When we Win - Everyone Wins!

My first meeting in the St. Pete/Tampa Cultural Center

With new friends Candida Silva and Alisa Miller

Today was a significant anniversary - July 12th last year many of you joined me as I web broadcasted Ben's Life Ceremony. 

Today I celebrated the year anniversary by bringing three youth division guests at my first SGI meeting in Florida. I'm sure Ben had a hand in this! 

(In case you are new to this blog, my son, my Bodhisattva Ben, "became eternal" at the age of 22 after suffering with schizophrenia for 2 1/2 years on July 2nd, 2015. His life ceremony was a year ago today.)

Tonight's SGI meeting was a Gosho lecture on 

"On Persecutions Befalling the Sage." 

"When people with an awareness

of their mission for kosen-rufu stand up, 

and the philosophy of respect for life 

based on the Mystic Law 

is transmitted from the people to the people 

and deeply absorbed into their lives, 

then society and the times 

will be transformed on a fundamental level.

The expansion of our Soka network 

is the surest step forward in building peace. 

The sun of the Buddhism of the people is rising now, 

shining ever more brightly as a source of hope. 

Let us set forth toward a golden age 

of victory for humanity! 

The time has come to commence the real struggle 

of genuine disciples" 

Daisaku Ikeda, World Tribune, July 2016, page 49. 

Here is the fundamental message. We must all become happy so we can lead others to happiness! America needs this. The world needs this. Our missions have never been deeper, have they? And our "persecutions," our problems - FUEL this change, FUEL our lives when we embrace our challenges, chant to use them as springboards for our lives, and do shakubuku so others can be happy.

Let's do this together. It's pretty simple. We can chant more. (I'm chanting 3 hours a day this week to kick off my new life in Florida) We can wake up earlier. We do this for ourselves and for others. 

When we overcome our own fundamental darkness we overcome the world's fundamental darkness. THIS is the essence of Human Revolution. When we win over ourselves we bring the light of wisdom to the world. Yes!  

I really enjoyed meeting the members. 

Candida Silva recognized my name and blog from her time chanting in the UK. 

Here's a shout out to my friends in the UK! 

Also, the young man who chanted with Aaron while he was away at college and studying for his medical school entrance exams is also in my new chapter. Our connections run deep...all of us Buddhas. All of us are Bodhisattvas of the earth and deeply connected. 

Now is our time! When we win  - everyone wins!