President Ikeda's Guidance for Today

Wednesday February 12th, 2014

BUDDHISM teaches 

"attaining Buddhahood 

without changing your original state."

This means that we ordinary people 

in the nine states of being
can attain Buddhahood as we are, 

in our original states. 

We can attain
a state of absolute happiness, 

here, now, 

in the midst of this very life.


TO be swayed by one's destiny 

is most regrettable. 

However, when you continue to chant daimoku 

to the Gohonzon sincerely, 

you will develop the wisdom to change yourself 

for the better 

and build a life that is directed towards happiness. 

This is in accord with the principle of
"substituting faith for wisdom" (ishin daie).


HAUGHTINESS and harsh language or behavior 

are evidence of one's lack of culture. 

In Buddhism, those who are wise 

are termed human beings,
while those who are foolish and vain 

are naught but animals.


THERE may be some people 

who, for one reason or another, 

have no room in their hearts 

to enjoy the beauty of flowers. 

They come home from work, 

complain about their day and go to sleep. 

We can try to help them change their mindset 

by drawing their attention 

to the beauty of flowers or of a work of art. 

That often is enough 

to get them to open
their hearts and minds to all sorts of new possibilities.


WORDS are very important. 

Leaders in particular 

must be very careful about what they say. 

Words are decisive. 

As it said in the Gosho, 

"The voice does the Buddha's work." 

(Gosho Zenshu, p400) 

Our words reveal our character, 

our wisdom 

and our attitude towards life.

Thank you for emailing this to me every day Nalini Prakash! 

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Daily Guidance by Daisaku Ikeda

Daily guidance by Daisaku Ikeda

WHEN we dwell in the world of the Mystic Law, 
the sun of hope continually rises in our hearts 
and we experience a new dawning of life at each moment. Kosen-rufu is an activity for the purpose 
of building a glorious land 
where shines the sun of eternal peace. 
It is a battle to rid the world of misery and unhappiness, 
and call forth the dawn of happiness and security.

OUR daily life is a constant struggle 
to break through deadlocks. 
Yet, no matter what may happen to us, 
there is no need to become pessimistic. 
Viewed from a more profound perspective, 
every problem is a test of our faith; 
it provides us with an opportunity, 
and a turning point, 
to increase our happiness 
and further advance towards attaining Buddhahood.

A mirror that is tarnished or dirty will not reflect anything. 
It must be polished. 
Chanting daimoku with faith in the Gohonzon 
is the act whereby we polish the mirror of our life. 
The Daishonin established the Gohonzon 
solely so that people could polish their lives and
powerfully manifest the Gohonzon existing within.

WINNING is not a matter of form or appearances. 
It has nothing to do with vanity. 
Nor is it a matter of simply navigating one's way
smoothly through an organization 
that has already been created.
Victory in life 
ultimately hinges on whether one has truly strived,
whether one has truly advanced.

A struggle means making strenuous, 
painstaking efforts behind the scenes, 
always being the first to take action on all fronts, 
always thinking ahead 
and being well prepared in advance, 
in order to open a sure path to victory.

Daisaku Ikeda

Happy 86th Birthday Daisaku Ikeda!

Happy Birthday Sensei! 

May you live a long and healthy life. 

Our hearts are full of gratitude 

for your ceaseless devotion to Kosen Rufu 

and the happiness and protection of all members 

and all people worldwide.

Thank you for inspiring us

 with your words,
your songs,

 your poems,

 your discussions with world leaders and philosophers,

 your essays,

 your Diamoku

 and your heart!

May each of us continue seeking 

to embrace our vow

 to overcome our sufferings, 

inspire others,

 and create a world of peace and respect for all life. 
In 2014 
The Year of Opening 
a New Era 
of Worldwide Kosen-rufu

Ushering in the New Year as Dancing Bodhisattvas of the Earth!

In the December 20th World Tribune, Daisaku Ikeda writes:

"There is a passage from Nichiren Daishonin's writings that I would like to share with you today:

When great evil occurs, great good follows...(T)he great correct Law will spread without fail. What could any of you (my disciples) have to lament? Even if you are not the Venerable Mahakashapa, you should all perform a dance. Even if you are not Shariputra, you should leap up and dance. When Bodhisattva Superior Practices emerged from the earth, did he not emerge dancing? 
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.1. p. 119)

We have been born into this world as Bodhisattvas of the Earth to take our place on the stage of our respective missions and then perform the joyous dance of fulfilling our vow for kosen-rufu. Not even the most terrible calamity can discourage or deter us.

We powerfully chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - the "greatest of all joys" (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, p. 212) - infusing our lives with a vibrant energy that virtually compels us to leap up and dance. We challenge ourselves to confront and battle obstacles, do our utmost to transform great evil or disaster into great good and spread the supreme teaching of the mystic law. 

By bringing the forth the power of faith and practice of Bodhisattvas of the Earth dedicated to realizing the great vow for the widespread propagation of the mystic law, we can manifest the boundless and immeasurable power of the Buddha and the Law, and transform this suffering filled saha world into the Land of Tranquil Light. This is the Daishonin's promise.

(December 20, World Tribune, from the essay Setting Sail Into the New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu, page 3.)

Today the New Year dawns in a different city all day long! All of us are forever united in Daimoku with our mentor. Let's make this the most meaningful New Years filled with our boundless fresh determination! 

Your Life is as Expansive as the Universe ~ Great Guidance from Sensei

 

This Guidance came to me through my good friend in faith Amos Snell. 

It is based on SGI Vice President Mr. Matsushita's guidance given at FNCC.

Heart-to-Heart Dialogue 

can be carried out 

anywhere, 

anytime 

to anyone.

In 1992 Sensei took a walk in the cemetery to converse with the souls who were greeting him joyfully. They were having a heart to heart dialogue. He said Dialogue requires heart-to-heart connection. True Dialogue. 

Sensei said you can have dialogue in your heart with anyone anywhere at any time, living or dead. 

What is the first step to touching another person's heart? Appreciation. 

Chant to develop appreciation. The path of the Bodhisattva lies in developing and expressing appreciation. 

How to Increase Our Efforts by 100X

In 1993 Sensei said he was going to increase his efforts 100 times more than ever before. His trusted advisers were perplexed. He was already doing so much, how could he make this happen? They thought he might just be saying this to encourage them, but they couldn't imagine it happening. But, he DID increase his efforts by 100 times. 

And he explained how to accomplish this:

Sensei said: 

I always focus on the here and on the now. 

I strive to see this very moment. 

It's the only one I have. 

I put 100% of my life, my effort, 

into changing that moment. 

Anyone who lives their life this way 

will have tremendous fortune. 

Everything begins with Gongyo. 

Who will I present to the Gohonzon? 

WIll I present someone without confidence...

someone who questions if he deserves his benefits 

and is begging the Gohonzon to save him? 

Or will I present my true eternal self. 

If I chant with 

Optimism, 

Concrete Goals, 

Courage, 

Wisdom 

and Compassion 

I will generate the conviction that 

"I will make this happen 

based on the power of the Buddha Inside. 

When we chant our life fuses with the Mystic Law. 

Our life is as expansive as the whole universe  - 

it expands beyond our skin 

into the far reaches of the universe. 

Our life, 

powered with Daimoku 

can move anything in the universe. 

3 Powerful Questions to Ask While Chanting

Many of us have read Daisaku Ikeda's essay "Buddhism is the Clear Mirror that Reflects our Lives."

Here is the link to the "Clear Mirror Guidance" that asserts "The Gohonzon (scroll we face while chanting) is the clearest of all mirrors that reflects the entire universe exactly as it is. When you chant to the Gohonzon, you can perceive the true aspect of your life and tap the inexhaustible life force of Buddhahood." 

Read the entire guidance through this link:

http://www.sgi-usa.org/memberresources/womensdivision/docs/2010/WT_Clear%20Mirror.pdf

I've been doing some soul-searching lately. Maybe you have too. November 18th has come and gone. We have achieved some of our goals, and some of them we are still working on. 

We know that we have to maintain hope and we know we will succeed, and we turn to the words of Daisaku Ikeda and Nichiren Daishonin for encouragement.  It is a great time for some self-reflection. We know that change in our environment and achieving our goals comes from Human Revolution ~  inner change in the core of our lives triggering corresponding change in our environment.  We know this intellectually, but how can we deepen our understanding and leveraging of this great truth?  

Sensei has said that our ability to bring our own wisdom to the surface through chanting is the key. How can we expand our ability to do exactly that? 

3 Important Questions to ask our lives while Chanting:

1. Life! Illuminate what I need to change...what I need to see and how I can improve. 
2. Life! What can I reveal to myself about the inner workings of my mind, my life, my actions and words that will free me from the blocks that still exist for me? 
3. Life! What actions do I need to take so that I can affect real, lasting, positive change in my life?

See what these questions reveal for you. This kind of inquiry takes concentration and courage. 

I get many emails from readers who are living in situations where they have difficulty expressing themselves and are experiencing hopelessness. My goal is to explore and challenge true and respectful expression in my own life, so that I can deepen my wisdom to help others. I am dialoguing in prayer. For today, I slowed the speed of my Daimoku. I put my phone in the other room for this hour of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 

Putting the phone away is key...the world is always calling isn't it? Emails...texting...calls...it goes on and on. As Buddhas we must be able to put the world aside and focus, and that, for some of us, involves putting the phone in another room. 

As I sat down to write for you today I opened "My Dear American Friends" and turned to the essay "The Age of Soft Power" that Daisaku Ikeda delivered at Harvard University on September 26th of 1991. In it he states: 

"One of the important Buddhist concepts, dependent origination holds that all beings and phenomena exist or occur in relation to other beings or phenomena.  All things are linked in an intricate web of causation and connection, and nothing, whether in the realm of human affairs or natural phenomenon, can exist or occur solely of its own accord. 
...It is the fusion of the self and others. At the same time it is the expansion of the limited, ego-shackled self toward a greater self whose scale is as limitless and unbounded as the universe...In practical terms, the most important question for us as individuals is how to activate the inner sources sof energy and wisdom existing within our lives...
...Our society today urgently needs the kind of inwardly directed spirituality to strengthen self-control and restraint. It is a quality that deepens our respect for the dignity of life. In a world where interpersonal relationships are becoming increasingly tenuous, greater self-control and discipline would also help restore and rejuvenate endangered feelings, including friendship, trust, and love, for without them there can be no meaningful bonds between people."

We have the capacity to use our Buddhist practice to gain self-control, express ourselves clearly, with composure, forethought, and mutual respect to strengthen our relationships, and build our environments into worlds of absolute happiness and fulfillment. 

This is a worthwhile endeavor, don't you think?

I offer you some additional quotes from
"For Today Onward" by Daisaku Ikeda:

"Why is it that sometimes our prayer seems not to be answered? This is a manifestation of the Buddha's wisdom - so that we can deepen our prayers, become stronger people, live more profound lives and secure deeper, more lasting good fortune. If our slightest prayer were answered immediately, we'd become lazy and degenerate. And we couldn't hope to build a life of great dignity and substance."  Page 89. 

"There may be times when life seems gloomy and dull. When we feel stuck in some situation or other, when we are negative toward everything, when we feel lost and bewildered, not sure which way to turn ~ at such times we must transform our passive mind-set and determine "I will proceed along this path," "I will pursue my mission today." When we do so a genuine springtime arrives in our hearts, and flowers start to blossom."
Page 88. 

And:
"Viewing events and situations in a positive light is important. The strength, wisdom and cheerfulness that accompany such an attitude lead to happiness. To regard everything in a positive light or with a spirit of goodwill, however, does not mean being foolishly gullible and allowing people to take advantage of our good nature. It means having the wisdom and perception to actually move things in a positive direction by seeing things in their best light, while all the time keeping our eyes firmly focused on reality."
Page 29.

As always, thank you so much for passing along the url to this blog to others, and for sending me your comments, questions and victories at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. I answer every email.

18 Types of Fortune and 3 Ways to Build Unlimited and Powerful Good Fortune

Lately I am getting a lot of emails asking how to get money  ~ and asking "Is it ok to chant for money? First I would would like to say to chant for exactly what you want. If you need money chant for money~! You deserve to have what you need. There are many, many examples of people chanting for money and getting it. I chanted for 5K and got it immediately. 

But underlying the need for money there is a deeper and more exciting benefit that we can access within our lives. We can access and build TRUE FORTUNE into our lives. 


What is FORTUNE? How do we build it for ourselves?

First of all, fortune is self made. No matter what our levels of fortune may be before we begin practicing Buddhism, once we begin intoning the name of the Law of Cause and Effect, the Mystic Law itself, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, our lives begin to move in the direction of fortune. 

With our Daimoku (chanting) we begin "changing from the inside out", the ONLY way to affect true and lasting change. 

And with each passing day of chanting, studying, encouraging others and introducing people to this practice our fortune grows and grows.

Fortune :

Daisaku Ikeda states: "Governments come and go, economies rise and fall, and society changes constantly. Only the good fortune we accumulate during our lives lasts forever. True victors are those who cultivate the tree of Buddhahood in the vast earth of their lives while achieving success both in society and in their personal lives through true faith and a true way of living. (Faith in Action page 110)

Fortune is being in rhythm so that we KNOW what to do, and have the spirit, conviction and courage to make the best possible causes at all times! 

Fortune is being in the right place at the right time. 

Fortune is Happiness and the ability to overcome any suffering and turn poison into medicine.

Fortune is strength and resiliency. 

Fortune is getting a call from an associate about a job opportunity that happens to be perfect for you. 

Fortune is having the courage and wisdom to say what must be said and do what must be done at the crucial moment. 
I had one of these crucial moments yesterday and I trusted myself to take the correct action and I'm really satisfied that I did the right thing... the absolute right action. buddhist wisdom in action. That's fortune. 

Fortune is always having what you need when you need it. 

Fortune is having the time to chant to our heart's content and encourage others, too. 

Fortune is being able to join harmoniously with our fellow SGI members creating a new kind of family for us all. 

Fortune is being born at the same time as Daisaku Ikeda and learning how to engrave the mentor disciple relationship into our lives so that it is a living, powerful source of energy and wisdom in our lives.  

Fortune is the finding solace and peace even when we have lost a loved one. 

Fortune is experiencing the true depth of friendship... knowing how to be a friend, attracting, keeping and appreciating quality people in our lives.  

Fortune is experiencing how to love and be loved in return. 

Fortune is the freedom to live our lives as we want...traveling freely and happily. 

Fortune is health. 

Fortune is the ability to laugh.  

Fortune is the ability to sit in front or our Gohonzons and cary out a meaningful dialogue within our own lives that makes the impossible possible,and brings happiness to ourselves and our families, friends and world.

Fortune is seeing that advertisement for exactly what we need when we need it. A few years ago I kick started my 70 pound weight loss by turning on the TV and seeing a weight loss program being advertised that I ordered and really worked for me. Another time I googled "Agents looking for authors" and found out about a Writer's Digest Conference in New York. A week later I was on a plane to a conference that really forwarded my writing career. 

How do we build fortune for ourselves?

1. First we must build a strong practice.  
The more "work" we put into building our practice...the less "work" we have to put into our lives...the less struggling we have to do. We can use all the resources at our disposal to CREATE the discipline to be able to chant twice a day every day and participate in activities. Being a part of the SGI is crucial. Click on the link to the right or send me an email if you need help finding your local organization. Having the wisdom to ask for assistance is crucial. Having a seeking mind to understand how and why the Mystic law can have such a profound effect on our lives is important. Studying our SGI publications is important. We call this having a seeking spirit. Chanting at least an hour a day is the fuel most people need to get the motor of their lives started. Some people prefer two hours or more. (If you don't have this time right now you can chant to have more time to chant!)

Fortune Comes from Having the spirit and the prayer: 

"I will WIN because my life is important. I will use my life as a shining example that this practice works!! My winning will be a real "win/win" because I will inspire others to the greatness of their own lives! I will win for kosen-rufu. I will win over my own negativity. I will absolutely do this!" 

2. Determine and believe we DESERVE what we want fuels our fortune. Every action we take all day long is a cause for our happiness. What do we want? Why do we want it? What can we do to fuel that desire? When I was 70 pounds heavier I wrote all the reasons I wanted to be thin. And I read that list all the time. I still have it. I found pictures of how I wanted to look, and I looked at them frequently. I visualized walking into a store and being able to buy any clothes I wanted! I fueled my determination. I fueled the conviction that losing weight was possible for me because I chant, and all my past failures just didn't count. 
Hon Nim Myo - "from this moment forth". Every time we chant we begin life anew. From this moment forth I will win. From this moment forth is EVERY MOMENT. We have the power to change. NOW. We chant the MYSTIC LAW underlying all of life. Wow. We are filled with fortune!

3. Chant for what we want, and Chant for STRENGTH of practice and strength of mind and heart! If we want money, we chant for money. If we want to NEVER WORRY ABOUT MONEY AGAIN - we chant with this in mind. If we want a job we chant for it. The world is OURS. We chant for exactly what we want!

What does fortune mean for you? Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com with your experiences and comments! 

4 Tips for Starting a Gratitude Journal for Absolute Happiness

 

Studies are showing that summoning and expressing feelings of Gratitude leads to Happiness. Gratitude is a MUSCLE we can all exercise. We exercise the muscle of faith by chanting, and we exercise the muscle of Gratitude by focusing on it! I have a challenge for you. Start a gratitude journal and share with others on this blog how it feels and how it has changed your life. 
And express gratitude more and more each day. Who can you express gratitude to today? 

3 Tips for Starting a Gratitude Journal 

Tip #1 ~ 
Fill your heart with gratitude while you are chanting. Chant to see how great your life is! 

Tip #2 ~

Start a "Rampage of Appreciation Journal" 

for everything in your life. 

Take a journal or spiral notebook 
and put headings on the top: 

Your body ~ 
Write a list of all you appreciate, and usually take for granted...everything from the five senses to whatever you can think of...go slowly, throughout your whole body starting from the top and write what you appreciate:

Sample journal entry:
I appreciate that I can see colors, I appreciate that I can see 3D, I appreciate that I can remember, that I can sing, that I can laugh. 

Little details add up. We are wonderous in so many ways. Gratitude draws more thing to be grateful for! And keep going ~ you get the picture. See if you can fill a whole page. 

Your Family ~ what do you appreciate? What could you appreciate?

Your friends ~ what do you appreciate in the past and the present about your friends. 

Your Beloved ~ if you don't have a beloved at the moment fill this page with things you have loved about past loves in your life...only the positive things.

Your practice and the SGI ~ What brings you joy? Our daily practice, our living mentor, the Gosho, our SGI friends, meetings, laughter, songs...

Your Work/Career ~ what do you appreciate, what can you appreciate? 

Your home: you get the idea

Our wonderful planet:

Your Country: 

Your possessions: 
Car...clothes...furniture...this is a RAMPAGE of appreciation!

Other Categories? What would you add? 

Tip #3
Write in this Gratitude Journal Frequently. One friend said he began a gratitude journal last year and has had the best year of his life. If you focus on the good - well, it focuses back to you! 

Tip # 4
Express this gratitude every day! Who can you express gratitude to today? Email me your stories to share!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today as I sat down to chant, and go into dialogue with my own life, I thought "What do I want to chant for?" and gratitude came flooding into my thoughts...

I am full of Gratitude that I live an absolutely fearless life ~

Because I chant ~

I am confident that I will always have everything I need. I am not worried or afraid of anything. I do not live in fear of anything. I know the resources for ALL I need are within my own life, within my own Daimoku. I am the Mystic Law...and so are YOU!
I am not worried about whether or not my dreams will come true - as long as I keep steadily advancing, I know that everything I dream will be possible.
I am grateful for having time to chant!
I am grateful that now it is time to search for a job and I have the strength and confidence to proceed with a smile on my face and a hopeful outlook. I will find a job in business development that I really enjoy and where I can make kosen-rufu happen.
I am grateful for my health, and that I look so much younger and healthier than I did ten years ago...aaaahhh the youthening power of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (and eating well, exercising and drinking LOTS of water!)
I am grateful that my son is so much better. He's driving and getting his life in order. He is smiling and moving forward. I have enjoyed our wonderful time together this fall, walking in the arboretum on the sunny days we've shared.
I am grateful for this practice, and for my friends in faith. I always know where to turn when I am seeking encouragement.
I am grateful to YOU, my readers, who send me encouragment, appreciation, insights, questions, experiences and guestblogs. Email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com.  My next book will be all experiences! Please keep your journals if you can, and write brilliant persectives on your victories. The world awaits your words of wisdom. Let me share them for you with the 35,000 readers of this blog.
I am also grateful for YOU for sending links to this blog and sharing it with others. I write it from my heart to share what I have learned with others, and to connect us all together.
I am grateful for Kate, and my co-leaders and all the members of my district and the SGI
I am grateful for my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda. 
Enjoy and have a great day ~ Jamie 

Immediate Results from Chanting for Youth

As I mentioned earlier this week,  I chanted for three hours for the youth of our world on Sunday, my 29th Gohonzon birthday. 

Well I have had some wonderful results this week. 

The day following this 3 hour youth tozo was one of the happiest I have had in a long time. I spent it with my son roaming the trails in the Arboretum in the sun...appreciating every minute that I get to spend with my twenty-year old young man. My heart was just bursting with happiness and enjoyment of the beauty all around us. We walked for a good three miles and enjoyed the exercise and laughter we shared. My heart and mind were filled with peace about my life and his. 

And the next day my world Tribune came and Daisaku Ikeda was talking about how the youth of this age are going to rid the world of nuclear weapons...and his words resounded with me throughout the whole issue. 

Then at last night's District meeting we had two youth division guests and FIVE young people total join us. I have been chanting for one guest we had two weeks ago and she returned. Daimoku WORKS. (We were having so much fun visiting together after the meeting that I totally forgot to take a picture) 

Chanting for Youth Division is such a joy. It actually feels good to take my mind off my own challenges and just chant for the youth of our world. I am repeating the post here:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Originally posted Monday, October 21st)
Hi, yesterday was my 29th Gohonzon birthday. Every year on my birthday I set aside a solid block of time to chant..at least three hours. Yesterday I spent all three hours chanting for youth. And as I was chanting I was realizing some things I wanted to tell you. 

I get many members and readers asking the same question: "If I spend time chanting for these broader things, like kosen-rufu, or shakubuku, or youth ~ what about my OWN desires? Don't I need to chant for them?" 


That's a perfectly understandable question. We have all had the same thoughts. 

Here are a few of my own thoughts on the matter. This is not an official SGI blog, it is my own heart and soul from years of being a district leader and chanting with an open heart to feel and express the heart of my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda. 

So, yesterday I chanted for youth. For three hours. As I chanted, I flooded my thoughts with smiling faces of young people all over the world. I chanted for them to take the vanguard in ending the suffering of all of humanity by cutting through their obstacles, doing shakubuku, and having the vision, creativity and drive to change the world. The rest of us are their supporters, cheerleaders and mentors. We are all working together. 

As I was chanting I felt connected to all of the SGI. I felt like I was chanting Daisaku Ikeda's prayer. I could see the earth in my mind, glowing in peace and happiness, and personal suffering waning, and waning, and waning. I don't have to tell you we live in turbulent times. And I myself, have a youth who is facing challenges right now. 

Chanting for youth made the time fly. Three hours felt like 30 minutes. And I was surrounded with the peace of knowing that no matter what I am facing personally, everything will just work out perfectly. This is not blind faith, resignation or an inability to take action. No. My life is filled with action, but the prayer to shakubuku youth is DEEP. It is the collective prayer of us all. I felt like I was tapping into a swiftly moving current. 

Do you HAVE to chant about youth? No. No one will ever tell you what you HAVE to chant about in this practice, and I am always saying "Chant for what you want. Chant for what you REALLY want." and I believe that. But we all know that raising our prayer towards universal aspirations has incredible power. 

In every World Tribune and Living Buddhism (American SGI publications) Daisaku Ikeda is encouraging us to encourage, support and chant for the youth. He knows that life is eternal, and we need a planet filled with impassioned youth...impassioned for GOOD, impassioned with PURPOSE! 

Having purpose helps us all. It is the most fulfilling way to live. 

So now, I offer you a PowerPrayer for YOUTH. Many people read PowerPrayers before chanting, to help with focus and concentration. 

Please, as always, don't cut and paste the PowerPrayer, but please send links to chantforhappiness.com or use the sharing buttons at the bottom of the post. 

PowerPrayer for YOUTH

Life!
I tap into you with this strong Daimoku!
Every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I chant is aimed straight for the heart of the youth in this world!
I picture youth chanting
I picture youth singing
I picture youth smiling radiantly and seeing their actions change the world
I chant for every hopeless youth to have HOPE
I chant for them all to connect 
with this incredible law of life 
create happy families, 
and challenge themselves to create a happy world of respect for all (kosen-rufu!)
while introducing their friends to chanting. 
Their Daimoku is MY Daimoku. 
Every moment of my prayer I dedicate to these new, shining, spiritual ones.
My District will have at least ONE new Youth receive Gohonzon by November 18th! 
May they each experience the joy of practice! 
May they each transform their lives
into lives of happy purpose, 
May they transform their families, their schools, their communities and the world!
My prayer is their prayer
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

DIS-Couraged or EN-Couraged ~ Some Quotes to Inspire

In all of our lives we sometimes experience frustration, right? We all have things we've chanted about for a long time and we think maybe they will never happen...and we face the choice of being discouraged, or encouraged. 
Let's think about those words for a moment: 

DIS-COURAGED. 
Lost courage. 
No more courage. 
Negative courage. 

We do feel this from time to time, I know. It is at exactly this point that we can put our faith to its best use. We have a unique tool. 
We have faith we can use to re-EN-COURAGE us. 

En-Courage
Filled with courage
Inner courage
In the state of courage

Much better, right? 

Daisaku Ikeda's writings always encourage me. 
In Faith in Action he writes in the section Perseverance:

"It is important to take a long range view. 
No great achievement is accomplished overnight 
or without difficulty. 
Should benefit be obtained easily, 
and without making serious efforts in our Buddhist practice, we'd probably easily abandon our faith 
and end up miserable." 
p. 145 

And he continues on the next page: 

"It is important to become strong 
and to not be defeated. 
Don't become the kind of people 
who are always depending or leaning on others 
or who weakly and timidly 
leave hard work and responsibility to others. 
Whatever obstacles you may encounter, 
please use them as a launching pad for your growth 
and keep advancing, 
bravely enduring all hardships, 
telling yourselves, 
"I'll show them what I'm made of!" 
p. 146

And:

"No matter what the circumstances, 
you should never concede defeat. 
Never conclude that you've reached a dead end. 
You possess a glorious future. 
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 worry about the past. 
We must always have the spirit to begin anew 
"from this moment," 
to initiate a new struggle each day." 
p. 146

I was also thinking about the wise words of my own personal mentor and good friend in faith Kate Randolph. She explained the concept of setting deadlines, and what it means to our Buddhist practice and our lives in this wise way:


"We set deadlines to motivate OURSELVES into action. 
A deadline is not for the universe to respond to us. 
We chant. 
We take action. 
The deadline comes. 
We either win or we don't. 
If we don't get the result by the deadline 
we pick ourselves right up again and redetermine. 
The goal is to never be defeated. 
Sensei always says "To win in life is to never be defeated." That does not mean that we will never fail. 
It's our spirit that matters. 
The battle we fight is not with the universe. 
It's with our inner demons...
the ones that say things like 
"obviously chanting doesn't work 
because I did not get my dream by my deadline...or...maybe I should have a different goal...
maybe I wasn't MEANT to have that thing!....
or what am I doing wrong? 
Maybe I wasn't chanting the RIGHT way!" 
It is at that juncture that we must recognize 
the opportunity to deepen our faith and our understanding of the profundity of Buddhism. 
ANYTHING that DRAINS OUR LIFE FORCE 
is the negative function. 
Any inner voice that causes us doubt and hopelessness 
IS the negative function. 
Once we decide we will win no matter what ~ 
we need only to continue. 
We've already won. 
The battle is with the negative function within. 
Ultimately, deadlines are irrelevant. 
Set them if you need them to motivate yourself. 
But decide from the onset that you will win no matter what. And hold YOURSELF accountable. Not the universe. 
If it is a crucial moment and you are in a dire predicament, financially, or health-wise, it is time to DEMAND the protection of the Shoten Zenjin. 

No prayer of a votary of the Lotus Sutra will go unanswered. If your prayer is going unanswered find out what it means to be a votary of the Lotus Sutra. STUDY. And as you are chanting DEMAND the result that you want through your prayer. Awaken to your mission and realize that all your suffering is your opportunity to encourage other people. That is what is meant by turning Karma into Mission."