An Experience by José Antonio

I would like to talk about my own experience practicing the Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism, and how that process has been.

I was born in Caracas-Venezuela 57 years ago. I had a good education thanks to the effort of my parents. I became a musician, a pianist. I began to play music and work professionally. I also did teach artistic education in children's schools. During that time I met Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but shortly.

In 1980 when I was 25, I got an offer to come to Brussels-Belgium to play "Latin music." I started working and touring successfully. During that time I also started using and abusing drugs and alcohol. After a few years I got married and soon after we had our daughter.

Because of my addiction and bad habits, I became very irresponsible, egoistic, and very arrogant. Then because I was so unreliable I lost my wife and my family. At this point my life went down hill. I lost my dignity, my integrity, self-respect, the respect from my friends and my colleagues. I found myself spending a lot of money, sad, depress, lonely, and with empty pockets. 

I was lost.! .. I knew I needed to change my life, and I didn't know how. I did try all kind of treatments but that didn't work properly.

Suddenly, one day in 2007, I met an old friend on the street. She invited me to her house and introduced me to the wonderful world of Nichiren Daishonin Buddism and to chant 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. I recognized it from my early days in Caracas. So I did embraced it immediately.

Little by little I started to change and see the beauty of life from a different perspective. My process of "Human Revolution" started then. It has been a long and a very difficult process because of my self-destructive habits, and my negative attitude that had affected my character seriously not being able to see the true nature of my weaknesses. Everybody, the entire world was wrong, except me! ..

A few months ago, I had a serious confrontation with my daughter, it was a crucial moment that did show me clearly how deep my karma was taken place and how that was manifesting in my family and my environment. I invited her to have a deep and positive conversation about our problems, and we had a very wise and constructive dialogue face to face, heart to heart. And for the first time I was really listening to what she had to tell me, her point of view as a grown up person, and not as a child as I used to see her. At this point the quality of our relation did change radically.

I realized how much selfish and irresponsible I was being to her, to the others, and to myself. So I learned that the problems and the solutions are within us. What we think, what we say, and what we do, create causes and effects. I started chanting earnestly every morning and every night to break and transform my karma. And with the deep purpose to become a better person with great values, I wanted to get back my dignity and respect, and to win and overcome my problems. That became my fundamental priority. I started then to claim the hill, to claim 

the mountain.

We all have the potential within us to change our life, it's all about attitude and determination. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo provide us with the fuel to bring out the necessary force, 

the wisdom,and the courage to take action. When we change, the world changes too.

To end, I would like to read a short paragraph from a Gosho "Reply to Nichigon-ama”:

"When water is clear, the moon is reflected,

when faith is strong, is like clear water."

Thank you.

José Antonio

Amsterdam, February, 28th, 2013.

A Rosie Outlook

By Sally Marks

Thanks for contributing this story Sally!

                                  by grafitomane

I was crabby yesterday.  Basically I’m an optimistic person, but yesterday I was a grouch.  I had a slight setback regarding our upcoming book, and I was annoyed.  I probably should have taken a walk, but I didn’t.  I ate a donut instead.  

I didn’t specifically go out in search of a donut.  A client asked me to meet him at the Dunkin Donuts shop near my office and I complied.  Normally I wouldn’t have opted for the sugary pastry, but I was in a bad mood and I went against my better instincts.  

Fortunately for me the donut and hot chocolate were very unsatisfying.  Indulgent pleasures generally are.  I get that little sugar high and then a big let down, both physically and emotionally.  After all, it’s January and losing weight and exercising are always top contenders of my New Year’s resolutions.  Donut eating is not on the list. 

However, I did take some positive actions.  I mailed a proposal, stopped at the library and checked out an inspirational book, self help book, and wrote several query letters to literary agents.  I make it a point that when I suffer a setback I take immediate steps to counteract it.  Unfortunately, I ate the donut before I took my positive actions. 

That evening I went to a Buddhist meeting.  I saw an unfamiliar face and introduced myself.  Once we started talking I realized I had met her before, but since she had not been to meetings in a while I didn’t recognize her.  She told everyone she had become busy at work and her once-strong efforts to strive for personal growth and work for world peace (basic Buddhist tenets) had fallen by the wayside.  Unfortunately, her dedicated efforts at work (60-hour work weeks and plenty of stress) took a toll on her health.  She became sick and subsequently lost her job due to her illness. 

However, rather than fall into a funk over her job loss and declining health, she saw the events as an opportunity to revive her Buddhist practice.  It was inspiring to listen to her as she made a determination to start anew. She spoke eloquently and her eyes shone with conviction.   

My mood was instantly lifted.  She voiced what a lot of folks face in their life – going through the motions of living and not really engaging one’s heart. I thought about the difference of merely writing my goals and making a real determination to create a significant change in my life.  I realized that simply writing goals was an intellectual exercise at best and a mere habit at worst.   

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating a brain bypass.  But knowledge by itself is not the answer.  Heart-felt conviction is crucial for embracing change and obtaining our goals.  It’s no wonder I keep writing the same resolutions year after year.  My head was engaged in the process, but certainly not my heart.  After listening to Rosie, I knew I couldn’t just go through the motions.  I needed to make a strong determination, followed by concrete actions to break through my donut-eating complacency. I may like donuts, but I love my life a lot more and I want to preserve my health. 

Like Rosie, we will have times when we backslide in our efforts.  It could be a donut, a grumpy mood, a harsh word, or even a financial setback such as losing one’s job.  But setbacks are only permanent if we allow them to be.  For me, I’d rather adopt the “Rosie” outlook and make a heart-felt determination to start anew. 

Love and peace,

Sally 

For more works by Sally, pick up 

Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within

The Shakabuku Rock

By Sally Marks

Thanks Sally for contributing this story!

I read an uplifting story about how a sickly Korean woman overcame illness by helping others. Her story gave me the inspiration to use a similar tactic in my own life. 
 
The woman began practicing Buddhism and was encouraged to tell other about the philosophy, and to chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. She gathered several pebbles and placed them in her pockets. Every time she told someone about Buddhism, she removed one stone. In three months time all her stones were gone, and so was her debilitating illness. 

The word for introducing others to this particular sect of Buddhism is shakabuku. 

Proselytizing can be an uncomfortable practice – even when an individual has experienced absolute proof that chanting works. With that in mind, I decided to experiment with a whimsical icebreaker at my next Buddhist meeting. 

                                   By Nahualli

I purchased a number of colorful glass stones and placed them in a large, glass vase. I passed the vase around and told the members to take a few stones. They could take one, two, or a handful, but they would be using the stones at a later date. Everyone participated. Some folks carefully selected a single stone. Others took a handful. After everyone had their rocks I told them about the story of the Korean woman. I asked each person to carry their rocks around to remind them of the importance of telling others about their Buddhist practice. 
  
A week later, I was at a different meeting, and since I still had plenty of stones, I did the same icebreaker. One of the men, a fellow named Rich, had been at my previous meeting. He told the group that when he came home from the first meeting, he told his wife, Kathy, that he had a shakabuku rock. He was going to carry the stone with him to remind him to share Buddhism with others. Unfortunately, Rich had discovered that he never had the opportunity to have a casual conversation with anyone at work. He also knew religious discussions at work were a taboo subject.  
  
However, the following day, a coworker discovered Rich lived close to his house and asked if they could carpool to work. Rich gave the young man a ride and they wound up discussing philosophy. This unlikely event made it possible for Rich to tell the fellow about Buddhism. Rich told the folks at the meeting that the stone was a good reminder to take the time to share Buddhism with others - especially those who are suffering. 
  
While I believe in the importance of spreading Buddhism, I thought that the stones don’t need to be limited to only religious introductions – or shakabuku. I thought to myself that I could carry stones to remind myself to practice other good deeds as well. I try to be a thoughtful person, but it never hurts to have a little physical reminder. Since I have a habit of sticking my hands in my pockets anyway, I can use this simple act as an opportunity to nudge me in a kinder, gentler direction. The act can be as simple as a smile to a stranger, opening the door for someone, or simply a kind word. 
  
I’m using my shakabuku rocks to create a shift in my thinking. Rather than making a mountain out of mole hill when things do not go my way, my determination is to take a mole hill of kindness and turn it into a mountain – one beautiful, glass stone at a time. 

For more by Sally Marks, pick up
Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within

An Experience by Charles Johnson

By Charles Johnson

In the year of 1963, I was nine years old. My mother got me a membership to Uncle Ray’s Scrapbook club. Each week in the Worcester Massachusetts Telegram, the local Newspaper, Uncle Ray would write articles about History, Science and the World around us. The very first article I that I pasted into my scrapbook was an article and a picture of Shakyamuni Buddha. My Mother told me about the Buddha’s compassion for everything of this world. I told my mother at that time, this is how I would live my life.

It was many years later that a friend helped me to re-awaken what had been buried in my heart for so many years and led me to receive Gohonzon in Boston, Massachusetts in September of 2006...

In 2007, I worked as a Television Production Instructor for the United States Army’s, 3rd Psychological Operations Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The work involved spending 2 weeks on Base and then 3 weeks off. The pay was phenomenal.

Then 2008 arrived and all the work dried up as all of my students were being deployed around the world. I had enough money for food and to pay my mortgage for 5 months and that was it. When you work as a contractor to the Military there is no unemployment. So, I started sending out resumes and looking for work online.

On top of being out of work with no income, in March of 2008, my best friend, my 17 year old cat, became gravely ill. I was faced with the hardest obstacle of my life as it was necessary for me and a veterinarian to ease his suffering and help him go home.
The road I was traveling had gotten very dark, but I managed to keep the light of hope and strength burning brightly by doing Gongyo twice a day and chanting continuously.

As the end of May rolled around, I had enough money for my June mortgage payment, leaving me with $35. dollars in my savings account.
I chanted with ever growing Faith and Determination, to find a job where my skill set would be highly sought after by a company whose product I could truly say I believed in. I wanted to be part of a team that made a positive difference in this world by bringing truth and not fantasy to people.

                                             ~FireFlyGal

By mid-June, I cut back to one meal a day. As I made a bowl of rice one evening, I placed a teaspoonful of uncooked rice in a small cup and set it in front of my Gohonzon as I started my evening prayers. I still have the same cup of rice on my altar today.


The very next day, I received a phone call from Discovery Communications. They said they had read my resume on line and asked if I could come to Silver Spring at their expense for an interview. During the third week of June I flew from Massachusetts to Silver Spring and met with 4 executives that showed me the Engineering facility and grilled me for several hours with technical questions.

I flew home the same day and felt that the interview went very well. The next day I received a call from Discovery with a job offer that exceeded my wildest dreams. The offer of course I accepted.

They immediately put me in touch with their relocation company which helped me put my house up for sale and they provided me with a $5000. check toward my initial moving expenses. A portion of this money enabled me to pay my July mortgage. Then to top it all, they said that they would pay for all of my moving costs. So, I drove on June 29 to my sister’s house in Centreville, Virginia. Bringing with me, my clothes, laptop, Gohonzon and Butsudan, and my books.

I started work on July 1, 2008 and stayed at my sister’s house for a little over a year. Each day I would take the Metro from Vienna to Silver Spring and back again in the evening. My commute of three hours a day could have been tedious, but during this time I was able to read both volumes of the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, The Lotus Sutra and the entire series of The Wisdom of The Lotus Sutra.

One day last June, I had gotten out of work around 4 PM, which I was thrilled at after working several 50 hour work weeks. I boarded the Metro at Silver Spring Station and headed for home.

I settled into a seat reading the last volume of Wisdom of The Lotus Sutra, and was deep in thought. Suddenly time seemed to slow down as I heard the horrible sound of metal smashing into metal. Our train had crashed head on into the rear of another train. There was a dead silence as we came to a stop. During the crash I felt a cushion around me and when we had stopped moving, I stood up, completely unharmed. I checked with the other passengers in the car and no one was injured. Myself and several other men made our way from the fourth and third cars and proceeded to the second and first car.

When we arrived at the front of the second car several men tried pulling down the ceiling that was blocking the door, Only to reveal a cross beam across the top of the door making it impossible to open . It seemed that we were purposely prevented access to the front car and prevented from witnessing the horror of 9 dead passengers. Again I felt the protective forces were guarding me and the others.

As the side doors opened, I helped men and women exit from the train and we all stood on the side of the tracks until the fire department cut throught the chain link fencing and we were able to move to a parking lot.

The injured were separated to one side and 11 of us that were not injured were told we could leave. So, we started walking toward the Fort Totten station, no one spoke. I called my brother-in-law to come and pick me up and finally arrived at the house around 9:00PM.
The next day I went back to work and received an email from the President of Discovery saying that he was happy that I was ok and if I needed anything at all, not to hesitate in contacting him.

The fact that I came through the crash totally unscathed can only be attributed to the protective forces of shoten zenjin.

In the The True Aspect of All Phenomena Nichiren Daishonin wrote:
“Be sure to strengthen your faith, and receive the protection of Shakyamuni Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions.”
[No.40, Page 386, col 2, paragraph 17,


During my lifes difficult times, a quote from President Ikeda encouraged and strengthened me:

“You must be strong. There is no hope of winning in this chaotic world if you are weak. No matter what others do or say, it is important to develop your ability and then put that ability to use. Strong Faith, of course, is the best means for drawing out ones inner strength. You each have a very important mission, and I hope you will awaken to and be proud of that mission.”

President Toda once said: “If you have a problem, just pray for the solution. Buddhism is an earnest struggle to win. I’ll stake my life on the fact that if you practice wholeheartedly, all of your prayers will be realized.”

This is what I have learned thus far in my life?
I have learned that there are always obstacles and difficulties in this life, but, how we deal with obstacles and difficulties can open the door to a world of opportunity. I have learned that when an obstacle presents itself to me, I will ask myself,
What cause did I make to create this obstacle?
What must I learn from this obstacle?
What is the best way to overcome this obstacle?
Once I have answered these questions, the possible emotional severity created by the obstacle diminishes and I can overcome the obstacle with Courage, Confidence, Compassion, Wisdom and Determination . All these qualities taught to us in our Practice of Nichiren’s Buddhism.
Thank you for letting me share my experience with you.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo