The story of my path to Buddhahood through the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin
12 Feb 2012 2 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Buddhahood, Happiness, Practice
Happiness is a matter of the heart.
This is not mere spiritualism. Our hearts are precious vessels, endowed with the treasure of Buddhahood. When we strive earnestly, in faith and practice, and reveal our Buddhahood, we can walk along the sure and steady path to happiness, and attain a state of fulfilment and satisfaction.
Nichiren writes …
“Fortune comes from one’s heart and makes one worthy of respect.”
11 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Family, Happiness, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
Isn’t life grand when everyone is happy and getting along just fine. Today has been a day of enlarging family ties, much fun and frivolity, and a great deal of happiness. Introducing Bridget to Hannah and Stanley, as well as meeting Bridget’s children and her granddaughter, made the weekend.
The only fly in the ointment was having to call off meeting Charlotte and Oliver because there was as risk of picking up the tummy bug that Zach and Rob had been suffering with. As Bridget works with some elderly and infirm patients, it would have been rather unwise to expose her to any infection that she might pass on to them. Sad, but sensible.
Next weekend is Oliver’s Christening, so there will be plenty of chance for them to meet up then. I will naturally be performing my joint roles of Granddad Faraway and token Buddhist representative, and promise not to start any interfaith rumpus.
02 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Happiness, Heaven, Life-State
What do we mean by happiness? There may be as many answers to that as there are stars in the night sky, everyone has their own idea of what makes them happy, and equally what doesn’t.
Maybe it is the love of a partner, being part of a family, the pay cheque at the end of the month or that new car you had always promised yourself. Whatever your idea of happiness, we all crave more of it.
We can probably agree that it is all too often a transitory state, punctuated by periods where we are unhappy, or at least a bit glum. So what would you give to have more of this illusive life-state, and how can you go about achieving a happier life?
Well speaking personally, I can almost guarantee happiness from my Buddhist practice. That might sound a little trite or even rather far-fetched, but for me it is true. My practice helps me see life from all angles, the ups and downs, from my view-point and from that of others, and it ‘smoothes’ out the emotional bumps we encounter each and every day.
The idea at the very core of Buddhism, is the removal of suffering and that in itself helps us to be happier. Seeing the beauty in nature, the best facets of another’s personality, the joy in helping others, happiness is there for us all, all of the time and all around us. Living a life that is more concerned with others than ourselves, giving more than we take and so on, will also bring feelings of happiness. All we have to do is look out for it.
Living in a society that is more concerned about what we own, than who we really are, we all struggle to put those ideas into action. We hear about people earning ridiculous sums, whilst providing little by way of return, and wonder how they can live with the guilt. If society valued the good in people more than the goods of people, the world would be a much fairer, happier place.
My own life was made a little happier this week, when I heard a news item about an company owner in Australia, who gave each his employees a share of $15m in recognition of their efforts. I’m sure, judging by the reactions, that the employees were pretty happy about it. But how much happiness must Ken Grenda have felt himself as he made the announcement.
Whatever flavour your own happiness comes in, I wish you more of it, now and in the future. And when it arrives, make sure that you share it around. That way you will find it grows and grows, and that it lasts just that little bit longer.
26 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Family, Friendship, Happiness, Materialism, Sale
Nearly everyone I know has been rushing out to the Boxing Day sales today, determined to grab that ‘must have’ bargain. But is it a ‘must have’, is it even a ‘bargain’, is it, really?
All over Christmas, at every commercial break, we get bombarded with ‘Bargain Offers’ for buy now, pay later ‘Must Haves’ … Rubbish.
Happiness stems from who you are, and not from what you own. That nice new iPad2 or iPhone 4s that you have been showing off, will very soon be yesterdays toy, and the next big ‘must have’ thing will come along to take its place.
Look around you, see how much you really have, family, friends and all manner of comforts in life. You don’t need that ‘must have’ gizmo, and if it really were such a ‘bargain’, why would the company be selling it at that price? Because they are just ripping you off by a little less than before.
Retail therapy is only therapy for the companies selling the goods. Tell me, honestly, that you have never been out, bought a ‘bargain’, and regretted it, maybe even before you got home. Think before you spend that hard earned cash, think even harder before you pay with your credit card or take a loan. Do you really need it?
16 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Christmas, Happiness, Life-State, Party
What a wheeze, the company Christmas bash, held in the Cumberland hotel, Bournemouth was everything, and more, that I expected this evening. Having never been a huge fan of taking taxis, nor getting blotto on corporate hospitality, I was one of the more sober ones tonight, and what fun!
Of course, with the company executives in attendance, people were on their best behaviour as the evening commenced. But as the time rolled on, and the wine, beer and spirits flowed, inhibitions were slowly eroded and a few home truths came to the surface.
We are not the largest company in the world, and we are still a little like a family run business, where everyone knows everyone else by their first names. There was mention made of the fact that all the executives sat together on one table, with comments about the wannabe’s fawning around them, and it all made for an entertaining spectacle as the evening wore on.
Not a drop of alcohol passed my lips all night, so being stone cold sober, I was in the perfect position to watch the fun and games. Not that there was too much to report, but people do say and do the funniest things when they get a bit squiffy. As far as I know, no videos or photos have made their way onto the social networking sites, yet, but it is a good feeling to be able to let, what little hair I have, down, whilst being in total control of my faculties.
I’m sure there will be a few tales told on Monday, but apart from me being more of an observer than a participant, none of them will be about me.
08 Dec 2011 1 Comment
in Buddhism Tags: Challenges, Chanting, Happiness, Poison Into Medicine
Having said how tough things were yesterday, I am delighted to relate that today had been a much more positive and happy day, with some great progress and success in many areas. Many of the issues raised over that last week have been addressed and resolved, and I have spoken personally to some of the most vehement detractors, reducing their blood pressure and mine, and getting them back onside.
It is all too easy to let pressure get the better of us. To let ourselves focus on the negatives, to the detriment of the positives in life. Be that at work, in our home life or wherever, this is a big mistake and we all need to redress the balance if we are to meet the challenges.
So with work back on track, albeit that there is still much to do, things are now moving in a positive direction, I feel more able to concentrate on the more important things in life. Charlotte is due to have her last scheduled radiotherapy session tomorrow, and apart from that being a success in it’s own right, is a great relief to her and all her family and friends.
When we look back to the beginning of the year, with the devastating news about her cancer, the worrying news about her pregnancy and the difficult choices that were ahead, it is wonderful to reach this point. It would have been all too easy for us to dive into a state of hopeless depression. But with Charlotte’s own strength and positivity and my own blossoming practice, coupled with the huge support from everyone, we find ourselves coming out of the shadows and into the bright sunshine of achievement, with a beautiful baby boy and with Charlotte well down the road to full recovery.
17 Nov 2011 1 Comment
in Buddhism Tags: Happiness, Retirement, Sadness
My colleague Michael retired today, after 47 years service to the company. 47 years !!! It is amazing to think that his first day was way back in the 60’s, when I was nearly 10, short trousers and all. He assures me that he never actually met Mr Edward Stanley Gibbons, who started the company in 1856. But in my opinion, it’s a remarkable achievement and is something that will become even rarer as the years go by.
Of course, for Michael is a bit of a double edged sword. He’s retiring, no doubt with a handsome pension and all the free time in the world. On the other hand, his wife also works here, and although they don’t sit side by side, they are only feet apart in the same office, so that will be a big change for both of them.
He will have a lot more time to pursue his own interests, though being a philatelist, he’s really been paid to do that for nearly five decades, but he won’t have the company of all his colleagues, and we would like to think, friends. I have a strange feeling that we will miss his expertise and vast knowledge far more than he will miss our bad jokes and puerile (to him)questions about stamps.
So whilst it is a sad day for us and the company, it is a happy day for Michael, and one to which he has been looking forward for some time. I really hope he enjoys his retirement, stays healthy and manages to keep himself out of trouble. He has promised to pop back to see us from time to time, and I know he has a place booked for the Christmas dinner, so we will be able to keep an eye on him.
Have a brilliant retirement Michael, heaven knows that you have earned it, don’t be a stranger and please excuse us if we need to pick your invaluable brains from time to time.
07 Oct 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Happiness, Practice, Self, Wisdom Courage and Compassion
Ultimately, happiness rests on how you establish a solid sense of self or being. Happiness does not lie in outward appearances or vanity. It is a matter of what you feel inside, it is a deep resonance in your life.
To be filled each day with a rewarding sense of exhilaration and purpose, a sense of task accomplished and deep fulfilment, when you feel this way, you are happy. What is more, those who have this sense of satisfaction, even when they are busy and under pressure, are much happier than those who have all the time in the world, but feel empty inside.
14 Sep 2011 2 Comments
in Buddhism Tags: Challenges, Happiness, Life-State, Poison Into Medicine
It may seem to be a strange thing to say, but our happiness, or otherwise, is actually a choice we make for ourselves. It’s basically tied to the way we view the challenges that life throws at us.
When something happens, something we would rather hadn’t happened, we have a choice to make. Do we throw our hands in the air and go into a mood of depression, or do we face the issue head on?
If we take the former route, only seeing the bad side of things, the issue will seem to get bigger and worse than it actually is. Our depression will make things even worse, and a negative spiral ensues. This is not a good route to a positive outcome, and even if we were to conquer the problem, it would take us longer and require more effort in the long run. How often have you got into a state over something, only to realise, in the fullness of time, that it really wasn’t as bad as you thought?
The other way to approach things, is to remain calm, look for the positives, and there will be some, rather than focussing on the negatives. A calm mind works better than a frantic mind. Focussing on the positives actually raises our life-state, which makes us feel more energetic and more able to do what needs to be done and meet the challenges head on.
Enlightenment has been described as a state in which we are continuously happy. Now that might sound a bit far fetched, but if we make the right choices, consciously and subconsciously, we can maintain a state of happiness. To attain the ability to control our minds to such a degree that we make the right choices every time is no small matter, which is why the path to enlightenment is long and winding. But I know that I am further down the path each day, and the goal is worth every ounce of effort.
13 Sep 2011 Leave a comment
in Buddhism Tags: Challenges, Happiness, Positive
I guess that as someone with a good job, one that I really enjoy, I am one of the luckier people in today’s beleaguered society. Of course there are days when I would rather be spending time with my family, out walking by the sea, or enjoying the sights and sounds of the New Forest. But having work to do is, in itself a joy.
Lately, work has been pretty hectic, new projects and new challenges, and the whole team has been working hard to stay on track. Today was looking like another all out effort, early start, followed by a drive up to Newbury, and a set of objectives that were pretty tough on paper.
The day started with beautiful sunshine, so the holdup en-route wasn’t so bad, sitting enjoying the rural views from the A34. All in all, it was a very pleasant drive. Just being out of the office also made a really nice change. They do say that a change is as good as a rest, but maybe that is overstating the situation at times.
Although the work didn’t go without a hitch, we did eventually get even more done than originally planned, and although the sun didn’t shine all day, it only rained whilst we were in the office. Oh yes, and having got the work finished and out of the way, it was truly glorious by the time I set off for home.
So a really good day when you look at it, and so easy to focus on the best bits. Having a positive outlook, and enjoying the highs while letting the lows slide by is definitely a recipe for success, not to mention happiness, I thoroughly recommend you give it a try.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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