Those of us who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and tap into our highest life condition every single day live lives of HOPE.
As long as we keep practicing we will never be defeated. With every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo we chant, the sun of hope rises in our lives.
If, even for a moment we lose hope, we know exactly where to go. We can call a fellow SGI member, we can open the writings of Nichiren Daishonin and be reminded that "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion, what sickness can therefore be an obstacle?" (WND).
We can read the writings of Daisaku Ikeda, and we can, once again, sit down to chant with a refreshed mind and renew our spirit of hope. We are never deadlocked. We are never caught in a storm whose winds will never cease...we will never be alone in an eternal winter.
Remember that there is no problem bigger than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and you have the power within you to change any suffering.
At last night's Gosho Lecture someone asked "What is the world of heaven in the world of Hell? How can the world of hell be imbued with the ten worlds?" And the answer is this: In the world of Hell you can give rise to a FIERCE DETERMINATION to change your life. You can say "This is it life! Time for me to change this life! I know I can do it!" and then set yourself a plan.
There is no change without action. How much will you devote to changing your life? How much can you chant...
An important key is this:
The more you chant the easier it is to chant. It's like revving the engine of your life, and once it gets going it wants to keep going. Once you get on a roll you'll be thinking "Oh. I can't WAIT to get back in front of my Gohonzon! I can't WAIT to chant about this and change it!"
You are so powerful. There is nothing you can't do if you have hope and put that hope into action.
Your Happiness starts with you, with your conviction, with your hope and with your power prayer. You can choose happiness in life. But it takes energy to do this!
How much are you going to put into making your vision a reality?
I'm getting a quite a few emails from people who want to change their lives, but are not able or willing to put in the effort that it takes to establish a strong practice.
The Positive Psychologists talk about something called Activation Energy - that is the "start up" energy that is required get something started. Establishing your solid practice requires "Activation Energy" and once this is established you are, as I say, "on a roll". It will affect all areas of my life. But please, don't take my word for it. This is something you must DO to experience.
I remember when I was concentrating on this activation energy. I knew that the more energy I put into my practice, the less energy I had to use in my daily life. Forcing myself to chant made the rest of the day flow. I had SGI members come and chant with me at night and in the morning for awhile to help me establish this rhythm. (Thank you Dolores and San Francisco members!)
Here's what it takes:
Strong Desire - write your goals
Connecting with the SGI, or having a desire to connect with the SGI and including this in your prayers.
Keeping to a schedule (even if a bit flexible) of chanting twice a day every day.
Then studying the Gosho and President Ikeda's guidance and sharing this practice with others.
This is the formula for happiness - and you can do it!
No one can do this for you. You are the only one who can change your karma and the best thing is
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR KARMA.
You CAN do this.
You CAN be Happy
But you have to do it! No one can do it for you. Once you establish the daily rhythm you WILL notice a difference, unless you are eroding your life by constant complaining and "why me-ing". Find a way to replace the complaints in your mind with appreciation. Your practice will help you to do this. Your thoughts will turn to thoughts of appreciation naturally if you devote yourself to your practice, in other words, to your own life.
Your happiness is incredibly important in so many ways. It is your birthright, it is your mission, and your happiness makes the world a better place.
Of course your actions make a difference:
Smiling at another is a cause for your (and their) happiness. Do you know they've done tests and the people you smile at actually register a higher level of happiness just by being smiled at? And your brain registers happiness just by smiling. Isn't that wonderful?
Power Prayer for Happiness:
Life! I am determined to build a life of happiness! I am determined to chant every day - twice a day from now on! I am determined to use ALL my problems as fuel for creating victory in all areas of my life. I will be happy, healthy, successful and have great and fulfilling relationships! I am determined to strengthen my practice, to chant every day twice a day. I WILL do this.
When we don't know exactly where to go or what to do - we can rely on our own inner wisdom, our lives.
It is perfectly fine to chant without a plan. It is really magical sometimes to just open up your heart when you chant and not to have a specific agenda or list.
I know, I know, I am always saying to focus on what you want. And that is true. But aren't there times when you just don't know what to chant? That is okay. Chant anyway. Just chant from your heart and let your thoughts flow. Daisaku Ikeda says to just chant naturally.
In Faith in Action under "Prayer" (p, 153) he states;
"Being human, it's natural for our minds to wander, for all sorts of thoughts to surface during prayer. You can share all those thoughts with the Gohonzon. There is no set form or pattern for how we should pray. Buddhism empahsizes being natural. Therefore, simply chant earnestly without pretense, jsut as you are. In time, your faith develops, you'll find it easier to focus your mind when you chant."
How do you know when you're chanting enough Daimoku - enough Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?
When you have no fear, when you are happy, when all obstacles look like opportunities, not problems, THAT'S when you are chanting enough Daimoku.
If you are afraid, or worried...or troubled, it's time to sit down and chant more. Chant for peace of mind. Chant to be happy and serene. Chant to have victory in all areas of your life.
I know sometimes it's hard. I know it's difficult to focus, and sometimes the people around us are interrupting us and wanting our attention. I know it can be hard to put that cell phone down and focus on your own life and chant with all your heart.
But my promise, and Nichiren Daishonin's promise, and Daisaku Ikeda's promise is this ~ you CAN become happy...happier than you ever imagined...if you devote yourself to this practice. There is no doubt.
But the key is - you have to do it! No one else can purify your life besides you. No one can chant for you like YOU can chant for you. You are the only one. And you would not be reading this blog if you were not capable of chanting your happiness into being.
You can do it. You absolutely can be happy. You must summon the power within your life with the most incredible key of life...Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Just like the cartoon shows...go directly towards what you want and don't turn back.
The famous Gosho quote says "The journey from Kamakura to Kyoto takes twelve days. If you travel for eleven but stop with only one day remaining, how can you admire the moon over the capital?" WND p. 1027.
If you need money chant for money. Chant for what is in your heart at all times.
Chant to show actual proof of this practice by getting what you want and being able to inspire others. When you base your prayers on the greater good, your prayers are that much more powerful. You have the power within you to make your dreams come true, and to change into the exact person you need to be to fulfill them. Your daily practice of Buddhism is the direct road to your happiness in all ways. You are the Buddha. Claim your benefit by putting your practice first!
In honor of Soka Mother's Day I post this picture of my own sweet Mommy and her beloved boys, Aaron, Ben and Tyler.
Below is the poem Daisaku Ikeda wrote about his own mother. I first read this on a plaque at FNCC in 2010 and it still moves me to grateful tears.
Mother
By Daisaku Ikeda
Mother, what a wondrous, nourishing power you have!
Were it not for you in this world,
People would lose the earth to return to,
And wander for all eternity.
Mother, our mother.
Persevering through the storm,
You offered prayers in sadness.
I pray you will stay in good health until the day
When all your wishes are fulfilled,
And, as though endowed with wings,
you take flight toward the heavens.
Mother, with your ideas and wisdom,
I hope you will perform a melody of peace on the earth,
Where people look forward to the arrival of spring.
Thus, you will become the mother of the Century of Humanity
