Vincent Leong’s Inspirational Experience (SGI NZ)

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1. My name is Vincent Leong from City District.

My Practice

2. I began my practice of Buddhism 26 years ago in Auckland in 1990 having been introduced to it by 2 Malaysian couples, Daniel &Jossie Chan, and Desmond &Serene Foo.
3. I took up faith not because of any problems but because these people were a happy gathering of members having wonderful time together at a wedding dinner and also because I was really able to sense the greatness of the SGI through its charter that details its movement for Peace, Culture and Education.

4. When I first started my practice, I participated in activities with the young men’s group and behind the scenes supporter activities with the VCG. Every week together with the youth leader, we studied President Ikeda’s Human Revolution Novel which is a blueprint for living the most successful and happiest of lives. From that time, my passion for Gakkai activities grew except for a 3 month period when my whole family returned to Malaysia in 1996 to settle down.

5. It was the reading of the novel Human Revolution and meeting with Sensei in 1991 in Japan which really make me change my priorities and outlook on life. Everyone needs to be able to rest from time to time and enjoy life, but I came to understand that I could actually benefit others and help create a better society rather than just idling my time away.

6. Indeed, I have received many benefits throughout these past 26 years of practice.

The first is Financial Benefit and Protection

7. When I initially came to work in New Zealand and establish my family, my income was just enough to make ends meet and that’s all. Because I was active in the organization and travelled a lot from city to city, I didn’t have much saved, certainly not enough to go to Japan or even return to Malaysia for holiday. However, every time I made a determination and chant for the extra money, it always came. I would have extra projects in the company where my boss would ask me to work overtime and paid me extra. Eventually, I was able to travel to Japan and in 1991, I had the good fortune to meet President Ikeda for the first time and then again for a second time in Hawaii in 1995.

8. In the early days, I was also praying to get a second car for the family so that my wife and I could go out individually and do activities freely. I would normally take the bus to work, then after work, walk 30mins to the SGI Centre. Sometimes, I took bus to home visit a member before going to work. My prayer was answered when after about 9 months of prayer, my boss gave me a company car to drive even though I was just a regular employee. My boss even allowed me to use the car for personal use as well.

9. When I returned to Malaysia in 1996, I started a business selling wireless technology equipment. 6 months after that, I had the opportunity to take part in a tender that was worth 5 million Malaysian Ringet. However, my UK principle was very bad, and by-passed us going direct to the customer. I wondered why I had to endure such karma, but prayed to Gohonzon for the wisdom to overcome the circumstances. I was convinced that there must be reason for it and decided to stop selling the product and take no legal action against them even though I had a sole distribution agreement signed with them.

• Sure enough, later, the project was awarded to the UK company in 1997, but this was was after the currency exchange crisis in Asia when the UK Pound increased in value from 4.2 before the financial crisis to 6.8 after the crisis. I calculated, if I had won the tender, I would have easily lost RM1-2m. This, I realized, was the protection I received through my sincere practice.

• In 1998, because my company lost the tender, we were struggling and my salary was affected. I had difficulty trying to service the loan for the new house I bought in in the city of Klang. My sister and I decided to sell off our 2 houses before the bank started to chase us.

• For six months, because my prayer was not focused, there were no interested buyers at all. Then in Sept 1998, I made a determination to chant for 1 hour daimoku a day for 90 days to sell off the 2 houses by 25-Dec-1998 (Xmas day).

13. I prayed that the buyers who are going to buy my house will find their happiness there and it will be a house and place that they are really looking for.

14. Until Nov-1998, there had been only 1 interested party who was looking for 1 house not 2. My real estate agent told me the buyer rejected the offer because I tried to sell above the purchase price because I tried to cover extra costs incurred through additional wiring, plumbing and grill. In fact other sellers at that time were offering their homes at prices below their costs.

• There were no calls from my agent, not even on Xmas eve, 24-Dec-1998. My wife reminded me about my deadline. I told her I still have another 24 hours to go. Even though the next day was Xmas when most people would be on holiday and taking a rest, I determined to chant until the last moment.

• I did my chanting and Gongyo at 10am on 25-Dec. Suddenly, there was a call halfway thru my chanting. I decided to wait till I finished my chanting before calling back.

• Immediately after I finished my chanting at 11am, my phone rang again. It was my agent telling me there is an interested buyer wanting to buy the 2 houses. He wants to see you within an hour, I was told.

• I was excited and agreed to meet them at 12noon. The buyer was interested in buying the 2 houses, one for himself and the other for his brother. He decided to pay me the deposit after lunch. Before he left, he asked me if there had ever been any flooding in the area. I told him honestly that there had been none to date.

• As we adjourned for lunch, heavy rain hit the area and caused the whole of the new housing area to be flooded. As I was waiting for him at the new house, the water was about 6 inches high. I chanted fervently in my heart that the buyer would not change his mind.

• True to form, my prayer was answered. My real-estate agent explained to him that the flood was due to construction debris. Surprisingly he accepted the explanation. He paid the deposit for both houses and decided to settle the balance with cash. The whole sales and purchase transaction went thru very smoothly.

• The power of chanting is unfathomable. The moment we set our determination and chant sincerely, our prayer will be answered.

Secondly, Family Protection

• In 2003, I decided to closed down the company and found myself a job with a US firm. However, one of the conditions was that I had to go to the US for training within a month before I start my job. I knew that, getting a visa to enter US during this period would be a challenge, especially from a Muslim country like Malaysia in the wake of the 911 incident.

• My colleagues explained how others had to wait for more than 6 months or a year for a visa and warned me it would be impossible to get a visa within a month.

• I told them I would pray for miracle to happen. I prayed that the US Embassy Officer who is going to process and interview me would be a friendly person. I prayed that there wouldn’t be any problem with my documentation.

• Because I submitted my document with air ticket information, the US Embassy called me in for interview within a week. However, they questioned me about one of my old missing passports that I used to travel to Hawaii to meet President Ikeda. They accepted my explanation that I destroyed it when I was migrating back to Malaysia from NZ in 1996.

• Within 3 weeks, I got my 10 year US Visa approved. I was able to travel to US for training and eventually work full-time.

• I even had the good fortune to receive share options in the US company. By Sep-2004, I accumulated enough shares that if I were to sell them off, because of the good price, I would be able to take my whole family to Thailand for a holiday during Xmas. So, I submitted my request to sell the shares in early Sep-2004. I received the confirmation on my computer in the office in a report saying it would take 3-5 working days. I waited until 15-Sep but nothing happened. I called the US share broker firm and remonstrated with them.

• They asked me to submit the request a second time but 2 weeks later, the same thing happened. I was very angry and frustrated. I decided to do the submission in the middle of night so that I could talk and confirm with them on the spot.

• They guided and monitored the transaction. It was finally recorded in their system. They were puzzled why the 2 requests were not transmitted to their system in US. By the time they sold my shares and paid me the money in early December 2004, it was too late for me to buy cheap Air-Asia tickets to Phuket. I cancelled my holiday to Phuket. Instead, I took the money as a down payment for my new house.

• Do you all still remember what happened during Xmas 2004 of that year in Phuket? It was the Aceh Tsunami. Tens of thousands of people died. I was shocked but thankful to the Gohonzon that my whole family was protected. Looking at the devastation on TV in Aceh and Phuket, I believe that I am truly fortunate to have my whole family with me here today.

• As an IT person, having computer problems like what I went through seldom happened. Furthermore, there were 13000 employees worldwide and many of them buy/sell shares every day. I think I was the only employee who had such a problem at that time. Truly, how mystical is the power of our practice- doesn’t it work in amazing ways.

• Another benefit that that came out of this is that the value of the house that I bought has doubled since then.

Third, Family & Members

• For me, the most important benefit I have accumulated is my harmonious, healthy and happy family. My wife, son and daughter also join in Gakkai activities. In fact, our children have been joining in Gakkai activities since they were born. I remember the days where our car would be filled with milk bottles, milk powders, diapers, a bouncer, and walker etc.

• I wish to say a sincere thank you to my wife who gives me all the support and understanding she can, making it possible for me freely participate in any Gakkai activity, while using all of her own free time to take care the children.

• I would also like to express my gratitude to President Ikeda for all the wonderful guidance which I read every day that lead my life to the right perspective and which I try to put into practice.

• Lastly, I need to acknowledge the Soka Gakkai, this wonderful organization and the members that allow me to polish myself to become a better person.

• In conclusion, I would like to quote a passage from President Ikeda’s guidance: Faith is not a matter of how you appear to others, but how you behave and what you actually do. In the long term, our invisible determinations and unseen actions will definitely become manifest as visible results. As time passes, a person’s true nature naturally comes to be revealed. An honest person always enjoys ultimate victory. (Vol 3, 5-Jul)

Thank you for listening