Four Reasons Practical Buddhists are so Happy

Why are Practical Buddhist so Happy? 

What is so special 

about this twice-daily practice 

of chanting 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?

What do I mean by "Practical Buddhist?"
True Practical Buddhists chant every morning and evening and EVERY MORNING and evening. We study the works of Nichiren Daishonin, and the writings of Daisaku Ikeda, to learn the workings of the practice. We encourage each other and attend Soka Gakkai meetings.  We introduce others to the practice because we are delighted with the results we see in our own lives from chanting. 

We are known by several names:
SGI Buddhists (there are different names in different countries)
Soka Gakkai Members ~ SGI Members
Practical Buddhists
Nichiren Buddhists  ~ (although we follow the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, I don't use this name because there are Nichiren Buddhists who do not practice with the SGI)

Reasons we are so HAPPY ~

1. Our Happiness is not based on our happiness alone. And we base our practice on RESULTS! We GET what we chant for, or something better, as long as we don't give up! 

Our happiness has a higher purpose. Don't get me wrong...happiness for any reason is great. Happiness is the purpose of our practice. But when we chant, we do not chant to be happy for the sake of happiness itself. No, we chant to be happy so that I can prove to others that happiness is a choice, and that everyone can generate happiness if they chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 

With every problem we face we chant: 

"I will defeat THIS problem for the sake of Kosen-rufu 
(the happiness of ALL) 
And one by one I will knock all my problems down. 
I achieve all my goals. 
I will succeed is all areas of my life to prove the power of the law! 
I vow to win in all areas of my life!"

(I just had my high school reunion. And I am clearly an incredibly different person than I was those many years ago. Because of this practice I have confidence. I glow. I was most excited about the fact that one of the classmates I respect the most is married to a Practical Buddhist who reads my blog every day. My ability to use my happiness and determination to help and inspire others IS my greatest happiness!) 

2. We KNOW we have the POWER, and the TOOL to overcome our own negativity ~ and raise our "Life Condition" and become happy!

It's true. When we chant the name of the rhythm of life itself ~ Nam-myoho-renge-kyo ~ we see results. And what will we WIN over? Ourselves. We are fighting and winning the biggest and most worthy battle of all...the battle over our own negativity. And the thing is, no one can do that but US. We are the only ones. And our negativity never entirely goes away, but our daily practice keeps it away, and is the source of our happiness. We talk about the "evil twin" in our minds telling us we can't do it, that we aren't strong enough and who do we think we are? When we chant consistently that voice recedes, and our true and powerful Buddha nature emerges.  And we DO succeed!

3. We KNOW we can change our karma and make the impossible possible. 

Whether we have studied eastern religions or not, we are all familiar with karma no matter what name we call it. Karma is passed down from one generation to another. Karma is reoccurring problems...you know the odd way in which people marry one person, move on to the next and have the exact same problems crop up. 
Karma is nothing to be afraid of. It is only the sum total of every cause we have ever made through every existence we have ever had. And since, according to Nichiren Daishonin, those existences number more than grains of sand in the ocean, what need is there to fret about karma? And we do not need to spend countless lifetimes trying to undo every negative thing we have ever done. How could we? We don't even know what these things were. What we can do, is make the absolute most positive causes NOW. When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo we are making the most positive cause for our lives. When we introduce others these causes are magnified across many existences because we have introduced them to the power to change their own and their family's karma. 

4. We are aware of the interconnectivity of life and know that when we change our inner life, our outer life changes as well. We are Power-FULL not Power-LESS and we can chant for others as well! 

There's a concept I love called "Esho Funi". It means that we see and experience ourselves as separate from our environment (our environment is everything outside of our skin - the air we breathe, the couch we are sitting on, the music we hear, and each person, thing, animal in our environment and throughout the entire universe). But we are intricately connected to everything. That is why we can chant and change our lives. We change our inner lives, and because of the interconnectivity of life (also called "dependent origination") we are able to influence our environment. This is the fulcrum of true happiness and true power in our lives. 

Note: Chanting is a courageous practice, and keeping on target and maintaining practice can be a challenge. I am offering personal coaching by phone or skype. Email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com to find out more.