The story of my path to Buddhahood through the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin
11 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Love, Relationships, Strength
A shallow person will only ever have shallow relationships.
Real love is not one person clinging to another, it can only be fostered between two strong people, secure in their individuality.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince, wrote in his work Wind, Sand and Stars, “Love is not two people gazing at each other, but two people looking ahead together in the same direction”
10 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Wheel of Life, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
Death does not discriminate, it strips us of everything.
Fame, wealth and power are all useless in the unadorned reality of the final moments of life. When the time comes, we will have only ourselves to hold to account.
This is a solemn confrontation that we must face, armed only with our raw humanity, the actual record of what we have done and how we have chosen to live our lives.
All that remains to ask is this …
Have I been true to myself?
What have I contributed to the world?
Which areas give me a sense of satisfaction, and which a sense of regret?
Think about this each and every day, for one day, maybe sooner than you think, it will be too late to make amends.
09 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Butsudan, Gohonzon, Gongyo, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Practice
The twice daily chanting of Gongyo is the basis of Nichiren Buddhist Practice.
Reciting two chapters of the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is my way of moulding my mind, my heart, my very life, towards Buddhahood.
The twice daily routine is not always easy. There are times in the morning when I would rather have a little more time in bed. In the evening, there are times when there are important things to get done, or I am tired. But I Practice all the same.
Before I chant I sometimes focus on a particular problem or situation. Then sitting in front of the Gohonzon I chant, and as I chant I detach myself from the stresses of everyday life and let the repetition of Diamoku still, cleanse, stir and stimulate my heart and mind.
Speaking personally, I look forward to Gongyo. The day hasn’t started till morning Gongyo has been done, and the day is only complete when evening Gongyo is complete.
If there are times when you don’t feel like chanting remember one thing, the only person who loses out if you skip it … is you.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
08 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Daisaku Ikeda, Kosen-Rufu, Learning, Tranquillity
Following Ken’s insightful comment, I can see that although I was talking about morals, all life is about cause and effect.
So rather than drifting into the World of Tranquillity again, I have been making causes and am already starting to see effects.
I have been working on the topic for our discussion group, Transforming Society Through a Vision of Dynamic Peace. It has allowed me to read some very powerful ideas from Sensei and other thinkers and that study has had the effect of raising my life-state and that has taken me into the World of Learning.
One of the most powerful lessons has been that the only way to overcome Tranquillity is to push myself towards resolving an achievable goal. Another lesson, is that the cause of Kosen-Rufu requires constant effort and striving, to set the goal firmly in my heart, and to compose an understandable message to the rest of the world.
07 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Patience, Principles, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
Do not become subservient or downhearted. Do not dwell on every tiny setback in the course of pursuing your chosen path.
To do so would be foolish. Victory or defeat is determined by our own lives.
What is enviable about the pretentious rich? What is great about conceited celebrities? What is admirable about political leaders who gained their positions of power by treating others with contempt?
There is no need to go seeking greener fields. Dig right where you are, for there lies a seam of untold riches.
06 May 2011 3 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
Recently, very recently, I had to make a difficult decision, mainly on moral grounds.
The problem is that as I have said before, just because you make a difficult decision, for all the right reasons, you aren’t necessarily happy that you had to make that decision.
I know that Jayne and Ken will be reading this and saying that I need to do a lot more chanting about it. Believe me, I have chanted and chanted, and chanted some more, but if you are unhappy about why you made the decision, it leaves you stuck in the middle of a dilemma.
Given time, and changes in circumstances, I am sure it will work itself out, but right now I’m just stuck.
Off to chant again now, it’s the best way to get resolution. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
05 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Life-Energy, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
The journey to work this morning was easier than that of the last couple of days, and I found myself at the office earlier than I expected.
Behind our offices in Ringwood, runs the Bickley Mill stream, a small tributary of the river Avon. In winter it can be quite a torrent, but as we are told that we had the driest and warmest April for decades, that flow has slowed to little more than a trickle.
Having a little time to spare, I stood on the bank watching the water moving slowly past.
I have always found water fascinating. The conjunction of reflected and refracted images mean that there is a merging of environments. It is not possible to see the bottom of the stream clearly and yet you are offered glimpses of clarify as the water ripples form the right angle to see through the surface. An instant later that view is gone.
I began to see a similarity between this phenomena and our lives. You may have experienced times when you have a sudden flash of clarity, regarding a problem or opportunity, then moments later it is gone, cloaked by the smokescreen of everyday life. I know that I have woken from a particularly vivid dream, where the memories are so clear that it has taken a second or two to realise that it was a dream. Almost as soon as that realisation kicks in, the memories start fading, so quickly that while minutes it would be quite difficult to relate the dream to someone else in all its detail.
Another thought popped into my head. The flow of the river, the flow of time and the passage of our lives are all one and the same. Specialist subject ‘stating the obvious’ you might be saying, but it was one of those clarity moments which almost takes ones breath away. I think we should all take a second to remember, that moment by moment, our lives are moving like the river, from future, to present, to past, in an unstoppable flow. Wishing for the weekend to be here, waiting for that special event, all miss the immediate imperative, that every second is precious and should be used to the full.
Nobody knows when their time will be up, when they have no more future, only past. That, in my opinion is a good thing, imagine the sense of panic that would be induced by seeing that ‘life clock’ ticking down to 00:00:00. What is important is to use your time wisely and never, ever, waste a single second.
04 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhist Practice, Tranquillity
Having spent several hours mulling over what I should write for my input into my works appraisal over the weekend, then wondering what feedback I would receive from my manager at the meeting today, I was pleased, not to say a little relieved, when the majority of it was positive.
Who of us hasn’t worried, just a little, about how others see our efforts? We all thrive on a little praise and the feeling of being appreciated, so it is pleasing when it comes, particularly when it is a little unexpected.
I hope that most people find me quite grounded, fairly rational, even a bit laid back. I have found that since I started practicing Nichiren Buddhism, that I am able to see the bigger picture and not react to the the immediate situation.
But that could be seen as having a predominant life-state of Tranquillity, and that is part good, part bad.
Tranquillity, also called Humanity, as seen as one of the lower of the Ten Worlds, has two sides. On the one hand it can be described as being at peace, in control of ones desires, with an ability to act rationally and with humanity. On the other, it is the World of inactivity, lethargy and inertia. Failing to tackle issues, thus leading to decline and neglect.
So, whilst I have had a metaphorical pat on the back, I must be aware that my Tranquillity has to be tempered by, or combined with, the resolution to be determined to push ahead with my goals, to confront my tendency to ‘put things off till tomorrow’ and to strive with all my being to reach the higher Worlds through rigorous Practice.
03 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Life-Energy, Ten Worlds
Having the energy to argue is a sign of good health. When two people in a relationship share similar conditions, it is only natural that they will lock horns from time to time. If on the other hand, one begins to outgrow the other, then they will probably not have serious confrontations, because their life-states are so different.
It would be great if we could live cheerfully, enjoying life to the extent where we regard our partners nagging as a sign of their good health and proof that they are still alive and kicking. If we can develop a broad state of life together, then even our partner’s ranting and raving will sound like sweet birdsong.
02 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Osama Bin Laden, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
On the day that the USA is delirious over the reported death of Osama bin Laden, I was torn between blogging that, or events in my own life which, to me, are far more important.
The announcement today, that US Navy Seals, under orders from President Obama, had killed Osama bin Laden is over every news program, website and newspaper.
Whilst it is obviously an important story, I find the whole thing rather surreal and not a little disgusting.
The disgusting way the American public have shown their delight at the death of this man, shows exactly why The West is so reviled. But the whole story is all too West Wing. They have been searching for this man for ten years, and the day they find him, they kill him, take back to their aircraft carrier and ‘bury him at sea’. No proof, no photos, nothing.
Sorry, but for me, it is not the huge story it appears to be for everyone else.
It just goes to show how very, very far we are from a World of Peace and Compassion.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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