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.

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.

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.

Back To Basics

26 Aug 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

During morning Gongyo we say four Prayers, the first out loud, the last three silently to ourselves. During evening Gongyo, the first prayer is omitted.

The First Prayer – Appreciation for Life’s Protective Forces (spoken – morning Gongyo)

lotusI offer appreciation to the Shoten Zenjin, the functions in life and in the environment that serve to protect us, and prey that these protective powers may be further strengthened and enhanced through my practice of the Law.

The Second Prayer – Appreciation for the Gohonzon (silent)

lotusI offer my deepest praise and most sincere gratitude to the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws, which was bestowed upon the entire world.

I offer my deepest praise and most sincere gratitude to Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha  of the Latter Day of the Law.

I offer my deepest praise and most sincere gratitude to Nikko Shonin.

I offer sincere gratitude to Nichimoku Shonin.

The Third Prayer – For the attainment of kosen-rufu (silent)

lotusI pray that the great desire for kosen-rufu is fulfilled, and that the Soka Gakkai International develops eternally in this endeavour.

I offer my most sincere gratitude to the three founding presidents – Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda – for their eternal example of selfless dedication to the propagation of the Law.

The Fourth Prayer – Personal prayers and prayer for the deceased (silent)

lotusI pray to bring forth Buddhahood from within my life, change my karma and to fulfil my wishes in the present and the future.

(we may offer additional prayers here)

I pray for my deceased relatives and for all those who have passed away, particularly for these individuals:

(we name our relatives and friends here)

I pray for peace throughout the world and for the happiness of all humanity.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

A Little Further Along The Road

15 May 2013 4 Comments

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

Buddhist PracticeMy Buddhist Practice has become, over the years, my way of life. The routine of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and of prayer, that I go through every day, a routine that also involves me 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 give a stable anchor to our lives …

  • To raise our life-energy levels …

  • To chant for certain outcomes …

  • To move us along the road towards Buddhahood …

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

As a mere 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 to explain the results I saw, 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 still working wonders almost daily, and I truly believe the World would be a better place if more people were to discover those wonders.

It’s The Smile That Says It All

15 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

A Smile Like A Cheshire CatThe kids went back to school this morning, so like many of us, my journey to work involved sitting in near stationery queues of traffic most of the way to the office. A perfect time (and place) to chant, so chant I did.

Having spent over 30 minutes chanting Nam Myoho  Renge Kyo, I was buzzing, a better buzz than any strong coffee could deliver, and I was feeling ready to tackle the world.

I was feeling great, and apparently it showed. I was smiling, walking with a spring in my step and people noticed. I was greeted with many happy ‘Good Mornings’ from people smiling straight back, and I could see that it had made a positive change to their morning too.

Nichiren teaches that chanting increases our life-energy, which is brilliant. What is even more amazing, is that it also affects all those around us, by increasing their life-energy too.

Ghandi said ‘be the change you want to see in the world’ and chanting is changing me. As if by magic, the changes in me are causing changing my colleagues, and all for the better.

I don’t think I have ever really been the ‘bear with a sore head’ type of person in the morning, but my increased energy levels are having a profound effect, and I love it !!!

Previous Older Entries

%d bloggers like this: