Great Gosho Quotes to Live By

As many of you know, the Gosho are the letters that Nichiren Daishonin wrote to his followers encouraging them. Each one of these contains gems of wisdom that you can use to navigate through life. 


"Your faith alone will determine all these things. A sword will be useless in the hands of a coward."


From Reply to Kyo'o


And from one of my favorite Goshos:


If you wish to free yourself from the sufferings of birth and death you have endured though eternity and attain supreme enlightenment in this lifetime, you must awaken to the mystic truth which has always been within your life. This truth is Myoho renge kyo. Chanting Myoho renge kyo will therefor enable you to grasp the mystic truth within you...


It is called the mystic law because it explains the mutually inclusive relationship of life and all phenomenon...


When you chant the mystic law and recite the Lotus Sutra, you must summon up deep conviction that Myoho Renge Kyo is your life itself. 


Above quotes are from the Gosho "On Attaining Buddhahood"


"One who hears even a sentence or phrase of the Lotus Sutra and cherishes it deep in his heart may be likened to a ship which navigates the sea of suffering. The Great Teacher Miao-lo stated, Even a single phrase cherished deep in one's heart will without fail help him reach the opposite shore. To ponder one phrase and practice it is to exercise navigation..." 


From "A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering"

Powerful Determinations!!!!

Hello! Hello!


I finished three hours of Daimoku today, and feel as if I could go on chanting for a week....there is so much yet to uncover and change and grow and expand in my life....for the sake of my readers and for the sake of my family...district...students...everyone! 


In a few moments I'll be at the Gohonzon enshrining ceremony for the Ali family...


But I wanted to take a moment to talk about determinations. 


Determinations are NOT resolutions...they are NOT plaintive requests for something outside of yourself to deliver some "blessing" to you. 


Determinations are a VOW...a ROAR of the lion within you! A Roar for your life to respond to! 


Who are you making the determination to? 


YOURSELF!!! YOUR LIFE!!! ALL OF LIFE!!!


You make the vow! 
Then you chant...chant...chant to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!!


I will give you some examples of my determinations...


I am determined to raise my life condition and do my own human revolution...I am determined to live a life of satisfaction and fulfillment in all areas of my life...in my love life...my work life...my relationship with my body...
And I make these determinations because I know my life...and every life...is paving the way for the rest of humanity to be happy and to achieve these goals. We are all interconnected in the web of life...when I raise my life condition it is a CAUSE for all of humanity's life condition to raise!
Likewise, I am determined to praise my life with the internal dialogue inside my head. I am determined to live each moment in gratitude for my health, my happiness, my family, my fellow members and blog readers, and all those who love me. 
I am determined to inspire millions of people through my blog and the books I write and the talks I want to give on Buddhism. I am determined to publish at least one book this year!
I am determined that I will live my life in a way that inspires every single person I meet to try this incredible practice for themselves!


These are my vows. These are determinations! 


Please make some for yourself and remember one of the secrets to true happiness that is unchanging and always works is this: 


Whenever you have a problem with anyone...anyone at all...the best and only way to solve the problem is to chant for their happiness! Picture them with a great big smile on their face and chant sincerely for their happiness. Even if you don't feel sincerity at first, THAT WILL CHANGE...just keep chanting. 


Soon you will absolutely change the situation. I guarantee this. It always works! 
How about making a major change in one of  your relationships by chanting for their happiness starting RIGHT NOW!!!! That's a great determination!!!!


Happy New Year!!!

Oh My Dear Friends! Happy New Year!

We are here! New Year's Day! The day most practicing SGI members look forward to with great anticipation...the day we all meet at the Chicago Buddhist Center (and Centers all over the world) in huge numbers to welcome in the new year, make fresh determinations, and greet the New Year with the spirit of Hon Nim Myo ~ from this moment forth!


Today is an extra special day for me because the entire Ali family, will be getting their Gohonzon today!


Shazara Ali is only 16 years old. Only 16 years old. She has accomplished so much in the last six months through chanting...through tapping into the life force within herself by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! She has discovered and accessed the key to real and true happiness. She first found Buddhism on a dark night of the soul. She was in despair about a relationship and left her home walking alone. The Ali's are of Indian descent who immigrated here from the beautiful island of Trinidad. Shazara was not in the habit of leaving her home alone, and her family was worried. 


I live in a beautiful apartment community and have a patio facing the pond on the ground floor. It's a peaceful and idyllic setting. It was a warm, beautiful night. All the members of my district had just chanted a rousing hour of daimoku...and had JUST left...the rhythm and energy of daimoku was still in the air, and I hadn't even put away the chairs! Shazara knocked on my door from the patio and asked for a glass of water. "I kind of ran away." she said. I thought "Wow, she's a runaway with great fortune to have wound up at MY door where I can tell her the secret of creating her own happiness! From now on she will know the key to happiness for herself and others!" I was impressed by how beautiful and well dressed she was...for a runaway! I invited her in, gave her water and a Nam Myoho Renge Kyo card. She told me a little bit about her circumstances and she said sure she'd love to try chanting. We sat down and began chanting and she didn't want to stop! She could feel the power of the prayer. I stopped for a second and she said "let's chant some more I already feel so much better!" And after that I drove her home to her family. 


When we got to her house the police were there and family and friends were there waiting to hear word of her whereabouts. She left my car in high spirits, and her Mom got in my car with tears in her eyes and said "You are my angel" to me. I told her "The worst day of your life has now turned into the best day of your life...your daughter has discovered chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and she will never be unhappy like this again. From now on she has the key to her own happiness." 


Two days later Shazara and her Mom came back to my house to chant. Later that week all three of them, Mom, Dad and Shazara came back to my weekly Buddhist meeting and have been chanting together and learning gongyo ever since. They love their new Buddhist family! Shazara HAS solved her problems! She is no longer bullied...which is MAJOR!!!! I wish EVERY teenager and child could chant and change this in their lives! She auditioned for a singing scholarship and got it. She chants for grades and tests...she uses this practice for everything. And the family says that from the minute they started chanting they felt hope and happiness and the sunshine of the mystic law enter their lives. Today they are making the cause of receiving their Gohonzon. What a profound cause for their happiness!!! 


Receiving a Gohonzon is profound. It is the scroll, inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin depicting the highest life condition. It is a reflection of the brilliant and powerful life inside each person waiting to be tapped by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo- the name of the rhythm of life itself. When you have a Gohonzon set up in an altar in your home....you have a "HOME" inside your home. You have a place where you can draw forth your truest self day after day after day. 


To receive the Gohonzon you do not have to make a vow or sign a paper that you are converting to Buddhism. You DO make a vow to protect the Gohonzon, and if you're smart, you have an inner resolve to chant every day twice a day to bring forth your own Buddha nature, realize all your goals and make your family, and the world the happiest place on earth! How wonderful! What a great way to begin the New Year! 


I hope you have a fabulous day thinking about what you want to create in your life this year. Make fresh determinations. Resolutions and determinations are different. A resolution defines a particular action. A DETERMINATION is a deep resolve to change an aspect of your karma through chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! 
I will write more about this in a later post!


Sending you so much love! Jamie

Oh Happy New Year!

First I just want to take a moment to thank whomever left this comment on my blog a few moments ago. I copied it here for you all to read: 

"I read some guidance recently that said, and this very loose, that when an aspect of our karma is about to be completely changed/burnt out, it will often flare up for one last time....I've been re-reading your blog from 2009, and you have fought like crazy, I just know you are nearly there!

I'm so very inspired by the sharing of your experiences...it puts rocket fuel in my daimoku!

Thank you Jamie, you are in my prayers. "

I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for noticing, thank you for caring, and thank you for posting such a lovely, uplifting message to me. 


I have indeed been going through what I really believe is the last spurt of this karma...and I believe with this last gasp I have changed it forever!


Tomorrow the entire ALI family will be getting their Gohonzon at New Year's Gongyo at 2:00 Chicago time. This is a huge cause for their lives and a major big deal!!!!


I will write more as soon as I can, probably tomorrow!


I am about to be whisked off to wonderful party tonight!

When You're Really Hurting, part 2

Study Hard! 


Study the Gosho...read it with your life. 
My favorite book is "On Attaining Buddhahood." 


It contains the Gosho and the complete commentary of Daisaku Ikeda. 


I am reading it with new eyes. 


When you are suffering:
Study and chant and do shakubuku. 


That's what I'm doing right now....studying...chanting till I am hoarse...
determining to  turn poison into medicine RIGHT NOW and forever change my karma. 


I am more determined than ever. 


Remember you prayer is a vow not a request. You are the Buddha and you are entitled to be happy. Seriously. You are the Buddha and you are doing the Buddha's work. Your life should be overflowing with happiness. Don't let yourself and those you love down. Chant harder, stronger, and more vibrantly than ever...especially when you are in pain. Don't doubt in the slightest. DO NOT give in to the negative voices in your head that tell you it's no use. 
I am familiar with those voices...they say "I have suffered from this particular suffering for so long...it is just who I am it will never change" DO NOT LISTEN TO THAT VOICE. It is only the cry of the innate darkness in your life trying to hold you back. 


You HAVE THE GOHONZON (and if you don't, for heaven's sake chant for one and get it!) You are the votary of the Lotus Sutra. YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY!!! 


Determine to change poison into medicine, to forever change your suffering, to raise your life-condition so high that you will not suffer. 


Times of suffering are your crucial moment. Will you give in to your own negativity or will you wield the sword of faith? 


It is up to you.


It is entirely up to you!

When you're really Hurting

Isn't life interesting? How easily you can go from being on top of the world...to holding your breath and wondering if you can make it through one more moment...one more hour...one more day...


What do you do when you're really in pain? Of course you know what I'm going to say....you chant...but HOW do you chant? 


The real answer is so easy...ANY WAY YOU CAN. 


Chant from your heart. Tell the Gohonzon (your life) what you feel....and chant as long and as hard as you can...Chant that you will SOMEHOW be able to realize the power of your own life....that you will SOMEHOW reach deep into your life...and find the strength you know is there and turn POISON INTO MEDICINE even if, at the time you don't truly believe it is possible. 


When you are really struggling, really in pain...sometimes even one daimoku, one Nam Myoho Renge Kyo feels impossible. But don't give up! That's the important thing! Even if you don't see the result right away...even if you feel NO RELIEF, don't give up. All those prayers are going deep into your life so that the true benefit (which you can't see now...and maybe don't even know what it is)...will emerge. 


And remember...chant for what you want. The most powerful prayer you have it based on your true desire....don't worry whether it is right or wrong...just chant from your heart!!! As long and as hard as you can. And there's nothing wrong with sounding the Buddhist alarm and asking your Buddha Buddies to chant for you too. Sometimes that is just what we need...that extra pillow of support. 


Above all DO NOT GIVE UP>>>>>>> Keep Chanting!!! Do Not Give UP !!! And your life will shine!!!!

Living the Life of my Dreams! And You can too!!!

This practice WORKS!!!!


I am living the life of my dreams!!!!


It's the holiday season...I just bought a dress for a party that I just can't even believe I can wear...and I have party after party to go to....and wonderful people to share my life with....


And every morning...every single morning...no matter where I am on the planet I sit down, chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and connect with the force of the universe I possess. 


It is amazing. 


I hope you are experiencing the same excitement and happiness in your life....each moment effortlessly flows from one to another....and anytime there is a snag...a painful thought...or something I see that I don't like in the world...well, I sit and chant about that too...because I know my prayers make a difference. 


In times like this, when I am happy beyond measure...I chant to fully open and appreciate each and every moment....I chant to savor every single person I am with. I chant to be the appreciative spirit I already am! 


And I know that I am at this wonderful place in my life because I have chanted through every kind of suffering you can imagine. I have chanted to be the victor in my life. I have chanted to WIN so that every person reading my blog, and every person I meet every day...and all the people in my district can be inspired. My life HAS to be happy I tell the Gohonzon (which is, of course, my Buddhist scroll, but more importantly, it is my life itself) that I HAVE to be happy so that I can inspire others that this kind of happiness is possible. 


And I am here to tell you that it is possible. I don't envy ANYONE!!!! I HAVE the life of my dreams and it is getting better every single day. 


Come along with me. Chant to join prayers with your mentor Daisaku Ikeda. Chant to make the difference on this planet that you want to see. 


Don't give up!!!!! Enjoy your life !!!! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!!!