Wonderful Buddhist Conference!

I just returned from The Florida Nature Culture Center and I have a gift for all the new friends I just met, and for all of you.

These two quotes were in the Ikeda Hall. They speak volumes about the Soka School System founded by Daisaku Ikeda. Read them and let me know what you think!

"Education at its best
is a process of liberation from prejudice
which frees the human heart
from its violent passions.
It is through education that young people
can be delivered from powerlessness,
from the burden of mistrust
directed against themselves.
And those who have learned to trust in themselves
are naturally able to believe
in the latent capacity of others."

And this address to the students of Soka University:

"The world in which we live today,
jarred as it is by inexorable, dramatic change
demands new expressions of creative wisdom.
It eagerly awaits the appearance
of individuals who are imbued with vision and energy,
who can be trusted to build a grander, better world.
It is you, students and graduates of Soka
who will meet the lofty expectations of our era
by serving as pioneers of a new frontier this century.
For you embrace a robust philosophy
that reveres the inherent dignity of life.
I ask you to inspire hope where there is suffering,
strengthen unity where there is conflict,
and impel progress where there is stagnation,
and in doing so, usher in a global renaissance
by fulfilling the roles you were meant to fill."

Great Results

You should just see me walking! Already, almost 4 weeks after hip surgery, I have much more flexibility than I had for the past few years! I am walking around the park by my house...and feeling really good! I am still doing all of my exercises very faithfully, and I can feel myself getting stronger.

Tonight's Buddhist meeting rocked again! There were 14 people here including two guests. One of the guests is going to get his Gohonzon next week at the meeting - on my 50th Birthday! That's the best gift I could possibly get! We will have 6 youth division members (or more) at the meeting next week. THAT is actual proof that chanting works, because we have been chanting for Downers Grove to be the center of youth division activity in our region!

This is so exciting. I feel so fortunate...so incredibly grateful...to be able to help these young people achieve their goals and overcome their sufferings!

Still Recovering

Well I am working so hard all day long! The physical therapist comes here every other day, and I do my exercises all day long, on and off. I can feel myself getting stronger, and every once in a while I get a glimmer of what a life without pain would be like. It is three weeks today since the surgery. And I wish I could say I felt good as new!
What I hope for tonight is to sleep well. I took some sleeping pills already, in the hopes that I might get to sleep earlier than 3:00am.

Last night was an amazing Buddhist meeting at my house. We had five guests! It was such incredible energy...so happy...so exciting. Everyone could feel it! We all explained how we all possess the power of the universe, and it is up to us to draw it forth. It all makes so much sense! We had two youth at the meeting and three women from my neighborhood. I hope all our guests give this life-changing practice a try!

When the student is ready...the teacher will appear

It has been an exciting few days helping 2 precious new members learn how to practice. When the student is ready the teacher will appear.

I remember what it was like to be in the youth division of the SGI...it is a special time when you can grow in unprecedented ways and make friends that you will treasure for life.

Due to all the chanting of the members of our district we now have two brand new 20 year old young women so eager to learn! Today they spent three hours at my house practicing gongyo and chanting daimoku. It is not easy to learn gongyo...it has it's own rhythm and style. But once you learn it...it becomes so energizing to recite!
And it overcomes all language barriers. Once you learn it you can chant anywhere in the world together with SGI members. When you recite Gongyo you are literally reciting the words from the Lotus Sutra. You are joining your microcosm with the macrocosm of the universe...drawing forth the power that has always been yours...channeling it in the direction of your desires!

You are speaking the words of Shakyamuni Buddha...
and of course that makes total sense because
YOU ARE A BUDDHA! SO ARE WE ALL!

It ends with the deep prayer:

"At all times I think to myself:
How can I cause living beings
to gain entry into the unsurpassed way
and quickly acquire the body of a buddha"

There are several goals that my new young friends have...and I am going to chant for each of them and help them achieve their dreams. It will be so wonderful watching them grow in faith and become happier and happier and more certain of the power of their faith. Soon we will have many youth in our district! They are the leaders for the future. It is an honor to help them as I was helped by my seniors in faith so many years ago!