The story of my path to Buddhahood through the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin
27 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Effort, Family, Happiness, Healing, Illness
In one of his writings, renowned microbiologist René Dubos, stated. “History teaches that man without effort is sure to deteriorate; man cannot progress without effort, and man cannot be happy without effort.” This is indisputable.
You may be experiencing various hardships now, but because you continue to make efforts in the midst of those challenges, no matter how painful they are, you will definitely become happy. Effort and happiness are indivisible.
26 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Family, Friendship, Happiness, Healing, Illness
Sometimes situations seem so painful, and we have so little control, that there is a real chance of losing hope. In the past, before I found Nichiren Buddhism, I might have struggled to cope with the pain and anguish that Charlotte has been suffering this past week.
Being at arms length, unable to make any real difference to the situation, and having to rely on reports from Rob, Hannah and Karen to try to stay connected to what was happening is tough. I’m pretty hopeless at letting things lie at the best of times, but something like this is really difficult.
So I am pleased to be able to say that there is a light at the end of this long tunnel. Charlotte has been discharged from hospital and is on her way home. The staff must be confident that she is stable enough to leave, though none of us are under any misapprehension that there is still a long way to go before she is healed.
At least she will be back in familiar surroundings and will have her boys around her. Jake is old enough to understand what has been going on, and that he must be careful. Oliver is probably still too little to be much trouble. But Zach, who is a little bulldozer at times, will have to be ‘educated’ about being gentle with his mummy.
I am really happy to have some good news, and would like to thank all the good people who have sent messages of support for Charlotte and the rest of the family. You know who you are, and we are privileged to be surrounded by such lovely caring folk.
Namaste ~ Anupadin
20 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Connections, Family, Happiness, Relationships, Sadness
Relationship problems are opportunities to grow and mature. Such problems can be character building if you don’t let them defeat you.
That’s why it’s important not to isolate yourself. No one can exist apart from others. Remaining aloof from others cultivates selfishness, which accomplishes nothing.
~ Daisaku Ikeda
18 Oct 2012 1 Comment
in Buddhism Tags: Daisaku Ikeda, Happiness, Materialism, Self Awareness, Self Improvement, Transformation
Such things as money, fame, and material possessions offer a fleeting satisfaction, something that can be called relative happiness.
However, when we transform our lives internally, when we develop within ourselves a brilliant inner palace, then we can be said to have established absolute happiness.
If we develop a state of mind as vast and resplendent as a magnificent palace, then nothing—no matter where we go or what we may encounter in life-can undermine or destroy our happiness.
~ Daisaku Ikeda
16 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Challenges, Happiness, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Practice
There are times in life, when it’s very reminiscent of being on a narrowboat, when the main object of each day is to get closer to an overall destination without rocking the boat. Steering the middle way, taking no risks, trying to get to the other end without making waves or upsetting the people you pass along the way.
When you find yourself in situations where the only outcomes you can actually influence are all negative, you find yourself trying to switch off from the effects these situations are having on you. Find yourself trying to create distractions with unrelated things, which will have no bearing on the final outcome.
And this can be so very tiring. Like sitting in a room with no windows, no books, nothing to occupy your mind. Time passes so slowly. As a boy, I would sit on a lake or river bank from the first light of dawn, till the last rays of sunset, fishing for elusive creatures that sometimes never showed themselves.
I was never bored, I was so engrossed that there were times that I forgot to eat my packed lunch. Those summer, and often winter, days flew by even when the trials and tribulations of my teenage years were buzzing around my head. Concentrating on that fluorescent float tip, bright against the dark, slow moving waters, held my attention like nothing else could.
I don’t get to do much fishing these days, I have reservations about the cruelty of the sport, and being a Buddhist means I can’t really ignore that with a clean conscience. But I do have my Practice, my chanting and my prayer which are just as enthralling and can hold my attention even better than my piscatorial past.
So I’m moving ever closer to my goal of enlightenment through my daily practice. Being able to see the bigger picture means that I can actually measure the progress. It also means that these awkward situations are there in the background, and although I never ignore or forget about them, that my boat is a little steadier each day.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
15 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhist Practice, Daisaku Ikeda, Happiness, Joy, Lotus Sutra, Mystic Law, Sadness
What is true joy in life? This is a difficult question to answer, and one that has occupied the time of a great many thinkers and philosophers.
Joy is transitory and can quickly give way to suffering. Joy is often short and suffering often long.
Also, what passes for joy in society is superficial. It cannot compare with the joy derived from the Mystic Law. The key therefore, lies in cultivating a state of mind where we can declare without reservation, that life itself is a joy.
This is the purpose of our Buddhist practice.
~ Daisaku Ikeda
10 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Chanting, Family, Happiness, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Relationships, Sadness
Feelings change as we reflect on the causes for those feelings. Acting in haste, motivated by anger, disappointment or desperation will result in the causes of unwanted effects.
When you encounter a wall, you should tell yourself, “Since there is a wall here, a wide, open expanse must lie on the other side.”
Rather than becoming discouraged, know that encountering a wall is proof of the progress that you have made so far.
So here we are, encountering a wall, and striving with all our hearts to find a way to get to the other side.
08 Oct 2012 2 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Challenges, Chanting, Happiness, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Relationships, Sadness, Self Awareness, Self Determination, Self Improvement
You may have gathered that the last few days and weeks have been a little challenging for me. It’s been a little difficult at work, though I’m happy to say that we seem to have worked through that.
But that hasn’t really been the most difficult issue. My relationship with Bridget, a relationship that had really seemed to be going so well, has struck the rocks in a major fashion, and has gone down with all hands.
It’s nobody’s fault, and although it is, and has been rather painful, in an odd sort of way, it feels strangely right that we go our separate ways. It may be that this is not the end of the story, but only time will tell. I really hope that her roller coaster ride evens out a little and that she will find happiness very soon.
So here I am, Anupadin, the one who tries to expound a daily gem of enlightening wisdom, having to call on my practice and my progress to make sense of it all. I have chanted about the past, the present and the future, but as you might expect, it’s going to be a work in progress for some time.
04 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Cause And Effect, Challenges, Happiness, Practice, Right Thinking
There are situations and challenges in life, when the almost overwhelming tendency is to look inwards, to examine repeatedly, the reasons and causes that have brought us to this point in time.
We may have certain regrets about things we did, or indeed didn’t do, but the fact of the matter is that the past is set in stone.
Of course, making sense of situations, and the events that brought them about, can be very useful if we are to avoid making repeated mistakes or errors of judgement. But a continuous process of navel gazing is never going to get us back out into the big wide world. Imagine what you would miss, if you were to sit and stare at your hands, neatly folded in your lap, every time you went on a train, a plane, or a car journey.
So whilst we must take care to learn from the lessons in life. We must also look forward to using those lessons as we move forward towards a brighter and happier future, buoyed by the knowledge that we are better prepared to meet whatever we might encounter around the next exciting corner.
29 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Family, Food, Happiness, Illness, Restaurants
A splendid time was had by all at the Thai Restaurant in the old town in Poole tonight. This was much to my relief, as we were all there on my recommendation, although I have to admit it was a pretty safe bet, the food, service, setting, everything is always first class.
Obviously, with Jill’s mobility issues, it was also a good choice, very close to the hotel, no hills or steps, apart from the one at the front door, almost perfect. But the physical attributes of the restaurant weren’t the only consideration.
Jill also suffers from a marked lack of taste. No, she doesn’t wear strange colour combinations, like psychedelic blouses with a flamingo pink feather boa, she just cannot taste much of the food she eats.
It serves to remind us, that the world out there, is only made manifest to us because our senses link it to our inner consciousness. Take away those links, be that sight, hearing, touch, or in Jill’s case taste, and the reality is altered.
So to make up for the dulled nature of her taste senses, she tends to eat more spicy food, and hence the choice of a Thai restaurant. It is interesting however, that she can tell whether a tea or coffee tastes nice or not, so there is a neurological element to the problem.
This all lead us to wondering whether there is a taste equivalent to colour blindness, flavour blindness if you will, where the taste of food is different for each individual. There is a degree of evidence that supports this. Some people love really hot curries, me being one of them, others cannot stand anything hotter than a korma.
Suffice to say, not only did we have a very nice meal and a very enjoyable evening, but Jill also enjoyed having some tasty food, and we stretched the boundaries of science a little by discovering taste blindness. All in all a great night out.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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