Joy of chanting

I am practicing Nicherin daishonin Buddhism from last 7 years.  
A Canadian artist said -- that 'sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination'. I am here to share my journey in faith AND tell you all that the place in my life where I have reached today got determined by the struggles and actions in my life in last 6 yrs based on faith. 

In hindsight I can say that –from the day I attended my first bharat soka gakkai meeting in February 2009, my life, myself as a person started changing for good. I had been encouraged by my next door neighbor in Vikaspuri to chant.  At that time I was working in an MNC at a profile of my liking and was doing good career wise except the fact that I was not having good relations with my colleagues at work. At personal front I had a loving husband, an adorable son and family to support me. 

The first time I chanted 'Nam myoho renge kyo' in the meeting, I was touched by the warmth and happiness flowing there. Each and every member was joyful and receptive while attending the meeting. Regular chanting made me realize that I was living in a make belief world where every thing is beautiful as presumed by me.  I was facing grave problems in the office where everyone seem to be against my work, They were indeed devilish attacks  Chanting was the only thing which I could use as spring board and strongly face the problems. And I did so to change my environment which I learnt was a reflection of my own thoughts and actions in life. 

Sensei says,"A Buddha is not a superhuman being. One who has attained this state continues to experience problems, suffering and pain, and still subject to illness and to temptation by devilish forces. For that reason, Buddha is a person of courage, tenacity and continuous action who struggles ceaselessly against devilish functions."

I did not allow devil attacks to overpower me and continued chanting in the morning and evening regularly. On being encouraged in the initial months of my practice only, I started reading and sharing sensei’s guidance’s in value creation with fellow members. I enjoyed doing one hour Daimoku everyday in the evening. My perseverance and prayers were answered and very soon my office issues got settled. I was offered even senior manager position in different deptt.  The reading and understanding of this philosophy of life changed my perspective of looking at things and people. My colleagues and people, with whom I found earlier difficult to work became my allies.  In the meanwhile I conceived my second baby about whom we were indecisive since long time. 

Over the years I have chanted for clarity, my family’s happiness and security and a job in which I can devote my time to gakkai activities. With each day I grew in faith and made sure that in a week I meet at least 2 members and chant with them and become regular in discussion meetings and read Gosho everyday. In October 2009 I decided to quit my job. and In January 2010 I started my own consultancy firm wherein I could manage my time productively and had ample time to do gakkai activities also. We could also enshrine our Gohonzhon on 11 April 2010, just twelve hours before my younger son was born. 

The Ghonzon became the centre of my life and my husband and we have together achieved a lot of victories based on faith and got protection at many fronts. We have escaped a serious accident on busy national highway, my father got complete medical protection when he had brain hemorrhage attack that too while away from home, my husband got protection in his challenging career, we purchased another apartment in Noida, our kids got protection and grew closer to Gohonzhon. My relationship karma with my in laws also improved and practice gave me strength to chant for those who did not like me. I was also appointed as block chief in Vikaspuri. Chanting for each and every member of my block bought me more close to Gohonzhon. I was given the important responsibility for behind the scene activities as white lily group. Every white lily duty was learning in itself and it made me more responsible and disciplined. 

Sensei says
I quote

Everything starts with prayer. There is no limit to the prayers of the mothers of kosen rufu. There is no deadlock. These women are neither cowardly nor hesitant. Underneath their focused steadfast prayers burns a courage that dispels all despair and resignation. 

I unquote. 

 Friends In Vikaspuri we had a flat at third floor wherein we were unable to hold meetings. I also wanted both my sons to go in same school as they were going in different schools in Vikaspuri. I sought guidance from senior members and I was told that I should chant for the place where I have a mission. I started chanting for 3 hours 20 mins daily and increased my home visits also. I regularly read Gosho and value creation. I also learnt that there is no substitute of chanting and if done earnestly without fail it will be answered. I am happy to share that soon we shifted to Dwarka in an apartment at first floor and my kids also got admission in same school. My soka family expanded and I was very happy as now I could offer my house for gakkai activities. Whenever meetings take place at our home, I thank Ghonzon to have given us this opportunity to offer our house for kosen rufu activities. It fills me and my family members with delight whenever so many Buddhas come and chant together at our place. I always chanted for complete protection of every member and they should be motivated and encouraged once they go out of our house. Around this time I was given opportunity to take care of Cubs division members of Paramount district. It was a lifetime opportunity to be in rhythm with my mentor for fostering future division members. 

Nichiren Daishonin states,

I quote
"The heavenly gods and benevolent deities will assume various forms such as those of men and women, and present offerings to help the person who practice the Lotus sutra. " 
I unquote. 

Recently in June when I saw a mail from BSG that there is a trip going to Tokyo to chant inside the 'The hall of great vow of kosenrufu' I could not stop myself for applying. The hall was inaugurated on 18 November 2013 in Tokyo. Though I was little apprehensive on financial aspect as the same month we already did 2 international trips with family. Also exactly 21 days before, the day i had to go to visit Daisado hall, I was down with chicken pox. For 7 days with bristles all over my body I could only lie and chant. They were painful but I had faith that I will be perfectly fine and visit the world of Sensei. I was least bothered about black bristles on my face and hands. I was only concerned about my trip to Tokyo. But I was determined to go and chant in front of Joju Gohonzhon. I applied for the tour with all my might. 

I chanted for my perfect health for the sake of kosenrufu. I plunged myself in Gakkai activities. I never missed any Cubs meeting and drove all the Cubs of my district to the venue. In June the day we came back from a family trip in early morning, we had a meeting at 11am at our home for Cubs. Me, my husband and my sons joyfully participated in every activity of May 3rd celebration. I also did my white lily duty to facilitate Successful May 3rd. I chanted for the release of my pending payment which was of almost same amount. I earnestly was  praying for the happiness and Buddha nature of my client. I opened my house for activities and meetings. I did more home visits and chanted for the victory of all members.  

Sensei Toda said
I quote

What can a person who has never experienced hardships hope to achieve? That's why you should take on every challenge you can. 
The efforts you make now will become your life long treasures. In particular all your arduous struggles for the sake of kosen rufu will become the most wonderful " memory of present life in this human world" and bring you boundless and immeasurable good fortune. 

I unquote. 

I am happy to share that Just on time, I got my payment which was much more than I required for the travel. Moreover my husband also got incentives that month and we could even save some money for future. The law is mystic and Gohonzhon has plans for each one of us. We only have to chant, be happy and make others happy. The hard work pays and good fortune accumulated took me and my family on three international trips in two months. This happened because we exerted in practice, studied regularly and connected our targets with gakkai activities. 

Sensei says,"a single flower can completely transform a bleak atmosphere. The important thing, therefore, is to have a spirit and the determination, to improve your environment, to change it for the better, if even just a little." 

The trip to Daisado - the hall of great vow of kosenrufu, is the best thing that ever happened to me. We were 32 members from Delhi / NCR who as a pioneer group went to Tokyo and chanted together with the voice of Sensei. It was an experience of its own kind. There were about 1400 members inside the hall and they were extremely courteous, humble and loving. They were genuinely very happy to see us and showing the mentor disciple spirit in perfect stride. I felt like Sensei is watching over us. Though he was not present their physically but like members from other countries he was also overjoyed in our presence there. We could connect to the warmth and heart of Sensei when we saw 1400 members waving and smiling to us. What an overwhelming experience it was !

Daisado hall is not a pilgrimage for the members of Soka Gakkai. It should not be visited as a holy place or a tourist place, but each one of us should visit it to renew our vow for kosenrufu, to revive the spirit of mentor and disciple, to chant for world peace, to strengthen our faith in mystic law. 
After chanting in Daisado hall I could renew my vow, my spirit and my mission. Each and everyone of us should visit the hall of great vow not because it is SGI's headquarters but it helps us to revive ourselves in faith, practice and study. 

I carried with me three most important points from there. 

1. Keep chanting no matter what happens
2. Nurture mentor disciple spirit in our heart
3. NOW is the time to Rise and take action

And I determine to follow them on daily basis. Everyday when I sit for morning gongyo I visualise myself sitting in front of Joju Gohonzhon at Daisado hall and try to realise my mission in life. 

I pay my sincere gratitude to SGI, senior leaders and my fellow members for their never ending support and faith in me. I also would like to pay my gratitude towards my husband and parents in laws who took care of children and home in my absence.  I earnestly chant that each and every member of Paramount district should visit the hall of great vow of kosenrufu for a new zeal in their lives. 

Thank you very much for reading ! 

Practice

Member: Some members have said that they can't concentrate when they chant because their minds wander or that they hurry through chanting because they want to watch TV?

Sensei: That is why chanting is called 'Practice'. If you have the spirit to keep challenging yourself to chant Daimoku or if you have a wish or goal that you truly want to achieve, then you will naturally be able to get into the habit of chanting earnestly. Just challenge yourself in your own way.

Setting clear goals will motivate you to chant more seriously.

Surmount every difficulty & gain the absolute conviction that no prayer to the Gohonzon goes unanswered and that nothing is more powerful than Daimoku.

Human Revolution

"Human revolution is the work of transforming our lives at the very core. It involves identifying and challenging those things which inhibit the full expression of our positive potential and humanity."

Buddhism is characterized by an emphasis on the possibility of inner transformation--a process of bringing forth our full human potential. There is a common perception that the discipline and focus necessary for such a process requires a set of ideal circumstances not available to most. Nichiren Buddhism, however, teaches that it is only by squarely facing the challenges that confront us amidst the harsh contradictions of society that we can carry out the task of changing our own lives and the world for the better.

"Human revolution" is the term used by second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda to describe a fundamental process of inner transformation whereby we break through the shackles of our "lesser self," bound by self-concern and the ego, growing in altruism toward a "greater self" capable of caring and taking action for the sake of others--ultimately all humanity.

As SGI President Daisaku Ikeda explains: "There are all sorts of revolutions: political revolutions, economic revolutions, industrial revolutions, scientific revolutions, artistic revolutions...but no matter what one changes, the world will never get any better as long as people themselves...remain selfish and lacking in compassion. In that respect, human revolution is the most fundamental of all revolutions, and at the same time, the most necessary revolution for humankind."

The question of how to change in a positive direction is one which has spawned countless theories, religions and publishing empires. Certainly, self-discipline and effort can enable us to make positive change, for example by starting to exercise regularly. But the willpower required is often hard to maintain; our self-control may slip at a crucial moment because we have not addressed the underlying, inner causes of our behavior.

Human revolution is the work of transforming our lives at the very core. It involves identifying and challenging those things which inhibit the full expression of our positive potential and humanity. Nichiren Buddhism is based on belief in a pure, positive and enlightened condition of life which exists equally within all people. This life state of "Buddhahood" is characterized by the qualities of compassion, wisdom and courage, which enable us to create something of value from any situation. Nichiren realized that the deepest process of change and purification takes place when we bring forth this state, and he taught the practice of chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" as the direct and immediate means for accessing and experiencing it.

This Buddha nature expresses itself in concrete ways. First, we gain the conviction that our life contains limitless possibilities and a profound sense of our human dignity. Second, we develop the wisdom to understand that things that we previously thought impossible are in fact possible. And third, we develop a powerful vitality that allows us to tackle our problems with a sense of inner liberation. We are thus empowered to pursue our own human revolution, striving to improve our "self" from yesterday to today and making the "self" of tomorrow better still.

In some traditions of Buddhism, interpretations of the law of cause and effect can encourage a focus on negative past causes. The obstacles and challenges encountered in life may be seen as requiring lifetimes of effort to "clean up." The message of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Buddhism is that through faith and practice we can reveal Buddhahood: our highest, most enlightened state of life right now, just as we are. This enlightened wisdom enables us to grasp the reality that circumstances which may seem the most unfortunate, be it seemingly incurable illness or bereavement, can actually provide the best opportunities for tackling our human revolution and the impetus for the greatest personal growth.

When we look beyond our personal concerns and take action for the sake of others, this process is strengthened and accelerated. An experience which previously seemed like an unjust burden can become the key to finding the purpose of our lives, as we learn how to help others struggling in a similar situation.

This individual process of human revolution is the very key to sparking change on a global scale. For, as Daisaku Ikeda writes, "A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind." Taking responsibility for transforming our own lives is the first step toward creating a human society based on compassion and respect for the dignity of all people's lives.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

The invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was established by Nichiren Daishonin on April 28, 1253. Having studied widely among all the Buddhist sutras, he had concluded that the Lotus Sutra contains the ultimate truth of Buddhism: that everyone without exception has the potential to attain Buddhahood. The title of the Lotus Sutra in its Japanese translation is Myoho-renge-kyo. But to Nichiren, Myoho-renge-kyo was far more than the title of a Buddhist text, it was the expression, in words, of the Law of life which all Buddhist teachings in one way or another seek to clarify. What follows is a brief and unavoidably limited explanation of some of the key concepts expressed by this phrase.

Nam

The word nam derives from Sanskrit. A close translation of its meaning is "to devote oneself." Nichiren established the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a means to enable all people to put their lives in harmony or rhythm with the law of life, or Dharma. In the original Sanskrit, nam indicates the elements of action and attitude, and refers therefore to the correct action one needs to take and the attitude one needs to develop in order to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.

Myoho

Myoho literally means the Mystic Law, and expresses the relationship between the life inherent in the universe and the many different ways this life expresses itself. Myo refers to the very essence of life, which is "invisible" and beyond intellectual understanding. This essence always expresses itself in a tangible form (ho) that can be apprehended by the senses. Phenomena (ho) are changeable, but pervading all such phenomena is a constant reality known as myo.

Renge

Renge means lotus flower. The lotus blooms and produces seeds at the same time, and thus represents the simultaneity of cause and effect. The circumstances and quality of our individual lives are determined by the causes and effects, both good and bad, that we accumulate (through our thoughts, words and actions) at each moment. This is called our "karma." The law of cause and effect explains that we each have personal responsibility for our own destiny. We create our destiny and we can change it. The most powerful cause we can make is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; the effect of Buddhahood is simultaneously created in the depths of our life and will definitely manifest in time.

The lotus flower grows and blooms in a muddy pond, and yet remains pristine and free from any defilement, symbolizing the emergence of Buddhahood from within the life of an ordinary person.

Kyo

Kyo literally means sutra, the voice or teaching of a Buddha. In this sense, it also means sound, rhythm or vibration. Also, the Chinese character for kyo originally meant the warp in a piece of woven cloth, symbolizing the continuity of life throughout past, present and future. In a broad sense, kyo conveys the concept that all things in the universe are a manifestation of the Mystic Law.

Primary Practice

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo--also known as "Daimoku"—is the primary practice of SGI members. Through this practice, one is able to reveal the state of Buddhahood in one's life, experienced as the natural development of joy, increased vitality, courage, wisdom and compassion.

Who is Nichiren Daishonin?

Who is Nichiren Daishonin?

SGI members follow the teachings of Nichiren, a Buddhist monk who lived in thirteenth-century Japan. Nichiren's teachings provide a way for anybody to readily draw out the enlightened wisdom and energy of Buddhahood from within their lives, regardless of their individual circumstances. Each person has the power to overcome all of life's challenges, to live a life of value and become a positive influence in their community, society and the world.

In Search of the Solution to Human Suffering

Nichiren was born in 1222 in Japan, a time rife with social unrest and natural disasters. The common people, especially, suffered enormously. Nichiren wondered why the Buddhist teachings had lost their power to enable people to lead happy, empowered lives. While a young priest, he set out to find an answer to the suffering and chaos that surrounded him. His intensive study of the Buddhist sutras convinced him that the Lotus Sutra contained the essence of the Buddha's enlightenment and that it held the key to transforming people's suffering and enabling society to flourish.

The Essence of Buddhism

The Lotus Sutra affirms that all people, regardless of gender, capacity or social standing, inherently possess the qualities of a Buddha, and are therefore equally worthy of the utmost respect.

Based on his study of the sutra Nichiren established the invocation (chant) of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a universal practice to enable people to manifest the Buddhahood inherent in their lives and gain the strength and wisdom to challenge and overcome any adverse circumstances. Nichiren saw the Lotus Sutra as a vehicle for people's empowerment—stressing that everyone can attain enlightenment and enjoy happiness while they are alive.

Persecution

Nichiren was critical of the established schools of Buddhism that relied on state patronage and merely served the interests of the powerful while encouraging passivity in the suffering masses. He called the feudal authorities to task, insisting that the leaders bear responsibility for the suffering of the population and act to remedy it. His stance, that the state exists for the sake of the people, was revolutionary for its time.

Nichiren's claims invited an onslaught of often-violent persecutions from the military government and the established Buddhist schools. Throughout, he refused to compromise his principles to appease those in authority.

Nichiren's legacy lies in his unrelenting struggle for people's happiness and the desire to transform society into one which respects the dignity and potential of each individual life. 

About Buddhism

About Buddhism

Shakyamuni

The origins of the SGI-USA worldview can be traced to the teachings of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who lived some 2,500 years ago in what is modern-day Nepal. Born Gautama Siddhartha, he abandoned his sheltered, princely life and sought instead to understand the inescapable sufferings of every human being—birth, aging, sickness and death—and the means by which these sufferings could be overcome.

Following his enlightenment at age 30, he traveled throughout India for some 50 years, sharing the wisdom he had discovered. The term Buddha, or "enlightened one," is applied to any human being who realizes the eternity of life and the operation of cause and effect throughout the three existences of past, present and future.

Throughout Shakyamuni Buddha's life, he expounded many sutras, or teachings, the highest and most comprehensive being the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni stated that all of his teachings prior to the Lotus Sutra should be regarded as provisional; these teachings strove to awaken people to the impermanence of all phenomena in order to free them from the sufferings that arise from egoistic attachment to things that the passage of time will destroy or render meaningless.

As his essential teaching, revealed in the last eight years of his life, the Lotus Sutra teaches the existence of an innate and universal truth known as the Buddha nature, the manifestation of which enables one to enjoy absolute happiness and to act with boundless compassion. Rather than stressing impermanence and the consequent need to eliminate earthly desires and attachments, the Lotus Sutra asserts the ultimate reality of the Buddha nature inherent in all life. It is therefore a teaching which profoundly affirms the realities of daily life, and which naturally encourages an active engagement with others and with the whole of human society.

The Lotus Sutra is also unique among the teachings of Shakyamuni in that it makes the attainment of enlightenment a possibility open to all people—without distinction based on gender, race, social standing or education.

Nichiren Daishonin

After Shakyamuni's passing, his teachings became splintered and increasingly misunderstood as they spread throughout Asia and beyond. In the 13th century, a Japanese Buddhist reformer, Nichiren Daishonin, declared the Lotus Sutra, taught during the final eight years of Shakyamuni's life, to be the highest and ultimate teaching of Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra most clearly shows Buddhism as a powerful, life-affirming, egalitarian and humanistic teaching.

Born the son of a fisherman in a time of social unrest and natural catastrophe, Nichiren became a religious acolyte and after a period of intensive study came to realize that the Lotus Sutra constitutes the heart of Buddhist teachings. His great gift to humanity was in giving concrete expression to this life-affirming philosophy by creating a simple yet profound daily practice accessible to all people. Nichiren first chanted the title of the Lotus Sutra Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on April 28, 1253, and later inscribed the mandala of the Gohonzon (the physical object of devotion for all humanity). It is the philosophy taught by Nichiren that forms the foundation of the SGI.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

Nichiren taught that all the benefits of the wisdom contained in the Lotus Sutra can be realized by chanting its title [Nam] Myoho-renge-kyo. The universal law of life is expressed as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; reciting this allows each individual to tap into the wisdom of their life to reveal their Buddha nature. Chanting these words and excerpts from the Lotus Sutra is the core of this Buddhist practice, supported by study and helping others reveal their own Buddhahood. Faith, practice and study are the basics of Buddhist practice, pursuing activities for oneself and activities for the sake of others.

The Gohonzon

The Gohonzon, a scroll practitioners chant to, was inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin and is depicted in Chinese characters embodying the law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the life of Nichiren, as well as protective functions of the universe. The fundamental object of respect, the Gohonzon represents the enlightened life of each individual. Down the center are the characters Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and Nichiren's signature. This indicates the oneness of person and Mystic Law—that the condition of Buddhahood is a potential within and can be manifested by all people. SGI members enshrine a replica of the Gohonzon in their homes as a focal point for their daily practice. The Gohonzon's strength comes from the practitioner's faith—the Gohonzon functions as a spiritual mirror. Sitting in front of the Gohonzon and chanting enables a person to recognize and reveal his or her own Buddha nature, the unlimited potential and happiness of their life.

Gongyo

The Japanese word gongyo literally means "assiduous practice." The practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and recite portions of both the second (Expedient Means) and the sixteenth (Life Span) chapters of the Lotus Sutra in front of the Gohonzon. This is the fundamental practice of Nichiren Buddhism, performed morning and evening.

Three basics - Nichiren Buddhism

There are three basics in applying Nichiren Buddhism to your daily life: faith, practice and study. They are the primary ingredients in the recipe for developing our innate enlightened condition, or Buddhahood. All three are essential. With this recipe, we will experience actual proof of our transformation in the forms of both conspicuous and inconspicuous benefit. The recipe is universal. These basics are the same in every country where this Buddhism is practiced.

Faith

In Buddhism, faith is based on experience. Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism emphasizes obtaining "actual proof" of the teaching's power. Faith begins as an expectation or hope that something will happen. At the start of our journey, if we are willing to try the practice and anticipate some result, we will then develop our faith brick by brick as examples of actual proof accrue.

Practice

To develop faith, we must take action. We strengthen our wisdom and vital life force by actualizing our Buddhahood each day in a very concrete way. Practice in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism consists of two parts: practice for ourselves and practice for others. Practice for ourselves is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo each morning and evening along with reciting Gongyo (two chapters of the Lotus Sutra). Practice for others consists of action based on compassion to help give others the means to make fundamental improvements in their lives.

Study

To gain confidence that this practice is valid, and to understand why your efforts will bring about a result, it is essential to study the tenets of this Buddhism. The basis of study comes from the founder himself, Nichiren Daishonin. More than 700 years ago, he instructed followers in the correct way to practice; and his writings, which have been preserved and translated into English, give us valuable insight into how this practice will benefit us today.