One of the principles of Nichiren Buddhism concerns the Oneness of Self and the Environment and how that connection affects all of us in ways we sometimes fail to grasp.
If you drop a pebble, no matter how small, into a pond, the ripples generated spread out in all directions and interact with everything in their path.
This principle states that there is a connection between the person and others around him or her. It is therefore clear that changes in our life-state, the way we relate or react to others and changes due to our Practice will affect those whose lives we interact with.
Some of these affects are very obvious. If we walk around with a happy demeanour, we find that people are more likely to be pleasant towards us. If, on the other hand, we walk around in a bad mood, with a scowl on our face, we find that people are less friendly and may try to avoid us completely.
Ok, so no rocket science there then, but there are more subtle ways in which changes can be felt. In my own case, my Practice has allowed me to stabilise my life-state, generally I am now more often in higher Worlds (see The Ten Worlds) than lower ones. The result of that is that I am better placed to create value, for myself and those around me.
I think it is also important to be aware that the ripples, whilst being generally well accepted, can also rock the boat in some circumstances. I had to smile to myself when my post from yesterday caused a great deal of ripples, with pretty much everyone I hold dear ringing, texting or mailing to ask me what the decision was about.
My Practice is changing me and those changes are affecting others. That’s why it is so important for me to ensure that as these changes take place, my Wisdom, Courage and Compassion increases too, so I can make sure the changes are all good ones.
A life that is lived without purpose or focus, the kind in which one never discovers the reason why one was born, is joyless and lacklustre. To simply live, eat, sleep and die without any real sense of purpose, surely represents a life pervaded by the life-state of Tranquillity or Animality.
The very reason for my Buddhist Practice is to bring me a little closer to Buddhahood each and every day.
Buddhist Practice is rather like a dog, for life, and not just for Christmas, and must be part of your very being.
Life is a series of ups and downs, most inconsequential, others more serious. Given that they are the very nature of our existence, wouldn’t it make sense to develop a strategy by which we can cope with the bumps?
Do you remember the day you mastered the art of riding a bicycle? Of course you do. For me, it was the culmination of a rather lengthy, and very frustrating process, and but for the perseverance of my father, I might never have learned at all.
So often, and I am as guilty as anyone, we want things to happen now.
Every day we have highs and lows, wins and losses, good things happen, bad things happen, each and every day.
Each 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.
The Search For Enlightenment 
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