The Life-Giving Power of Each Character of Gongyo!

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In the Gosho "Letter to Horen," the Daishonin describes the characters of the Lotus Sutra as individual Buddhas emitting beams of light...able to find all those, living and dead, with whom we are connected. 
Wow.
What a great thing to learn about while we are all striving to perfect our Gongyo and deepen our faith. 

Daisaku Ikeda states in Living Buddhism, 
June 2015, page 32:

"...Through chanting the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can transmit benefit even to deceased family members, relatives, friends or acquaintances who may have opposed our Buddhist practice - benefit that will warmly embrace them and lead them to a state of profound peace and comfort.

Similarly, through the power of the Mystic Law, our family members and friends who have passed away in the course of the journey for kosen-rufu - whether from illness or as a result of unexpected accidents or natural disasters - will also be able to enter the path of Buddhahood. 

The best offering we can make for the eternal happiness of the departed is to live fully and strive vibrantly for kosen-rufu in their stead..."

"The Daishonin says that 
each of the 510 characters 
of the verse section 
of the "Life Span" chapter 
of the Lotus Sutra, 
from "ji ga toku burrai" 
(Since I attained Buddhahood) (LSOC, 270) 
to "soku joju busshin" 
(quickly acquire the body of the Buddha) (LSOC, 273), changes into a sun 
and then into a Buddha. 
It emits great beams of light 
that pervade every corner of the universe, 
finding Kyoshin's father wherever he might be 
and illuminating him 
(see WND-I, 517-18).
In other words, 
each chapter 
of the verse section of the "LifeSpan" chapter 
recited by Kyoshin 
becomes the Buddha, 
shining with the brilliant light of compassion 
that reaches his deceased father
in whatever state of being he may reside, 
relieving him of his suffering 
and guiding him to enlightenment."

What a wonderful life-giving practice we have!

Forging Onward Full of Life! Meeting Neha, my new friend and reader.

Me and Neha, my new friend from India

Today's daily guidance from 

For Today and Tomorrow by Daisaku Ikeda:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Unless we live fully right now, 

not sometime in the future, 

true fulfillment in life will forever elude us. 

Rather than putting things off till the future, 

we should find meaning in life, 

thinking and doing what is most important right now, 

- right where we are - 

setting our hearts aflame and igniting our lives. 

Otherwise, we cannot lead an inspired existence." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes! It is every single moment that counts! I just finished chanting to realize this every moment with my life. 

This past week has opened up many opportunities for me...forging onward in every way.  

I just love days that are full of surprises. 

Yesterday morning Crystal came over to learn more about the practice.  We read "Gongyo is a Grand and Noble Rite" out loud. I'm so proud of Crystal....she has such a great seeking spirit. She calls me regularly, I am chanting for her every day, and she is practicing! In the short time she's been chanting - just a month, she enrolled in the next level of education to expand her ability to make a difference in the world of criminal justice, she chanted successfully for her daughter to find the perfect job, and her other daughter just enrolled in a new school too. How fantastic!

After chanting, I embarked on a project to change some of the pictures on my bulletin board. I'm keeping some treasures of Ben up, and adding more Aaron and the people I love and chant for, both near and far, living and eternal! Just then, I checked my email and saw one from Neha Sharma, a blog reader and YWD from Delhi who was in town on business - 

and 2 blocks away!

How exciting 

Neha and I spent the rest of the day getting to know each other, chanting, having dinner and inspiring one another. You know I made a determination at the beginning of the year to be present with every person? Well, this determination opens us up to inspiration and depth of learning from others.  Each person we meet expands our life as we expand theirs. Making each person count...really listening...brings us immense treasures of the heart!

Neha is great! She's an air hostess for Air India so she is seeing much of the world. She and her mother began chanting this summer when her mother experienced a health challenge, and she has  gained peace of mind through chanting. Peace of Mind! What a Buddha! At 30 years of age she is poised, self-assured, and on her way to a victorious future with the Mystic Law in her life. I'm sure I'll be writing more about my new friend. 

Today I am about to head to several superbowl parties and hopefully have a guest at Kosen Rufu Gongyo at 1:00

Have a great day!  

Here's a question for you: 

I'm considering taking Aaron to the Great hall of the Vow of Kosen rufu on the first Wednesday in June. Would any of you like to join us? Email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

The Universal Prayer - Powerful!

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As Nichiren Buddhists, we are the Buddha  ~  
as we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo summoning our fathomless wisdom while steering our life in the direction of our innermost desires...both for ourselves and for others. 

We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo over and over and over again. We call this "chanting Daimoku"(Die-MOH-Koo). Daimoku means title. The title of the Lotus Sutra (Shakyamuni Buddha’s self-proclaimed highest teaching) is  Myoho-Renge-Kyo.  

Nichiren Daishonin added "Nam" (devotion - focusing) before Myoho-renge-kyo to make the phrase mean “I devote my life to the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration,” or, “I am one with the very rhythm of life.”

“Myoho-renge-kyo is the name of the ultimate mystic truth, and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo  is the name of the life state of Buddhas who embody and reveal this truth.” 

p.28 Lectures on “On Attaining Buddhahood in this Lifetime”, Daisaku Ikeda

I learned about this prayer from Linda Johnson. I've written my own version of the universal prayer. When I have this in my heart I picture all of you, and all practitioners chanting to their Gohonzons all over the world...and connecting to their prayer like never before.  

What follows is a Universal PowerPrayer to tap into our desire for happiness for all beings...the real vow we all make as Buddhas! 

Universal PowerPrayer 
for the Happiness for ALL

By Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com

Every Daimoku I chant 
remakes my VOW as a Buddha 
for Victory in my own life 
so that all others can achieve VICTORY in theirs! 

Every Daimoku I chant
Reaches every other person who is chanting. 
I see everyone chanting...
tapping into the deepest prayer they have ever felt ~

At this moment 
I deepen the power of my prayer by 10,000 times
Just like my mentor describes ~

so that all who are chanting can also deepen their faith, 
and bring forth the results they desire 
as we 
spread the word of this great teaching 

to those still suffering

we all become absolutely happy

and create a happy and peaceful world!

I chant that every single person who is chanting 

feels the full power 

sees the full power

experiences the full power

of this faith in their lives. 

I chant for all members to have faith

receive incredible 

benefits

and to know, and feel 

within every cell in their body

the power welling forth 
with each Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!!

Together we create kosen-rufu
the total energy shift of our planet! 

Turning Karma Into Mission ~ Every Single Day

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Chanting Daimoku 

is the foundation of the Daishonin's Buddhism. 

When we chant sonorous daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo)

the sun rises in our hearts. 

We are filled with power. 

Compassion wells forth. 

Our lives are lit with joy. 

Our wisdom shines. 

All Buddhas and Buddhist deities throughout the universe 

go to work on our behalf. 

Life becomes exhilarating. 

Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow, p. 182

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When faced with a life challenge we would NEVER have chosen for ourselves - what do we do? 

How can Practicing Buddhism help? 
What is the REAL power of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo? How can it help in practical terms? 

As you know, my beloved son Ben died this summer from Schizophrenia which caused him to take his own life. 

Every day I am using Buddhism to fuel my life as I transform my personal tragedy into a personal triumph. Or, as we Buddhists say, "Turning Karma into Mission."

Now, I don't know why my karma included this experience of having my son die, but I don't have to know the reason. All I need is the determination to change it into mission. 

Along the way, I have joined a club I never wanted to be a member of - the club no one wants to be a member of, the Suicide Survivor's club. And, as anyone would expect, I am meeting people who are at various stages of the grieving journey. Guilt, sadness, peace...

Because of my practice, I am not tormented like I was right after it happened. At that time, I was wracked with thoughts of what I could have done differently. Even though I knew I'd done my best, I felt like I had failed at my most important mission in life...being a Mom. And I chanted about these thoughts...and I realized they were my own fundamental darkness. I'm a Buddhist! I know I can fight fundamental darkness with my prayer by facing it and saying NO! 

I chanted to alleviate this feeling of guilt and to turn my pain into something I could use to help others. And through chanting, I am free from these tormenting feelings. 

I continue to write to Ben and he writes back to me through my own hand. Life is eternal. This is natural. Have any of you tried this? I can teach you how. Let me know if you are interested. 

Ben has explained everything. He says there is nothing I could have done. And I believe him.

I'm grateful for all I've been through, and all I'm going through right now. I feel a deep connection to Ben...and to all who are suffering. Ben answers my questions. He reassures me in all the things I am doing. And he encourages me daily. 

Because of my daily Buddhist practice, I'm protected. I'm safe, secure, learning about myself, and in an excellent support group of other suicide survivors. It's professionally facilitated and includes a mother whose son died ten years ago, and another whose son died 3 years ago. They share their coping skills with the rest of us. It's a healing process

Thank YOU for your notes. Dear friends, we share the noblest of missions! WhatEVER you are facing - you can turn YOUR karma into mission! We are the votaries of the Lotus Sutra. By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, reading the words of our mentor Daisaku Ikeda, joining together with our SGI friends, and introducing others to this victorious way of life...we can overcome any challenges! 

On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

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I was up at 5 am today to chant for an hour before picking up three fellow practitioners to go to the Chicago Culture Center today. It was perfect, I left the house before 8, and we were at the Center by 9:00 in time to get a parking spot in the parking lot. Woohoo!

It was a lecture on 

"On Establishing the Correct Teaching 

for the Peace of the Land" 

Engaging in dialogues of hope 

to bring happiness and peace to all people.

There was a good discussion about slander of our own life and of others. It left me more determined than ever to grow as a human being and to be more aware of self-slander and slander of others. In Buddhism, as you know, we are all interconnected. (We are all worthy Buddhas. Slandering ourselves - doubting our capabilities, calling ourselves denigrating names) - or speaking behind people's backs - can take away all our good fortune. 

We need to have the courage and wisdom to speak TO people, not ABOUT people...to be kind, of course, and to not harbor grudges against ANYONE. That's a tall order for all of us - and one worth chanting about. 

One of the leaders told a story about a district he was in where they were doing everything right...but slandering each other...and everyone's benefit was eroded. Important lessons. 

And we discussed having the courage to do shakubuku (introduce people to this practice) - which starts with Daimoku. That's how my new shakubuku Crystal came into my life...I chanted and she showed up with her great seeking spirit! I chanted to meet someone who is ready. and here she is! 
Today was her first time at the Chicago Culture Center. I chanted an hour yesterday for her, and another hour this morning just for her...she is just an inspiration to me. She worked until late last night and still came out this morning.

GO Buddha Go! 

I hope you are practicing with the SGI. If not, click on the link to the right to find a district in your area! 

PowerPrayer to Appreciate and Praise YourSELF!

Your words DO have great power. 

Make sure when you speak to yourself 

that you use kind and loving words. 

Often we are hardest on our own selves, right? 

As far as I am concerned, society is always telling us what we are doing WRONG. School reinforces what is wrong with us. People who are insecure reinforce what is wrong with us. 
It is up to each one of us to reinforce what is RIGHT with us, and to switch our focus away from the feeling that we are guilty or bad. Changing our focus to the positive is at the core of revealing our own Buddha Nature. I love Buddhism, because its very focus is on what is RIGHT with us. THIS practice of Buddhism is a tool to get to the core of our lives...by remaking our vow to help others, we reveal our own highest and best nature. 

Of course, as we all know, the law of cause and effect operates in our lives all the time. If we focus our daimoku on what we are doing right, chant to make positive causes, and to reveal our Buddha Nature, we will see our environment change to reflect our inner changes. 

This is the core of our practice of Buddhism. The more we reveal our Buddha nature, the more our environment changes and the more desires we fulfill, and the more our resilence and strength grows. This practice is the KEY to Achieving our goals by changing from the inside out and changing our negative karma right here, right now. 

So, my ideas for changing a negatively focused life to a positively focused one follow:

1. Before you get out of bed in the morning think of at least 10 things you are grateful for. They can be anything from health to friendships to ANYTHING. What are you grateful for? I advised my sweet Mommy to do this when she was feeling depressed, and she said it entirely lifted her depression. This is one of those things that sounds like a good idea, but really, if you try it, it does make a difference. 

2. When you chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo every morning and evening, start with a feeling of gratitude. SUMMON gratitude. Work your spiritual muscle. Think of what you are grateful for, and make your own life, and your own self be part of that prayer. We are all so fortunate to have heard of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.  We are all fortunate to be practicing, to have a Gohonzon, and to be a part of the Soka Gakkai organization with our mentor Daisaku Ikeda and countless sincere members worldwide.  Bring forth that feeling of appreciation when you chant. 

3. Chant to reveal your Buddha nature. Chant to believe in the goodness within yourself. Chant to shine your life from within. Chant "I praise my life."

4. When you focus on your life being the actual proof that this practice works you will see benefit. When you focus on being an example that this practice works, and having your life and actions inspire others to begin chanting, you will see benefit flowing in all directions into your life. Chant to do shakubuku and help others become happy, and you will experience greater joy than ever before. 

5. Realize that you ARE the Buddha. You are the walking, talking embodiment of someone who is awakened to the law of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. This realization alone is a great cause for your happiness. Chant to see yourself as a Buddha and to feel yourself as the true Buddha you are. 

6. I chant to see the world through Daisaku Ikeda's eyes and to share his heart for Kosen Rufu. Sometimes when I chant I imagine him sitting here with me, and that our prayers for the happiness of all people are joined. 

Here is a PowerPrayer to help you reveal your glorious self, you true Buddhahood. You can read this before chanting, and absorb the parts that resonate with you. Then while you are chanting you may notice increased focus as you deeply chant with these thoughts, and your own thoughts and prayers flowing through your mind. 

Power Prayer 
for revealing your Buddha Nature 
and Appreciating YourSELF

"I chant to reveal the pure, sparkling Diamond
 of resilience, strength, wisdom and heart
 that lies within me. 
With every Daimoku, I chant to love myself more 
every single day. 
I chant that every cause I make, 
at every single moment of every single day 
leads me to see my Buddha nature. 
I chant that my Buddha Nature emerge 
and flow from my life touching everyone I see. 
I chant that I see my life 
as the brilliant sparkling Diamond that it is. 
I chant that throughout the day 
I say only nice words to myself. 
I chant to praise myself with my every thought. 
I chant to believe in my own goodness 
and to see it revealed in my actions. 
I pray to realize my life as the Buddha I am.
I see through the eyes of the Buddha, 
I feel President Ikeda's heart and spirit in all I do. 
I chant that those around me are inspired to begin chanting, just by seeing my happiness flow. 
I chant to meet the people who are looking for this law, 

and to be able to help them practice -  

for the rest of their lives!"

How Do You Know When You're Chanting Enough Daimoku? Enough Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?

"How do you know when you're chanting enough Daimoku ? Enough Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo?

When you have no fear, 

when you are happy, 

when all obstacles look like opportunities, not problems, 

THAT'S when you are chanting enough Daimoku. 

If you are afraid, or worried...or troubled, it's time to sit down and chant more. 

Chant for peace of mind. 

Chant to be happy and serene. 

Chant to have victory in all areas of your life. 

I know sometimes it's hard. 

I know it's difficult to focus, and sometimes the people around us are interrupting us and wanting our attention. 

I know it can be hard to put that cell phone down and focus on your own life and chant with all your heart. 

But my promise, and Nichiren Daishonin's promise, and Daisaku Ikeda's promise is that you CAN become happy...happier than you ever imagined...if you devote yourself to this practice. 

There is no doubt. 

But the key is you have to do it! 

No one else can purify your life besides you. 

No one can chant for you like YOU can chant for you. 

You are the only one. 

And you would not be reading this if you were not capable of chanting your happiness into being. 

You can do it! 

You absolutely can be happy. 

You must summon the power within your life with the most incredible key of life... Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.

--

Jamie Lee Silver

Blog: Chantforhappiness.com

630-926-3001

"When a single sun rises, everything is illuminated."

Daisaku Ikeda