The Power of Prayer, by Daisaku Ikeda

Prayer by Daisaku Ikeda

Prayer is the courage to persevere. 

It is the struggle to overcome our own weakness 

and lack of confidence in ourselves. 

It is the act of impressing 

in the very depths of our being 

the conviction 

that we can change the situation without fail.

Prayers are invisible, 

but if we pray steadfastly 

they will definitely affect clear results in our lives 

and surroundings over time. 

This is the principle of the true entity of all phenomena. Faith means having confidence in this invisible realm.

Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. 

It is the way to banish sorrow, 

the way to light a torch of hope. 

It is the revolution 

that rewrites the scenario of our destiny.

Prayers are neither light dreams nor vague wishes. 

They should be firm pledges of determination. 

Prayers made with such strong resolve 

invite clear results just as magnets attract iron.

Prayer entails an intense challenge 

to believe in oneself and stop diminishing yourself. 

To belittle yourself 

is to disparage Buddhism 

and the Buddha within your life.

Prayer is an attempt 

to merge the inner workings of our life 

with the rhythm of the universe. 

When we pray in such a way, 

all the workings of the universe 

will function to protect us 

and the endless cycle of painful reality 

will be transformed 

into a cycle of victory and happiness. 

Prayer is the key to open the door 

to unleash that infinite human potential within our lives.

Prayer is not a feeble consolation; 

it is a powerful, unyielding conviction. 

And prayer must become manifest in action. 

To put it another way, 

if our prayers are in earnest, 

they will definitely give rise to action.

Daisaku Ikeda

6 Steps for Reaching any Goal!

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When SGI members want to accomplish something we wage a campaign. 

What do I mean by this? How do we do it? 

Here's an example. 

I would like to find another apartment. It's time to expand. 

So here are

4 Steps to Waging a Solid Campaign:

By Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com

1. Do the research. 

I'm looking on the web to research areas and prices. 

2. Set your goals. 

Write down what you want. 

3. Set some dates of when you want to accomplish your goal.

4. Keep kosen-rufu as a focus. Keep your practice strong! Tie your goals to your practice. For instance: I want to achieve these goals so I can be more effective at encouraging people through my actions and my life! I study the works of Daisaku Ikeda, go to SGI meetings and do shakubuku. 

5. Chant with certainty for a specified time each day!

6. Take action! 

What do you do to wage a campaign? Share your best ideas with me at chantfothappiness@gmail.com

PowerPrayer for Awakening Our Own Buddha Nature

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"The Heart of the Lotus Sutra" by Daisaku Ikeda, 
is truly the story of our lives. 
In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni reveals that he did not attain enlightenment in his present lifetime as so many people assume.  
In the Lotus Sutra Shakyaminu reveals he attained enlightenment in "beginningless time" and that we, as practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism also attained enlightenment in beginningless time, and are fulfilling our vow to come to this world and show everyone the path to happiness by using the example of our own lives, never being defeated, and overcoming every obstacle.  

Once we are awakened to the fact that we are Buddhas equal to the original Buddha, we can embrace every challenge with fresh eyes, saying to ourselves 

"Yes! I chose this challenge. 
I chose this because I KNOW 
that I can chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 
and absolutely, without a doubt I can change this.
It is up to me. 
I have the power to tap into the vast resources within, 
as long as I stay focused on my mission for kosen-rufu." 

Each of us can awaken every day with the ability to access the reality that we are Boddhisatvas of the Earth ~ Dancing in happiness ~ assured of our own power to overcome anything in our lives, through reading President Ikeda's words, chanting, refreshing our determination and knowing, absolutely knowing that we chose this existence to manifest our highest potential. 

This might not be our first thought upon awakening - but we can access it in front of the Gohonzon every single morning!

What kind of PowerPrayer (thoughts in our minds while we are chanting) would be useful?  
Let's look at a few of Sensei's quotes from "The Heart of the Lotus Sutra,"

"The Buddha's original state of life is identical with all people's original state of life. They could not be in any way different. Fundamentally, all people are Buddhas. The only difference is that the Buddha understands this while others are ignorant of it. " p. 153

When we realize that we are Buddhas from beginningless time "We can attain a state of eternal happiness as indestructible as a diamond~that is, the true aspect of the Buddha ~ in our lives." and that "No matter how heavy our burden of karma, through tapping our inner life force, we can revolutionize our existence."  
"It enables us to address the reality of our situations with a fresh, forward-looking spirit, always basing ourselves on life's "original moment." p. 163

Sensei goes on to quote Josei Toda who talks about how we all dwelt together as Buddhas of absolute happiness before making our vows to return to this world and lead others to happiness. 

We are all here fulfilling our vow joyously together. 

What problem could stop us? 
Could financial difficulty stop us?...not unless we let it. 
How about heartbreak, a karma many of us are challenging? Every day I chip away at my karma right along with you. And every day I awaken refreshed...when I study, chant, encourage others and go to SGI meetings. We have such precious lives. People are depending on us to shine. 
We ARE the suns in our lives! 

As we are chanting we might use this PowerPrayer (read it before chanting) to infuse our spirit and focus our minds. 

PowerPrayer for
Awakening Our Own Buddha Nature!
By Jamie Lee Silver, from the Blog Chantforhappiness.com. 

Life! 
Once again I greet you in front of the Gohonzon! 
I appreciate one more day in this world of strife! 
Once again I strive at every moment 
to bring forth the world of Buddhahood within. 
Right now I am raising my life condition! 
I am determined to live in wisdom, 
tapping the highest potential in my life. 
I am determined to harmonize with my fellow humans 
in a way that makes a difference. 
I am determined to be all I can be, 
and fulfill my vow for kosen-rufu! 
(Happiness and respect for all of life - 
the raising of the life-condition of ALL)
I am determined to forge ahead 
with wisdom, happiness and composure. 
May I live this day fully and happily, 
and shine like the sun! 
I am determined to_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

as I joyously bring forth my Buddhahood! 

6 Actions to Take When it's Hard to Chant

Let's face it, we all go through times 
when it is extremely difficult to chant.

Lately many of you have been writing to me with this challenge. 
Sometimes seeing our inner lives in the mirror of the Gohonzon, while chanting is so hard. 

It can be hard to see what we need to change. But that's why we chant - so we can see what we need to change, and chant to change it. That's another reason this practice is not for wimps.

It is for courageous ones who are dedicated to their own happiness, and the happiness of other. In other words - Buddhas.

I believe that when it's hard to chant, we are poised for a breakthrough. And when we can finally sit down and chant with all our hearts we grow, we change, we evolve. 

I go through these moments myself. We all do. Sometimes the noise in our heads is so loud it's hard to drown out with our daimoku. And that's precisely WHEN we cut through our karma...and we win! 

According to my dear friend Kate Randolph, not being able to chant at times is just natural and part of our practice. She says don't get mad at yourself, just do gongyo twice a day as always and even if you can only chant a few minutes, concentrate as much as you can. 

She also said it can be difficult to chant when facing core issues in your life... important karma changing issues...crucial moments. Ahhh and that's where the breakthrough comes! And that's also why we have each other to chant with. What an excellent time to call a Gakkai friend or leader. 

At these times we need to have respect for ourselves and KNOW that we are going to show victory. 
Akema Bailey-Haynie says that sometimes we are in the middle of the ocean, but we will get to the other shore. 

We all experience this don't we? We just have to keep swimming and not give up midway! 

None of us are perfect. I am not perfect. 

We are all Buddhas 
at our Buddha coming out party! 

6 Actions to Take When It's Hard to Chant

1. Stay connected, go to SGI meetings
2. Do gongyo twice a day every day as always 
3. Read experiences 
4. Study  
5. Encourage as many people as we can...and know that it will all click back in, and we'll get back into that groove when we're chanting a lot, and the more we chant, the more we want to chant, and ZOOM we break through.
6. Call a friend to chant with us.

We need to have patience with ourselves, take care not to get out of the orbit of faith, and remember that this is a life-long practice and keep going! 

Today I am officiating at my sister's wedding. They have said it will rain and I've been chanting for sun....and so far...it's sunny! 

Creating "That Time" as the Buddhas We Are, By Daisaku Ikeda

"Our single-minded determination for kosen-rufu, 
and that alone, 
creates  the "time'" That time" 
is when we set our lives in motion, 
when we stand up of our own volition 
and by our own will and strength. 
"That time" 
is when we summon forth strong faith 
and take our place on the grand stage of kosen-rufu.

Goethe writes, 
"The moment alone is decisive; 
Fixes the life of man, 
and his future destiny settles."
"That time" is the moment you resolve 
from the depths of your heart, 
"Now I will stand up and fight." 
From that instant, 
your destiny changes. 
Your life develops. 
History begins. 
This is the spirit of the mystic principle of true cause. 
That is the principle 
of three thousand realms in a single moment of life. 
The moment 
you autonomously determine to accomplish something - 
not when you do it because you are told to - 
is "that time," the time of mission. "

Daisaku Ikeda, from The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, page 28

PowerPrayer for Taking Action at the Crucial Moment!

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Nichiren, SGI Buddhism is Buddhism of ACTION! It is not practiced high on a mountaintop while avoiding everyday struggles. We are not monks. We have no monks or priests in this practice. We practice amidst the struggles and strains of life and show actual proof that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo works! We chant for what we want. 

And from time to time, life presents us with what we call "The Crucial Moment" where we know that the only way out is the way in. We need to dig deeper into the source of our power than ever before. We need to reach a deeper level of revealing our own Buddhahood and our own power.  Right now I am facing one of my own.

Yesterday I had a morning of taking massive action. 

Here are 5 Keys for taking Massive action:

1. Get mad - get riled up. Realize you deserve something better than you are getting. And take a stand for better! Get a fierce determination in your heart. 

2. Plan your morning of victory. Set aside everything so you can chant and take action. 

3. Go to bed early the night before. 

4. Take care of your body. I drink water, eat well, avoid alcohol, move my body and take vitamins on a regular basis. 

5. Wake up refreshed and early. Get your tea/coffee/water and something to write with. 

6. Sit down in front of the Gohonzon to chant and roar like the lion you are! Decide how long you are going to chant. Put away your cell phone and chant! 

You may want to use some of this PowerPrayer in mind:

PowerPrayer for Taking Massive Action at the Crucial Moment
by Jamie lee Silver of ChantforHappiness.com

Life 
Gohonzon! 

Now is the time for action. 
Right now, with this daimoku
I am digging deeper than ever into my life
I am accessing the root of this suffering and rooting it out of my life forever 
This problem will be solved by drawing forth the power that is mine...the power of the universe through my own life. 
Some kind of way! This Has to happen:
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Today I will take the exact actions 
that will help me solve this problem. 
I will reach the right people at the right time. 
They will lead me to the right solution. 
Today my powers of communication are outstanding!
I express myself 
my truth
my love 
my soul 
in the most productive, 
effective way for the right outcome. 
Life! 
Show me how to end 
the fundamental suffering in my life. 
Show me how to chant, what to do, how to think, 
act, speak to release me from this suffering. 
Life!
Raise my life condition to Buddhahood right now!
Let me spread love and light 
and hope 
and cheerfulness 
and laughter everywhere 
no matter what my circumstances. 
Let me know the correct action to take -- 
and I will take it!

Then stop chanting and start taking action. 
Keep notes of your progress. Record names and numbers of whom you've contacted. Stay clear and focused on your next actions. And don't give up!  

"At That Time" Our Determination Changes Everything!

Deciding to "Stand Up and Fight" Changes Everything!

The beginning of the "Expedient Means" chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which we recite during morning and evening Gongyo begins with the phrase "At that time the World Honored One calmly arose from his samadhi and addressed Shariputra"

In "The Heart of the Lotus Sutra" Daisaku Ikeda states: 

"In terms of our practice, therefore, I would like to stress that "that time" exists only when we pray to the Gohonzon and manifest determination and awareness of our mission for kosen-rufu. (World peace through our own human revolution - using our problems to FUEL our happiness and light the way of inspiration for all by showing the impossible is possible through our lives, notes mine, js) 

We have to make a determination, 
pray and take action. 
Unless we do so, 
our environment will not change in the least, 
though five or ten years may pass, 
that time" will never arrive.

Our single minded determination for kosen rufu, 
(a world of respect for all beings ~ JS) 
and that alone, 
creates the "time." 
"That time" is 
when we set our lives in motion, 
when we stand up 
of our own volition and by our own will and strength. "That time" 
is when we summon forth strong faith 
and take our place on the grand stage of kosen-rufu.

Goethe writes, 
"The moment alone is decisive; 
Fixes the life of man, 
and his further destiny settles." 
"That time" is the moment you resolve 
from the depths of your heart: 
"Now I will stand up and fight!" 
From that moment, 
your destiny changes. 
Your life develops. 
History begins. "

(note from Jamie: When I sit in front of my Gohonzon, and look into the mirror of my life... I chant in appreciation for my problems and VOW to show actual proof to others that the impossible is possible, and that each one of my problems leads us closer to a world of happiness for all...because one more woman stood up and said "NO WAY!" "I will WIN!" I picture the outcome already secure and chant in happiness.)