PowerPrayer for Going From Victim to Victor!

This PowerPrayer ~ Fresh Determination
has been inspired by the Gosho Study from the August of 2013 Living Buddhism "The Three Obstacles and Four Devils" written in November 1277 to the youngest Ikegami brother, Munenega, after his brother had been disowned by his father for his faith in Nichiren Buddhism. 
It is a writing I use to refresh my faith over and over. 

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President Ikeda's lecture from the August 2013 

Living Buddhism on this Gosho includes these words: 

"Though we speak of the "three obstacles and four devils" appearing, no one wishes to have to face adversity. 
That is surely a natural human reaction. 
But Nichiren says that 
the appearance of the three obstacles and four devils 
is a source of JOY. 
How could that be? 
It doesn't seem possible. 
But it is, in fact, 
by overcoming the steep hills and inclines of obstacles 
we can forge our lives 
and ascend the summit of Buddhahood, 
where we can savor the sublime vista of 
eternity, happiness, true self and purity."

He goes on to say:

"We need to "own" them (our obstacles) as something we ourselves have summoned up...we are in charge, we are the protagonists...the struggle against the three obstacles and four devils is indeed a great joy."

President Ikeda goes on to say:
"As Nichiren Daishonin writes: "When a tiger roars, gales blow; when a dragon intones, clouds gather" (The Workings of Brahma and Shakra," WND-1, 799) When we adopt this attitude ~ "I summoned this storm!" ~ our hearts will be filled with the bright sense of hope and purpose." (All quotes from the 2013 August Living Buddhism, pages 21, 22) 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~According to Daisaku Ikeda, we summon the exact set of obstacles we need to springboard our lives to the next level of practice and happiness. 
We will be better off for them.  
We summoned these storms. 

Realizing this takes our lives from Victim to Victory! This simple change in perspective brings incredible power to our Daimoku. When we are chanting we can address our lives and roar like the lions (Buddhas!) we are. What follows is a PowerPrayer I offer you to reclaim your life and move from Victim to Victor. As always, I offer you my writings from my heart, not as an official SGI representative, although I love the organization and encourage everyone to participate - if you are not yet a member please use this link to connect: sgi-usa.org 

PowerPrayer  ~ Fresh Determination

For Moving 

From Victim to VICTOR 

You may want to read this before chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and let the words and gently flow in and out of your mind while chanting. It's a focusing tool ~ that's what a PowerPrayer - A Fresh Determination...

by Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com. 

LIFE !! 
I get it! 
I SUMMONED THIS STORM and I can VANQUISH IT! 
I summoned this storm and I will WIN over it !
I am a Buddha - 
I feel Nam-myoho-renge-kyo throughout my whole body - 
in every cell. I will prove the power of the Gohonzon, the Power of my own life right here, right now! My own sufferings will turn into my happiness and I inspire others and create kosen-rufu through my own life. 

Shoten Zenjin (protective forces of the universe within all life) 
Back me up! 
Support this votary of the Lotus Sutra in these ways:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I vow to PROVE the POWER of the MYSTIC LAW 
through my own victories - 
so I can encourage everyone that 
the IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE!
I will NOW raise my life condition to a level I have never before experienced. 
I see through the eyes of the Buddha, 
I feel with the heart of the Buddha
I AM the Buddha! 
The universe exists within ME! 
I am CLAIMING power over my own life. 
No more complaining for me! 
No More "Woe is me!" 
NO! 
Starting today ~ with this Daimoku ~ 
I bring forth all the wisdom I need
                             to know what I need to do - 
All the courage I need ~ 
                             as I boldly take the right action 
All the perfect timing I need ~ 
                             to accomplish what I want
And the People and Resources I need ~ 
                             ALL appear right now! 
I am a powerful being waging a powerful war against the fundamental darkness inherent in all of life and I will WIN. 
Starting today 
I will win in:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


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For more information about 
SGI Buddhism please go to SGI-USA.org

Write me your victories at Chantforhappiness@gmail.com!

Conspicuous and Inconspicuous Benefit ~ What is Revealed and What We See Later

No Matter what ~ Don't give up. 

And don't waste your energy on worrying. When my sweet Mommy was alive she would tell me she was worrying and I'd say "Don't worry! Chant Instead!" and sometimes she would follow my advice, and immediately feel better.  

Even when we do not see the benefits we are chanting for appear right now, our fortune is accruing through chanting. Sensei once talked about each Gongyo being a sheet of paper on our desks. It builds slowly...but it does build. And sooner or later the inconspicuous benefits will reveal themselves in our lives...just when we need them most. Dont' take my word for it. Prove it to yourself. 

Here is a quote for your day:

"There are two kinds of benefit 
that derive from faith in the Gohonzon: 
conspicuous and inconspicuous. 
Conspicuous benefit is the obvious, 
visible benefit of being protected 
or being quickly able 
to surmount a problem when it arises, 
be it an illness 
or a conflict in a personal relationship. 
Inconspicuous benefit 
is good fortune accumulated slowly but steadily, 
like the growth of a tree 
or the rising of the tide, 
which results in the forging 
of a rich and expansive state of life. 
We might not discern any change from day to day, 
but as the years pass, 
it will be clear that we've become happy, 
that we've grown as individuals. "

Daisaku Ikeda

Don't Give Up! Don't Get Discouraged! PowerPrayer for Praising Your Life!

November 18 is almost here!

I know many of us have goals towards November 18th and may not have achieved them yet. Please do not get down on yourself. Do not call yourself names, or think that you are a failure because you haven't achieved them yet. Forge on ahead! 
You are a precious Boddisattva of the Earth! Your life makes a huge difference! 

Praise Your Life! 

PowerPrayer for Praising My Life

I praise my life. 

I praise my life...

I praise my life!

I feel its absolute perfection at every moment. 

I chant to experience the glowing life-condition of the Buddha that I am. 

I can now appreciate my life 

and everything that arises 

just as it is 

with all my heart. 

I even accept and appreciate 

obstacles 

because I now understand them 

Obstacles are vehicles

for greater and greater victory! 

And, I know that I will have victory over every single one of them. 

I praise my life all the more because of those victories. 

I am a living example of what it means to praise one's life. 

I inspire countless others to do the same. 

Living as a Buddhist - What does this mean?

First of all, living as a Buddhist is living a life of action. Some people think of Buddhists as sitting on a high mountain top somewhere ~ contemplating the wonders of the universe, and that's not an accurate depiction as a modern-day SGI Buddhist. 

Yes, SGI Buddhists are vastly different than any other kind of Buddhist. 

Here I will just say briefly that SGI Buddhists do not pray to Buddha as a substitute for God, and do not believe that happiness exists in some far off place that can only be attained by quieting the mind so completely that it is devoid of any desires. 

NO! SGI Buddhist USE their desires as fuel for happiness, just as they use their problems as fuel for happiness. We realize our fundamental challenge in life is to overcome our notion that we are not Buddhas. We live our lives to keep awakening the knowledge, keep shedding light on...keep en-lighten-ing the very fact that we ARE the universe and we ARE the power in our lives. 

The illusion many people on earth have is of their own weakness. SGI Buddhists serve as bright lights to illuminate their own, and everyone else's power. This is done by realizing our negativity is the MAIN BARRIER we need to confront and conquer. 

When we get negative, the important thing is to FACE IT and chant to rid our lives of it. And we do this by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. 

We also see our lives as part of the great web of life. As Daisaku Ikeda puts it:

The misfortune of others is our misfortune. Our happiness is the happiness of others. To see ourselves in others and feel an inner oneness and sense of unity with them represents a fundamental revolution in the way we view and live our lives. Therefore, discriminating against another person is the same as discriminating against oneself. When we hurt another, we are hurting ourselves. And when we respect others, we respect and elevate our own lives as well." - Daisaku Ikeda

Each day I awaken and sit in front of my life...my altar...my very own heart that is represented in the scroll that Nichiren Daishonin inscribed called the Gohonzon. I face it and chant for one hour. Some  people chant for less time...others for more. And some days I chant longer, other days for shorter amounts. 

In that time I connect with the life flow that is within me. I chant in appreciation, I chant with desire, I chant for other people. I chant for my country, the world, and for anything that is on my mind. I chant to realize my own Buddhahood and to expand the life that is within me so that my light (the light of us all, the light of the universe ) can glow stronger and stronger through me and that those who are still suffering can have hope. 

Suffering is mainly a lack of hope, and lack of strength. 

Suffering is a feeling, a fear, a dread and a lack of light and life and warmth. 

And if I can raise from the depths of the deep, deep longing without hope that I was in most of my life, well, so can anyone else. Anyone who chants these words can be happy. 

Happiness is something we build from inside our lives. It is totally unattached to what is happening in our lives. I know this is hard to believe at time, and at other times it makes perfect sense. I know sometimes we lose a loved one to death, and we think we will never be the same. I know that the people I have loved who have died are here with me everyday. I talk to them, they converse with me, and I'm not crazy. 

Life is eternal. My Mom is right here. 

So is my friend Danny, and lately I am really in sync with john Denver. It has been 15 years since he died and I will write about what happened between the two of us on this blog soon. It is a fascinating story of how Nam Myoho Renge Kyo reaches into the depths of life, whether we see it THIS MOMENT or not. 

Today chant to praise your life and to wipe away any thoughts of doubt in your life. Doubt is what holds us back. In SGI Buddhism faith is a muscle, faith is a verb. It is up to you to strengthen it....and YOU CAN DO IT! 

Chant to strengthen your faith. Chant to have the kind of benefit that blows you away! Chant for those you love and those your really don't love and you can watch your life grow in amazing ways. Compassion is also like a muscle. You grow your compassion and you grow your own ability to revel in the beauty all around you...including the beauty of your very own soul. 

Happy Tuesday. Happy Chanting. Happy Life my dear friends!!!