The Heart of the Lotus Sutra ~ We are the Buddhas of Absolute Happiness

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I've been reading the Lotus Sutra every day lately. I'm rereading the incredible book by Daisaku Ikeda "The Heart of the Lotus Sutra," and also the translation in the back of the Gongyo book we recite each day. And it's fascinating me. 

We are Buddhas, we are all Buddhas. This is the message of the Buddha. This is the message of Nichiren Daishonin and Daisaku Ikeda. 

And we access our Buddhahood by chanting the name of the Mystic Law inherent in our lives...Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 

We have heard this time and again, and part of the reason we chant is to bring forth this feeling, this conviction, this knowing with our own lives. We are spending our lives exploring what it means to be a Buddha. 

So, it says at the back of the Gongyo book:

'Since I attained Buddhahood

the number of kalpas that have passed

is an immeasurable hundreds, 

thousands, ten thousands, 

millions, trillions, asamkhyas. 

Constantly I have preached the law, 

teaching, converting 

countless millions of living beings, 

causing them to enter the Buddha way, 

all this for immeasurable kalpas. 

In order to save living beings, 

as an expedient means I appear to enter nirvana

but in truth I do not pass into extinction. 

I am always here, preaching the law. 

I am always here, 

but through my transcendental powers

I make it so that living beings in their befuddlement

do not see me even when close by." 

The Liturgy of the Soka Gakkai International, page 22

If WE are the Buddha, as we know we are...this passage is further proof that we are eternal...that we are each eternal. 

We are the Buddha. Ben is the Buddha. We are all the Buddha, in the process of revealing this to ourselves. 

This morning I chanted two hours when I first woke up, and feel so grounded and centered after communing with my highest and best self. 

We are so fortunate to have this altar, this practice, and this Gohonzon to center our thoughts and focus our appreciation and desires. 

I am chanting for every door to open to me...for all I need to be shown to me...to change from the inside out, and accept all the good that is coming to me. I am chanting to be more useful for kosen-rufu than I HAVE EVER BEEN...that this year I (and all of us Boddhisatvas) truly, happily, joyously expand our lives...expand our happiness...expand our capabilities  ~ while welcoming in person after person who wants to join us in this lovely, beautiful dance of joy! 

Nam-myoho--renge-kyo!

4 Ways to Strengthen our Muscle of Gratitude - the Real Key to Happiness!

Daisaku Ikeda writes in Faith into Action, page 7 (under Appreciation)
"To "enjoy what there is to enjoy" means to cause the "mystic lotus of the heart" to blossom brightly with a sense of appreciation and joy. Someone who can find joy, who can feel appreciation, experiences a snowballing exhilaration and joy in life. Such is the heart's function."

How can we do this? Try this!  

4 Tips for More Appreciation in Our Lives! 

Gratitude is attitude. It starts with US. It is a muscle we can build. And once we build it....ahhh the benefits that begin to flow! 

Tip #1
List Ten Things
Before we get out of bed think about ten things we are grateful for that very day. They can be ANYTHING. We can be grateful for sight, hearing, feeling. We can be grateful to be alive...grateful to have woken up! I've mentioned before that when my Mom was feeling depressed I gave her this tip, and her depression lifted. She told me it was this one action that changed her life. 

Tip #2
SMILE! 
Smiling is a cause not an affect. 
The more we smile, 
the more reasons we will have to smile!
Make your smile light your day. 

I like to think of the song by Carol King:

You've got to get up every morning

And show the world

All the love in your heart!

When we smile, we physically create happiness hormones. There have been studies done recently about this. Also, when we smile at another person, they automatically feel better...their brain registers happiness even if they do not smile back at us. Isn't that cool? Smile! 

Tip #3
Write a Rampage of Appreciation
Take a notebook and put titles as the top of each page. Titles could be:
My body
My work
My relationship with _______
My parents
My children
My home
My car
My self
My practice
My________
...and on and on...you get the idea. 

Then list all the things you are grateful for under each heading...or all the things you COULD BE grateful for. 


Tip #4 
Chant in Gratitude
While chanting  ~ generate these feelings of gratitude and happiness. Our gratitude will amplify and spread.

What do you do to build the muscle of appreciation into your life? Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

Power-FULL Daimoku = Power-FULL Day!

How do we have Power-FULL Daimoku? 

Every day is a new challenge. 
Every day we wake into our glorious lives, that sometimes don't feel so glorious. 
Every day we have the chance to begin anew. 
Every morning, 
every moment 
is "Hon-nim-myo" ~ 
from this moment forth. 

I have a lot of things on my plate - just like you!

So I decided to make a determination before chanting ~ that after my hour of chanting I would feel absolutely refreshed, confident and ready for anything! I turned my phone off, made my tea, and chanted with some of these thoughts in mind. 
I write this Fresh Determination from my heart for you. You can read it before you chant and see if it inspires your fresh determination. 
This blog is for you. I do not express the official voice of the SGI, only the official voice of this one practitioner, myself, who longs for the happiness of all people! 

Fresh Determination
for a Power-FULL Happy Day!
By Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

Life!
Today I embrace you at every moment
The wisdom I am creating, right now, 
through every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I chant
pours through me every moment this day. 
Every moment is in rhythm
Every moment I am in exactly the right place 
at the right time
Seeing through the eyes of the Buddha I AM! 
I make a difference in every life I touch

The right words come at the right time. 
My warm heart shines
My confidence shines
I feel the love of those around me
I feel my love for myself, for my warm and wonderful self! 
I create an environment that appreciates me 
as I appreciate it! 
My brilliant future is assured
without me having to worry about it or strategize. 
I fuse my life force with Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and the spirit of my mentor Daisaku Ikeda. 
Together I renew my vow to change myself first, so that this will become a peaceful, respectful world! 

I am creating my future as I lovingly love my present! 
Here are some goals I am visualizing: 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gohonzon!
Life!
Some kind of way 
I am showing proof of this marvelous practice 
at every moment! 
Some kind of way 
the people I am chanting for 
will be happy and healthy!
I chant for ___________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
their health and happiness and stability! 
their ability to tap into their practice and get results!
their strong life force!
their mission for kosen-rufu! 
For ______________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
to be inspired and come to the meeting! 
This is a great day!

12 Ways You Can Love Yourself Now

12 Ways You Can 

Love Yourself Now

By Louise Hay

I have found that there is 

only one thing that heals every problem, 

and that is: to love yourself. 

When people start to love themselves more each day, 

it’s amazing how their lives get better. 

They feel better. 

They get the jobs they want. 

They have the money they need. 

Their relationships either improve, 

or the negative ones dissolve and new ones begin.

Loving yourself is a wonderful adventure; 

it’s like learning to fly. 

Imagine if we all had the power to fly at will? 

How exciting it would be! 

Let’s begin to love ourselves now.

1. Stop All Criticism.

Criticism never changes a thing. 

Refuse to criticize yourself. 

Accept yourself exactly as you are. 

Everybody changes. 

When you criticize yourself, 

your changes are negative. 

When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

2. Forgive Yourself.

Let the past go. 

You did the best you could at the time 

with the understanding, awareness, 

and knowledge that you had. 

Now you are growing and changing, 

and you will live life differently.

3. Don’t Scare Yourself.

Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. 

It's a dreadful way to live. 

Find a mental image that gives you pleasure, and 

immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.

4. Be Gentle and Kind and Patient.

Be gentle with yourself. 

Be kind to yourself. 

Be patient with yourself 

as you learn the new ways of thinking. 

Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved.

5. Be Kind to Your Mind.

Self-hatred is only hating your own thoughts. 

Don't hate yourself for having the thoughts. 

Gently change your thoughts.

6. Praise Yourself.

Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. 

Praise builds it up. 

Praise yourself as much as you can. 

Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.

7. Support Yourself.

Find ways to support yourself. 

Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. 

It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.

8. Be Loving to Your Negatives.

Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. 

Now you are finding new, positive ways 

to fulfill those needs. 

So lovingly release the old negative patterns.

9. Take Care of Your Body.

Learn about nutrition. 

What kind of fuel does your body need 

in order to have optimum energy and vitality? 

Learn about exercise. 

What kind of exercise do you enjoy? 

Cherish and revere the temple you live in.

10. Do Mirror Work.

Look into your eyes often.

Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself

Forgive yourself while looking into the mirror. 

Talk to your parents while looking into the mirror. 

Forgive them, too. 

At least once a day, say, I love you, I really love you!

11. Love Yourself . . . Do It Now.

Don't wait until you get well, 

or lose the weight, 

or get the new job, 

or find the new relationship. 

Begin now—and do the best you can.

12. Have Fun.

Remember the things that gave you joy as a child.

 Incorporate them into your life now. 

Find a way to have fun with everything you do. 

Let yourself express the joy of living. 

Smile. 

Laugh. 

Rejoice, and the Universe rejoices with you!



Note from Jamie ~ 

I hope you are enjoying these holidays! 

I'm a bit behind on answering emails but I will get to them. 

My email is chantforhappiness@gmail.com

How to Feel Connected to the Shoten Zenjin All Day Long

I've had several people contact me about the new silent prayers, and the fact that we no longer have a specific silvent prayer to the shoten zenjin (protective forces of the universe within all life) at the beginning of morning gongyo. People have written me asking why, and some are not happy about the change. 

This change doesn't bother me at all and I'll tell you why. As always, I speak for myself, and as an SGI member  ~   I am not an official representative of the organization. I write this blog to encourage people through my own life experiences and insights. 

I don't know the reason that prayer is no longer part of morning gongyo but it doesn't bother me a bit because I address the shoten zenjin when I chant daimoku. I speak to them when I am chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo. I thank them for their protection and ask that their protection be spread far and wide while I am chanting my daimoku. I always feel connected to them. 

I directly address them as I am chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo: "Thank you shoten zenjin!"...or "Shoten zenjin I need this right now!" or "Shoten zenjin, please send all your forces to this planet right now ~ we need you more than ever! Help people to WAKE UP and realize xenophobia and hatred is not the path toward peace!" When chanting I think "Let me be aware of the protective forces of the universe at all times and in rhythm with them." 

I am aware of their presence throughout the day. The other day I didn't see a car coming towards me, but the other driver was aware and didn't hit my car. I said (out loud probably!) "Thank you Shoten Zenjin!" When I drop a glove and someone calls out "You dropped a glove!" I think "Thank you shoten zenjin!" 
The Shoten zenjin are a part of my daily life, and they are a part of yours as well. All we really have to do is chant abundant daimoku and raise our awareness of them. 

We can be constantly aware that they are with us every moment. That doesn't mean we can be careless and take risks. President Ikeda says we need to be more careful because our lives are so precious!

On another note, I am compiling all of Ben's story - past, present and future. If my blogs about him and the struggles and triumphs we had have touched your life or inspired you - You can be a part of Ben's story. 

Please write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

How to Vanquish Recurring Karma

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

"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 might 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."

Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow, page 50 

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

We all have it. That karmic pattern that we've chanted to end forever...and somehow, it ends for a bit then resurfaces in a different time and place. 

For some people it's a financial challenge, for others it might be within relationships, but at the core of it all, it's OUR karma and we need to keep our determination to change it. And for me, it usually involves some kind of courageous conversation, and drawing some resource from within my own life using wisdom to overcome, not cower from it. 

I picture our lives and karma like a spiral going upwards, and as I come around a bend, the karma resurfaces in some way...and it's up to me once again to write the story of my life. 

At the Gosho study meeting the other day, the leader said: "Whenever I encounter a trouble I remind myself I WRITE THE STORY OF MY LIFE. I'm the protagonist and the author. I'm sure I wrote a happy ending!" I loved that. It made me laugh! Of course, I made a happy ending. And right here, right now...I am building that happiness.

I just had a resurfacing of some karma involving greed on another's part. This time, because I am challenging my life in a new way, and I have been chanting two hours a day already, my life can rise to greet it and challenge it in a different way. I am also walking on my treadmill, eating well and using my strength training bands, so my BODY is stronger and healthier. THIS time, THIS time, the outcome will be different...will be right...will be true to myself, my new self of strength that I am building every day. 

So my first response was to chant two hours of daimoku "as if to make fire from wet logs." I chanted, and in my mind I hollered at the Shoten Zenjin "No Way! This time I will win over this karma forever!" And I'm about to start another two hours right now. I'm telling my life to open up in unexpected ways...assured that all kinds of good things are in store! 

And I'm chanting to find the right words for everything. I'm writing my speaker one-sheet, and defining just what it is I do for my audiences. After three speeches in three days, I am so energized! After yesterday's speech, one of the people came up to me and said: "You kept my attention the whole time! No speech ever keeps my attention!" and another woman told me she was going to use all the ideas I presented, and change her outlook forever. My speech focuses on our CHOICE to use words that make us happy. 

Right now it's snowing here in Chicago. It's pretty and my view is awesome. I'm grateful to park indoors. 

I'll be spending the day at an event promoting Ben's Memorial Mile. We are creating an event to honor Ben's life, bring the community together, and raise money for a cure for Schizophrenia. It's June 11th in Downers Grove Illinois. You are all invited! There will be races for all age groups of varying lengths. The last time I was at an event honoring Ben it was very hard for me...I'm going to chant about that too. STRENGTH! 

How-To Increase Your Belief in YOUR OWN Buddha Nature!

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From the November 2015 Living Buddhism:

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

"Nevertheless, 
being no more than an ordinary person, 
I have at times been apt to regret 
having taken such a course." 

From the Gosho "On Rebuking Slanders of the Law and Eradicating Sins" by Nichiren Daishonin.

About this passage, Daisaku Ikeda writes on page 37:

'As Nichiren Daishonin writes here, we are ordinary people, and as such, are likely on occasion to have regrets. 

At times, we may allow ourselves to be defeated by our immediate sufferings and complain about our lot, thinking there is no point in practicing this Buddhism if it is going to involve so many challenges and wondering if we might not have had an easier time if we had not started chanting. 

Well aware of this human trait, Nichiren teaches the means by which ordinary people can walk the path to attaining the noble state of Buddhshood. Genuine Buddhism teaches fundamental trust in and respect for the Buddha Nature inherent within all human beings." 

Daisaku Ikeda, from Living Buddhism, November 2015, pages 36 and 37. 

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

Okay, I know we "know" our lives contain dignity and power and the Buddha Nature. I know we read President Ikeda's Guidance, and the Gosho, and we "understand" them with our minds...but do we understand them with our hearts? 

This is the work we do in front of the Gohonzon. When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (meaning: I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration) we tap into the power that is our birthright...that is always there for us...and we access that power for ourselves and for others. 

We can access the power to understand the profundity of our lives, the magnificence of our lives, and our true Buddha nature. 

How much do we each realize that we are the Buddha?

I hear people around me putting themselves down all the time. It seems to be part of our culture that we can't go around saying "I am magnificent. I am the Buddha." and I think we can and should change that part of the culture. Putting ourselves down is not helpful...especially when we are talking to ourselves. 

If we can't build ourselves up, who can? That's why I always say "Do not put yourself down. Ever. Not even in your head. you are a magnificent being...a Buddha of the highest respect. A Soka Gakkai Buddhist." 

President Ikeda has told us over and over that we will be remembered forever as the Soka Gakkai Buddhists. Each one of us is living out a drama of the highest significance. Each one of us is showing actual proof of the power of the mystic law to change our lives, change the lives of others and bring about a peaceful world through the power of our vow, and our chanting. 

And it REALLY HELPS if we REALLY believe this. It helps if we believe in the power of our lives and the power of our prayer. How can we really get to this point, that we believe it WITH OUR LIVES...and with every cell in our beings? Well, the answer is easy. 

We can chant to believe in our own magnificence. We can chant to believe in the power of our prayer. We can chant to dispel doubt forever and deepen our prayer at every moment. 

I have been chanting to uphold and see the dignity of my own life at each moment. I have been chanting to be present in each moment, and to BE WITH each person in front of me each moment. And you know what? When we are alone, WE are that person. WE are the one we need to support and uphold. We are the one we have to honor. 

How can we do this? We can start by talking to ourselves just like we would talk to our own very best friends. We can stop saying we are "idiots" or any other negative word. We can stop slandering our own lives 

We can tell ourselves we're doing great! We can tell ourselves we are beautiful, and we get more beautiful every day...inside and out. We can tell ourselves we make a difference. We can build up our own selves, while we are chanting and while we are going about our daily business. 

And we can make daily causes that prove our magnificence...chanting for wisdom...acting in wisdom and bringing forth our best selves!