Your Prayers are the Most Important

Occasionally I get requests from people for me to chant for them. I am always chanting for all of you and for each one who writes in, but YOUR prayers are the most important. I am not a "Better Buddhist" and my prayers may be heartfelt, yes, but your prayers are the exact ones that you need to penetrate your life. 

You are the Buddha. You are the one carrying forth a dialogue with your life when you chant. Your prayers are important. Each time you chant you are setting your wings towards the sun, just like in the picture above. You are moving towards your own bright horizon. 

Here's a Power Prayer I've been chanting lately to make every one of my actions count:

Power Prayer to Change Your Karma:

"I chant to connect with the life force of my mentor Daisaku Ikeda, and to see the world through his eyes, and connect my heart to his heart....to have the same passion and depth of prayer that he does for all of humanity. I chant that every single one of my thoughts, feelings and actions I take today will be the absolute BEST causes I can make for my life and for all of life. I chant to be able to encourage people from the depths of my heart so I that they can be en-couraged to strengthen their faith and practice and become happy. I pray that every one of my actions leads to kosen-rufu and a world of respect for all beings.  I fill my heart with appreciation!" 

Julia Rises into her Own Buddhahood. An inspiring experience to read and share

The Great Repair Shop of the Human Heart. 

"It is the same with a Buddha and an ordinary being. When deluded, one is called an ordinary being, but when enlightened, one is called a Buddha. This is similar to a tarnished mirror that will shine like a jewel when polished. A mind now clouded by the illusions of the innate darkness of life is like a tarnished mirror, but when polished, it is sure to become like a clear mirror reflecting the essential nature of phenomena [i.e. the Dharma nature] and the true aspect of reality...

...Arouse deep faith and diligently polish your mirror day and night. How should you polish it? Only by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. ~ Nichiren Daishonin (WND-1 p. 4)

I have been chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and studying the teachings that elucidate the central philosophy of the Lotus Sutra for nearly three years now. What is the key or central element to that philosophy? That each of our lives contains the seeds of Buddhahood and that an exalted state of life is ours as soon as we come to realize, support, and harmonize our lives with this indelible fact. 
Click "read more" below to see the rest of Julia's experience:

What Does Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Mean?

~ And why does chanting these words have such a profound effect on each person?  

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, to those of us who wake each day and chant these words, is the means to put our lives in rhythm with the universe and bring out our own highest and best qualities. Life itself is a duality, and each one of us has choices to make at every moment of the day. Chanting these words help us to "true" our choices in a way that leads us to greater happiness.  

It is a law, the mystic (unfathomable) law. And it works whether we believe it or not. But please, don't take my words for it. If you're new to chanting I have several blogposts on how to chant. You can find them in the archive section. The link to the SGI-USA Portal (to the right) has listings of centers in your area where there are wonderful SGI members who would love to answer your questions and help you learn this practice.
Click "read more" below to see the rest of this post:

What is ChantforHappiness.com?

Welcome to ChantforHappiness.com. 

This blog is about living a life with renewed enthusiasm, determination and hope. It's about using the daily practice of chanting the words Nam-myoho Renge Kyo to bring about our own human revolution by tapping into the boundless energy of the universe that has always existed within our lives, and in everything else that exists. 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the name of the current, and the rhythm, that runs through all things. When we chant we tell our inner lives what we want. We do not chant to a god or anything outside of ourselves.  Some of us continue practicing other religions as well, and adopt a daily practice of chanting. 

We don't have to believe chanting works. It is the law of the universe based on cause and effect, and chanting is the ultimate good cause.

Never Giving Up Leads to Great Benefit

Sometimes it feels like we're not progressing as quickly as we'd like in our lives, right? Sometimes it feels like we're chanting and making causes, and even though we see the effects of our high life-condition from our daily chanting, we still have challenges that are persisting, or dreams we have not yet realized.

At these times it is especially important to persist in our practice. 

At these times we need to dedicate our minds, our hearts and our prayers even harder. We need to continue chanting twice a day...continue marching along the path of mentor and disciple...and continue making good causes, sharing this practice, and keeping the flame of hope burning in our hearts. 

Sure, it's great to get major benefits every single day, but is this really realistic? I know I see benefit every day in the raising of my life condition, and the pure joy I experience in chanting, but there are some days I just have to persist no matter what. Just like you.

Trust Your Life ~ Stop Worrying

Trust Your Prayer ~ Trust Your Life

Every morning you and I have a unique opportunity to connect with the life force of the universe through doing Gongyo (reciting the words of the Buddha from the Lotus Sutra) and chanting Daimoku, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 

Every morning we can access the full power of the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that is within us and all living beings. We can tune our lives to the rhythm of the universe and keep moving forward in a positive direction.

In "Faith Into Action" Daisaku Ikeda states (page 115):

"If we don't practice gongyo the rhythm of our lives will be thrown off-kilter, just as a machine that isn't oiled will rust. Gongyo and chanting daimoku are like starting an automobile's engine every day and driving it in the direction of happiness and truth. By doing so day after day you will gradually attain perfect unity with the universe, the and the law, the state of the Buddha."

How you do gongyo, your attitude is also important. My leaders in San Francisco used to say "Fall in love with gongyo...look forward to doing it...see it as a moment of absolute happiness in your life...generate that kind of feeling when you chant", and I have adopted that attitude as my own. 

Click "Read More" below to see the rest: 

Encouraging Ourselves When We are Down

 It's in the 20's here in Chicago. It's sunny, 

windy and cold...

and April first! 

Here are a few strategies for when you are down:

1. Chant lots of daimoku. That's always where I start. Then I use the following resources:

2. Call a friend in faith for encouragement. I have a pretty long list of relationships that I have cultivated. Over the years it has been my goal to establish deep rooted friendships with many of my fellow practitioners. I find people who inspire me and chant to develop friendships with them. Your friends in faith are your greatest treasure. If you don't have any you can chant with a goal to establish friends in faith. If you reach out to your leaders they will help you. 

3. Go to the Gosho. I always keep the Gosho close. I have it all marked up with my favorite quotes.  I open to any page and start reading. I also go to my favorites. 

In "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon" you find the quote: 

"A woman who devotes herself to the Gohonzon invites happiness in this life, and in the next, the Gohonzon will be with her and protect her always. Like a Lantern in the dark, like a strong, supporting arm on a treacherous path, the Gohonzon will protect you, Lady Nichingyo, wherever you go. 

"Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself, The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. " 

And from "The One Essential Phrase": 

"Fire can be produced by a stone taken from the bottom of a river, and a candle can light up a place that has been dark for billions of years. If even the most ordinary things of this world are such wonders, then how much more wondrous is the power of the mystic law?"

4. Read President Ikeda's Guidance. You can find it on the web under Ikedaquotes.org, or through the link on the right side of this blog. 

5. Go back and chant again with renewed faith in the power of your own life. 

6. Drink more water, get fresh air and exercise!