and India in the seventh century. Having mastered a great many Buddhist and non-Buddhist scriptures, he was overly proud of his erudition and boasted that he surpassed all scholars of the past, present, and future. He made four statues-one each of the Hindu gods Maheshvara, Vishnu, and Narayana, and one of the Buddha-and used them as the pillars of his preaching platform, asserting that his wisdom far surpassed that of these four. He was defeated in debate, however, by Bhadraruchi, a Mahayana Buddhist monk of western India. The king of Malava realized that he had been completely deceived by the Brahman and sentenced him to death. The Brahman was spared his life at Bhadraruchi's request to the king. Consumed by rancor against Bhadraruchi, however, the Great Arrogant Brahman slandered him and the Mahayana teachings when Bhadraruchi came to visit. According to The Record of the Western Regions, while he was still spewing abuse, the earth split open and he fell into hell alive.

five thousand arrogant persons
[五千の上慢] (Jpn.: gosen-no-joman)


Also, five thousand persons of overweening pride, five thousand persons of overbearing arrogance, or five thousand arrogant members of the assembly. Five thousand arrogant monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen described in the "Expedient Means" (second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra as refusing to listen any longer to Shakyamuni Buddha preach the teaching of the sutra and leaving the assembly. The chapter states: "When the Buddha had spoken these words, there were some five thousand monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen in the assembly who immediately rose from their seats, bowed to the Buddha, and withdrew. What was the reason for this? These persons had roots of guilt that were deep and manifold, and in addition they were overbearingly arrogant. What they had not attained they supposed they had attained, what they had not understood they supposed they had understood." In the sutra, the Buddha goes on to describe them as "monks and nuns who behave with overbearing arrogance, laymen full of self-esteem, laywomen who are lacking in faith" and all those who "fail to see their own errors, are heedless and remiss with regard to the precepts, clinging to their shortcomings, unwilling to change." Referring to them as chaff, leaves, and branches, the Buddha states that the assembly is now "made up only of those steadfast and truthful." This event is termed "the rising from the seats and withdrawal of the five thousand persons."

nine types of arrogance
[九慢] (Jpn.: ku-man)


Also, nine arrogances. Nine kinds of arrogance explained in The Treatise on the Source of Wisdom and The Dharma Analysis Treasury. They are (1) thinking that one surpasses one's equals; (2) thinking that one is equal to those who are superior; (3) thinking that one is only slightly inferior to those who are far superior; (4) assuming false humility in affirming the superiority of those in fact superior to oneself; (5) asserting equality with one's equals; (6) asserting the inferiority of one's equals; (7) thinking that one is not surpassed by one's equals; (8) thinking that one's equals are not equal to oneself, i.e., that they are inferior; and (9) humbly acknowledging the superiority of superiors and vaunting one's inferiority (a form of false humility).

From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
 

Babbabud

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

THE HEART OF THE MENTOR
Friday, January 12, 2007

Selection Source: Suzanne Pritchard's article 'The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple', Art of Living, September 2004

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'.
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
"In Life, sometimes, you will have to swim upstream, like the carp trying to leap the waterfall. Do not give into your trials. Instead, burning with the power of the universal force of life rise to the challenge of difficulties, and be victorious!"

Daisaku Ikeda
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Therefore, when you chant the daimoku of this sutra, you should be aware that it is a more joyful thing than for one who was born blind to gain sight and see one's father and mother, and a rarer thing than for a man who has been seized by a powerful enemy to be released and reunited with his wife and children.

[ The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, WND Page 143 ]
 

Babbabud

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

THE HEART OF THE MENTOR
Friday, January 12, 2007

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'.
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
A Purpose Driven Life

"A life lived without purpose or value, the kind in which one doesn't know the reason why one was born, is joyless and lackluster. To just live, eat and die without any real sense of purpose surely represents a life pervaded by the world of Animality. On the other hand, to do, create or contribute something that benefits others, society and ourselves and to dedicate ourselves as long as we live to that challenge-that is a life of true satisfaction, a life of value. It is a humanistic and lofty way to live." -Daisaku Ikeda
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Observing the Precepts

Observing the Precepts

Buddhism is often perceived as a religion governed by strict rules of self-discipline, and the ideal practitioner seen as someone who endures great austerities. Certainly, in the early Buddhist order, elaborate rules of daily behavior were developed for the monks and nuns who had taken vows and committed themselves to a monastic life. There were 250 rules for men and, reflecting the social prejudice of the times, 500 for women. These rules regulated such things as diet, hours of waking and sleeping and encouraged a healthful, well-regulated daily life. In many Buddhist traditions, these rules, vinaya in Sanskrit, retain great importance.

In their original sense, however, precepts--the Sanskrit shila--indicate the basic norms of human behavior to which all people naturally aspire. The most fundamental of these were formulated as the five precepts: (1) not to kill; (2) not to steal; (3) not to engage in sexual misconduct; (4) not to lie; and (5) not to drink intoxicants. Even though they have been set out as rules, rather than simply preventing certain acts, the goal of these guides of behavior has always been to encourage a richer, more self-reflective inner life, to set the conditions for religious practice in the pursuit of enlightenment.

Shila and vinaya were translated into Chinese characters pronounced kai and ritsu in Japanese. In the process of translation, the two-character combination kairitsu came to be regarded as a single concept and the original distinction was lost.

The Mahayana tradition has always stressed a flexible approach to precepts. Strict observation of the precepts, in the sense of restrictions on behavior, has been supplanted by the ideal of compassionate bodhisattva practice--the self-motivated actions of lay believers fully integrated into the social life of their community who ease the suffering and contribute to the well-being of the members of that community. Thus, the specific application of the precepts is to be guided by the times and locality. When, for example, SGI President Ikeda first traveled outside of Japan, he shocked some of the accompanying Japanese Soka Gakkai members by saying that it was right and natural for Hawaiian members to attend meetings in casual clothes and to pray sitting on chairs rather than kneeling on the floor as was the Japanese practice. This approach expresses respect for the diversity of human cultures.

The many particular precepts came to be replaced by what was known as the precept of the diamond chalice. This is a precept which, like a diamond chalice, is impossible to break. For different schools of Buddhism, this would often mean wholehearted commitment to a particular sutra or teaching. The commitment of Nichiren Buddhists to the Lotus Sutra can be interpreted in contemporary terms as the determination to maintain faith in the ultimately positive possibilities in both ourselves and others, and to make consistent efforts toward their realization. From the perspective of Nichiren Buddhism, our highest possibilities--the limitless capacity for wisdom, compassion and courage expressed as Buddhahood--are as indestructible as a diamond chalice. They may be obscured by our own ignorance of them and the self-destructive behavior that grows from that ignorance and consequent despair--but they never disappear. This is the core message of the Lotus Sutra.

Awakened from within to a firm sense of the inviolable dignity of life which is reinforced through daily Buddhist practice, our behavior naturally comes to reflect this belief, as we distance ourselves from acts that would degrade our own or others' humanity. The experience of many SGI members worldwide stands as proof of this formula. People previously mired in cycles of behavior involving, for example, substance abuse, irresponsible sexual conduct or violence (or less dramatic but ultimately no less destructive behavior based on a lack of self-respect) have reconnected to a genuine sense of inner worth. As this awareness takes root, it naturally grows into an awareness of the equal dignity inherent in the lives of other people. Without a conscious effort to follow particular rules of conduct, the determination to put this respect for the sanctity of life into action leads to a way of life in conformity with the ideals expressed by the precepts.

[ Courtesy July 2004 SGI Quarterly ]
 

southwind

Member
the corridors of time

the corridors of time

It was recommended to me to come the Chanting Growers Thread and read here..which I have been doing a great deal of this evening..and now with my heart swimming in the single instant behind the instant I am happy to be here.


Thanks you people,


"....the sand in my boots was sacred sand, because it came form a beach of sacred sand.

The cenobites treasured up the relics of the sannyasins because the sannyasins had approached the Increate.

But everything had approached and even touched the Increate, because everything had dropped from his hand.Everything was a relic.All the world was a relic.I drew off my boots..that I might not walk shod on holy ground


Gene Wolfe,
The Book of The New Sun
 

PassTheDoobie

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
When a tree has been transplanted, though fierce winds may blow, it will not topple if it has a firm stake to hold it up. But even a tree that has grown up in place may fall over if its roots are weak. Even a feeble person will not stumble if those supporting him are strong, but a person of considerable strength, when alone, may fall down on an uneven path.

[ Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain, WND Page 598 ]
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
"Attaining enlightenment is not about embarking on some inconcievably long journey to become a resplendent godlike Buddha; it is about accomplishing a transformation in the depths of one's being.

In other words, it is not a matter of practicing in order to scale the highest summit of enlightenment at some point in the distant future. Rather, it is a constant, moment-to-moment, inner struggle between the opposing courses of revealing our innate Buddha nature or allowing ourselves to be ruled by our fundamental negativity and delusion.

This unceasing effort to polish our lives is the heart and essence of Buddhist practice."

- Daisaku Ikeda -
 

Babbabud

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Great post SoCal it really is about a day to day moment to moment awareness of who we are and what we are doing. Its waking up each day with a great attitude and a desire to go forward with a smile on our face and love in our hearts. Much love to you all.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
 

SoCal Hippy

Active member
Veteran
"One of the greatest shortcoming of modern society is the lack of a sense of purpose. What do human beings live for - or rather, what do we live for? For example, in our daily lives, if we know our destination, we can go and ask for directions at the nearest police station. But if we don't know the name of our direction and ask the police officer, "Where should I go?" we'll be laughed at. Therefore, in the journey of life, it is strange and incomprehensible that people are living without purpose. It is here indeed that we find the root cause of the confusion and malaise confounding society." -- Josei Toda, Soka Gakkai 2nd president
 

Babbabud

Bodhisattva of the Earth
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Hey southwind glad you stopped by. Please come back and read some more. So glad you seeking spirit has brought you here. Hope that same beautiful spirit will bring you back again!!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
 

Bonzo

Active member
Veteran
AWESOME post So Cal especilally for me personally cause i can let that funamental darkness in so easy if im not diligent in my entire practice. Faith , Practice, Study, it just creeps in and turns that strait pathinto an unnegotiable twisted road telling me i cant do this and i cant do that. Well i have learned in the past couple days that i may have a purpose that will along with continued chanting sraighten out that path. Im excited and of course hesitant, HHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, notice i didnt use the word SCARED. Time will tell and of course i will tell all of you.

love you all so much, more than you know...................maybe, you guys are pretty heavy and know a thing or two about a thing or two.

WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

How blessed am i to be in such company? More than i could have ever imagined.

peace my friends, lets go out and make some people smile today

bonz







>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top