Saturday 25th June 2011

We live in an age where opportunities for profound life-to-life inspiration are all but nonexistent. Idle amusements bring only fleeting pleasure. They produce neither profound inspiration nor growth for one's life. By contrast, Buddhism exists to enable people to realize personal growth and to improve their lives. Buddhism is always rooted in the reality of life. It is the wellspring of wisdom for bringing harmony and happiness to our families, local communities and society at large.
Daisaku Ikeda


There are several things that spring out here .. the main one being that 'idle amusements bring only fleeting pleasure' .. I think this is true but nonetheless is a reality of moden life. Life can be busy and stresful so it's only natural that we look for ways to relax or escape for a short time and I don't see any problem with this. However, when these fleeting moments become our raison d'etre, then we are in trouble.

It isn't possible to sustain a life built around these fleeting pleasures and this kind of came up at a discussion meeting last night where 'happiness' was discussed .. of course we can be 'happy' when drinking, eating, watching a film or whatever but when that finishes, often so does our happiness. Happiness in Buddhism, and therefore daily life, is when we have a solid basis to our life and apply this in our daily life.

Friday 24th June 2011

You must be strong. There is no hope of winning in this chaotic world if you are weak. No matter what others do or say, it is important to develop your ability and then put that ability to use. Strong faith, of course, is the best means for drawing out one's inner strength. You each have a very important mission, and I hope you will awaken to and be proud of that mission.
Daisaku Ikeda


I like the individuality associated with this and the message for each of us as an individual. "You EACH have a very important mission" .. so it is up to us through our daimoku to decide what our own mission is and to put our daimoku to good use to win in our mission.

Wednesday 22nd June 2011

It's foolish to be obsessed with past failures. And it's just as foolish to be self-satisfied with one's small achievements. Buddhism teaches that the present and the future are what are important, not the past. It teaches us a spirit of unceasing challenge to win over the present and advance ever toward the future. Those who neglect this spirit of continual striving steer their lives in a ruinous direction.
Daisaku Ikeda

Ah .. Honim Myo ... from this moment forwards ... probably my favourite Buddhist concept. What other religion in the world says to forget the past and always look to the causes you are making now and not be concerned with those you have made in the past.

It is a very important concept though in my book, and whilst what I have put above is true, it is of course important that if we move on from making a bad decision or neglecting to do something etc, that we move forward but also determine (and if necessary redetermine many times) not to repeat what we are moving forwards from.

On a personal level, I sometimes have a tendency to berate myself for my apathy and laziness and continually redetermine to move on from this .. it usuallycatches up with me again though so I simply redetermine not to be that way again. Of course, it's an ongoing battle but the reality is that hopefully I will win but also in the meantime, the days when the determination is strong means that things do get done on those days and a cause is made for the future.

Tuesday 21st June 2011

When you devote your life to achieving your goal, you will not be bothered by shallow criticism. In fact nothing important can be accomplished if you allow yourself to be swayed by some trifling matter, always looking over your shoulder and wondering what others are saying or thinking. The key to achievement is to move forward resolutely along your chosen path.
Daisaku Ikeda

I can't really think of a great deal to add to the above really. It pretty much says what it does on the tin, so to speak. I suppose the only thing I would comment on is Sensei's use of the word 'shallow' .. if we changed that to simply 'criticism' then that would alter the whole context. Naturally we should listen to criticism, especially constructive criticism. Sometimes when we head down a path, determined to achieve something, we may actually be on the wrong path misguided by greed, anger or stupidity.

So to take criticism on board and maybe question through our daimoku sounds ok to me, but I think what Sensei is saying here is 'shallow criticism' which is often in effect a compliment and very often comes from jealousy. It is important therefore that we build a strong life state through our daimoku to recognise which type of criticism it is and to act accordingly.

Monday 20th June 2011

Your faith guarantees that an infinite number of your ancestors and descendants will attain Buddhahood. Such is the wondrous power of the Mystic Law. How profound and important is your existence! There is also no greater way to repay the debt of gratitude to your parents than through faith.
Daisaku Ikeda


This is the kind of guidance that I struggle with a bit ... I've never found the whole 'eternity of life' thing very easy to understand even though I do believe in it .. I'm just not sure in a practical sense how it happens. I did read a good article once though where Sensei stated that all religions have a different take on what happens after death but the most important factor of this was how that view encouraged people to live their lives in the here and now .. ie don't focus on the next life. This makes complete sense to me ... if there is nothing after death we won't know so we may as well live this life to the full. If there IS life after death then we'll have made great causes ... a real win win.

The other aspect of this is about how both our ancestors and descendants will benefit ... I've recently been reading about 'time' in Buddhism and how it is not the same as time as we usually understand it .. ie linear time .. so it's not about yesterday or tomorrow but about NOW ... I guess what this is saying is that by practising now, we are showing gratitude to our ancestors by living the best life possible and making a great cause for generations to come.

Sunday 16th June 2011

I hope that you will lead immortal, invincible and joyous lives, filled with confidence, pride and good cheer. I also hope you will display inspiring leadership, while doing your utmost to protect your respective areas.
Daisaku Ikeda

The first part of this guidance I guess it a reminder that life is to be lived and not simply endured, an obvious statement perhaps but one that is sometimes difficult to follow through, and this of course is where our Buddhist practise comes in.

The key thing that stands out for me in this guidance is the phrase "display inspiring leadership". Now, I have a leadership position in my local SGI group, and it's a position that I have really struggled with and still do on a daily basis. I think some of this is to do with the term 'leader' and though I know it does not mean 'boss' or anything like that, as someone who has an inherent dislike of authoratitive figures, I know it's lurking deep inside me somewhere.

Sometimes too perhaps, we can see a leadership role as something like management, with all the admin and paperwork that comes with that.

However, that is exactly what a leader is NOT. Sure, there is always admin in our daily life but this is not the focus of a leader, or to tell others what to do.

The role of a leader in Buddhism is to put the practise into action in our daily lives and to show actual proof of it by living positive and strong lives. By extension, this means of course that EVERYONE who does this in their daily life IS a leader and it's not simply a term that is handed out .. we have to put this into action through daimoku and then going out and taking part in daily life knowing that we are Buddhas (that does not mean feeling superior to others by the way but I'm sure I'll cover that another time).

The Time is Now!

Saturday 18th JUne 2011

The great American poet Walt Whitman writes in Leaves of Grass: "All comes by the body, only health puts you rapport with the universe." I am sure you are all very busy, but I hope you will advance in good health and with optimism and enjoy the power of your faith, which is what puts you in rhythm with the universe.
Daisaku Ikeda



Today is one of those days that I don't especially feel in rythm with the universe, or come to that, with myself which I guess is the same thing. Saturday mornings are a time when I often let things drift. I lie in bed not really doing anything constructive. It's now just after 1pm and I still haven't done morning gongyo which probably explains why I feel like this.

So I guess the answer really does lie in the piece above where Daisaku Ikeda talks about the 'power of your faith' .... well faith in Buddhism is not like faith in some other religions where basically you leave everything to a deity. In Buddhism you have to create the good fortune yourself.

So, with that in mind, just a quick tidy up then I'm going to do gongyo and get my ass in rythm with the universe once more!

Friday 17th June 2011

How exhilarating it is to stand tall, walk with a buoyant step and be flexible in one's actions! How attractive to those we meet are our sparkling eyes and vibrant voices! This is the principle of the true entity of all phenomena. Your fresh and vital appearance eloquently attests to the greatness of faith, and you will find that you naturally cultivate a sphere of friendship and understanding among those around you.
Daisaku Ikeda

My first reaction on reading guidance like this is to groan ... not exactly the response that was hoped for no doubt. It used to really annoy me at one time, some of the use of language which seems slightly archaic and grandiose.

But, you know what, it really doesn't bother me now ... I just accept the language for what it is and look for what it means to me and how I can put it into action in my own life.

For me, the above guidance means to be open, positive and happy but not in a fake way .. you know that 'born again happy clappy' type of happiness. This is not the kind of happiness that we mean in Buddhism but the kind of happiness that comes through a solid sense of self and belief in our own buddhahood. This is not something we can fake by walking around smiling but something that we have to develop and continually work on day by day through a strong buddhist practise and confident daimoku.

Thursday 16th June 2011

One of my favorite Argentine poets, the great educator Almafuerte (1854-1917), wrote: "To the weak, difficulty is a closed door. To the strong, however, it is a door waiting to be opened." Difficulties impede the progress of those who are weak. For the strong, however, they are opportunities to open wide the doors to a bright future. Everything is determined by our attitude, by our resolve. Our heart is what matters most.
Daisaku Ikeda


"Our heart is what matters most" .... One of many references to 'heart' in Nichiren Buddhism and SGI.

I used to struggle with that a bit and have heard a number of people take it as a bit of a 'fluffy' thing .. eg important to have a warm heart, heart to heart etc etc

Whilst not disagreeing with that, I have always felt it was something much more than that and it was explained in a study lecture that the Japanese word for 'heart' in Buddhism meant so much more and encompassed our whole being ... almost like spirit or soul ... Apparently it doesn't translate well into English as there isn't a word for it in the English language.

My own feeling is that the heart in our bodies doesn't just sit there passively but works hard pumping blood around our bodies, and in many ways that reflects what I feel 'heart' means in Buddhism.

It is a combination of many things, probably best summed up by the word 'ichinen' or inner determination. So whilst it does also mean compassion, it also means courage, spirit, determination and a fighting spirit ...

Right .. well now I've explained that to myself, I guess I should get out of bed and put it into practice!

Wednesday 15th June 2011

Nichiren teaches the meaning of true happiness and the true purpose of life. Fame and momentary glories are no more than illusions. True happiness lies in cultivating the great state of Buddhahood within one's life. This is life's true purpose. By chanting daimoku, we can change all of our sufferings into the ingredients for attaining a Buddha's lofty state of life.
Daisaku Ikeda

I once wrote a poem which included the line "Everything shimmers on the surface" and this guidance reminded me of that. Time after time we hear the celebrity gossip of people who appear to be in an enviable position having fame, wealth and beauty, but what a pretty unhappy bunch most of them seem to be. Of course, not all are, but they do tend to be the ones who have a much more solid life state and I think this is basically what this guidance is saying.

By chanting daimoku, we reveal the qualities of the Buddha .. in fact we ARE buddhas ... we reveal courage, compassion and wisdom and use these to base our lives on on a daily basis. Of course, with this comes challenges and at times we certainly may not feel as though we are Buddhas, but as long as we return to daimoku as the focal point of our practise, we will, as the guidance says, be able to turn our sufferings into victories.

Tuesday 14th June 2011

Chanting daimoku is the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism. When we chant sonorous daimoku, the sun rises in our hearts. We are filled with power. Compassion wells forth. Our lives are lit with joy. Our wisdom shines. All Buddhas and Buddhist deities throughout the universe go to work on our behalf. Life becomes exhilarating.
Daisaku Ikeda


'When we chant sonorous daimoku' are the key words for me here ... Too often I feel that people, including myself, just 'do' daimoku almost in a matter of fact manner, sometimes getting distracted by our mobile phones or what's going on outside the window. It's almost as if we think the words themselves are 'magic' and they will do the hard work for us.

Of course, life is not like that and whatever we do, if we want to do it succesfuly then we have to make an effort and this of course also applies to our daimoku. It doesn't mean we have to shout it or even necessarily do it  loudly but it should be focussed and determined.  Speedwise, I've always liked Sensei's suggestion that we should chant like a galloping horse ... I always add ... 'and not like a lumbering cow'! ... Another analogy is that it is like a plave taking off .. too slow and not enough effort and you won't get off the ground!

So, if we chant with effort and like a galloping horse, we will finish our daimoku feeling energised and ready for the day ahead to face and defeat our challenges.

Monday 13th June 2011

It all comes down to hope. If we SGI members advance with hope and buoyant spirits, then we have nothing to fear in either the present or the future. The Law will continue to spread as long as those who uphold it remain vigorous and well.
Daisaku Ikeda

Ah ... hope .... that was the first 'benefit' I had when I started practising this Buddhism over 15 years ago .. Hope was something I had lost and although it wouldn't be true to say all my problems had been solved the second I started chanting ... I really did feel an uplift after only a few minutes that maybe I really could take control of my life and I've been chanting ever since.

So I think this guidance is encouraging us (and applies to all, not just SGI members) not to lose that hope and succumb to our own weaknesses and give up.. possibly for an easy life .. That's a very easy thing to do and very tempting at times. Of course, sometimes it will get the better of us .. we are only human after all, but the key thing is to dig deep (through chanting nam myoho renge kyo) and find that hope in our lives and apply it to our daily lives and struggles.

I think the last bit "The Law will continue to spread as long as those who uphold it remain vigorous and well." is really a continuation of what I have written above ... Simply put, if we have hope, we will have the will to carry on and develop our lives, and by sharing that with others, the practise of this buddhism will continue long into the future, changing people's lives.

12/6/11

Education definitely changes people's lives. This is why the SGI is so earnest when it comes to Buddhist study, which is the highest field of learning; it is the study of human beings and the foremost education. Buddhist study is the soul of the SGI.
Daisaku Ikeda


My own practise has been a bit up and down this last 6 months or so for a number of reasons, though I have never stopped believing. Todays quote really struck me in that it points out that the whole point of Buddhism is life and particularly for us, human beings.

It is easy to get lost in politics or philosophy and actually forgot the people who are suffering because of it. For example we may (or may not) support the Palestinian cause and may even sympathise when a Palestinian attack is launched on a Jewish settlement (you could equally read any conflict going on in the world).

However, at the end of all this conflict is a human life and an Israeli mother will suffer just as much as a Palestinian mother over the loss of a child. It is easy to forget this but we never must!

This also applies in our daily life. We can become so wrapped up in our own troubles that we forget about others suffering too.

I always remember a quote by Rosa Parks which went something like "Whenever I am suffering, I look around to see who I can help"

Food for thought!

WELCOME

Welcome to my blog. This blog is quite simply thoughts based on the daily guidance of SGI President Daisaku Ikeda and are my thoughts alone and not 'official' policy.

My intent is to post the initial quote and then comment on it ... sometimes it may be short and other times lengthy, but hopefully each will be of some use to people.