Good morning everyone! I am Ravinder Kaur. I was introduced to this life changing practise about 4 years ago by a friend. I was further encouraged by my sister. But to be very honest, i have been sincerely practising only since September last year. Standing here today, I am eternally indebted to my friend and sister; and would like to share with you about how i have been able to transform my life through the wonderful life philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
My struggle started when i shifted to Ramesh Nagar in February, 2014. Till then I was a very happy and carefree person. I was doing very well in my career. In fact i was going to be made a partner in the firm where i worked. Now when i look back i realise that i was in a world of rapture and did not respect what i had. Then life took a terrible u-turn. I was asked to deposit a large sum of money before I could be confirmed as a partner in the firm. No matter how hard i tried, i was unable to raise the amount. And had to leave the job. From March to August 2014, i never really felt the pinch as my savings were there to sustain me n my family. But soon my bank account went dry. And from August onwards, started the struggle.
In this period of darkness, when i depressed and disturbed, BSG (SGI in India)became the ray of hope in my life. I was deeply encouraged by senior leaders to connect to faith. I started chanting daimoku and did Gongyo regularly. I determined to attend all meetings which i did. Every spare minute of my existnece was dedicated to chanting and studying Buddhism. But strangely nothing changed. In fact my husband lost his job! And even stranger, i never doubted the power of my daimoku. Yes i was puzzled but i was confident that Winter would turn to Spring. So with tears pouring down my cheeks, i continued to chant. I started reading a Gosho every day. I read other experiences to encourage myself. I took guidance from everyone possible to understand how deep my karma was. But still my situation did not change.
Inspite of my daimoku, i was swimming in the pool of self pity. And i realised this when my friend should me the true mirror of reality. She told me very strictly that unless i changed the bitterness and anger in me, nothing would change in me. The Gosho states – When the sky is clear, the ground will be illuminated. I started looking around me and appreciated every small good thing. My daimoku transformed from a sad heavy chant to a joyful chant. I started to feel a new confidence in myself. And i saw my first victory.
I was at loss on how to pay for my daughter’s school n tuition fees amounting 36,000/-.My child was very embarrassed to go to school n face her teachers. I chanted daimoku and went to meet her principal. I requested them to grant me some more time to arrange the money. I chanted to the shoten zenjin’s (protective forces in the environment) to support me. I pleaded with the administration and they gave me another day’s time. And also said that it was the last chance else i would have to pull my daughter out of the school. I came back home began to chant fervently to the Gohonzon. I did not want my daughter’s life to be spoiled. As a mother my heart bled with helplessness. I would rather die than be defeated in my daughter’s case. The next day morning i tried to frantically arrange for the amount but nothing materialised. As time ticked away my heart began to sink. Around 3 pm, i got a call from the school. Dreadfully i picked it up. The school account told me that my daughter’s school fees and tuition fees had been paid. I was stunned. I asked who paid, the accountant replied that another parent had paid the amount. I took the contact number and thanked him personally. He told me that while i was pleading with the principal, he was waiting outside and had overheard everything. I offered to pay back the full amount but he refused saying that he was very happy to be of help!
In spite of all this, i was still jobless. I gave several interviews but no positive response. I started chanting 3 hrs 20 min daily. Finally after a year, i got a job. Though the job was in Gurgaon, and timings were difficult to manage as it was a night shift, i took up the job with great joy. I looked forward to share my experience at the next Zadankai. However, my karma had not yet changed. Within two days, my job profile was changed and since i could not cope with the job responsibilities, I was asked to resign. And the company did not refund the amount i had paid for monthly conveyance charge. I was shattered. I could not believe what had happened. I cried for days together
But with the immense support of members and leaders, I was encouraged not to give up. In the Gosho , Relpy to Ky’o, Nichiren Daishonin says ‘The lion king is said to advance three steps, then gather himself to spring, unleashing the same power whether he traps a tiny ant or attacks a fierce animal.....This is what the sutra means by “the power [of the Buddhas] that has the lion’s ferocity’. I started chanting with the ferocity of lioness to protect my family.
In the month of March, my landlord asked us to vacate the flat as we could not pay the rent. After a lot of thought and consultation with my parents, my husband decided that we should move back our hometown in Bihar. I sat in front of the Gohonzon and chanted sincerely for a breakthrough. My mission here was not completed. I wanted to work for kosen rufu in Ramesh Nagar with my beloved members and leaders. Finally the day came when we would be leaving. Our train tickets were booked for night train. But flame of hope was still burning in my heart. In the morning, I decided to try calling different HR personnels where i had given interviews. After more than a dozen negative replies, finally one office told me that there was a vacancy and that i should come immediately for interview. Once i was there, they made wait for three hours only for the HR person to tell me to go back as the CEO was in a meeting. On my way back, I kept chanting to understand what to do. May going back to Bihar was the right thing to do. Just then my phone rang and it from the same office requesting me to come back as the CEO wanted to meet me. I went for the interview and was selected as a team leader with a good salary package. And another great benefit is that the office is close to the house.
‘Though one might point at the earth and miss it, though one might bind up the sky, though the tides might cease to ebb and flow and the sun rise in the west, it could never come about that the prayers of the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra would go unanswered’. With deep conviction in these words written by Nichiren Diashonin, I determine to become indispensable at my work place. I also determine to chant at least one hour every day no matter how busy i get and continue working for kosen rufu.
