Kosen Rufu

SGI Movement

2011-04-09T22:57:00.003-07:00

A 3:39-minute film that answers the questions: What is the SGI? What are its philosophical underpinnings? Who are its members and what do they do?

What Is "Human Revolution"?

2010-11-02T05:01:00.001-07:00

"Human revolution" is a term used by Josei Toda, second president of the Soka Gakkai, to describe the process by which individuals gradually expand their lives, conquer negative and destructive tendencies, and ultimately make the state of Buddhahood their dominant life-condition. The idea of revolution as most people understand it usually refers to a political or economic revolution. Such a revolution imposes new ideas upon people at large, and thereby effects change. The goal of human revolution is very different.

Rather than changing society directly, through improving or reforming social or political systems, the object of change lies deep within the life of each individual. As Josei Toda states: "'The human revolution' I am talking about...refers to the establishment of one's ultimate purpose in life and working toward the perfection of self. We carry out our daily lives according to our own views on life and society. However, 'human revolution' refers to the change that we bring about in the way we view life, society and the world. A fundamental change occurs in the way one has led his or her life up until that point. The 'human revolution' of an individual becomes apparent when he or she establishes an unwavering and absolute conviction in the eternity of life. Rather than focusing on short-term goals which apply only to one's present lifetime, this conviction becomes the basis for the pursuit of loftier goals and greater good, in contrast to one's previous satisfaction with the accomplishment of lesser goals and good."

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda has written a twelve-volume account of Josei Toda’s life and the growth of the Soka Gakkai in postwar Japan titled, The Human Revolution. Within these stories we find the keys for building lives of genuine happiness. In the foreword to this novel, President Ikeda writes, "A great revolution of character in just a single person will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will cause a change in the destiny of all humankind."

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 person will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will cause 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.

Human Revolution and Overcoming Obstacles

2010-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Introducing Human Revolution

In today's world where global issues are so important, many people feel a sense of powerlessness and resignation; a feeling that no individual's efforts can change the way things are. But the Buddhist viewpoint is that the world should be seen from the perspective of the individual, and that the human life contains the entire universe. That is why changing our own lives one by one will bring a change in our family, our community, and the society in which we live. It will change the age we live in, our history, and indeed all aspects of our world.

If we look for the true causes of war, we see that it is essentially caused by the human mind. War stems from the desire to control and conquer others, to have power, and from hatred and antipathy. Such is a human being in the grip of the negative force of life. World peace starts with the inner transformation of the individual, and the struggle to elevate our state of life, and free ourselves from the domination of the negative force of life.

A single sunflower contains the seeds for more than a thousand new plants. Similarly, when one brave person stands up for peace, his or her resolve spreads out into the environment in thousands of ways. Courage always brings a response. One person's human revolution can therefore eventually change the destiny of the entire human race.

The Spirit of Human Revolution

In his writing On Attaining Buddhahood, Nichiren Daishonin conveys the basic spirit of human revolution: "You must never think that any of the eighty thousand sacred teachings of Shakyamuni's lifetime or any of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions and three existences are outside yourself. Your practice of the Buddhist teachings will not relieve you of the sufferings of birth and death in the least unless you perceive the true nature of your own life." [WND p3]

We could summarise the spirit of this teaching as being, "It's not up to others; nor can I blame anyone else. I have to change myself first." It is a viewpoint which says, everything in life is part of our own training; it is for our benefit and development. Human revolution takes place right now, in the situation we find ourselves at this moment.

World peace starts with this inner transformation of the individual. And yes it is a struggle to develop and elevate our state of life but human revolution is the foundation for world peace and also for individual peace and happiness. It is at the heart of our Buddhist practise. It is about changing our heart and drawing out our humanity.

It is the most amazing feeling as you discover that if the cause of your suffering is within the realms of your own life then you and only you can change that aspect of your life. This is the most freeing feeling. This is human revolution and the door to your Buddhahood.

Human revolution brings into play all the principles and processes that make up the Buddhist teachings of life. Learning to be able to live our lives on the basis of correct teachings is part of our human revolution. The process is a transformation of the heart.

Transforming the Self, Living the Teachings

When we commit our lives to chanting we embark on a journey of self-discovery and challenge. By taking responsibility for our feelings and emotions, especially those we most dislike, we come to realise we have the ability to transform our lives from within. As we broaden our experiences of chanting daimoku we get experiences of our environment reflecting the transformation of our inner lives. This could be in our family relationships, at work or in other aspects of life.

It is usually within one of these arenas that we find life can be difficult or cause us to suffer. As we continue chanting, the more we start to see our lives very differently. At first this process may seem a little uncomfortable because it is quite unique and new to us. We may or may not like what we see. Perhaps we realise we have set attitudes or opinions about others or various issues that make us suffer. It may seem that others have a problem with us. This can draw out all sorts of feelings and emotions that can make us uneasy, or uncomfortable.

Getting this kind of reaction does not mean that chanting is not working or that it is working in a negative way. On the contrary you are actually in the process of transforming exactly that which has always led you to suffer in that particular area of your life. Your chanting is illuminating an area of your life that needs to change for your own happiness. The realisation that this opinion or attitude stems from our own lives and not from others opinions of us, leads us to uncover the Buddha nature inherent in our lives. The quickest way to transform these feelings or attitude is to keep chanting until you realise the cause of these uncomfortable feelings.

However, it may be that is exactly when you find it the most difficult time to chant. You are on the brink of changing a part of your life that always stops you from progressing or being happy. It will probably feel like walking up a hill backwards. At such times obstacles and devils arise. You will probably be able to justify why it is more beneficial to watch TV than do gongyo or chant or tell a friend about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo or study some of Nichiren Daishonin`s writings. But this is exactly the time to do these things in order to break through and win over something that has always held you back. This is the time to muster a fighting spirit and to be courageous.

In his book Seven Paths to Peace, Daisaku Ikeda talks about human revolution in terms of self-mastery. Simply put, this means winning control over oneself, overcoming the small self that is dominated by narrow self-interest and awakening to the larger self that works for the good of all humanity. From this standpoint a major obstacle to developing ourselves is to pursue a way of life bound by our small ego or self. Expanding from the lesser self to the greater self is the path of human revolution.

Through our practice of introducing others to Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, and through efforts to share Buddhism with others, we ourselves grow immensely, we can carry out our human revolution, and transform our karma. Therefore by guiding another individual towards happiness, we also guide ourselves towards happiness. The act of introducing others to Buddhism, which enables us to profoundly benefit both ourselves and others, is the formula of hope for humanity.

At a time when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood, or at a time when a person is at a turning point in doing their human revolution, the negative aspect of life will always appear in some form. This is an unavoidable fact of life! Nichiren Daishonin assures us of this and asks us to transmit it as an axiom or principle of faith so that it is understood by all those who practise.

Obstacles

This negative aspect is often referred to as the 'three obstacles and four devils' (in Japanese, sansho shima). Obstacles refer to things which appear to be outside of ourselves (but which ultimately have their origins in our lives) and the devils, or negative elements, are 'internal'. What makes these obstacles and devils serious is that if we are influenced by them we may stop practising Buddhism. They confront us at a specific point in time - usually when we are about to grow in our lives and move forward. The fact that at a difficult moment we may think that we should stop practising is a sign that it is an attack of one of the three obstacles and four devils. From a positive point of view these hindrances enable us to see a weakness in our lives so that we can chant and become stronger in that area.

The first is the obstacle of earthly desires. Buddhism teaches that our earthly desires may be transformed into enlightenment. Second is the obstacle of karma, which includes the influence of those who are close to us such as a spouse, partner or children. Third is the obstacle of retribution, which means opposition from those with power over us, such as our superiors, parents or people in authority.

The devils come from within our own lives. We create our own negativity, our own doubt, uncertainty and confusion. The first devil arises from our earthly desires. It can include egoism, craving for personal fame and riches, laziness or being dominated by force of habit. It can also arise from the three poisons of greed, anger and stupidity.

Second is the devil of weakness that can arise in our own bodies, such as an illness which will hold us back and reduce our capacity. Third is the devil which manifests as the hindrance of death. Unless we are confident that death is not 'the end', but rather another phase in the cycle of life and death - then another person's death can trigger a sense of doubt and can considerably weaken our will to practise Buddhism, even though Buddhism is intended to relieve us from the sufferings of birth and death.

Finally the fourth devil is known as the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven who, in Buddhist mythology, works to obstruct Buddhist practice and drain our life force. This is the manifestation of fundamental darkness inherent in life. And because of this can be seen as the most challenging aspect of negativity to conquer. When influential people persuade or threaten us to stop practising this could be said to be the workings of the Devil of the Sixth Heaven.

Whatever form they take, the Daishonin advises us to take these obstacles and devils as confirmation that we are properly practising the true Law through which ordinary people become Buddhas. They offer us insight into aspects of our human revolution, ways to strengthen our lives and assurance that we are on the verge of achieving this, so long as we are neither influenced nor frightened by them. Human revolution includes experiencing this process and transforming some aspect of ourselves. It indicates the real experience of finding we have to confront something. It also includes our need to gain the inner conviction that we can win over the obstacle in question.

In Buddhism, the term 'fundamental darkness' is used to describe the ignorance and delusion inherent in human life. This is the ignorance of the fact that we all have the state of Buddhahood in our lives, at all times, latent and ready to be revealed. The aim of our great struggle for kosen-rufu, our movement of human revolution, is to transform that innate darkness into light. Our goal is to vanquish the destructive tendencies within human life that give rise to mutual distrust and hate, violence and fear. The three obstacles and four devils become an indispensable means for doing this. That is why we should rejoice when they appear.

The Attitude of Prayers

2010-03-26T06:43:00.001-07:00

We normally pray in three ways:

Prayer out of habit – this means not having clear determination and clear target.
Prayer with delusion – this means, using methodology while praying. For example, wondering how the prayer will be answered and trying to figure out the logistics.
Prayer with doubt – 99% of us practice with doubt.

While praying, it is not just enough to chant many hours or to complete a Daimoku target, we must remember that we pray because there is no way out. If we already have a solution, we will not pray. We must make impossible to possible. Prayer should be like putting fire to wet timber.

We must always have concrete prayer. What is concrete prayer? It is like – I want a cat. I want a white cat. I want a Persian cat and I want it within two weeks. This kind of prayer will produce results.

What is an experience? When the economy is going down, Gakkai members get very good jobs. This is proof of faith. In this, we can see that rationale and logic is not the determining factor. Normally while praying, one would think that if the economy is down, how can I get a good job. When we pray with this kind of mind, then we are using methodology.

What is faith? It is to have a big goal or a big dream. Then to pray that this dream turns into hope and to continue to pray so that hope becomes reality. We must have courage so that we can pray with 100% confidence in the power of Gohonzon. Courage can change everything, not intellect or money. Courage means power to make impossible to possible. Courage means ‘ I must do’ spirit and now how can I do. A coward cannot change history. Only a man of courage can. Courage cannot be obtained by money or by brain power but only by chanting.

The example of conviction can be found in Mahatma Gandhi’s life. He believed that non violence would win over the British armed forces. He did not have this belief based on historical proof of success on non violence. Nor was his belief affected by the fact that he had no weapons, arms or ammunitions. He was also not unnerved by many obstacles, persecution and imprisonments that he faced. For him, victory was decided in the beginning itself. He had 100% confidence. Though he never chanted, he actually practiced the essence of Buddhism. Therefore, pray with 100% confidence. Nothing is achieved when we have doubts. If we have doubts, our target begins to disappear or weaken.

We join the practice so that we can enjoy our life everyday. We did not join so that we become serious, tense and feel very pressurized. The main purpose of Sugarcane is to produce sugar, even though the squeezed sugarcane waste can e used for producing other things. The main purpose of practice is to become happy. Believe in Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Gohonzon, Gosho and Sensei. Only Sensei is doing exactly what Gosho says. Therefore, he is our mentor. Believe in the Gohonzon. Challenge the impossible. Then joy will come from within. Gohonzon is in your own self and not outside. Belief in the Gohonzon is belief in yourself. This is the driving force that turns the impossible into possible. You will have the greatest joy when the impossible happens. When you see no way out, just chant with 100% confidence. Relying on money or intellect cannot bring happiness. You need to challenge the impossible. Chant to change and not for the sake of chanting. It is useless if you are doing lots of activities and there are no benefits.

There are three kinds of practice:

· When we chant a lot and do lots of activities but we have no clear targets, then it is like a car with in neutral gear. When you press the accelerator, the car makes a lot of noise and a lot of fuel is burnt out but the car remains stationery.

· When you do lots of daimoku and activities but your life is full of complaints, jealousy, contempt etc then it is like a car in reverse gear. The more you accelerate the more backward the car will go. In this case, the more you pray with a negative spirit, the worse it becomes.

· To put our practice into forward gear, make sure that you have concrete targets and no ill-feelings. Even if you are 100% correct and the other person is 100% wrong, if you have ill feelings, jealousy, grudges etc you are committing slander. There is nothing correct about slander. There is nothing like a correct slander!

Buddhism is not about correct or incorrect. Buddhism means win or lose. Since we are Sensei’s disciples, Sensei will not be happy if one wins and the other loses. We must both win. Pray for the people who are troubling you to win along with you. If you slander then all good fortune will collapse.

Your opinion and views, if it is not liked by others, pray first before talking. If your view is good for kosen rufu, pray with 100% confidence that your view be accepted. This will give you energy for self growth and to develop your faith. Therefore, appreciate those who trouble you. There is no use to fight. Both will go down in a fight. We must grow together. In Soka Gakkai everyone must be a winner.

There are two types of people. One who is always complaining and the other who is always optimistic, enjoying happiness even in adversity. Become a person who is optimistic and always cheerful. Good fortune will grow if you are cheerful.

From the history of Soka Gakkai, we understand the importance of standalone spirit and the courage of one person. Toda Sensei stood alone in 1945. He had with him only confidence in the Gohonzon. Today Soka Gakkai exists in 192 countries. Its members are overflowing with health happiness and good fortune. Fix a big target and develop your faith. Invisible faith will bring you real happiness.

It is foolish to chase after material benefits. Without suffering, we cannot strengthen faith. We need karma and suffering to build good fortune.

Pray for worldwide kosen rufu. This is the correct determination to have. Toda Sensei entrusted kosen rufu in Asia to the Youth. Kosen rufu in Japan is at great heights. India is the birth place of Buddhism. If as Indians we say Nichiren’s Buddhism is correct, people will definitely believe us. When we have big targets, smaller ones will automatically be achieved.

When we work for the poorest of the poor, then our life will be purified. Tagore and Gandhi were enlightened when they met the poor. Poverty is not a shame but not having any wisdom is a shame.

TRAVELER’S AIDE

2010-03-26T06:36:00.002-07:00

by Barbara Joyce Schowalter

Illinois, USA

Several years ago I did some training which presented the notion of

"The Magnificence Of Humanity." Hah! My inner skeptic fought that concept, but then I began noticing all the magnificent little things people do for one another for no apparent reason.

In 2005, I tended a booth at a Florida symposium for our non-profit

patient advocacy organization. Departing was simple. I rode the bus 90 minutes to O'Hare, checked in curbside and proceeded with my carry-ons to the gate.

Carrying luggage is painful and awkward for me due to degenerative

arthritis in my thumbs, and I'm vision impaired as a result of a

disastrous Lasik surgery. Airports are difficult to negotiate with

their low fluorescent lighting.

Half an hour into the flight, a gentleman traveling developed

appendicitis. The plane landed in Nashville to let him off. The delay

caused me to miss my pre-arranged airport transit to the exhibition

center. When I arrived the time had passed for exhibitors to enter the hall to set up. However, a lovely woman at the check-in desk took one look at my frazzled appearance, relented and let me in.

I still had to manage the trip home. Returning home from O'Hare is much trickier than departing for me. Baggage claim isn't close to the bus terminal. Typically, I rent a cart, but there wasn't a cart in sight and I couldn't leave my luggage to find one.

My flight arrived late, and my bus departed in under 20 minutes. If I missed the bus, I'd have to wait for another 90 minutes for the next one. It would be dark when I arrived at the bus terminal in my city, and I'd be unable to see to drive myself home.

I began the long, slow, painful process of managing my small-wheeled

suitcase and carrying my heavy carry-ons, including symposium materials and my laptop, to the bus terminal. Straining to read directional signs, I made my way to the escalator and stepped on.

Suddenly, a gentleman appeared beside me, asked if I was going to the bus and offered to carry my bags! Though generally skeptical and guarded of strangers, I figured he was on his way to the bus, too, and accepted. We chatted as we walked, and I asked what bus he was taking.

To my surprise, he replied that he wasn't taking a bus anywhere. He

lived in Chicago and his car was parked in the lot! He had noticed me

squinting and struggling with my bags and offered to help. I made it to the bus with minutes to spare, and arrived home while it was still

light.

When I asked if there was something I could do to repay him, he

replied, "No, no, just pass it on". I do earnestly try. I will always remember this man's "random act of senseless kindness". Thank you, sir, whoever and wherever you are.

11 WAYS TO MAKE THIS YOUR BEST YEAR YET

2010-03-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

. . . it is never too late to start a fresh new year!

Today is a wonderful time to take stock and reflect on the year gone by, the triumphs you achieved, the time you shared with family and friends, the good choices you made in business. But in order to grow and develop both personally and professionally, you also have to look back at and acknowledge the things that challenged you, the things that did not go so well.

There is nothing wrong with setbacks, in fact, I believe that if we don't have obstacles to overcome along the way we won't learn and grow. Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM, once said, "If you want to increase your rate of success, you better be prepared to increase your rate of failure."

We all have hopes and dreams for the future. Today the slate is wiped clean for all of us as we start afresh. Why not take a few moments to think about your dreams and goals for the year that starts today? In what areas do you want to grow? What is truly important to you? What challenges do you want to take on? Most of us don't realise what we can accomplish when we unleash the hidden talents that we possess.

To help you make this year your best ever, take a few moments to ponder these 11 suggestions:

1. Challenge yourself

Have a clear vision and focus of what you want to achieve and set a time frame. Challenge yourself to be the best you can be at all times. Visualise what you want to accomplish. See it in your mind. Write down your goals, have a plan of action, and never doubt you will be successful.

2. Find the love factor

Surround yourself with loving, supportive people. Stay away from the dream stealers, the people who would bring you down. Cherish the special people in your life and let them know you cherish them.

3. Dedicate quality time

Life is so precious; make the most of each and every day. Rise early, spend some quality time by yourself as well as with those you care about. Go for a walk, workout, read a book. Value not only the time you spend with your loved ones, but also the time you spend by yourself.

4. Stretch your comfort zone

Do at least one thing a day, which makes you feel uncomfortable. Push yourself; you will be amazed how far you can go. Remember: on the other side of fear is freedom. To remain stagnant is not to grow. To reach your full potential, you must rise above the fray and soar like an eagle.

5. Be passionate

Show passion in everything you do. Let it show in your body language, in your smile, in your voice. Let your eyes sparkle. Let the world see and hear your enthusiasm and let it feel your passion.

6. Serve others

Be a role model and mentor for people. Volunteer in your community and help others achieve their goals. Your world will be enriched and a better place for sharing your talents and giving freely of your time. Leave a lasting legacy.

7. Don't sweat the small stuff

Let go of the little things you can't control. Don't take yourself so seriously. Recognise that perfection isn't always the only option. Don't let life's imperfections bother you. Lighten up and see the funny side of things when they go wrong, the learning in them. Be tolerant, smile...don't waste your energies on the small stuff, you have much bigger fish to fry.

8. Live with integrity

Always be true to yourself. Take pride in whatever you do. Be proud of who you are and what you represent. Accept others with all their flaws. Show compassion and goodwill to your fellow human beings. Be dignified. Lead a life of purpose and be proud of your values.

9. Show gratitude

Show gratitude and say thank-you to the people who have helped you along the way. Send a handwritten letter to someone who has touched you. Call up a friend or loved one and tell them how much they mean to you. Compliment a colleague or business associate on a job well done. Show people you appreciate and care about them. Acts of kindness cost nothing but mean everything.

10. Celebrate success

Be proud of your achievements. Take time to recognise yourself and others for even the small successes. But also be humble and dignified, sensitive to people who are not as fortunate as you.

11. Exude a positive attitude

I cannot express enough the importance of having a positive attitude and believing in yourself. Yes, you can be well intentioned, you can be determined, but without a positive attitude about yourself and about life, you will not succeed. Dreams will die, goals will fade, and gloom and darkness will replace clear blue skies and sunshine in your mind and heart.

Remember people will sometimes forget what you say to them or do for them, but they will never forget how you made them feel in their hearts. Make yourself a commitment for this year not only to have the best year ever, but to help others that you care about accomplish this goal as well.

Basic Buddhism - Introduction to all new members

2010-03-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

Now we will have the reproduction of the discussion meeting where President Ikeda responded to the doubts of the Youth Division. New members would have lots of doubts, this may help in solving them..

Question: What is prayer in Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism and why should we pray?
Answer: Prayer is a natural phenomenon that brings to the lips whatever is in your heart. It is nothing but a deep wish. In ND Buddhism, prayer bridges the gap between what one has and what one aspires to achieve.

Question: Whom should we pray

Answer: We pray to Gohonzon, “The object of fundamental respect” as inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin

Question: Isn’t GH just a piece of paper? How can it have the power to solve our problems?
Answer: Our GH may be printed, but it still retains its inherent powers. For example, a 10 rupee note is printed, our graduation degree or appointment letter all of them have their respective power. The paper is physical matter, but the words written on it are the Daishonin’s spirit and very essence of our own life.
The Buddhist principle of oneness of body and mind teaches us that the physical and spiritual are one. Life is found in their unity. The GH embodies the life of the Buddha. When we chant we are not chanting to a piece of paper, but to the law which is printed on it.

Question: I don’t know, how to pray? What is the proper way to pray?

Answer: We have to be as natural as we are in front of the GH, with trust in the GH like a trust a child pours his heart out to his parents. We should have the attitude, “If I chant, everything will be all right”
Another thing is to remember is that the focus of our prayers should expand not only to your own wishes, but for the happiness of your friends, your family, your classmates and society and humanity as a whole.

Question: What should our prayers consist of?

Answer: The most important prayer in Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism is chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, i.e Diamoku and reciting morning and evening Gongyo regularly. When we chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, we can activate the protective functions to support us and realize our prayers\.

Question: Can we pray for anything we like?

Answer: Yes you can pray for anything that may contribute to your happiness or that of others.

Question: How are our prayers Answered?

Answer: The realization of our prayers entirely depends upon the power of our faith and practice. The greater your conviction that your prayers will be Answered the stronger your faith and more powerfully GH will respond to your practice for yourself and for others. The more you can tap the power of Buddha and the law of GH.

Question Though I have prayed with all my might and made sincere efforts, still dome prayers weren’t Answered. Are all our prayers really Answered / fulfilled?
Answer: Yes, GH enables us to realize all our prayers. It is as certain as the Sun rising in the east everyday. As I said earlier, it depends upon the power of our faith and practice Like Mr Toda said, “Obviously, you are going to get a vastly different sound, depending upon whether you strike a bell with a toothpick , chopstick or a bell striker. The bell is the same, but if you hit it powerfully, it rings loudly, if you hit it weekly it rings softly. The same is true of the GH. The benefit we receive depends entirely on our prayer of our faith and practice. How intensely we do our prayers.

Question: Why are some prayers unfulfilled or take time to get fulfilled?

Answer: There are times when our prayers seem to take an ages to be fulfilled, despite all our efforts. But the important thing is to keep chanting. It will lead us to positive changes day by day. For eg: Its like work you get a job right away but you don’t get paid right away, or it is like gardening, you plant a sapling and water it daily but it will take a long time to grow into a tree.

Question: How much should I chant? Is it the number of hours or quality and quantity matter?
Answer Like earning a $100 note is better than earning $10 note. The important thing in prayer is that we become happy, therefore there is no hard and fast rule about having to chant a certain number of hours. The important thing is that you should enjoy doing chanting.

Question: What if I skip my Gongyo and Daimaku for a day? Will it eradicate all my practice?
Answer: Skipping Gongyo occasionally is certainly not going to erase all your earlier efforts. You need not feel guilty when you miss a Gongyo but on the other hand you should not neglect it.

Question: What is the right speed of Gongyo and Daimaku?

Answer: Don’t worry too much about the speed of Daimaku and Gongyo. Just do the way you feel Comfortable and natural.

Question: What part of the Gohonzon should we concentrate upon?

Answer: Just look at any part of GH you feel comfortable focusing on. The Gosho merely states that we should sit up straight.

Question: If there is less time, which one should be given priority, Gongyo or Daimaku?
Answer: To use the analogy of a meal, Daimaku can be likened to the main course and Gongyo as side dishes. Of course having both is best but daimaku comes first. ND states that even a single Diamoku contains infinite benefits.

Question: You mean by just chanting I can tap the power to fulfill all my prayers without having studied about the Buddhist doctrines often described as a “Treasury of Eighty thousand teachings”
Answer: ND Buddhism is based on 3 principles of faith, practice and study. Therefore the more we study the more strong our faith and conviction will be, which will in turn fortify our power of faith and practice. Study is beneficial as it deepens our understanding and appreciation of excellence and profundity of Buddhism.

Why chant "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" instead of any other words? Do the words themselves have power?
All words have power. Words can make people happy or sad, angry or loving, and so on. Language has a more profound effect on our lives than we realize. Nichiren Daishonin says: "They say that.... if you so much as hear the words 'pickled plum', your mouth will begin to water. Even in everyday life there are such wonders, so how much greater are the wonders of the Lotus Sutra." (Major Writings, vol.3, pp.34).

Historically, Myoho-renge-kyo is the title and essence of the Lotus Sutra, the highest of Shakyamuni's teachings, as translated from Sanskrit into ancient Chinese characters. Nichiren Daishonin placed "nam," a Sanskrit word meaning 'devotion', in front of these characters; so that in simple terms Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means devotion to the ultimate Law of the universe. Each of the characters themselves contain extremely profound principles of life, however, and together they express how everything in the cosmos works in one harmonious relationship.

Of course this is extremely difficult to believe and understand, but that does not mean it cannot be understood, or that chanting this phrase does not have a profound effect on our lives.

Scientists and mathematicians use formulas and language which are quite incomprehensible to most other people, but they can convey even the most difficult concepts to each other with accurate use of these expressions. Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), says: "In the same manner, when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, even if we don't understand its profound meaning, we can tap the condition of Buddhahood. Our voice chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo permeates the cosmos and reaches the life condition of Buddhahood and all the Buddhas in the universe. It also penetrates our lives, enabling us to unlock the palace of Buddhahood, or the supreme life condition of eternity, happiness, true self and purity. It is the same as music that, without any explanation, reaches and filters into people's hearts, calling forth a sympathetic response from them."

The most important point to remember is that everyone who chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can draw out of themselves the state of Buddhahood which influences all the other states in our life and guides our actions in the very midst of our day-to-day struggles and problems. Although it is very difficult to believe at first, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the essence of everyone's life, and when we chant this phrase it affects us in countless positive ways, from the very core of our lives.

The extent to which we can benefit from chanting depends not on the power inherent in the characters Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is limitless, but entirely on how much sincere effort we make when we practice. The natural Law of life is in everything, but only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and taking action in our daily lives can we tap or activate it, and so enable it to work for the happiness of ourselves and other people. Buddhism talks about the principle of the 'four powers': the power of the Buddha, the power of the Law, the power of faith and the power of practice. The first two are embodied in the Gohonzon, but are only activated by the powers of faith and practice of the person who chants to it. In other words it is the power of our faith and practice which determines the extent to which the power of the Gohonzon can appear in our lives.

Josei Toda, the second president of the Soka Gakkai, said that it is vital to understand this point:

"I often hear new members complain that they have not yet received any benefit. I find the majority of those people are preoccupied solely with getting benefit and pay no attention to strengthening their own powers of faith and practice. The statement 'Knock and it shall be opened unto you' serves as a good illustration of the four powers. For example, if one exerts his powers of faith and practice to a factor of 100, the powers of the Buddha and the Law will also be manifested to the power of 100. Likewise, the powers of faith and practice exerted to a factor of 10,000 will manifest the powers of the Buddha and the Law to a factor of 10,000. We should fix this principle in our minds and dedicate ourselves to faith and practice without reservation."
I often hear members talking about getting "benefits" from their practice. What do they mean?
Nichiren Daishonin spoke of the three proofs that should be used as standards for judging the validity of any teaching, these are documentary, theoretical and actual proof. Documentary proof means that the doctrine of a particular sect or school is based on, or is in accord with, the teachings of its founder. Theoretical proof means that the doctrine is compatible with reason and logic and offers a convincing explanation of life as we experience it. Actual proof means that the teachings of that doctrine are borne out by actual results when put into practice.

With regard to this practice Nichiren Daishonin states that actual proof is the most important of the three, and it is actual proof — usually in the form of increased good fortune, protection or happiness — that people are referring to when they talk about benefits or experiences.

Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism teaches that the physical and spiritual aspects of our lives are inseparable, so that if the overall state of our life is elevated it is quite natural that this improvement should be seen or felt in both spheres. Broadly speaking then, the benefits we derive from our practice can be divided into two types — conspicuous and inconspicuous. Conspicuous benefits refer to improvements in our circumstances — in our working lives or in our relationships with friends and relatives — which are clear and obvious. Members may talk about how they received the benefit of promotion at work, better living conditions, or even the acquisition of some material possession. Although the nature of the benefit and its importance will vary from person to person, according to their circumstances, these "benefits" are evidence of increasing good fortune, springing from the practice

What does Gongyo Mean?
The Japanese word gongyo literally means "assiduous practice." Generally speaking it means to recite Buddhist sutras in front of an object of worship. In the practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism it means chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and reciting parts of the second chapter "Hoben" and the sixteenth chapter "Juryo" of the Lotus Sutra in front of the Gohonzon. This is the fundamental practice, which is performed morning and evening.

The standard form of gongyo practiced by the SGI is reciting the essential portions of these two chapters of the Lotus Sutra, chanting daimoku, and offering silent prayers.

I hear people say they "chant to the Gohonzon." What is the Gohonzon?
The Gohonzon is the object of devotion in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. The Gohonzon that members receive is in the form of a paper scroll, on which are printed a variety of Chinese and Sanskrit characters in black ink. The Gohonzon is a transcription of the Dai-Gohonzon (Dai meaning "great") inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin on October 12, 1279.

The characters represent life in all its aspects. Down the center, for example, in characters larger and bolder than the others, are the words "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Nichiren." This represents a principle called "the Oneness of the Person and the Law" and means, specifically, that Nichiren Daishonin was inherently enlightened to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; in other words, he did not learn the Law from anyone else, but realized it himself. As he says of the Gohonzon in a letter to one of his followers, "I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart." (Major Writings, Vol. 1,p. 120)

In a general sense, the Oneness of the Person and the Law also means that all people possess the same Law within their own lives, and the same potential as Nichiren Daishonin to become enlightened.

Grouped around these large characters are smaller characters representing the totality of life - the Ten Worlds, for example, from Hell to Buddhahood; the principles of using one's desires and sufferings to achieve enlightenment; the great qualities of true self, purity, happiness and eternity that lie dormant in each person; the relationship of one's life to the universe; and much more.

In short, then, the Gohonzon embodies the enlightened life condition of Nichiren Daishonin and represents life in its highest possible state — Buddhahood.

I do not have the Gohonzon as yet. Can I get the same benefit from my practice without having the Gohonzon?
Actually, most people start to practice this Buddhism without the Gohonzon. In fact, it is valuable that we should do so, because it is important that we have the time to practice, study the teachings and develop the desire to actually receive and protect the Gohonzon.

As time goes on and you receive benefits from the practice, quite naturally you will want to practice with a Gohonzon. Although the benefit is the same with or without the Gohonzon in the beginning, the daily effort required to bring forth your Buddha nature and continue your practice requires you to at some point receive a Gohonzon.

Is chanting a form of meditation or is it positive thinking?
Chanting is neither meditation, nor positive thinking, though it reaps the benefits of both these practices and much more. The essence of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is that in the very act of doing so we are expressing our Buddha nature. Meditation and positive thinking do not have Buddhahood as their objective. It is not possible to express Buddhahood through these means. Although meditation and positive thinking may have value they cannot change the fundamental element in our lives which makes us unhappy and unfulfilled as human beings — our karma, nor can they bring out the highest condition of life, Buddhahood.

Meditation is a more passive exercise than chanting; one usually calms one's mind by concentrating on a particular phrase or image. At first glance this may seem close to the practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, but actually the difference is apparent. The practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enables us to express and experience our innate Buddhahood and release the powerful energy contained within that, rather than to calm our minds or negate certain ways of thinking.

Again, while it is true that our thinking does become more positive as a result of chanting, this is because chanting draws out our Buddhahood which, in turn, influences every aspect of our lives, both mental and physical. Therefore, chanting is not so much a question of "thinking positively" or exercising "mind over matter," which implies restriction; rather, through chanting, our highest state of life naturally influences our thoughts and actions towards the most valuable ends.
I hear members talk about the "Ten Worlds." What are they?
The Ten Worlds are ten conditions of life which everyone possesses, and which we experience from moment to moment.

The first six (known collectively as the six lower worlds) are: Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity and Rapture. These six lower worlds arise automatically from within our lives in response to external surroundings. Three of the four remaining worlds are: Learning, Realization and Bodhisattva. These worlds are developed through seeking, discovering and aspiring. The tenth world, Buddhahood, is a condition of pure, indestructible happiness.

HELL is a condition of suffering, in which one is devoid of freedom and has very little life force (physical or mental energy). One feels totally trapped by one's circumstances, sometimes dominated by frustrated rage and, in extreme cases, the urge to destroy oneself and everything else. Without the world of Hell, however, we would never be able to understand happiness, or identify with anyone else's suffering. Also, the desire not to fall into this condition is a powerful incentive for us to make efforts in daily life.

HUNGER is a condition characterized by an insatiable desire for food, power, wealth, fame, pleasure and so on. In this state one is tormented by relentless craving and the inability to satisfy it, even when the desire is achieved. Looked at positively, though, hunger is the driving force behind most human activity. Put simply, without the desire to do something, nothing would get done.

ANIMALITY is a condition in which one is governed by instinct, in which one has no sense of morality and lives only for the present moment. In this state one fears the strong and bullies the weak. The positive aspects of animality are our intuitive wisdom and the instinct to protect and nurture life — both our own and the lives of those close to us.

ANGER is the condition in which one is dominated by the selfish ego, competitiveness, arrogance and the need to be superior in all things. Its positive side is passionate energy, a desire for excellence and, above all, a burning abhorrence of injustice.

HUMANITY (or Tranquillity) is the basic "resting" condition of human beings, in which one's energy is recharged before one makes more effort. In this calm state one can pass fair judgment, control instinctive desires with reason, and act in harmony with one's surroundings. However, it is a very unstable state and one can quickly find oneself in a lower world if this world is disturbed.

RAPTURE (or Heaven) is the condition of pleasure, experienced when one's desires are fulfilled. Unlike the true happiness of Buddhahood, however, this state is temporary and, like Humanity, easily disrupted by even a slight change of circumstances. Even if things do not change, Rapture simply disappears with time.

The majority of people spend most of their time moving between these six conditions of life, from Hell to Rapture, governed by their reactions to external influences and therefore highly vulnerable to changing circumstances.

The four higher worlds are characterized by the fact that one needs to make effort to reveal them from within one's life.

LEARNING is a condition in which one seeks some skill, lasting truth or self-improvement through the teachings of others.

REALIZATION (or Absorption) is a state in which one discovers a partial truth through one's own observations, efforts and concentration. The worlds of Learning and Realization are closely related. People in these states can be come arrogant and self-centered.

BODHISATTVA is a condition in which one not only aspires for personal enlightenment but devotes oneself to relieving the sufferings of others through compassionate and altruistic actions. Even this state can have a negative aspect, however, the tendency towards self-sacrifice, the neglect or disrespect of one's own life, which can lead to one acting "compassionately" but merely from a sense of duty and with resentment.

BUDDHAHOOD is the highest of the Ten Worlds, a condition of pure, indestructible happiness which is not dependent on one's circumstances. It is a condition of perfect and absolute freedom, characterized by boundless wisdom, courage, compassion and life force.

Each of the Ten Worlds possesses all Ten Worlds, and each has the potential to reveal any of the others at any moment. This means that we have the capacity to reveal our Buddhahood from the first moment we begin to chant. As we practice we make Buddhahood the dominant state of our lives, as it acts as a kind of filter, revealing the positive aspects of the other nine worlds from Hell to Bodhisattva.

In this way, based on the regular, day-by-day practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, our ordinary lives become charged with positive, value-creating activity; and increasingly we are able to transform our environment — our family, circle of friends and workplace — into a vibrant, happy and harmonious one.

Who is Nichiren Daishonin?
Nichiren (1222-1282) was the Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism. Born as a fisherman's son, he was called Zennichimaro. He went to Seicho-ji temple in his home province of Awa to study Buddhism in 1233. Shortly after his tonsure at sixteen, he took the name of Rencho and went to Kamakura for further studies. After returning from Kamakura, he traveled to Kyoto and Nara, the old centers of traditional Buddhism in Japan, where he mastered all the sutras and literature of Buddhism. In I253, returning to Seicho-ji, Rencho adopted the name Nichiren (Sun-Lotus) when he advocated chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" for the first time. He declared the establishment of a new Buddhism. In 1279 he inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon as the fundamental object of respect for the peace and happiness of all mankind. He died three years later. See "The Life of Nichiren Daishonin" in the Introduction of The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1.

The term "Daishonin" is an honorific title meaning "great sage" and has been traditionally used in reference to Nichiren, e.g. Nichiren Daishonin, by the Nichiren Shoshu school of Buddhism. The Soka Gakkai and SGI have adopted this usage in most publications, however it is not commonly used in society or by academic and religious scholars.

The revolutionary nature of Nichiren's achievement lies in the fact that he made it possible, for the first time, for all people to actually practice the highest teachings of Buddhism by providing a methodology whereby they can establish a life-condition of absolute happiness, unswayed by changing outer circumstances.
What is the function of various meetings and why are members encouraged to attend them?
The purpose of meetings is to support members in their practice, or to make friendships for a common goal. SGl-USA has many different kinds of meetings which people can attend, ranging from discussion and study meetings to divisional meetings, world peace gongyo meetings and special interest groups. The function of these meetings are to enable members to understand more deeply the profound principles of life as taught by Nichiren Daishonin.

The pivotal meeting is the discussion meeting. It is at this gathering, usually monthly, where members and their guests come together to discuss a theme or topic relevant to everyone. It is a unique forum that is planned by the members.

Who is Daisaku Ikeda?
Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), is a Buddhist thinker, author and educator who believes that only through personal interaction and dialogue across cultural and philosophical boundaries can human beings nurture the trust and understanding that is necessary for lasting peace. To date, he has traveled to more than 50 countries in pursuit of this ideal, holding discussions with many distinguished political, cultural and educational figures. Topics include a range of issues crucial to humanity--such as the transformative value of religion, the universality of life, social responsibility, and sustainable progress and development.

Ikeda was born on January 2, 1928, in Tokyo, Japan. His family's business was producing a form of edible seaweed. An avid reader, Ikeda began composing poetry at an early age. His interests include art, music, philosophy and photography.

Ikeda was seventeen when the Second World War ended in 1945. His four elder brothers had been drafted for military service, and the eldest was killed in combat. Ikeda's family suffered greatly, as did other ordinary Japanese, on account of the war. The anguish of those days left an indelible impression on the young Ikeda and prompted his life-long endeavor to root out the fundamental causes of human conflict. Although the hardships of the war disrupted most of his chances for education, he was able to graduate from Fuji Junior College's department of economics.

In 1947, Ikeda met Josei Toda, the man who was to become his mentor and play a decisive role in shaping the course of his life. Toda, later the second president of the Soka Gakkai, was an innovative educator who was deeply committed to the ideals and practice of Nichiren Buddhism. During the war, he was imprisoned together with the first Soka Gakkai president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi-who later died in prison-by the authorities because of their opposition to Japanese militarism. Upon his release after more than two years of confinement in July 1945, Toda dedicated his life to the development of the Soka Gakkai and the realization of a humane society.

Ikeda joined the Soka Gakkai soon after meeting Toda, and worked alongside his mentor to launch the organization's movement to promote peace, culture, and education. He also embarked on a course in self-education under Toda's tutelage, exploring philosophy, literature, the natural sciences, economics, politics and other disciplines.

Ikeda assisted his mentor for more than a decade until the latter's death in 1958. In 1960, Ikeda succeeded Toda as head of the Soka Gakkai, becoming its third president, and in 1975 he became president of the newlyformed Soka Gakkai International.

Ikeda has defined the organization's objectives as: "Working for peace by opposing all forms of violence and contributing to the welfare of humankind by pursuing humanistic culture and education." "Peace," as it is used here, is not the mere absence of war, but indicates a condition where the dignity and fundamental rights of all people are respected. Ikeda recognizes that peace must emanate from within individuals--a view based on the Buddhist conviction that people inherently possess the ability to create value and harmony in society, and between themselves and their environment. For Ikeda, culture is the lively expression of this unique human characteristic. He also attaches great importance to education as an essential vehicle for the development of individuals' creative potential. Education and culture are, in this sense, prerequisites for peace.

Referring to the United Nations as "the congress of humanity," Ikeda emphasizes the importance of working with the world body for realizing these goals. In the past, the SGI, which is registered with the UN as a nongovernmental organization (NGO), has organized exhibitions on human rights, war and peace, and development and the environment, in conjunction with various UN departments. It has also carried out extensive refugee relief activities, and recently collected nearly 300,000 used radios for presentation to the United Nations in Cambodia to help facilitate free elections. In addition, Ikeda himself has made numerous proposals on peace and international affairs.

The SGI leader has founded several institutions, such as the Soka schools (from kindergarten through university level), the Min-On Concert Association and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, in order to promote educational, cultural and artistic activities and conduct exchanges with like groups and institutions on a global scale. Ikeda has also initiated a wide range of grassroots exchange programs and delivered speeches at a number of institutions of higher learning around the world, including Harvard University, the Institut de France and Beijing University.

Mr. Ikeda has received honorary doctorates from 20 universities, including University of Glasgow (UK), Moscow State University, Sofia University (Bulgaria), University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Ankara University (Turkey), University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of the Philippines. He has honorary professorships in 14 universities, including Beijing University and National University of San Marcos (Peru).

For his humanitarian endeavors in a range of fields, he is the recipient of numerous awards, including the United Nations Peace Award, National Order of the Southern Cross of the Republic of Brazil, Honorary Cross of Science and the Arts from the Austrian Ministry of Education, Medal of the Grand Officer of Arts and Letters from the French Ministry of Culture, and the World Poet Laureateship from the World Poetry Society.

Major books that he has written include: The Human Revolution (12 volumes),Choose Life: A Dialogue with Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee; Dawn After Dark with Dr. René Hughye; Before It Is Too Late with Dr. Aurelio Peccei; A Lifelong Quest for Peace with Dr. Linus Pauling; Dialogue of World Citizens with Dr. Norman Cousins; Choose Peace, with Dr. Johan Galtung; The Snow Country Prince, The Cherry Tree, The Princess and the Moon and Over the Deep Blue Sea (children's books translated into over ten languages).

What is the "human revolution"?
The "human revolution" is a term used by Josei Toda, second president of the Soka Gakkai, to describe the process by which an individual gradually expands his life, conquers his negative and destructive tendencies, and ultimately makes the state of Buddhahood his dominant life condition. The idea of revolution as most people understand it usually refers to a political or economic revolution. Such a revolution usually imposes new ideas upon people at large, and thereby effects change.

Rather than changing society directly, through improving or reforming social or political systems, the object of change lies deep within the life of each individual. As Josei Toda states: "'The human revolution' I am talking about...refers to the establishment of one's ultimate purpose in life and working towards the perfection of self. We carry out our daily lives according to our own views on life and society. However, 'human revolution' refers to the change that we bring about in the way we view life, society and the world. A fundamental change occurs in the way one has led his or her life up until that point. The 'human revolution' of an individual becomes apparent when he or she establishes an unwavering and absolute conviction in the eternity of life. Rather than focusing on short-term goals which apply only to one's present lifetime, this conviction becomes the basis for the pursuit of loftier goals and greater good, in contrast to one's previous satisfaction with the accomplishment of lesser goals and good."

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda wrote these words in the foreword to his novel The Human Revolution: "A great revolution of character in just a single man will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will cause a change in the destiny of all humankind."

What is karma?
The question of destiny or karma has greatly preoccupied philosophers in both the West and the East. One Western theory is that when we are born our lives are like a sheet of paper on which nothing is written. Each life then develops as a result of its surroundings and the forces acting on it - parents, friends, society, the dominant culture, and so on.

Buddhism, however, teaches the eternity of life; that we have lived countless lives already. This means that we are not born as blank pages, but pages on which countless impressions have already been made. According to Buddhism, life is forever existing in the cosmos; sometimes it is manifest and sometimes latent. Just as when we sleep and then awaken; our conscious mind awakens and our body feels refreshed. Between the sleeping and awakening, our consciousness carries on in a sub-conscious state. Similarly one's life continues eternally in alternating states of life and death. Death is as much a part of living as sleep is part of the process of living.

Karma is thus the accumulation of effects from the good and bad causes that we bring with us from our former lives, as well as from the good and bad causes we have made in this lifetime, which shapes our future. Karma is a Sanskrit word that means 'action'. Karma is created by actions - our thoughts, words and deeds - and manifests itself in our appearance, behavior, attitudes, good and bad fortune, where we are born or live - in short, everything about us. It is all the positive and negative influences or causes that make up our complete reality in this world
Unlike some other philosophies though, Buddhism does not consider one's karma or destiny to be fixed; since our minds change from moment to moment, even the habitual and destructive tendencies we all possess to varying degrees can be altered. In other words, Buddhism teaches that individuals have within themselves the potential to change their own karma.

All that we do in one lifetime affects the negative and positive balance of our karma. For example, if we are born poor in this lifetime and spend our life giving to others whatever we can give, we are making causes to change the negative karma of being poor. On the other hand, if we spend our life envying or hating or even stealing from others, we are adding to our negative balance of karma.

Buddhism teaches we have all amassed karma throughout countless lives and that we not only experience the effects of this karma now, but we continue to recreate it. However, the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin teaches that there is an area of our life that is more profound than our karma - our Buddhahood or Buddha nature. The purpose of our Buddhist practice is to reveal this area and to allow its pure life force to purify our lives and change our karma at the deepest level.

As SGI President Daisaku Ikeda explains: "It is the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin that enables the pure life force of the Buddha state, which has existed within us since time without beginning, to well forth in unceasing currents. It changes all the tragic causes and effects that lie between and unveils the pure causes and effects which exist from the beginningless past towards the present and the future. This is liberation from the heavy shackles of destiny we have carried from the past. This is the establishment of free individuals in the truest sense of the term."
What Is The Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds?
The ten worlds were originally thought of as distinct physical realms into which beings were born as a result of accumulated karma. For example, human beings were born in the world of Humanity, animals in the world of Animality and gods in the world of Heaven. In Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, the ten worlds are instead viewed as conditions of life that all people have the potential to experience. At any moment, one of the ten will be manifest and the other nine dormant, but there is always the potential for change.

This principle is further expressed as the mutual possession of the ten worlds -- the concept that each of the ten worlds possesses all ten within itself. For example, a person now in the state of Hell may, at the next moment, either remain in Hell or manifest any of the other nine states. The vital implication of this principle is that all people, in whatever state of life, have the ever-present potential to manifest Buddhahood. And equally important is that Buddhahood is found within the reality of our lives in the other nine worlds, not somewhere separate.

In the course of a day, we experience different states from moment to moment in response to our interaction with the environment. The sight of another’s suffering may call forth the compassionate world of Bodhisattva, and the loss of a loved one will plunge us into Hell. However, all of us have one or more worlds around which our life-activities usually center and to which we tend to revert when external stimuli subside. This is one’s basic life-tendency, and it has been established by each individual through prior actions. Some people’s lives revolve around the three evil paths, some move back and forth among the six lower worlds, and some are primarily motivated by the desire to seek the truth that characterizes the two vehicles. The purpose of Buddhist practice is to elevate the basic life-tendency and eventually establish Buddhahood as one’s fundamental state.

Establishing Buddhahood as our basic life-tendency does not mean we rid ourselves of the other nine worlds. All these states are integral and necessary aspects of life. Without experiencing the sufferings of Hell ourselves, we could never feel true compassion for others. Without the instinctive desires represented by Hunger and Animality, we would forget to eat, sleep and reproduce ourselves, and soon become extinct. Even if we establish Buddhahood as our fundamental life-tendency, we will still continue to experience the joys and sorrows of the nine worlds. However, they will not control us, and we will not define ourselves in terms of them. Based on the life-tendency of Buddhahood, our nine worlds will be harmonized and function to benefit both ourselves and those around us.
What Is The Oneness of Life and Its Environment?
The principle of the oneness of life and its environment describes the inseparable relationship of the individual and the environment. People generally have a tendency to regard the environment as something separate from themselves, and from the viewpoint of that which we can observe, we are justified in drawing this distinction. However, from the viewpoint of ultimate reality, the individual and the environment are one and inseparable. Life manifests itself in both a living subject and an objective environment.

"Life" indicates a subjective "self" that experiences the karmic effects of past actions. The environment is the objective realm where the karmic effects of life take shape. Environment here does not mean one overall context in which all beings live. Each living being has his or her own unique environment in which the effects of karma appear. The effects of one’s karma, both good and bad, manifest themselves both in one’s self and in the environment, because these are two integral phases of the same entity.

Since both life and its environment are one, whichever of the ten worlds an individual manifests internally will be mirrored in his or her environment. For example, a person in the state of Hell will perceive the environment to be hellish, while a person in the world of Animality will perceive the same environment as a jungle where only the strong survive. This idea has important implications. First, as already mentioned, we need not seek enlightenment in a particular place. Wherever we are, under whatever circumstances, we can bring forth our innate Buddhahood through the Buddhist practice, thus transforming our experience of our environment into the Buddha’s land. This is an act of freedom whereby we liberate ourselves from control by circumstances. For example, if we sufficiently elevate our condition of life, we will not be crushed by adversity but can command the strength and wisdom to use it constructively for our own development.

Moreover, as we accumulate good karma through Buddhist practice, the effects of the karma will become apparent not only in ourselves but also in our environment, in the form of improved material circumstances, greater respect from others, and so forth.

From this standpoint, one’s environment stretches out to encompass the whole dimension of space. Our enlightenment is therefore not confined to ourselves but exerts an influence on our families, communities, nations, and ultimately all humanity. The principle of the oneness of life and its environment is the rationale for asserting that the Buddhist practice of individuals will work a transformation in society. Buddhism expands the entire reality of life and shows the way to live a winning life -- the most fulfilled existence.

What is the practice of True Buddhism?

The three aspects of practice are faith, practice, and study. Faith is the
developing belief and conviction in the Gohonzon. Practice includes practice for
oneself and practice for others. Practice for oneself is chanting Nam-Myoho-
Renge-Kyo and the twice daily recitation of Gongyo, consisting of portions of
the Lotus Sutra. Once you begin to experience the actual benefit of the practice,
you will naturally wish to share it with others. The act of propagating this
Buddhism with a spirit of deep compassion is to help others to overcome their
sufferings. Study is also an important aspect of the practice for the purpose of
deepening our faith and confidence in the teachings.
For a new believer who has little or no experience with True Buddhism,
faith can be described as an expectation that benefit will manifest through
chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon. As your practice continues,
you will develop confidence that you can bring forth the enlightened nature of
Buddhahood in your life. Faith then develops in the form of conviction, and conviction
develops through actual proof that gives you the confidence to continue
the practice.

Is there a special way to hold the beads?

When we use the beads, we twist them over once, forming a figure eight.
The end of the figure eight with the three strands is placed over the middle
finger of the right hand and the end with the two strands over the middle finger
of the left. The short strands lie on the outside of the hands which are
placed together with palms and fingers touching. The beads should not be
rubbed together but held quietly between our palms when facing the Gohonzon.
It is said that when we hold the beads on our fingers and enclose them
between the palms of our hands, we can obtain the great benefit of transforming
earthly desires into enlightenment.

What is Shakubuku?
Shakubuku is a term you will hear a lot during your practice of True Buddhism
because it is one of the most important aspects of your practice.
Shakubuku means to refute others’ attachment to incorrect views and to lead
them to the teachings of True Buddhism.
We accumulate from our Buddhist practice of jigyo (practice for ourselves)
great fortune, and as our faith deepens and our life condition begins
to improve it is only natural that we want to share this with our friends and
family.
Therefore the desire to do
Shakubuku arises naturally from
faith. Faith arises from the daily
practice of Gongyo, Daimoku
and the study of Nichiren Daishonin’s
Gosho.
You are welcome to bring
your guests to the temple and
introduce them to the priest.
You can also take them to a local
meeting and receive support from your fellow believers. Your efforts to teach
them about Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and the Dai-Gohonzon will plant the seed
of Buddhahood in their lives. Even if they do not take faith right away, this
seed will eventually sprout and they will be able to practice True Buddhism
in the future and attain enlightenment. Also, you will have made the cause to
develop great good fortune in your own life and lessen your negative

BASIC BUDDHIST TERMS
Daimoku: Supreme Invocation or Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. This expression
also indicates the chanting of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
Gongyo: Literally assiduous practice. Recitation of a portion of the second
(Hoben) and all of the sixteenth (Juryo) chapters of the Lotus Sutra with
silent prayers. Performed twice daily.
Gosho: The writings of the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin. They take
the form of treatises, the letters he wrote to His disciples, and oral lectures
written down by His successor, Second High Priest Nikko Shonin.
Ichinen sanzen: “Three thousand realms are possessed by a single life
moment.” The theory that explains that all existence possesses the Buddha
nature along with all the other conditions of life. This is elucidated by teaching
that there are ten states of life or mind, called the “Ten Worlds.” Furthermore
the principle of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds makes this 100
worlds. They are manifested through the principle of the Ten Factors and the
Three Realms of Existence, which make 3,000 worlds.
Karma: Internal causes residing in the depths of life that manifest themselves
as conspicuous effects when external causes or conditions are encountered.
All people possess both positive and negative karma. The practice of
True Buddhism implants tremendous good karma (fortune) in one’s life, and
lessens one’s retribution for negative karma from causes made in this and previous
lifetimes.
Kosen-rufu: Means to widely declare and spread True Buddhism.
There are two aspects of Kosen-rufu. “Kosen-rufu of the Entity of the Law”
signifies the establishment of the Dai-Gohonzon by the True Buddha,
Nichiren Daishonin. His will to us was to accomplish “Kosen-rufu of Sub12
stantiation” which signifies the time when all the people of the world
embrace the Daishonin’s Buddhism and revere the Dai-Gohonzon. At this
time, there will be true world peace and the masses of people around the
world will attain Buddhahood.
Lotus Sutra: Shakyamuni’s highest teaching. It was his final teaching,
preached during the last eight years of his life together with the Sutra of Infinite
Meaning, an introduction to the Lotus Sutra, and the Nirvana Sutra, the
teaching for the sake of propagating the principles of the Lotus Sutra. In it,
Shakyamuni expounded the ultimate truth of his enlightenment. However, in
the Latter Day of the Law, we can only benefit from the Lotus Sutra when it
is viewed through the life of the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin. Therefore,
as Nichiren Shoshu believers, we practice and study the Lotus Sutra based
exclusively on the interpretations and teachings of the True Buddha, Nichiren
Daishonin and the successive High Priests of Nichiren Shoshu. In His writings,
Nichiren Daishonin sometimes uses the term “Lotus Sutra” to indicate
Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, or the Gohonzon.
Three Great Secret Laws: The principle which constitutes the core and
foundation of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism. They are the True Object of Worship,
the True High Sanctuary, and the True Invocation.
The True Object of Worship is the Dai-Gohonzon, inscribed by
Nichiren Daishonin on October 12, 1279. Within the Dai-Gohonzon is the
Person and the Law. The Person is the eternal enlightened life of the True
Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin. The Law is Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to
which the Daishonin is eternally enlightened.
The True High Sanctuary is the place where the Dai-Gohonzon will
be enshrined at the time of Kosen-rufu so that all humankind can eradicate
their negative karma and attain enlightenment. At the present time
it is enshrined in the Enshrinement Hall at Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple,
Taisekiji. In a general sense, it also signifies the place where the
Gohonzon is enshrined in local temples and believers’ homes.
The True Invocation is Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Nichiren Daishonin
established the True Invocation by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo for
the first time on April 28, 1253. The True Invocation carries the significance
of both faith and practice.
Three Periods of Propagation: The three time periods following the
passing of Shakyamuni. The first 1000 year period after Shakyamuni’s passing
is called the Former Day of the Law (Shoho). The second 1000 year
period is called the Middle Day of the Law (Zoho). The final period starting
thereafter is called the Latter Day of the Law (Mappo). Shakyamuni
taught that the Latter Day of the Law would last 10,000 years and into the
future. He taught that at this time, because the people would have no connection
to Shakyamuni, they could no longer gain any benefit from his
13 teachings. The True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, appeared at the beginning
of the Latter Day of the Law and established the Buddhism of the Three
Great Secret Laws so that all people could attain enlightenment now and
on into the future.
Three Treasures: The Three Treasures are what all Buddhists revere as
the most precious treasures in the universe. They are the Buddha, the Law
and the Priesthood. The Buddha is one who is enlightened to the eternal
truth of life and the universe and possesses the three virtues of Sovereign,
Teacher, and Parent. The Law is the teaching that the Buddha teaches
through his own enlightenment. The Priesthood signifies the disciples of the
Buddha who inherit, protect, and transmit the teachings to future generations.
In Nichiren Shoshu the Buddha is Nichiren Daishonin, the eternal True
Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. The Law is the Dai-Gohonzon of the
True High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, and the Priesthood is Nikko Shonin,
the Second High Priest, who directly received the transmission of True Buddhism,
and all of the successive High Priests of Nichiren Shoshu who have
received this face to face transmission in an unbroken succession for over
700 years. The present High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu, as of November 1999,
is Sixty-seventh High Priest Nikken Shonin.

CHANGING ATTITUDE

2010-03-26T06:25:00.001-07:00

CHANGING ATTITUDE

A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. "I'm the greatest hitter in the world," he announced. Then, he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed. "Strike One!" he yelled.

Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said again, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world!" He tossed the ball into the air. When it came down he swung again and missed. "Strike Two!" he cried out.

The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully. He spat on his hands and rubbed them together. He straightened his cap and said once more, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world!" Again he tossed the ball up in the air and swung at it. He missed. "Strike Three!"

"Wow!" he exclaimed... "I'm the greatest pitcher in the world!"

Your attitude determines how circumstances impact your life. The little boy's circumstances hadn't changed, but his optimistic
attitude prompted him to give an encouraging meaning to what had happened.

What difficult time are you going through right now? Can you do
something to change it? If you can, don't wait another day...
make the needed changes. If you can't change the circumstances,
change your attitude... you'll discover that circumstances won't have the last word.

-- Author Unknown

"Take control of your life... and live the magnificent life you
were meant to."

"Most folk's mind-set work against them. That's why they don't
come close to fully realising their full potential.

CHAMPIONS ADJUST

2010-03-26T06:24:00.001-07:00

CHAMPIONS ADJUST

Mary Robinson Reynolds

Featured in an interview, on CBS's The EARLY Show, was the tennis great, Martina Navratilova. The conversation was about other great tennis players, and Billy Jean King was mentioned. Martina said that she had received the best advice of her career from Billy Jean when she overheard Martina being very negative about how badly the balls were bouncing on the court surface. That's when Billy Jean said to her, "Being negative about it won't change it... Champions adjust."

Whether or not you consider yourself a champion does not matter... each and every one of us needs to acclimate to this type of mentality if we are to accept responsibility for our lives. You see, we are all CEO's of our own personal service organization. It doesn't matter what job position or title you hold, you are an independent contractor for the work that you are agreeing to do for the remuneration you receive. You have the power to leave, and... you have the power to stay and make adjustments! As you decide to simply "adjust," you will in fact be making a difference.

A Master of Change is a Champion who accepts this fully. To step fully into our greatness, we need to accept the responsibility of championing ourselves, first and foremost. The rest will follow as we are ready.

Building Your Power Base

According to Webster's Dictionary, the word "Master" gives reference to a person who is very skilled and able, an expert in some work, profession, or science. In becoming a master of change we must step fully into our greatness and own our internal personal power as our only necessary resource. Two of the most misunderstood words in our language are greatness and power. They have been treated as something we should shy away from, rather than embrace. I find this "error-in-thinking" originating from our learned states of powerlessness, and from the celebrity status we as a society give victimization.

We are afraid that if we step fully into our greatness that we will "offend" someone. That someone will feel "less than" when they are around us. How arrogant this really is. Greatness IS Grace, Humility, Generosity, Good Will, Clarity, Authenticity and yes, having boundaries and compassionate guidelines. Real power is never about overpowering another. Real power is the act of acknowledging and encouraging the power within another. Only when we step fully into our greatness and allow ourselves to experience and express our internal power do we give other people permission to do the same.

Mastering Change is about accepting your greatness and behaving like the champion you are... and Champions Adjust!

4 Steps to Making Empowering Adjustments

#1 - Increase Focus. Be conscious of your thoughts. Think precisely. Bring the focus of your mind into each thought ... and let the desired outcome, the end result, be laser sharp. Normalize fear and then make an adjustment to what the situation requires. Just do it!

#2 - Be conscious of your emotions. You cannot monitor every thought you have; there are too many coming in too fast. But you can monitor your emotions! You can tell when your thinking has turned negative by the way the thoughts express themselves in your emotions. Stop developing and rehearsing scenarios that cause fear, anger, resentment and feelings of loss. Take total command of your emotional system.

“Never limit your view of life by any past experience.” - Ernest Holmes

If negativity occurs and you begin feeling down or overwhelmed, speak to yourself with authority. Remember, you've got the power. Choose greatness, and you own it.

#3 - Care less about what is going on around you. Care more about the vision of the future you want to create. Stop feeling your difficulties deeply. Stop letting yourself collapse into a state of powerlessness. Stop dramatizing them. Stop talking about them! Adjust, adjust, adjust and in a moment you can positively affect any situation by deciding to be an agent of change: a Turn-Around Specialist.

#4 - Observe yourself. Be conscious of the activity of your work, whatever it may be. Choose to see yourself performing each task with ease, assurance and in control of every situation. Be aware that everything you choose to do, you give meaning to. Nothing is anything until you give it meaning. What meaning will you prescribe?

To your Richest Life beyond your Wildest Dreams,

Attitude towards Gongyo and daimoku

2010-03-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Speech by SGI Vice President Takehisa Tsuji

I would like to talk about true faith today. It is important to advance true faith.

Gongyo is directly related to your life. There are three things directly related sustaining life. One is to eat and rest. It is important to consume nutrients and to get adequate sleep. These two are easy to understand and everyone does them. You don't quit eating or sleeping because you are unhappy with someone.

But when it comes to doing Gongyo there are those who quit doing their prayers easily. It is because they do not realize that Gongyo and Daimoku are directly related to sustaining their life. You can improve your destiny by chanting Daimoku. Your karma will further deteriorate without chanting. If you do not chant, your destiny will revert back to your former bad karma. It is like reverting back to your former state of having a weak intestinal system or back to poverty. These types of changes are not easily recognized. This is why people get lazy with their daily Gongyo and Daimoku. This is a frightening thing.

There is a phrase in the Gosho, page 81, "There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra." But do you really do your Gongyo with this conviction?

You must feel that it gives you the greatest pleasure to do Gongyo and Daimoku. There is phrase in the Gosho that emphasizes that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the greatest of all joys. To be wed is a joyous thing. But Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a greater joy. To save millions of dollars may make you happy. But Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is even more enriching. To finally renovate your home after many years of waiting may bring you joy but chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is better than that. Finally getting a child after many attempts may be a joyous occasion but Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is more joyous than that.

Look into your hearts to see if you are chanting with this type of gratitude. Are you receiving 100% of the benefits that the Gohonzon would like to grant you? I feel that most of you are just receiving 10 to 15% of what you could be receiving.

With this type of life condition you will lose to obstacles and deep karma.

Why do you receive benefits when you chant to the Gohonzon - and why do you continue to chant? If you chant only to overcome a specific illness will it only cure that illness? If you chant for the success of your business, will you only become successful in business? It is not such a limited practice.

The Gohonzon is telling us it can elevate our life to the highest level, equal to the Gohonzon. There is a passage in the Gosho, "hoping to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us." You should chant with deep gratitude to the
Gohonzon for granting you the same life condition as the Gohonzon.

As you continue chanting you yourself will embody Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

There is another quotation from the Gosho page 216, "Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment countless Kalpas ago, the Lotus Sutra that leads all people to Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way different or separate from one another. To chant Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the ultimate law of life and death.

If you doubt whether this Gosho is true or not you are already separated from your Gohonzon. Because you think there is a difference your connection is weak. Therefore your benefits are diminished.

There is another quotation from page 832 of the Gosho, "Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." As stated in this Gosho Nam-myoho-renge-kyo exists within us. But for some reason it is very difficult to manifest Nam-myoho-renge-kyo or we cannot seem to bring it out. That is why we are mere mortals. Then how can we manifest it in our lives?

We can bring it forth by just vocalising Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

You may see cherry blossom and feel how beautiful it is. You may see a full moon and enjoy the moonlight. You may see a cockroach and feel disgusted. By seeing these things you feel these types of life conditions.

You may be moved by hearing beautiful music or be motivated by hearing President Ikeda's speech on tape. You achieve these through your ears.

You're related to your Gohonzon through vocalisation. That means by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo out loud you bring forth your Buddhist life force.

There is a phrase in the Gosho that states that your voice brings out Buddhahood. As long as you chant Daimoku you bring out your Buddhahood. It will explode from you.

If you are conned or robbed your life will burst with anger. If your life is filled with worries and suffering you may commit suicide. If you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo you can change life filled with such suffering, anger or poverty and overcome your problems.

There is a Gosho phrase on page 412, "What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?"

For those of you suffering with poverty there is a phrase on page 1137 of the Gosho "...those who now believe in the Lotus Sutra will gather fortune from ten thousand miles away."

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 cannot 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 revitalised 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 couldn't he 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.

In May 22nd when I visited Okayama Culture Center a young mother came to me for guidance. She was concerned about her two-year-old son who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. This disease causes shrinking of the muscles until it affects even the internal organs, until it results in death. I told this mother that it was her karma to suffer over her child. On the Gohonzon it is written that things are supposed to prosper and grow, then what is it that such a thing as shrinking happening? It must be because of the horrendous slander she must have committed against the Gohonzon. Pray that the two of you will work together as mother and child for kosen-rufu, so please cure the disease. The Lotus Sutra spans past, present and future. The Lotus Sutra can even help a person who has passed away to achieve enlightenment. Your child is still alive.

It is natural to transmit the Lotus Sutra to your child. There is no bad karma that can not be eradicated by this Gohonzon. Your worry is not the result of your current slanders, it is a result of slanders in your past life. It is a slander from your past life that you can remedy in this life. Parent and child are one. Pray earnestly.

This mother was sort of a complainer and insisted that her son was named by President Ikeda and that he was a fortune baby. I told her that President Ikeda will name a child at a parent's request but he cannot change your destiny. It is up to you to change your own karma and destiny.

I got a message from her afterwards that her son began to run without falling after three days. She was shocked at how great the Gohonzon's power was and how happy she was. Her son could now play on the slide and kneel by himself. He no longer had nose bleeds when he ran. As she continued practising and her son got healthier, her husband began practising earnestly too. For this mother who used to complain that she was suffering and had to practise because of her son, her attitude changed 180 degrees to gratitude towards her son for helping her to practise. Her practice changed from one of complaint to a practice of gratitude. With this as a turning point all her prayers were then answered and her wishes fulfilled.

Each time I hear such experiences I truly comprehend how great the power of the Gohonzon. To be able to receive guidance to change our life is the benefit of having the organization. In the end what our attitude is when we face our Gohonzon is the most important thing.

FANTASTIC GUIDANCE BY VICE-PRESIDENT TSUJI

2010-03-26T06:11:00.000-07:00

Gongyo is directly related to your life. There are three things

directly related sustaining life. One is to eat and rest. It is

important to consume nutrients and to get adequate sleep. These

two are easy to understand and everyone does them. You don't

quit eating or sleeping because you are unhappy with someone.

But when it comes to doing Gongyo, there are those who quit

doing their prayers easily. It is because they do not realize

that Gongyo and Daimoku are directly related to sustaining

their life. You can improve your destiny by chanting Daimoku.

Your karma will further deteriorate with out chanting. If you

do not chant your destiny will revert back to your former bad

karma. It is like reverting back to your former state of having

a weak intestinal system or back to poverty. These types of

changes are not easily recognized. This is why people get lazy

with their daily Gongyo and Daimoku. This is a frightening

thing.

There is a phrase in the Gosho, English Gosho page 81, "There

is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus

Sutra." But do you really do your Gongyo with this conviction?

You must feel that it gives you the greatest pleasure to do

Gongyo and Daimoku. There is phrase in the Gosho that

emphasizes that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the greatest of all

joys. To be wed is a joyous thing. But Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a

greater joy. To save millions of dollars may make you happy.

But Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is even more enriching. To finally

renovate your home after many years of waiting may bring you

joy but chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is better than that.

Finally getting a child after many attempts may be a joyous

occasion but Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is more joyous than that. Look

into your hearts to see if you are chanting with this type of

gratitude. Are you receiving 100% of the benefits that the

Gohonzon would like to grant you? I feel that m ost of you are

just receiving 10 to 15% of what you could be receiving. With

this type of life condition you will lose to obstacles and deep

karma.

Why do you receive benefits when you chant to the Gohonzon -

and why do you continue to chant? If you chant only to overcome

a specific illness will it only cure that illness? If you chant

for the success of your business, will you only become

successful in business? It is not such a limited practice.

The Gohonzon is telling us it can elevate our life to the

highest level, equal to the Gohonzon. There is a passage in the

Gosho, "hoping to make all persons equal to me, without any

distinction between us." You should chant with deep gratitude

to the Gohonzon for granting you the same life condition as the

Gohonzon.

As you continue chanting you yourself will embody

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. There is another quotation from the Gosho

page 216, " Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment

countless Kalpas ago, the Lotus Sutra that leads all people to

Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way

different or separate from one another. To chant

Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the

ultimate law of life and death. If you doubt whether this Gosho

is true or not you are already separated from your Gohonzon.

Because you think there is a difference your connection is

weak. Therefore your benefits are diminished.

There is another quotation from page 832 of the Gosho, "Never

seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only

within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the

Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." As stated in this

Gosho Nam-myoho-renge-kyo exists within us. But for some reason

it is very difficult to manifest Nam-myoho-renge-kyo or we can

not seem to bring it out. That is why we are mere mortals. Then

how can we manifest it in our lives?

We can bring it forth by just vocalizing Nam-myoho-renge-k yo.

You may see cherry blossom and feel how beautiful it is. You

may see a full moon and enjoy the moonlight. You may see a

cockroach and feel disgusted. By seeing these things you feel

these types of life conditions. You may be moved by hearing

beautiful music or be motivated by hearing President Ikeda's

speech on tape. You achieve these through your ears.

You're related to your Gohonzon through vocalization. That

means by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo out loud you bring forth

your Buddhist life force. There is a phrase in the Gosho that

states that your voice brings out Buddhahood. As long as you

chant Daimoku you bring out your Buddhahood. It will explode

from you. If you are conned or robbed your life will burst

with anger. If your life is filled with worries and suffering

you may commit suicide. If you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo you

can change life filled with such suffering, anger or poverty

and overcome your problems.

There is a Gosho phrase on page 412, "What sickness can

therefore be an obstacle?" For those of you suffering with

poverty there is a phrase on page 1137 of the Gosho "...those

who now believe in the Lotus Sutra will gather fortune from ten

thousand miles away." We recite in our Gongyo, "Jiga toku

burai" or "Since I attained B uddhahood". 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 th e 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.

In May 22nd when I visited Okayama Culture Center a young

mother came to me for guidance. She was concerned about her two>

year old son who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. This

disease causes shrinking of the muscles until it affects even

the internal organs until it results in death. I told this

mother that it was her karma to suffer over her child. On the

Gohonzon it is written that things are supposed to prosper and

grow, then what is it that such a thing as shrinking happening?

It must be because of the horrendous slander she committed

against the Gohonzon. Pray that the two of you will work

together as mother and child for Kosen rufu so please cure the

disease. The Lotus Sutra is like a like a plague that spans

past, present and future. The Lotus Sutra can even help a

person who has passed away to achieve enlightenment. Your child

is still alive.

It is natural to transmit the Lotus Sutra to your child. There

is no sin that can not be eradicated by this Gohonzon. Your

worry is not the result of your current slanders, it is a

result of slanders in your past life. It is a slander from your

past life that you can remedy in this life. Parent and child

are one. Pray earnestly.

This mother was sort of a complainer and insisted that her son

was named by President Ikeda and that he was a fortune baby. I

told her that President Ikeda will name a child at a parent's

request but he can not change your destiny. It is up to you to

change your own karma and destiny.

I got a message from her afterwards that her son began to run

without falling after three days. She was shocked at how great

the Gohonzon's power was and how happy she was. Her son could

now play on the slide and kneel by himself. He no longer had

nose bleeds when he ran. As she continued practicing and her

son got healthier, her husband began practicing earnestly too.

For this mother who used to complain that she was suffering and

had to practice because of her son, her attitude changed 180

degrees to gratitude towards her son for helping her to

practice. Her practice changed from one of complaint to a

practice of gratitude. With this as a turning point all her

prayers were then answered and her wishes fulfilled.

Each time I hear such experiences I truly comprehend how great

the power of the Gohonzon. To be able to receive guidance to

change our life is the benefit of having the organization. In

the end what our attitude is when we face our Gohonzon is the

most important thing.

Guidance from Vice President Tsuji

2010-03-26T06:06:00.001-07:00

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzuovrUCXhcYZGJiNmJmMjgtNjZlMi00MDgyLThhMzMtN2JkNzU0ODgzN2Ex&hl=en

Lecture By Linda Johnson, SGI-USA, 2001

2010-03-26T06:03:00.001-07:00

Why are we leaders in the SGI? We have made a commitment to help other people change. The only reason we should take on responsibility in the organization is that we continue to make a commitment to help other people change their life through Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. Each of you is a "life coach" and your job is to teach people how to win in life through Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. The job is coaching; helping each person to keep expanding their capacity. This requires us to constantly use our life to challenge that person to go beyond what is comfortable. You don't become a great athlete, or you don't become a great person without going beyond what is comfortable. Growth is uncomfortable. It means stretching beyond what you think you can do. Getting out of your comfort zone. We must grow beyond expecting it to be easy.

There is a difference between not being easy and having to suffer. How can we use our lives to help people change? Growth can be a joyful challenge. How can we really use our lives to help people really change?

We detach from our members' problems. "Yeah, he/she is suffering with that; I've visited them and tried to encourage them, and I call now and then. How can I help them if they don't have a seeking spirit? There's nothing I can do. It's up to them. We need to go to the next level of learning; of using our ichinen to ensure that our members grow. This has 100% to do with us, not them.

President Ikeda's definition of ichinen: 1996, the last time he was here, I attended a private dinner with about 50 people. He talked about what happened when he became president in 1960. He looked at all of us, without any arrogance.

"When I became the third president of the Soka Gakkai, the organization was in financial debt. There were three dilapidated headquarters buildings in Japan for the members. There were six staff members. That's it. Those were the conditions under which I assumed the presidency. Today, there are 1,300 community and culture centers in Japan alone, for the members to meet at. Our finances are very secure. We have established the Soka school system. Even more than that, Buddhism has spread from Japan to 138 countries (now, 165) around the world." He looked at us and said, "I am telling you this for one reason only. This is what the ichinen of one person can do."

There was absolutely no arrogance in him; he was trying to share with us the power of prayer, the power of ichinen, such that shoten zenjin would emerge. He was trying to shake up each one of us. We have the same potential. We accept way too little. Wake up! "I'm not special; I'm just an example of what you have."

Last year, I went to Japan. When we arrived, I wrote a memo to President Ikeda. I truly believe he has x-ray vision. There is no point in pretending, he sees it anyway. I might as well let it all hang out.

As a result of recent appointments (Southern California Zone Leader, Matilda Buck's Vice WD) plus a big job (supervising 8 attorneys for the government), I was feeling overwhelmed. Every time I would chant about this responsibility, I kept going back to this guidance. Somehow, I knew this was my answer. It wasn't about how many places I could visit. It was about prayer.

So I wrote in my memo, "Sensei, I came back for you to explain about ichinen at a deeper level. I need it in my life. I need to understand ichinen better."

I never got to speak with him personally, but at dinner, he started talking. "Ichinen means to pray without doubt. Whenever you pray without doubt, all of your prayers will be answered. This is the kind of prayer Nichiren Daishonin is talking about." Buddhism equals actual proof. He was strict with us. "If you're not showing actual proof, you are not practicing correctly." He talked about faith. Its invisible; it is only revealed through your behavior as a human being. He challenges all of us to go for all our dreams and win, because the other people who watch your example must be able to say, "This Buddhism is great."

This made an impact on my life. I started chanting a lot about ichinen. I realized that in addition to our moving our bodies, the first thing is to pray; to take total responsibility with our prayer that our members are going to win. Prayer without doubt.

The weakness he felt here is that the leaders were not wholeheartedly praying for the members' happiness. It is another level of faith. "With my prayer, I will ensure that people will win, no matter what."

Let me share an experience here. At a Culture Department meeting, a man got up to share his experience. The year before, he was diagnosed with cancer. Terminal cancer. After many years of practice, this diagnosis caused him to lose all hope. He lost such hope, that he shut everyone out of his life. He went to bed, waiting to die. Fortunately for him, a gutsy WD chapter leader showed up. She made such a racket, he had to open the door. She barged on in, and started talking to him. She convinced him to chant with her. He hadn't chanted in weeks. She made him sit front and center; she sat in back of him. Failure was not an option for her. They didn't chant very long; maybe 30 minutes. While they were chanting, he literally got hot inside. He felt heat enter his body from his back. All this physical stuff started happening. When they got done, his will to fight for his life was re-awakened. He went to see the doctor. It was a very bleak environment. He went in and said, "I want to thank you for everything you are going to do to try to save my life. Even if you don't succeed, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart."

The doctor was so shocked. He talked to him for a full hour, even though he had many other appointments waiting. They started a full course of treatment. Ultimately, this man was diagnosed as cancer-free. Through his life and example, we see how this woman's ichinen woke him up. She poured her life into it. She didn't go there with the attitude of, "I'm here to encourage you, but what you do is up to you."

Whether it's us personally suffering in relationships, or with members, I really feel that in 1996 Matilda and I received got guidance to change any relationship problem we've every had in our life. Vice President Hasagawa shared that this was guidance President Toda gave President Ikeda. He was suffering from watching leaders hurt the members. It's guidance for any situation.

"Every pain, every hurt on account of another human being, engrave it in your heart. Never forget; never do it to another human being."

People teach us through negative example of how not to be, as powerfully as how to be. Some people's mission is to teach through negative example. Our problem is that we separate from them; we don't get that they are a teacher on how to be better. Or, do we turn around and do the same thing?

The reason we're there, experiencing that problem, is because it is our mission to find the solution. The solution is never, ever, ever waiting for the other person to change. If we do, we miss our own opportunity to do human revolution.

There was a person who's sister had a child killed by a drunk driver. She spiralled downward in grief. The member was in pain, watching her sister. She was feeling really helpless; "What can I do?" I shared with her an experience I had where I was suffering on account of a senior leader. I was judgemental of her. After two years, I finally remembered Vice President Hasagawa's guidance. "Hmm, maybe it would be a good thing to apply it." It's my mission to find a solution. The answer is only inside of my life. And, a prayer emerged.

I would take responsibility through my prayer that the person would be able to win over her own weaknesses.

When you look at another human being you just see them in one moment of their process of their human revolution. At this moment, they may be controlled by the dark side. Like me; for two years, I could not win over being judgmental. We usually think, "They're not doing their best." But it's not about someone doing their best. I realized that's not what it's about. Sometimes things are so deep in our life, it's a process. We have to keep chipping away. This is just another human being working on their own weakness. I take responsibility through my prayer that she has a breakthrough. This is different than praying for someone's happiness. That doesn't work for me. When I am in judgement, it's, "You are so messed up, you need my help." That is not a place of compassion. You can't win until you change your judgement of them into compassion. When I took responsibility, I couldn't chant that prayer without changing myself. Immediately, the prayer had the power to change our relationship.

So, I shared this with that member; it didn't matter that the sister was in another state. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is so powerful, you can reach anyone in the universe "Study the Gosho; believe Nichiren Daishonin when he tells you that it can change immutable karma." Don't just sit back and observe the problem of our members, but ensure their breakthrough.

Within a month, I got an email. She had started chanting that way for her sister. Not only did her sister have a breakthrough over her grief, her sister started chanting. She had tried to shakabuku her for years. Through that prayer, something reached her sister. She is like a new woman. Another sister also started chanting. That prayer is so profound.

As leaders, we have the responsibility and obligation to not be bystanders. We have to learn to use our ichinen to ensure that each person has a victory. With that prayer, we are helping another human being win. What else is Buddhism? We become alive; we become invincible; not shaken by obstacles, by using our life to help someone else win.

This is vital and crucial. Our only function is to help other people grow. In order to do that, we must let go of control. People can't grow if we keep denying them opportunity. Whenever we are in this process, i.e., "I know how to do it the right way," we are reticent to allow someone else to do it because it might not be up to our expectation. No matter how good we are, someone gave us an opportunity at some point. And we weren't good right away. Why do we expect others to be great the first time? And, we don't get better by just doing it again ourselves.

I was in an area where there were these "control freak" women district leaders. The meetings were suppressed. "I'm the district leader; we will do the meeting the way I want." It's not my personal organization; it's all of ours. We have to let go. This is a real test; if you think you're good at something, how many people can you teach to do it even better than you? How do we do it all? We are busy people. Wife, mother, leader, lover. Time management comes down to letting go, and inspiring others to do something. This frees us and gives us more joy in our practice. We need lots of people doing things. Buddhism is not about "you doing more and more and more and more. When we hold on to things, we are not advancing kosen-rufu; we are stifling the development of Buddhism in the world. What is easier in the short term is death in the long run. It is easier for you to do it; but it stifles other people and prevents other people from growing. We keep bogging everything down with an attitude of "it has to be my way or no way."

How many people can we raise? Everybody in your [group] chapter, district, or area; it's each person taking responsibility. We should not deny them the opportunity. I only rise to the occasion when I have to; it's human nature. If you let me sit back and slide, I will. Somebody puts the ball in my lap, if I'm responsible, it changes my ichinen. Suddenly I say, "I guess I'd better study and chant." It encourages me to grow. We have to really focus on helping others grow. Raise others by letting go.

"Letting go" doesn't mean that they "rise or fall on your own." Don't go on remote control. Stay in control with your ichinen, but not with your mouth or your behavior. Ensure their success with your prayer. When we do that, practice becomes more fun for us. We start to realize that we have the solution to every problem. "I will take 100% responsibility for everybody's success." Practicing will become more enjoyable for everyone; it creates freshness in the organization. I go to a district, and I see the same old plan we used in the 80's. It seems to me we should be improving all the time. Buddhism is about creativity; constant growth. we need that freshness. One of our greatest assets is diversity. If we don't give every kind of person opportunities, we can't create the kind of organization that is inclusive everyone. Keep trying to put your arms around a bigger, more diverse group of people to see things differently. No matter how sensitive we might think we are, we never really know what it's like to walk in that person's shoes. It's hard to know another person's pain and suffering.

If you've been straight all your life, it's hard to know the pain of being gay. If we don't have someone at the table contributing to a meeting in a way that's meaningful to them, we miss an opportunity to make a meeting that is meaningful to everybody.

If it's not your experience, you don't think like that. Unconsciously, we talk about "husband or wife," not "partner." We need someone to point that out. We need someone to sensitize us; we come from our own reality. It's from interacting with others that we expand our own reality. People force us to view things from a broader perspective.

So many of you say you rarely go for guidance. "I know what they'll say; 'chant.‘" I want to encourage you to change that attitude.

The purpose of guidance to send you back to the Gohonzon with a new attitude. We can't always do that for ourselves because we are too close; just like the part about the eyebrows. We can't see it. And, we think we already know what they are going to say...chant!

One of my leaders said, "The act of opening our life to another human being is the cause to cut the karma in half." We need each other. We need at least a minimum of one good friend; someone you could share your most painful dirt with, and it's OK, you know that person will never reject you. We need somebody who can always help us stay on the straight and narrow. We can't see our own negativity until we are so off-track that to come back, takes tremendous effort. If we are just one step off, it's much easier.

We must challenge ourselves to grow. We need someone to be strict with us to challenge us to grow.

It is absolutely vital that we go for our dreams. As women we are born nurturers. The weak side of nurturers is that we sometimes lose ourselves. This is a disservice. Flip the order, and put yourself first. This is not selfish. Only in going for our own dreams do we have the motivation to get out of bed with enthusiasm. We can't do it because of other's stuff. The burning passion in your own belly is what moves you; it adds a whole dimension of excitement to your life. When you give up on your dreams you give up on yourself.

On TV, I saw a story about a woman's experience when her husband left. She cleaned houses. It was her dream to teach. She went to school, and is now graduating. She's in her fifties, because it took many years. She will be speaking at the commencement ceremony. She says, "You can never give up on your dreams because when you do, you give up on yourself."

Leading by example: when you're alive, really challenging life for some purpose, it's infectious to people around you. People closest to you get the worst of you. They deserve the best of you, not the worst. If you put yourself last, they get your worst. Don't be satisfied with the crumbs in life. Don't sit on the curb and watch everyone else go by. I don't think so; I didn't start practicing to watch everybody else win. When you are pursuing your dreams, happiness oozes out of you.

Only with struggles can we win over ourselves and encourage others. It's our experience that allows us to have the conviction in the power of prayer, and take that conviction and put it in someone else's life. Some leaders share everybody else's experiences instead of any of their own; you feel nothing coming from their life. James Hermann quoted, "A fate greater than death is to be dead but still alive." When we give up on our dreams, we are accepting slow death. I don't believe we become happy merely because we chant, or chant for a certain number of years. We become happy because we decide we are going to, and chant from that decision. Failure is no longer an option. "I've decided the obstacle will not win." When we make that decision, fueled by prayer, our live transforms, changes.

We keep going on; accepting; "This practice is too hard." We don't need to accept being unhappy. "I'm taking back control of my life; I refuse to allow suffering to control me." Everything immediately changes; not on the outside, but on the inside.

The difference is between deciding to drive the car versus being a passenger in life. Those two attitudes will produce fundamental differences in your life.

Mrs. Hachiya talked with a woman who was failing in her battle with weight loss. Mrs. Hachiya gave her lots of advice, then stopped. "Don't ever confuse your ability to be happy with losing weight. Lose weight because you choose to do that. It has nothing to do with your ability to be happy."

Enlightenment just as we are. Nichiren Daishonin de-mystifies life. All life has two functions; an enlightened, constructive side, and an unenlightened, destructive side. Nothing in life is all positive or all negative. We have it; everything has it. The circumstances we find ourselves in never define who we are. It's how we choose to use our circumstances are the reason we are the way we are - or the reason we can change.

I can choose to use my circumstances as justification for failure, or choose to use them as a motivating factor to change my life. The world of Buddha exists in every world. I really feel we never need to get rid of anything we go through; fear, doubt, anger. We associate these things with "negative." I used to chant to get rid of them. I decided I need to understand that the world of Buddhahood exists in everything; I should understand there's a constructive side. I chanted to connect with the enlightened side, to transform my life in a positive way.

President Ikeda says, "Persevere without fear or doubt." Honestly, as long as we are human, we'll have fear and doubt. Those are natural. I don't believe he's saying, "You won't have it at all." When we get this point, through chanting I can connect with this point and master it, and no longer fear fear. Now I realize it has a positive side I can always connect to through my prayer. It's my choice; it's a condition we create by winning over the negative side of the doubt and fear to call out the positive.

Never be defeated by the circumstances we find ourselves in. "Faith should never be an obligation; rather, it is our right." Only we can win our happiness. An easy-going life does not lead to happiness. Only when we face life and challenge it can we achieve true happiness.

We must not detach, whether it's in our or a member's life; there's nothing we can't change in our life.

END OF LECTURE

Q & A

Question: What about training? How do we do that?

Answer: We all need training, constantly. We need training, nurturing, support on Buddhism and how to do everything better. It requires consistent dialogue. Create an atmosphere where we constantly dialogue about how to do things better; share with each other. We all learn so much from each other. Constant hands-on; we need leader's training meetings every month. I need training. We assume people automatically know what to do, or want to do it.
These are false assumptions. Leaders constantly need nurturing. Focus on specific weaknesses sometimes; constantly keep bringing out issues we need to address. Do a critique after the meeting; how could we do better?
President Ikeda says we must say what needs to be said. But, it must be said from a place of compassion. If it's from judgement, we can't reach their life even if we are right. People need to feel safe to say what they have to say, and that's a constant struggle.

Comment: In one part of Washington, D.C. they have leaders' training every other month, from 9:30-1:00. They cover how to be a good group leader, everything. They have a website:laureldistrict.homestead.com.

Question: I'm scared of hurting someone's feelings, so I don't say anything.

Answer: We have to get over it. Even when it's well-intended, sometimes it hurts. We have to have the confidence we can fix it with Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.If our true heart is to help that person, they need a great friend in Buddhism, who tells them what they need to hear in spite of not wanting to hear it. They may get mad. If we can't rely on someone in Buddhism to tell us the truth, who can we rely on? They may not like it. We need that person we can rely on to tell us what we need to hear in order to grow. We need people who tell us the difficult stuff; pushing us just a little bit further than what we think we can do. It's compassion for a person's life. Sometimes in Buddhism, it's like 'tough love.' We have to tell someone something that might be difficult. "Will they reject me?" What is my purpose? To help you win in life, or to win a popularity contest?
We have to be in there for the long haul. Stick with them no matter what. Ensure with prayer that they will win. We all need the honest friend who doesn't just say what they think we want to hear.
It's not easy. Dialogue like President Ikeda. Before he ever meets with the person, he first sits down in front of the Gohonzon and conducts the dialogue he wants to have. Then, he sits down with the person. Then, he goes back to the Gohonzon again and chants to open the person's life, to get the points he wants them to get. Look at how much effort he puts out; he uses prayer to reach another person's life.

Use that process, along with courage, and we learn to expand our life. Do the tough stuff, not just the easy stuff. You will consequently develop deeper bonds. It's a very superficial relationship to only say what we think the other person wants to hear so that they don't reject us.

Question: I want more actual proof.

Answer: Set new goals for yourself. Keep growing by constantly taking on new challenges. Yearly, five year, ten year goals. We also need to see progress with daily goals. We need all kinds of goals. They are a good measure that we are growing. When you accomplish a daily goal, you develop the confidence that your life is moving forward. It moves forward in all areas. "Because I see this, this, and this happening; then surely, this is happening, too."

Regarding judgement. I chant always to be able to use my life; be the vehicle through which the Gohonzon speaks to the members. Whatever comes out of my life is what that person needs for their life. Don't focus on "Linda." Take on the greater mission as bodhissattva. "Let me be able to manifest wisdom to clearly see what's going on in a person's life to help them chant." When I pray that way, I'm not influenced by judgements.

See that everyone is a magnificent work in progress. They're just stuck at this one moment in time. Anybody can change anything. Sometimes I feel judgement creeping up; I start chanting inside to win over that judgement. "Don't let my stuff get in the way of this person." I have watched the session transform; we connect. It's a constant battle.

Question: How do we support Men's Division? Also, I'm confused because my husband wants me to leave on a trip with him as soon as I get back, but there are activities to support.

Answer: One way is to do what we've talked about. Take responsibility with our own prayer that they will really shine; manifest their full potential in their life. We will take full responsibility with our prayer. When your prayer is that magnanimous, then, "What must I do to make that happen?" You have to chant to pull that answer up from your life. Then, do it. It's different with each one what they need. Day by day, how to support? Prayer; get an answer; get the courage to do it.

We have to role-model a new kind of leader in this organization. If people joining today look at you, and think you don't have a life because you're a leader, nobody's going to want to be a leader. Ultimately, using our life to help other people grow is how we enrich and allow our own life to grow. All the success and joy and achievements are because I've been a leader. Members have forced me to grow. I have to keep challenging myself to encourage them. Members are my greatest asset in my life.

Each of us has got to start thinking about how to be a better example. Show a person who's winning in life. Family, career, whatever. You can have it all; you don't have to settle. Instead of being irritated at our leaders, remember that people teach us how to be a better leader through their weaknesses, too. The point is, do we get the lesson, or do we turn around and do the same thing?

Taking that trip with your husband is the best thing you can do. Let others feel responsible. As a woman and a wife, you have a mission to inspire your husband. If you are always so tired because of activities, i.e., "Don't bother me, I'm tired," with our own life, we're discouraging them about faith. Our family starts resenting activities. Mrs. Hachiya is very strict with herself. No matter what, no matter how late it is when she gets home, she says, "Everyone else relax, I'm home, I'll take over." Our faith activities don't stop when we get to the house. We need to be constantly challenging ourselves to be better. You have a mission to make your husband so appreciative of your activities, because when you come home, you give him the message that "You're important in my life."

Trust your prayer. We don't need to be physically with other people to impact their life. It is so profound. Trust that prayer.

Beautiful

2010-03-26T05:56:00.001-07:00

The train has started moving. It is packed with people of all ages, mostly with the working men and women and young college guys and gals. Near the window, seated a old man with his 30 year old son. As the train moves by, the son is overwhelmed with joy as he was thrilled with the scenery outside..

" See dad, the scenery of green trees moving away is very beautiful"

This behavior from a thirty year old son made the other people feel strange about him. Every one started murmuring something or other about this son."This guy seems to be a krack.." newly married Anup whispered to his wife.

Suddenly it started raining... Rain drops fell on the travelers through the opened window. The Thirty year old son , filled with joy " see dad, how beautiful the rain is ..."

Anup's wife got irritated with the rain drops spoiling her new suit.

Anup ," cant you see its raining, you old man, if ur son is not feeling well get him soon to a mental asylum..and dont disturb public henceforth"

The old man hesitated first and then in a low tone replied " we are on the way back from hospital, my son got discharged today morning , he was a blind by birth, last week only he got his vision, these rain and nature are new to his eyes... Please forgive us for the inconvenience caused..."

The things we see may be right from our perspective until we know the truth. But when we know the truth our reaction to that will hurt even us. So try to understand the problem better before taking a harsh action.

HR, Volume 4-6, page-399 -on the start of their married life

2010-03-26T05:40:00.001-07:00

This is the excerpt from the HR, Volume 4-6, page-399. This is Josei Toda’s guidance to Shinichi and Mineko (President Ikeda and Mrs Ikeda) on the start of their married life:

Life is not a dream. The true aspect of life takes shape on the basis of steady activities without a day’s respite. At the Wedding reception Toda had called Mineko aside and seriously instructed her on how to lead flawless daily life.

“From today you are going to play a very important role”, he said, “I want you to remember two things. First, keep your household accounts in order everyday. A housewife who can not do this is not fit for homemaking. Second, however badly you may feel, wear a smile on your face when your husband leaves for work in the morning and when he returns in the evening. I want you to obey these two rules under any circumstances.

“A man is foolish animal, you know. When he is confident that he has a good wife and doesn’t have to worry about his home, he is only too wiling to work frantically. All this depends on whether or not you can observe these two rules. Please take good care of Shin’ichi.”

This sympathetic advice from Toda established a solid foundation from Shinichi’s new home life. Marriage is the celebration of one’s start on a new journey. It must also be the beginning of a period of construction. By setting down these guiding principles, Toda taught Mineko to create the kind of home that forms the cornerstone of a life devoted to kosen-rufu. At first glance these guiding principles appear to be simply common sense. As one sets to put them out in to practice, however, they suddenly seem more and more difficult. Toda knew all about this difficulty, and yet he urged Mineko to adhere strictly to his instructions. In this lay the rarity of his personality and the profundity of his love.

THE POWER OF BELIEF

2010-03-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

EXCERPT FROM THE NATURE OF SUCCESS TITLED: DISCOVER THE POWER OF BELIEF
By Mac Anderson
For more than one hundred years, runners tried to break the four-minute mile. It was considered the "Holy Grail" of track and field. Many said it couldn't be done. In fact, doctors wrote articles in medical journals explaining why the human body could never run a mile in less than four minutes
However, in May 1954, a British medical student named Roger Bannister ran the mile in 3 minutes, 59½ seconds. This was an amazing story and made headlines around the world. Yet what happened afterward is even more amazing. The four-minute mile was broken again the next month...and then again...and again. It has since been broken more than 700 times, sometimes by several people in the same race.
What happened? They weren't training any differently, but for the first time THEY BELIEVED THEY COULD DO IT. The barriers to the mind had come down.
Never underestimate the power of belief when it comes to fulfilling your dreams.
I can say with no hesitation that every person I've ever met who has achieved any degree of success has had one thing in common: THEY BELIEVED WITH ALL THEIR HEART THEY COULD DO IT.
Early in my career, I was the vice president of sales for a food company. One time I was in Detroit hiring a sales person for the market. We had lined up eight appointments for the day, and the morning had been a bust. I looked and my 1 o'clock appointment was standing at the door. He was a tall, good-looking guy, and I remember thinking, "This could be the one."
We talked for about fifteen minutes, and I asked the question I always ask, "What will you be doing five years from now?"
I'll never forget his answer. He said, "Mr. Anderson, the way these appointments have been going, I might still be interviewing!"
Well, that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear. We talked for a few more minutes and I excused him.
Then I looked up and my 2 o'clock was there. He walked over and gave me a confident handshake, and a few minutes later I asked the same question, "What are you going to be doing five years from now?"
He looked me right in the eye and said, "Mr. Anderson, I'm going to be working for you. This job fills my skills and my needs to a tee. I don't just think, I know I can sell your product in this market. And furthermore, if you don't like my performance after thirty days, you don't owe me a cent."
Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather! He had just made me an offer I couldn't refuse. But the offer had nothing to do with the money I might save; it had everything to do with his unwavering passion and belief he could do it. Within a year, Sam was the number one sales person in the company.
YOU SEE, WHETHER YOU THINK YOU CAN, OR YOU THINK YOU CAN'T...YOU'RE RIGHT!
LEARNING POINT
In the world of faith, this principle works with even greater results. The Daishonin believed with his entire being that his exile to Sado Island was only temporary, [while for all who were exiled to Sado it normally was for one's entire life], which is why when he wrote to his disciple, Shijo Kingo, he said, " When I come back to Kamakura, we will meet." He did not say "if I come back."
We empower our prayers when we believe that they will be answered. The Gosho says, "No prayer of the votary of the Lotus Sutra CAN go unanswered." There are many such passages in the Gosho, and the point is to believe in them, and live our lives in such belief without doubting.

The Perfect Marriage

2010-03-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

By Allan Horback

I have lived in South Korea since 1991. I started practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism in 1988, but stopped when I arrived in Korea . I felt I was getting nowhere in my practice and nowhere in my life. Then, as the saying goes, the plot thickened.

Some SGI members got word about me and asked if I'd like to come to a meeting. That's where I heard the following story, which changed my attitude and understanding of Buddhism once and for all.

There was a couple at the meeting we'll call Mr. and Mrs. C. They were obviously in love — so much so that I thought they were newlyweds. Actually, they had been married for a long time. Mr. C beamed with enthusiasm, his eyes shining with vigor while talking about the benefits of Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism or gazing at his wife. Here was a man happy and at peace.

After the meeting, impressed with his strong devotion, I asked how he had arrived at such strong faith. What he told me influenced me so much, that not only did I start practicing again — I eventually became the district leader for Songton.

His story began with his wife, who first taught him how to chant. She wanted him to chant badly, and that's just what he did — he chanted badly. He had trouble with Buddhism and chanting and would only chant to appease his wife. Besides, he felt trapped in a loveless marriage. His wife pushing him to chant was just another example, he felt, of how she was always pushing him to do things he didn't enjoy.

His recitation of Gongyo was just something to hurry up and get out of the way. Then one day, a senior leader visited and asked Mr. C how his practice was going?

He answered it was going about as well as his marriage. Asked to elucidate, he replied that he was not happy with anything.

The senior leader then explained that he should chant for something he wanted, and if it wasn't realized in 100 days then this Buddhism was not for him.

Mr. C thought he could tough it out for 100 days and thanked the leader, assuring him that he'd be chanting vigorously. The next day he started to chant that his wife would die! He felt that his wife was the source of his unhappiness and with her gone, his life would be better. He chanted every day and night, like there was no tomorrow.

After a while, as he was chanting, he started wondering why his marriage was such a mess. As he began to reflect, he soon realized that he often came home in not-the-best mood. Later, he realized that he was authoritarian with his wife, slow to praise and fast to complain. He vowed to be a more considerate person. At least one of them should act civilized, he felt.

As the days passed, he also realized that his attitude was changing. He started seeing things in a different light. He attempted to understand his wife's side of disagreements. At first, his wife was apprehensive about his attitude changes, thinking he was setting her up for some type of humiliation, but when she saw that the changes were genuine she started to change too.

When he came home, she would prepare his favorite meal, ask him about his day and listen to him with full attention. He was getting close to the 100 days and he thought about how much his wife had changed for the better, much more like the woman he had met and fallen in love with. He started to feel emotions return that he thought were long gone — love, patience and understanding. He felt overwhelmed by how much his environment was changing and started bringing gifts home for his wife like flowers, knick-knacks and love notes.

He started complimenting her on her looks. She started showing him more affection. By this point, he had actually started chanting for his wife's happiness as well as their continued happiness together. One hundred days passed. Mr. and Mrs. C attended a discussion meeting where the man who had given Mr. C the 100-day advice asked him how things were going. Mr. C replied that at the start of the 100 days he was chanting for one thing but by the end he was chanting for something entirely different. He said, "I thought I knew what I wanted for my life to change for the better."

He told the leader about his hidden wish for his wife to die, but stopped thinking that way when his wife changed. The leader pointed out: "You said you wanted your wife to die. But it was your negativity that died, taking that negative environment, including your wife's negativity, with it, too. You changed your environment by changing yourself — by changing your actions.

"We often hear that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, but Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism teaches us that every momentary action and reaction has 3,000 possible manifestations. By chanting Nam Myoho-Renge-Kyo, we can always choose our own paths of action. Chanting simply opened your eyes to the truth that was always within you." Mr. C received what he really wanted, what he really needed. I will always remember this story, which reminds me that I, like Mr. C, have always attained in one form or another whatever I have chanted about. A person should chant with strong determination and in so doing reap many benefits. I know I have.

[Published in the Jan. 24, 1997, World Tribune]

A Buddhist Perspective on Peace in the Twenty-first Century

2010-03-26T02:43:00.001-07:00

The Richard Causton Lectures

THE WAR HABIT

Edward Canfor-Dumas

A Buddhist Perspective on Peace in the Twenty-first Century

‘Nothing is more barbarous than war, nothing more miserable.’ When Richard Causton first read these opening words of The Human Revolution,1 a novel by Daisaku Ikeda, he felt, he said, ‘as if an electric shock went up my spine.’ Having experienced the evils of war at first hand, in Burma, he certainly agreed with the statement.
The most terrible thing he’d witnessed, he once said, was the sight of a British ‘tommy’ trying to kick the gold teeth from out of the mouth of a dead Japanese soldier. Causton had threatened to shoot him if he didn’t stop. What had sickened him, he explained, was the depths to which this man had sunk. British soldiers were not supposed to be like this; they were on the side of right, after all. And yet the experience of war had brought the ‘tommy’ to this level of depravity.

But the shock Causton felt at reading the opening to The Human Revolution was more than simply the shock of recognition. Rather, it was the fact that the author of those words was Japanese.

Like many servicemen who’d fought in the Far East, Causton had formed a pretty low opinion of the Japanese. Even though it was now almost twenty-five years after the war, and he was regularly in Tokyo on business, and falling in love with a Japanese woman - it was she who gave him the book - in his heart Causton still thought of the Japanese with some contempt, as cruel and fanatical; in many ways, in fact, as rather inhuman.

So to read a Japanese author whose feelings so exactly matched his own shook him to the core. And then to learn that Ikeda had lost a much-loved brother in the war, conscripted into the Japanese Imperial Army and sent to his death - in Burma... Well, at that point divisions of race and nationality began to dissolve in Causton’s mind and, as he read on, an awareness of a common humanity, a common human fate, began to grow.

And soon after finishing The Human Revolution Causton began to practise Buddhism - specifically, the teachings of the thirteen century Japanese sage, Nichiren, which the book explains in some detail. He was already fifty years old, and was to spend the final third of his life - twenty-five years - dedicated to teaching others about the greatness of the life-philosophy he had found.

I’ve told you this story not just because it’s about Richard Causton, the first General Director of SGI-UK, and the man from whom I personally learnt much about Buddhism - and life - over the several years I worked with him; I’ve told it but because it demonstrates the central theme of Buddhism - transformation; or, as the book’s title would have it, ‘human revolution’.

Causton’s life is the story of a man who consciously turned his back on ‘the war habit’, as I’ve called it. He was a professional soldier, an officer, who joined up at the age of 19 before the war started in Europe, and in Burma was awarded the Military Cross for bravery in action.

Yet he became a tireless champion for peace, working alongside the very people he had once fought; indeed, on one occasion, he even found himself in conversation with a fellow Buddhist, a Japanese, and realised, as they talked, that their units had once faced each other on opposite sides of a jungle valley. So complete was Causton’s transformation that he even threw away his MC, and never told anyone about it: despite knowing him for twelve years, I learnt of it only when I started to prepare this lecture.

But Causton’s ‘human revolution’ is by no means unique. Buddhism teaches that anyone, without exception, can effect such a transformation, even the most ruthless and warlike.

For example, the ancient Indian king, Ashoka, who lived some three hundred years before Christ, is often held up by historians as the model of enlightened, compassionate rule. But Ashoka was originally a bloody tyrant - the Saddam Hussein of his day - who conquered most of the Indian subcontinent at the cost of tremendous death and suffering.

But then, realising the agony he’d caused, he was overcome with remorse and turned to Buddhism. He renounced violence and declared that henceforth he would conquer peacefully, through Buddhist teachings - the dharma - alone. Which he did, instituting la ws and policies based on Buddhist principles, and ushering in an era of peace, prosperity and tolerance, especially towards other religions, for which he is still celebrated.

Buddhism is full of such stories. Another famous example involves the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni - you might know him as Siddartha Gautama, or, from the many statues and pictures that have been made of him, simply as ‘the Buddha’. Shakyamuni was persecuted by the evil king Ajatashatru, who tried to kill him on several occasions and, indeed, did kill many of his followers.

But then the king fell seriously ill. Huge, leprous sores broke out over his entire body, and his death seemed imminent. At which point Shakyamuni took pity on Ajatashatru and, despite the objections of his followers, went to visit him. Moved by Shakyamuni’s compassion, the king repented of his past misdeeds, converted to Buddhism - and recovered to live for many more years.

Moreover, when Shakyamuni himself eventually died, it was Ajatashatru who convened the First Buddhist Council to ensure that his teachings would not be lost. In other words, it’s thanks to this once evil king, the Buddha’s sworn enemy, that Buddhism was preserved for posterity.

It’s because of this fundamental belief in the inherent capacity of individuals - even evil individuals - to transform their lives, that Buddhism has such abiding faith in the possibility of a world without war.

I suspect that many people in this room today will think that this is a pipe-dream. And, given the fact that, of the past three thousand years of human history, only some three hundred have not witnessed armed conflict, I can understand your scepticism. Until I started practising Buddhism sixteen years ago, I shared it.

But in those fifteen years not only have I seen many instances of individuals transforming their lives, I’ve also become convinced that Buddhist philosophy can be applied in a practical and effective way to such a large and seemingly insoluble problem as war. In particular, I’d like to talk about two concepts - namely, karma and a principle called the Three Truths - which I believe offer a means to understand war more deeply and thereby suggest ways in which we might avoid future catastrophes.

Because catastrophe is what war undoubtedly is. Even if you question whether a warless world is possible, what cannot be at issue, I hope, is a recognition of the utter waste and devastation that’s been wreaked by war during the twentieth century. Although precision in these matters is virtually impossible, it’s been estimated that upwards of 120 million men, women and children have died in wars in this century - a century of slaughter - more than in all previous centuries put together. Tens of millions more have been made homeless or displaced, and the physical destruction has been literally beyond counting. And, tragically, the toll continues to grow, right now, in conflicts around the world.

By any account, this a shameful record. It characterises the twentieth century as a century of slaughter. But the question is whether it’s a record that we’re going to break in the twenty-first century, with even more death and destruction. The potential is certainly there. Human conflict will never go away, and human ingenuity continues to devise ever more sophisticated and powerful weapons, even discounting nuclear ones.

But is that potential going to be turned into destructive reality? Does the past three thousand years of history prove that war is inevitable - such an integral part of what it is to be human that we are condemned to fight between ourselves for ever more, even to the point of extinction?

Buddhism says not. And, interestingly, it’s one major religion that does not foretell the end of the world in the conflagration of some final Armageddon.

Rather, it teaches that war is what might today be called ‘a conditioned response’, a habit that we’ve acquired and that’s now deeply ingrained, but a habit from which we can free ourselves, given the time, effort and commitment.

In teaching this, Buddhism recognises that conflict and violence are intrinsic to the human condition. But these two things in themselves do not equate to war, which is of an altogether different dimension. The noted pioneer of peace studies, Johan Galtung, makes the point with great clarity:

Some nations and some epochs are much more belligerent than others. If, like the drives for food and sex, belligerence were instinctive, we should expect it to be much more uniformly distributed in time and space. With some minor variations, human beings everywhere and in all times eat and drink and engage in sexual activity. The same universality does not apply to war.2

In fact, looking at history, one would be forced to conclude that the natural human instinct is to avoid war, if at all possible. Military training and usually harsh military discipline have been formulated over the centuries precisely to overcome man’s natural reluctance to put himself into a situation where he might be killed; especially if he has no personal argument with those he’ll be fighting, as is usually the case in war.

History also teaches that - paradoxically - war is a product of civilisation. This most brutal and uncivilised form of behaviour depends upon a degree of planning and co-ordination that is possible only in already highly-organised societies. Thus, we find that the first standing armies appeared as early as the year 3200 BC, in one of the earliest-known civilisations, Mesopotamia. This civilisation grew in the region that corresponds to what is now eastern Syria and...Iraq. Clearly, in some places, the war habit’s very deeply ingrained indeed. But more of that in a moment.

It’s in the co-operative and structured aspect of civilisation, then, that war is distinguished from mere fighting. Any two people can fight, but war is a group activity, usually conducted on a large scale and - at least initially - according to some pre-planned strategy. In short, war is not instinctive human behaviour. Rather, it’s the result of conscious, even rational, human judgement; judgement that is influenced by a variety of human impulses - notably aggression, fear and greed - and that then directs those impulses towards a particular, defined end; the enemy and his territory.

It’s this powerful mix of the conscious and the instinctive that gives us one reason why the war habit’s so difficult to break; - each particular war can almost always be justified by one side or the other, often with strong and plausible arguments that appeal both to our reason and to our basic emotions.

Thus, the war must be fought to prevent an enemy attack; to uphold national honour; to protect the national interest; to defend the motherland, or the empire or the faith, or the revolution - in short, for whatever it is that the society facing war holds most dear. In a liberal democracy such as ours, for example, nowadays we fight only in the name of freedom and - ironically - peace; a hundred years ago, we fought for glory and the empire. Whatever the ostensible reason, the emotional response triggered by these arguments can often cloud a more measured investigation of the need to fight, and the alternatives.

Buddhism suggests another, more fundamental reason why the war habit’s so intractable - karma, the first of the two concepts I mentioned just now.

The word derives from the Sanskrit for ‘action’, and refers to the fact that karma is created by our thoughts, our words and our deeds. These produce similar thoughts, words and deeds in the future, according - Buddhism says - to a strict and inescapable law of cause and effect. In brief, the concept of karma teaches that we are at once the products of our past actions, and the authors of our future reality. To quote a Buddhist text:

If you want to understand the causes you have made in the past, look at the effects as they are manifested in the present. And if you wish to know what results will appear in the future, look at the causes you are making now.3

The problem is that, since we’re all products of our past experience, we tend to find it very difficult even to imagine a future that is radically different from our past or present reality, let alone actually create it. So our tendency is to carry on with what we know, even if we also know that it’s unsatisfactory.

To understand this better, we have to look a little more closely at how karma works, by breaking it down into three elements - karmic tendency, karmic relation and karmic effect, as shown here.

Say I have the desire to smoke - because I like the taste, it calms my nerves, it stops me eating so much, whatever. This is my karmic tendency. This tendency is brought to the surface of my life by some external cause - seeing or smelling a cigarette, say. This external cause is the karmic relation. The karmic effect is that I smoke a cigarette and experience pleasure, or feel less stressed or less hungry. This effect is simultaneously added to my karmic tendency and so becomes a cause to smoke again at some point in the future.

In short, karma has an inbuilt tendency to repeat itself; and for this reason, over time our karmic tendencies grow stronger and more deeply ingrained, even if we know they’re bad for us. To put it another way, the longer a habit goes unchecked, the harder it is to change it.

This pattern can also be applied to war, thus.

As Galtung noted earlier, some countries are more belligerent than others. This is their karmic tendency. The external cause that brings this to the surface is some serious conflict - with a second country, say. The karmic effect is war, especially if that second country also has a strong tendency towards belligerence. This war further strengthens the belligerence in both countries, whatever the immediate outcome. The winner will tend to congratulate itself for its military prowess, and more readily turn to force in future conflicts; while the loser will tend to bear a grudge and vow one day to get even, though it may take generations to do so.

If a number of countries within a particular region share this karmic tendency towards war, the region will be inherently unstable and characterised by bloody conflict - sometimes for hundreds of years, as in the Balkans and Northern Europe; or even for thousands, as in the Middle East.

Viewed from this long-term perspective, the question of ‘Who started it?’ - that is, exactly who is to blame for the latest outbreak of fighting - becomes less important than the question of ‘How do we stop it? How can we change this karma of war?’

Because, make no mistake, it can be changed, as Richard Causton explains in his book, The Buddha in Daily Life:

...the inescapable nature of cause and effect does not mean that we cannot change and alleviate the latent effects of past actions before they become manifest. For example, the peace that the Allies concluded with Germany in 1945 was very different from the one imposed in 1919 and has so far proved extremely durable; this shows that war need not necessarily lead to more war, provided that the inherent causes of any conflict...are addressed and remedied with magnanimity. In other words, if we use our innate wisdom to make the right causes for peace in the future, peace will be achieved, no matter how many bad causes have been made in the war which preceded it.4

Buddhism therefore teaches the direct opposite of the famous dictum, ‘If you desire peace, prepare for war.’ Rather, it says, ‘If you desire peace, prepare for peace’, because, due to the nature of cause and effect, if you prepare for war, inevitably, in time, that is precisely what you will get.

But how, exactly, do we ‘prepare for peace’? And don’t the lessons of history teach us that well-meaning, peaceful intentions have always failed before the might of evil aggressors? ‘What would you have done about Hitler?’ I expect some of you are thinking. And ‘What answer does Buddhism have to someone like Saddam Hussein or Slobodan Milosevic? ’

Well, the answer would have to begin with another question - ‘Where do you want to start?’ Because leaders like Hitler, Saddam and Milosevic do not appear from out of nowhere. Rather, all came to power as a result of a whole series of events - of causes and effects - that culminated in their hostile actions.

It’s often been said, for example, that Hitler’s rise would not have been possible but for the Treaty of Versailles, which created the resentments in Germany that he so skilfully exploited. Similarly, Saddam would not have been able to invade Kuwait had his army and air force not been built up through arms exports from other countries, which were anxious to see him win in his war with Iran. And Milosevic’s rise to power can only be understood as a reaction to anti-Serbian policies implemented by Tito, and in the context of a long history of Balkan atrocities.

The Buddhist approach to aggression is illustrated in the following story. An old Buddhist monk is trying to convince his friend of the folly of violence. But his friend is having none of it. ‘So what would you do, then,’ he asks, ‘if you walked round a corner and found yourself trapped by a bunch of thugs who threatened to kill you, and you realised that the only way out was to fight?’ The monk thought for a moment, then replied, ‘I wouldn’t walk round that corner.’

In other words, the Buddhist approach asks what is preferable - to activate our innate wisdom and compassion to prevent dangerous situations developing? Or to wait until a crisis erupts - or worse still, actually help to cause it - and then find ourselves having to confront grim and extremely limited options.

To understand the Buddhist attitude more fully, we have to recognise what Buddhism holds most dear - the supreme dignity of human life. Buddhism asserts that nothing is of higher value than life itself; no god, or state, religion or ideology. In the words of Nichiren:

Life itself is the most precious of all treasures. Even the treasures of the entire universe cann ot equal the value of a single human life.5

Consequently, life should never be thought of as disposable, as a means to an end. Rather, it is the supreme end in itself. For this reason, Buddhism places an absolute ban on the taking of human life. In addition, it teaches that to kill another is to make an extremely bad cause for one’s own life; a cause that will, in due course, bring oneself immense suffering. Buddhism is therefore well-known for being a religion of absolute pacifism.

It follows from this that there is no concept in Buddhism of a just war. War arises as a result of the karma created by all parties to it, the victim as much as the aggressor. In terms of the immediate cause, one side or the other might very well bear the greater responsibility. But in terms of the underlying cause - the karmic tendencies of the opposing sides - all are equally responsible.

I fully accept that most people would not subscribe to this view. In any conflict it’s a natural human tendency to put ourselves in the right, and our opponent in the wrong. It’s very uncomfortable to have to admit that we might share some responsibility for a situation that is breaking down, perhaps with disastrous consequences.

But Buddhism teaches that everything occurs through the workings of cause and effect:

If you want to understand the causes you have made in the past, look at the effects as they are manifested in the present. And if you wish to know what results will appear in the future, look at the causes you are making now.6

But what if there is a mismatch? If we can think of nothing we have done that merits what we are suffering now? Well, Buddhism also teaches that karma, this chain of cause and effect, operates within our lives eternally. Thus, the ‘undeserved’ suffering that we may now be experiencing has its roots in causes we made in previous existences. To quote another Buddhist text:

A person writing at night may put out the lamp, but the words he has written will still remain. It’s the same with the destiny we create for ourselves in the threefold world.7

Interestingly, the same text says that those who make particularly bad causes in one life will suffer this particular fate:

Even if he should be reborn a human being, he will be destined to become a slave in the army. Retribution will follow as an echo follows a sound or a shadow follows a form.8

Strong stuff; and, if you’re not much inclined to metaphysics, easily dismissed, perhaps. But even without the metaphysics, Buddhism teaches that to make any progress towards peace, we have to accept that we ourselves are part of the problem, and be prepared to change.

But what about Buddhism’s avowal of pacifism? This, surely, is simply impractical and naive in the face of real and present dangers.

I think that this is a perfectly reasonable viewpoint - if one thinks of pacifism only in terms of an intellectual or moral opposition to war. This type of ‘passive pacifism’ is ineffective because it’s unpersuasive. Merely saying that killing is evil, or that war is wrong, or even that war leads to more war, has rarely been known to deter those who are set on fighting one.

To be persuasive, pacifism must be active, not passive. Its adherents must not simply hold an ethical position, but work constantly to minimise the causes for war, and to maximise the causes for peace. In this, they must also address the real fears of those who believe that, ‘Yes, war may indeed be evil, but it’s a necessary evil; the last resort of those who wish to oppose the even greater evil threatened by men like Saddam and Milosevic.’

So, as a Buddhist and an active pacifist, I’d like to suggest three broad areas of action. Taken together, they would, I believe, gradually diminish and eventually even eradicate war in the future. These areas are based on the second Buddhist principle I mentioned earlier, the Three Truths.

This principle states that all phenomena can be viewed from three clearly distinct, though inseparable, perspectives - the physical or material; the mental or spiritual; and the essential.

For example, each one of us here has a physical aspect - our bodies. The mental aspect is our thoughts, emotions and beliefs: those things that comprise our character or nature. And the essential aspect is our unique, individual lives, which are continuously expressed in our bodies and minds.

This essential aspect is perhaps more difficult to grasp than the other two. It can be understood as that factor which remains constant and immutable in our lives, even though we change from moment to moment. Thus, while my physical form has changed radically since I was a baby, I am still essentially the same person. And though my mind and emotions may change many times in the course of a day, they are always expressed in a way that is both consistent with my nature, and unique to me.

War, too, can be viewed from the perspective of the Three Truths.

The physical aspect of war relates, not only to the material capacity necessary to engage in armed conflict - military personnel, guns, tanks, aircraft, and so on - but also to the destructive potential of that capacity, and the physical suffering that results from its use.

The mental aspect of war obviously includes military strategy and tactics, but also embraces the totality of attitudes, which determine the willingness to fight - or not. Thus, the mental aspect of war includes the influence of past conflicts, tradition, perceived or real injustices, religious and philosophical teachings, political systems, and so forth. It also includes the mental and spiritual trauma that war causes.

These two aspects of war - the physical and the mental - are inextricably linked. A belligerent nation, for example, will have - or want to have - powerful armed forces. It will have a history of warfare - or a proud military tradition, depending on your viewpoint. And a political structure, underpinned by a dominant religion or philosophy, that readily justifies, or even encourages, war.

By contrast, a nation with small or non-existent armed forces is, by definition, less belligerent. Warfare will feature much less in its history, and it may even have constitutional safeguards against becoming involved in future wars.

In short, what you see is what you get. A warlike nature cannot produce a peaceful appearance; while a warlike appearance cannot testify to a peaceful nature. Each nature always finds its equivalent physical expression.

This might seem uncontroversial - common sense, even - until we start applying it to specific instances. For example, I doubt that many people in the UK think of ourselves as warlike; we are peaceable and decent - British, in other words. But our history - even our recent history - tells us that while we may be decent, we are certainly not peaceable.

Since 1945, UK forces have seen action in Korea, Palestine, Malaysia, Kenya, Cyprus, Aden, Suez, the Falklands, the Gulf and now the Balkans. And not forgetting Northern Ireland, of course. By contrast, the armed forces of two of our nearest neighbours, Sweden and the Irish Republic, haven’t fought in any conflict at all, and even managed to stay neutral during the Second World War.

Most of this UK conflict has arisen as a hangover from the empire, itself built up through centuries of war - once again, we can see the strictness of cause and effect. And each conflict has appeared justified at the time, even if, with hindsight, it might seem more questionable - Suez, for example. But whatever the rights and the wrongs in each instance, this history nevertheless demonstrates our belligerent nature. And, of course, we are still one of the handful of nations that possesses nuclear weapons.

How, then does this inextricable relationship between the physical and the mental aspects of war relate to its essential aspect, which Buddhism says is Anger?

First, one has to understand that this is not the anger of simply losing one’s temper. As we’ve already seen, war is usually planned with cold, methodical calculation. Rather, this is a state of being that Buddhism teaches is intrinsic to life itself, and which we therefore all possess. In the words, again, of Richard Causton:

Anger is identified with the workings of the ego, that part of the consciousness in which the self is aware of its own uniqueness and its apparent separation from the rest of the universe… [Nichiren] describes the chief characteristic of Anger as ‘perversity’, alluding to the fundamental distortion of perspective that occurs when the ego places itself at the centre of the universe… Anger is the state of supreme self-centredness in which we believe we are fundamentally better than other people and in which we delight in showing this supposed superiority to the world.9

According to Buddhism, then, Anger is the root of what sets us apart from others - our sense of self, our identity. This includes not just our personal identity, but also our social identity - as man or woman, black or white, Serb or Albanian; whatever. And whenever we feel this sense of identity is threatened, our tendency as human beings is to rush to defend it - mentally, verbally, or even physically, with violence. Anger is thus also characterised by conflict, in varying degrees.

We can see this clearly in those regions mentioned earlier that have had such a long history of strife - the Balkans, Northern Europe and the Middle East. One of the features they share is the concentration, in a fairly limited area, of a wide variety of different nationalities, cultures and religions. This mix of identities naturally produces tensions. Some are creative, as different groups borrow ideas from one another. Others are destructive, as they seek to impose their superiority on their neighbours, leading ultimately to violence and war. As Dr Bryan Wilson, one of the world’s leading authorities on the social effects of religion has noted: ‘intense group loyalty is almost always associated with disparagement of other groups.’10 It’s therefore Anger that fuels extreme nationalism, for example.

Anger does have its positive aspects - our feelings of self-worth are rooted in this condition, for example, as is our sense of fairness and justice; and the desire to excel has driven individuals to great achievements.

But all too often the self ruled by Anger finds it hard, in its arrogance, to identify with or respect others; difficult to acknowledge they might have a point worthy of true consideration; and virtually impossible to concede that they might actually be right, for that would be to admit inferiority.

Anger - in the Buddhist sense - is thus the fundamental cause for war, because to kill other human beings, for whatever reason - even with a sigh of regret at 20,000 feet at the possibility of ‘collateral damage’ below - is to show them supreme disrespect. It’s the ultimate expression of the ‘I am right, you are wrong ’ mentality, even if you are right and they are wrong.

Moreover, Anger produces Anger - cause and effect, again. For example, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 was an act of extreme arrogance - Anger - ordered by a man who, by all accounts, brooks very little opposition; in other words, who is himself dominated by Anger. In due course, therefore, the response also arose from Anger - Operation Desert Storm. And while the actions of the Allied forces liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation, they also left a legacy of bitterness within Iraq - Anger again - that has contributed to the continuing hostility towards the West. I expect the same pattern to be repeated in Serbia.

So while it’s true that war can be a highly effective means of resolving issues - in the short-term - Buddhism teaches that we can never build true or lasting happiness on the suffering of others. Cause and effect will not allow it.

In short, the karma of war is fuelled, ultimately, by the perpetuation of Anger in one form or another, and will continue until this essential aspect of any conflict is challenged and transformed.

In fact, all three aspects of war - the physical, the mental and the essential - need to be transformed for a lasting peace to be established. They are like a three-legged stool - omit any one and the whole thing falls down.

First, the capacity to wage war must be gradually reduced, and then eliminated altogether. Of course, this is much easier said than done. Past attempts at total disarmament have always foundered on the nation’s right to self-defence - and, it has to be said, on the economic self-interest of the arms-producing states. It’s interesting to note, for instance, that the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are also currently responsible for some eighty per cent of global arms exports.

Nevertheless, rather than dismissing the idea as utopian, step-by-step measures can be taken - indeed, are being taken - towards this goal.

For example, great strides have been made in recent years to reduce the threat of nuclear war; many nuclear weapons have been destroyed. But we can never feel totally safe while any still exist. Josei Toda, second president of the Soka Gakkai, denounced nuclear weapons in 1957 as the expression of ultimate evil, and called for their total elimination. Now that the Cold War has passed, there really is no excuse for their continued existence, and steady progress should be made towards their complete destruction.

As an aid to this, Toda’s successor, Daisaku Ikeda, has called for the expansion of nuclear-free zones around the world.11 These ban the production, siting or testing of nuclear weapons within the zone by any country. Currently, there are four such zones - in Latin America and the Caribbean, in the South Pacific, in Southeast Asia and in Africa.

Ikeda has also called for these areas to take a further, bolder step and declare themselves ‘war-free’ zones. The idea is not as fanciful as it might sound. In effect, each nation within the zone renounces war against its fellow members, except as a means of legitimate self-defence. But with no potential aggressors within the zone, its members can ‘build-down’ their armed forces, and pool the remainder in a form of collective security.

Clearly, this is not an ideal solution, as each zone can still wage war against states outside its area. Neither is it any guarantee against civil wars within individual member states - an increasing feature of our post-Cold War world. But it would be a move in the right direction. And, in effect, this is similar to what has already occurred within the European Union, one of whose founding aims was to prevent another war in western Europe.

In tandem with these developments, conventional weapons should be controlled and gradually eliminated. They can be made less, not more, destructive, for example. Indeed, research has been going on for some time to produce battlefield weapons that incapacitate, rather than kill, the enemy - for instance, that render his computer systems useless, and disrupt or destroy his communications.

Some of these weapons are themselves pretty horrible, though - battlefield lasers, for example, designed to blind enemy troops - and are already the subject of moves to ban them. But, again, as a step forward in a steady march towards a world without war, further efforts should be made in this direction.

Moreover, we should also begin to reduce the absolute quantity of arms in the world. There is little point in producing less destructive weaponry if what they lack in punch they make up for in numbers. Currently, the world is awash with small arms. Personal machine guns, in particular, have become so light and easy to use that, in some parts of the world, children as young as nine or ten are being pressed into service by unscrupulous commanders, brutalised and then sent out to kill.

It is impossible to have a secure and peaceful world given the enormous amount of arms currently in circulation. Arms do not bring security, but the very opposite. We only have to look to the USA, for example, to see how the prevalence of handguns there has produced more crime, more death and a more fearful society.

For this reason, to my mind, the international arms trade should be regarded as every bit as pernicious as the international drugs trade - perhaps even more so. Many jobs are dependent on it worldwide, I know; but so are the livelihoods of opium farmers in the Golden Triangle dependent on the drugs trade. We know that to tackle the drugs trade we need to deal with both the supply and the demand - and the middlemen who link the two; and the same reasoning should be brought to bear on the arms industry.

Arms exporting countries should seek other products to make and sell, and not pander to the craving for weapons of many Third World governments - governments whose money would, in any case, be better spent on improving the infrastructure of their countries. It’s been estimated, for example, that if every state in the world reduced its present military expenditure by just five per cent, enough resources would be freed up to eliminate global hunger. And think how the human talent wasted on arms research and production might be more creatively employed.

But because there are such huge profits to be made from this trade, on both sides of the counter - it’s a notoriously corrupt business - any idea that arms-dealing will end voluntarily is, frankly, fantasy. So we should work towards a series of fully-binding international agreements that limit, and eventually outlaw, the manufacture and sale of conventional weapons.

Again, this might sound hopelessly idealistic, but so did calls some two hundred years ago for the abolition of the slave trade, another inhuman business that was eventually outlawed. And we can take heart from the fact that there are already moves in this direction - witness, for example, the recent treaty banning landmines.

Finally, in this area, what of the personnel? Will they all be out of a job? No, not all of them - and certainly not all at once. All of these changes would, of course, take time - as Gandhi once said, ‘Good moves at a snail’s pace.’ But the current trend is anyway towards smaller, better-equipped, volunteer armies - France has ended conscription, for example, and many Russian military planners want to move in this direction, too.12

Moreover, it’s quite possible to foresee the skills and strengths of armed forces being turned exclusively to peaceful ends - for example, in civil defence and international disaster relief. The German army was deployed to great effect in combating the floods that recently inundated the Germany-Poland border; while the last earthquake in Afghanistan cried out for help that perhaps only a well-organised and well-resourced organisation such as an army could have provided.

So in a warless world there will still be plenty of interesting careers for young men and women, who want daring and challenge and the chance of foreign travel. And if the world’s weather keeps changing so dramatically, they certainly won’t be idle. They just won’t be trained to kill, that’s all.

All of these changes in the physical aspect of war depend, of course, on associated changes in the mental aspect. In the words of Dr Oscar Arias Sanchez, former president of Costa Rica and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, we need to move from a ‘culture of war’ to a ‘culture of peace’.

This will be extremely difficult - though more so in some places than in others. Costa Rica, for example, abolished its armed forces as long ago as 1949, and has encouraged similar moves in its immediate neighbour, Panama, which recently changed its constitution to remove the legal basis for its armed forces.

In more belligerent countries such as our own, however, similar moves would be met with great resistance. Our culture, history, economy - all weigh heavily against demilitarisation and disarmament.

But people in such countries might be persuaded to change their minds if they were convinced that serious and deep-rooted conflicts really could always be resolved through peaceful methods, through dialogue. However, while we may all agree in theory that ‘Jaw, jaw is better than war, war’, we also know that talking often gets you nowhere - especially if any of the parties is willing to resort to violence, or the threat of violence, to get his way.

Recently, though, peace researchers such as Galtung have been looking more closely at exactly why ‘jaw, jaw’ can fail. One reason, they discovered, is that dialogue often neglects to include all those with a legitimate interest in the conflict at hand. He notes, for instance, that the 1993 peace agreement between the PLO and the Israeli Labour government was concluded without proper reference to Hamas or the then Israeli opposition parties - none of them therefore had a real stake in honouring it.

Accordingly, Galtung proposes - as a precondition for the success of dialogue - that participants be drawn from as wide a constituency as possible. In this he is himself applying a fundamental Buddhist principle called ‘dependent origination’.

This teaches that all things are interdependent, and that everything exists only because of its relationship with other beings or phenomena. Dependent origination implies that there is never a single, straightforward cause to war, but rather a vast web of - usually negative - relationships that have combined to produce this outcome. War’s solution is therefore most likely to be found in producing a new web, but with a positive twist.

Thus, lasting peace can be reached in Israel only when all parties with a stake in the Middle East - including Iraq - are drawn into dialogue. Given the distrust and hostility prevalent in the region, this may seem impossible. Ultimately, though, it’s the only answer that stands a realistic chance of producing a permanent solution. And if such deadly enemies as the USA and the Soviet Union could achieve the impossible and finally end their naked antagonism, why not the countries of the Middle East - eventually?

Galtung’s concept also calls for dialogue to be organised at all levels, from the grass-roots up, so that as many people as possible can contribute to the search for peaceful solutions. This has the added benefit that ideas for the resolution of any conflict do not have to come from ‘leaders’, or those with already well-defined and usually entrenched viewpoints. And it maximises those with a stake in seeing that any agreement sticks. Additionally, Galtung notes that it’s vital for all such contributions to be moderated by peace workers trained and skilled in the dynamics of dialogue.

Naturally, such an approach takes time, and is not possible when emotions are still raw - encountering those who may have been responsible for the death of your loved ones is as likely to lead to renewed violence as peace. But when war fatigue sets in, or emotions have cooled - or, best of all, before a war even starts - a process such as this can stand a much better chance of leading to a lasting settlement than one in which all hopes ride on the strengths (and weaknesses) of a chosen few.

What’s more, it has been said that peace lies in the continuing process of dialogue itself. As long as people are prepared to sit and talk and argue, they have a chance of reaching agreement, or at least a better understanding of each other. It’s when they get up and walk away that that chance evaporates, and the spectre of violence takes its place.

And, again, we have a recent example to give us hope - South Africa. Almost without exception, commentators predicted that the transition from apartheid to an ANC government would be met with bloody revolution. And almost until the eve of the elections in May 1994, it looked as if those predictions would prove correct. The fact that they weren’t speaks volumes, I believe, for the innate wisdom of the South African people, and their desire for peace.

To my mind, these are also both reflected in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Peace research has found that another reason ‘jaw, jaw’ fails is when it does not address - or redress - past injustices. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has its critics, and it may not have been an ideal institution - what is? But it did at least provide a forum for ordinary people on all sides to speak, and - crucially - be heard by those with the authority to take action. In this way, the boil of much past bitterness could be lanced.

There is a lot more that can be said about changing the culture of war to the culture of peace, in particular the part education can play in this process. I look forward, for instance, to the expansion of peace studies, not only in our centres of higher education, but in our schools, too. In the next century I feel we need to produce - and value - cohorts of dedicated peace workers, in the same way that we now produce great numbers of doctors and nurses.

But, for now, I’d like dwell for a moment on the role of the media.

There is an vigorous debate currently taking place in some parts of the media about what its function should be in times of war. Should it try to report events dispassionately and objectively? Should it takes sides when it perceives that one party is in the right, and the other clearly in the wrong? Should it back Britain whenever it becomes involved in a war, in the spirit of ‘my country, right or wrong’, so that ‘our boys’ in the field know they’re supported at home, and the enemy can take no comfort from a split in the ranks? Or should it follow a new path, that of ‘peace journalism’?

Those who adhere to this school argue that the media is never an objective observer to conflict. It always has an agenda, supporting - often subtly - one side or the other. Or simply following an agenda of its own, one dictated by the needs and policies of editors back home. Conflicts must be simplified and pared down to fit tv news slots; arresting, but perhaps misleading, visual images are often given preference over more considered, but visually duller, items; and coverage must be toned down to avoid antagonising the authorities, who control access to what the media can and cannot see.

Peace journalists reason that the honest thing to do is to acknowledge all the agendas operating in a conflict, and take an active role in seeking solutions that harmonise and transcend them. To quote from a recent publication, The Peace Journalism Option:

Peace journalism consciously adopts an agenda for peace, believing it to be the only alternative to an - unacknowledged or otherwise - agenda for war. It maps the pre-violence conflict, identifying many parties and more causes, thereby opening up unexpected paths towards dialogue and peace-making. Peace journalism humanises all sides of the conflict and is prepared to document both deceit and suffering, as well as peace initiatives, from all parties.13

Clearly, this is a new approach, and one that I expect will cause much controversy. But it will be very interesting to see if it gains support, and what effect it will have on attitudes towards new conflicts as they arise. It’s certainly an initiative that I applaud.

Ultimately, though, changing the physical and mental aspects of war depends on challenging and transforming its essential aspect - Anger; Anger that manifests in us, at one extreme, as hatred and bigotry, and at the other as simple indifference to, or separation from, others.

How to do this is, in many ways, the most difficult question of all, since Buddhism teaches that Anger is intrinsic to life itself and can never be eradicated.

It can, however, be transcended. Buddhism equates Anger with what might be called the ‘ lesser self’, the self of the ego, of selfish desires, of narrow, sectarian identity. But every individual also possesses a ‘greater self’, the self that desires the good of others, and that can be encouraged to grow and develop, given the right stimulus.

This ‘greater self’ is what Ashoka and Ajatashatru - and Richard Causton - discovered through their contact with Buddhism. Other people have discovered it through different religions and philosophies, or even through great works of art. But however one unearths it, it’s characterised by a sense of unity and oneness, so that the superficial differences between people become much less significant than our shared humanity.

Our primary task as we go into the twenty-first century is therefore, I feel, to consciously seek out and continually strengthen this ‘greater self’ within ourselves and others, and make it the basis of all our actions.

How we do this is for each individual to decide. I battle daily with my ‘lesser self’ in my Buddhist practice - and not always successfully, as I’m sure those who know me will readily agree. But whatever the religion, philosophy or discipline we choose, this process has to be a matter of conscious will. We have to determine to transcend our ‘lesser self’ - every day, if necessary - because, left to its own devices, it will nearly always win out: in selfishness, indifference, apathy or worse.

When our ‘greater self’ wins, however, we are making a positive contribution, however small, to world peace. When we can feel the pain and suffering even of an unknown Serbian soldier as if it were our own, for example, or that of our father or brother or uncle, we will no longer be at the mercy of those siren voices of war - internal and external - that seek to dehumanise him simply as ‘the enemy’, and thus make him fair game for killing.

This, then, is a Buddhist perspective on war and peace as we stand on the threshold of the next century, the new millennium.

It’s a time of rapid change, and great confusion; to paraphrase Dickens - it is the best of times and the worst of times. Humankind has never in its history enjoyed such material plenty or experienced such technological progress. But neither has it suffered so much death, destruction and poverty. Never has the gap between the haves and the have-nots been so wide, and the contrasts so stark. And never before have we witnessed such massive - but contradictory - trends towards unity and disunity.

Improved communications, for example, mean that the world is smaller than it ever was. We can know more about each other, and more quickly, than ever before. Increasingly, we can see that ordinary people everywhere are basically pretty much the same, with the same hopes and desires, worries and problems. And increasingly, we can see that we are all in the same boat, and that unless we all row together we will assuredly sink - climate change, for example, does not recognise national borders.

At the same time, there are powerful forces working in the opposite direction. The end of the Cold War has liberated both positive and negative energies around the world, as the bleak certainty of the superpower stand-off has given way to a vacuum of competing interests.

The break-up of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, for instance, has seen ancient animosities being re-ignited; serious crime in Russia has soared and is already being exported; and global capitalism is rampant, bringing its own instabilities.

In short, we stand at a point of balance. Which way that balance will tip as we go forward into the next century depends crucially on whether we can - whether we want to - activate the wisdom that resides within the greater self of each and every one of us. In the words of Nichiren:

If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?14

I believe we should - because, together, I believe we can change the karma of war. Together, we can break the habit - if we choose to.

I would like to conclude with these words of Daisaku Ikeda, whose novel set Richard Causton on the path of peace nearly thirty years ago, and who, therefore, is indirectly responsible for us all being together here today. He says:

Making intimate appeals to each person with whom one comes in contact seems like modest, slow work; but all great tasks take time to accomplish. Establishing the contacts that enable individual human beings to cultivate and refine the [greater] life within them cannot be accomplished overnight. But the result of such an undertaking is the diamond of life, which cannot be destroyed by surrounding circumstances, no matter how severe. The only path left for mankind is the one leading through slow, modest work of the kind I have mentioned. And to anyone who would scoff at my proposal, I can only ask, ‘What solution do you suggest?’15

It’s been a great honour to have been invited to give this inaugural Richard Causton Lecture. And I feel immensely privileged to have been able, in this way, to repay, at least in part, my debt of gratitude to Dick Causton.

Thank you all very much for listening so patiently.

Edward Canfor-Dumas

LESSENING KARMIC RETRIBUTION

2010-02-12T02:48:00.000-08:00

The potential to change our karma is enormously increased by our Buddhist practice.

Think for example, of a water pipe. If it is not used for a long time, it will rust and
the water which first runs through it will become turbid. In this example, the turbid water is compared to the unhappy life-condition of the human being which is bound by negative karma.

…However, as you continue chanting to the Gohonzon every day with strong faith, sending clean water into the water pipe, that is, your life, you will eventually change your karma fundamentally without fail just as the water comes clear.

Selection Source: Buddhism in Action, Vol. 1, Page 62

THE BODHISATTVA

2010-01-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, my father, a twenty-seven year member of the Soka Gakkai International, asked me if I was a Bodhisattva of the Earth. I thought he was asking me a trick question. My delayed response was a tentative "yes." Then he asked if I knew what that was, and I told him, "No, but if it’s something good, then that’s what I am."

When I finally learned the definition, I wasn’t sure if I should indeed be calling myself a bodhisattva, much less one that emerges from the earth. I was not in denial about the kind of person I was. It was difficult for me to truly care about other people because, through my eyes, the world was a place where only the strong survived. Looking out for others was not a part of my psyche. Other than family, who was looking out for me?

President Ikeda said, "Buddhism calls a person who embodies these qualities of wisdom, courage and compassion, who strives without cease for the happiness of others, a bodhisattva" (SGI President Ikeda’s Addresses in the United States, p. 65).

The idea of living up to those lofty qualities didn’t quite fit into my exciting, yet highly self-centered, lifestyle. But now I had something to aim for. It was thrilling to know that I didn’t always have to be angry. The process would be difficult for me because I had to look deep inside myself for altruism.

The concept of bodhisattva is familiar to the practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism as the ninth of the Ten Worlds, a way that Buddhism explains life. It is defined as those who aspire to enlightenment and are fully awakened to their mission to help others do the same. Those in this state of life understand that to be completely happy, they must endeavor to remove the pain and suffering of others as well as lead them to happiness.

It is a human tendency that we spend our lives going back and forth between the six lower worlds, where we simply react to the environment around us. Moving up to the world of bodhisattva, and ideally enlightenment, requires tenacious effort on our part. Changing the way we live and think takes a realization of our dominant life condition and a strong determination to increase our potential for humanism—but we should take comfort in the fact that we can change.

I once spoke with a youth division member who, much like me, didn’t think she could possibly be a bodhisattva. She told me that she always thought of Buddhas and bodhisattvas as omnipotent beings who were not quite human. She envisioned them as nebulous figures who walked on water and floated through air.

Nothing could be further from the truth, although it’s understandable that some might feel this way, especially if they have read certain letters by Nichiren Daishonin. In "Letter to the Sage Nichimyo," he tells the story of an ascetic, Aspiration for the Law, who peels off his skin to use as paper and rips out his bone for use as a writing utensil. He even mixes his marrow and blood to use as ink, all so he could share a verse of the sacred teaching with others.

In accounts of Shakyamuni’s previous existences, it is said that he used his body to fuel a thousand lanterns, fed his flesh to a leper and cast himself into a demon’s mouth. But don’t worry—no one will ask you to remove your skin to attain enlightenment. Ordinary people are not required to do such things. How we practice the correct teaching depends on the time and conditions in which we live.

As the Daishonin says, "Of what use is it to peel off our skin when the country has an abundant supply of paper?" (The Writings of Nichiren Daisonin, vol. 1, p. 324).

These stories serve to illustrate the importance of having a seeking spirit and a practice devoted to enabling the enlightenment of others. It is not necessary to make such extreme sacrifices to attain enlightenment, but the lesson we can take from the stories is the dedication needed to practice correctly.

In "The Gift of Rice," the Daishonin explains,

"Because these things are the affairs of worthies and sages, they are impossible for us to do" (WND-1, 1125).

However, there are plenty of things we can do to display the bodhisattva within. For example, mothers and fathers express this state when they show unconditional love for their children and fiercely protect them from harm.

In a view that is a bit more contemporary, bodhisattvas are people who are wholeheartedly seeking enlightenment for themselves and others while challenging any obstacle that may confront them.

In talking about the bodhisattva, Nichiren Daishonin says, "Those in the ninth world of Bodhisattva live among the ordinary people of the six paths and revere others more than themselves, giving goodness to others while reserving evil from themselves" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 433).

It’s clear from this passage that bodhisattvas are those who put the happiness of others before their own while devoting themselves to Buddhist practice with courage. Through this passage, the Daishonin invalidates the notion that a bodhisattva is someone special who lives apart from ordinary human beings.

It is interesting to note that each bodhisattva who appears in the Lotus Sutra has a name that corresponds to a special quality he or she possess.

For example, Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound contributes to the happiness of others through the beautiful music he performs, helping them tap the pure spirit they possess. Bodhisattva Medicine King represents the function of healing. In other words, we can choose to display whichever qualities of the bodhisattva that will help us fulfill our missions.

Those who practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism and share it with others establish the life condition of absolute happiness as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. A bodhisattva is not one of the statues you might see at a Buddhist temple. It is a condition inherent in our lives.

Bodhisattvas of the Earth have four virtues: true self, eternity, purity and happiness. These are developed through self-reformation. The virtue of true self is established by strengthening oneself to withstand difficulties, turning them into opportunities for growth. The virtue of eternity is to experience freedom, through believing in the eternity of life, and to work spontaneously toward the greater happiness of society. Purity is to demonstrate true wisdom and reason, unswayed by selfish desire or ego.

Happiness means to live with great joy, securely founded on the creative power of life. These qualities are developed by tapping into the "earth" of Buddhahood. Bodhisattvas of the Earth are truly humane, compassionate and joyful people (Basics of Buddhism, p. 26).

Nichiren Daishonin equated the four virtues of the Buddha’s life to the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Bodhisattva Superior Practices corresponds to true self, Boundless Practices to eternity, Pure Practices to purity and Firmly Established Practices to happiness. This suggests that the life condition of Buddhahood is expressed through the behavior of the bodhisattva.

Regarding Bodhisattvas of the Earth, President Ikeda also said, "Humanity today lacks hope and vision for the future. It is for preciously this reason that the Bodhisattvas of the Earth have appeared. Without your presence, the future of humanity would be bleak and spiritual decline its destination" (July 12, 1996 World Tribune, p. 13).

He is talking about every one of us who dedicates our lives to spreading joy in the places that we live and work and to creating peace for all humanity.

We are bodhisattvas when we do seemingly simple acts. Think of the time when a member went out of her way to comfort you during your pain. She is a bodhisattva. Or maybe someone sends you bits and pieces of President Ikeda’s guidance to encourage you. He, too, is a bodhisattva. Perhaps you have even done more than was deemed necessary to ensure the success of an activity. You are also a bodhisattva.

It is nothing other than strong faith in the Gohonzon that enables us to strengthen and expand our innate bodhisattva life condition.

By exerting ourselves everyday in the essentials of faith, practice and study, we bring forth the qualities that we admire in others, the kinds of qualities that put the happiness of others in the forefront. When we practice strongly as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, we can say that, in essence, we are Buddhas bringing forth the power of the Mystic Law within. So yes, Dad, I can now answer with much more conviction that I am a Bodhisattva of the Earth.

Living Buddhism November 2000 p.6

Final Mock Test for First level entrance

2009-06-19T23:22:00.002-07:00

Final Mock Test

Complete the following lines-

1. “..A great revolution in _____________will help achieve a change _________________ , and __________________________
________________________all mankind.”

2. “The heart ___________________________________the mystic law. Have _____________. A______________________ answered.”

3. “No matter how _____________________________________
________________________________________to wet tinder.”

4. “Some are __________________________, _______________, ________, kites, and owls, ___________________________, or even shot_______________________________________wide. Such__________ _________________________________________dragon.”

5. “Think of this ________________________________________
_________________________________________the earth.”

6. “So they__________________. It is ______________________ and ________, _______________________________________ _______________________________unharmed.”

Answer the Following-

1. “My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow”.
a. What is the “vow” that is being referred to?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. Who was the recipient of this Gosho?
_________________________________________________________

c. When was it written?
_________________________________________________________

2. What does the carp climbing the waterfall called dragon gate signify?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Who was “Ueno the Worthy”? Why was he called so?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Who was the recipient of the gosho titled “”The strategy of lotus Sutra”
______________________________________________________________

5. What does “Applying the Strategy of lotus sutra” signify?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What do the obstacles faced by carp signify?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer the Following Questions

1. Who are the Buddhist gods?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What are three ways in which we can lessen our karmic retribution?

______________________________________________________________

3. “Transcending all differences” means______________________________
______________________________________________________________

4. _____________ and ____________ are the selfish states.

5. _________, __________,_________,__________ are the four evil paths.

6. What is the significance of renege or Lotus Flower?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. The two aspects of practice are -___________________________and ________________________________________.

8. Honzon means_________________
9. Kosen Rufu Day is celebrated on __________
10. President Ikeda joined Soka Gakkai on __________________
11. Atsuhara persecution took place on__________________

12. What does oneness of Self and Environment mean to you?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

13. In judging the validity of a teaching the best standards are those set of ___________ and ______- proof and even more valuable is _______________.

14. The inclusion of___________ and_____________language in title of lotus sutra signify_________________________

15. Mutual possession of ten worlds means that______________________
_____________________________________________________________

16. “Ten worlds” signify___________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

17. July 3 is called the day of_________________________ because ___________________________________________________

18. Embracing the_______________ is itself _________________
19. Practice for others include_____________________________, ________________________, ________________________
20. What does many in body one in mind mean to you?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

21. “Priesthood issue” refers to_______________________________________
________________________________________________________________

22. Operation “C” is________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Match the following

February 16, 1222Nichiren Daishonin DiesApril 2Soka Gakkai’s founding dayJuly , 1960Inscription of Dai-gohonzon6th Nov 1279 match with Rissho ankoku ron was submitted to the govt.October 12, 1279The dragon gate was written.October 13, 1282November 18Josei Toda diesNichiren Daishonin was born

One Night before Study Exam

Faith, Practice and Study

· Three fundamental elements of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism are faith, Practice and Study.
· Both practice and study arise from faith.
· Faith
o Means to believe in the Gohonzon.
o Does not mean Blind faith or acceptance
· Practice
o Practice has two aspects practice for oneself and practice for others.
o Practice for oneself means to consistently do morning and evening gongyo and chant NMRK
o Practice for others means to share Buddhism with others, pray for others’ happiness and participate in meetings and other activities.
· Study
o Study means to study the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin with seeking spirit.

The Three Proofs

· “In judging the relative merit of Buddhist doctrines, I, Nichiren believe that the best standards are those of reason and documentary proof. And even more valuable than reason and documentary proof is the proof of actual law.”
· There are three proofs set by Nichiren Daishonin, namely
o Documentary proof means that Buddhist teachings are based upon the sutras
o Theoretical proof means that a doctrine is compatible with reason and logic.
o Actual proof means the content of doctrine leads to actual results when put to practice.

Kosen Rufu

· Kosen Rufu means to “widely declare and spread”.
· Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is the essence of Lotus Sutra.
· Nam Myoho Renge Kyo appears in the 23rd Chapter of Lotus Sutra. Refers to fifth five hundred years after death of Gautama Buddha or the beginning of the latter day of the law.
· Also, called as World Peace. It will come about as faith in the mystic law spreads.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

· It was declared on April 28, 1253.
· Myoho-Renge Kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra.
· Nam means devotion. It is Sanskrit word.
· Myoho means Mystic Law.
· Myo means unfathomable /beyond concept/ true entity of Life.
· Ho means Law/ manifestation.
· Renge means Lotus Flower.
· Kyo means Sutra/ teaching of Buddha.
· The inclusion of both western and eastern language signifies the universality of the teaching.
· Nichiren teaches that embracing the law itself is enlightenment.
· “Nam-Myoho-renge-Kyo will spread for ten thousand years, and more, fro all eternity.”
· “Nam-Myoho-renge-Kyo” is to be widely declared and spread.

What is the significance of renge or Lotus Flower?

1. Lotus flower seeds and flowers at the same time, representing the simultaneity of cause and effect.
2. Lotus grows in muddy pond, which means Buddha hood emerges from life of a common mortal.

Gohonzon

· The Gohonzon that we all have are copies of the one transcribed by Nichikan Shonin.
· In the centre of Gohonzon it is written “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo-Nichiren”. It is surrounded by characters representing Buddhist gods, Buddhas and the ten worlds.
· Go means worthy of honor and honzon means object of fundamental respect.
· Gohonzon embodies the life of Nichiren Daishonin or Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
· “Embracing the Gohonzon itself is enlightenment.”
· Inscribed on October 12, 1279.

What is significance of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo?
When we chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the Gohonzon we can bring forth our Buddha nature and fuse our lives with the Gohonzon.

Itai Doshin - Many in Body, One in Mind

· Itai Doshin means many in body one in mind.
· “Many in body” mean that each of us has a unique mission, talent and set of circumstances. It also means transcending all differences between oneself and others.
· “One in mind” means despite our individuality we need to be united in spirit.
· “One in Mind” also means being committed to realizing Kosen rufu. It also means standing up with shared sense of purpose.
· Kosen Rufu is a great wish of Buddha who seeks to lead all people to enlightenment.
· “One in Mind” also means making this great wish of Buddha one’s own and courageously working for Kosen Rufu.

Karma

· In Buddhism karma means that every mental, verbal and physical action – that is everything we think, do or say imprints a latent influence in one’s life.
· Karma literally means action.
· It is accumulation of causes we make and their effects.
· Our actions in past have shaped our present, and our actions in present will in turn determine our future.
· Law of karmic cause and effect exists over past, present and future.

Changing Poison into medicine

· This principle means that because we chant to the gohonzon, whenever we experience loss, pain or failure, we have the power to change that suffering into joy and good fortune.
· Poison refers to our earthly desires, evil karmas and sufferings.
· Medicine refers to virtues of law, wisdom and enlightenment.
· The power contained in the Myo of Myoho renge Kyo is that of a master physician who skillfully turns poison into medicine.
· Key to change poison in medicine is chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Lessening one ‘s Karmic Retribution

· It is one of the benefits gained through one’s faith and practice of Lotus Sutra.
· Means that one will experience the effects of bad karma from past to a lesser degree than would normally be true.

How can we lessen our karmic retribution?
We can lessen our karmic retribution in three ways-
1. By the power of wisdom.
2. By the blessings obtained by the practice of the good.
3. By blessings one gains through protecting the Law.
Ten Worlds

· Refers to the life conditions through which our life fluctuates from moment to moment.
· Hell – One feels totally trapped in one’s circumstances. Dominated by rage and impulse to destroy.
· Hunger- Dominated by insatiable desires, relentless cravings. Like desire for food, power, and wealth.
· Animality- Governed by instinct, no sense for reason and living only for present.
· Anger – Dominated by selfish ego, competitiveness, arrogance.
· Humanity- Dominated by a calm state, fair judgment, and control on desires with reason. It is vulnerable to shift into lower worlds.
· Heaven- State of pleasure experienced when the desires are fulfilled.
· Learning- Condition in which person expands his awareness and understanding. Self improvement. A selfish state.
· Realisation- State in which one discovers partial truth through one’s observation. It is a selfish state.
· Bodhisattva- Aspiration of enlightenment not only fro self but for others too.
· Buddhahood- State of indestructible happiness, perfect and absolute freedom, governed by compassion, courage and energy.

HELL

HUNGER Three Evil Paths Four Evil Paths

ANIMALITY

ANGER Six Lower Worlds.

HUMANITY/TRANQUILITY

HEAVEN/RAPTURE

LEARNING
Two Selfish States
RELISATION/ABSORPTION

BODHISATTVA Four Higher/Noble Worlds.

BUDDHAHOOD

Mutual Possession of the ten worlds

· Means that each of the ten worlds contains all ten within itself.
· Implication is that all people, in whatever state of life they may be in, have the ever-present potential to manifest Buddhahood.
· Buddhahood is nothing separate; it exists in the nine worlds.
· The purpose of our Buddhist practice is to elevate the basic life-tendency and eventually establish Buddhahood as one’s fundamental state.
· Every individual can bring forth his Buddha nature, dormant in the other nine worlds, thereby accompolishing his or her self-reformation.

Oneness of Life and Environment
· Refers to the inseparable relation between the individual and his environment.
· Life manifests itself in both the living subject and the objective environment.
· When we bring out our innate Buddha nature, it manifests and transforms our environment wherever we are.
· “..A great revolution in just a single person will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation, and further, will enable a change in the destiny of all mankind.”
· Our enlightenment is not confined to ourselves but exerts an influence on our families, communities, nation and ultimately all humanity.

Buddhist Gods
· Who are Buddhist gods? Anyone or anything in our environment, working to protect and sustain life or to support our efforts to attain enlightenment and achieve Kosen Rufu may be regarded as Buddhist Gods.
· They are positive functions of the universe.
· Only when we devote ourselves to our practice- do gongyo and daimoku regularly do these protective forces inherent in environment work fully and effectively.
· “Our daily practice or Gongyo is a solemn ceremony that increases without limit the power and brilliance of the Buddhist gods, which pervade the entire universe.”

Priest Hood Issue
· Refers to events and information related to Nichiren Shoshu’s attacks on SGI.
· Headed by Nikken Abe, the High Priest
· “Operation C” – led by Nikken Abe to cut off and disband Soka Gakkai. It consisted of nine questions, accusing President Ikeda of criticizing the High Priest.
· Roots of this issue lie in a feudalistic attitude towards the believers.
· SGI has called for Nikken’s resignation and has been educating people on the same.
Importance of priesthood Issue
· Gives us an opportunity to deepen our understanding on Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism
· Understanding the issue can help us educate others and help them become aware of it.
· It teaches us how to deepen our faith
· It causes us to ask,” what is the meaning of correct faith and practice?”
· Daishonin says, “Simply to chant one four-phrase verse or the daimoku, and to protect those who do so, is called the essential practice.”

Important Dates for Soka gakkai

· February 4 :
o Known as Indian kosen Rufu day.
o In 1961, President Ikeda buried a commemorative plaque with inscription “Toyo-Kofu” at bodhgaya.

· March 16
o Known as Kosen Rufu Day
o In 1958, On this day Josei Toda handed over the task on Worldwide kosen Rufu to youth Division.
o 6000 youth members were present at taiseki-ji temple.

· May 3
o Known as Soka gakkai day
o In 1951 on this day Josei Toda became the second president of Soka gakkai.

o In 1960, on this day Daisaku Ikeda became the third President of Soka Gakkai.
· April 2
o In 1958 on this day Josei Toda passed away.

· July 3
o Known as day of Mentor and Disciple
o On July 3, 1945 Josei Toda was released from the prison.
o On July 3, 1957 President Ikeda was arrested.
o Coincidence was that President Ikeda was arrested at7pm and Josei Toda was released at 7pm

· August 24
o In 1947 on this day President Ikeda decided to Join Soka Gakkai.

· October 2
o On this day, President Ikeda set out on his travels for worldwide Kosen Rufu.

· November 18
o On this day in 1930 Soak Gakkai was formed with Tsunesaburo Makiguchi as its first President.

· July 1260
o Rissho Ankoku ron was submitted to the government.

· May 12 1961
o Exile to Izu peninsula

· September 12, 1271
o Tatsunokuchi Persecution

· October 10,1271
o Exile to Sado Island.

· September 21, 1279
o Atsuhara persecution.
o 20 farmers were arrested and 3 killed.
o On this day Nichiren daishonin decides to inscribe the dai Gohonzon.

· October 13, 1282
o Nichiren daishonin dies in Ikegami.

· October 12, 1279
o Nichiren Daishonin Inscribes the Dai Gohonzon.

· April 28,1253
o Nichiren Daishonin chants Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for the first time.
o Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin was established.

· February 16, 1222
o Nichiren Daishonin was born in Awa Province.

GOSHO- The Dragon Gate

· It was written at Minobu.
· Written on sixth day of eleventh month of second year of Koan- 6 Nov 1279.
· Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu.
· Reply to Nanjo Tokimitsu about the report submitted about his role in protecting the Daishonin’s followers in Atsuhara area.
· Daishonin calls him “Ueno of Worthy.” as an honour for his courage.
· If the carp represents human being then carp climbing the wall signifies the difficulty in attaining Buddhahood.
· The Dragon gate refers to the waterfall or rapids on the middle reaches of the Yellow River.
· “We beg that the merit gained through these gifts may be spread far and wide to everyone, so that we all other living beings, all together may attain the Buddha Way.”
· “Some are swept away by strong currents, some fall prey to eagles, hawks, kites, and owls, and others are netted scooped up, or even shot with arrows by fishermen who line both the banks of the falls ten cho wide. Such is the difficulty a carp faces in becoming a dragon.” Here if the carp represents the Human Being then difficulty represents the obstacles faced in attaining Buddhahood.
· “Think of this offering as a drop of dew rejoining the ocean, or a speck of dust returning to the earth.”
· “My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow”. The vow here refers to the vow to attain Buddhahood oneself and at the same time to lead others to Buddhahood.”

GOSHO- The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra

· Written in the twenty third day of tenth month of the second year of Koan- 23rd Oct 1279.
· Written to Shijo Kingo.
· The Daishonin teaches Kingo that faith must always come first, before any other tactic or strategy, and that faith in the Mystic law is the ultimate factor that determines victory or Defeat.
· It is a reply to Shijo Kingo’s Letter to Daishonin telling how he had been ambushed by enemies among his fellow Samurai, but had managed to escape unhurt.
· “All others who bear you enmity or malice will likewise be wiped out.”
· “The heart of strategy and swordsmanship derives from the mystic law. Have profound faith. A coward cannot have his prayers answered.”

· “No matter how earnestly Nichiren prays for you, if you lack faith, it will be like trying to set fire to wet tinder.”
· “Spur yourself to the power of faith. Regard your survival as wondrous. Apply the strategy of lotus sutra before any other.”
· “All those who bear your enmity or malice will likewise be wiped out.”
· “So they have finally attacked you. It is matter of rejoicing that your usual prudence and courage, as well as your firm faith in Lotus sutra enabled you to survive unharmed.”
· “You must have escaped death because of this deity’s protection. Mariachi gave you skill of swordsmanship, while I, Nichiren have bestowed on you the five characters of the title of the Lotus Sutra.”
· “Applying the strategy of Lotus Sutra means that in all matters first to pray to the Gohonzon and then take an action. Faith must come first before any action.
· “Therefore, you must summon up the great power of the faith more than ever. Do not blame the heavenly gods if you exhaust your good fortune and lose their protection.”

Revision Paper

REVISION PAPER

Q1. Nichiren Daishonin was born on
a. February 16,1222
b. March 16, 1222
c. April 16, 1222

Q2. Nichiren Daishoinin chanted Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for first time.
a. April 28, 1253
b. April 28, 1263
c. April 28, 1273

Q3. Nikko Shonin is designated as Nichiren Daishonin’s legitimate successor.
a. October 13, 1282
b. October 13, 1280
c. October 13, 1285

Q4. Nichiren Daishonin had faced _____________ major persecutions.
a. 4
b. 6
c. 8

Q5.May 12, 1261 is significant for
a. Nichiren Daishonin was sent to exile to Izu Peninsula
b. Nichiren Daishonin was sent to exile to Sado Peninsula
c. Nichiren Daishonin was sent to exile to the Kamakwa

Q6. Tatsunokochi Persecution took place on
a. Sep 12, 1271
b. Sep 10, 1281
c. Sep 18, 1271

Q7. Nichiren Daishonin was also sent to exile to Sado Island on
a. Oct 10, 1271
b. Oct 10, 1281
c. Oct 10, 1291

Q8. Indian Kosen Rufu Day is on
a. Feb 4
b. Feb 14
c. Feb 24

Q9. The Founding Day of the Soka Gakkai is on
a. Nov 18
b. Dec 18
c. Oct 18

Q10. “ Oct 2 “ is significant for us
a. President Makiguchi became the First President of the Soka Gakkai
b. President Toda handed over his mission of world wide Kosen Rufu to the youth
c. President Ikeda set out on his travels for worldwide Kosen Rufu

Q11. Atsuhara Persecution took place on
a. Sep 21, 1279
b. Oct 10, 1279
c. May 12, 1271

Q12. The 4 major persecutions faced by Nichiren Daishonin are
a. Izu Peninsula, Kama Kura exile, Sado Island, Tatsunokochi
b. Izu Peninsula, Tatsunokochi, Sado Island, Atsuhara
c. Izu Peninsula, Kama Kura exile, Sado Island, Atsuhara persecution

Q13. Which day is significant as “ Day of Mentor and disciple”?
a. July 3
b. June 3
c. January 3

Q14. Why is “ March 16” significant to us?
a. Soka Gakkai Day
b. Founding Day of Soka Gakkai
c. Kosen Rufu Day

Sgi Test

TICK THE CORRECT ANSWER

Q 1. Buddhist Gods are described as
a. devilish forces of our environment
b. positive forces of our environment
c. activities we do for Kosen Rufu

Q 2. The three pillars of our practice are
a. faith, practice, Gosho
b. faith, practice, guidance
c. faith, practice, Study

Q 3. Anyone or anything that is working in our environment to protect life
a. Friends relatives
b. Neighbours
c. Buddhist Gods

Q 4. A person in the world of hell will perceive the environment to be
a. Friendly
b. Supportive
c. Hellish

Q 5. The purpose of our Buddhist practice is to elevate the basic life tendency and establish
a. Buddhahood as ones fundamental state
b. Animality as one’s fundamental state
c. Anger as one’s fundamental state

Q 6. The lower worlds are ____ in number.
a. 2
b. 4
c. 6

Q 7. The number of higher worlds are
a. 2
b. 4
c. 6

Q 8. “ FAITH “ means to believe in the
a. Gongyo
b. Gosho
c. Gohonzon

Q 9. Study means to study the teachings of
a. Nikko Shonin
b. Nichiren Diashonin
c. Nichimoku Shonin

Q 10. Both practice and study arise from
a. Lotus Sutra
b. Faith
c. Gosho

Q 11. There are _________ number of proofs set forth by Nichiren Daishonin.
a. 3
b. 2
c. 5

Q 12. “To widely declare and spread Buddhism “means literally
a. Faith
b. Study
c. Kosen Rufu

Q 13. The title of the Lotus Sutra is
a. Myoho Renge Kyo
b. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
c. Renge Kyo

Q 14. Nam means
a. devotion
b. Namaskar
c. Compassion

Q 15. Myoho means
a. Law of gravity
b. Universal law
c. Mystic law

Q 16. Renge means
a. Lotus
b. Lily
c. Rose

Q 17. Kyo means
a. Flower
b. Incense stick
c. Sutra

Q 18.” A great Revolution in just a single person will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and ____________________.
a. Further, will enable a change in the destiny of all mankind.
b. Further , will enable a change in the destiny of society
c. Further, will enable a change in the destiny of community.

Q 19. The individual and the environment are __________ and inseparable.
a. two
b. one
c. multiple

Q 20. At any moment, one of the ten states will be manifest and the other ____________ become dormant. Every individual can bring forth his __________ nature, dormant within the other nine worlds.
a. 9, Bodhisattva
b. 9, caring
c. 9, Buddha hood

Q 21. The 6 lower worlds are
a. Hell, Hunger, Realisation, Learning, Humanity, Anger
b. Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Heaven
c. Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Learning

Q 22. Hell, Hunger and Animality are called the ___________ paths.
a. Karmic
b. Buddha
c. Evil

Q 23. The 4 higher worlds or noble paths are
a. Learning, Realisation, Bodhisattva and Buddha hood
b. Learning, Realisation, Heaven and Buddha hood
c. Learning, Realisation, Bodhisattva and Animality

Q 24. Lessening Karmic retribution means reducing the __________ and ________ of the negative effects of past karma.
a. intensity, effect
b. intensity, period
c. intensity, operation

Q 25. Many in body is ________ and one in mind is _________--.
a. Itai, Shimbun
b. Itai, Seiko
c. Itai, doshin

Q 26. Honzon means the __________ and Go means _____________-.
a. object of respect, honour
b. object of fundamental respect, worthy of honour
c. object of respect, supreme

Q 27. The Dai Gohonzon was inscribed on
a. 12 Oct 1278
b. 12 Oct 1279
c. 12 Oct 1282

Q 28. Nichiren Daishonin first declared Nam Myoho Renge Kyo on
a. 28 April 1253
b. 28 April 1263
c. 28 April 1273

Wish you all good luck for your entrance Exam,i really hope this page can be of good help on your preparation.

The power of Smile !

2009-06-19T23:22:00.001-07:00

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.

The last class I had to take was Sociology.

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been
graced with.

Her last project of the term was called "Smile."

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.

I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch... an
overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling".

His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.

He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the
blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.
He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you."

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope."

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope."

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

We are not church goers, but we are believers.

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it.

Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?"

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we
as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to

LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

If you think this story has touched you in any way, please send this to someone you care for .

There is an Angel sent to watch over you.

In order for her to work, you must pass this on to the people you want watched over.

An Angel wrote:
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head.

To handle others, use your heart.

God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest.
LIVE with the spirit of a winner and carry smile in both dark and light, as Hitler once said, everyone follows you in light but your own shadow does not follow you in dark.

Kind words!!!

2009-06-19T23:21:00.002-07:00

Sometimes we just need to be reminded!

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by

holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked,

"Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you

but first, let me do this.

He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground

and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now, who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.

No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it

because it did not decrease in value.

It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives,

we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions

we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless.

But no matter what has happened or what will happen,

you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased,

you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know,

but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE .

You are special- Don't EVER forget it ."

If you do not pass this on, you may never know the

lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to,

or the hope that it can bring.

Count your blessings, not your problems.

"And remember: amateurs built the ark ... professionals built the Titanic.

If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

Overcoming Fear and Healing Wounds

2009-06-19T23:21:00.001-07:00

We cannot escape childhood without being wounded. Every time we made demands of others and they refused us, we were diminished in our self-worth. Each time we asked for love and it was withheld, our self-value decreased. Whenever we attempted to prove ourselves and we failed, we lost some of our power.

As we repeated these experiences, patterns of inadequacy developed, and fears of various kinds took root in our subconscious. Then as we grew up and became more self-sufficient we worked hard at overcoming our diminished self-worth, our decreased self-value, and our loss of power. But we have not been totally successful. The reason is that underlying all our efforts are the fears buried in our subconscious. What is unknown within us usually controls us.

Typically, we do not want to face our fears. Why? Because we are afraid of them. We are afraid that they will pull us back into the experiences of failure we associate with them. So we try other strategies to succeed. We use a variety of defenses to suppress the unwanted feelings associated with previous failures and fear. And we try to consciously control our environment, people and relationships. We all have control issues!

None of this really works, but we live with it anyway. It gives us a false sense of security. But what a tremendous amount of energy we waste on avoiding, repressing, denying and ignoring what we need to face.

we learn about our fears, and how to face them. We connect with our old wounds and learn to heal them. We gain the courage we need to become more integrated and whole.

Throughout our entire life, from the moment we were born – and perhaps before – there is one fundamental desire we all have. We all want connection. We all want love – to be loved and to express love. To be loved makes us feel that we are okay as we are, that we have value and worth. And to share our love gives us the connection to our power, which is the ability to love and support others according to their needs.

Ignoring the healing of our wounds makes us unconsciously demand attention and caring from others. It makes us dependent on others in so many ways for our own sense of self.

Not facing our fears keeps us from making meaningful and loving connections with others. Fear says we are separate and we need to be defensive. It says that we cannot trust others and let them in. Fear blocks us from loving. Fear and love cannot occupy the same space. Fear is rooted in the personality, love within the soul.

The power to heal our wounds and face our fears is not found in the personality. It comes from our very essence, the soul within.

FINDING AND KEEPING A LIFE PARTNER

2009-06-19T23:20:00.003-07:00

Golden rules for finding your life partner by Dov Heller, M.A.

When it comes to making the decision about choosing a life partner, no one wants to make a mistake. Yet, with a divorce rate of close to 50%, it appears that many are making serious mistakes in their approach to finding Mr./Miss. Right!

If you ask most couples who are engaged why they're getting married, they'll say: "We're in love"; I believe this is the ..1 mistake people make when they date. Choosing a life partner should never be based on love. Though this may sound "not politically correct", there's a profound truth here.

Love is not the basis for getting married. Rather, love is the result of a good marriage. When the other ingredients are right, then the love will come. Let me say it again: "You can't build a lifetime relationship on love alone"; You need a lot more!!!

Here are five questions you must ask yourself if you're serious about finding and keeping a life partner.

QUESTION ..1: Do we share a common life purpose?

Why is this so important? Let me put it this way: If you're married for 20 or 30 years, that's a long time to live with someone. What do you plan to do with each other all that time? Travel, eat and jog together? You need to share something deeper and more meaningful. You need a common life purpose.

Two things can happen in a marriage: (1) You can grow together, or (2)you can grow apart. 50% of the people out there are growing apart. To make a marriage work, you need to know what you want out of life!

Bottom line; marry someone who wants the same thing.

QUESTION ..2: Do I feel safe expressing my feelings and thoughts with this person?

This question goes to the core of the quality of your relationship. Feeling safe means you can communicate openly with this person. The basis of having good communication is trust - i.e. trust that I won't get "punished"; or hurt for expressing my honest thoughts and feelings. A colleague of mine defines an abusive person as someone with whom you feel afraid to express your thoughts and

feelings. Be honest with yourself on this one. Make sure you feel emotionally safe with the person you plan to marry.

QUESTION ..3: Is he/she a mensch?

A mensch is someone who is a refined and sensitive person. How can you test? Here are some suggestions. Do they work on personal growth on a regular basis? Are they serious about improving themselves? A teacher of mine defines a good person as "someone who is always striving to be good and do the right ";. So ask about your significant other: What do they do with their time? Is this person materialistic? Usually a materialistic person is not someone whose top priority is character refinement.

There are essentially two types of people in the world: (1) People who are dedicated to personal growth and (2) people who are dedicated to seeking comfort. Someone whose goal in life is to be comfortable will put personal comfort ahead of doing the right thing. You need to know that before walking down the aisle.

QUESTION ..4: How does he/she treat other people?

The one most important thing that makes any relationship work is the ability to give. By giving, we mean the ability to give another person pleasure.

Ask: Is this someone who enjoys giving pleasure to others or are they wrapped up in themselves and self- absorbed?

To measure this, think about the following: How do they treat people whom they do not have to be nice to, such as waiters, bus boys, taxi drivers, etc.. How do they treat their parents and siblings? Do they have gratitude and appreciation?

If they don't have gratitude for the people who have given them everything; can you do nearly as much for them? You can be sure that someone who treats others poorly, will eventually treat you poorly as well.

QUESTION ..5: Is there anything I'm hoping to change about this person after we're married?

Too many people make the mistake of marrying someone with the intention of trying to "improve"; them after they're married. As a colleague of mine puts it: "You can probably expect someone to change after marriage for the worse" If you cannot fully accept this person the way they are now, then you are not ready to marry them.

In conclusion, dating doesn't have to be difficult and treacherous. The key is to try leading a little more with your head and less with your heart. It pays to be as objective as possible when you are dating; to be sure to ask questions that will help you get to the key issues. Falling in love is a great feeling, but when you wake up with a ring on your finger, you don't want to find yourself

trouble because you didn't do your homework.

Another perspective...

There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance.. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going anywhere relationships. Observe the relationships around you.

Pay attention...Which ones lift and which ones lean?

Which ones encourage and which ones discourage?

Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?

When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse?

Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know, or appreciate you?

The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.

An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye"; Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self-esteem make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really that important.

Do you bring out the best in each other?

Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare and control?

What do you bring to the relationship?

Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain? You can't take someone to the altar to alter them. You can't make someone love you or make someone stay.

If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life"; you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain. Seeking status, sex, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship.

WHAT KEEPS A RELATIONSHIP STRONG IS:

1. TRUST

2. COMMUNICATION

3. INTIMACY

4. A SENSE OF HUMOR

5. SHARING TASKS

6. SOME GETAWAY TIME WITHOUT BUSINESS OR CHILDREN

7. DAILY EXCHANGES (meal, shared activity, hug, call, touch, notes, etc.)

8. SHARING COMMON GOALS AND INTERESTS

9. GIVING EACH OTHER SPACE TO GROW WITHOUT FEELING INSECURE

10. GIVING EACH OTHER A SENSE OF BELONGING AND ASSURANCES OF COMMITMENT

If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment withdrawal, abuse, neglect, and dishonesty; and pain will replace.

Significance of January 26

2009-06-19T23:20:00.001-07:00

History

January 26, 1975 – this was the day that the Soka Gakkai International was founded at a meeting on Guam, that beautiful island of lush tropical green and exotic blooms floating in the blue coral sea. There were no presidents, no ministers, no reporters there that day. But ordinary citizens. These ordinary men and women were actually great pioneers who had pledged to dedicate their lives to the mission of propagating Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism and bringing peace to the world.

Soka Gakkai literally means “Society for the creation of value”. In 1975, in response to the needs of an increasingly international membership, the Soka Gakkai International was formed with Dr. Daisaku Ikeda as our third existing President.

On that day, Ikeda Sensei said to the members present:

“The sun of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism has begun to rise on the horizon. Rather than seek after your own praise or glory, I hope that you will dedicate your whole lives to sowing the seeds of the Mystic Law for the sake of peace throughout the entire world. I shall do the same.”

In the service of its members and society at large, SGI centers its activities on developing the positive human potentials for individual happiness and global peace and prosperity. The members of SGI share a profound commitment to the value of peace, culture and education.

Since 1983, Daisaku Ikeda has written an annual proposal on issues of peace and human security. These are released on January 26, commemorating the founding of the SGI in 1975.

Today, through the courageous and compassionate efforts of pioneer members exerting themselves with spirited tenacity and determination, we now have some 12 million members in around 190 countries and regions, including Japan.

So let us continue our journey of courage and hope into this New Year, joyfully and intrepidly.

investment of time and money

2009-06-19T23:19:00.001-07:00

Warren Buffett, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is arguably the world's greatest investor and the third richest man with a net worth exceeding $52 billion (Rs 213,200 crore). He is also a great philanthropist: last year he declared plans to give away over $37 billion (Rs 151,700 crore) in charity, to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
But he is not just a man with a large heart and a matching wallet. Also known as The Sage of Omaha, he is also full of wisdom and wit.

Here are some of his gems of advice for investors who look at the stock market to make a fortune, culled from various publications, his speeches and writings:

• 'Never invest in a business you cannot understand.'
• 'Always invest for the long term.'
• 'Remember that the stock market is manic-depressive.'
• 'Buy a business, don't rent stocks.'
• 'Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.'
• 'Stop trying to predict the direction of the stock market, the economy, interest rates,or elections.'
• 'I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.'
• 'Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls-Royce to get advice from those who take the subway.'
• 'Buy companies with strong histories of profitability and with a dominant business franchise.'
• 'It is optimism that is the enemy of the rational buyer.'
• 'As far as you are concerned, the stock market does not exist. Ignore it.'
• 'The ability to say 'no' is a tremendous advantage for an investor.'
• 'If you're doing something you love, you're more likely to put your all into it, and that generally equates to making money.'
'My idea of a group decision is to look in the mirror.'
• 'Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can't buy what is popular and do well.'
• 'The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is.'
• 'Success in investing doesn't correlate with IQ once you're above the level of 25. Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people into trouble in investing.'
• 'Diversification is a protection against ignorance. It makes very little sense for those who know what they're doing.'
• 'You're neither right nor wrong because other people agree with you. You're right because your facts are right and your reasoning is right - that's the only thing that makes you right. And if your facts and reasoning are right, you don't have to worry about anybody else.'
• 'There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.'
• 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run it is a weighing machine.'
• 'It's only when the tide goes out that you learn who's been swimming naked.'
• 'Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it's true. If you hire somebody without the first, you really want them to be dumb and lazy.'
• 'There are three kinds of people in the world: those who can count, and those who can't.'
• 'It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to lose it.'
• 'The first rule is not to lose. The second rule is not to forget the first rule.'
• 'Wide diversification is only required when investors do not understand what they are doing.'
• 'Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.'
• 'We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.'
• 'Our favourite holding period is forever.'
• 'If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.'
• 'Why not invest your assets in the companies you really like? As Mae West said, 'Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.''
• 'Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it's not going to get the business.'
• 'You are neither right nor wrong because the crowd disagrees with you. You are right because your data and reasoning are right.'
• 'We do not view the company itself as the ultimate owner of our business assets but instead view the company as a conduit through which our shareholders own assets.'
.'Unless you can watch your stock holding decline by 50% without becoming panic-stricken, you should not be in the stock market.'
• 'The critical investment factor is determining the intrinsic value of a business and paying a fair or bargain price.'
• 'Risk can be greatly reduced by concentrating on only a few holdings.'
• 'Much success can be attributed to inactivity. Most investors cannot resist the temptation to constantly buy and sell.'
• 'Lethargy, bordering on sloth should remain the cornerstone of an investment style.'
• 'An investor should act as though he had a lifetime decision card with just twenty punches on it.'
• 'An investor needs to do very few things right as long as he or she avoids big mistakes.'
• 'Turnarounds' seldom turn.'
• 'The advice 'you never go broke taking a profit' is foolish.'
• 'It is more important to say 'no' to an opportunity, than to say 'yes.'
• 'It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results.'
• 'An investor should ordinarily hold a small piece of an outstanding business with the same tenacity that an owner would exhibit if he owned all of that business.'
• 'It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.'
• 'In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.'
• 'A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought.'
• 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.'
• 'The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective
• 'Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it.'
• 'The investor of today does not profit from yesterday's growth.'
• 'Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.'
• 'I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.'
• 'I don't look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.'
• 'I always knew I was going to be rich. I don't think I ever doubted it for a minute.'
• 'We enjoy the process far more than the proceeds.'
• 'You do things when the opportunities come along. I've had periods in my life when I've had a bundle of ideas come along, and I've had long dry spells. If I get an idea next week, I'll do something. If not, I won't do a damn thing.'
• 'I buy expensive suits. They just look cheap on me.'
• 'Let blockheads read what blockheads wrote.'
• 'I do not like debt and do not like to invest in companies that have too much debt, particularly long-term debt. With long-term debt, increases in interest rates can drastically affect company profits and make future cash flows less predictable.'
• 'My grandfather would sell me Wrigley's chewing gum and I would go door to door around my neighbourhood selling it. He also sold me a Coca-Cola for a quarter and I would sell it for a nickel each in the neighbourhood, so I made a small profit. I was always trying to do something like this.'
• 'A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought.'

Can We Gain Listening Wisdom from an Owl?

2009-06-19T23:18:00.003-07:00

"There was an old owl who sat in an oak.
The more he watched; the less he spoke.
The less he spoke; the more he heard.
Why can't we be like that wise old bird?"

That's an interesting hoot that deserves some pondering.

One of the biggest causes of stressed or broken relationships is ineffective communication. Both people speak, but nobody sits quietly, watches, and listens.

"He (or she) just doesn't listen to me!"

In our business, we hear this frequently about husbands, wives, children, bosses, clients, and colleagues. This seems to be particularly true when there are disagreements or conflict. In "The Couples' Comfort Book," author Jennifer Louden says, "When in conflict, people listen for a maximum of 14 seconds."

What occurs then?

When the listening stops, here are some things that begin: interrupting, yelling, ignoring, escaping, cowering, probing, and preaching.

Is it possible this "lack of listening" is the reason for the disagreement, misunderstanding, and conflict?

I think so, and I believe this "lack of listening" phenomenon occurs far more regularly in our relationships than most of us would care to admit, whether there is conflict or not.

As I strive to become more consciously aware of my thinking, speaking, and behavioral habits, I see it in myself. How do I know this?

* My mother-in-law recently stayed with us for a week. Immediately after several different conversations, I realized I couldn't recall exactly what she just said. My mind was wandering elsewhere. Hmmm!

* A client was explaining something to me about his business, and I assumed I knew what he thought and felt. In reality, I found later that I had no flippin' idea. A mind-reader I am not.

* I interrupted my son, Jamie, before he was finished speaking. I was going to fix it for him, or defer to my own autobiographical story.

* Carol was explaining something to me, and I became aware that I already had a rebuttal formed to prove that I was right and she was wrong, and yet I hadn't listened effectively, or asked for clarification to totally understand her perspective.

Am I afflicted with an extremely bad case of psychological defection (please humor me!), or do similar things occur for you?

I believe comparable situations are why many conversations seem to go round and around, tempers flare, feelings get hurt, and directions get misconstrued -- neither person has actually listened to understand.

Maybe this is "normal" in society. However, when I look at statistics on marital breakdown, family violence, employee retention and satisfaction, workplace stress, and mediation battles, it helps me to recognize that I don't want to be "normal." I'd rather be different -- stand out on a positive, effective limb, like the owl.

Here are my easy "observant-owl" strategies, and I challenge you to apply these too. Naturally, it's your choice, just as it is mine.

* Attention – focus on the other person. Set aside all other thoughts and actions. Avoid distractions: other people or conversations, nearby activities, phone calls, e-mails, TV, music.

* Connection – pace, or match to build greater rapport and trust. Make eye contact, notice facial expressions, eye movement, breathing rate, other body language, and then match these. I'm not meaning you should imitate him/her. Sit in a similar way (not exactly the same), match their breathing rate, smile when they smile, etc. When you are subtle with this, they feel comfortable speaking with you because you are "just like them."

* Listen – to understand the words and the associated feelings. Ask for clarification on anything you don't totally understand. It is not important that you agree; it is vitally important to understand.

* Wait – allow silence. When the other person ends his/her statement, wait and count -- one wise old owl, two wise old owls, three wise old owls... The silence is golden and indicates to the other person that you care about him/her, and want to ensure they have completed what they wanted to say.

* Think – in this silence-time, ponder on your understanding of the conversation, and formulate your thoughts proactively, rather than reactively.

* Reply respectfully – either with clarifying questions or with your own wise thoughts. Use inclusive, engaging statements such as, "Yes, and I feel...," "I respect your opinion and I see that...," "I hear what you are saying and..." Avoid "No," "But," "You're wrong," "That's stupid," or any other statement that sets up invisible walls of defense or separation.

* Verbalize your complete thought and repeat the cycle.

When I give the other person this "psychological air-time" (it is a gift), and really listen to understand, they will usually return the gift to me. They may not be consciously aware of the process. They will feel valued and respected. It's a win/win conversation.

I believe that every person has exceptional knowledge and wisdom, and most people are happy to share their expertise with others, when someone will listen. I continue to learn so many valuable things from others when I close my mouth and open my eyes, ears, and heart.

I have finally learned that I am not the "king of the beasts." I do realize that I am an important and valuable member of this forest community -- where cooperativeness, helpfulness, respect, and love will help us all to survive and thrive.

You are a member of the community too. What are joy and happiness worth to you?

If you want to eliminate or minimize arguments, sarcasm, disrespect, anger, resentment, and heartache, these easy "observant-owl" strategies will work for you too. I guarantee it is worth the effort.

I'm investing more of my time perched on a good sturdy branch, watching, listening, and learning. I'd be honored to have you join me, and there is an abundance of room.

A Lesson in Forgiveness

2009-06-19T23:18:00.001-07:00

Why You Should Give Your Partner the Benefit of the Doubt

Have you ever given your partner the benefit of the doubt? If you’re in a committed relationship, you probably have without even realizing it. Giving someone you love the benefit of the doubt runs on a continuum. On one end, it might mean that you completely ignore something they did that annoyed you. On the other, with bigger “offenses,” it means that you’ll approach their behavior with calmness and a healthy dash of understanding.

Picture this: After one too many spiked egg-nogs at the office holiday party, your partner serenades your boss with a wobbly “I Just Called to Say I Love You” while you hide behind a coat rack.

Even though your boss seems amused, you’ve got grounds for a World War III kind of fight, the kind of earth-quaking fight that before now you could barely imagine, let alone instigate. But wait. You take a few steps back, think about how your partner has never been drunk before (maybe he’s got a low alcohol tolerance? And it is the holiday season, after all…), and reason, “He’s been under so much stress lately. I’ll cut him some slack this time.” So the next morning, instead of replacing his hair gel with Nair and blasting him out of bed with a bullhorn at 5:00 AM, you calmly mention that he really tied one on the night before and his behavior embarrassed you something fierce.

Giving your partner the benefit of the doubt is a simple and effective way to nurture your relationship.

Happiness and love are good reasons to be in a relationship. But what happens when your relationship—for a little while—stops bringing you happiness? Are you ready for the times when finding your car keys will be easier than feeling happy in your relationship? Will a need for instant gratification or a “what’s in it for me?” attitude influence hasty decisions about the relationship? Or will you hang in there and work toward the happiness you know your relationship is capable of bringing? In order to do this, you will need to adopt a “benefit of the doubt” mindset.

You should give your partner the benefit of the doubt because:

~You and your partner will fight a lot less.

~All relationships go through ups and downs. And all people have “off” days and “on” days.

~All partners (yes, even you) act like selfish eight-year-olds from time to time.

~Unbroken stretches of nothing but pure happiness is unrealistic.

~Being part of a committed relationship means putting your needs aside, at least temporarily.

~Your partner (and the relationship itself) may have earned some “benefit of the doubt” credits. Think back to how often things have gone well in your relationship.

You shouldn’t give your partner the benefit of the doubt when:

~Your partner is abusive.

~Your relationship has only brought suffering.

~You feel manipulated into giving your partner the benefit of the doubt.

~Your partner is no longer committed to the relationship, no matter what you do or how hard you try.

Odds are, you know someone who overlooks egregious, relationship-destructive behavior in his/her partner and chalks it up to giving him/her the benefit of the doubt. But that’s not what that person is doing: indeed, he or she is only overlooking egregious, relationship-destructive behavior that won’t get any better during that unhealthy silence of denial. Each partner must be committed to the relationship and must feel responsible for his/her behavior in order for the benefit of the doubt mindset to work. After all, giving the benefit of the doubt means temporarily suspending judgment while looking at the big picture of a healthy, mutually satisfying union.

So how about giving this mindset a try? Giving your partner the benefit of the doubt is an act of forgiveness. It’s one of the times when you can place your partner and the relationship above your own needs. Think of it as an act of hope and an act of trust—you anticipate something positive on the horizon, so in this moment you choose to give your partner the benefit of the doubt.

Fundamental Darkness of life

2009-06-19T23:17:00.003-07:00

The only world in which "defeat" exists as a reality is the one darkened by the false idea that what may have happened to us a moment ago is the same as what's possible for us to achieve now.

The Spiritual Secret that Allows You to Defeat Any Discouragement

As we all know, there are trying times when states of discouragement literally dog us -- following us around as if they're waiting for us to fall down, never to rise again. On these days, our own lackluster emotions are hounded by thoughts barking at us that nothing is right with our lives. Sound familiar? On these same days, even our smallest wish to part ways with these painful states gets pushed under by waves of doubt so that our resolve to not sink into a malaise feels like a futile struggle against the inevitable!

When falling into deeper and deeper states of feeling discouraged, we can almost hear these unspoken words within, "What's the point? Why bother?" Then, as though we have heard from the Fates themselves, we accept the dreariness of some "can't do" negative state as our guide. Is this how it must be? Must we identify ourselves with what discourages us? The answer to these questions is decidedly no!

Negative states, all dark energies that enervate us, only succeed at draining us because they are capable of making us see mentally and emotionally charged images of past defeats. These images, drawn from the storehouse of our memories, seem so real that they validate the existence of our negative conclusions, which brings us to a key lesson deserving of our special attention.

The only power dark, discouraging states hold over us is that they get us to identify with feelings of being powerless. And when such strong feelings of futility are accompanied by what is seen, in our own mind's eye, as being valid because we are given over to unconsciously recall the considerations that make them so, then boom! The trap is sprung. We become the unwitting captives of our own negative imagination! Had enough of feeling like you are never enough? Good! Let the following truths do their healing work.

First, we must know in our hearts that our True Nature is not created to live as a captive of any dark condition. If you have never heard this before, then hear it now: no power on earth can restrain the soul that seeks its liberation in the uncontainable truth.

Next we realize, to whatever depth we can conceive, that our own awareness is a living and intelligent feature of the ever-present Now within which it dwells -- and that this same timeless Now is omnipresent. It dwells everywhere already, knowing no boundaries. And here we catch a glimpse of another timeless truth: nothing in the universe can capture our awareness any more than a cloud has the power to envelop the sky.

What these last few discoveries teach us is that our awareness of discouragement, or any negative state for that matter, transcends its boundary and already dwells beyond the limits of its confining darkness. This brings us to this discouragement-busting truth: whenever we will lend our attention to the inner task of working to transcend some dark state at work within us, then in that same moment, even if we don't see the immediate fruits of our effort, we will have already begun to release ourselves from its restrictions. For our effort to be conscious of our condition instead of remaining its captive, fresh energies flood over and through us, lifting us into the new understanding that who we really are can never be held back! Our willingness to bring that dark, discouraged state into our awareness of it, instead of allowing it to define what we are aware of, has changed our very relationship with life!

Now the upward path ahead, which was closed off to us only a moment before, opens wide its narrow gate as we open ourselves to the endless resources of a Living Truth. The Now nature newly active within us cannot be walled in by anything, which means that the limitations of former restrictions no longer exist for us. The darkness that once dominated us is literally dismissed because we have chosen the Living Light itself to be our advocate.

So now we know: the Way is already made for us to live in perfect contentment; we need never again suffer for no reason. More than this, we may take great comfort in knowing that nothing in the universe can stop us from realizing this victorious order of our own being, because the Divine has already seen to the truth of it. We need only agree to pay the cost of this higher consciousness, and we will find that the coins we need are already right there in our pocket.

Effective Communication Goes Against Human Nature

2009-06-19T23:17:00.001-07:00

Communication is the most common presenting problem of couples in my practice. Yet, it is not truly the main problem. Even if couples utterly fail to talk, negotiate, or make decisions, there’s a bigger problem than communication.

When you're in a tense, difficult or nasty discussion with your partner, the problem isn't communication. The problem is your distressed emotional reaction about what they are saying. If your distress is severe enough, you are on the way to being at your worst.

When you are at your worst, you're likely to bring out the worst in your partner. But you really hope your partner will respond with their higher self. You hope they will break the pattern. Meanwhile, they’re hoping that you will break the pattern. You know where that leads.

Here's how it breaks down. When you are in a bad discussion with your partner:
Communication is a problem.
But it is not the problem.
The problem is your ineffective responses during the stressful discussion.

Your ineffective responses can be grouped into a few basic categories:
Finger pointing
Whining
Resentful accommodation
Withdrawal
Confusion

There are a lot of variations of each of these categories but they have one thing in common. They are all painful reflexes to a difficult discussion. Because they are reflexes, they don't take rehearsal or planning. When was the last time you had to remind yourself to get defensive at your partner for being sarcastic?

When you feel bad, angry, hurt, disappointed or frustrated, it's a reflex to want your partner to treat you better. If only they’d act more in accordance to your standards and desires, which bring you emotional relief, your life and relationship would be better, easier, more satisfying.

There is a part of everybody that wants our partner to change first. We want them to change to relieve us from our distress. We’re trying to get relief from our distress more than we’re trying to communicate. This is a normal and natural desire and reflex. But when this desire becomes the foundation for relationship change, there is “trouble in River City.”

Yes, I know you can build a legitimate case on the dastardly things your partner does when they go on tilt. That is a problem. But it is not the problem. The problem is improving how you react to their pain. That is what takes effort, planning and rehearsal.

How hard is this concept to implement? Intellectually, I know that when my wife, Ellyn, annoys me I should improve my reaction. But there is still a part of me that thinks, "Hey, I didn't get married to be reminded to take out the trash, put away my mail, pick up my shoes, etc. Why should I have to improve my response to Ellyn's distress?" Faced with the choice between leaving victimhood or proving that Ellyn needs to “chill” I get busy on the proof.

Have you noticed that in every argument each person starts from a different point of view and is bound for a different destination? And the more heated the argument the more each tries to airbrush out their own flaws. The problem is more than, "We can't talk."

I don't think Disraeli believed the problem was simply communication when he stated, "It destroys one's nerves to be amiable every day to the same human being."

Discussions with our partner are just one way we express our jumble of values, interests, concerns, goals, insecurities, dreams and hopes. The painful gap between effective communication and negative results is caused by fear, lack of self awareness, or lack of skills.

Perhaps you're now thinking, "Gosh, maybe I was better off believing the problem was just communication. Now what?"

Next time you’re heading into a difficult discussion with your partner, take a minute to relax with a couple of deep breaths. Exhale fully so that you’re forced to inhale more oxygen. Think about how you aspire to be during a sensitive discussion. If you were coming from your higher self, what would that look like? Write these qualities on a sheet of paper or a note card and have it in front of you during the next charged discussion.

Watch Your Language!

2009-06-19T23:16:00.000-07:00

The language you use every day -- your word choice, sequence, and tone -- plays a more critical role in how you're perceived than you may imagine. How you respond to a question, a compliment, even a comment on the weather, affects what people think about you, your abilities, and your work in very subtle yet very powerful ways.

Let's look at three examples, including some simple changes you can make to have the most positive impact on your career and your relationships.

1. Yes, thanks, that WAS a good job.
How you respond to a compliment influences people's perception of your confidence and ability (or lack thereof). Like most people, you've probably found that compliments are harder to accept than criticism. From early childhood, you were almost certainly taught to ask for feedback (a.k.a. criticism) and to be modest about (i.e., discourage) compliments.

When you do the "aw, shucks, it weren't nuthin'" shuffle, brushing the compliment off with embarrassment or downplaying your accomplishment, people BELIEVE you. Believing your response, they overlook the hours of overtime put in by your team, the expertise and skill that were required, and the polish you put on the finished result.

On the other hand, if you adopt a superior stance by taking all the credit for a team effort or claiming that only you out of all the people in the organization could possibly have pulled it off, you'll be written off as arrogant and dangerously independent (not a team player).

Instead, practice a middle-ground approach, preferably by role-playing with a friend outside the office. Get comfortable with language that asserts your confidence and competence without false pride or arrogance. "Yes, thanks, my team and I did a really terrific job!" is a great response. "Thank you. I appreciate you recognizing the effort it took to get that done well," is another.

When someone compliments you personally, consider asking for more detailed feedback. A compliment can feel uncomfortable because it often implies judgment -- positive judgment, to be sure, but judgment nonetheless. "You're a great facilitator," is a judgment that inevitably causes comparison in your mind to all the facilitators you know who are better than you are, creating instant disbelief and discomfort.

Thank the speaker and ask, "What about my facilitation really worked for you?" This draws out specific comments ("I like how you make sure everyone gets equal time") that are actually useful to you in developing your facilitation skills.

2. Accentuate the Positive
Have you noticed that people complain in habitual ways? They use the same words to describe all the things they're not happy about. One person might call anyone he disagrees with a "schmoozing backstabber." Someone else might say any disappointing event -- whether in the past or anticipated -- was a "disaster."

Did it occur to you that your complaining habits are just as obvious to others as theirs are to you?

Management views complainers as losers. Therefore, complainers never get the best projects and are consistently passed over for promotion. You may not be an out-and-out complainer, but you almost certainly have typical complaining habits and hot-button circumstances that trigger those habits.

Pay attention for a few days to identify your habit. What triggers your complaints, and what words do you typically use? (If you can't figure it out, enlist the help of a trusted friend.)

Then pick more positive ways of expressing yourself. If positive replacements feel too artificial, try a factual way of describing the person or situation, without any emotional load.

The "schmoozing backstabber" might be "politically savvy," or could just be "Joe." That "disastrous project" might be "unfortunately delayed because of new requirements," or just "the printer upgrade project."

Save your complaining and venting for friends, spouses, and partners *outside* the office. Your career will thank you for it.

3. Choose 'Want' instead of 'Need'
Take a few days or a week to experiment with what happens when you use "want" instead of "need," "should," "gotta," "have to," and "must."

"I want to leave for work now."

"I want to finish this report by the end of the day."

"I want to go to the staff meeting."

If this feels awkward, especially if you feel as if you're lying to yourself, add on the reason WHY you want to do these things.

"I want to leave for work now because I have a better day when I'm at the office on time."

"I want to finish this report by the end of the day because my boss needs it first thing in the morning."

"I want to go to the staff meeting because when I don't go, my teammates say sarcastic things about my priorities and my boss gets mad."

You may find it such a pleasant way of looking at the world that you adopt "want" as your word of choice in every possible situation. In fact, I have a good friend who creates "want to do" lists instead of "to do" lists. She finds it significantly more motivating!