The story of my path to Buddhahood through the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin
22 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Decisions, Determination, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
When you make a difficult decision for all the right reasons, stick to that decision.
Whether it is painful, or someone tries to convince you that it was a mistake, stick to that decision.
Back tracking, skirting round the issue, being persuaded to change your mind, what ever it may be, will end in tears.
So don’t be swayed … stick to that decision !!!
09 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Dark Passenger, Determination
I don’t know about you, but when I say I’m going to do something, I mean it. When I decide on a course of action, I try my best to carry it out.
The problem is that sometimes we can’t stick to our goals, and there are many, many reasons for that. Sometimes it turns out that we decide that the goal isn’t quite what we first thought. Sometimes the Dark Passenger has a little word, introducing doubts or reasons why we should give up. Ignore him and get yourself back on track
There is very little to compare with the feeling of satisfaction when we achieve our goals. In the same way, there is very little to compare with the feeling of disappointment when we let ourselves down and fail.
We all want to be happy, so be determined, be constant. You will be more successful, more content and people will know where they stand too. A win-win situation.
03 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Determination, Ichinen, Ichinen Sanzen, Self Awareness, Self Determination
The Japanese word Ichinen means, among other things, determination. Here is the definition from the SGI dictionary of Buddhism …
ichinen
[一念] (Jpn; Chin i-nien )
A single moment of life, one instant of thought, or the mind or life at a single moment. Also, life-moment, thought-moment, or simply a single moment or instant. Ichinen has various meanings in Buddhism: (1) A moment, or an extremely short period comparable to the Sanskrit term kshana. The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom defines one kshana or moment as a sixtieth of the time it takes to snap one’s fingers. (2) The functioning of the mind for one moment. The “Distinctions in Benefits” (seventeenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra speaks of a single moment of belief and understanding. (3) To focus one’s mind on meditating on a Buddha; Shan-tao (613-681), a patriarch of the Chinese Pure Land school, defined ichinen (one instant of thought) as chanting Amida Buddha’s name once. (4) T’ient’ai (538-597) philosophically interprets ichinen in his doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life ( Jpn ichinen–sanze Chin i-nien san-ch’ien ). In this doctrine, ichinen indicates the mind of an ordinary person, which at each moment is endowed with the potential of three thousand realms; its characteristics are: (a) it pervades the entire universe; (b) it includes both body and mind; (c) it includes both self and environment; (d) it gives rise to good and evil; and (e) it encom-passes cause and effect simultaneously. Nichiren (1222-1282) embodied this philosophical framework in the form of a mandala known as the Gohonzon. By this he aimed to establish a practical way for ordinary people to manifest Buddhahood from among the Ten Worlds of their own lives. SGI Dictionary Online
Being good or being a success at something isn’t just about talent, it’s about having the desire, the determination, deep in your heart, to settle for nothing less than victory.
If you have a strong ichinen, you are far more likely to reach your goal. You still have to put in the effort and in fact, the more talent you have, the more effort is needed, because your end result might be far more exacting than a less talented person.
If you think you will fail, you will. You must embrace your goals, your targets, with every fibre of your being. Strive with all your might, night and day towards that goal and you are far more likely to succeed. Remember, you only fail when you decide to stop trying.
Success takes focus, desire, effort, hard work, determination and perseverance.
Ichinen covers them all, and chanting for what you want to achieve, makes your ichinen stronger and stronger.
30 Jan 2012 4 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Challenges, Determination, Poison Into Medicine, Winners
Whoever said that life was supposed to be a bowl of cherries? Our journey from birth to death, whichever lap we happen to be on at any one time, is a series of lows and highs, the rough and the smooth, the not-so-happy and the happy, the bad and the good.
So by assuming that, even though things may be going along smoothly just now, we should prepare ourselves for the next pot hole, the unexpected hairpin or that most untimely puncture that will most certainly come along, to make that journey even more satisfying. Being prepared, as all boy scouts know, is the trick to reducing the effect that these unforeseen circumstances will have on our progress.
We have often talked about turning poison into medicine, using the difficulties in life as our way of making ourselves stronger, and seeing obstacles as challenges rather than problems. The old adage of ‘what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger’ is exactly right, if we approach these things in the right manner. Being doggedly determined not to be beaten, to meet the challenges head on and win through, come hell or high water, is a great start and a great way to move on.
Imagine how disappointed we would all be, if the latest ride at Alton Towers was a perfectly straight, perfectly level piece of track, that started slowly, trundled along at walking pace, and gradually slowed to a genteel halt five minutes later. Who in their right mind would queue for something so predictable, so comfortable, so boring? Nobody I know.
The most popular rides, the ones that have the longest queues, and the ones that we want to get back on, time after time, are the ones that scare us witless, the ones that actually make us wonder if we will live to tell the tale. And that is how life can be if we prepare ourselves for the turns, the plunges, the unexpected. The greatest books, films and life stories are all about facing almost impossible adversity, battling against the odds, getting the odd knock along the way, but coming out as the victor in the end.
So face up to the rigours of life, meet those challenges head on, stay strong, be brave and make your life the subject of the greatest story Hollywood has ever told.
21 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Determination, Fate, Self Determination
Once upon a time, there was a general who was leading his army into battle against an enemy ten times the size of his own.
Along the way to the battle field, the troops stopped by a small temple to pray for victory.
The general held up a coin and told his troops, “I am going to implore the gods to help us crush our enemy. If this coin lands with the heads on top, we’ll win. If it’s tails, we’ll lose. Our fate is in the hands of the gods. Let’s pray wholeheartedly.”
After a short prayer, the general tossed the coin high into the air. It landed with the heads on top. The troops were overjoyed and went into the battle in high spirits.
Just as the coin predicted, the smaller army won the battle.
The soldiers were exalted, “It’s good to have the gods on our side! No one can change what they have determined.”
“Really?” asked the general, and showed them the coin … there was a head on both sides.
15 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhist Practice, Cycling, Determination
This weekend could not really have been much more varied, a bit of this, a bit of that, and it really has just flown by. The weather has been reasonably kind, considering we are in the middle of January, but it could have been a little warmer.
Practice comes first, but then I put in a fair bit of effort cycling against the chill wind. My body and legs were fine, but my ears and my fingers hated every minute. At least it stayed dry, and having my seasonal mop of hair helped keep my head warm, but the bits that were exposed to the wind took the full brunt.
Then it was a case of playing catch-up. Staying up till 4:30 this morning, to watch New England beat the Denver Broncos, 45-10, meant a rather late start. The washing and ironing still needed to get done, so it was a case of gritting my teeth and getting on with it. Not the most fun, but the results of my determined efforts are a wardrobe full of clean, ironed shirts, and drawers full of nice fresh clothes.
If you are anything like me, putting things off always results in a nagging feeling at the back of my mind. So having everything sorted out, being able to relax for the rest of the week, is a pleasure in itself. A small victory, I agree, but better than having the guilt hanging over me. Making the most of these small wins makes life that little bit more satisfying.
09 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Determination, Patience, Winners, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
So many times, we have talked about the fact that we only lose when we decide we have lost. Having the courage, patience and determination to press on, even when all the signs are telling you to stop, to give in, to cut and run, can allow unexpected results to occur.
Remaining calm, collected, objective and compassionate, even when the circumstances may be urging you on in other directions, is a feature of our nature that requires time, patience and practice.
I don’t think it is simply a coincidence that practice, meaning repeating a task or skill to improve your proficiency, and Buddhist practice, use the same word. As Gary Player, the famous golfer once said of his game, ‘the more I practice, the luckier I get’. Luck has nothing to do with it, and he, and we, know it.
So if you find the odds stacked against you, get disheartened by the way events seem to be going, believe in yourself and your practice. You might be surprised by what actually happens. So apply for that job, write that email or make that phone call, what have you got to lose?
07 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Decisions, Determination, Patience, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
Never forget that making a decision is the beginning, and not the end of the process. In many ways starting something is the easiest part, seeing things through to their conclusion takes far more effort and patience as well as wisdom, courage and compassion.
Whilst many opportunities need courage to grasp, rarely is it courage that sees them through to the end. Often it means relinquishing control into someone else’s hands which can be quite a frightening prospect.
Having determination, and the patience to allow others to realise that your chosen path is the right way to proceed is never an easy thing to accomplish. But the alternative is to reverse the decision, fail in the quest, and be prepared to stomach the bitter taste of defeat. I don’t think so.
27 Dec 2011 3 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Dark Passenger, Decisions, Determination, Winners, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
I don’t know about you, but when I say I’m going to do something, I mean it. When I decide on a course of action, I try my best to carry it out. So having had a little slide, I’m determined to focus on the goal and get back on course.
The trouble is, sometimes we don’t stick to our goals, and there are many, many reasons for that. Sometimes our Dark Passenger has a little word, introducing doubts or reasons why we should give up. Ignore him and get back on track, if you can.
There is nothing to compare with the feeling of satisfaction when we achieve our goals. In the same way, there is very little to compare with the feeling of disappointment when we let ourselves down and fail.
We all want to be happy, so be constant. You will be more successful, more content and people will know where they stand too. A win-win situation.
25 Dec 2011 1 Comment
in Buddhism Tags: Determination, Humility, Kung Fu, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
I thought it was an interesting choice of film to show on Christmas day, the story of a zero to hero Panda, through the application of Buddhist principles.
DreamWork’s Kung Fu Panda on TV today, not for the first time I have to admit, was a great lesson in humility, wisdom, trust and self confidence. If you haven’t seen the film it is, on the face of it, a kids cartoon, lots of action, lots of fun.
At a deeper level, it tells the story of the underdog, Po the Panda, who is chosen as the Dragon Warrior against the odds. Nobody believes that Oogway the Turtle has made the right decision, that he was chosen by chance, even though Oogway explains that there is no such thing as chance.
Even Po is convinced that he has been chosen by mistake, and cannot believe that he is the Dragon Warrior. He is slandered by everyone, even Shifu, who is charged with training Po in the ways of Kung Fu. The other pupils of Shifu, Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper and Mantis also look down on Po, though they slowly come to see that his determination is to be admired.
After Oogway passes on, having asked Shifu to believe in Po and following a lot of learning, Po has to meet his nemesis Tai Lung to save the valley.
Lots of Buddhist principles are woven through the film, a good watch and a fun way to learn.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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