Our Glorious Mission = Our Glorious Life!

Awareness of Our Glorious Mission

Equals 

Awareness of Our Glorious Lives!

I do not say this lightly! In my opinion, the more aware I am of my mission, the more energy I feel towards winning over every aspect of my life...because I am determined to overcome my problems not just for me, but as an inspiration to others. When we can truly feel this way, our problems become opportunities, not burdens. How is this possible? 

I remember a time talking to Kate (she introduced me to this practice and is my dear friend and SGI mentor)  about my challenges. She said "Raise your problems to realize your noble mission. You are not facing them just for yourself, but for all the people you will help. The most important thing is to chant to strengthen your life, because that is the key to everything. A strong life equals a happy life. Appreciate your problems and win over them!" 

Wise words! 

I'm here in Asheville, North Carolina, one of the most beautiful and interesting places on earth. I had intended to come here from Chicago for a two day stay but the huge storm that just raged across America changed my plans. I spent almost three hours in line at the airport yesterday and was able to get a ticket back for Wednesday night. I met some nice people in line.  Today is the coldest day in Chicago in 40 years - it's -13, negative 13 but the wind chill factor makes it feel like it's negative 40. They are calling Chicago Chiberia. Funny. Many schools and businesses are closed. I am not missing anything by being here is Asheville, and I have the morning to answer emails, chant and write. 

Our friend Morag in the UK has been thinking about the recent posts about fulfilling our vow for kosen-rufu, and found this is the New Human Revolution, by Daisaku Ikeda, Volume 17 on page 232:

Shin'ichi then went on to introduce four guidelines for carrying out ones mission for kosen-rufu: 

1) Have strong unwavering faith in the Gohonzon and firmly believe in you ability to share Buddhism with others;

2) Study the Daishonin's teachings;

3) Take courageous action with composure and resolve 

4) Strive to grasp the Soka Gakkai spirit and posses a strong sense of awareness as a capable person dedicated to kosen-rufu. 

Thank you Morag! 

We can all win in our lives. Whatever we are dealing with...it is our opportunity to change it. It is our gift to the world. I overcame my depression and anxiety and now can help others to do the same thing. We each will help others by winning over what is right in front of us. 

The key is to not give up, not feel sorry for ourselves, but to elevate our problems into our mission. We can do this!

I am answering some emails this morning. I'm a little behind. Please keep studying President Ikeda's words and reading the Gosho with your life! Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com 

Every Hardship Makes our Lives Shine!

The picture and the quote above are perfect, since I am in the Great Smoky Mountains right now with no way to travel home due to this great storm we are having in America they are calling "Hercules." 

My flight from Asheville, North Carolina to Chicago was cancelled, and I cannot get through to the airline to reschedule..even in the middle of the night. United Airlines hangs up on me. Tomorrow I was supposed to start my new job, but I've called my new boss and he is very understanding.

There is a huge storm in Chicago. It has been snowing for days. Some areas have more than 10 inches of snow. Tomorrow it will be as cold in Chicago as it will be in Antarctica...13 degrees BELOW zero. My friends in Chicago say "Stay in Asheville!" 

I am lucky enough to be visiting my Dad and Stepmom here, so I am warm and cozy...but it's weird not being booked on a flight back. I even thought of driving the 10 hours back but the roads are unsafe.  

I am chanting to enjoy my time with my Dad, for perfect timing in the beginning of my new job, and for all the stranded travelers. I went to the airport yesterday to try to get a flight booked and the lines were filled with people who were in worse situations than myself...with no where to go! 

I guess a big weather incident is just the way it goes sometimes!

Yesterday in Asheville we visited the amazing Points of Light Gallery and store. (Pointsoflight.net) It has the most amazing minerals I've ever seen. Here are a few pictures. Enjoy!

This amethyst cluster is about 3 feet high ~ from Brazil

Just magnificent! 

 This geode was so beautiful up close...

here's my Dad next to it! 

Today I'll be chanting and trying to arrange a way home. I appreciate each and every one of you for sending me such heart-warming greetings over the new year! You can write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com ~ and thanks for your Daimoku! 

Embracing Our Great Vow as Buddhas

Ahhhhhhhh

In yesterday's post I wrote about the great Vow for kosen-rufu. 

(If you're new to this blog please read the sidebar to the right. This blog is about chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and accessing our highest life potential...overcoming obstacles in our lives with happiness and ease and creating a world of respect and peace for all (kosen-rufu) we chant every day, twice a day along with fellow SGI members in 193 countries with inspiration from the President of the SGI, Daisaku Ikeda - please click on the SGI portal link to the right to find out more. This is not an official SGI blog; I have practiced for 28 years and continue to be amazed by the results of chanting every day!)

Last night I was studying President Ikeda's essay in the December 13th World Tribune, a publication here in the states. The World Tribune is, I believe, essential to the life flow of Buddhism. Whenever I get it, it's as if Sensei (President Ikeda) has written directly to me. Words just jump out of it. 

If you'd like to subscribe to the World Tribune call 800-835-4558 or go to sgi-usa.org. 

In Daisaku Ikeda's essay A Life Dedicated to the Realizing the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu I found some very interesting phrases to chant about and ponder. This essay was the address written to commemorate Soka Gakkai Foundation Day and the 70th memorial (69th anniversary) of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi's death, (the founder of the SGI) held on November 18th at the Great Hall of the Vow of Kosen-Rufu in Shinanomachi, Tokyo on November 18th. 

"The essential teaching (the latter 4 chapters) of the Lotus Sutra reveals that the life of the Buddha is eternal and imperishable from time without beginning (see the Lotus Sutra and its Opening and Closing Sutra, p. 267) The sutra's "Life Span" (16th) chapter, which is the heart of the essential teaching concludes with these words:

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 the Buddha? (LSOC, 273)

In other words, the Buddha is constantly thinking about how to guide all living beings to the supreme path and enable them to quickly attain enlightenment.

The life state of Buddhahood is characterized by one's mind and one's life being filled with a fervent wish for the happiness of the people and an unwavering commitment to keep striving in this suffering-filled saha world to help everyone attain Buddhahood. Because the Buddha is eternally dedicated to this vow, the life of the Buddha is eternal.

Nichiren Daishonin refers to the constant thought that occupies the Buddha's mind as "the compassionate vow of the Buddha" (see The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin Vol. 1 p. 62) The eternal Buddha does not exist apart from this compassionate vow." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have always known that we recite the passage during gongyo:

"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 the Buddha? (LSOC, 273)

And from the first days I began chanting I embraced this phrase. I have interpreted this phrase with my life, and have written about this many times. Essentially, when I chant, when I am in dialogue with my life itself - I tell my life that I must achieve _______not just for myself, but to inspire others to chant! 

And the two phrases I have put in black italics above are very interesting to me. Last night I read them over and over and am chanting to understand them with my life. I offer them to you today, through our mentor, as phrases to ponder and chant about. Study is not only about intellectual understanding. How do we understand what we study with our lives? 

As always, write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. I love to hear your comments...I love to make new friends all over the world...and, of course, I love to hear your victories! 

3 Point Vow for World Peace (Kosen-Rufu)

Aren't these wise words? Aren't all of Daisaku Ikeda's words full of wisdom, practical wisdom for our lives? Entering the New Year I feel such gratitude to be able to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo along with my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda, and along with all of you, my friends all over the world. I have been hearing from so many of you...all my courageous friends. 

We all live noble lives as Votaries of the Lotus Sutra. Our great vow in life is to usher in the new age of light, of happiness, of respect and love. We call it kosen rufu, and I believe every person longs for this new world. Everyone longs for a world of peace, a world of no violence, a world of love. How do we do this? We do it through our own Human Revolution. The definition of Human Revolution is below:

We do our Human Revolution by making our great vow for kosen-rufu. What does this mean for each of us? Here is my interpretation. As always these are my views only. I speak to you from my experience and don't officially represent the Soka Gakkai. 

As you know, the Soka Gakkai has just opened the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen Rufu. We can now travel to the hall to renew our vow for Kosen Rufu. (There are specifications for entry. Please check with your local SGI center) 

Please do not cut and paste the following. 

Please send people to this link instead: http://chantforhappiness.blogspot.com/2014/01/3-point-vow-for-world-peace-kosen-rufu.html

My 3 Point Vow for Kosen Rufu is very simple

By Jamie Lee Silver, from the blog Chantforhappiness.com: 

1. I vow to use my life for Kosen Rufu. I vow to use every thought, every action, every word and every prayer to transform my life, to discard the transient and reveal the true, and to change the world through tapping into the power my life inherently possesses through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, studying Buddhism, doing shakubuku and deepening my connection with my mentor-in-life Daisaku Ikeda.  

2. I vow to live my life as an example that happiness, absolute happiness, is possible. I vow to use my life as an inspiration for people to learn about chanting, and tap into their own limitless potential. 

3. I vow to win in all areas of my life, health, love, happiness, friendships, family, (both my real family and my Gakkai family) work, writings and wealth for the sake of Kosen Rufu. 

This year is 2014. The 4 is very significant. To me it symbolizes stability. Security. Foundation....like the four legs of a solid table.  

This year I am determined to learn money management, build a solid foundation for myself and lead a life where I can travel freely to visit my friends all over the world. You!

I have always been protected financially throughout my practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo twice a day every day for the last 28 years. I have never longed for anything or gone into any kind of debt. Even this year, when I decided to take the time to write my book I was never without anything I needed or wanted. I was always protected. But I want more. 

Right now I am visiting my Dad and Stepmom Janis in beautiful Asheville North Carolina and learning from them. 

I am chanting to deepen my understanding of the financial world. This will be a real leap for me! And I tie it to my vow of Kosen-Rufu. If I can accomplish my goals, so can anyone. 

I enter this year with a new job (I start on the 6th) and a new relationship. I'll tell more about this after we've had more time together, but right now it looks and feels so warm and wonderful. 

If I can chant to change my life from the inside out, and have all these results, so can you. 

I am always chanting my vow of kosen-rufu. "Life! let me accomplish THIS ________so I can inspire others!" Your prayer is the same. Chant for what you want...exactly what you want. We all deserve to have our dreams come true. 

Happy New Year! 

Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. Share your victories! 

Winning Over Ourselves is the Ultimate Battle

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! 

7 Power-full Questions for Reflecting on 2013 and Launching 2014

Challenging the Future...the time is NOW! 

I just finished my hour of Daimoku, (chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) with my phone turned off, concentrating on how to make the writings surrounding the New Year as meaningful and powerful as possible. 

I write the New Year in. I use words to focus on what I learned the previous year, and what I will launch in the year to come. Today I am sharing with you some of the thought processes that you may like to use to launch your powerful year. 

As I mention frequently, these are my thoughts and my methods. They do not reflect any official Buddhist stance or opinion and are not guidelines of the SGI. They are thoughts I share personally with you, as a fellow practitioner in this glorious practice. 

Reflecting on 2013, 
and launching 2014. 

This are the writings and lists I will create:

For 2013 ~ 

1. What, and who, am I grateful for in 2013? 
2. How can I express that gratitude in meaningful ways? ~         What concrete actions will I take? 
3. What am I proud of? 
4. What do I wish I had done differently? 
5. What have I learned? 
6. What is still "in the works" and what will I redetermine for 
     2014? 
7. What will I leave behind in this year? Are there habits I no longer want to have? Negative tendencies I am committed to changing? 

For 2014 

1. How can I dream bigger and brighter than ever before? This week I make my list for the New Year, and for the next 10 years. 
2. What do I need to focus on, in my Daimoku, and in my life, to be more productive, more happy, more of an asset to others than ever before? 
3. What else can I do, in my prayer and actions, to welcome in the week ahead...the New year...in the highest possible life condition so that this year is the best year of my life. 
4. Who can I encourage? And what actions do I need to take to encourage them? How can I chant the most powerfully, and take the wisest actions for the happiness of every member of my SGI district? 
5. What PowerPrayer can I write that will encompass my fresh determination and vow for the New year. 
6. What words of Daisaku Ikeda will I engrave in my life as a guiding light for this year? 
7. What new positive habits will I establish as I go about starting my new job and changing the rhythm of my life? (Some people call these habits resolutions - I prefer to think of them as guidelines) 

I know there are more...and this list will grow...

How do you begin the New year powerfully? 
Do you have any thoughts to share with the readers of chantforhappiness.com? Email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

We Are Microcosms of the Universe

Buddhist thought holds that we are microcosms of the universe. Science is moving closer to Buddhist thought all the time. This picture really intrigues me. It's just mesmerizing isn't it? And we access the power of the entire universe every time we chant. 

And when we look around our lives we see that our lives actually do reflect how we feel, what we see, and how we experience the world. 

Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (it means: I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration) we can set our entire lives right. 

We can change ANY poison into medicine. 

We can change anything. 

Life is eternal. 

Some things take longer than others, 

I know, we all know. 

But the important thing, as Daisaku Ikeda says, 

is to keep chanting until we DO change it. 

The important thing is to not give up, and to take every challenge and make fresh determinations around it.

ANY experience can be a catalyst for greater happiness when we meet it right in front of the Gohonzon, and don't run from it! The key is to keep chanting for human revolution, doing shakubuku and studying. 

How much Daimoku should you chant? We can only answer that question for ourselves. We each have a minimum amount that makes us feel good. Some of my friends chant at least two hours a day...others chant 15 minutes in the morning and the evening and make every second count. There is no prescription for this practice. It is for our own lives.  

How much we chant sometimes depends on our goals, our state of life, and as many have pointed out - we DO need to sleep! So ~ we chant as much as we need to keep our life conditions elevated! Only we know how long that is. And whatever we do ~ when confronted by obstacles and "problems" meet them head on in front of the Gohonzon and say 

"Life! I summoned this storm and I will USE it to revolutionalize (my word!) MY LIFE! I will use this as fuel for my life and the lives of others! I will prove the power of my life and this practice right here. RIGHT NOW!" 

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to Summon Fathomless Wisdom

The following is a Passage from Julia Landis' and Jamie Lee Silver's upcoming book, 

The BuddhaZone, 
PowerPrayers for Chanting Your Way to 
Absolute Happiness:

"As Nichiren (SGI) Buddhists we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to summon up our fathomless wisdom while steering our life-craft in the direction of our innermost desires. We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo over and over and over again. We call this chanting Daimoku 

(Die-MOH-Koo). Daimoku means title and the title of the Lotus Sutra is  Myoho-Renge-Kyo.  The founder of this practice, Nichiren Daishonin, added to Myoho-renge-kyo  the syllable Nam which means “I devote my life to.” 

So, a brief translation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is, 

“I devote my life to the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration,” or, “I am one with the very rhythm of life.” It is the title of the Buddha's highest teaching, The Lotus Sutra. 

“Myoho-renge-kyo is the name of the ultimate mystic truth, and Nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo  is the name of the life state of Buddhas who embody and reveal this truth.” 

p.28 On Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

It actually becomes very natural over time to focus on a personal PowerPrayer while chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.  It is nothing more than putting your deepest fundamental wish into action. By chanting and focusing on our most cherished desire, we come to steer our lives with confidence in the direction of Buddhahood. Our lives become lives of immense creativity, wisdom and value, and most of all Love. For as we chant, rhythmically and powerfully, we exude into our environment a music that evokes our deepest, innermost  capacity and transforms any manner of poison (problem) into a medicine (benefit), and further, into a nectar (deep and absolute happiness). 

Love's Got to do with it

Chanting is infused with love. That's the source of its power. When we chant for what we really want it comes from a real love for ourselves...and love for others. When we begin with love for ourselves, that love exudes from us, and changed all we touch. All love begins with self love. However, you don't have to come to this practice in a state of self-love. This practice will take you there. Chanting Daimoku will itself bring about this state in your life. As the well known writer in the personal growth movement, Louise Hay, has said at the age eighty-two, “self love is the most important thing of all.” When you love yourself, everything in your environment loves you back. Your environment is a reflection of your own state of life and connection to the source of all happiness. 

Sadly, in general, Human beings tend to project this source outside of themselves. In fact, we are most comfortable, it seems in today's spiritual culture, when we project both the source of our mystical power and, also, its recipient outside of our lives. (Everyone seems to be praying to a power outside of themselves for a person who isn't them!) A great majority of souls, and you, yourself, we imagine, have prayed with love in your heart for the happiness of someone else, invoking a power that you have come to believe is “higher” than your own life. It has become commonplace.

But how often have you prayed with immense love...

for your own life, 

for your own happiness, 

for your own well-being? 

And more importantly, how often have you prayed...

from your own life

to your own life 

for the very best things 

and experiences for you

in short, for your own happiness?
And through your own happiness...
to bring happiness to ALL? 

We have found that, as it has been written, if we intone our voice with Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can summon up great love, the kind of love that is required of us if we want to awaken to our true potential. And that is another name for Buddhas: Beings who have realized their infinitely positive wise and loving potentials.

It is our PowerPrayer that as you are reading, these words are activating within you the curiosity and courage it will take to sustain you on this journey. 

Listen to the secret we whisper into your ear:

You are the Buddha of Infinite Potential. Yes, YOU are the Buddha. Your life story is one of awakening. Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo you will be able to solve your problems and awaken to your own Buddhahood that has always been your birthright." 

The above passage is part of the preface to the book Julia and I wrote for you. I'm in the process of figuring out how to best publish it for you and offer it for sale right here. It is packed with PowerPrayers to strengthen your life and your practice. 

On this blog I have written many posts for people who are interested in chanting, and I invite your questions and comments. You may email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

Daisaku Ikeda's 10 Powerful Quotes on Prayer

Sensei's 10 Powerful Quotes on Prayer 

1. Prayer entails an intense challenge to believe in yourself and stop diminishing yourself. To belittle yourself is to disparage Buddhism and the Buddha within your life. 

2. Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. It is the way to banish sorrow, the way to light a torch of hope. It is the revolution that rewrites the scenario of our destiny.

3. Prayers are invisible, but if we pray steadfastly they will definitely effect clear results in our lives and surroundings over time. This is the principle of the true entity of all phenomena. Faith means having confidence in this invisible realm.

5. Prayer is not a feeble consolation; it is a powerful, unyielding conviction. And prayer must become manifest in action. To put it another way, if our prayers are in earnest, they will definitely give rise to action. 

6. Prayer is the courage to persevere. It is the struggle to overcome our own weakness and lack on confidence in ourselves. It is the act of impressing in the very depths of our being the conviction that we can change the situation without fail. 

7. Prayer is an attempt to merge the inner workings of our life with the rhythm of the universe. 
When we pray in such a way, all the workings of the universe will function to protect us and the endless cycle of painful reality will be transformed into a cycle of victory and happiness. Prayer is the key to open the door to unleach that infinite human potential within our lives. 

8. The important thing is to firmly fix our gaze on our own weaknesses, not run away from them, but to battle them head-on and establish a solid self that nothing can sway. Hardships forge and polish our lives, so that eventually they shine with brilliant fortune and benefit. If left in its raw, unpolished form, even the most magnificent gem will not sparkle. The same applies to our lives. 

9. Prayer is not of the realm of logic or intellect. It transcends these. 

10. Prayer is an act of which we give expression to the pressing and powerful wishes in the depths of our being and yearn for their fulfillment. 

"What kind of future do I envision for myself? What kind of self and I trying to develop? What do I want to accomplish in my life?" The thing is to paint this vision of your life in your heart as specifically as possible. That "painting" itself becomes the design of your future. The power of the heart enables us to actually create with our lives a wonderful masterpiece in accordance with that design. 

It is not about others. It is about you winning, and winning over yourself. By doing so, you will provide inspiration and encouragement to all around you. 

From Ikedaquotes.org

Be the Sun! Encouragement from Daisaku Ikeda

Last night after chanting I studied the Gosho in January's Living Buddhism. I sincerely hope all of you subscribe to the SGI publications in your country. They are the letters our mentor in faith is sending to you.

The Gosho for January is called "The Bow and Arrow." In it, Nichiren Daishonin encourages the Lay Nun Toki Jonin with all his heart. My favorite passage says:

"There is nothing to lament 
when we consider that we will surely become Buddhas. 
Even if one were to become an emperor's consort, 
of what use would it be? 
Even if one were to be reborn in heaven, 
what end would it serve? 
Instead you will follow the way 
of the Dragon King's daughter 
and rank with the nun Mahaprajapati. 
How Wonderful! 
How Wonderful! 
Please chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, 
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."

With my deep respect, 
Nichiren
(WND-1, 657)

In the commentary, Daisaku Ikeda writes that Nichiren Daishonin is assuring Toki:

"We cannot fail to attain Buddhahood. No matter how painful things are now, we are certain to triumph in the end. We will enjoy ourselves freely in the realm of life that is eternal throughout the three existences of past, present and future. When you are sure of that, what reason do you have to lament?"
He goes on to say:
"Nichiren's encouragement in this passage is a deeply moving expression of his compassionate wish to dispel the anxiety plaguing the lay nun Toki's heart and free her from her sorrow. 
"And the words. "How wonderful! How wonderful! (WND-1657) articulate the joy one experiences when one emerges from the clouds of sorrow to savor a state of being where all clouds have disappeared and one's heart is serene like a clear blue sky. It is a state of hope, optimism and delight.
There may be many difficult and painful events in the course of one's life. But those who remain steadfast in their practice of the Mystic Law need never sink into the more of suffering. Instead of feeling depressed and sad, their spirits are buoyant and their hearts light as they look to the future. 
"The key is to chant resonantly with joy and courage. The lives of those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo embody the principle of "earthly desires leading to enlightenment." They are already victorious. They have triumphed, rising above all suffering." 
And, as people who achieved this state of life, we naturally encourage others. 
"Mr. Toda said that the essence of guidance is encouragement. He personally continued to make energetic efforts to encourage those who came to see him for guidance, until they had roused courage to stand up and face life's challenges again."

Daisaku Ikeda wraps up this essay with this bold, encouraging declatation:

"If you are without hope now, create hope! 
If you are unhappy now, create your own happiness.  
You be the sun, imparting sunshine to all around you!

"The heavenly dieties and all Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions and three existences will safeguard and protect the members of the SGI, who are striving for kosen-rufu as practitioners of the Lotus Sutra, just as Nichiren teaches. The entire universe is our ally. We have nothing to fear.

"Our lives are wellsprings of infinite value creation. We are entities of everlasting hope, dispelling the darkness of despair." 
(All quotes are from the January 2014 issue of Living Buddhism, pages 30-32) 

And I will add we are all so much more important than we may know. We are unusual. People are watching us. Our practice is the key to tapping into the vast life-source of the universe. We live bold and noble lives. Whatever we are struggling with - we can create value, and encourage others.  

It is Christmas eve here, and as I write this the sky is bright and I see sunshine, and lovely snowflakes coming down. How beautiful! A White Christmas. I hope we can all fill our hearts with joy!

As always, you can email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

How do we Love Ourselves, Really LOVE Ourselves?

A reader asked me to write about developing love for ourselves. What a wonderful request. Thank you so much! 

As the great woman sage of our time, Louise Hay says, loving ourselves is the most important thing we can do. All our happiness is ultimately based on this. And as Buddhists we innately understand that the love we feel for ourselves is reflected back at us every moment in the mirror that is our life. 

And Daisaku Ikeda has the key in this quote...facing our weaknesses is the real source of developing self love and mastery: 

The important thing is to firmly fix our gaze on our own weaknesses, not run away from them, but to battle them head-on and establish a solid self that nothing can sway. Hardships forge and polish our lives, so that eventually they shine with brilliant fortune and benefit. If left in its raw, unpolished form, even the most magnificent gem will not sparkle. The same applies to our lives.
From Ikedaquotes.org

For me, learning to love myself has been a life-long endeavor. From earliest memory I experienced shame and depression. I don't know where it came from...it was my karma. It was what I chose to come into this world with...so I could change it and be a Bodhisattva for everyone who is suffering. My motto has always been "If I can do it, I can encourage others."

Of course I knew self-love was one of the most important keys to unlocking this door, but wondered how do I achieve this? How do I turn it from a good idea to reality? How can I experience loving my own self? 

I have used many, many ways to build self-love. I find the solution in my Daimoku and in my body. When I began doing a form of Yoga I released energy that was holding me back. That was a turning point for me. part of the Yoga training I received required us to say to ourselves every night and every morning "I love you _____" to ourselves (Fill in your name here) That was not easy! I did it as faithfully as I could, and it made me realize I still had a lot to change to really believe this.  

Through study of Nichiren Daishonin's Gosho, Daisaku Ikeda's writings, and through my dear SGI friends in faith I embedded in my daimoku the continual prayer to experience life as the Buddha I am...to see myself as the Buddha I am...to love and respect myself as the Buddha I am..to be humble and open to changing in any way to be more aware of my Buddhahood...and to be the most inspiring, glowing Buddha I can be. We are all Buddhahood Rising! I've chanted to strengthen my inner core and to feel the glowing essence of the diamond I am within my life. I do these things so I can help YOU to realize these things within your life. 

We are the Buddha. We are the Diamond. We are strength itself. We are awakening in love for ourselves and love for others...even the difficult ones. They need our prayers. If they were not suffering, they would not make others suffer. We are all walking paths of such honor and respect...chanting for people on our paths...chanting for kosen-rufu, a world of respect for all beings. We are the magnificent Bodhisattvas of the Earth. We have arisen. We can love ourselves JUST AS WE ARE...and continually strive to be better people, to love ourselves and others more. That is our chosen path. It is such an honor to walk it along with you. 

Have wisdom to offer the other 35,000 readers of this blog? Share ways you have come to love and honor yourself please write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. You can also email me questions or comments. 

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. 

Become a Person of Unlimited Self Esteem

I have very good news I will be sharing with you this week. I have broken through in all the areas I've been challenging with my practice. Some of it is still in flux, but I am confident that I have absolutely broken through. I have to run to an appointment this morning and I want to share with you one of my favorite essays by Danny Nagashima. Enjoy!

….How to become Men/Women of Unlimited Self Esteem….
By Danny Nagashima, SGI General Director (USA)

You can analyze your situation all you want. You have to get to the root of why “I don’t believe in the greatness of my life”. You have to grab it by the roots and yank it out of your life. The answer is probably so simple, but we tend to over-analyze, it gets complicated and the solution seems far away. Your mission as a Buddhist is to become happy – not to master suffering. We have the negative and positive sides of us – one says, “who are you kidding”, the other, “you can do it”. You have to fight to not to give in to your negativity. This is not about being a writer, an artist, an actor, etc. It is about becoming the man or woman that you always wanted to become, a man or woman who really values his/her life.

The obstacles you face are the answer to your prayer.

Those feelings of self-doubt, those feelings that “I am a failure” – those are the feelings that you have to face and to address. How you feel about yourself, that feeling of self-loathing, of not being good enough, of being a sham. Those are the feelings you have to face. Your talent is not being questioned; it is about how you feel about yourself. That is the karma. You have to value your own life, to appreciate that it has nothing to do with anybody else validating you. Follow your heart; follow your Buddhahood and the effect from that, the benefit from that will be massive.

You need to follow your heart, truly treasure your life. When Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon, he was already chanting daimoku out of the greatness of his life, his Buddhahood, his enlightened state; he inscribed the Gohonzon for all humanity so that everyone could relieve his or her suffering. When you sit in front of the Gohonzon and chant, you have to have the most reverence for your life, the same as the Daishonin’s; therefore your life deserves that kind of reverence.

If you chant for two weeks to really be a person of unlimited self-esteem and to really, truly appreciate your life including your flaws, your accomplishments, your defeats and your losses, your victories, all that you have created and to truly appreciate your talent as XYZ for two weeks, everything will change.

Forget about the past garbage. Put it away. That will only make you feel impotent. From today on, really chant about being that man/woman of unlimited self-esteem. Really appreciate everything about your life; all the things that make you incredibly unique and wonderful. All your sufferings, problems, heartaches, will be the stuff you need, in order to share your experience, to encourage and to inspire others. Focus on really, truly awakening to your greatness. This is the opportunity (sufferings, obstacles, lack of self-esteem) you needed to go through in order to become outrageously successful – so you can fulfill your dream. If you focus on this – really valuing your life now, then everything will fall into place in a much bigger way. This is something no one can give you; the universe is showing you what you need to tackle. When you first chant this way, a lot of garbage may come out of your life, a lot of negativity, awful feelings may surface. We always bring into our lives what matches our life condition. So chant to feel incredible joy about your worth and you will feel and know self worth and greatness.

You not being able to do whatever you determine is a manifestation deep down of your feeling of fear, that you are not good enough, that you do not have it in you. You must get yourself to a place where there is the greatness of your life, then everything will be transformed. We have to believe in our Buddhahood. When we face the Gohonzon, we should say, “I am going to praise my wonderful life”. It is important to awaken to your own greatness. Your life is the Gohonzon. Now is the time for you to start over.

When you pray to a deity, your prayer becomes passive. Our voice is the Mystic Law. This law is not outside of you. When you get a benefit, it was you who created it. You must awaken to your greatness, appreciate and value your own life. It is no different to the enlightened life of Nichiren Daishonin, embodied in the Gohonzon.

Just as a beautiful piece of art elicits a response, or a great book touches your life in a certain way, we must elicit the Buddha nature from our own lives. It is right here, and the Gohonzon is the perfect vehicle to bring out that strength, joy and vibrant life condition; then you take that to the world and change the environment. 

We are not necessarily chanting for the house, the car, the job, the relationship, but we are chanting to elevate our life condition to attract that happiness. The results that we see in our lives are a reflection of our life condition. 

Every day as you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo consciously call forth your Buddhahood to manifest itself consistently. 

Chant to rise above your basic tendency of disbelief, or continually thinking that you are a common mortal who does not deserve good fortune in this life. Do not negate your life when you sit in front of the Gohonzon. Do not beg. Do not scream. Do not berate the Gohonzon. Believe in the greatness of your life; manifest the extraordinary side of you. The Gohonzon is the tool we need to bring out our Buddhahood. "My life is the Gohonzon." Do not slander your life. The doubt is necessary to prove to myself that “I am a Buddha. I will fulfill every one of my dreams for myself”.

We already possess something incredible – our Buddha nature, the Gohonzon. But we do not believe that the good fortune, the “million dollars” is truly mine. I will not be able to get it, or to enjoy it. Trust that the Gohonzon, your prayer, is the absolute means for you to transform your life. Trust and faith are the key words.

Chant with the expectation that every one of your wildest dreams will be fulfilled beyond your wildest imagination. Chant to believe in your Buddhahood. Trust in the greatness of your life. 

In “On Attaining Buddhahood”, Nichiren Daishonin made a primary point: to free ourselves from the suffering of birth and death which we have endured in lifetime after lifetime, and to attain absolute happiness, we need to awaken to the mystic truth that has always been within our lives. That truth is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. That truth is “I am a Buddha”. Trust that you have everything you need for your happiness.

TEN POINTS TO BECOME A PERSON OF UNLIMITED SELF-ESTEEM

1. Chant to become a person of unlimited self-esteem
2. Chant to awaken to your own greatness
3. Chant to appreciate your life, including flaws, accomplishments, defeats, losses, and victories and truly appreciate all that makes you a unique and wonderful person
4. Chant to make the impossible possible
5. Chant to consistently manifest your Buddha nature and rise above your basic tendencies and overcome your inherent negativities in your life
6. Believe that you are a Buddha and create all the benefits for yourself
7. Believe you are the Gohonzon
8. Trust that in the Gohonzon, (your life itself) you have the means to fulfill each and every desire to become extraordinarily happy
9. Chant to display your Buddhahood and to bring forth that strength, joy, vibrant life condition
10. And then take it to the world and change the environment.