Capital P For Practice

24 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , ,

Capital P For PracticeAs you know, my Buddhist Practice is a way of life. A routine that I go through every day, Gongyo, Daimoku, even writing this blog. But routine is also another word for boring, mundane or even hum-drum, so it’s important to keep in mind why we Practice.

We Practice for several reasons …

  • To raise our life-energy levels …
  • To chant for certain outcomes …
  • To move us along the road to Buddhahood …
  • To give a stable anchor in our lives …

and there are many others, often different for every individual.

As a novice, I find that I can learn a little more each day Let’s face it, Buddhism has been around for well over two thousand years, so there’s plenty to learn about.. I can improve or seek to perfect my Practice and to maintain a more focussed attention to the subject of my chanting.

I look forward to the feeling I get during and after Gongyo. I often find that I am quite warm when I finish chanting and in a really good mood, despite any problems I am facing.

I never cease to be amazed by the effectiveness of chanting either. To start with, the word coincidence came into my mind when I saw results, but not any more. But I do get surprised by the way the Universe solves the problems with which I have asked it to help. Not always the way I expected, and often in better, more subtle ways than I could have imagined.

So my Practice is a pleasure, not a chore. It’s something I enjoy and never something I feel I have to do.

As Nichiren Daishonin said, ‘If you practice something, you must test it’s validity with the results you see’. In other words, if it doesn’t work, stop doing it.

For me, it’s working wonders and I think the World would be a better place if more people were to discover those wonders.

On The Happiness Of Others

12 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

HappinessI think I’m a pretty happy sort of chap, always joking around and generally enjoying life.

Being happy is actually a frame of mind. It is also a choice that we can all make, by seeing the glass as half full, rather than half empty.

The happiness of others is important and is something we should always try our best to promote.

Whilst their happiness is not our responsibility, using our wisdom, courage and compassion will go a long way to helping them achieve that goal.

So next time, during diamoku, concentrate on praying for the happiness of someone you know who needs a bit of cheering up. Fill your lungs, chant your heart out and you too will feel your spirits lifted.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Climate Change Protest

21 Sep 2014 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Bournemouth Climate Change March - Click to view the Bournemouth Echo articleThe sun shone and the weather was lovely and warm in Bournemouth today.

All good news for those folks who joined the Climate Change March, part of a worldwide protest against the continued lack of meaningful action by governments to slow or reverse the disastrous effects of global warming.

I get all my gas and electricity from Ecotricity, who produce and sell 100% green energy, and I try to do as much as possible to reduce my carbon footprint, but it all got me thinking about my Buddhism and the topic of Life-Energy.

When we practice gongyo and chant daimoku before the Gohonzon, the good and evil capacities of our lives begin to function as the exalted form of fundamental existence.

Lives that are full of the pain of Hell, lives that are in the world of Hunger, lives warped by the world of Anger – such lives too begin to move in the direction of creating their own personal happiness and value.

Lives being pulled toward misfortune and unhappiness are redirected and pulled in the opposite direction, toward fortune and happiness, when we make the Mystic Law our base.

Chant daimoku with all your heart, chant whenever you feel downcast, whenever you feel listless or lacking in focus.

Chanting daimoku connects us directly to chi, the Universal energy, the ultimate renewable energy, so chant and raise your life-state, your life-energy and put your life back on track.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

P Is For Practice

23 Aug 2014 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , ,

P For PracticeFor me, my Buddhist Practice is a way of life. A routine that I go through every day, Gongyo, Daimoku, even writing this blog. But routine is also another word for boring, mundane or even hum-drum, so it’s important to keep in mind why we Practice.

We Practice for several reasons …

  • To raise our life-energy levels …
  • To chant for certain outcomes …
  • To move us along the road to Buddhahood …
  • To give a stable anchor in our lives …

and there are many others, often different for every individual.

As a novice, I find that I can learn a little more each day Let’s face it, Buddhism has been around for well over two thousand years, so there’s plenty to learn about.. I can improve or seek to perfect my Practice and to maintain a more focused attention to the subject of my chanting.

I look forward to the feeling I get during and after Gongyo. I often find that I am quite warm when I finish chanting and in a really good mood, despite any problems I am facing.

I never cease to be amazed by the effectiveness of chanting either. To start with, the word coincidence came into my mind when I saw results, but not any more. But I do get surprised by the way the Universe solves the problems with which I have asked it to help. Not always the way I expected, and often in better, more subtle ways than I could have imagined.

So my Practice is a pleasure, not a chore. It’s something I enjoy and never something I feel I have to do.

As Nichiren Daishonin said, ‘If you practice something, you must test it’s validity with the results you see’. In other words, if it doesn’t work, stop doing it.

For me, it’s working wonders and I think the World would be a better place if more people were to discover those wonders.

Happiness Through Others

22 May 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

HappinessI think I’m a pretty happy sort of chap, always joking around and generally enjoying life.

But there are times when that just isn’t appropriate and the last couple of weeks have been such a time.

Being happy is actually a frame of mind. It is also a choice that we can all make, by seeing the glass as half full, rather than half empty.

But the happiness of others can, and often does, have a very uplifting effect. I got a snippet of good news this afternoon, and it seems that my work situation may be a little more stable than I had imagined. I’m pleased about that, and so is my boss, who has been working hard to make a case for my continued presence in Ringwood.

So my happiness tonight is more than partly down to his happiness. The happiness of others is important and is something we should try our best to promote. Using our wisdom, courage and compassion will go a long way to achieving that goal.

So next time, during diamoku, concentrate on praying for the happiness of someone you know who needs a bit of cheering up. Fill your lungs, chant your heart out and you too will feel your spirits lifted.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Nichiren Buddhism – Buddhahood In This Lifetime

27 Mar 2014 4 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

Nichiren Buddhism - Buddhahood In This LifetimeNichiren Buddhists, I am told, consider their faith to be the purest of all the Buddhist sects. Although this did stir a vague memory, and an explanation about Nichiren Buddhism being based on The Lotus Sutra and not having any gods, demons and hungry ghosts, such as are part of the New Kadampa Tradition, I thought I should investigate further.

Nichiren Shonin, as he was known in the early years, gave his first sermon to commemorate the completion of his studies to his master and fellow monks. In this sermon he shocked his audience by criticising the then popular form of Buddhism known as Pure Land. The Pure Land movement taught that Buddhahood could only be attained, after death in a heavenly pure land, by chanting the name of the Buddha of Infinite Light.

In place of this practice, Nichiren taught the practice of chanting the “Great Title” (daimoku) of the Lotus Sutra, which is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. He taught the chanting of daimoku as a practical and accessible way in which all people can realise the deepest truths of Buddhism.

He argued that, just as the name of a country can bring to mind all the characteristics of that country, so the title of the Lotus Sutra embodies all the merits and virtues of the Buddha expounded in the sutra. Nichiren taught that by chanting the daimoku, we can directly receive the ultimate truth of the Lotus Sutra from Shakyamuni Buddha and attain Buddhahood within our lifetime.

So maybe the claim about Nichiren Buddhists having the purest of faiths stems from the manner in which Nichiren stripped away all the embellishments of the other sects, to get back to Shakyamuni Buddha’s original teachings. This is not to say that these embellishments are without worth, but more that the simpler (purer) practice was accessible to many more people of lower status.

Thinking of our practice as purer, truer, better even, is not a very Buddhist way of looking at things. We should look at all aspects of all matters from all angles and without bias or preconceived ideas, in an enlightened manner you might say.

To use a modern idiom, we might say that Nichiren Buddhism is Buddhism Lite. It has all the core beliefs and the fundamentals of the philosophy without the adornments, the bells and whistles, that others sects have incorporated into their practice.

Before any argument or criticism ensues, I am not putting this idea forward as any form of value judgement, just my thoughts and ideas, from my mostly unenlightened view point. I have seen other sects from inside and out, I simply prefer the atheistic approach and the simple and accessible practice.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Practice Makes Perfect Sense

03 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , ,

Practice Makes PerfectFor me, my Buddhist Practice is a way of life. A routine that I go through every day, Gongyo, Daimoku, even writing this blog. But routine is also another word for boring, mundane or even hum-drum, so it’s important to keep in mind why we Practice.

We Practice for several reasons …

  • To raise our life-energy levels …
  • To chant for certain outcomes …
  • To move us along the road to Buddhahood …
  • To give a stable anchor in our lives …

and there are many others, often different for every individual.

As a relative novice, I find that I can learn a little more each day Let’s face it, Buddhism has been around for well over two thousand years, so there’s plenty to learn about. I can improve or seek to perfect my Practice and to maintain a more focussed attention to the subject of my chanting.

I look forward to the feeling I get during and after Gongyo. I often find that I am quite warm when I finish chanting and in a really good mood, despite any problems I am facing.

I never cease to be amazed by the effectiveness of chanting either. To start with, the word coincidence came into my mind when I saw results, but not any more. But I do get surprised by the way the Universe solves the problems with which I have asked it to help. Not always the way I expected, and often in better, more subtle ways than I could have  ever imagined.

So my Practice is a pleasure, not a chore. It’s something I enjoy and never something I feel I have to do.

As Nichiren Daishonin said, ‘If you practice something, you must test it’s validity with the results you see’. In other words, if it doesn’t work, stop doing it.

For me, it is working wonders and I think the World would be a better place if more people were to discover those wonders.

Green Energy

12 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Chanting - The Ultimate Renewable EnergySwitching energy providers from British Gas to Ecotricity will do much more than simply save me money each month. They produce and sell 100% green energy, that got me thinking about Buddhism and Life-Energy.

When we practice gongyo and chant daimoku before the Gohonzon, the good and evil capacities of our lives begin to function as the exalted form of fundamental existence.

Lives that are full of the pain of Hell, lives that are in the world of Hunger, lives warped by the world of Anger – such lives too begin to move in the direction of creating their own personal happiness and value.

Lives being pulled toward misfortune and unhappiness are redirected and pulled in the opposite direction, toward fortune and happiness, when we make the Mystic Law our base.

Chant daimoku with all your heart, chant whenever you feel downcast, whenever you feel listless or lacking in focus.

Chanting daimoku connects us directly to chi, the Universal energy, the ultimate renewable energy, so chant and raise your life-state, your life-energy and put your life back on track.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

It All Happens By Chants

04 Oct 2013 2 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Lotus SutraBeing a Buddhist in Western society makes you a ‘bit different’, and the curious like to ask questions about the philosophy.

After the initial question “do you chant?” we are then asked “what do you chant?” followed closely by “for how long do you chant?” and then almost certainly “what does it mean?”.

After a little practice, no pun intended, most people can master the phrase Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but explaining why we chant it, what it means, and how it works may take a little longer.

Here is how the SGI website describes the meaning of the individual parts …

Nichiren Daishonin established the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as the way to awaken one’s Buddha nature and tap into the deepest levels of our existence, on which our own lives and that of the universe are one. He first taught the invocation of the phrase to a small group at Seicho-ji temple in Awa province, Japan, on April 28, 1253.

Myoho-renge-kyo is the name of the Lotus Sutra in Japanese pronunciation of classical Chinese characters, and so the literal meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is “I devote myself to the Lotus Sutra.” As the following explanation shows, there are deeper levels of meaning attached to each element of the phrase.

Nam

Nam derives from the Sanskrit word namu, meaning “to devote oneself.” Nichiren established the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a means to enable all people to put their lives in harmony or rhythm with the law of life, or Dharma. In the original Sanskrit, namu indicates the elements of action and attitude, and refers therefore to the correct action one needs to take and the attitude one needs to develop in order to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.

Myoho

Myoho literally means the Mystic Law–the underlying truth or principle which governs the mysterious workings of the universe and our life from moment to moment. Myo refers to the very essence of life, which is “invisible” and beyond intellectual understanding. This essence always expresses itself in a tangible form (ho) that can be apprehended by the senses. Phenomena (ho) are changeable, but pervading all such phenomena is a constant reality known as myo. Myo also means to open, to revive, and to be fully endowed with the qualities we need to develop our lives.

Renge

Renge means lotus flower. The lotus blooms and produces seeds at the same time, and thus represents the simultaneity of cause and effect. The circumstances and quality of our individual lives are determined by the causes and effects, both good and bad, that we accumulate (through our thoughts, words and actions) at each moment. This is called our “karma.” The law of cause and effect affirms that we each have personal responsibility for our own destiny. We create our destiny and we have the power to change it. The most powerful positive cause we can make is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; the effect of Buddhahood is simultaneously created in the depths of our life and will definitely manifest in time.

The lotus flower grows and blooms in a muddy pond, and yet remains pristine and free from any defilement, symbolizing the emergence of Buddhahood from within the life of an ordinary person in the midst of the struggles of day-to-day existence.

Kyo

Kyo literally means sutra, the voice or teaching of a Buddha. In this sense, it also means sound, rhythm or vibration. In a broad sense, kyo conveys the concept that all things in the universe are a manifestation of the Mystic Law.

Further explanation of the meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can be found here.

Taking Time To Learn

02 Oct 2013 4 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drinkYou know the old adage, ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink’. I believe it means that you can introduce an idea to someone, but you can’t make them accept the suggestion.

So it is with Nichiren Buddhism, or in fact any religion, but let’s talk about Buddhism in this instance.

I have many friends who show an interest in my Practice. They ask lots of questions, often offer their views and sometimes will join me in Daimoku or Gongyo.

I find that the most difficult thing about this, is to feed their inquisitive nature without allowing my own enthusiasm to take over. It is so easy to appear evangelical and that can be a most unattractive trait, particularly for someone who is just taking the first tentative steps.

If you were teaching a child to swim, you wouldn’t take them to the poolside, explain a little about how to do the breast stroke and then push them into the deep end to experience it for themselves. At best, they might flounder their way back to the side, never to ask you for guidance ever again, at worst they might get into real difficulties, need rescuing and develop such a phobia, that they would never go near deep water again.

And so it can be with Buddhism. Like learning to swim, Buddhist practice can open up amazing new vistas on the world and be a life-long pleasure, but it has to be introduced gently, wisely and at the right pace for each and every individual.

To try to rush someone into Buddhism, or swimming for that matter, may be depriving that person of a life-changing journey, so show some wisdom and let them go at their own pace.

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