Life is a Joyful Challenge When We Really See Ourselves

Hello from St. Pete Beach. It's been a bit cloudy and rainy around here, but I'm still grateful for every day on the beach, and every day I can wake up, look my life in the eye and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration)

This practice can be difficult, isn't that right? First of all, it's a challenge to chant every morning and evening... EVERY morning and evening, right? And, secondly, this practice is a mirror for our inner lives...so we can see ourselves, and always determine to change for the better. 

As you know, last week I started a new job at a great company around people who truly inspire me. And...my own need for change from within is showing more clearly. I see how my communication style needs to be tweaked, I see some things about myself I want to change. 

Being able to see ourselves clearly and make changes for the better is one of the best things about our practice of Buddhism. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enables us to look at our lives and change from within. This change, this "Human Revolution," as we call it, is an act of courage, of determination and strength. 

Think about it. Many people can't see themselves. And even if they do, they think "Well, that's just the way I am. I can't change THAT." As James Hermann says, We don't practice this Buddhism to say "Ah well, that's just the way I am." No! We practice it to change on that fundamental level we can only reach by determination and prayer. Nichiren Daishonin says we can't see our eyebrows on our face...they are just too close. Seeing our tendencies can be just as difficult.  

So my prayer of gratitude and happiness is to expand my capacity...and to strengthen my life... 
...to be mindful of my communication style...to take a moment to think clearly and breathe...and to USE this practice to focus my energies on my sincere desire for the happiness of all my coworkers...and all I serve. 

When I change, the world changes. When I do my human revolution, since we are all interconnected, I make the world a better place. 

"A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind."

Daisaku Ikeda, from Ikedaquotes.org

It's not about blame. Blaming ourselves or others never leads to growth. It's about taking responsibility and saying "Yes! Yes, Yes!" It's the perfect time to grow and strengthen my life condition. "Yes! Yes, Yes!" I embrace this opportunity to expand my capacity! YES! I love my life! 

And on another note of happiness I can tell you that my son, Aaron Michael Silver M.D. is going to Chicago for the youth meeting in October. He's still in his first year as a double intern in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, and he's practicing harder than ever. He's doing Gojakai and loving his Buddhist family in Phoenix. I am so proud of him for the man he is and the man he is becoming. My heart shines! 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to you my friends! 
Take all your challenges and turn them into benefits right now! No blame. No complaint. Say YES to your karma, and determine to change it. Take the action you need to take in your lives. You are a precious Buddha. Love yourself! 
This is the secret to a happy life. 
Sending love to you from St. Pete Beach. 

3 Point Vow for Happiness, Human Revolution and World Peace!

Today, January 2nd, 

 is President Ikeda's 88th Birthday. 

Happy Birthday Sensei!

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. 

Please don't despair. Please don't give up. 

Strengthen your faith more than ever. Build your foundation by chanting twice a day every day, studying the Gosho by Nichiren Daishonin, and encouraging others to chant. 

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. 

We do our Human Revolution by making our great vow for kosen-rufu. This causes us to change from within our lives...and, like a body and a shadow, when we change internally, our environment changes to reflect that. 

Recently a friend went to a new doctor and was amazed by how respectfully she was treated. She's been practicing really strongly - chanting lots of daimoku consistently. I said "Yes, you were treated respectfully because you've made the change internally in your life, and your environment is changing to reflect that!" That's how it works. Internal cause - external effect. 

Making a great vow is the perfect way to kick off the new year. It's the kick start for making internal change. Here's my vow. Feel free to use it as the basis for your 2016 vow.

 3 Point Vow 

for Happiness, 

Human Revolution 

and World Peace - 

Kosen Rufu - a world of respect for all!

By Jamie Lee Silver, 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 become happier than they ever imagined possible. 

3. I vow to win in all areas of my life, NO MATTER WHAT! I will win in 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 2016. 

I have always been protected financially throughout my practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo twice a day every day for the last 30 years. I have never longed for anything or gone into any kind of debt. 

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! 

PowerPrayer for Changing Your Karma and doing your Human Revolution!

This is an excerpt from my upcoming book 

The BuddhaZone, PowerPrayers for Chanting for Your Absolute Happiness:

Treasures of the Heart

Section 1: PowerPrayers for Human Revolution. 

In Nichiren Buddhism it all begins and ends with you. 

You are the one who has power in your life. 

And YOU are the one who can change any karma into mission and any poison into medicine. 

When you change internally, your environment and everything in it changes. 

The world is a mirror of your thoughts, deeds, and feelings. 

When you “do your Human Revolution” you bring forth your sparkling and brilliant Buddhahood from within. With continued practice and focus your entire existence becomes the Buddha world - where everything works to your benefit and you see the workings of the perfection of your life, and you revel in every minute, even the challenging ones.  The purpose of life is Happiness. Having a resilient spirit, and possessing the knowledge that YES, every poison can be changed into a benefit, and that your life, every moment, has profound meaning...well...THIS is absolute Happiness. And available to you through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in the manner we have described. This begins your journey:

(Note to readers: PowerPrayers are meant to be read before chanting to increase focus and aim your prayer like a sharp arrow toward the bullseye of your desires.)

PowerPrayer for Human Revolution

Adapted by Jamie and Julia from For Today and Tomorrow, Daily Encouragement, By Daisaku Ikeda. November 17th 

"Only if you challenge your human revolution in a manner that is true to yourself will the people around you naturally begin to trust and respect you. That in itself is the greatest way of laying the groundwork for the spread of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism." ~ Daisaku Ikeda

PowerPrayer for Human Revolution

I am doing my Human Revolution! 

I am determined to make any changes necessary 

in my thoughts, 

in my actions, 

in the way that I chant 

and to make every thought, word or deed 

a positive cause every moment of every day. 

As I chant I am rooting the negative karma OUT OF MY LIFE! 

I am determined to make the changes inside myself, 

to change any weakness within me into strengths...

I change this karma now for me and for all my family:

(Fill in the blank below of what karma you are determined to change - you do not have to know WHY you have this karma; you do not have to figure it out...all you need to do it chant to ROOT IT OUT of your life forever!) 

___________________________________________________

I now do my own human revolution 

and raise my life condition! 

I am determined to change in any way necessary to make ___________ happen!

Life! 

I am bringing the determination, wisdom and fire I need 

to create the life of my dreams. 

I AM NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO! 

I AM ROARING LIKE A LION IN MY OWN LIFE! 

I WILL CREATE MY LIFE! 

I do this not only for me, but for everyone who is suffering. 

I am determined to glow within my own life. 

I am a shining light for all who are suffering. 

I am a beacon of hope 

that ANYONE can solve their problems 

by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. 

I am ready to meet people 

who are ready to hear about this practice!  

I chant to have the most inspiring life. 

Gohonzon (my life) I demand to see these results now!"

Ultimate PowerPrayer for Human Revolution, the KEY to Absolute Happiness

Doing your own Human Revolution is the most important thing you can do. 

Why? 

Human Revolution is YOU, growing and changing from within, strengthening your life, and raising your life condition to the life condition of the Buddha. 
By doing your Human Revolution you can change ANY poison into a medicine. 
Why is this? 
When we change on the inside of our lives, due to the principle of Esho Funi, our environment and everything in it HAS to respond because we are one with it. We are interconnected with everything. There are times we feel and see this connection, and there are times that we don't. But whether we see it or not it is there. SO if you want to make real changes you must change from within. 

Today, on the day my son just got back from three weeks of medical work in Bolivia, I am sharing with you two PowerPrayers from the book Julia and I are writing for you. These PowerPrayers, along with your strong practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo every day, twice a day, going to SGI meetings and studying and encouraging others can be extremely powerful in your life. 
I am interested in your feedback. 

UltimatePowerPrayer 
for Human Revolution


I am determined to make any changes necessary 
in my thoughts, 
in my actions, 
even in the way that I chant 
in order to make continual positive causes 
in every moment of every day. 
These positive causes 
result in rooting the negative karma OUT OF MY LIFE! 
I am determined to make the changes inside myself, 
to change any weakness within me into strengths...
to do my own human revolution 
and raise my life condition! 
I am determined to change in any way necessary 
to accomplish_____________. 
Life! 
I am bringing the determination, 
wisdom and fire 
I need to create the life of my dreams. 
I AM NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO! 
I AM ROARING LIKE A LION IN MY OWN LIFE! 
I WILL CREATE MY LIFE! 
I do this not only for me, but for everyone who is suffering. 
I am determined to glow within my own life. 
I am a shining light for all who are suffering. 
I am a beacon of hope 
that ANYONE can solve their problems 
by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 
I am ready to meet people 
who are ready to hear about this practice!  
I chant to have the most inspiring life. 
Gohonzon (my life) I demand to see these results now!"

True Love, by Daisaku Ikeda

I thought you all might enjoy this quote from ikdeaquotes.org. 
I know we are all busy polishing ourselves! 

True Love

True love should be transformative; 
a process that amplifies our capacity to cherish 
not just one person 
but all people. 
It can make us stronger, 
lift us higher 
and deepen us as individuals. 
Only to the extent that we polish ourselves now 
can we hope 
to develop wonderful bonds of the heart in the future.

Daisaku Ikeda

One Person Can Change the World

This month is almost over, and many people in America are involved in taking the essentials exam. I've been studying and helping others study. Studying together is one of my favorite Buddhist activities. 

As I was posting this beautiful picture, which makes me think that Spring will finally be here at some point, I was taking a look at our study material. Those of us who have been practicing for a while know this quote well, and I love hearing it over and over and deepening my understanding of it:

President Ikeda States:

"A great human revolution 

in just a single individual 

will help achieve a change 

in the destiny of a nation 

and further, 

will enable a change 

in the destiny of all humankind."

Jyoti Now Shines From Within - A portrait of Human Revolution

Dear Jamie, 

I am Jyoti from India. 

Mid-November of 2012 I emailed you about a problem I was facing.

I was in a very low life condition. 
Hated myself. Cried for months. 
I felt completely rejected. 

You guided me to chant for my buddha nature to emerge.

I now shine from within. 

I am chanting regularly, I got a job with good salary, 

I am enjoying my work and learning lots of things, 

and getting more opportunities to enhance my personality.

I am also participating in Gakkai activities.

My leader appreciates me always and calls me a star member. I am also WD leader of my block. 

I am suddenly inclined towards charity. I visit the orphanage and give something every month to the children.

I want to dedicate my new life towards kosen rufu.

I had a fear pf public speaking. 
Last month I became Master of ceremony in one zadankai. (Buddhist meeting).  
And yesterday I performed as MC in a professional technical event.

Opportunities are coming my way. 
And my fear is vanishing.
I used to get affected by anybody. 

I Used to mind things a lot. 

Small criticism or harsh language could make me cry.
I never had the courage to reply back, and kept things in my  mind for days, in some cases for years.

But now when somebody gets harsh on me I actually laugh inside and think why is that person talking in this way? 

I resolve the matter very calmly.
At least I put forward what I have to say with courage and never think about it again.
This is happening very naturally, as if something inside has completely transformed within me. 
I am in love with myself and feel life is beautiful.

You can change any problem - and become stronger than ever using this prayer!!!!

If you've been chanting to change things in your life...if you've been chanting about relationships, your career etc...consider looking inward and chanting to change yourself. Changing your SELF - doing your human revolution is vital to your successfull practice. 

What is the process?

1. Own the problem...realize that whatever you want to change may LOOK like it is outside yourself...but it's roots are within your life. That means that you cannot complain or say "WHY ME?". Really you have to own it...not BLAME yourself for it...not feel guilty about it. It's okay to get a little angry and make a fierce and roaring declaration to change whatever you need to change.

2. Turn your prayer INWARD. Chant to change YOURSELF. Chant to have the courage to make the changes you need to make in order to generate the results you want to create in your life. Remember that all change starts from within. And your environment will change to reflect the inner changes you have made. 

A SuperPrayers to accomplish this could be:

"I am determined to make any changes I need to make in my thoughts, my actions, my chanting, to make continual positive causes that will result in rooting the cause of my negative karma OUT OF MY LIFE!  I am determined to make the changes inside myself...to do my own human revolution and raise my life condition! I am determined to change in any way I need to change to attract the .......(you fill in the blank) into my life. Life! I am bringing the determination, wisdom and fire I need to create the life of my dreams. I AM NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO! I AM ROARING LIKE A LION IN MY OWN LIFE! I WILL CREATE MY LIFE! I do this not only for me, but for everyone who is suffering. I am determined to glow within my own life. I am determined to be a shining light for all who are suffering. I am determined to be the beacon of hope that ANYONE can solve their problems by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I am ready to meet people who are ready to hear about this practice!  I chant to have the most inspiring life. Gohonzon (my life) I need to see these results now!"

You can do this! You Buddha YOU!

Human Revolution! Bring it on!

Hello! Here I am living in paradise! I am in such a state of bliss and relief in my clean, gorgeous, newly renovated apartment....sitting on my patio, looking out over the pond and birds and trees and sky...thinking of where I lived before this...it was a cool house with lots of wood....but the trees were so close and so big that you couldn't really see the sky, or the sun. Now I have both...and wall to wall carpeting. I lived with cold hardwood for so many years. Not for me. Give me soft, light, warm carpet!!!


Only guess what? I still have more human revolution to do! I still have karma! I still have emotions. Sheesh! But I have really changed the depth of my suffering, I will tell you that. I am generally happy all the time! I have done so much human revolution!


And I am determined to keep going. Some small things have come up...some old issues from my childhood, and some old fears. And you know what? I'm going to sit here in front of my Gohonzon and chant from the bottom of my heart to make the internal change necessary to ensure my COMPLETE and TOTAL victory and happiness! I have such a mission! I must be able to create my life as the Buddha of absolute freedom....with the ability to do all I wish without fear stopping me. 


I am chanting to RAISE MY LIFE CONDITION and DO MY HUMAN REVOLUTION!!!
That is the only way to make real and lasting karmic change. 


And I am chanting for all of you!


Whatever you are facing ~ remember to STUDY, CHANT, GO TO MEETINGS and CHANT FOR OTHERS TOO!!!! Then you will have all you desire! Go YOU!

Human Revolution

I have told you exactly what I'm chanting for...to free my life from the undercurrent of suffering that has always been within my life and awaken to my true Buddha nature.
I am chanting two hours every day, I am chanting with my friends and encouraging them...I am making every cause every day to have this break through in my life.

What does is feel like?

It feels like the center of my life is some hot volcano...it underlies everything...sometimes it's dormant...sometimes I can quiet it with food or other diversions...and sometimes it just boils up and over!

I'll just bet you know what I mean. I really think we all have this in some form...and all find ways to tamp it down...deal with it...ignore it...and it's probably at the heart of illness itself.

Yesterday I awakened into the reality of the pain all fresh and new.

Now, I know I can summon happiness from within my life...I KNOW this intellectually, and I KNOW the only real love comes from within. Of course, of course.

But the knowledge of this doesn't help when I wake up with tears already in my eyes and a longing and regret that won't just be pushed away. I was thinking about how long I've had this pain...this longing...this insatiable hunger. I've attributed it to many things...in High School it was "caused" by my longing for a boy I couldn't have, in college it was just general sadness, and since then it's been longing for one thing or person after another...just a sense of never having enough.

Don't get me wrong, I have a great life, I have a wonderful career, I have an inspiring and dedicated family, I have many dear, dear friends, and feel great appreciation much of the time...but there has been this sadness under it forever. Probably for many lifetimes.

And among my Buddhist friends there are so many excellent roll models who have conquered their sadness and overcome great obstacles...I know that I can too.

So, I called my friend Kate Randolph, the incredibly talented actress, producer and director...and also the person who introduced me to this practice 25 years ago. She has had this breakthrough for herself. Here is what she said:

First she said that my victory is assured.
I will experience the happiness that comes from accessing my own Buddhahood.
I will bring the love I wish to feel from within my life. I will stop looking for it to come from somewhere else. I will accomplish my goal. I am chanting two hours a day, I am focusing on my happiness and the happiness of others. I am joined in heart with my mentor Daisaku Ikeda.
And I must go through it to the end. As it says in the Gosho "the wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat." She said I must realize that I am turning around years...lifetimes...of devaluing my life. I must praise it instead!
I must realize that I'm waging this battle not only for myself, and see it for the noble fight it is. Face it, MOST people think their happiness and suffering lie OUTSIDE of themselves.
That's the world we live in.
If I can break through that illusion in my own life, I can raise the vibration of the whole planet. That is what we mean by the Term Human Revolution...any real change on the planet is affected by each of us being strong and brave enough to do what it takes to break through.
Since we are all interconnected to everything else...all part of the web of life...human revolution MUST effect everything in the environment.

She said Kosen Rufu (world peace) means having a planet that fundamentally dignifies life. Imagine that!

We Buddhas, all of us, everyone, can be deeply, profoundly, limitlessly happy right now, right where we are, just as we are.

Bring it on!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!!!

Human Revolution Day 33!

It's day 33 of my million daimoku campaign and I continue to chant two hours every day...whether I want to or not! This morning I chanted an hour and 45 minutes before I went in to work...and had a really great conversation with Melissa mid day. Both of us are chanting 2 hours a day and are about to enter year 25 of our practice....both of us are using this practice to do our Human Revolution. It helps so much that we can encourage each other!
What do we mean by Human Revolution?
It means that through our own transformation our world and the greater world will be transformed. REAL change is effected by our own courage to grow. I sit in front of the Gohonzon and pray to change in any way necessary to make the sadness I feel be gone forever, and to experience ongoing happiness and serenity.
I know of many Buddhists who have experienced just this sort of "revolution" in their lives.
I'm a work in progress. There's a term we use called "Esho Funi" it is the oneness of life and its environment. It LOOKS like me and my environment are two different things, In actuality we are connected in every way. When I make a fundamental change by chanting daimoku my environment HAS to change to reflect it.

As an example: when I chanted for a house in San Francisco, I didn't just chant for a house. I chanted for a house to do Kosen Rufu (world peace) in...I chanted for a house to show the proof of this practice. When the movers took my furniture and boxes out of the tiny apartment on "lower Nob Hill" and brought them to our beautiful new home with a view on the top of Excelsior Heights, they could not believe their eyes. I was showing actual proof of this practice. That's why I like to call this practice PRACTICAL BUDDHISM. It works! It doesn't matter if you believe in it or not!