As Long as One Has HOPE

Strengthening our Practice = Strengthening Our Lives...PowerPrayer to Strengthen our Practice and Our Lives

In For Today and Tomorrow Daisaku Ikeda says:

"Strength is Happiness. 
Strength is itself victory. 
In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. 
When you wage a struggle, 
you might win or you may lose. 
But regardless of the short-term outcome, 
the very fact of your continuing to struggle is proof of your victory as a human being. 
A strong spirit, strong faith and strong prayer ---
developing these is victory and the world of Buddhahood.

and ~ 

"Faith is Light.
The hearts of those with strong faith 
are filled with light. 
A radiance envelops their lives. 
People with unshakable conviction in faith 
enjoy a happiness
that is as luminous as the full moon on a dark night, 
as dazzling as the sun on a clear day."

Both quotes are from "For Today and Tomorrow, Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda.

How do we strengthen our practice? I believe it is in putting ourselves first...we put ourselves first by putting our practice first. When we put our practice first, the rest of our lives goes so much more smoothly. 

Stengthening our practice and putting our lives first is one of the primary keys to victory!

Please note: If you like this PowerPrayer do not just copy and paste it to share it! Please send links to chantforhappiness.com to share it. The buttons to do so are at the bottom of this post. Thanks! Jamie 

PowerPrayer to Establish a Strong Practice 

for Chanting My Way to Absolute Happiness! 

Life! 

I am determined to strengthen my practice and my LIFE 

I will chant every morning and every evening 
no matter what. 

I will no longer allow anything to stop me! 

My every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is 10,000 times more powerful starting NOW! 

I am establishing the strongest practice imaginable 

and I am raising my LIFE CONDITION! I am the Buddha!

Every day I fully commit to myself:

I keep my promise to chant twice a day every day!

I know I really love and help others 

when I myself am strong and love myself!

I love telling people about  Nam-myoho-renge-kyo because my life is overflowing with benefits!

The more I chant, the more I want to chant. 

I look forward to my time with myself 

dialoguing with my own life

and discovering who I really am. 

I feel the connection more deeply every time I chant. 
I AM the Buddha! I can FEEL it! 

I see actual proof that my life condition is rising:

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Nothing can stop me from getting to discussion meetings 

and studying SGI periodicals and books. 

I am deepening my understanding of what I study with every Daimoku I chant. I am open to learning! 

My eyes are opening. My depth of understanding is growing! 

Study helps me to see the connection between my chanting 

and what I see happening in my life. 

What a privilege! 

Inspiration from a new YWD member ~ Upsana Arora in Kolkata, India!

My name is Upasana Arora and I live in Kolkata, india. I'm 24, but will be a year older this November :)

I am presently doing a course in montessori training and will qualify to be a teacher next June. I've studied mass communication in my masters degree and was a student of english literature in my under grad :) 

I live with my mom and dad. My brother who's a 2nd year engineering student is in the University of Sheffield in the UK right now.

From Upsana ~
Hello Jamie! 

How are you? And how is Ben? I hope he is better now and is recovering well :) 

I just read your last post on the blog. It is so inspiring and so encouraging. Whenever I read Sensei's quote where he says that the person who gives others hope despite facing challenges himself is a true leader, you're the first person that comes to my mind. I am sure with your admirable qualities and Buddha nature you WILL surmount your hardship. I have friends here who are also facing various challenges, and some very difficult ones; but their deep rooted faith and daimoku is surely going to give them complete victory. :)

When I first came into the practice,  my prayers were based mainly on my desires.  Desire to get this, that, have so and so in my life, etc... and I did get all that I chanted for! This was what made my faith in this practice so strong.  Seeing benefits, and simultaneously attending the May 3 meeting changed my life and made me the practitioner I am today. 

Over time,  with more daimoku and study (which apart from the Gosho,  and Sensei's writings includes your blog as well) what has fundamentally changed in me is the way I pray. 

Now, instead of just focusing on what I want for myself,  I try and see how my prayer will benefit people at large. For example, I wish to be a successful montessori teacher, but now, not just for my satisfaction or any other material benefit, but also so that I can from a very early age imbibe good values in young minds so that they can grow to become Buddhas and fulfill their lives mission. 

I chant for a good partner... and I know exactly the kind of person I want. And I want it so that my relationship gives me happiness, and also can be a hope to many others that such wonderful things do happen and people can find their dream/kosen rufu partners. I chant for good health and happiness of my parents and brother,  and wish that like mom and me, they too will start chanting some day!  My brothet has started though, but he isn't very consistent. 

Chanting fills me with hope, with a renewed vigour. I do feel low at times and even feel lazy to chant.  But when I make myself come out of this low life state and do even 10 mins of daimoku I feel my worries are taken care of. I feel light and happy! 

Thank you for initiating the one million daimoku campaign. I am going a tad bit slow, but it is making me chant every day and has really helped in bringing discipline into my daily life. Also, meeting fellow members and participating In Gakkai activities makes me feel wonderful! I did a study 

(my very first study) with my fellow ywd and a very dear friend on our last Zadankai about the youth's opinion on world peace and I'm glad to share that our study was loved and appreciated by everyone present at the meeting!

I wrote to you today because I just wanted to share my experience with you about the practice which I got into 5 months ago. And also wanted to thank you yet again for being so instrumental in firming my belief in this life changing philosophy and also changing my life for the best! 

Lots of love

Upasana

Thank You Sooooo Much!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. 

Do you have ANY idea how courageous, how strong, how loving and wonderful you are? 

I have received countless emails this week encouraging ME. 

Encouraging me...for encouraging you! You see that I am going through some amazing challenges...really the biggest challenge of my life so far, and you are encouraging me. You are sending warm words of hope and sending your updates on how the Worldwide Million Daimoku Campaign is going for you. Thanks!

As one of you noted, Sensei says that those who can encourage others, even while going through their own firestorms...they are the greatest of people. (I paraphrase here, but I'm sure you've seen the quote) And each of us noble Bohisattvas of the earth have that power. 

Thank you! 

Did you know that the readership of this blog is now at 30k a month? My goal is 50k by November 18th! Thank you for helping! 

I know it is because of each one of you forwarding the url (chantforhappiness@blogspot.com, or chantforhappiness.com)  to your fellow members or shakubuku. 
Did you notice that there are icons below each post? You can forward your favorite posts via email, facebook, or twitter. And I have a new twitter account: Chant for Happiness@JamieLeeSilver.
I just found out how to work twitter recently and I'm still learning. You can follow me there if you like. I occasionally when I am about to chant and you can join me. 

It's not too late to join the Million Daimoku Campaign  - email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com to let me know you're in! Also send me your goals (if you wish), questions, challenges, Victories and pictures. I won't ever print anything on this blog without your written permission. 

And if you'd like to know more about talking to me on the phone send an email to chantforhappiness.com. Have a great day!  

A Buddhist joke from the UK for you

Morag Waghouse sent me this from the UK today. Thanks Morag! Enjoy!

The Daimoku Parrot

 
Fred walks into a pet shop and wants to buy a parrot.  the salesman show him two and says this mynah bird has an extensive vocabulary and is $1000.  This green one has less words but whistles a tune and is £500. Fred looks at them and spots a little green parrot in the corner, marked at $10. "What's up with that one?" he asks.  The salesman sighs and says 'He only says the one thing over and over, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."  Fred decides he'll risk it and buys it on the spot.  
He takes it home feeds and waters it, gives it some toys and chews...the parrot settles down very happily and in between feeding and playing, constantly chants nam-myoho-renge-kyo.  
From that day Fred's life changed. He got a promotion at work, a great new girl friend, he was healthy and very happy...the benefits were constant, almost overwhelming..and all the while the parrot chanted and chanted.  One day he passes the pet shop and the salesman recognized him. -"How's that parrot?" he asked...Fred replied "Well its fantastic. Since I got him my life has been transformed.  Every now and again I could do with a rest from the chanting....is there a way to shut him up?"  
The salesman looks shifty so Fred presses him "Go on, there must be a way."  The salesman sighs again, 'Well it makes a change anyway...all you have to do is ring this bell 3 times."

Fred buys the bell and takes it home.  As he walks in the parrot pauses chanting and looks interestedly at the bell.  Fred settles down and rings the bell.  There is a long pause as the parrot takes a big breath:
"Myoho renge kyo hoben pon di ne, niji sezon......."

Channel Our Energy Towards Winning~!

Through Winning Over Ourselves We Change the World

It all comes down to us. 
How deeply can we dig in our lives to overcome OUR OWN "war" within us? How much can we truly tap into the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that exists within us and within everything? 
If everything around us is a reflection of who we are, and a reflection of our very lives, then WE possess the power to change everything. Don't we? Yes. As long as we don't blame anyone or anything for our problems. And as long as we practice correctly - chanting twice a day, encouraging others, going to SGI meetings and studying. 

We must keep realizing that the problem, the challenge, the negativity ~ is within our own lives. NOT OUT THERE. But that's GOOD NEWS because we possess the ultimate tool to change it, we belong to the incredible SGI (which is full of mentors and bodhisattvas who are also challenging their karma), and we have Daisaku Ikeda as a living mentor to show us how it is done. We are so fortunate!  

Even my son's illness. I know. It is his illness, but I can transform it through my prayers. And not just for me. Not just for him...but for everyone...
I've often talked about how each of us are standing in front of the door of our own karma, problems, challenges. Behind us are many, many others with the same problems just waiting for us to open the door with our powerful daimoku! When we open the door...everyone can stream through. 

We are THAT powerful!

I am often reminded of the hundred monkey story. Do you know that one? I may get a few details wrong but I hope you get the idea. Apparently there were several islands with monkeys. They were not connected by land. One monkey got the bright idea to wash his potato in the water before he ate it, so he didn't have to crunch on sand and dirt. Soon other monkeys on his island were also washing their potatoes...and after a certain amount of monkeys on one island were washing their potatoes, suddenly the monkeys on other island began washing their potatoes too. Somehow, through the web of life, the new concept spread and became available to all the monkeys. Do you see the connection?

I know when I chant and overcome my problems it is not just for me. Because of the interconnectivity of life (dependent origination) when I change my karma, ALL karma is changed. I believe this is the basis behind Kosen Rufu as well. And when we chant with the understanding that changing OUR problem will impact everyone...I think that is when we connect with our power the most deeply. 

Buddhism is advanced life study. That's what it is. As I always say, it is not for the faint of heart. it is not for sissies. Buddhism requires the courage and the ichinen (courage and will put into action) to tackle life's problems head on and not run from them. Sure, somethimes we think it may be easier to ignore or deny our problems, or to take a drink or use some drug to change things (and I am not advocating against prescription drugs here - they can be very useful. I am talking about recreational drugs). But we have to know that those things will not solve our problems. We need to face them head on. 

I just arose from two solid hours of daimoku (chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo). I was glued to the Gohonzon (scroll we focus on when we chant that represents our highest life condition- the life of the Buddha). I'm sure you know that kind of daimoku...the kind where the time flies, and you KNOW that you have impacted your world and the universe through your prayer. 

I was chanting that through my daimoku this very morning that I impact my son's health karma. I chanted to use my life to impact him. I told those shoten zenjin (protective forces of the universe) that they had better protect me and my family. We are votaries of the Lotus Sutra. They MUST respond to my prayers and protect my son with the BEST help and practitioners for his illness. And I chanted to light up my brain with wisdom and clarity...to rid my mind of confusion so that I know exactly what to do to help him in this challenging time. I chanted to stay strong, and BE THE BUDDHA at all times. I am the BUDDHA of my family. I must be courageous, strong and confident! 

As always, email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com with your challenges, successes and comments. Let me know if you're interested in setting up a private coaching call. 
All my best to YOU!