(I'm posting this inspiring experience unedited, straight from the reader. Enjoy! Jamie )
“ As long as we look at our situation with only ordinary reason , there wont be the slightest chances for us to win . But the daishonin tells us plainly that the gohonzon has infinite power . the only question is weather or not we believe him .. If we think that we are really disciples of the daishonin , we frist have to pray powerfully to carry out the kind of practise that can make the impossible possible . “
I came into this practise 4 years ago with a number of impossible situations . Today, in addition to my victory , I would like to share my initial impressions.
I had been fascinated since long with mysticism and had tried everything from reiki to gem therapy to affirmations to past life regression to art of living and the secret . Each time I discovered something new, I became really hopeful for a while but wasn't able to cope up for long .
At the time, I heard about this practise, I was in one of the darkest periods of my life , when even a simple voice outside my window would startle and scare me . I did not enough discipline , the money or even a stable mindset for anything else . And , here was this practise which made me feel instantly safe , could be done at anytime of the day or night , for as long as I wanted and even when I quit in the middle nobody judged me rather they encouraged me even more . On top of it all , somebody would come to my house and help me chant .
I was one of the lucky few who starts practising and their life becomes an even bigger mess . It was a time of deep financial crunch in the family , serious relationship issues for me . There was bitterness and blaming within the immediate family over the losses . A time when all that was needed to make me tear up was to ask how I am doing .
During this time we shifted houses to sector 3 chandigarh and I started practising regularly with members . I had always been blessed with many friends . For several years I had suffered with the same relationship problem and had analysed the same behaviours and blamed the other person reaching nowhere different . I was completely amazed to have these new set of friends in soka gakkai who did not agree with me when I complained about my life and my very serious troubles rather they would tell me , " complaining erodes good fortune “ and I simply " must not begrudge my life " no matter how big the situation is outside . These friends assured me that all my problems will help me show actual proof and I should even be grateful for my problems and the people causing it . My new friends never encouraged me to skip my office or other duties at home to chant.... but to wake up early , skip a TV series but made sure I chanted to my heart’s content.
They weren’t the kinds who would let me end my sad story with how bad the other party is but rather one leader almost congratulated me and said " 50 % of my problem is over since the karma has has already erupted and now 50 % is upto me to solve to completely transform it " . She asked me to " chant to awaken to the true cause of my suffering and never blame anyone . " Nothing seemed impossible to these people , it was all upto me and my faith in the practise .
I read the concepts and understood with my prayers the true cause of my suffering and oneness of self and the environment. I started feeling safe and then slowly i started feeling hopeful . I gave myself completely into the practice .
Myo means to revive, to rejuvenate, to fully endow . I don’t know how the transformation happened but I started waking up early , got extremely disciplined with my gongyo , read guidance’s assiduously , never missed any meetings . I stopped seeing much value in crying over the same matters , even in my own heart . Everytime i wanted to feel sorry for myself , I pondered over the guidance in buddhism that " everything has a reason " and " a Buddha has limitless possibilities " . I chanted strongly to open a way forward from the deadlock . I was moved by Sensei’s guidance to Young women division on being " the cheerful sun of the family " no matter what and put the same into practise . I chanted as though to produce fire from a stone .
My fellow members and new friends never gave me direct advise but told me I had the wisdom to decide what needed to be done and there was anyways no time left to complaint or feel sorry for myself anymore . I had to chant for 3 hours along with office .
Our business started again in sep 2010 after getting a big unheard relief from high court against govt authority of chd .
This was a time of hope yet the winter of the problems were no way over. There was illness in the family , property disputes , serious relationship troubles ,and even depression . I don’t know how many times did I read the gosho " winter always turns to spring " and hung on to hope .
Even though things had not changed outside , something in my heart changed completely and it didn’t feel like winter anymore. I got out of a traumatic relationship with almost no trouble ( the only trouble I went through was to follow the guidance of a leader ; Not to blame the other person and take 100 % responsibility for all my suffering, turn around my karma ) .
There came a time when I started noticing how bad my father’s teeth had become and thats when I realized I had never seen him laughing so much before since he suffered from severe depression .
We shifted to a beautiful house and were able to pay off all of our loans . Most of all we all now feel it was a big blessing rather than a failure and there is no blaming or bitterness with each other over the losses .
I prayed to be able to contribute to SGI and my own business revenue has increased manifold .
We have had a property dispute case with my father’s brother since 1995 and we won the case in session court , high court ( this year ) . The other party appealed in supreme court and am happy to report that theirs case has been dismissed in supreme court and we have won yet again .
Sensei says , “Any action taken for the sake of faith will become the source of your good fortune and benefit. Relations of cause and effect based on the Mystic Law are absolute. All of you working hard for the sake of kosen-rufu and the Law, as well as exerting yourselves for the happiness of your fellow members. Please be convinced that all such efforts will serve to change your karma and return to you as benefit.”
Nichiren daishonin says in New years gosho . “ Also, In light of this, it is clear that those who now believe in the Lotus Sutra will gather fortune from ten thousand miles away."
And good fortune I did attract from millions miles away :-) . It came in the form of an awesome man who came in into our lives as a guest. My family had started looking everywhere for the right match for me , and they cdn’t help but admire this earnest man who had somehow come right to our doorstep . He was exceptionally brilliant , kind hearted and cheerful . Time and again I was amazed at how the universe literally conspired to get us to spend more time together . We got engaged around May 3 this year just like my fellow members in SGI had determined and I feel blessed to report that we are getting married on October 7th this year .
The practise of Nichiren Budhhism most of all has changed my outlook and attitude towards life and problems. My aunt who is a doctor recently mentioned that it seems as if i’ve had a complete metamorphosis. We all know that life without problems doesn’t exist,yet now i feel confident in my ability to deal with those based on faith . Most of my friends say how inspite of the bitter experiences of the past, I do not seem cynical about relationships or life in general which is biggest benefit of all .
Nichiren Daishonin says “ Where there is unseen virtue there will be visible reward “ and I truly believe the unseen virtue was the effort in front of the gohonzon to remove all grudges and complaints from my heart and my reward is my wonderful fiancée who further showers me with all possible visible rewards .
I determine to keep sharing more experiences and to transform the karma of dispute in the family and restore harmony . I pray for all of us here to be able to carry out the kind of practise that makes the impossible possible .
Thank you .
