The M Word

23 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Time After TimeUrgh !!! Monday morning, five o’clock, and the alarm on my mobile is insisting that it’s time to get up, pack, and set off back to Ringwood. I’m not going to say it again, but each time is just a little more painful than the last.

The rain only made the drive less pleasant, not that it’s a difficult trip, but it’s nice to see the countryside when it’s bathed in early morning sunshine rather than the drizzle that followed me all the way to Hampshire.

The day went well, eased along by the mirth and banter in the office. Having a couple of hours to chant always helps too, particularly when, I have to admit, I had been rather lax in that department this weekend.

Lots of issues and tasks later, I was feeling like I had put in a good shift. A couple of useful and rather friendly customer phone calls also helped the day fly by. So by the time I got back home, for the first time in nearly four days, there were the usual chores to be done as well as sorting out my evening meal.

So now I’m back in the groove, fed, watered and sorted, well sort of. So I’m going to do Gongyo, raise my life-state and then get a good night’s sleep, ready to start all over again tomorrow. At least the trip to the office will only take thirty minutes in the morning, I hope.

Energy To Burn

15 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Nam-Myoho-Renge-KyoLife is punctuated by a series of  problems and challenges, but what is the real difference between them? Generally speaking we call situations we can deal with, challenges, and those we fear we cannot deal with, problems. But actually, the difference is in our own heads and depends more on our life-state at the time the situation arises.

If we are in a higher life-state, we look upon the situation as a challenge. We concentrate our energies to resolving the situation and pride ourselves that we rose to the challenge. If, on the other hand, we are depressed and in a lower life-state, we tend to get further depressed by the situation, our life-energies are reduced and the problem, as we now call it, becomes insurmountable.

So the question is, how do we keep our life-energy, and hence our life-state, as high as possible in order to enable us to confront situations with confidence. That’s where chanting comes in. When I chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, I can feel my life-energy increasing.

The more I chant, the louder I chant, the higher my life-state rises, so when situations arise, as they always will, I am in a better position to deal with them. It works for me, and it works for millions of people across the world, so why not give it a go and see whether it will work for you, I’m sure it will.

No Rush

24 Mar 2012 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

Lazy DayToday was the first day of our holiday, and we had such plans. Some guy from a well known double glazing company was due to arrive about 10:00 so we were planning to get up and eat breakfast in good time. In the event, he called to say that he had a family emergency and couldn’t make it. B thought it was sad and felt sorry for him, I was a little less than convinced.

Anyway, whether it was true, or whether he saw how beautiful the weather was and decided to head for the coast, was immaterial, we had nothing planned for the rest of the morning. So we went back to bed, and talked and talked and talked. Living apart gives us both space, but there is always so much to discuss when we are together.

We also slept, even though we had both slept well last night. I’ve spoken before about recharging the batteries, and today was just such a day. In the end, we got up about 4:00pm, a very lazy day. J & H popped in for a cup of tea and a chat, we did a bit of shopping and went over to see B’s mum, but that was about it.

We have a ton of things to do this week, DIY, paperwork, all sorts, but it couldn’t have been finished today or tomorrow, and taking some time to relax has put us in a good place to begin in earnest on Monday.

Doom And Gloom

15 Mar 2012 1 Comment

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

My Fundamental DarknessWhen life’s road gets a little bumpy, it’s easy to let it get you down, and that can have a series of knock-on effects. When the (whatever the opposite of ) rose-coloured spectacles go on, when all glasses are suddenly half empty, it a sure sign that you are in, or heading straight for, Hell state.

Hell state isn’t all fire and brimstone, as Christianity might suggest, it’s where your negativity takes over, where your Fundamental Darkness holds sway. In my case, my Dark Passenger has been rather too vocal over the last couple of days, making up ridiculous scenarios and basically forging my own little hell.

The side-effect of that can be that I tend to take others there with me. I’m less rational, more irritable, less approachable than usual. That’s not a very nice way to be, but it’s even less nice for those around me. If you’ve been on the receiving end, over the last few days, I am very sorry. I’m going to take steps to put things right.

So it’s time to take myself off somewhere quiet, a secluded spot where I can be alone, somewhere I can chant my head off !!! Just writing this is making me feel better already, because I know that chanting will definitely do the trick. It always does. So I’ll see you later. I’ll be the one with the smile on my face.

Core Strength

01 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

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

Inner StrengthWe are very similar, in many ways, to steel reinforced concrete, in that much of our strength comes from within. The pillars of motorway bridges are immensely strong because, apart from the toughness of the concrete itself, they have a rigid steel structure embedded within them.

In the same way, we have an inner strength, an emotional structure that allows us to handle the rigours of daily life. The strength of that structure is different in each one of us, indeed it can change depending on the strain that life is exerting at any given point in time. But the important thing to understand, is that we can increase it through some very simple practices.

Generally speaking, we are stronger, mentally, when we see problems as challenges, and stronger still when we feel we can overcome those challenges and come out the other side unscathed. So how do we improve our resilience to the bumps and knocks that life delivers?

Well in my own case, I find that chanting raises my life-state and allows me to tackle challenges more positively. By chanting about a particular issue, I find that I see the details more clearly and hence have more ideas regarding the possible solutions to solve it.

Of course, other people have their own way to deal with challenges. Some meditate, some pray to their God for guidance or divine intervention, some in fact are so grounded that they seem to have a built in ability to cope.

However you go about it, the most important thing to remember is that confidence and determination are key factors in winning the battle. Sitting and cogitating the fluff in your navel, getting depressed, or feeling that the challenge is just far too great to tackle, will undoubtedly result in failure, so don’t do it.

One really good tip, whatever you are facing, is to try to break down the task at hand into bite sized pieces. As Geoff says to Ed, in The Buddha, Geoff and Me, ‘How do you eat an elephant?’ … ‘One bite at a time’. So take it bit by bit, deal with each day as it arrives, and remember to stay strong and above all positive. If you believe you will win, then you are already half way there.

Perfect Peace?

23 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

TranquillitySometimes the World of Tranquillity can be a true blessing, a lull after a period of intense effort.

At other times it can be be like the dying notes of a moving piece of music, the echoes of the most magnificent firework display.

Maybe the biggest difference between the two is whether you wished for Tranquillity or not.

If you do wish for it, Tranquillity can be the most restful of time, if not it can be as quiet as the grave, peaceful but not something which you might actively desire.

If you find yourself becalmed in a world of Tranquillity, chanting will raise your life-state and get the energies flowing again.

What Is Happiness?

02 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , ,

What Is HappinessWhat 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.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Explained

04 Jan 2012 11 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Nam Myoho Renge KyoThe most commonly asked questions, when people learn that I am a Buddhist, are ‘do you chant?’ followed by ‘what do you chant?’ and then ‘what does it mean?’. Nichiren Buddhists chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo in a rhythmic mantra during Gongyo, and quite often at other times, to raise our Life-State and Life-Energy levels.

But what does it mean? Well it encapsulates many things, including affirmation of our devotion to the Lotus Sutra. This explanation comes from the  Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism.

[南無妙法蓮華経] Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

The ultimate Law or truth of the universe, according to Nichiren’s teaching. Nichiren first taught the invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to a small group of people at Seicho-ji temple in his native province of Awa, Japan, on the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month in 1253. It literally means devotion to Myoho-renge-kyo. Myoho-renge-kyo is the Japanese title of the Lotus Sutra, which Nichiren regards as the sutra’s essence, and appending nam (a phonetic change of namu ) to that phrase indicates devotion to the title and essence of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren identifies it with the universal Law or principle implicit in the meaning of the sutra’s text.

The meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is explained in the opening section of The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, the record of Nichiren’s lectures on the Lotus Sutra compiled by his disciple and successor, Nikko. It states that namu derives from the Sanskrit word namas and is translated as devotion, or as “dedicating one’s life.” What one should dedicate one’s life to, he says, are the Person and the Law. The Person signifies “Shakyamuni,” which means the eternal Buddha, and the Law is “the Lotus Sutra,” which means the ultimate truth, or Myoho-renge-kyo. According to Orally Transmitted Teachings, the act of devotion (namu) has two aspects: One is to devote oneself to, or fuse one’s life with, the eternal and unchanging truth; the other is that, through this fusion of one’s life with the ultimate truth, one simultaneously draws forth inexhaustible wisdom that functions in accordance with changing circumstances.

Orally Transmitted Teachings further states: “We may also note that the nam of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a Sanskrit word, while Myoho-renge-kyo are Chinese words. Sanskrit and Chinese join in a single moment to form Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. If we express the title [of the Lotus Sutra] in Sanskrit, it will be Saddharma-pundarika-sutra. This is Myoho-renge-kyo. Sad (a phonetic change of sat ) means myo, or wonderful. Dharma means ho, Law or phenomena. Pundarika means renge, or lotus blossom. Sutra means kyo, or sutra. The nine Chinese characters [that represent the Sanskrit title] are the Buddha bodies of the nine honoured ones. This expresses the idea that the nine worlds are none other than the Buddha world.”

Myo stands for the Dharma nature, or enlightenment, while ho represents darkness, or ignorance. Together as myoho, they express the idea that ignorance and the Dharma nature are a single entity, or one in essence. Renge stands for the two elements of cause and effect. Cause and effect are also a single entity.”

Kyo represents the words and voices of all living beings. A commentary says, ‘The voice carries out the work of the Buddha, and it is called kyo.’ Kyo may also be defined as that which is constant and unchanging in the three existences of past, present, and future. The Dharma realm is myoho, the wonderful Law; the Dharma realm is renge, the lotus blossom; the Dharma realm is kyo, the sutra.”

As Nichiren states, namu derives from Sanskrit, and Myoho-renge-kyo comes from Chinese. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is, therefore, not simply a Japanese phrase, but a Japanese reading of a Sanskrit and Chinese phrase. In this sense, it contains aspects of the languages of three countries in which Mahayana Buddhism spread. According to Nichiren’s treatise The Entity of the Mystic Law, Nan-yüeh and T’ient’ai of China and Dengyoof Japan recited the invocation meaning devotion to the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law, or Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as their private practice, but they did not spread this practice to others.

In On the Three Great Secret Laws, Nichiren states that the daimoku Nichiren chants today in the Latter Day of the Law is different from that of the previous ages—the daimoku T’ient’ai and others chanted in the Former Day and Middle Day of the Law—because the practice of daimoku in the Latter Day of the Law involves chanting it oneself and teaching others to do so as well. Nichiren not only established the invocation (daimoku) of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo but embodied it as a mandala, making it the object of devotion called Gohonzon. In Reply to Kyo’o, he states, “I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart. The Buddha’s will is the Lotus Sutra, but the soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (412).

Such A Laugh

16 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

Company Christmas PartyWhat 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.

Watching The Watcher

12 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , ,

WatchingEach day brings us joys and challenges, each of which have the ability to alter our life-state in some manner. Joys tend to raise our life-state, challenges may lower it if we let them, and there lies the conundrum. We need to be vigilant, to observe our life-state from moment to moment, but in doing so, we affect that life-state.

Just as in quantum physics, the mere act of observation affects the phenomenon being observed, self observation of our life-state can, and most likely will affect it too. Imagine a situation where you become angry because something has not gone the way you would like. Initially you may be reacting instinctively, in an animalistic fashion. But as soon as you realise that you are reacting in such a manner, in other words, you observe your life-state, there is a large chance that you will change to that of a more calm and reflective mood, even into a state of tranquillity.

So we have this little test for ourselves. We must be, as far as possible, aware of our life-state. Ideally we want to be in one of the higher states, not grubbing around in the worlds of Hell, Hunger, Animality or Anger, but in Learning, Realisation, Bodhisattva or even Buddhahood. The act of testing can help us raise our life-state through awareness, which is a good thing. But be warned, when the results come back, and you find you are in one of the lower worlds, that can be a sobering moment, when you realise that you are not as far along the path to enlightenment as you would like to be.

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries