EXAMPLE OF HOW NOT TO BE

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When Sensei went to President Toda for his guidance, he was completely frustrated by the behavior of some leaders in the organization. President Toda was very strict with Sensei and told him that he needed to take the responsibility to create the kind of organization he wanted it to be. And then he said that; “Every pain, every hurt, every frustration you ever feel on account of another human being should be engraved in your heart. Never ever forget them. Then make sure you never, ever do the same to a single human being. We all want to grow and be happy and creative, but the point we most often miss, is that some people’s mission in our life is to teach us how to be a better human being through their negative example of how not to be. They are as powerful a teacher of how not to be, as the person who is the greatest example of how to be.” The issue here is; do we get the lesson or do we instead turn around and do the same thing to other people that we accuse others of doing to us?

He didn’t stop there, President Toda went on to say that we must understand that the reason we are here in this moment, in this lifetime, experiencing this problem, in this environment, with these people is because it is our mission, and our mission alone, to find the solution to the problem. The solution to the problem is never, ever waiting to see if the other person will change. Every time we wait for the other person to change we have missed our opportunity to do human revolution, to change and therefore to become happier. I too had to see the cause and effect connection with and within my life and my environment. There was a causal reason that my leader was in my life pulling out all my judgmental negativity. And so then, I started chanting with this thought: THIS IS MY MISSION, I HAVE TO FIND THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

It was clear that waiting for her to change was not the answer, it had been two years, so I was sure about it. I sincerely started chanting for the wisdom to see what it was that I needed to do to change this. And it put me on a journey towards serious self-reflection. What I saw was this: That even though I do my best, I’m not always proud of myself every day when I return home, in terms of the way I handle certain situations in my life. I also had to realize that although I had been doing my best but for two years, I had not been able to win over my judgmental self and my negativity towards this woman. When I could, I asked myself; “what makes me think that I have the right to hold another human being to certain standards?” I started to see that what I was observing in her was nothing other than a human being who, just like me, was battling with her own weaknesses, and again who, just like me had not yet been able to win over them because it is a process that takes time and it has to begin with self realisation, human revolution, challenge and change.

The moment I understood that.., really understood, not intellectually, but with my life,… a prayer came out of my life that I had never prayed before. That prayer was this… I decided that I would take total responsibility for her to have a victory over her weakness, and it meant that I was going to start sending daimoku to her life with the determination that through my daimoku alone, I was going to start battling that negativity in her. That weakness in her that I was judging so unmercifully, I was going to send daimoku to and I was going to battle within her life with my daimoku. With the determination that through my daimoku alone I would ensure that she had a breakthrough in her life. The minute I was able to chant that way, my relationship with her life changed just like that. What I realize now, is it was not her that had to change, it was me.

I chanted myself from a person of judgment, to a person of compassion for another human being’s life. When I judged her, that became my prayer and my expectation towards her, and she was my big movie screen that was projected back to me exactly what I expected of her. When I was able to take the responsibility to help her have a victory over her weakness, I found that I could have true compassion for her. My prayer and expectation towards her life became profoundly different because I had connected to another part of her life. I was able to open up to her for the first time. I then discovered that this type of sincere and deep prayer is a prayer that will allow us to speed up our human revolution and become strong powerful assets for Kosen Rufu. What I came to understand is that because there is no separation between myself and my environment, the weakness that we all experience in other people – carry the best possible messages for us to change.

By Linda Johnson, SGI-USA WD Leader

The Art of listening with the eyes of a Buddha – Excerpt

Notes from Q & A with Linda Johnson

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SGI-USA Women’s Division Leader-2002

QUESTION – After chanting for so many years how do you have a vibrant practice versus a “maintenance” practice?

RESPONSE – I have now been practicing for twenty six years. To some people in this room I am still a baby in this practice.

Freshness comes from the spirit to challenge ourselves to grow meaningfully. Pres. Ikeda has urged us to “find the one thing that seems the most impossible” and then throw ourselves into our practice and absolutely achieve victory. When you do this you see the rest of your life open.

Confidence is an effect not the cause. You get confidence following your action/victory from challenging the impossible.

Pres. Ikeda says that you cannot live life doing only what is easy for us. We must challenge to do that which we least want to do — if not we will be a slave to our own fundamental darkness.

Practice does not get easier the longer you practice but each year if more fulfilling. It is not easier because we are polishing our lives. As we get older we get past the easy stuff land down to core issues of our lives. Unless we break through in our lives we won’t be able to move forward.

Pres. Ikeda says there is a fundamental evil, which is the source of all our suffering. It is a negative belief system about ourselves. We must discover this, face this and win over this evil.

Why is this so difficult? Because it is scary. Here is what I found out about my negative belief system. My mom was great. My dad was a total alcoholic. As a child, I was neglected by my dad. He didn’t call. He didn’t send birthday presents. I internalized that this neglect was my fault – something was wrong with me that my dad didn’t want me or love me. This negative belief system has effected my entire life especially my relationships with men. This negative belief system then transformed into, I was not worthy to have what I want.

It seems an eternity ago but it was just last month that I was asked to go for training for zone women’s leaders in Japan. I had been fighting to get this meeting. Most of the women zone leaders are not staff such as the men’s zone leaders. These women are working, raising families, giving their all for Kosen Rufu. They give so much that they need more nourishment for themselves. Women are the glue of the organization.

Pres. Ikeda said yes to the meeting. I scheduled in the date. At the last moment the date was changed. The new date was schedule for the same day as the last day of mandatory supervisor training for my job. An SGI person told me, “Oh, well, you were in Japan recently. Don’t feel bad. You can go again another time.”

I felt so discouraged. No one could encourage me. I was having a pity party for one. What I had to do was to own my own reaction. I had to chant to see what this had to do with the other parts of my life. I needed to see the interconnectedness with myself as a child and my belief of my unworthiness.

For the first time, on that day I GOT BUDDHISM. I GOT ESHO FUNI. Our life is a visible manifestation of our mind. The environment mirrors back. I wasn’t worthy of what I wanted.

When we separate the environment from ourselves we are dis-empowered. But I empower my life when I work on what’s making me unhappy and chant and take full responsibility. I chanted “I must take full responsibility to change belief systems in my life.” I have to battle with this whenever it raises it’s ugly head and then use it positively to develop myself.

So since I had never really asked anything special from my job I decided that I needed to ask now. I explained the change in dates for the Japan trip and I was told there was no problem, to go with the rescheduled date.

When we are in a “maintenance” practice we are not challenging ourselves. In life there is no neutral. We are either going forward or backward. We need to constantly have new goals to revitalize our practice. We have to ask are we running away from the painful reality of our own lives.

 

Karmic Disposition

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Q U E S T I O N
What do we mean by Karmic disposition? How should we look at life in view of this?

A N S W E R
Our karma is made by no one but ourselves; it is something we have created in our past lives. Our karma is formed through the accumulation of three types of action – our deeds, words and thoughts – that is, what we have done, what we have said, what we have thought and felt.

For example, acts such as deceiving others, causing unhappiness or taking others’ lives create negative karma.

After we die, our lives merge into the vast whole, the life of the universe. Death, President Toda said, is like going to sleep at night, while embarking on the next life is like waking up refreshed from sleep to begin a new day. Life is like a continuous cycle of sleeping and waking.

The most important point here is that our karma does not vanish after we die; it continues on into the next life. It’s like when we borrow money from someone one day: the debt remains when we wake up the next morning. Similarly, the sufferings of this life will continue in the next. If we die writhing in unbearable pain and agony in this lifetime, we will be born having to bear the same agony in the next. Death offers no escape from our karma. Therefore, committing suicide offers no release from suffering.

If on the other hand, we attain a secure state of happiness and end our days savoring profound joy, we will be born amid good circumstances in the next life and move towards a happy existence.

Source: The New Human Revolution, Volume 3, Chapter 1, Westward Transmission, Page 57-58, By SGI President Daisaku Ikeda.

 

What is Happiness?

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What is the purpose of life? It is to become happy. Whatever country or society people live in, they all have the same deep desire: to become happy.

Yet, there are few ideals as difficult to grasp as that of happiness. In our daily life we constantly experience happiness and unhappiness, but we are still quite ignorant as to what happiness really is.

A young friend of mine once spent a long time trying to work out what happiness was, particularly happiness for women. When she first thought about happiness she saw it as a matter of becoming financially secure or getting married. (The view in Japanese society then was that happiness for a woman was only to be found in marriage.) But looking at friends who were married, she realized that marriage didn’t necessarily guarantee happiness.

She saw couples who had been passionately in love suffering from discord soon after their wedding. She saw women who had married men with money or status but who fought constantly with their husbands.

Gradually, she realized that the secret of happiness lay in building a strong inner self that no trial or hardship could ruin. She saw that happiness for anyone — man or woman — does not come simply from having a formal education, from wealth or from marriage. It begins with having the strength to confront and conquer one’s own weaknesses. Only then does it become possible to lead a truly happy life and enjoy a successful marriage.

She finally told me, “Now I can say with confidence that happiness doesn’t exist in the past or in the future. It only exists within our state of life right now, here in the present, as we face the challenges of daily life.”

I agree entirely. You yourself know best whether you are feeling joy or struggling with suffering. These things are not known to other people. Even a man who has great wealth, social recognition and many awards may still be shadowed by indescribable suffering deep in his heart. On the other hand, an elderly woman who is not fortunate financially, leading a simple life alone, may feel the sun of joy and happiness rising in her heart each day.

Happiness is not a life without problems, but rather the strength to overcome the problems that come our way. There is no such thing as a problem-free life; difficulties are unavoidable. But how we experience and react to our problems depends on us. Buddhism teaches that we are each responsible for our own happiness or unhappiness. Our vitality — the amount of energy or “life-force” we have — is in fact the single most important factor in determining whether or not we are happy.

True happiness is to be found within, in the state of our hearts. It does not exist on the far side of some distant mountains. It is within you, yourself. However much you try, you can never run away from yourself. And if you are weak, suffering will follow you wherever you go. You will never find happiness if you don’t challenge your weaknesses and change yourself from within.

Happiness is to be found in the dynamism and energy of your own life as you struggle to overcome one obstacle after another. This is why I believe that a person who is active and free from fear is truly happy.

The challenges we face in life can be compared to a tall mountain, rising before a mountain climber. For someone who has not trained properly, whose muscles and reflexes are weak and slow, every inch of the climb will be filled with terror and pain. The exact same climb, however, will be a thrilling journey for someone who is prepared, whose legs and arms have been strengthened by constant training. With each step forward and up, beautiful new views will come into sight.

My teacher used to talk about two kinds of happiness — “relative” and “absolute” happiness. Relative happiness is happiness that depends on things outside ourselves: friends and family, surroundings, the size of our home or family income.

This is what we feel when a desire is fulfilled, or something we have longed for is obtained. While the happiness such things bring us is certainly real, the fact is that none of this lasts forever. Things change. People change. This kind of happiness shatters easily when external conditions alter.

Relative happiness is also based on comparison with others. We may feel this kind of happiness at having a newer or bigger home than the neighbors. But that feeling turns to misery the moment they start making new additions to theirs!

Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is something we must find within. It means establishing a state of life in which we are never defeated by trials and where just being alive is a source of great joy. This persists no matter what we might be lacking, or what might happen around us. A deep sense of joy is something which can only exist in the innermost reaches of our life, and which cannot be destroyed by any external forces. It is eternal and inexhaustible.

This kind of satisfaction is to be found in consistent and repeated effort, so that we can say, “Today, again, I did my very best. Today, again, I have no regrets. Today, again, I won.” The accumulated result of such efforts is a life of great victory.

What we should compare is not ourselves against others. We should compare who we are today against who we were yesterday, who we are today against who we will be tomorrow. While this may seem simple and obvious, true happiness is found in a life of constant advancement. And the same worries that could have made us miserable can actually be a source of growth when we approach them with courage and wisdom.

One friend whose dramatic life proved this was Natalia Satz, who founded the first children’s theater in Moscow. In the 1930s, she and her husband were marked by Soviet Union’s secret police. Even though they were guilty of no crime, her husband was arrested and executed and she was sent to a prison camp in the frozen depths of Siberia.

After she recovered from the initial shock, she started looking at her situation, not with despair, but for opportunity. She realized that many of her fellow prisoners had special skills and talents. She began organizing a “university,” encouraging the prisoners to share their knowledge. “You. You are a scientist. Teach us about science. You are an artist. Talk to us about art.”

In this way, the boredom and terror of the prison camp were transformed into the joy of learning and teaching. Eventually, Mrs. Satz even made use of her own unique talents to organize a theater group. She survived the five-year prison sentence, and dedicated the rest of her long life to creating children’s theater. When we met for the first time in Moscow in 1981, she was already in her 80s. She was as radiant and buoyant as a young girl. Her smile was the smile of someone who has triumphed over the hardships of life. Hers is the kind of spirit I had in mind when I wrote the following poem on “Happiness”:

A person with a vast heart is happy.
Such a person lives each day with a broad and embracing spirit.
A person with a strong will is happy.
Such a person can confidently enjoy life, never defeated by suffering.
A person with a profound spirit is happy.
Such a person can savor life’s depths
while creating meaning and value that will last for eternity.
A person with a pure mind is happy.
Such a person is always surrounded by refreshing breezes of joy.

By Daisaku Ikeda

LINDA JOHNSON’S GUIDANCE BASED ON THE GOSHO,”REPLY TO KYO’O”

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I want to move on to the Gosho, “Reply to Kyo’o” because I feel that in this Gosho, Nichiren Daishonin is basically telling us everything we need to know. He starts off by saying; “Believe in this mandala with your whole heart.” The first thing is, you have to believe. And then he talks about how powerful Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is. “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is like the roar of a lion, what sickness can therefore be an obstacle.” He’s making a declaration here, that Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is so powerful, that there is no problem you cannot overcome. But then he warns us. The personal results that you get, all depend upon the power, depth and consistency of your faith. Then he says, “A coward can not have any of his prayers answered. The mighty sword of the Lotus Sutra must be wielded by one courageous in faith.” And what I see in myself, as well as in others, is that we allow fear and doubt to influence us to such a degree that we run away from our problems. My experience is that we cannot change anything if we do not face it with 100% responsibility.

While we think in some way that we may be protecting ourselves, I find that when we separate ourselves from our environment, from people and from problems, it is an avoidance strategy. That’s right, I’ve done it, I mean I can look good in front of the Gohonzon, but inside I have left the premises (laughter). When I do that, is it any surprise that I don’t get great results? If I avoid difficulties, I’m not taking on the problem at all. I’m running away from it. My experience again is that when I do that…no matter how many activities I do… no matter how much I chant… I can’t break through it. I cannot break through until I resolve to face it with 100% responsibility no whatever the problem is…I have to be willing to face the reality in my life. Nichiren Daishonin tells us that we must have the courage, the guts, to use our practice for the things we think we can’t do, then ‘ he says, one will be as strong as a demon armed with an iron staff. He says “I, Nichiren have inscribed my life in sumi ink so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart. Muster your faith and pray to this Gohonzon, then what is there that cannot be achieved?”

Excerpt – The Art of listening with the eyes of a Buddha

 

President Ikeda’s Guidances

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President Ikeda’s Guidance on KARMA

“Our karma is made by no one but ourselves; it is something we have created in our past lives. Our karma is formed through the accumulation of three types of action – our deeds, words and
thoughts – that is, what we have done, what we have said, what we have thought and felt.
For example, acts such as deceiving others, causing unhappiness or taking others’ lives create negative karma.
After we die, our lives merge into the vast whole, the life of the universe. Death, President Toda said, is like going to sleep at night, while embarking on the next life is like waking up refreshed from sleep to begin a new day. Life is like a continuous cycle of sleeping and waking.
The most important point here is that our karma does not vanish after we die; it continues on into the next life. It’s like when we borrow money from someone one day: the debt remains when we wake up the next morning. Similarly, the sufferings of this life will continue in the next. If we die writhing in unbearable pain and agony in this lifetime, we will be born having to bear the same agony in the next. Death offers no escape from our karma. Therefore,
committing suicide offers no release from suffering.
If on the other hand, we attain a secure state of happiness and end our days savoring profound joy, we will be born amid good circumstances in the next life and move towards a happy existence.”

The New Human Revolution, Volume 3, Chapter 1,
Westward Transmission, Page 57-58.

“Every person has their own karma and their own tribulations, such as business failures or illness, to face in life. When these troubles afflict us, we may feel unable to deal with them and become despairing and desperate. This is a trap that can lead to creating a negative cycle toward unhappiness, which is a very frightening development.
“Buddhism enables us to break free of this negative cycle of misfortune and provides us with the indomitable strength to rise to every challenge.
“Remember, the purpose of this Buddhism is to rouse the courage to bravely face every challenge life presents, to say to yourself, ‘I WON’T LET THIS BEAT ME! THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM MY KARMA'”

The New Human Revolution––Vol. 25: Chap. 2, Shared Struggle.

“People who have not experienced painful struggles or suffering cannot understand the hearts of others. Only if one has tasted life’s bitterness can one lead others to happiness.
To simply view your sufferings as ‘karma’ is backward-looking. We should have the attitude: ‘These sufferings I took on for the sake of my mission. I vowed to overcome these problems through faith.’ 
“When we understand this principle of ‘deliberately creating the appropriate karma,’ our frame of mind is transformed; what we had previously viewed as destiny, we come to see as mission. There is absolutely no way we cannot overcome sufferings that are the result of a vow we made to ourselves.”

President Ikeda
(Feb. 1997 Living Buddhism, pp. 36-37)

“Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda said : “When you try to solve a problem with strategy, you’re bound to encounter the same problem again. Only when you solve it through faith can you transform your karma.”
The most important thing is to encourage members to turn to the Gohonzon when they encounter a problem.”

11 Questions that lead to Gratitude

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Whenever you notice that you’re energy is negative, ask yourself:

“What am I grateful for?”

1.What made you happy?
2.What energized you?
3.What barrier did you overcome?
4.What changed you?
5.What triggered your creativity?
6.What deepened your spirituality?
7.What kindness did you experience?
8.What did others do for you?
9.What inspired you?
10.What made you feel good?
11.What difficulty taught you an important lesson?

Gratitude is a mind state that leads to happiness and contentment. We can get caught up in negative emotions, like resentment or anger. But such emotions are destructive and painful for you as well as for others.

Gratitude is a hallmark of humanity; it lifts our lives out of ignorance and isolation. But it is difficult to have gratitude for those around us if they act kindly only out of an expectation of reward or a sense of obligation. Also, when people try to manipulate others by granting them favors, the resulting “debt” of gratitude may easily become a burden. Buddhist wisdom, however, enables us to see our essential interconnectedness beyond superficial social obligations.

Through our Buddhist practice we expand our capacity to express gratitude and can even transform hostility into a cause for personal development. Thus from his exile to the Izu Peninsula, the Daishonin states: “Moreover, in this lifetime, I have taken faith in the Lotus Sutra and encountered a ruler who will enable me to free myself in my present existence from the sufferings of birth and death. Thus, how can I dwell on this insignificant harm that he had done me and overlook my debt to him?” (WND-1, 44).

As we develop a perspective and capacity to see even hardship in a positive light, we can experience a sense of gratitude for something beyond immediate give-and-take and deepen our humanity. Devadatta failed to prevent Shakyamuni from acting kindly, and the shogunate government could not make the Daishonin bitter. From these examples, we can see that negative circumstances do not have to make us feel ungrateful.

Living Buddhism, May 2000, p.6 and By Mary Jaksch

 

ON PRAYER AND PRACTICE

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In Nichiren Buddhism, it is said that no prayer goes unanswered. But this is very different from having every wish instantly gratified, as if by magic. If you chant to win in the lottery tomorrow, or to score 100 percent on a test tomorrow without having studied, the odds are very small that it will happen.
Nonetheless, viewed from a deeper, longer-term perspective, all your prayers will have served to propel you in the direction of happiness.
Sometimes our immediate prayers are realized, and sometimes they aren’t. When we look back later, however, we’ll be able to say with absolute conviction that everything turned out the way it did for the very best.
Buddhism accords with reason. Our faith is reflected in our daily life, in our actual circumstances. Our prayers cannot be answered if we fail to make efforts appropriate to our situation.
Furthermore, it takes a great deal of time and effort to overcome sufferings of a karmic nature, whose roots lie deep in causes made in the past. There is a big difference, for example, in the time it takes for a scratch to heal and that required to recover from a serious internal disease. Some illnesses can be treated with medication, while others require surgery. The same applies to changing our karma through faith and practice.
In addition, each person’s level of faith and individual karma differ. Through chanting daimoku, however, we can definitely bring forth from within a powerful sense of hope, and move our lives in a positive, beneficial direction.
It is unrealistic to think that we can achieve everything overnight. If we were to have every prayer answered instantly, it would lead to our ruin. We’d all grow very lazy and self-complacent.
Suppose you spent all your money playing rather than working, and are now destitute. Do you think someone giving you a large sum of money would contribute to your happiness in the long run? It would be like making superficial repairs to a crumbling building, without addressing the problem at its root. Only by first rebuilding the foundation can you begin to build something solid upon it.
Faith enables us to transform not only our day-to-day problems, but our lives at their very foundation. Through our Buddhist practice, we can develop a strong inner core and a solid and inexhaustible reservoir of good fortune.
There are two kinds of benefit that derive from faith in the Gohonzon: conspicuous and inconspicuous. Conspicuous benefit is the obvious, visible benefit of being clearly protected or quickly able to surmount a particular problem when it arises–be it an illness or a conflict in our personal relationships. Inconspicuous benefit, on the other hand, is less tangible. It is good fortune accumulated slowly but steadily, like the growth of a tree or the rising of the tide, which results in the forging of a rich and expansive state of life. We might not discern any change from day to day, but as the years pass, it will be clear that over time we’ve become happy, that we’ve grown as individuals. This is inconspicuous benefit.
When you chant daimoku, you will definitely gain the best result for you, regardless of whether that benefit is conspicuous or inconspicuous.
No matter what happens, the important thing is to continue chanting. If you do so, you’ll definitely become happy. Even if things are not solved in the way you had initially hoped or imagined, when you look back later, you’ll understand on a much more profound level that it was the best possible result. This in itself is tremendous inconspicuous benefit.
The true benefits of Nichiren Buddhism are not so much of a momentary and conspicuous nature, but those of a lasting and inconspicuous nature that accrue in the depths of our lives. Conspicuous benefit, for instance, might allow you to eat your fill today but still leave you worrying about where your next meal will come from. Inconspicuous benefit, on the other hand, more resembles a situation where, though you may only be able to eat a meager meal today, you will steadily develop your life to the point where you will never have to worry about having enough to eat. The latter is surely a far more attractive prospect.
The more we exert ourselves in faith, the greater the benefit we experience.
Of course, it’s possible to get by in life without practicing the Daishonin’s Buddhism. But sometimes we are confronted by karma over which we seem to have no control, or are buffeted about because of our own inner weakness. What a tragic loss it would be if we could never change ourselves, if we could never exclaim confidently at the end of our days what a wonderful life we’ve led. That is precisely why a solid guiding philosophy in life is so essential.

–SGI President Daisaku Ikeda
Excerpted from Discussions on Youth (SGI-USA, 1998)

GUIDANCE ON ICHINEN / DETERMINATION

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This piece talks about the a very important aspect that is often not emphasized enough – Our Ichinen; Am I serious about my problem or am I simply complaining about the situation but not praying seriously about it? This guidance emphasizes the importance of actual proof, and not passively accepting a negative situation.

“We recite in our Gongyo, “Jiga toku burai” or “Since I attained Buddhahood”. It is that crucial that we chant with conviction. To think that someone else will grant you Buddhahood is wrong. You must act yourself.

I visited the Kawai residence in Fukui Prefecture of Japan to give guidance at a meeting being held there around February. Mr. Kawai who is now 51 years old had been blind from three years old after contracting measles. I told him, “You have eyeballs don’t you? If you have eyes then you can open them. This Gohonzon is the Gohonzon of “The Opening of the Eyes”.

“The Opening of the Eyes” teaches us to see clearly. And yet you can not see – it must be because you did something against the Gohonzon and the Buddhist teachings in your past. You must have committed great slanders in the past. Ask the Gohonzon to please forgive your slanders. Express your gratitude to have had the fortune to meet the Gohonzon in this lifetime. Pledge to dedicate your life to Kosen rufu. Ask the Gohonzon to allow you to see the Gohonzon, your family and others around you so you can contribute towards Kosen-rufu.” I asked him to pray in such a way.

In the beginning of March, I received a message that he regained his sight after almost fifty years. Through his experience the whole Fukui prefecture has revitalized itself. It is such a surprise that one person regaining his sight can have such a great impact on an entire region.

But what I wonder about this incident is why he couldn’t regain his sight sooner? He was a member who offers his own home for meetings, never missed his Gongyo and had strong faith. Yet why wasn’t he able to see sooner. It was because his attitude when doing his Gongyo and Daimoku was incorrect. His faith had gone off track.

You must pray earnestly, “Isshin yokenbutsu fujishaku shinmyo” or “single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha”. You must chant with gratitude and conviction that you will become one with the Gohonzon and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. There is no such thing as a sick or poor Buddha. Therefore all worries will be resolved. That is why you can achieve human revolution. Only human beings are able to achieve these things. “

By SGI VP TSUJI

 

Guidance on prayers answered based on our Goals By SGI Vice President Kawai

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This text was posted on The Power of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo Facebook Page.

We practice this faith not for mere exertion, that is, not for the sake of practice, but for change and progress and as quickly as possible. Members may say, I’m doing many SGI activities, but so what? The real question is how much have I changed my life, my environment, and my livelihood? How much benefit have I received? There are many members who are doing lots of daimoku, but there is no change in their lives.

Something is wrong. Buddhism is not the Law of Cause and Effect in Action. It is the Law of cause and effect in ichinen (determined prayer). For example, faith is not “feeling refreshed” after prayers and activities. Faith exists for us to change our lives. When we wish to travel somewhere, first we decide on the destination, then we plan on the action (route/ mode of transport) and then we travel and reach that destination. Faith is the same. In faith, we must first have clear targets, prayer and action. It is important to pray strongly and then take action and we will see the results without fail. It is important to determine to change. That is to pray “I want to change”, and then take necessary action. It is absolutely no use to ask the Gohonzon, “What should I do?” There will be no answer.

YOU must decide what you want to accomplish, not the Gohonzon. Once we decide / determine on some goal, there may seem no solution. But that is precisely why we pray. If it were possible, we would not need the Gohonzon. If there is a way out, then there really is no need to chant. But we pray to change the impossible to possible. Do not engage in “what shall I do…” daimoku, that is, while chanting to think of strategies / look for options in your mind. There is absolutely no need to think of methodology, because there is no way out! We should simply pray like this “I want to accomplish this. I will accomplish this.”

If, while chanting, we think that our desires are unattainable / impossible, then that is the prayer that will be reflected onto the universe. And that is exactly the answer we will get back from the gohonzon… impossible/no solution. We must pray with 100% confidence in the Gohonzon. I believe in the Gohonzon, my prayer will definitely be answered, just as the Gosho states “no prayer to the Gohonzon will go unanswered”. This is the Buddhist formula, which is 100% correct. It is our doubts that get in the way. While chanting, we always try to find ways out of our problem. Therefore, our ichinen is not directed towards the Gohonzon, but directed elsewhere. Thus it follows, that there is no real joy in daimoku and activities. We just keep doing what we were told to do.

There was a young lady (student division) who wanted to go to USA from Japan to study. It was impossible, as she had no money etc. So she prayed, not chanted, but deeply prayed “I want to go to USA to study – I will go” One year later, she reported positive results. There had seemed no solution, but a “bridge” was formed through her sincere daimoku. This is the Mystic Law. It is beyond our understanding, which is why it is called Mystic. So there is no need to think, just trust and pray…

There was a WD who came for guidance. Her husband had terminal cancer and doctors said he would not live longer than 3 months. Her question was “can he be cured?” The answer was “I don’t know”. The leader went on to say that President Toda’s guidance was that when we determine that the only one thing we can trust is the gohonzon, then the body begins to recover from sickness. This means to cure ones own illness by oneself, through faith. The human body is capable of producing 700 types of medicines. But when our life force is weak, then nothing is produced. When our life philosophy is polluted by slander, and impurities then our life cannot produce its healing power. Buddhism is great. Our life is great! It is supreme. It is Divine. It is the life of the Buddha. So through faith we can always manifest this supreme state of the Buddha, this power of the Gohonzon.

People call Buddhism great, but actually it teaches us that our own lives are great. With determination, great life force and wisdom can be manifested from our lives and bodies to overcome sickness which is one’s negative karma-the source of which is slander. So the real question is not whether the illness is curable, rather, the question is whether I can determine it is curable. The woman told her husband about this guidance and together both corrected their ichinen and prayed and he was cured.

A Woman’s Division leader in Japan could not walk due to pain in her legs caused by rheumatism. She was asked “do you think that your disease can be cured?” She replied “No!” “So then that is your desire. Your state of mind and that is why the answer from the Gohonzon is – – no cure!” replied the senior leader. The leader continued by saying that if the medical doctor has given up, if he says there is no cure for your condition, then that is the time to summon up your determination to change the impossible to possible. The very next day, the woman called the leader to report that when she determined, the pain disappeared from her legs and 2 weeks later she was completely cured. Her suffering had been caused by her thinking that it was impossible to be cured, that she would have to live with this life condition. But the moment she determined (ichinen) to overcome through faith in the gohonzon, the power of the mystic law was manifested through her life.

There are 3 kinds of directions to drive our practice:

Forward “Gear”
Forward Gear practice consists of having a clear and specified target and determination to accomplish it through prayer and action, for example: I want a white cat. She must be of Persian species, 3 yrs old, with blue eyes, female. And I want her in 2 weeks. I will get it. In other words, doing a lot of activities and daimoku with no targets and clear goals is no use, as it will not produce any changes in your life.

Neutral “Gear”
Neutral Gear Practice is chanting out of duty, with no joy. A habitual practice. E.g.
I am a leader, I have responsibilities, so I’m doing activities. But there is no effect. Its like the car analogy… the engine is full and ready to go… but nothing happens.

Reverse “Gear” 
Reverse Gear Practice is when the more activities and daimoku one is doing, one is still going backwards, rather than forward in one’s life. In other words, one may be making a lot of seemingly good causes, but one is also complaining. There is slander and grudges against others. Or one might be Complaining about ones’ own situation on not seeing immediate results. This is dangerous practice.

Just like in automatic transmission car, there is very little difference between Forward and Reverse Gears, from outward appearance it is difficult to tell where one’s ichinen is. But one’s life will ultimately clearly manifest it.

Slander
Even if you commit slander without realizing it, it is still slander. One should never criticize leaders. Right or wrong, one should not complain at all. Instead, one can chant for them to grow and one will benefit from that too. Similarly, never do “onshitsu” in your family. That is do not complain, criticize or carry a negative feeling towards husband /wife, children or parents. This is your karma. You chose your spouse/partner children. Chant for their growth. Further, do not depend / rely on others. Do not complain that they don’t do this or that. Criticism will bring no benefit. But it will certainly bring negative effects.

In conclusion
We must eradicate the following types of prayer:

Ø Out of habit or ritual (that is without any target or determination)
Ø Out of delusion (that is while chanting, trying to find solutions to your problems)
Ø Out of disbelief (that is thinking that this is impossible and will not happen / change)

Instead, pray with your entire heart, your entire being that I am going to build a bridge towards my happiness and those of others by myself, by using the Supreme wisdom of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. One needs to have the experience of benefits / breakthroughs, so as to encourage others. “I have so many benefits through this practice… what about you?” Especially, senior members must receive many benefits. Buddhism is reason. Otherwise what is the use of practicing this faith? If they don’t witness changes/ benefits then their faith has become habitual.

We need to experience benefits through faith and prayer to show power of Gohonzon and encourage others. 
President Toda and President Ikeda said there are 10 reasons why no change or benefits occur in senior leaders’ lives, even though they have been practicing for a long time.
Ø Unclear Determination
Ø No concrete targets in faith
Ø Doing regular Gongyo but no Concrete Prayer
Ø Passive Gongyo and activities from a sense of obligation
Ø A complaining and begrudging Attitude about Faith
Ø Seeking spirit for senior leaders/ guidance has become weaker
Ø Not working hard in office or home
Ø Depressed because of various sufferings in life
Ø Weak of sense of mission for Kosen Rufu
Ø Sense of responsibility as leader is weaker

Even if one of the above is missing, then faith has become habitual and there is no benefit. We must have dreams, which lead to hope and finally become reality when we chant! Therefore, we must have big dreams!

Experience
The President of a Fisheries Co was very concerned about the drop in catch of fish as it was affecting his sales, so he went for guidance. The leader asked him “You say that you can’t get lots of salmon fish. Does this mean that there is no salmon or are you unable to catch them?” “I can’t get any,” he replied. “Why can’t you call them to your net? Did you pray like that?” The leader encouraged. “No I didn’t”.”There is no natural boundary in the ocean. So why don’t you pray like that?” The leader encouraged. So he did. His catch went up from 20 fish to 300 in one day. His company went from deficit to surplus. This is no miracle. This is the Law. This is reason.

What is amazing is when you don’t get benefits even though you do chant.

Mr. Kawai’s guidance in faith, conveyed by Mr. Noro, based on President Ikeda’s guidance