3 Ways to Tap Into Our Noble Missions

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"...When an individual 
who has been suffering from illness 
or financial hardship becomes happy, 
this opens a sure way to happiness 
for all others experiencing similar painful suffering." 

Living Buddhism, June 2015, page 27. From learning From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin: "Letter to Horen." Daisaku Ikeda

We all know this is true, and we have seen it and felt it. One of the women in my district met a wonderful man while she was visiting Central America. Over the course of the last two years, they lived apart as he worked on getting his visa to come to America. He learned gongyo, chanted daimoku, and this Wednesday at the study meeting we met him for the first time. This experience inspired everyone that true love is possible. 

Every time you break through something you inspire all those around you, and I believe, energetically and vibrationally we influence the fiber of the universe. We are microcosms of the universe...everything we do, everything we achieve, affects everything else. 

Here are three ways to realize how important YOU are and realize your noble mission:

1. While chanting for your desire bring to mind all others around the world who are suffering from the same desire and realize your chanting at this moment has an impact on them too. 
As I chant for Ben, my son who is suffering from mental illness, I am chanting on behalf of all mothers who have ever seen their children suffer, and who wish, with all their hearts to lift that suffering. I am chanting for all mothers, all fathers and all suffering children. Yes, I am chanting for Ben, and to change my karma to have mental illness in my environment, and I am chanting for everyone else too. 

2. Praise your life as the Buddha you are. Throughout the day, see yourself as "The Great Buddha." Think to yourself "The Great Buddha arises this morning. The Great Buddha is entering her place of work. The Great Buddha is eating lunch." You are the Great Buddha. We are all the Great Buddha. 

3. Study. The Gosho this month is incredible. There is so much I want to say about it, and will write more when I have more time. It reinforces the nobility of every single character of the Lotus Sutra we chant every single day. Study and see even more of your Great Buddha-ness! 

Do You Have A Dream? Great Quote by Daisaku Ikeda

….Sensei Says - Do You Have A Dream….

“Many of us have some problems 

that we avoid chanting about, 

because we are afraid to look at them directly 

and prefer not to think about them. 

Others may have dreams locked up in their hearts 

that they are afraid to admit even to themselves let alone chant for, because they feel they do not deserve to be happy, 

or because they are afraid of being disappointed 

should they not succeed in attaining their goal.

Nichiren Daishonin teaches us 

that the power of the Gohonzon has no limit. 

It is we who impose limits on it with our doubts and fears. 

How tragic it would be if, 

having encountered the Mystic Law, 

we could not fully enjoy its benefit 

because we lacked the courage to pray with all our hearts 

for what we truly wanted.

Surely nothing would be more bitter 

than to have to look back over one's life and feel, 

'I never accomplished what I really wanted to.'

Nichiren Daishonin, out of his compassion, 

teaches us how to live so that we will have no regrets. 

Since we have been fortunate enough to meet the Gohonzon, 

why don't we place our full trust in it, 

pray courageously for what we desire 

and fulfill all our dreams in this lifetime.”

Daisaku Ikeda

I love that phrase: 

Pray with all our hearts! Pray with ALL our hearts! I still get emails almost every day from people who don't know if they can pray for what they really want. Please do! You will either get what you are praying for - or something even better. Our desires lead us to our Human Revolution and to Kosen Rufu - a world of respect for all life through our own transformation. Let's pray for what we want. Praying for what we want strengthens our prayers. Let's not doubt our own hearts. 

3 Important Questions to Ask While Chanting

Many of us have read Daisaku Ikeda's essay "Buddhism is the Clear Mirror that Reflects our Lives."

Here is the link to the "Clear Mirror Guidance" that asserts "The Gohonzon (scroll we face while chanting) is the clearest of all mirrors that reflects the entire universe exactly as it is. When you chant to the Gohonzon, you can perceive the true aspect of your life and tap the inexhaustible life force of Buddhahood." 

Read the entire guidance through this link:

http://www.sgi-usa.org/memberresources/womensdivision/docs/2010/WT_Clear%20Mirror.pdf

Sensei has said that our ability to bring our own wisdom to the surface through chanting is the key. How can we expand our ability to do exactly that? 

3 Important Questions to ask our lives while Chanting:

1. Life! Illuminate what I need to change...what I need to see and how I can improve. 
2. Life! What can I reveal to myself about the inner workings of my mind, my life, my actions and words that will free me from the blocks that still exist for me? 
3. Life! What actions do I need to take so that I can affect real, lasting, positive change in my life?

See what these questions reveal for you. This kind of inquiry takes concentration and courage. 

As I sat down to write for you today I opened "My Dear American Friends" and turned to the essay "The Age of Soft Power" that Daisaku Ikeda delivered at Harvard University on September 26th of 1991. In it he states: 

"One of the important Buddhist concepts, dependent origination holds that all beings and phenomena exist or occur in relation to other beings or phenomena.  All things are linked in an intricate web of causation and connection, and nothing, whether in the realm of human affairs or natural phenomenon, can exist or occur solely of its own accord. 
...It is the fusion of the self and others. At the same time it is the expansion of the limited, ego-shackled self toward a greater self whose scale is as limitless and unbounded as the universe...In practical terms, the most important question for us as individuals is how to activate the inner sources sof energy and wisdom existing within our lives...
...Our society today urgently needs the kind of inwardly directed spirituality to strengthen self-control and restraint. It is a quality that deepens our respect for the dignity of life. In a world where interpersonal relationships are becoming increasingly tenuous, greater self-control and discipline would also help restore and rejuvenate endangered feelings, including friendship, trust, and love, for without them there can be no meaningful bonds between people."

We have the capacity to use our Buddhist practice to gain self-control, express ourselves clearly, with composure, forethought, and mutual respect to strengthen our relationships, and build our environments into worlds of absolute happiness and fulfillment. 

This is a worthwhile endeavor, don't you think?

I offer you some additional quotes from
"For Today Onward" by Daisaku Ikeda:

"Why is it that sometimes our prayer seems not to be answered? This is a manifestation of the Buddha's wisdom - so that we can deepen our prayers, become stronger people, live more profound lives and secure deeper, more lasting good fortune. If our slightest prayer were answered immediately, we'd become lazy and degenerate. And we couldn't hope to build a life of great dignity and substance."  Page 89. 

"There may be times when life seems gloomy and dull. When we feel stuck in some situation or other, when we are negative toward everything, when we feel lost and bewildered, not sure which way to turn ~ at such times we must transform our passive mind-set and determine "I will proceed along this path," "I will pursue my mission today." When we do so a genuine springtime arrives in our hearts, and flowers start to blossom."
Page 88. 

And:
"Viewing events and situations in a positive light is important. The strength, wisdom and cheerfulness that accompany such an attitude lead to happiness. To regard everything in a positive light or with a spirit of goodwill, however, does not mean being foolishly gullible and allowing people to take advantage of our good nature. It means having the wisdom and perception to actually move things in a positive direction by seeing things in their best light, while all the time keeping our eyes firmly focused on reality."
Page 29.