Thank You Sooooo Much!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. 

Do you have ANY idea how courageous, how strong, how loving and wonderful you are? 

I have received countless emails this week encouraging ME. 

Encouraging me...for encouraging you! You see that I am going through some amazing challenges...really the biggest challenge of my life so far, and you are encouraging me. You are sending warm words of hope and sending your updates on how the Worldwide Million Daimoku Campaign is going for you. Thanks!

As one of you noted, Sensei says that those who can encourage others, even while going through their own firestorms...they are the greatest of people. (I paraphrase here, but I'm sure you've seen the quote) And each of us noble Bohisattvas of the earth have that power. 

Thank you! 

Did you know that the readership of this blog is now at 30k a month? My goal is 50k by November 18th! Thank you for helping! 

I know it is because of each one of you forwarding the url (chantforhappiness@blogspot.com, or chantforhappiness.com)  to your fellow members or shakubuku. 
Did you notice that there are icons below each post? You can forward your favorite posts via email, facebook, or twitter. And I have a new twitter account: Chant for Happiness@JamieLeeSilver.
I just found out how to work twitter recently and I'm still learning. You can follow me there if you like. I occasionally when I am about to chant and you can join me. 

It's not too late to join the Million Daimoku Campaign  - email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com to let me know you're in! Also send me your goals (if you wish), questions, challenges, Victories and pictures. I won't ever print anything on this blog without your written permission. 

And if you'd like to know more about talking to me on the phone send an email to chantforhappiness.com. Have a great day!  

A Buddhist joke from the UK for you

Morag Waghouse sent me this from the UK today. Thanks Morag! Enjoy!

The Daimoku Parrot

 
Fred walks into a pet shop and wants to buy a parrot.  the salesman show him two and says this mynah bird has an extensive vocabulary and is $1000.  This green one has less words but whistles a tune and is £500. Fred looks at them and spots a little green parrot in the corner, marked at $10. "What's up with that one?" he asks.  The salesman sighs and says 'He only says the one thing over and over, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."  Fred decides he'll risk it and buys it on the spot.  
He takes it home feeds and waters it, gives it some toys and chews...the parrot settles down very happily and in between feeding and playing, constantly chants nam-myoho-renge-kyo.  
From that day Fred's life changed. He got a promotion at work, a great new girl friend, he was healthy and very happy...the benefits were constant, almost overwhelming..and all the while the parrot chanted and chanted.  One day he passes the pet shop and the salesman recognized him. -"How's that parrot?" he asked...Fred replied "Well its fantastic. Since I got him my life has been transformed.  Every now and again I could do with a rest from the chanting....is there a way to shut him up?"  
The salesman looks shifty so Fred presses him "Go on, there must be a way."  The salesman sighs again, 'Well it makes a change anyway...all you have to do is ring this bell 3 times."

Fred buys the bell and takes it home.  As he walks in the parrot pauses chanting and looks interestedly at the bell.  Fred settles down and rings the bell.  There is a long pause as the parrot takes a big breath:
"Myoho renge kyo hoben pon di ne, niji sezon......."

Channel Our Energy Towards Winning~!

Through Winning Over Ourselves We Change the World

It all comes down to us. 
How deeply can we dig in our lives to overcome OUR OWN "war" within us? How much can we truly tap into the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that exists within us and within everything? 
If everything around us is a reflection of who we are, and a reflection of our very lives, then WE possess the power to change everything. Don't we? Yes. As long as we don't blame anyone or anything for our problems. And as long as we practice correctly - chanting twice a day, encouraging others, going to SGI meetings and studying. 

We must keep realizing that the problem, the challenge, the negativity ~ is within our own lives. NOT OUT THERE. But that's GOOD NEWS because we possess the ultimate tool to change it, we belong to the incredible SGI (which is full of mentors and bodhisattvas who are also challenging their karma), and we have Daisaku Ikeda as a living mentor to show us how it is done. We are so fortunate!  

Even my son's illness. I know. It is his illness, but I can transform it through my prayers. And not just for me. Not just for him...but for everyone...
I've often talked about how each of us are standing in front of the door of our own karma, problems, challenges. Behind us are many, many others with the same problems just waiting for us to open the door with our powerful daimoku! When we open the door...everyone can stream through. 

We are THAT powerful!

I am often reminded of the hundred monkey story. Do you know that one? I may get a few details wrong but I hope you get the idea. Apparently there were several islands with monkeys. They were not connected by land. One monkey got the bright idea to wash his potato in the water before he ate it, so he didn't have to crunch on sand and dirt. Soon other monkeys on his island were also washing their potatoes...and after a certain amount of monkeys on one island were washing their potatoes, suddenly the monkeys on other island began washing their potatoes too. Somehow, through the web of life, the new concept spread and became available to all the monkeys. Do you see the connection?

I know when I chant and overcome my problems it is not just for me. Because of the interconnectivity of life (dependent origination) when I change my karma, ALL karma is changed. I believe this is the basis behind Kosen Rufu as well. And when we chant with the understanding that changing OUR problem will impact everyone...I think that is when we connect with our power the most deeply. 

Buddhism is advanced life study. That's what it is. As I always say, it is not for the faint of heart. it is not for sissies. Buddhism requires the courage and the ichinen (courage and will put into action) to tackle life's problems head on and not run from them. Sure, somethimes we think it may be easier to ignore or deny our problems, or to take a drink or use some drug to change things (and I am not advocating against prescription drugs here - they can be very useful. I am talking about recreational drugs). But we have to know that those things will not solve our problems. We need to face them head on. 

I just arose from two solid hours of daimoku (chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo). I was glued to the Gohonzon (scroll we focus on when we chant that represents our highest life condition- the life of the Buddha). I'm sure you know that kind of daimoku...the kind where the time flies, and you KNOW that you have impacted your world and the universe through your prayer. 

I was chanting that through my daimoku this very morning that I impact my son's health karma. I chanted to use my life to impact him. I told those shoten zenjin (protective forces of the universe) that they had better protect me and my family. We are votaries of the Lotus Sutra. They MUST respond to my prayers and protect my son with the BEST help and practitioners for his illness. And I chanted to light up my brain with wisdom and clarity...to rid my mind of confusion so that I know exactly what to do to help him in this challenging time. I chanted to stay strong, and BE THE BUDDHA at all times. I am the BUDDHA of my family. I must be courageous, strong and confident! 

As always, email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com with your challenges, successes and comments. Let me know if you're interested in setting up a private coaching call. 
All my best to YOU!

When One Sun Rises.....

                    When One Sun Rises....
                           Everything is Illuminated ~ Sensei

YOU are the Hero of Your Own Life!

"It is important to have a long-range view. No great achievement is accomplished overnight or without difficulty. Should benefit be obtained easily, without our making serious efforts in our Buddhist practice, we'd probably easily abandon our faith and end up miserable. "

Daisaku Ikeda, Faith in Action page 145, under perseverance.

Yes, even though we might not like this, it is true. We do need to have a long range view. Yesterday I wrote about my overcoming my suffering where men were concerned. I talked about a certain 4 hour tozo where I yanked the karma of suffering over men out of my life by its very roots. This whole process did not happen overnight. I had to suffer for quite some time until I finally got to the point where I could pray THAT deeply...I had to go through the pain until I was absolutely DONE with that pain. It gave me the power to pray as if I were making fire from a stone. I had to build my life to the point of RESOLVE. Pure RESOLVE. 

Each of us can get to that point in our lives. But it is a building process. I love this quote:

"Buddhism teaches us that the individual writes and performs the script for his or her own life. Neither chance nor a divine being writes the script for us. We write it, and we are the actors who play it. This is an extremely positive philosophy, inherent in the teaching of 3,000 realms in a single moment of life. You are the author and the hero. To perform your play well, it is important to pound the script into your head so thoroughly that you can see it vividly before your eyes. You may need to rehearse in your mind. Sometimes it helps to write down your goals, copying them over and over and over until they are inscribed within your heart. 
Daisaku Ikeda, Faith in Action, page 35, under Goals. 

So we need to persevere and trust our process. 

Sensei says:
'Because life is long, you should not be impatient. What matters most is that you embrace the Gohonzon throughout your life. It is vitally important to continually challenge yourself to chant even a little more daimoku and to pray before the Gohonzon for the fulfillment of your desires."
Faith in Action page 145. 

Our daily practice provides the building blocks and the foundation for us to be strong in difficult times. As I have mentioned I have a difficult time going on right now, as do many of you. The important thing is for us all to keep persevering, keep studying, keep encouraging others and keep taking action in our lives! 

Last night we had a wonderful hour tozo (chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) at my house and spent some time in discussion of our benefits and challenges. How I love my Gakkai family. I hope each of you are etablishing loving Gakkai families in your lives. You can click on the SGI portal on the right to be connected, or email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com and I will do all I can to help. 

Everything is Born From Hope