Sensei's Guidance ~ Be Ourselves When We Chant

Friday
21st February
FAITH can be either strong or weak, deep or shallow. 
Only through strong, deep faith
can one develop great joy and great confidence.
He/she can also make himself/herself shine 
throughout his/her life with such faith.


THE issue of birth and death is the most important issue
for human beings, for whom death is inescapable. 
Only when we base ourselves on a true view of life 
- one which clarifies this problem of birth and death - 
can we have a proper perspective on life, 
society and the world.


A person whose heart is continually swayed 
by such occurrences as becoming a leader, 
failing to do so, being strictly scolded, or warmly praised, cannot be said to have faith; nor can a person who takes
his/her position or status for granted and grows decadent.


REVERE the Gohonzon as the fundamental basis of your life, reach out to it and take your problems to it 
as naturally as a child reaches to his/her mother.
When you are suffering or when you are sad, 
there is no need to put on a good face 
or pretend everything is alright; 
just chant daimoku exactly as you are, 
unreservedly giving expression to the feelings in your heart.

THOUGH we may seem to be chanting alone, 
we are not. 
As we chant, untold billions of heavenly deities 
are facing the Gohonzon with us.
In this way, 
the protective forces of the universe assemble en masse
and work to safeguard each one of you, 
manifesting in your environment
as the actions of the people near you, 
the actions of your friends and fellow members.

Akema Bailey-Haynie's Family Experience ~ One Change in Our Hearts Can Transform our Lives ~

In the February Living Buddhism magazine there is an article about Faith for a Harmonious Family with a section written by our new National Women's Division Leader Akemi Bailey-Haynie. 

She said that when she was 17, she and her sister were working on activities in 1980 to welcome President Ikeda to Chicago for the 'Capture the Spirit Festival." Their father showed up drunk, clinging to the wall, and screaming at her and her sister. The two of them were crying in embarrassment and despair. 

"When we spoke to a senior in faith, he encouraged us to use prayer to transform how we felt about our father. It was perhaps our first lesson in the "oneness of life and its environment.

"That night, my sister and I prayed sincerely about this point and were able to summon our appreciation for even having a father. As if responding to the transformation that occurred in our lives, the next morning we found our father sitting at the kitchen table, cleanly shaven and wearing a suit, reading the newspaper. We could not believe our eyes! He signed up to attend Alcoholics Anonymous that day, and everything began to change from there. 

"It took years of practice for me to realize that, because my father terrorized our home, he guaranteed our absolute happiness. He taught me that I could transform anything with faith." 

When Bad Things Happen to Good People - A Buddhist Determination of Victory!

Mt Fuji  ~ the Sun will Rise

Storms happen in every life. The rain comes down. It is inevitable. We can't stop it. But we can choose how we respond. We all know this. Our response is our Buddha nature at work. Our Buddha nature comes forth when the rains and storms roll into our lives.  

The rain came down on me earlier this week. There was nothing I could do to stop the rain. Sometimes there is nothing any of us can do. But we have to realize the central issue is NOT in stopping the rain. It is how we cope, how we deal with the storm as it is happening...how we deal with the aftermath...how we work it out in the midst of the storm, and how we keep our determination strong, our life strong, and our spirit strong. And also, how our life rises up to support us during this time. All those things represent "Inconspicuous benefits..." benefits from chanting that emerge when we need them most. 

I know one thing that is not helpful...and that is the "WHY ME" rant. Buddhas do not rail at the sky and say "WHY ME? What have I done to deserve this?" No. That is the cry of the victim. No matter how hard the rain comes down, we are never victims. Unless we choose to be. Whenever we choose to be victims we lose all our powers. As a Buddha we can choose to say "Yes Me! I Summoned this storm! Through THIS STORM I will further unleash and reveal my power as a Buddha! I will get stronger and stronger. I will be able to make MORE of a difference in people's lives for having weathered this storm. I will WIN!" 

I can't exactly say what happened to me this week, except to say I feel I stared into the eyes of the devil of the sixth heaven himself. But he is no match for a Buddha like me. I calmly took one action after another with complete composure and wisdom. All the prayers I have prayed for wisdom, all the prayers I have prayed for presence of mind and to be fully in the moment...all those prayers to be able to listen, to understand, and to make swift, decisive choices all came to the rise at exactly the crucial moment. 

Today I post a picture of Mt. Fuji. Strong, resilient. Weather - LIFE - swirls around Mt. Fuji. Does it curse against the sky? No. Does it say "Why me?" No. This week I choose to be Mt. Fuji. At the crucial moment I didn't need to ask for advice. I just knew the correct course of action and took it. I did call my Buddhist friends in faith and request that they chant. 

And there is no doubt in my mind that the glorious story of my life...the one President Ikeda always talks about all of us having...how we are the protagonist in our own stories... I am in the process of adding another story of victory to my life...one that is still unfolding, and that nothing...nothing can defeat me. 

Whatever the storms that are raging in all of our lives...it is my prayer, and the prayer of every Buddha, for ALL of us to arise as the Buddhas we are...for all of us to embrace whatever karma we face, and say 
"I AM THE BUDDHA! YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR ME! 
I WILL BE VICTORIOUS NO MATTER WHAT."

Daisaku Ikeda states:

"By developing one's life condition, sufferings that may have once been a heavy burden when you had a lesser state of mind will appear minor, and you will be able to calmly rise above them. I hope all of you will lead lives in which you show splendid proof of this mystic function of the mind. 
Faith in Action p. 134

Daily Guidance by Daisaku Ikeda

Yesterday's blizzard in Chicago

Tuesday

18th February

THE wise, the truly strong, can surmount even the most painful times with courage. In contrast, the pessimistic, who weakly wallow in their problems and unable to move on, tend to agonise and suffer over the smallest things. Please be wise people who can live with joy.

WHETHER one experiences happiness or misery is to a great extent determined by the subtle orientation of our heart, by the way we direct our ichinen, or our inner resolve. Since we are alive, then we might as well view all things in a positive and joyful light, as we will be much happier this way. Having a robust and joyful inner resolve enables one to quickly transform one's destiny.

WISDOM is the absolute requirement for a happy life. The most profound wisdom is found in Buddhism, and thus faith in the Mystic Law encompasses all things. That is why a person of faith must also be wiser than anyone else.

TO promote the cause of kosen-rufu, which is the Buddha's will, is in itself the greatest glory and honor. Please be confident that doing so will lead to your eternal good fortune.

I believe that in order for humanity in the 21st century to eliminate war and conflict and establish genuine peace, it is vital that we open our hearts, broaden our intellectual capacities and expand our states of life so they become as wide and all-encompassing as the cosmos itself.

Perseverance ~ Some Quotes from Daisaku Ikeda

The sun WILL rise!

Perseverance 

by Daisaku Ikeda:

"No matter what the circumstances, 
you should never concede defeat. 
Never conclude that you've reached a dead-end, 
that everything is finished. 

You possess a glorious future.

Precisely because of that, 
you must persevere and study. 

Life is eternal. 
We need to focus 
on the two existences of the present and the future 
and not get caught up in worry about the past. 
We must always have the spirit to begin anew 
"from this moment," 
to initiate a new struggle each day."  

From Faith in Action page 146. 

"We must put down strong roots, 
we must be strong. 
Inner strength is a prerequisite for happiness, 
a prerequisite for upholding justice and one's beliefs. 
One of the Buddha's titles is "He Who Can Forebear."
To courageously endure, 
persevere and overcome all difficulties 
~ the Buddha, 
is the ultimate embodiment of the virtue of forbearance. The power of faith gives us the strength 
to weather and survive any storm. 
Perseverance is the essence of a Buddha."

Faith in Action, by Daisaku Ikeda, page 147. 

Here in Chicago we are expecting another winter storm. And many of us are weathering storms of our own all over the world. I know this from your emails. As Daisaku Ikeda says, it is important to persevere and never give up. No matter what.  We are not here to master suffering. We have the opportunity to challenge our fate every morning during Gongyo and head out cheerfully to face whatever the day may bring. I hope that no matter what we are facing, that we can bring a smile to all we meet. Such is the way of the Buddha. 

Today I leave you with my favorite quote 
from Daisaku Ikeda:

"When one sun rises, 
everything is illuminated."

Happy Birthday Nichiren Daishonin ~ with a great link to his writings

Nichiren Daishonin was born February 16th, 1222. He is considered a "reformer," even a revolutionary by some. He discovered the key to happiness, the Mystic Law itself written in the title of the Lotus Sutra "Myoho Renge Kyo," and added "Nam" to the beginning, signifying "I devote my life to the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration (or sutra). 
He devoted his life to teaching the power of this Mystic Law, the power that can only be gained through chanting it, through studying it, and by passing it along to others.
During the course of his life he showed us the power of the Mystic Law by overcoming many hardships while encouraging others...the perfect model for our own lives. 

Here is my gift for you today on Nichiren's birthday - the complete library of his works:

Happy Birthday Nichiren and thank you SGI for this site!

This picture was posted today on Facebook. I've never seen it before, but believe it is of Nichiren don't know where it is located. I find it very moving. If you know anything about this statue please drop me at note at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

What's your favorite Gosho quote? 

http://www.sgilibrary.org/writings.php

Sensei's Four Guidelines for leading a Healthy Life

"The Buddha's benefit is life force; it is the power to thrive." 

"Each day, 
we receive this immeasurable benefit from the Gohonzon. 

(The Gohonzon = the power of our own lives manifested when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo)

Therefore the more we praise 
the great, beneficial power of the Gohonzon, 
the more our own lives will increase 
in majesty and power and shine with brilliance.

"With faith in the Gohonzon as the foundation, 
we pray, take action, 
and speak out for the happiness of others. 

The maintenance of this correct rhythm 
directs one's entire being 
toward longevity, health and happiness. 

To explain the rhythm of faith manifesting itself in daily life in practical terms, I once proposed the following 

Four guidelines for leading a healthy life:

1 ~ Do an invigorating daily gongyo
2 ~ Conduct your daily life in a reasonable and productive manner
3 ~ Be of service to others
4 ~ Maintain sound eating habits

It might be said that faith in the Mystic Law is the fundamental catalyst of health and longevity."

From the Heart of the Lotus Sutra, by Daisaku Ikeda, page 154.