Part 2: How to Practice with Nichiren Daishonin's spirit and receive benefits? (Personal Experience)

And there we go again, where is my benefit? Where is my new job? Why can’t I overcome him/her? Why it happened with me, when I went out of my comfort zone and gave so much? Why? Why and Why? I don’t see any drastic change and why should I even practice, I am not convinced then how can I convince others.

If you ask me why I practice, answer is I need it more than soka gakkai need one extra member. I can’t live without it; I can’t breathe without Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. I can’t get through shit of my life without it. I am not into Buddhism but Buddhism is in me. I am not practicing anymore to have benefits; I am practicing to believe that I am a Buddha and to be that Buddha each day.

Question: Why would I practice for being Buddha and not for benefits?

Answer: Have you ever given a thought to the fact that we always think that if we got the money, job, relationship, marriage or ideal weight then we will be happy? But then we never reach those goals or even when we do after a lot of troubles or years, we are still unhappy? Because the only answer to above question is we are working against the law. If we are happy then we will naturally reach our goals like “be a Buddha and benefits will come to you”.

Buddhist view: When we going through the challenging phase in our life, it is hard to keep ourselves grounded. We are humans and so we are impatient. We need results in days or we are ready to blame the practice. Let’s look at it like this, practicing Buddhism is like sitting in an airplane, going big and long distance or short yet the lack of feeling the motion makes us grow impatient. We need to trust that our practice is not different from sitting in the plane, feeling like there is no movement; we are watching same cloud (problems) for hours and hours. It doesn’t mean that we are not moving rather what we need to focus is on the present things. Like during 12 hour flights I used to be impatient now I take it calmly with enjoying the meal or watching movies or reading and taking naps in between. It is like focusing on what can I do today to move one step closer to my goal. Learn to embrace the journey, learn to apply the buddhist practice every day and turn that poison into medicine. 

As Sensei said, “Someone who at first may seem to be a hopeless case can, by achieving major self-transformation through their Buddhist practice, become an inspiration to countless others. Also, times when you are suffering intensely, when you don’t know what to do or which way to turn, can become opportunities for making great strides in your human revolution. If you tend to be discouraged easily, just refresh your determination each time that happens. People who are resolved to see problems as opportunities and keep try again and again, forging ahead with unflagging optimism, will definitely succeed in their human revolution.”

Key points:

1.       Daimoku is source or base of everything: Don’t forget Daimoku itself is not everything so if you say I do chanting then why things are not happening. Back off, it is like having electricity in house but you can’t turn on any appliance if you don’t switch them on and work with them.

2.       Practice is 24x7: Practice includes daimoku, meetings and encouraging others but then it also includes you actions at home, work and in surroundings. Remember our thoughts, deeds and actions which meaning my way of thinking and then approaching things is my first base of creating my new causes for karma.

3.       Buddha receives benefits: More we work on bringing out our Buddha nature and more we practice to maintain our high life state; more will be benefits. High life state leads to wisdom with right actions. Right actions leads to right causes and so we break the negative karmic chain. So, we can say “Buddha only can receive benefits”.

Happy Chanting

Part 1: How to Practice despite the struggles and keep Nichiren Daishonin's spirit? (personal experience)

Whether you have read your whole gosho multiple times or done with millions of daimoku; or you are just a newbie to this word of Buddhist philosophy. Let me bring these phrases of Nichiren Daishonin once again in the light and let's embrace it and feel it flowing in our veins so that we can embrace our tremendous good fortune:

"This I will state. Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law. . . . Here I will make a great vow. Though I might be offered the rulership of Japan if I would only abandon the Lotus Sutra, accept the teachings of the Meditation Sutra, and look forward to rebirth in the Pure Land, though I might be told that my father and mother will have their heads cut off if I do not recite the Nembutsu —whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never yield! All other troubles are no more to me than dust before the wind. I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it! (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 280–81)"

While we give reasons like my parents are not allowing me to practice or I have got so much work to do and so on that we can’t even spare one hour twice a month for the meetings while Nichiren Daishonin had a spirit to not only practice but kept going on steadfast in faith despite the life threatening remarks directed to him and his parents as well. He didn’t give in to the circumstances not because he didn’t love his parents or his own life rather he believed in the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. I know it can be hard to practice when we are so deluded in family issues or long job hours but this is when we need to keep our faith steadfast, this is what means when sensei says Practice with spirit of Nichiren Daishonin or Toda sensei. Presently, i am living in a place where i have only 2 WDs in 40 km of area whereas only nearest meeting is 70 km. Despite, all the challenges my prayer got answered and i went 30km to do my first meeting as a home visit in Germany. I met someone who had a similar experience that i am chanting to have in coming months. She shared her experience and i had tears in my eyes in fact she called herself as my mother. I also cried when i could chant in front of gohonzon for first time in Germany. In fact i will go again to see her another weekend before i leave and we are targeting for Marathon Daimoku. Another prayer got answered when i figured out that today i will go for that 70 km distance to attend my first discussion meeting here. I know it will be in German and i will have no clue but Daimoku is a universal language and heart is what matters. 

Another important  said:

"Although I and my disciples may encounter various difficulties, if we do not harbor doubts in our hearts, we will as a matter of course attain Buddhahood. Do not have doubts simply because heaven does not lend you protection. Do not be discouraged because you do not enjoy an easy and secure existence in this life. This is what I have taught my disciples morning and evening, and yet they begin to harbor doubts and abandon their faith. Foolish men are likely to forget the promises they have made when the crucial moment comes. (WND-1, 283)"

I have spent my only 2 weeks break in last whole year in hospital and with doctors trying to keep my father alive and my family strong while i went to gohonzon to keep myself strong. While i spent last 2 weeks trying to support them emotionally and especially through my Daimoku when doctors gave up on my father. Amidst of all, i got to know my close aunt is hospitalised as well and her husband is going through another challenge. I knew nothing has happened by chance rather these all scenarios are my answered prayers. My father has a bigger mission as he brought my family closer and my aunt's health helped me with expanding my compassion for my cousins despite a very bumpy road of relationships in past few years. This is what i call, having a high life condition where i had wisdom to put aside my personal differences and chant for them like i have chanted for my own family and friends. This is the Buddha's spirit where we only wish for everyone's happiness; this is kosen rufu. 

Not only, i have found my peace and surely i have full faith that no matter what may come, it will eventually be for my family, friends and my own happiness even though it might not seem like that for now. 

Happy Chanting

What i tell myself when i look into mirror each morning?

I am who i am,

Ageing like wine,

I am not old,

I am younger than i felt yesterday.

I made it today,

and i am proud of it.

I survived what nobody saw,

I won over the evils.

I twirl, I swing 

hand in hand with my demons.

I might see those wrinkles,

marks, stretch marks, puffy eyes

yet i feel nothing but pride.

They are not my scars from war.

They are the medals i won,

all along those wars.

I don't need you to tell me,

where i belong

as i know i am the queen

made on my own.

I don't need a prince,

even my king will bend in front of me.

I will continue to fight,

and i will sing in the same light.

I am the Warrior, I am the Goddess

and

I am who I am.

How do I know, I am practicing right or wrong or if I am chanting enough?

Let me ask you one simple question, if you are chanting for hours, or if you have read whole gosho 2 or 3 times or even more then why are you in low life? Don’t take me wrong for asking this question, I am just trying to make you ask yourself if you have invested in so many hours then why do you still feel so low? You know I ask myself this question every time I feel deadlocked or every time I am thinking on closing my Daimoku, if after closing my Daimoku am I still in low life?  For example, a week ago when I had to be the Sun of my family, I was perfectly fine, chanting and reading Gosho and laughing loud and making jokes with my family. In fact, one time my father came out of his room just to sit with us as he heard my loud laughter.  Interestingly, thanks to practice I am still really good at laughing and making jokes even in amidst of tears or tough days.  But then, the first day I got back to my work life miles away from my family, I got anxious thinking about them and how will I support them. Sooner, I took control of how I felt but then yesterday again I had another day where I felt weak in my knees.

Question:  So, how do I take control of how I feel?

Answer: I listen to my own thoughts,  like if they are getting more negative or if I am feeling low that is a clear sign that my foundation of Buddhist practice is getting weak. Sometimes, I am so soaked on thinking about a person either a family member or a friend that I am going down and down in my life state. This is a clear sign that my happiness is dependent on other person and it is a call of urgency to put my Gohonzon back in the center of my life. I take a good look at my pillars of faith, practice and study and then I work immediately to keep it together and stronger.

I did same last evening when I felt deadlocked and I determined to do a vigorous chanting for an hour, with each daimoku I determined to change my karma and raise my life condition believing that I am a Buddha. I read some gosho lectures and at the end of Daimoku and study, I immediately felt a surge of hope that I am going to overcome every single obstacle.

Crux: I don’t practice based on hours or millions of daimoku, I personally suck at keeping count of that. But what I am improving at is listening to my thoughts, words and observing my deeds. If I lack hope or i feel deadlocked then I know either my attitude in daimoku, or my study or practicing with others has gone weak. When despite the first two, I feel like something is not right, then I know I have to reach out to my fellow members even if it is through electronic contact like these days when I am living in a deserted area with no members around. Above all, when Gohonzon is center of our life then everything will fall in place, as my happiness and sadness all depends on Gohonzon and not a person or object.

Homework for all of us: Let’s analyze our attitude and our daily actions, are we making excuses that we have no time to chant or are we putting gohonzon as center of our life before facing any struggle. Are we talking in a vicious circle of negative words like why me?  Are we taking any actions like chanting and working towards improving ourselves or just sitting around and thinking and questioning practice?

Learn to listen to yourself and you will know when and where you are lacking to reach your goals.

Happy Chanting

When and how do we change our Karma with Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism?

People ask me this one question every now and then, "Do you believe that we can change our Karma?" My answer is "YES".

I have witnessed myself that yes our karma does change and I have not only seen it changing but i have felt the change itself. First time, i really changed my relationship karma was when i did a very intense human revolution. A period of 7 days with rigorous Daimoku and constant study of Gosho led me to so much wisdom, compassion and courage that i never felt such surge of joy ever in my life. 

I always thought it was just human revolution and consistent practice of 24x7 that led to changing one's karma. 

But my recent understanding took it to whole another level. Changing karma is like simple math:

1. We encounter a challenging situation 

2. Chant to raise our life condition

3. High life condition = wisdom, compassion and courage 

4. Wisdom, compassion & courage = right thoughts, words and deeds (Actions) 

5. Right actions = Good fortune 

6. Good fortune = Positive karma 

Question: What really triggered the change in our karma?

Answer: Generally, when we face challenges we immediately dive into negativity or complaining attitude with questions like why me? It is like a vicious circle of negative thoughts, words and deeds. Whereas, we all know karma is formed by thoughts, words and deeds. Now, if we can break this cycle of negativity that means we can change our karma. It is important to understand that in the face of struggles, it is hard to break this cycle that is why the first thing we need to do is chant. Chant to bring forth your Buddha nature and not getting affected in the face of devil is like a power prayer to change one's karma. Once we raise a high life state then we face the struggles with a strong and determined attitude resulting into change into our thoughts, words and deeds. Thereby, we immediately break the cycle of negative karma and enter into another cycle of positive karma. 

Similarly, not being able to maintain our high life state can affect our future actions leading us to fall back in cycle of negative karma. This is why, Buddhism is a 24x7 practice and a religiously consistent practice will surely lead to absolute happiness.

Happy Chanting

Buddhism for fighting Family’s Health Karma (Personal experience)

Hardest of all the karma’s is relationship karma but have you ever wondered how it entangles with health karma. If you are sick then maybe you will fight it or you will get lazy but when you have to fight with lion king’s heart for your loved one’s it seems impossible. It is really painful to see our loved one’s suffering while the earth moves under your feet.

Something like that happened to my family when 10 days back doctor’s said that my father’s heart has only 20% functioning left which means even if he comes out of ICU every single day is life threatening for him. Last time, he got admitted in hospital for same problem with 50% functioning left. Honestly, yes i am aware of the scientific facts but then i am a practitioner of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. According to doctors, his whole life depends on his medicines as if they are his lifeline in fact he is allowed to skip a meal but not a single dosage. According to me, Sensei has been told that he wouldn’t survive after 30 yrs due to tuberculosis but today he is living beyond 90 yrs and not only this, Nichiren Daishonin himself prolonged his mother’s life with 5 yrs

Luckily, I was here with my family and not sitting abroad which is a clear proof of the Mystic Law. While being the elder daughter, i know it is time for me to chant once again to pay my debt of gratitude to my parents.

I know that my father is my biggest weakness and when i arrived here and i actually had to witness how my dad’s health has degraded in just last 3-4 months, it simply broke me. Then other day, when i took him to Emergency, all i did was focus on actions. I knew one thing if this is what is happening then i am not going to question power of this practice or my faith as a votary of Lotus Sutra. Like Daishonin says: “One accepts because of power of faith and continues because of one’s power of constant thought.” (Gosho 56, vol 1., The Difficulty of sustaining Faith) I know it is very easy to blame practice especially when our dear ones are sitting on death bed. Yes, life is nothing but a bitter reality but then again we are naive humans who are never going to be able to accept birth, ageing, sickness and death whether in 20s or 40s or 70s.

First night, i came home all i knew was that i have faith and i am not alone. I didn’t even ask my district or anyone including my own sister who is a practicing member to chant for dad’s condition. I have to say that from depth of my heart i know it is not a matter of asking people to chant for him rather it is between me and my Gohonzon. It is time to keep faith in the lotus sutra strategy rather than deluded emotions or applying any mind strategy. Like Nichiren Daishonin says:

“When we have this mandala with us, it is a rule that all the Buddhas and gods will gather round and watch over us, protecting us like a shadow day and night, just as warriors guard their ruler, as parents love their children, as fish rely on water, as trees and grasses crave rain, and as birds depend on trees. You must trust in it with all your heart.” (Gosho 73, vol 1., On Upholding Faith in the Gohonzon)

“Strengthen your faith now, more than ever. Though the ship is stoutly built, if it is flooded by a leak, those on the ship are sure to drown together. Bail the sea-ship of your life and disbelief out of the ship of your life, and solidify the embankments of faith.” (Gosho 74, vol 1., On Embankments of Faith)

“Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle? A sword is useless in the hands of a coward.” (Gosho 45, vol 1., Reply to Kyo’o)

Likely said, not only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the sword but upholding this faith is nothing less than that. Once we take up this faith it is like entering in the war field, where we are shielded by lotus sutra with a sword of Daimoku in our hand and the sole purpose of practice is to prove the power of law. At times, we confront loss of life, work or relationships and we start questioning why did this happen, even though i am chanting. Never forget, everything we encounter in our life is merely an answer to our prayers as it might seem harsh but we encounter obstacles to overcome them like a Buddha. Buddha filled with wisdom, compassion and courage while we change the negative karma of our life in this life time itself. Life is like a series of dots which connects and lead to where we are suppose to be, trust life and its process specially when it is wrapped in Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. To conclude, i would like to share what Daishonin said and what i kept in my heart to face no matter what would have happened or whatever will in near future:

“...Through his death, Thus Come One taught the eternity [of life], and through illness, the power [of Buddhism].” The Lotus Sutra can cure them [illnesses], which is why it is called myo, or wonderful. Miao lo says, “Because it can cure what is thought to be incurable, it is called myo, or wonderful.” (Gosho 76, vol 1., On Curing Karmic Disease)

P.S Don’t let your love for family or anyone become your weakness, make it your strength which can help you push forward in the midst of challenges.

Happy Chanting