Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

"If you propagate it, devils will arise without fail. If they did not, there would be no way of knowing that this is the correct teaching."

(Letter to the Brothers - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 501) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, December 27th, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"If you propagate it, devils will arise without fail. If they did not, there would be no way of knowing that this is the correct teaching."

(Letter to the Brothers - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 501) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, December 27th, 2012

This is sometimes difficult to remember, but absolutely true. So when challenged, have faith! You are not a bad person! Your challenge and mission is to turn poison into medicine every time. No need to worry or fret! Chant Daimoku with confidence and insist on seeing actual proof in your life for the sake of yourself and all of the many people you will encourage in your support of Kosen Rufu.

Take action! Kick some Devil ass!

Much love and deepest respect,

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"The power of the Gohonzon is activated through faith. In other words, through the power of our faith and practice, we can bring forth the power of the Buddha and the power of the Law, thereby awakening to our unique potential and mission and achieving a life of victory. Here, we also find the basis for the realisation of genuine, lasting world peace. This is why Mr. Toda equated propagating the Gohonzon with spreading happiness."

SGI Newsletter No. 8691, Learning from the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin: The Teachings for Victory, [43] “Reply to Niiama” The Gohonzon Opens the Way to Happiness for All People, translated 25th Dec. 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Thank you all!

 

[BushyOldGrower]

Thanks Tom

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Thanks Tom

No! Thank you Brother! You being here, all of us being together, is the way things should be. I respect you so much!

AND MY DEEPEST RESPECT TO MY BROTHER BABBABUD! If it weren't for you this thread would not exist and I would not be feeling the joy that I am right now thinking about all of us.

Much love and deepest respect to all! I could do shout-outs all day and still probably fuck up and miss somebody. Suffice it to say that you all mean more to me than you could ever know and my deep sense of appreciation and gratitude is deeper than you could ever know. I am so sorry I do such a piss poor way of showing it. But everyone here means the world to me!

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

By the way Easy, how are you & MsH? Hope you had the wisdom to chant as much as you could together in these first few days!

Much love and deepest respect,

Thomas

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"From this single element of mind spring all the various lands and environmental conditions."

(The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas of the Three Existences regarding the Classification of the Teachings and Which Are to be Abandoned and Which Upheld - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.2, page 843) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, December 13th 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"This passage refers to the great joy that one experiences when one understands for the first time that one's mind from the very beginning has been the Buddha. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the greatest joy 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, December 5th, 2012"

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Don’t be afraid of failing; just press forwards with courage and a positive attitude. The fundamental spirit of those who practise the Lotus Sutra is 'brave and vigorous exertion.'”

SGI Newsletter No. 8681, Encouragement for Soka Educators (2) Creating a New Age of Education Where Teacher and Student Grow Together—Part 2 [of 3], from the 2nd Feb., 2012, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated 30th Nov. 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"“In Hall Caine’s The Eternal City, the hero David Rossi composes a letter that contains the following passage: ‘When a man has spent all his life on the edge of a precipice, the most urgent perils are of little moment.’[1]

“First Soka Gakkai president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, second president Josei Toda, and I have all spent our lives as if on the edge of a precipice because we embarked on a struggle dedicated to the realisation of kosen-rufu.

“Having actively promoted religious reform for the sake of the enduring happiness of all people and the realisation of lasting world peace, the Soka Gakkai’s history has been characterised by great vicissitudes and constant criticism and defamation. I have stood at the forefront of this struggle, striving with Nichiren Daishonin’s injunction ‘not to expect good times, but take the bad times for granted’ (WND-1, 998) as my creed.

“As Caine wrote in The Eternal City, I, too, have regarded the most urgent perils as of little moment. I hope all of you, too, in accord with the Daishonin’s teachings and as Soka Gakkai members, will forge an unshakable commitment for kosen-rufu, establishing a dauntless state of life like Rossi."

SGI Newsletter No. 8682, The New Human Revolution––Volume 26: Chapter 1, Atsuta 27, translated 4th Dec. 2012

[1] Hall Caine, The Eternal City (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1901), p. 173.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Not once have I thought of retreat."

(The Great Battle - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 2, page 465) Selection source: "Myoji no Gen", Seikyo Shimbun, December 7th, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Our chanting is directed toward the happiness of ourselves and others. It is the driving force for our efforts to draw forth our own and others’ Buddha nature and absolutely attain true happiness together with them."

SGI Newsletter No. 8690, Bringing the Sun of Time without Beginning to Shine in Our Lives, from the January 2013 issue of Daibyakurenge, translated 17th Dec. 2012

 

[Payaso]

Never retreat, always move forward!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Encouragement is the driving force that spurs people on to victory. It's important to notice and appreciate the efforts of those who work behind the scenes, to encourage those who may be going through a rough patch in life and to uplift the spirits of those who are battling an illness. Let's be sure to acknowledge and recognise each person's efforts and inspire them with hope and courage.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"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"

(Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 598) Selection source: "Myoji no Gen", Seikyo Shimbun, November 22, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Making any new enterprise a reality requires overcoming all sorts of difficulties, setbacks, and seeming impossibilities. One needs the unwavering commitment to succeed and achieve one’s goal, no matter what obstacles arise."

SGI Newsletter No. 8678, The New Human Revolution––Volume 26: Chapter 1, Atsuta 23, translated 26th Nov. 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Good morning Chris!!!

 

[easyDaimoku]

By the way Easy, how are you & MsH? Hope you had the wisdom to chant as much as you could together in these first few days!



Much love and deepest respect,



Thomas

My Dearest Brother T,

Thanks for checking in and for giving me such powerful quotes to soak up and share with others! Bravo on your grand return I have been very fortunate to have all this great encouragement recently.
We did indeed chant before she came back and have continued the ceremony in the air on our end! In fact, its because we weren't chanting together that much and I had a hard time chanting with her, that we broke up 7 months ago in the first place! It was a lonely half a year without her and our pet, but our family is back together and I'm warming up nicely to her. We make a good family and more importantly support each other in kosen-rufu and I couldn't really find that outside of our relationship. She got an omamori Gohonzon after she left and now her omamori is on our altar and I'm very pleased that she has my direct support.

Our home needed some major repairs and today I was confident enough to make a downpayment on starting that process. I will have a great experience with my contractor and will chant for everything to work out as it should. However, I really wish Babbabud was around these parts so he could be my Foreman and lead shot-caller. I'll be chanting with so much appreciation for our local chanting district and region, our home, jobs and education that everything will work out very well! I am determined that 2013 is going to be a year of renewal, refreshment and joyful happiness no matter!

My mother has had to stop taking chemo over the past couple months because she is too weak and beat the fuck up from all the chemotherapy and experimental treatments she has done to keep living. Ever since we started chanting for her 5+ years ago her cancer has not gotten the best of her and her life continues. The other night she was telling me about her painful abdominal issues (stomach, intestines, ass everything), I started right away hard for her to get enough strength to eat. An hour later when i felt the Gohonzon answering my prayers i called her and she was eating with a vistor from her church at home! She has really been suffering so much, but I'm doing the best I can. I need to do more though and I'm very grateful for all your prayers in her direction. Thank you!

Our faith in Nichiren Daishonin is abosolute and I personally endeavor to keep shakubukuing everyday any chance I get! Recently, a lovely hindu classmate from my mba program started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo after encouraging her to try my mantra as she desperately struggled with classes and now encourages me to also keep chanting! I had such a rough semester, but I finished like a boss and didn't get lower than a B- in any of my 5 classes! I was able to work full-time, go through this ridiculously hard program by chanting for "A's in all my classes" all semester. I just started class again this week and after I finish my masters degree, its most likely going to be law school unless I go for that phd in computer science. I'm so happy to have faith propeling me through these amazing experiences and great guidance embedded in my mind and heart from Nichiren Daishonin, this thread, our gatherings, our SGI organization and especially each other.

Tom, as you recall Babba got me to start chanting and all I had was a GED (hs equivelancy diploma) and some schwag. Now, I have the same faith I have in every life (and the next) that helps me always be a great "mountain" climber. This year I'll resume my region leadership responsibilities as well and focus energy in painting, making my first sculptures, writing poems and continuing to write my first book. My dreams are still aligned with building the Tony Matsuoka school and Ted Osaki academy! Sensei, President Toda, Tom, Bud and so many people have truly inspired me to strive to be a better person that cares about the welfare of all. Our philosophy is so wonderful!

Sensei is quoted saying in the January 11, 2013 World Tribune in saying "The lives of children are truly irreplaceable unsurpassed treasures."(pg.5) He also says on page 4:

"Education is the sacred undertaking of conveying the essence of humanity from one person to another, of fostering that essence in the depths of another's life.

Education is the means for endlessly producing humanistic individuals, and creating culture and peace.

Education is a golden pillar of life, of society and of the future. The Soka Gakkai - originally, the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (Value-Creating Education Society) - began from education. Indeed, humanistic education will forever be the starting point, the origin of our organization."

The greatest treasures are those that come from our heart. My heart is so heavily invested in this thread and I will always be so grateful for all of you. Let's always earnestly chant for each other, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! Especially those that keep this going and those that haven't been around in a bit! Even the protection of this thread from internal and external web entities has been a story of great victory and honor for all of us still present and persevering today! I appreciate you all so much, I truly do! Thanks for checking in Tom, its always a pleasure to show my family and friends pictures of you your family, the babbas, sensei, President Toda and me representing Sensei throughout my region. I'm so grateful, yep, eternally grateful!

Love always,
MyohoDisco

 

[PassTheDoobie]

My Dearest Brother T,


Tom, as you recall Babba got me to start chanting and all I had was a GED (hs equivelancy diploma) and some schwag. Now, I have the same faith I have in every life (and the next) that helps me always be a great "mountain" climber. This year I'll resume my region leadership responsibilities as well and focus energy in painting, making my first sculptures, writing poems and continuing to write my first book. My dreams are still aligned with building the Tony Matsuoka school and Ted Osaki academy! Sensei, President Toda, Tom, Bud and so many people have truly inspired me to strive to be a better person that cares about the welfare of all. Our philosophy is so wonderful!

Love always,
MyohoDisco

Mugi Wasshin Brother! Email me and I will send you more pics! (Anyone!) Bonz, I will be calling this evening (Mon).

Love to all and deepest respect!

T