Burn With Ever Brighter Spirit!

I have huge challenges now! Huge. Bigger than ever. I am burning bright as the sun because I am embracing these challenges and I am determined to WIN. Not just for myself...but for YOU...and my district, for kosen-rufu and for the world. The problems I face are the problems people are facing all over. I MUST defeat them. I must use them to fuel my growth and to help people. I am a warrior for happiness...a warrior for kosen-rufu. I burn with the spirit of my mentor Daisaku Ikeda, and I AM Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and so are YOU!

The second Gosho I ever studied and studied and studied is "A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering" by Nichiren Daishonin. In it, he makes it clear that our problems are actually our benefits because the more problems we have the more we will strengthen our lives. And the stronger our lives become the happier we are. The happier we are, the more we can help others. And happiness is contagious. Our happiness leads to kosen-rufu...our happiness SPREADS. Our happiness is IMPORTANT. 

In America we have a couple of phrases that represent this. One is: "Happy Wife, Happy Life." Smart husbands say this, because they know it is true. Another is "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" and that's true too, isn't it!

A happy wife makes a happy husband. A happy wife and mother creates a happy home. A happy home creates a happy neighborhood. A happy neighborhood leads to a happy world. Your happiness is important. In Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism we create our own happiness. We are responsible for turning poison into benefit. And we have the ultimate tool to do it! We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in front of the mirror of our lives, the Gohonzon. We are fortunate indeed. 

This is one of my favorite quotes from the Gosho "A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering:" "In the Latter Day of the Law (now), the Votary of the Lotus Sutra (us), will appear without fail. The greater the hardships befalling him, the greater the delight he feels, because of his strong faith. Doesn't a fire burn more briskly when logs are added? " and...by extension, our problems cause us to chant and make new determinations. These new determinations strengthen our lives. We forge our own humanity and strength through having problems and defeating them one by one by one. 

President Ikeda says: 
"Instead of becoming discouraged by setbacks or changes of our circumstances, we need to lift ourselves up and take on new challenges with even greater energy. The important thing is that we remain true to the goal we have pledged to achieve that we burn with ever brighter fighting spirit to win in the end."
 (April 5 World Tribune, p.3,)

Creating Financial Fortune

In "My Dear Friends in America" there is an essay by Daisaku Ikeda called "Our Attitude Changes Everything." Here are some of his insights into Financial Fortune:

"When you clearly envision a victorious outcome, engrave it in your heart and are firmly convinced that you will attain it, your brain makes every effort to realize the mental image you have created. Then, through your unceasing efforts, that victory is finally made a reality. 

Andrew Carnegie was born into a family so poor that they couldn't afford to call a midwife to assist at his birth, but by death he had accumulated $400 million. It is difficult to calculate the equivalent value today. 

Carnegie believed in returning his earnings to society. He contributed $60 million to the creation of public libraries and $78 million to improving the educational system. When all his contributions are totaled they amount to $365 million. This is equivalent to a contribution of one million dollars a day for an entire year!
Incidentally, Carnegie's philosophy of victory was that a cheerful personality is more important than wealth. The human heart, he insisted, is just like the body. It should not remain in the shade but should move to a place in the sun. When we face difficulties, we should laugh at them. Carnegie called on everyone to walk out into the sunshine. 
Always turning our hearts to the sun - that kind of life will bring victory, according to Carnegie. As a child he would often tell his impoverished mother: "Mother I promise that someday I will buy you a silk dress. I will make sure that you have servants and your own carriage to go out in."
This determination, this mind of Carnegie's became a force for invincible effort and infinite wisdom in life. His mother also believed in her son's future, believed without the slightest doubt. "I know you will become a great person," she said to him. 
Carnegie never dreamed of the possibility of failure. That is why he could march forward without fear. His energy and confidence were contagious. A story of victory unfolded around Carnegie, with him as its central character.

The Positive Life View Within a Single Moment

You are the playwright of your own victory. You are also the play's hero. Shakespeare wrote, "All the world's a stage. / And all the men and women are merely players. (from As You Like It, act II, scene vii, line 139)

Buddhism teaches us that the individual writes and performs the script of his or her own life. Neither chance nor a divine being writes it for us...

To the Coward Everything is Impossible

Sir Walter Scott wrote that everything is impossible to the coward. Why? Because he sees everything as impossible." 

Generous Hearts Invite Great Happiness

The most important thing is to develop our states of life. When human beings think of nothing but themselves, they increasingly become entrenched in small-mindedness and their small, lesser selves. 
In contrast, those who work toward a great and all-encompassing objective - for the sake of the law, for others, for society - can forge generous hearts and great, magnanimous selves through the mystic function of their minds. Those with big hearts are assured of savoring great happiness."

Daisaku Ikeda is incredibly wise, learned and insightful. I hope we can all take the time every day to read his words.  

An now I am going to chant, and I leave you with a song and hope in your hearts. You are magnificent. Chant your song. Chant your life. Live cheerfully today and every day. And never give up! 

Exert Your All

People shouldn't hesitate to exert their all, 
in a way true to themselves. 
How can you possibly ever know 
how far or fast you can go 
if you've never run all-out? 
To give up even before you've tried 
is actually arrogance - 
an affront to the wondrous power of life within you 
and disrespectful to yourself." 

Sincere Efforts...

Forging Steel-Like Determination - "I WILL WIN!" PowerPrayer

I received this question at chantforhappiness@gmail.com:
"Is it possible to write a few points about these concepts - "itai doshin" and about courage, conviction and confidence?"

Well, "itai doshin"  is, as many of you know, "Many in body, one in mind" It comes from working side-by-side your fellow SGI members to create a peaceful, respectful world of kosen-rufu. It is the fuel for Kosen Rufu and a happy world. Chanting for the happiness of all your SGI friends, getting to know them, and practicing for others leads to itai-doshin. These are not merely empty words. We can't be gossiping about others, or complaining. We have to realize that we are all connected...and that when we slander another member we slander ourselves. We are here to make positive causes not negative ones. We don't have to "like" every single person...but we can stand up for their happiness in our hearts. 
And Courage, conviction and confidence come from our strong prayer in front of the Gohonzon - in front of our lives...with every moment of Daimoku we can strengthen our courage, conviction and confidence!

Read this PowerPrayer before chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and fuell your own determination as you chant!

Forging Steel-like Determination

PowerPrayer for Winning - 

No Matter What!

I will win, 

I will WIN

I WILL WIN!

No matter what

by forging my steel-like determination

I AM Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

I strengthen my life force!

I increase the power of my prayer by 10,000 times! 

I cast away my worries

and fill my mind and heart with positive messages. 

I can do it~ 

I can do anything~ 

No matter how daunting 

my situation may become

I will never give in

something deep in my heart has changed.

I will win over________________________________

I will achieve victory in_________________________

I will not give up on___________________________

I will report victory in__________________________

And I will not give up!

I am definitely going to win

I am absolutely going to make it happen!

(Note from Jamie - please keep records of your victories...make note of how the PowerPrayers have fueled your fire, and you may be in my next book of Success Stories! email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com)

The Biggest Obstacle...a great quote by Daisaku Ikeda

PowerPrayer for Changing Your Karma and doing your Human Revolution!

This is an excerpt from my upcoming book 

The BuddhaZone, PowerPrayers for Chanting for Your Absolute Happiness:

Treasures of the Heart

Section 1: PowerPrayers for Human Revolution. 

In Nichiren Buddhism it all begins and ends with you. 

You are the one who has power in your life. 

And YOU are the one who can change any karma into mission and any poison into medicine. 

When you change internally, your environment and everything in it changes. 

The world is a mirror of your thoughts, deeds, and feelings. 

When you “do your Human Revolution” you bring forth your sparkling and brilliant Buddhahood from within. With continued practice and focus your entire existence becomes the Buddha world - where everything works to your benefit and you see the workings of the perfection of your life, and you revel in every minute, even the challenging ones.  The purpose of life is Happiness. Having a resilient spirit, and possessing the knowledge that YES, every poison can be changed into a benefit, and that your life, every moment, has profound meaning...well...THIS is absolute Happiness. And available to you through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in the manner we have described. This begins your journey:

(Note to readers: PowerPrayers are meant to be read before chanting to increase focus and aim your prayer like a sharp arrow toward the bullseye of your desires.)

PowerPrayer for Human Revolution

Adapted by Jamie and Julia from For Today and Tomorrow, Daily Encouragement, By Daisaku Ikeda. November 17th 

"Only if you challenge your human revolution in a manner that is true to yourself will the people around you naturally begin to trust and respect you. That in itself is the greatest way of laying the groundwork for the spread of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism." ~ Daisaku Ikeda

PowerPrayer for Human Revolution

I am doing my Human Revolution! 

I am determined to make any changes necessary 

in my thoughts, 

in my actions, 

in the way that I chant 

and to make every thought, word or deed 

a positive cause every moment of every day. 

As I chant I am rooting the negative karma OUT OF MY LIFE! 

I am determined to make the changes inside myself, 

to change any weakness within me into strengths...

I change this karma now for me and for all my family:

(Fill in the blank below of what karma you are determined to change - you do not have to know WHY you have this karma; you do not have to figure it out...all you need to do it chant to ROOT IT OUT of your life forever!) 

___________________________________________________

I now do my own human revolution 

and raise my life condition! 

I am determined to change in any way necessary to make ___________ happen!

Life! 

I am bringing the determination, wisdom and fire I need 

to create the life of my dreams. 

I AM NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO! 

I AM ROARING LIKE A LION IN MY OWN LIFE! 

I WILL CREATE MY LIFE! 

I do this not only for me, but for everyone who is suffering. 

I am determined to glow within my own life. 

I am a shining light for all who are suffering. 

I am a beacon of hope 

that ANYONE can solve their problems 

by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. 

I am ready to meet people 

who are ready to hear about this practice!  

I chant to have the most inspiring life. 

Gohonzon (my life) I demand to see these results now!"