The Search For Enlightenment

I attended my second meeting in a week tonight, so as promised, a short report from the study group in Bournemouth.

I have to say that I have nothing but praise for everyone I met tonight, they were so welcoming, and the lecture was very interesting and beautifully delivered. My humble apologies to everyone, but there were so many names that I have forgotten most of them. I really look forward to getting to know you all much better. Boots from the Salisbury meeting was there, as was Ken Hawkins who had been kind enough to phone me, to give details of the meeting, yesterday.

So what happened?

Gongyo was led by a Japanese lady and was totally amazing. I thought chanting with four other people was great, but chanting with twenty other people took it to a completely different level. The whole thing happened at, what seemed like, a hundred miles an hour. Many people had their beads to hand, but I was very interested to see that each one had their own way of honouring the Gohonzon. It was very powerful and liberating and a total joy to be part of it.

The study lecture, delivered by an Italian lady, with the Japanese lady and another lady reading parts as well. A very cosmopolitan group to be sure.

The study was taken from Daisaku Ikeda’s lecture on Nichiren Daishonin’s letter to Jakunichi-bo. Although the letter was written in 1279, the points it raises are just as relevant today. President Ikeda’s lecture notes help us understand the letter in the language of today. Although there was not the group interaction of the Salisbury meeting, I was so happy to be part of this wonderful group of Nichiren Buddhists and I already have more dates of meetings in my diary. Thanks again everyone, i look forward to our next meeting.