1 Main Difference between Nichiren Buddhism and the "Law of Attraction"

This is my personal opinion about how our practice compares with the Law of Attraction. I have not heard of any official stance on this by the SGI, this is just my personal observation based on practicing for the last 28 years. Jamie Lee Silver, Chantforhappiness.com 

I am very familiar with the law of attraction. I have read The Secret and studied the Law of Attractionand I DO believe that what we focus on is very important. But that's not ALL their is...

One Main Difference:  

The Law of Attraction says we need to focus on the positive, and what we want to bring into our lives. Yes...but...the Secret is missing any recognition of karma, and a consistent practice to elevate each person's vibration. Every day, by chanting, we elevating our life-condition. We intone the rhythm of the name of the universe itself, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, meaning: I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration.

Let's face it, some things are easier to change than others, right? For some things you can just focus on, watch how others are accomplishing them and just make the change and make it happen. Other things, well...they could take years; they are more embedded karma, but they CAN be changed with this practice. 

Without the tool to tap into the source vibration itself and elevate our life condition, some of the things we want to change may never change. This is why we chant. And we receive actual proof every day that this practice works! 

We know that changing our karma is not easy. That's why we chant twice a day - every day! We fight to change our karma. We know that we must not just change our own karma and become happy for ourselves ~ but we also are in the daily process of helping others achieve happiness too, and spreading the word of the mystic law. If the law of attraction by itself really worked for all people, wouldn't everyone who focuses on what they want already have achieved their goals? 

As we know, Karma is the sum total of all our past deeds of every lifetime we have ever lived. Karma is not our FAULT, we are not bad people for having karma. We all have karma. SGI Buddhism tells us we don't have to spend lifetime after lifetime paying our karmic debt. We can change it right here, right now by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and challenging ourselves in faith, practice and study. 

What does this mean? It means that we get out of chanting what we put into it. The Gohonzon is a mirror of our lives. It is the vast sonic mirror that reflects the highest potential life condition, the life condition of Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha who was predicted to be born in the Latter Day of the Law and teach us all the correct Buddhist practice for our time. After studying and researching for years, Nichiren realized that the title of Shakyamumi's highest teaching, the Lotus Sutra, was the correct practice and he began chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in the 1200s in Japan. He inscribed the Gohonzon to enable people to bring out the highest state of life within each person. 

Even though the Gohonzon, the scroll we face when we chant, is our object of worship, we are not praying TO it. Since the Gohonzon is depicting our highest life condition, it is actually within all of us. We chant to bring forth the wisdom, the energy, the Buddhahood we ALREADY possess. 

When we chant we are chanting to our own life, our own essence, our own Buddha nature. We don't chant to Buddha! We chant to our own highest selves...deeper than our subconscious minds...the part of us that is connected to the whole universe. It is, of course, impossible to explain and must be experienced. If you are reading this blog and haven't experienced chanting...well, the only way to experience it is to DO it! Join us! Come to an SGI meeting. They are happening all over the world.  

When I first began, I chanted 5 minutes every morning and 5 minutes every evening, and I went to SGI meetings to learn more.  I had a "seeking spirit" and felt I was onto something. 28 year later I am still "onto something" and live my life to help others tap into the power within themselves. When we live this way life is an incredible joy...and all our problems FUEL our happiness! To find a meeting in your area, click the SGI Portal on the right. 

6 Actions and A PowerPrayer to Reveal Your Buddhahood and Appreciate YourSELF

Your words DO have great power. 

Make sure when you speak to yourself 

that you use kind and loving words. 

Often we are hardest on our own selves, right? 

It is up to each one of us to reinforce what is RIGHT with us. Changing our focus to the positive is at the core of revealing our own Buddha Nature. 

Of course, as we all know, the law of cause and effect operates in our lives all the time. If we focus our daimoku on what we are doing right, chant to make positive causes, and to reveal our Buddha Nature, we will see positive effects in our lives. 

So, my ideas for changing a negatively focused life to a positively focused one follow:

1. Before you get out of bed in the morning think of at least 10 things you are grateful for. They can be anything from health to friendships to ANYTHING. What are you grateful for? I advised my sweet Mommy to do this when she was feeling depressed, and she said it entirely lifted her depression. This is one of those things that sounds like a good idea, but really, if you try it, it does make a difference. 

2. When you chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo every morning and evening, start with a feeling of gratitude. SUMMON gratitude. Work your spiritual muscle. Think of what you are grateful for, and make your own life, and your own self be part of that prayer. We are all so fortunate to have heard of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.  We are all fortunate to be practicing, to have a Gohonzon, and to be a part of the Soka Gakkai organization with our mentor Daisaku Ikeda and countless sincere members worldwide.  Bring forth that feeling of appreciation when you chant. 

3. Chant to reveal your Buddha nature. Chant to believe in the goodness within yourself. Chant to shine your life from within. 

4. When you focus on your life being the actual proof that this practice works you will see benefit. When you focus on being an example, and having your life and actions inspire others to begin chanting, you will see benefit flowing in all directions into your life. Chant to do shakubuku and help others become happy, and you will experience greater joy than ever before. 

5. Realize that you ARE the Buddha. You are the walking, talking embodiment of someone who is awakened to the law of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. This realization alone is a great cause for your happiness. Chant to see yourself as a Buddha and to feel yourself as the true Buddha you are. 

6. I chant to see the world through Daisaku Ikeda's eyes and to share his heart for Kosen Rufu. Sometimes when I chant I imagine him sitting here with me, and that our prayers for the happiness of all people are joined. 

Power Prayer for revealing 
our Buddha Nature and Appreciating OurSelves

"I chant to reveal the pure, sparkling Diamond
 of resilience, strength, wisdom and heart
 that lies within me. 
I chant to be more and more aware 
of my Buddhahood every single day. 
I chant that every cause I make, 
at every single moment of every single day 
leads me to see more and more of my Buddha nature. 
I chant that my Buddha Nature emerge 
and flow from my life touching everyone I see. 
I chant that I see my life 
as the brilliant sparkling Diamond that it is. 
I chant that throughout the day 
I say only nice words to myself and others. 
I chant to praise myself with my every thought. 
I chant to believe in my own goodness 
and to see it revealed in my actions. 
I pray to realize my life as the Buddha I am.
I chant that those around me are inspired to begin chanting, 
just by seeing my happiness flow. 
I chant to meet the people who are looking for this law, 
and to be able to help them practice"

As always, feel free to write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

Heart-to-Heart Dialogue Transcends Time and Space

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 today? 

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. 

PowerPrayer to Do A Great Job At Work

It's Monday Morning here in Chicago. Thank you for all your emails. The Chicago SGI Buddhist Center is a really wonderful place (I posted some pictures yesterday), and in answer to your questions it is about 25 miles from where I live and takes 30 minutes on a Sunday morning and up to 90 minutes on a week night with traffic. 
Yesterday I had a wonderful day with family...my son Aaron was over to watch the San Francisco 49ers play the South Carolina Panthers in American Football, with only one more game to go before the Superbowl.  Next week they'll play Seattle and that will be a really tough game. I'm not really a "football fan" but I'll watch games from time to time and love to be with my family when they're watching. 

Last night I had Ben over for dinner and watched the Golden Globes with my friend Kindred. 

My son Ben is doing great. He starts a job today, and he'll be taking some college classes soon. Thank you with all my heart for your prayers. 

When I was at the Chicago Buddhist Center I bought the new book The Heart of the Lotus Sutra by Daisaku Ikeda. I read the first chapter called "Impressions on my Mentor's State of Life" yesterday and have been thinking about what a revolutionary practice we have. I was struck again by how accessible this practice is to all people. Do you realize that this is the FIRST form of Buddhism where people who are not priests chant the prayers? The actual PRACTICE of Nichiren Buddhism is something we each undertake as Votaries of the Lotus Sutra. 

What does being a "Votary" mean? According to Daisaku Ikeda it means "those who dedicate themselves to the mission of saving all people throughout the entire world" and "individuals, basing themselves on the Mystic Law, contribute to others and to society as "votaries," that is PEOPLE OF ACTION." All of US!

"President Toda initiated the great struggle to spread the Lotus Sutra of the Latter Day for the sake of those laboring under the dire consequences after World War II. "I want to banish the word 'misery' from the world and rid the world of poverty and sickness." This passionate cry of my mentor, who stood up alone after the war, still resounds in my ears. This cry of the spirit is none other than the heart of the Lotus Sutra."
From The Heart of the Lotus Sutra by Daisaku Ikeda, page 7

I know that I also carry that "cry" in my heart, as a disciple of Daisaku Ikeda and Josei Toda. 

Today I share with you a PowerPrayer I have been chanting every morning before work. I'm in the training phase of doing my job. As I am chanting I am making the following declaration to my life:

PowerPrayer to Maximize the first Days at a New Job:
(I have a very creative job. After I have met all my key colleagues I will devise my own plan of action) 
by Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

Life!

I am determined to fully grasp 
what each colleague is telling me, 
and pave the way for a great future 
by doing a great job today!  
I will take understandable notes.
I am determined to sharpen my memory 
and make a clear plan of action. 
Each moment 
I shine with the light of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 
Each moment I do shakubuku with my life by being cheerfully, respectful, appreciative and caring. 
I am determined to pave the way for my growth, success and happiness, and to be an INDISPENSABLE employee!
Shoten zenjin! Support me in my every effort!  

Have a great day, or evening! 
As always, write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

"The Secret to Achieving Your Human Revolution!"

Yesterday I went to the Chicago SGI Buddhist Center 

for our 2014 Kickoff Meeting. 

We watched a film that included the following quote, and as we were leaving, the Byakuren handed the quote to us...how wonderful!  Here it is for you...

The Secret 
to Achieving Your Human Revolution

"Pray that instead of devils 
or negative, destructive forces 
infiltrating your being, 
Brahma ("Bonten"in Japanese),
Shakra ("Taishaku" in Japanese),
and the gods of the Sun and the Moon
~ the positive, protective forces of the universe ~
will enter your life!
Pray that they will enter the lives 
of all members in your region
and the entire membership of the SGI, as well.
If you do this, 
your strength will multiply 
a hundredfold, a thousandfold.
With such prayer,
with such faith, 
you will realize a fundamental transformation
in the depths of your life. 
This is the secret to achieving your human revolution."

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, World Tribune, 9/8/2000

Thank you Sensei!
Write your victories to me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com!

Victory! 10 Point Plan for Finding a Job!

I enter this new year with Victory upon Victory. I have a new job, a new love and both my sons are doing great! 

I just started my new job and it is awesome. I am working for a senior living community as their Senior Community Outreach Specialist. This community is dedicated to helping each senior live "Their BEST Life" in all ways. They've been around since 1924, have many staff members who've worked there more than 20 years and they are constantly expanding their services to seniors and the community. 

My 10 Point Plan for 
Finding a Job:
by Jamie Lee Silver from the blog chantforhappiness.com

1. Dedicated myself to the happiness of my members, and to be the kind of person Daisaku Ikeda would respect. I was available whenever people wanted to chant or talk, to the best of my ability. I studied every day. 

2. Chanted for the total protection of the shoten-zenjin...to help me find the perfect job for kosen-rufu. 

3. Chanted for the youth of the world and made a determination to introduce one youth by November 18th. The weekend before November 18th I chanted more than 10 hours and made my goal. 

4. I made my list of exactly what I wanted in my next job for kosen-rufu.

5. I beefed up my Linkedin profile. (Professional networking site) 

6. I met with people in my field to network and had specific questions to ask them. 

7. I applied for jobs I found interesting

8. When I saw this job I called someone I knew who worked there and let her know I was interested in applying. 

9. I researched the company through the web and through my professional network. 

10. I didn't worry about anything - I just let it go. 

And Boom. Two days ago I started the new job and I love it! 

I am starting this year with a bang. Please send me your victories too at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

The World Youth Media Summit Campaign Launches Today You can be a part of it!

A special note from our dear friend:

You Can Help the International Youth Media Summit being held at Soka University this summer. 

Much of the wisdom you read at chantforhappiness.com can be owed to my dearest friend Kate Randolph. She introduced me to this practice almost 30 years ago, and I have shared her thoughts and essays with you over the years. She has been involved in a great movement for youth. Here is a letter to you from her. This year's Youth Media Summit will take place at Soka University in California. Please contribute what you can! This is not a official SGI function, but it does fit into what we are all about! 

A note to you from Kate Randolph:

I have traveled to Serbia the past 3 summers to support the INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MEDIA SUMMIT and its mission to bring young people together to dialogue about, and find solutions for, some of the world's most urgent social issues.  Then they choose an issue they would like to focus on and in small teams they make short films about each of the Summit issues: violence, discrimination, poverty, health the environment, women's rights and youth empowerment. They also make declarations of actions that they will take on these issues upon their return to their country. 

This summer, for the first time since the Summit was born, it is coming back to the USA, to be held on the gorgeous campus of Soka University!  But the difficulty with that is that it is nearly impossible for many young people to travel here because of the huge expense.  (We already have applicants from Liberia, Algeria, Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Palestine, Israel, Iran and Afghanistan and about 12 more countries! )  Sooo, today we are launching an online crowd-funding campaign to raise scholarship money for students who live in countries where the annual income is less than the cost of airfare to the US. 

We hope to make history by being the first of this type of online fundraiser to raise half of our goal on the FIRST day of our campaign, which is Today, THURSDAY, JAN 9TH. That's $50,000 in one day.  If you can jump onto this link and contribute just 10 bucks, you will help us tremendously.  10 bucks contributed by hundreds of folks can help us make history for a fabulous cause. 

Do what you can, or feel comfortable with.  But take a minute to click on the link and see what the Summit is all about! Even just posting a comment of support helps us move further up to the front of the website!

Warmest wishes for a fantastic 2014.

Kate Randolph

http://igg.me/at/IYMS2014