Spiritual Story by Keith Beasley
"Baeaa". Clem's bleating was pretty much like that of any new born lamb. He too wanted his mothers milk. And, like generations of sheep before him, once fed Clem would go gambolling around the field... full of the joys of spring. He was the 'new life', the miracle of birth, the sign of a new time of joy and hope.
Unlike the play of his parents and grandparents before him however, Clem's skipping and jumping was a bit more purposeful. Yeah, he was enjoying himself, finding out what his legs could do, bouncing around like any bundle of energy just released into the world. The difference was that Clem knew all this.
As he grew and developed Clem was always the first to the gate or pen when Shep the dog or Farmer Trelawny, on his strange roaring, rolling, shiny, 'quad' came to round up the flock. He soon knew what other animals lived in the surrounding fields... and knew to be wary of the 'big quads' that sped along the hard black tracks alongside the fields.
One day Clem, leading the flock to the food trough as usual, saw that Farmer Trelawny wasn't alone. With him was a shorter, slighter, human - who smiled and laughed. They seemed very close these two humans. He called her 'Janice' and she called him "Dad"... as she helped her father with their straw and feed. After a few days of this, Janice noticed Clem too:
"How come this one's always out in front?" she asked her father.
"Beats me. He seems well, just more intelligent than the others"
Janice stroked Clem on the back. Mmm that was nice! Maybe there was more to these humans than feed when the grass stopped growing!
Cleo was listening. Listening hard but contentedly to her Aunt's stories. As always fascinating... full of intrigue and action. Often they seemed, at first, to make no sense... but then, these were true tales... about humans... and if Cleo had learned anything in her first few months it was that human beings were strange creatures. Sure, like her own feline species, they'd fight to control territory and to get the best mate... but they did so with strange sticks that spat fire... or they'd snarl and roar, in their own way, at those they were in dispute with.
Not that different she supposed... except that once her father had won or lost a fight, that was it. Honour satisfied... he'd get back to hunting and enjoying the feast afterwards! This humans, by contrast, never seemed to stop snarling at each other. Cleo made up her mind to learn from these upright animals... life was too short to spend it arguing!
Her aunt had satisfied her thirst from the nearby pool and restarted her latest tale of African mystery: she told of their fellow rulers in the land of scrub - the towering, the wise, elephants. Long ago they'd begun to suffer at the hands of the humans: nobody quite understood why, but the uprights seemed to want the tusks of the massive grey beasts... and they did all sorts of barbarous things to get them. As with many stories about man, it seemed to make no sense to little Cleo... but she was beginning to understand her aunt’s message... that there was no point getting annoyed by it all. It's just the way things were. All would be well... in time.
And so the centuries went by and young elephants too heard the story of how their parents had been killed at the hands of the uprights. Deep within they knew that so long as they had ivory in their heads they'd be prey. It was time to change. Tusks became shorter: no longer a sign of 'the fittest' but of the one most likely to be shot. It took many generations, but the elephants that Cleo saw around her were tuskless... and allowed to roam the plains, without attack from men. Cleo smiled at her aunt and snuggled up against her to sleep. This world did make sense after all!
As she grew and developed, Cleo noticed that it wasn't just men who came with their shooting sticks: a softer sort of human also visited their lairs and savannahs... and they came in hard, shiny things that seemed to roll along the ground... yet could move as fast as their cousins the cheetahs. She noticed that they'd point strange objects at them that would glint in the sun... and that if they happened to see her, Cleo, as they did this they'd smile and sometimes cheer.
This, thought Cleo, was a different side to mankind. She watched and listened, taking it all in. Soon she learnt that she could really make these new 'light' hunters happy by getting closer to them. She found that they'd stop and watch her for hours if she'd lie and preen herself... and it all felt so safe!
Over the next few days Clem and Janice got to know each other. They may have been different species, with very different day-to-day lives, but both felt an affinity for the other... a deep connection and understanding than transcended labels. Farmer Trelawny would turn around to see his daughter knelt next to his 'wiser than usual' sheep... as if talking to it. He shook his head and smiled bemusedly... it wasn't the first time his special daughter had done strange things!
And then one day Janice gave Clem an extra long and intense hug. He'd heard her and her dad talk about a 'safari' - whatever one of those was - but knew she wouldn't be around for a while. Oh well, the attention was nice whilst it lasted.
The Landrover lurched forward through the tufts and mounds of the savannah. Janice held on tight to the roof opening. It was all rather different from the Yorkshire dales she was used to! Or was it? Some of the animals seemed... well, to know her! She'd expected that 'wild animals' would somehow be different from those on her dads farm, but saw the same sort of grazing behaviour amongst these various breeds of deer as in the Frisians back home... and a mother lion has the same concerns as a mother sheep! The thoughts took her mind back to Clem. She smiled as their vehicle came to a halt and her guide pointed 30 yards ahead of them.
Talk of parental concern! A lioness lay with her two quite large cubs. The lions looked at the humans... and the humans looked at the lions. The larger of the two cubs seemed to not just look at Janice but into her. A tingle ran up her spine and she had to swallow hard to keep her heart from her throat.
"Almost human, that one" volunteered the guide, seeing her fascination. But Janice didn’t hear him. She'd got out of the 4 wheel drive and was walking calmly towards the small family group of lions. They didn't stir; the mother licking behind the ears of her 2nd cub. Cleo edged away from the couple, slowly standing... all the time facing Janice. She was aware of a hand waving in front of her face. The guide cleared his throat and smiled broadly: "Time for some elephants?" They moved on.
It was a few years later. Janice was well into her veterinary training and deciding which research project to join. She was spending a few days on the family farm whilst she collected her thoughts: would she join the genetic research team, helping the development of Dolly into the perfect sheep? As she approached the gate to the top field she spied a familiar woolly mass... and cringed. How could she even consider such a job! Here was Clem... how much more perfect could any animal be?!
As she stepped over the gate and started walking towards the now impressive ram, so Clem started towards her. Her mind flashed back to the safari and her walk towards Cleo... yes! here she was again. They reached each other and Cleo let the young vet stroke her.
"Baeaa". Clem brought her back to the Yorkshire Dales, and she found her hand deep in his shaggy coat. They looked at each other and she nodded, sharing her decision with her sheep friend.
"Yes! That's it! I'll take that post at Bramfield! When it comes to assessing the intelligence of animals I reckon I know a thing or two!"
Over the next few weeks, as she settled into her research role, Janice realised that there were two schools of thought in this line of work: the 'animals are like us, aren’t they clever' variety and the 'we've got a lot to learn about ourselves by observing animal' sort. She was relieved to find that most in her team were of the latter persuasion!
It wasn't long before she felt sufficiently at home to share her experiences with Clem and her 'dreams' of the young lion. Pat, her supervisor beamed. "You too!" He’d also been sensing a particular connection with certain animals. "I wasn't going to mention it, but I have had some ideas on what we could do with our latest grant. We'll probably be labelled wacky but..." he looked at Janice who was nodding eagerly at him. "OK! We'll do it!".
Mr Trelawny had been more than happy for Clem to join the research project, though had raised his eyebrows slightly higher than usual as Janice had asked him "You don't mind if we take him abroad, do you?... Africa?" What could he say! He knew better, by now, than to argue with his astute, if eccentric offspring.
Using the contacts she'd made during her earlier safari, Jan had had no problems finding a Kenya guide and team to join their project. These people living amongst the lions and knew that things were changing. Just as the American Indians had their while buffalo as omens, so too did the locals here see the wildlife around them as a sign. The world was changing and the animals in their part of Africa were leading the shift.
Pat and Jan, with Clem curled around her ankles, sat with their Kenyan guides at the end of their first full day together. The plans were going well: they'd been keeping an eye on Cleo since her actions the previous years and, last week, she'd been spotted only a few miles away.
"She knows we've come for her" said Janice. The others nodded in agreement and they all fell silent, minds reaching into the darkening sky with the smoke from their camp fire. One of the scouts began an ancient tribal chant. Quickly that picked up the strange words and joined in, even Clem deeply connected to the sound.
A gentle rustle behind them alerted Jan to an approaching guest. As they all carried on singing Cleo joined them, completing the circle around the fire. Pat, like Jan, opened his eyes long enough to see it and smile, but said nothing. There was nothing to said. Words would only spoil the experience.
Eventually the chanting stopped and Cleo quietly disappeared into the night. Pat shivered and threw a large log onto the fire. "Tell me" he enquired of the guide "what does that chant translate as?"
The answer didn’t really surprise him: "the lion shall lie down with the lamb."
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
What should people who think they are uncapable do?
We often hear people say they aren't capable. But this is a defeatist attitude. If you feel you aren't capable, then tap into the great reservoir of potential that lies inside you. Since we embrace the Daishonin's Buddhism, we have recourse to daimoku. If we chant daimoku to the Gohonzon, we can bring forth all the ability and strength we will ever need.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/9
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/9
Monday, October 17, 2011
And Now A Word From Our Sponsor
Spiritual Story by Alan Dolit
My body is only a communication device. A CD as it were. On my CD there are only two channels: KEGO And KGOD. KEGO is the voice of the world. There is much static and loud commercials telling me to buy their things. Stuff I don't need, with green strips of paper that I have to work to earn to buy the things I didn't need in the first place. KEGO has many sister stations: KFEAR, KLACK, KGREED, K-ILL (which stands for I LACK LOVE), And KKILL. KGOD is the Voice for God. The sister stations include KHS, KLOVE, KLIGHT, KPEACE, and KJOY. These stations play nothing but soothing messages. There is no static and no commercials. They are INNER LISTENER supported. Brother Jesus, when he found KGOD, chose no longer to listen to KEGO, and deprogrammed his CD so he could only receive KGOD. My other brothers and I, while we occasionally find KGOD, don't stay tuned to this frequency as there is no melodrama being broadcast; nothing but eternal unconditional love being sent over these airwaves.
I realize that my brothers and I, when we listen to the KEGO frequencies, do not experience peace or joy. However we seem to be addicted to KEGO. It is like a drug. In truth, I realize that when we do listen to KEGO channels, we are really looking for KGOD in all the wrong places. The good news is that I now have a new program guide called A Course In Miracles. I now know how to find KGOD, and I listen to KEGO with less and less frequency. When all my blocks to the awareness of KLOVE'S presence are removed, and I accept the attunement for myself by making adjustment in the fine tuning of my CD, I will remove the knob and stay tuned to KGOD all the time to listen for my next assignment. When my CD stops functioning properly, I will not join a 12 step program for dysfunctional communication devices.
I will have received my final traveling orders to come Home to where I have always been and will once again remember to laugh for I will have gotten the punch line to this cosmic joke we call LIFE. When the coroner finds my lifeless body, he will have to come up with a new classification e.g. "Cause of death...Body became dis-spirited", and he will turn my non functional Communication Device in to Radio Shack.
My body is only a communication device. A CD as it were. On my CD there are only two channels: KEGO And KGOD. KEGO is the voice of the world. There is much static and loud commercials telling me to buy their things. Stuff I don't need, with green strips of paper that I have to work to earn to buy the things I didn't need in the first place. KEGO has many sister stations: KFEAR, KLACK, KGREED, K-ILL (which stands for I LACK LOVE), And KKILL. KGOD is the Voice for God. The sister stations include KHS, KLOVE, KLIGHT, KPEACE, and KJOY. These stations play nothing but soothing messages. There is no static and no commercials. They are INNER LISTENER supported. Brother Jesus, when he found KGOD, chose no longer to listen to KEGO, and deprogrammed his CD so he could only receive KGOD. My other brothers and I, while we occasionally find KGOD, don't stay tuned to this frequency as there is no melodrama being broadcast; nothing but eternal unconditional love being sent over these airwaves.
I realize that my brothers and I, when we listen to the KEGO frequencies, do not experience peace or joy. However we seem to be addicted to KEGO. It is like a drug. In truth, I realize that when we do listen to KEGO channels, we are really looking for KGOD in all the wrong places. The good news is that I now have a new program guide called A Course In Miracles. I now know how to find KGOD, and I listen to KEGO with less and less frequency. When all my blocks to the awareness of KLOVE'S presence are removed, and I accept the attunement for myself by making adjustment in the fine tuning of my CD, I will remove the knob and stay tuned to KGOD all the time to listen for my next assignment. When my CD stops functioning properly, I will not join a 12 step program for dysfunctional communication devices.
I will have received my final traveling orders to come Home to where I have always been and will once again remember to laugh for I will have gotten the punch line to this cosmic joke we call LIFE. When the coroner finds my lifeless body, he will have to come up with a new classification e.g. "Cause of death...Body became dis-spirited", and he will turn my non functional Communication Device in to Radio Shack.
What is the priority of school children?
Young people in school should make study their first priority. It goes without saying that faith is important, but faith is something we practice throughout our entire lives. There is a certain period and age when we should study. If we don't work hard during that period, we may fail to acquire important knowledge and skills, and we may come to regret it deeply later. Faith manifests itself in daily life. For young people in school, faith manifests itself in their studies. During this period, to devote themselves to study represents an important part of their practice of faith.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/9
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/9
What are the duty of leaders in discussion meetings?
Leaders who are responsible for organizing and holding discussion meetings in the SGI must study. If they do not, they cannot hope to satisfy the participants and inspire them with fresh energy and enthusiasm.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 4/9
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 4/9
How is true character forged?
True character is only forged through hardship and suffering. Moreover, it is the mentor-disciple relationship, not organizational structures, that builds character. Many great scholars, pioneers and leaders of the world have come to note how crucial the mentor-disciple relationship is.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 3/9
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 3/9
Sunday, October 16, 2011
And Maybe Not
Spiritual Story by Louis Szabo
Sometimes, insights come in unexpected ways and that is what happened to me recently. I was quietly sitting in a bus when two young women stepped in and sat, one beside me and the other one in front of me and to my left (this part of the bus had 4 seats, two seats were face to face). The lady sitting beside me wore a rucksack, and the lady across moved seats so that the woman would have a place to put her rucksack.
The lady with the rucksack then spoke up and said, "Oh, I'm used to it and I keep it with me in case someone wants to sit here". The other one responded " And maybe not."
I wouldn't have been more surprised if I had a Buddhist master facing me. That was the most surprising insight I had for a long time. I discovered suddenly that my inner talk with a dreadful tendency to picture the worst – you know the little story you keep telling yourself – could be wrong (or at least a negative outcome).
And what if all that could be a big mistake? And what if I didn't always have to believe in it? I discovered that all I had to do was introduce a simple "and maybe not."
What a relief...
Sometimes, insights come in unexpected ways and that is what happened to me recently. I was quietly sitting in a bus when two young women stepped in and sat, one beside me and the other one in front of me and to my left (this part of the bus had 4 seats, two seats were face to face). The lady sitting beside me wore a rucksack, and the lady across moved seats so that the woman would have a place to put her rucksack.
The lady with the rucksack then spoke up and said, "Oh, I'm used to it and I keep it with me in case someone wants to sit here". The other one responded " And maybe not."
I wouldn't have been more surprised if I had a Buddhist master facing me. That was the most surprising insight I had for a long time. I discovered suddenly that my inner talk with a dreadful tendency to picture the worst – you know the little story you keep telling yourself – could be wrong (or at least a negative outcome).
And what if all that could be a big mistake? And what if I didn't always have to believe in it? I discovered that all I had to do was introduce a simple "and maybe not."
What a relief...
The spirit of youth
The stronger the oppression from without, the stronger one's determination to summon forth one's inner resources to fight against it—this is the spirit of youth.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 2/9
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 2/9
The powerful influence of a mother
A mother's beliefs have a powerful influence on her children. In the realm of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, too, the children of families where the mother's faith is strong invariably develop into admirable adults.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 1/9
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 1/9
Saturday, October 15, 2011
An Angel's Friend
Spiritual Story by Richard and Esther Provencher
A dot of movement grows larger as it rushes downwards. Like a runaway candle it enters the earth’s atmosphere. Is it a chunk broken away from the moon? Or, could it be a flying saucer?
No, it’s a very beautiful young angel. Here? An angel? Her name is Esther. And she smacks into the highest spruce tree. One wing now trapped between two branches.
"Help me," is a cry that travels across the valley.
"HEELLP MEEE!!" is an answering echo.
Looking between the limbs, Esther can see a pond below. At first it seems no one is around. But, croaking sounds come to her ears.
“Who is this stranger?” frogs ask, eyes bulging in surprise.
"Please, help me get LOOOOSE," the angel calls.
"But frogs can't climb trees," croaky voices answer.
A hawk listens from his perch. He thought about chasing this falling visitor before she landed in the tree. Too late, now his dinner is overdue.
The angel twisted around. One branch gave way. And Esther dropped to a lower resting place. Nothing broken. Yet. She had been so careful to follow her plan. Around the moon, left at Newfoundland, then land beside Cobequid Bay near Truro, Nova Scotia.
She was supposed to go to a nearby pasture, not on top of the highest tree in the forest. "Is anyone else around?" she whispered.
Three mallard ducks were busy feeding on vegetation and insects. "Quack! Quack!" they shouted. "Are you in trouble?"
"Yes, please help me," the angel pleaded from above.
“Not me,” said the largest duck. “Those branches might ruin my colorful feathers.” The others agreed. “I might get stuck myself,” another said.
"Let me try," said one small duck. He paddled furiously across the water then leaped into space. He was able to get a closer look at the problem. As his wings brushed against several limbs, Esther fell two branches lower. Unable to help, he quickly returned to the pond below.
The noise alarmed a red squirrel that began scampering around his tree home. "It's a human child!" bushy red chattered. "With red cheeks and wings like a bird!"
An eagle flew lower to help. However, his six-foot wings were too wide.
A young Cygnet swam slowly into view. He wasn't very large and everyone knew he was an orphan. In fact, no one in the pond really understood what kind of bird or duck he was. Besides, he was so very plain looking.
Peering through trembling leaves, he said, "I think I can help you."
"How?" the angel answered fearfully.“
"Just let go of the branches," the Cygnet said.
"Let go?" Esther’s voice trembled. "But I'll fall, maybe hurt myself." She wrapped her wings tighter around a branch.
"I'll catch you," the Cygnet said.
"But you're so little," answered the angel.
"Let go of the branch, and land on my back," the Cygnet said. “I may be little, but I’m strong.”
"Are you sure it will work?" the angel asked timidly.
"Have faith," the young Cygnet replied.
And Esther did have faith. After all, she was an angel. Letting go of the branch, she dropped once more. Now she traveled down and down. She went in a straight line between leaves and branches. It was as if a perfect trail had been prepared.
She went flying past the watchful eye of the hawk. Past a nosey Crow, and disappeared from the sight of a sharp-eyed eagle. Esther made a perfect landing on top of a feathery back. The shock scared a raccoon leaning on a nearby limb. He quickly dropped to the ground.
"OOMPH!” and “THANKS!" were words barely heard above the angel's thumping heart. She flapped both wings slowly. Then back and forth until she rose into the air. She flew around carefully, testing every movement. Nothing broken, only a few feathers out of place.
The Cygnet’s eyes grew large at the beautiful sight before him. A glow surrounded the angel, her smile radiant as the morning sun. Wings expanded to full size, sending gusts of perfumed air in his direction.
"I wish I could be beautiful as you," the young Cygnet said.
"You will," the angel answered. "One day every creature in the forest will stare at your beauty."
"Oh sure," the Cygnet said. "Compared to all these ducks, I look awful."
The angel smiled knowingly as she flapped her wings. Her reddish cheeks were full of understanding. The little Cygnet heard the angel’s voice come like a mighty wind, before she disappeared into the sky.
"Have faith. One day, you will grow into the most beautiful bird in the forest,” said Esther the angel. “They will call you, Swan.”
* * *
Copyright © 2009 by Richard & Esther Provencher
All Rights Reserved
A dot of movement grows larger as it rushes downwards. Like a runaway candle it enters the earth’s atmosphere. Is it a chunk broken away from the moon? Or, could it be a flying saucer?
No, it’s a very beautiful young angel. Here? An angel? Her name is Esther. And she smacks into the highest spruce tree. One wing now trapped between two branches.
"Help me," is a cry that travels across the valley.
"HEELLP MEEE!!" is an answering echo.
Looking between the limbs, Esther can see a pond below. At first it seems no one is around. But, croaking sounds come to her ears.
“Who is this stranger?” frogs ask, eyes bulging in surprise.
"Please, help me get LOOOOSE," the angel calls.
"But frogs can't climb trees," croaky voices answer.
A hawk listens from his perch. He thought about chasing this falling visitor before she landed in the tree. Too late, now his dinner is overdue.
The angel twisted around. One branch gave way. And Esther dropped to a lower resting place. Nothing broken. Yet. She had been so careful to follow her plan. Around the moon, left at Newfoundland, then land beside Cobequid Bay near Truro, Nova Scotia.
She was supposed to go to a nearby pasture, not on top of the highest tree in the forest. "Is anyone else around?" she whispered.
Three mallard ducks were busy feeding on vegetation and insects. "Quack! Quack!" they shouted. "Are you in trouble?"
"Yes, please help me," the angel pleaded from above.
“Not me,” said the largest duck. “Those branches might ruin my colorful feathers.” The others agreed. “I might get stuck myself,” another said.
"Let me try," said one small duck. He paddled furiously across the water then leaped into space. He was able to get a closer look at the problem. As his wings brushed against several limbs, Esther fell two branches lower. Unable to help, he quickly returned to the pond below.
The noise alarmed a red squirrel that began scampering around his tree home. "It's a human child!" bushy red chattered. "With red cheeks and wings like a bird!"
An eagle flew lower to help. However, his six-foot wings were too wide.
A young Cygnet swam slowly into view. He wasn't very large and everyone knew he was an orphan. In fact, no one in the pond really understood what kind of bird or duck he was. Besides, he was so very plain looking.
Peering through trembling leaves, he said, "I think I can help you."
"How?" the angel answered fearfully.“
"Just let go of the branches," the Cygnet said.
"Let go?" Esther’s voice trembled. "But I'll fall, maybe hurt myself." She wrapped her wings tighter around a branch.
"I'll catch you," the Cygnet said.
"But you're so little," answered the angel.
"Let go of the branch, and land on my back," the Cygnet said. “I may be little, but I’m strong.”
"Are you sure it will work?" the angel asked timidly.
"Have faith," the young Cygnet replied.
And Esther did have faith. After all, she was an angel. Letting go of the branch, she dropped once more. Now she traveled down and down. She went in a straight line between leaves and branches. It was as if a perfect trail had been prepared.
She went flying past the watchful eye of the hawk. Past a nosey Crow, and disappeared from the sight of a sharp-eyed eagle. Esther made a perfect landing on top of a feathery back. The shock scared a raccoon leaning on a nearby limb. He quickly dropped to the ground.
"OOMPH!” and “THANKS!" were words barely heard above the angel's thumping heart. She flapped both wings slowly. Then back and forth until she rose into the air. She flew around carefully, testing every movement. Nothing broken, only a few feathers out of place.
The Cygnet’s eyes grew large at the beautiful sight before him. A glow surrounded the angel, her smile radiant as the morning sun. Wings expanded to full size, sending gusts of perfumed air in his direction.
"I wish I could be beautiful as you," the young Cygnet said.
"You will," the angel answered. "One day every creature in the forest will stare at your beauty."
"Oh sure," the Cygnet said. "Compared to all these ducks, I look awful."
The angel smiled knowingly as she flapped her wings. Her reddish cheeks were full of understanding. The little Cygnet heard the angel’s voice come like a mighty wind, before she disappeared into the sky.
"Have faith. One day, you will grow into the most beautiful bird in the forest,” said Esther the angel. “They will call you, Swan.”
* * *
Copyright © 2009 by Richard & Esther Provencher
All Rights Reserved
Why must we pray earnestly and sincerely with all our being?
As long as we pray earnestly and sincerely with all our being, if we have strong and genuine faith, even though results may not be immediately visible, they will definitely manifest without fail in generations of our children and our children's children. I would like all of you to have absolute confidence in this.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 31/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 31/8
Hearing the sound of our daimoku, the heavenly deities will be set into motion and work to protect us.
The Daishonin states, "The voice does the Buddha's work" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 708). To chant the Mystic Law is to praise the Gohonzon. Hearing the sound of our daimoku, the heavenly deities will be set into motion and work to protect us. A weak and unclear voice will not move the heavenly deities. That is why it is important for us to chant daimoku with voices that are clear, strong and brimming with joy.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 30/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 30/8
Friday, October 14, 2011
Believe in this mandala with all your heart
Author: Penny Smail
I have had a very rare disease called diabetes insipides. It was the result of an injury to my neck & spine when diving. There is only one medication for this which became available in 1990. Without this medication the body flushes out nutrients before they can be absorbed. This causes the body to be continually weak & subject to infection, ect. Because there was a mistake in getting my Prescription filled, I went 2 weeks without it. At the same time I had 3 acupuncture treatments.The specialist who diagnosed the diabetes insipides check me and the specific gravity of my sample was perfect, this is wonderful benefit. I don′t need this prescription which costs $140 every 11 days. I am determined to eliminate my numerous medications and illnesses. This is the 4th significant illness that I have overcome with this practice. When we are faced with problems, the Gosho teaches us that ″This is what the sutra means by ″the power [of the Buddhist] that has the lion′s ferocity.″ Believe in this mandala with all your heart. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?
From The Writings
I hope all those who are serious in their resolve will gather in one place and listen to this letter.
- The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day, WND p. 622
I have had a very rare disease called diabetes insipides. It was the result of an injury to my neck & spine when diving. There is only one medication for this which became available in 1990. Without this medication the body flushes out nutrients before they can be absorbed. This causes the body to be continually weak & subject to infection, ect. Because there was a mistake in getting my Prescription filled, I went 2 weeks without it. At the same time I had 3 acupuncture treatments.The specialist who diagnosed the diabetes insipides check me and the specific gravity of my sample was perfect, this is wonderful benefit. I don′t need this prescription which costs $140 every 11 days. I am determined to eliminate my numerous medications and illnesses. This is the 4th significant illness that I have overcome with this practice. When we are faced with problems, the Gosho teaches us that ″This is what the sutra means by ″the power [of the Buddhist] that has the lion′s ferocity.″ Believe in this mandala with all your heart. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?
From The Writings
I hope all those who are serious in their resolve will gather in one place and listen to this letter.
- The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day, WND p. 622
An American In Italy
Spiritual Story by Marcella Brich
A few years ago, when traveling alone, in Italy, I befriended a very old man at a cafe. I later discovered that he was the owner of the cafe which is why he would offer me very delicious food for free! One day, I summoned up the courage to speak to him, in very broken Italian. I asked: "Can you tell me where the famous olive oil farm is?" I probably said: "Can you show me all of your horse heads are?"�
My Italian wasn't very good." He then motioned for me to follow him. So, being the curious American tourist, I followed him. I followed him around several cobblestone corners a very steep hill and then to the tiniest car I have ever seen, parked askew, on the sidewalk. He motioned in Italian for me to get in. Which I thought was: "I'm going to kill you so you can get in with ease, now, or I can put you in the trunk."
So, I panicked, froze, and got in. We drove for what seemed like several agonizing hours along winding bumpy roads and hilly hills. Real time; probably about an hour. This was the hour where I plotted my demise. I thought about what I wanted on my epitaph and what kind of music best suited me for my funeral. My panic and imagination ran wild about how I was going to tell my Mother I had died alone, in Italy. I had visions of being murdered and stuffed into the very small trunk of the very small car and then SCREECH. He stops, suddenly.
Then, he quickly lumbered his frail old body out of the car and like a whip he retrieves a very large skeleton key out of the trunk. I thought for sure he was going to use it to lock me up before he placed me in the trunk. He ran around the car, opened up my door and then mumbled something else very fast and confusing, in Italian. I wonder why they always speak so fast? He said: "Venuto con me li mostrer che tutte le olive differenti la mia famiglia ha coltivato per oltre 100 anni!" Which I took to mean that I'd be mixed into an olive oil and I would live for 100 years in the mouths of the local Italians!
My Italian, although not that great was improving, moment-by-moment. I followed far behind him, watching him, as the skeleton keys dangled on his side flapping and clanking against his weathered painter pants while he continued chattering, all the while, in Italian. He then opened up very two large wooden doors to reveal several hundred shelves of large bottles of olive oil which at this moment were illuminated and sparkling in the natural sunlight brought about, in full color, by the stained glass ceiling. It was a cathedral of olive oil.
He then quickly grabbed a ladder, stretched to the top of one of the nearby shelves and plucked a bottle and opened it with a loud "pop" as he giggled and then offered me some bread, delicious wine and olive oil. It was then that he began to speak in very broken English and said: "This is my best olive oil."� At this same time I realized that not only was he was the owner of the cafe but he was also the owner of the olive refinery made evident by his monogram on the Skelton key.
He pointed at the name and said "My name is Philippe." Philippe's family owned and operated the olive oil refinery for a century and they have supplied most of the imported olive oil to the United States and other countries! It was then that I realized he wasn't going to kill me. It was becoming increasingly easy to swallow the bread.
The wine tasted like nectar from the gods. I was so grateful, primarily because he wasn't going to kill me. I was equally elated and ashamed that I was an ugly and overly fearful American, in Italy. He was the sweetest and most generous old man. He gave me a case of his best olive oil that I was certain was going to break open and spill in the tiny trunk on the bumpy ride home. "Better the olive oil than me, I suppose," I thought.
Philippe drove and lived his life with honest abandon. So, things don't always spring forth from a negative frame of reference. Love God but lock your (trunk) car.
A few years ago, when traveling alone, in Italy, I befriended a very old man at a cafe. I later discovered that he was the owner of the cafe which is why he would offer me very delicious food for free! One day, I summoned up the courage to speak to him, in very broken Italian. I asked: "Can you tell me where the famous olive oil farm is?" I probably said: "Can you show me all of your horse heads are?"�
My Italian wasn't very good." He then motioned for me to follow him. So, being the curious American tourist, I followed him. I followed him around several cobblestone corners a very steep hill and then to the tiniest car I have ever seen, parked askew, on the sidewalk. He motioned in Italian for me to get in. Which I thought was: "I'm going to kill you so you can get in with ease, now, or I can put you in the trunk."
So, I panicked, froze, and got in. We drove for what seemed like several agonizing hours along winding bumpy roads and hilly hills. Real time; probably about an hour. This was the hour where I plotted my demise. I thought about what I wanted on my epitaph and what kind of music best suited me for my funeral. My panic and imagination ran wild about how I was going to tell my Mother I had died alone, in Italy. I had visions of being murdered and stuffed into the very small trunk of the very small car and then SCREECH. He stops, suddenly.
Then, he quickly lumbered his frail old body out of the car and like a whip he retrieves a very large skeleton key out of the trunk. I thought for sure he was going to use it to lock me up before he placed me in the trunk. He ran around the car, opened up my door and then mumbled something else very fast and confusing, in Italian. I wonder why they always speak so fast? He said: "Venuto con me li mostrer che tutte le olive differenti la mia famiglia ha coltivato per oltre 100 anni!" Which I took to mean that I'd be mixed into an olive oil and I would live for 100 years in the mouths of the local Italians!
My Italian, although not that great was improving, moment-by-moment. I followed far behind him, watching him, as the skeleton keys dangled on his side flapping and clanking against his weathered painter pants while he continued chattering, all the while, in Italian. He then opened up very two large wooden doors to reveal several hundred shelves of large bottles of olive oil which at this moment were illuminated and sparkling in the natural sunlight brought about, in full color, by the stained glass ceiling. It was a cathedral of olive oil.
He then quickly grabbed a ladder, stretched to the top of one of the nearby shelves and plucked a bottle and opened it with a loud "pop" as he giggled and then offered me some bread, delicious wine and olive oil. It was then that he began to speak in very broken English and said: "This is my best olive oil."� At this same time I realized that not only was he was the owner of the cafe but he was also the owner of the olive refinery made evident by his monogram on the Skelton key.
He pointed at the name and said "My name is Philippe." Philippe's family owned and operated the olive oil refinery for a century and they have supplied most of the imported olive oil to the United States and other countries! It was then that I realized he wasn't going to kill me. It was becoming increasingly easy to swallow the bread.
The wine tasted like nectar from the gods. I was so grateful, primarily because he wasn't going to kill me. I was equally elated and ashamed that I was an ugly and overly fearful American, in Italy. He was the sweetest and most generous old man. He gave me a case of his best olive oil that I was certain was going to break open and spill in the tiny trunk on the bumpy ride home. "Better the olive oil than me, I suppose," I thought.
Philippe drove and lived his life with honest abandon. So, things don't always spring forth from a negative frame of reference. Love God but lock your (trunk) car.
The state of Buddhahood, once attained, can never be destroyed, not for all eternity
Worldly success and good circumstances based on luck can easily crumble. They are as transient as an illusion. But the state of Buddhahood, once attained, can never be destroyed, not for all eternity. We will enjoy an existence overflowing with good fortune and immense joy in lifetime after lifetime.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 29/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 29/8
What is success in Buddhist term?
Success is not a matter of accumulating more of this or that; it is not measured in quantity. It means changing the quality of your life. Wealth, power, fame and knowledge alone cannot make you happy, no matter how much of these you acquire. Nor can you take them with you when you die. But by improving the quality of your life you will at last approach true happiness.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 28/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 28/8
Thursday, October 13, 2011
A Whole New Mission
Spiritual Story by Daniel K.
British Intelligence, London, August 1945. Small room with dark cherry walls and no windows. Eight Navy officers are sitting at a big table and looking down at the world map. Their faces seem tired, for they've spent all their stressful day here. The chief is walking around the table.
"... just one more minute, gentlemen, and I'll let you go. Although the war is over, the US nuclear attack on Japan made us re-evaluate a lot of our concepts. Here is the last one. Just think for a minute and tell me, what do you all live for?" The chief walks another round and stops in front of one young officer, "Captain Jones?" The officer quickly jumps up.
"To serve His Majesty and Great Britain, Sir!"
"Good soldier... Anyone who wants to make the same point, just raise your hands. Good... Major Wilson?" The major stands up and points his deep eyes to the chief.
"Excuse me, Sir, I have a different reason for living. I live just to enjoy my life."
"It makes sense. Now, everyone is dismissed, except you, major Wilson. I'd ask you to stay."
After the chief locks the door behind the last officer, he pours two cups of coffee and sits down next to the major. "You know what I like about you, major? You don't lie to yourself."
"Thank you, Sir..."
"Don't mention it. I looked through your file. You've spent 5 years in battleships in Mediterranean, then 5 years in submarines, sank a lot of Germans yet managed to stay alive. His Majesty himself realized how smart you are and decided to transfer you to reconnaissance. I wonder why you agreed?"
"I've never dreamt of it before, Sir, but once offered, I accepted it at will, because it's so exciting to derive and learn secrets about your enemy."
"Exactly! That's why I want to delegate the whole new mission to you. Soon, you'll discover some more secrets, but not about your enemy -- about yourself. And the most important of them is how to enjoy your life to the maximum extent possible."
Major's deep eyes open wide. The chief puts his hand on major's shoulder, "Relax, I am not trying to catch you on your own words. I educated three generations of spies, and no one have told me the truth about his motives for living. Not because they lied -- they simply didn't know the answer. I have been looking for you, and you came in just at the right time. All these officers went to their vacation. They think they deserve it. You pack your stuff tonight, and wait for my people to come. They will take you to a battleship that departs to Palestine tomorrow."
"Sir, aren't we giving up on that area in a couple of years?"
"Yes, we are, but you are staying there."
"As an agent?"
"That's what I'll report to the upper command and to his Majesty. But indeed, you'll have a completely different mission. One part of it is to discover yourself. The other part you'll learn when you get there. I know you served there before, are you OK with the languages?"
"Yes Sir, Arabic, Turkish, Greek, Hebrew."
The chief lays a map on the table. "Perfect. You land here. Dress like an arab. From the ship, take a canoe on a rainy night. There will be a donkey loaded with food and water to last a week. No one should see you landing except that donkey. If you see two people around, don't land until they leave. They are supposed to bring in the donkey but not to see you. Then you make your way to Jerusalem."
"But Sir, once our soldiers leave that city there will be nothing but hell!"
The chief lightly slaps major's shoulder again, "You told me the truth, and I trust you. Now, I am telling you the truth, and could you please trust me too? Yes there will be a big fight and a very poor life. But believe me, it's the only place to find the answers to your questions. In Jerusalem, look for a person named Baal Sulam. He'll tell you what to do next. I bet he'll send you to the United States after a few years of studies. This country has a great potential. Americans are proud and just people, they really like enjoying their lives, and they don't hide it. Yet, they have a lot to learn..."
"I'll go there, Sir."
The chief smiles, "I bet you'll miss England. But you can't even imagine how much you'll miss the land of Palestine after you come to the US. Anyway, you'll never see me again. Any questions?"
"One of our reports says Baal Sulam is doing something extremely important for the mankind, but it doesn't really explain what it is."
"That's all we know about him", the chief chuckles, "British Intelligence only claims it knows everything. You'll have to find it out on your own and explain to the americans. What else?"
"Documents, Sir."
"Take your British passport. That won't surprise anyone. Besides, in this game, you have to play yourself. But arrive incognito; it's my order."
"Yes, Sir! No more questions."
The major folds the map and hides it into his briefcase. Both sit quietly for a minute or two, sipping their coffee. A short admiral with wrinlkes all over his face, grey hair and beard, and a tall gorgeous major. The chief looks at his watch, "Time's up." Both stand up at once. Major Wilson gives a salut. The chief smiles and comes closer. "Forget all these formalities, son. In two weeks, you'll live in a whole new world!" The chief shakes major's hand and suddenly gives him a hug. "Now go. Good luck, son."
A few hours later, a car stops by a pier in a foggy fiord. A man gets out of the car, takes his backpack and runs to the big grey ship with no name, just a number. The ship quietly takes off, no hooter, no lights...
We don't know what happened to major Wilson later, if he ever made it to America or even to Jerusalem. But we know what Baal Sulam could have taught him. We can even learn it ourselves, right here.
British Intelligence, London, August 1945. Small room with dark cherry walls and no windows. Eight Navy officers are sitting at a big table and looking down at the world map. Their faces seem tired, for they've spent all their stressful day here. The chief is walking around the table.
"... just one more minute, gentlemen, and I'll let you go. Although the war is over, the US nuclear attack on Japan made us re-evaluate a lot of our concepts. Here is the last one. Just think for a minute and tell me, what do you all live for?" The chief walks another round and stops in front of one young officer, "Captain Jones?" The officer quickly jumps up.
"To serve His Majesty and Great Britain, Sir!"
"Good soldier... Anyone who wants to make the same point, just raise your hands. Good... Major Wilson?" The major stands up and points his deep eyes to the chief.
"Excuse me, Sir, I have a different reason for living. I live just to enjoy my life."
"It makes sense. Now, everyone is dismissed, except you, major Wilson. I'd ask you to stay."
After the chief locks the door behind the last officer, he pours two cups of coffee and sits down next to the major. "You know what I like about you, major? You don't lie to yourself."
"Thank you, Sir..."
"Don't mention it. I looked through your file. You've spent 5 years in battleships in Mediterranean, then 5 years in submarines, sank a lot of Germans yet managed to stay alive. His Majesty himself realized how smart you are and decided to transfer you to reconnaissance. I wonder why you agreed?"
"I've never dreamt of it before, Sir, but once offered, I accepted it at will, because it's so exciting to derive and learn secrets about your enemy."
"Exactly! That's why I want to delegate the whole new mission to you. Soon, you'll discover some more secrets, but not about your enemy -- about yourself. And the most important of them is how to enjoy your life to the maximum extent possible."
Major's deep eyes open wide. The chief puts his hand on major's shoulder, "Relax, I am not trying to catch you on your own words. I educated three generations of spies, and no one have told me the truth about his motives for living. Not because they lied -- they simply didn't know the answer. I have been looking for you, and you came in just at the right time. All these officers went to their vacation. They think they deserve it. You pack your stuff tonight, and wait for my people to come. They will take you to a battleship that departs to Palestine tomorrow."
"Sir, aren't we giving up on that area in a couple of years?"
"Yes, we are, but you are staying there."
"As an agent?"
"That's what I'll report to the upper command and to his Majesty. But indeed, you'll have a completely different mission. One part of it is to discover yourself. The other part you'll learn when you get there. I know you served there before, are you OK with the languages?"
"Yes Sir, Arabic, Turkish, Greek, Hebrew."
The chief lays a map on the table. "Perfect. You land here. Dress like an arab. From the ship, take a canoe on a rainy night. There will be a donkey loaded with food and water to last a week. No one should see you landing except that donkey. If you see two people around, don't land until they leave. They are supposed to bring in the donkey but not to see you. Then you make your way to Jerusalem."
"But Sir, once our soldiers leave that city there will be nothing but hell!"
The chief lightly slaps major's shoulder again, "You told me the truth, and I trust you. Now, I am telling you the truth, and could you please trust me too? Yes there will be a big fight and a very poor life. But believe me, it's the only place to find the answers to your questions. In Jerusalem, look for a person named Baal Sulam. He'll tell you what to do next. I bet he'll send you to the United States after a few years of studies. This country has a great potential. Americans are proud and just people, they really like enjoying their lives, and they don't hide it. Yet, they have a lot to learn..."
"I'll go there, Sir."
The chief smiles, "I bet you'll miss England. But you can't even imagine how much you'll miss the land of Palestine after you come to the US. Anyway, you'll never see me again. Any questions?"
"One of our reports says Baal Sulam is doing something extremely important for the mankind, but it doesn't really explain what it is."
"That's all we know about him", the chief chuckles, "British Intelligence only claims it knows everything. You'll have to find it out on your own and explain to the americans. What else?"
"Documents, Sir."
"Take your British passport. That won't surprise anyone. Besides, in this game, you have to play yourself. But arrive incognito; it's my order."
"Yes, Sir! No more questions."
The major folds the map and hides it into his briefcase. Both sit quietly for a minute or two, sipping their coffee. A short admiral with wrinlkes all over his face, grey hair and beard, and a tall gorgeous major. The chief looks at his watch, "Time's up." Both stand up at once. Major Wilson gives a salut. The chief smiles and comes closer. "Forget all these formalities, son. In two weeks, you'll live in a whole new world!" The chief shakes major's hand and suddenly gives him a hug. "Now go. Good luck, son."
A few hours later, a car stops by a pier in a foggy fiord. A man gets out of the car, takes his backpack and runs to the big grey ship with no name, just a number. The ship quietly takes off, no hooter, no lights...
We don't know what happened to major Wilson later, if he ever made it to America or even to Jerusalem. But we know what Baal Sulam could have taught him. We can even learn it ourselves, right here.
On any journey, we cannot hope to reach our destination if we stop halfway.
The important thing is to keep working for kosen-rufu to the very end. On any journey, we cannot hope to reach our destination if we stop halfway. Likewise, if despite our good fortune in meeting and embarking on the unsurpassed way of Buddhism, we stop halfway, all the efforts we have made thus far will have been in vain; we will not be able to attain Buddhahood.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 27/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 27/8
How to accumulate great good fortune?
We accumulate great good fortune through our earnest prayers, devotion and efforts for the sake of Buddhism, kosen-rufu and humankind. Prayer without action is not the way of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 26/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 26/8
Eight Winds in My Life
Mary Jane Kotan
Author: Joanne Banks / Mary J. Kotan
In the ″Letter to Shijo Kingo,″ Nichiren Daishonin states, ″A truly wise man will not be carried away by the Eight Winds: prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor, praise, censure, suffering and pleasure.″
Prior to finding SGI and the practice, my life was governed by much of the Eight Winds without my knowledge. Now, I am in control because I understand what the Eight Winds are.
I came to this practice through a friend who does not practice but who knew this would be beneficial to me. He said, ″You really need to find your place in this philosophy. It will provide you with peace and growth, both of which will help you feel better about yourself.″ Over time I found the people to be the kind of people I wanted in my life so I started to practice, just to make friends with them. One day one of the members said, ″You really should receive Gohonzan. It will help you to do better.″ I agreed to make every one happy, but it didn′t really matter to me. So, I received and I practiced on occasion. Suddenly, my life was changing. I decided to buy a house, something I said I would NEVER do. I found the perfect house and even thought my credit was not pristine the money I needed to do that was made available from a life-long friend who also had issues. She now lives with me in OUR home. Cathy and I are working toward making our lives better.
Next, my relationship with the man who introduced me to this practice ended. We have agreed to be caring friends and are struggling to make that happen. ″The winds of change blow harshly when we resist″, is a phrase I have heard many times in my life. So, as I chant for good health and happiness for him, his life continues to improve. This is a source of pride for me as I know that my chanting is another way I can show him my love has changed to be a positive force in his life. My needs were being met for the first time in my life. No longer was I falling down and having to struggle to get back up. I received in June of this year and these are the changes which my half-hearted practice brought me:
I am a fifty one year old single woman. I have been unlovable, negative, angry, insecure, and so many other things, yet I was not willing to change it. Through my practice I see that I am responsible for my causes, my life and where I go from here. I also see that I do not need to feel guilty for the past. Since I stopped blaming everyone else and started seeing that I was carried away by the winds of censure, suffering, disgrace, and decline, my life has changed. I am no longer the negative person I was. I am in my first semester of college instead of working a dead end job. I believe in myself and no longer look to others to approve of me. I am a homeowner, I am going for a degree in Computer Information Science. I have been offered a job which is measured by the salary per year rather than the dollars per hour. I have found that with my new found self respect, I am distancing myself from those who are not positive influences in my life and I am looking toward a future filled with challenges I have the courage to meet. I find myself enjoying my own praise, prosperity, honor and pleasure, but I am not carried away with them. I know that each of the Eight Winds are fleeting, like a breeze. Each has its purpose in my life and each one signifies growth in a different form. As I work through the challenges in my life, I find more and more inner peace and tranquility. The more I CHANT FOR OTHERS TO BE HAPPY THE HAPPIER I AM. So, when you feel the challenges of outside winds, remember, you built the windmill and only you have the power to direct which way it will blow: gently or harshly. NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO
Mary Jane Kotan
From The Writings
The people of today all turn their backs upon what is right; to a person, they give their allegiance to evil. This is the reason that the benevolent deities have abandoned the nation and departed together, that sages leave and do not return.
- On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, WND p. 7
Author: Joanne Banks / Mary J. Kotan
In the ″Letter to Shijo Kingo,″ Nichiren Daishonin states, ″A truly wise man will not be carried away by the Eight Winds: prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor, praise, censure, suffering and pleasure.″
Prior to finding SGI and the practice, my life was governed by much of the Eight Winds without my knowledge. Now, I am in control because I understand what the Eight Winds are.
I came to this practice through a friend who does not practice but who knew this would be beneficial to me. He said, ″You really need to find your place in this philosophy. It will provide you with peace and growth, both of which will help you feel better about yourself.″ Over time I found the people to be the kind of people I wanted in my life so I started to practice, just to make friends with them. One day one of the members said, ″You really should receive Gohonzan. It will help you to do better.″ I agreed to make every one happy, but it didn′t really matter to me. So, I received and I practiced on occasion. Suddenly, my life was changing. I decided to buy a house, something I said I would NEVER do. I found the perfect house and even thought my credit was not pristine the money I needed to do that was made available from a life-long friend who also had issues. She now lives with me in OUR home. Cathy and I are working toward making our lives better.
Next, my relationship with the man who introduced me to this practice ended. We have agreed to be caring friends and are struggling to make that happen. ″The winds of change blow harshly when we resist″, is a phrase I have heard many times in my life. So, as I chant for good health and happiness for him, his life continues to improve. This is a source of pride for me as I know that my chanting is another way I can show him my love has changed to be a positive force in his life. My needs were being met for the first time in my life. No longer was I falling down and having to struggle to get back up. I received in June of this year and these are the changes which my half-hearted practice brought me:
I am a fifty one year old single woman. I have been unlovable, negative, angry, insecure, and so many other things, yet I was not willing to change it. Through my practice I see that I am responsible for my causes, my life and where I go from here. I also see that I do not need to feel guilty for the past. Since I stopped blaming everyone else and started seeing that I was carried away by the winds of censure, suffering, disgrace, and decline, my life has changed. I am no longer the negative person I was. I am in my first semester of college instead of working a dead end job. I believe in myself and no longer look to others to approve of me. I am a homeowner, I am going for a degree in Computer Information Science. I have been offered a job which is measured by the salary per year rather than the dollars per hour. I have found that with my new found self respect, I am distancing myself from those who are not positive influences in my life and I am looking toward a future filled with challenges I have the courage to meet. I find myself enjoying my own praise, prosperity, honor and pleasure, but I am not carried away with them. I know that each of the Eight Winds are fleeting, like a breeze. Each has its purpose in my life and each one signifies growth in a different form. As I work through the challenges in my life, I find more and more inner peace and tranquility. The more I CHANT FOR OTHERS TO BE HAPPY THE HAPPIER I AM. So, when you feel the challenges of outside winds, remember, you built the windmill and only you have the power to direct which way it will blow: gently or harshly. NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO
Mary Jane Kotan
From The Writings
The people of today all turn their backs upon what is right; to a person, they give their allegiance to evil. This is the reason that the benevolent deities have abandoned the nation and departed together, that sages leave and do not return.
- On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, WND p. 7
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
A Unique New Year Gift
Spiritual Story by Malvika
It was 1st January, the first day of the year and a holiday for me. What luck! I started by thinking of getting the bank work out of the way. The bank person, an elderly gentleman with white beard, was as usual curt to my polite "Happy New Year." He nodded and I sat in front of him.
Minutes passed and nothing happened.
Then very hesitently I put across my RD form and booklet in front of him. He was busy filling up entries in his register. After a few minutes he took my form and from his cabinet he took out a very thick file from which he started filling in my details. All this while I was wondering about the computerised banking, if we are still filling out forms and registers!
After waiting for few more minutes, in which I showed all signs of being impatient, I asked him if my work was done. The moment I uttered the words, I felt as if a bombshell had fallen on him. He shouted "Nothing is done, it will take time!"
Just then I saw his morning cup of tea which had been lying there for the last 10 minutes, untouched. The tea had turned almost cold while he was doing his work. Suddenly I felt what this man, who has been working in this counter for the last "god knows how many years," must be feeling when customers like me come who are always in a hurry to get their work done. We do not even feel the need to thank them for being there. He must be feeling so agitated that here comes another person who will push me for doing his work first.
On an instinct I told him, "Sir, you please have your tea, I am not in a hurry." This man, who I had been meeting for the last few years, suddenly looked up at me and, for the first time we had an eye contact - he had never given me an eye contact earlier. I saw a different person there, another human being who is as hard pressed for time as I always am.
I saw both of us sailing in the same boat. I felt that he was also missing the small things of life like a hot cup of tea or lying in a warm bed for a few more minutes like me. He gave me a rare smile and said, "It is an everyday affair with me; you are not in a hurry but somebody else will come who will be in a hurry."
He really touched my heart with his wise words. I felt that we have all put shields on our hearts like we put gloves on our hands, we are scared to show our heart and reveal too much of ourselves. I felt that all this time I thought of him as a robot, someone who is there for my convenience, but today suddenly I felt a strange communion with him. I vowed to be more empathetic and friendly with people who help me with my work and be thankful that they are there for me.
It was 1st January, the first day of the year and a holiday for me. What luck! I started by thinking of getting the bank work out of the way. The bank person, an elderly gentleman with white beard, was as usual curt to my polite "Happy New Year." He nodded and I sat in front of him.
Minutes passed and nothing happened.
Then very hesitently I put across my RD form and booklet in front of him. He was busy filling up entries in his register. After a few minutes he took my form and from his cabinet he took out a very thick file from which he started filling in my details. All this while I was wondering about the computerised banking, if we are still filling out forms and registers!
After waiting for few more minutes, in which I showed all signs of being impatient, I asked him if my work was done. The moment I uttered the words, I felt as if a bombshell had fallen on him. He shouted "Nothing is done, it will take time!"
Just then I saw his morning cup of tea which had been lying there for the last 10 minutes, untouched. The tea had turned almost cold while he was doing his work. Suddenly I felt what this man, who has been working in this counter for the last "god knows how many years," must be feeling when customers like me come who are always in a hurry to get their work done. We do not even feel the need to thank them for being there. He must be feeling so agitated that here comes another person who will push me for doing his work first.
On an instinct I told him, "Sir, you please have your tea, I am not in a hurry." This man, who I had been meeting for the last few years, suddenly looked up at me and, for the first time we had an eye contact - he had never given me an eye contact earlier. I saw a different person there, another human being who is as hard pressed for time as I always am.
I saw both of us sailing in the same boat. I felt that he was also missing the small things of life like a hot cup of tea or lying in a warm bed for a few more minutes like me. He gave me a rare smile and said, "It is an everyday affair with me; you are not in a hurry but somebody else will come who will be in a hurry."
He really touched my heart with his wise words. I felt that we have all put shields on our hearts like we put gloves on our hands, we are scared to show our heart and reveal too much of ourselves. I felt that all this time I thought of him as a robot, someone who is there for my convenience, but today suddenly I felt a strange communion with him. I vowed to be more empathetic and friendly with people who help me with my work and be thankful that they are there for me.
This Buddhism has changed my life.
This Buddhism has changed my life.
This is an easy one.
I had inadvertently been searching for a lifetime; answers to questions on why we are here and “What is the purpose” ever since I can remember. My life was in shambles when I came into this practice. No self esteem, hopes dreams or ambitions. I had a life of disappointment and disillusion. Expectations and disappointments for 44 long and disenchanted years. When I started chanting and praying for others and myself, I had an “Opening of the eyes”.
I always wondered why I came into existence. “Why was I here, Why was my life such a mess”? I always relied on outside forces to generate my happiness and well-being, which was obviously not working. I never realized the power to change myself and my life was within me the whole time; that was until I came to know this practice. My purpose in life is to help others. Simple. That is my destiny and every day I chant for the happiness of others, I discover what my own happiness is all about. My life-long questions about why I am here are answered. The questions we all have are answered. We are all here to help each other.
I can experience happiness in this lifetime and had the power to change myself and my life. I had the power. It was there all along. No one else was ever in control of my destiny. It was me. That freed me from the temptation of resentment toward others and my life condition. I am truly free now. What I do is all up to me. I have been on a journey to forgive and take back my power. It was much easier than I had imagined. Thanks to this practice.
As a child, I had danced around with this notion. I wanted to help people and animals. I chose a profession that did just that as an adult. Some where along the way; I lost my idealistic ambitions. I saw first hand what other people can do to other people. It was sad and scary. I lived my life in such a way; that reflected those experiences. I was in EMS the first half of my adult life. Between my career choice and my personal life, I suffered. I lost myself and my very soul.
I had come from an alcoholic/addicted family. Mostly male role models. Therefore I chose similar traits in all 4 of my marriages. I was angry and resentful after each one of them. Some were abusive and some were just downright dysfunctional. I also became dysfunctional. My children, as they got older, did not understand what I had been going through and were distant. My very abusive second husband took my middle child and disappeared. I thought I would never see him again. Those were my darkest days. I was extremely angry and resentful. I started drinking a lot myself and tried to hide my pain. More so since he took my child from me. I went through years of darkness. I hated life and hated myself for allowing this to happen. I drank more and went through a few more destructive relationships, all the while, telling myself and others; it was someone else’s fault. God was punishing me, I was cursed. Some where along the way, I was introduced to Buddhism. I shunned it at first. I had no knowledge of what it was about and I shunned it. A friend came into my chaotic life and tried to show me a better way. I disregarded it. Several years later, here I am again. Once again, introduced with this Buddhism. I was beaten down at this point and felt like life was slipping away from me. I could look into it and do my research to see if this could be a possibility. This is when I had my awakening.
After I started chanting; and still leery of the notion of religion, since God had cursed me with such a tormented life, my middle son, after 15 long years contacted my oldest son. He was looking for his siblings. My oldest called me that night and told me Josh had sent him a letter asking about him and his younger sister Katlyn. He read the letter to me, reluctantly, because he had been brainwashed to believe I was the devil. But I convinced him to read it to me anyway. He condemned me in the letter. We were so excited to hear from him it didn’t matter.
He left his contact info in the letter. My oldest convinced me I should call the number he gave. So I did. He was less than happy with me calling and would not talk to me. I was so happy at the time that I heard his voice, I didn’t care.
He sent me a nasty letter. I thought this was the end of the world. My long lost son hates me and has been convinced by his father I was Satan and he didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I went through all the same emotions I felt when he took him away from me, all over again. I was hurting and depressed. But like I have been told from the beginning, which I didn’t understand at the time, chant for the other person’s happiness. I did it. Repeatedly. All those negative feelings about the ex and how bad he hurt me diminished. I started to “get it”.
Christmas Day, my long lost son who was brain-washed, was on the other line. I couldn’t believe it! He wanted to talk to me! I was elated! We talked for about an hour. I hadn’t talked to him since 1993 when he was two years old, his father dangling him in front of me stating I would never see him again, while he was crying for me. I thought he was lost forever. It was the worst day of my life. I felt like I died that day and the days to follow. My precious angel with someone who beat me regularly and now wanted to have the ultimate control and was taking my son from me. At that moment, I hated him. More than anytime before. I hated him. I thought this was unforgivable. This went on for years. I had no idea where my son went.
My son called a few more times. I chanted and prayed that I would learn how to forgive and chanted for my ex.’s happiness. I did forgive him.
The only thing I ever wanted was to talk to my son. Those are the things that matter most in life. That was the beginning of my benefits since starting this practice. I have had great benefits but my family communicating again is the most special benefit I can imagine. .
I have been learning about how to grasp life by the horns and run with it. I learned how to tap into this potential I have and appreciate what I have today. Not fear the future or regret the past. The gift we are given today is what counts. I can look back at the past with gratitude and know without a shadow of a doubt that my life is what I make it. I have choices to make everyday. I can choose to appreciate what “is” and not worry about what could be. That is freedom. That is true freedom. I have been searching for my freedom all this time. I am free to express myself and free to choose whether I want to be happy, sad, content, or forgiving, which is freeing in and of itself. I have the power. That power, I have accessed through this Buddhist practice. I have found myself and love the life I have today. I can reflect back on the greatest assets in this life. My family and the ones I chose to be with.
I have courage. I didn’t gain this courage until I started chanting. This experience I have just shared was something I didn’t have the courage to talk about anymore. There was so much pain involved; I just stopped talking about it. Today is today. I am courageous today thanks to this practice.
I have become very close with my oldest son. He is in college studying to be a Geophysicist. We spend hours talking on the phone. My middle son contacts me once in a while. That’s ok. He is working and going to school and has a girlfriend. He and my oldest son talk regularly. My youngest, Katlyn is in high school. We have always been close.
My relationship now is one of mutual respect, with my significant other. We have been together for 8 years and are growing closer every day. All I did was chant for others happiness. This was the end result. Now I have my Gohonzon.
My sordid past and destructive way of living has changed because of this practice. I have found myself and come full circle. I am happy. This practice and this Buddhism changed my life and brought my family back together. That is the greatest benefit I can ever imagine.
By: Lacy Teel
SUBMITTED BY JOANNE BANKS
This is an easy one.
I had inadvertently been searching for a lifetime; answers to questions on why we are here and “What is the purpose” ever since I can remember. My life was in shambles when I came into this practice. No self esteem, hopes dreams or ambitions. I had a life of disappointment and disillusion. Expectations and disappointments for 44 long and disenchanted years. When I started chanting and praying for others and myself, I had an “Opening of the eyes”.
I always wondered why I came into existence. “Why was I here, Why was my life such a mess”? I always relied on outside forces to generate my happiness and well-being, which was obviously not working. I never realized the power to change myself and my life was within me the whole time; that was until I came to know this practice. My purpose in life is to help others. Simple. That is my destiny and every day I chant for the happiness of others, I discover what my own happiness is all about. My life-long questions about why I am here are answered. The questions we all have are answered. We are all here to help each other.
I can experience happiness in this lifetime and had the power to change myself and my life. I had the power. It was there all along. No one else was ever in control of my destiny. It was me. That freed me from the temptation of resentment toward others and my life condition. I am truly free now. What I do is all up to me. I have been on a journey to forgive and take back my power. It was much easier than I had imagined. Thanks to this practice.
As a child, I had danced around with this notion. I wanted to help people and animals. I chose a profession that did just that as an adult. Some where along the way; I lost my idealistic ambitions. I saw first hand what other people can do to other people. It was sad and scary. I lived my life in such a way; that reflected those experiences. I was in EMS the first half of my adult life. Between my career choice and my personal life, I suffered. I lost myself and my very soul.
I had come from an alcoholic/addicted family. Mostly male role models. Therefore I chose similar traits in all 4 of my marriages. I was angry and resentful after each one of them. Some were abusive and some were just downright dysfunctional. I also became dysfunctional. My children, as they got older, did not understand what I had been going through and were distant. My very abusive second husband took my middle child and disappeared. I thought I would never see him again. Those were my darkest days. I was extremely angry and resentful. I started drinking a lot myself and tried to hide my pain. More so since he took my child from me. I went through years of darkness. I hated life and hated myself for allowing this to happen. I drank more and went through a few more destructive relationships, all the while, telling myself and others; it was someone else’s fault. God was punishing me, I was cursed. Some where along the way, I was introduced to Buddhism. I shunned it at first. I had no knowledge of what it was about and I shunned it. A friend came into my chaotic life and tried to show me a better way. I disregarded it. Several years later, here I am again. Once again, introduced with this Buddhism. I was beaten down at this point and felt like life was slipping away from me. I could look into it and do my research to see if this could be a possibility. This is when I had my awakening.
After I started chanting; and still leery of the notion of religion, since God had cursed me with such a tormented life, my middle son, after 15 long years contacted my oldest son. He was looking for his siblings. My oldest called me that night and told me Josh had sent him a letter asking about him and his younger sister Katlyn. He read the letter to me, reluctantly, because he had been brainwashed to believe I was the devil. But I convinced him to read it to me anyway. He condemned me in the letter. We were so excited to hear from him it didn’t matter.
He left his contact info in the letter. My oldest convinced me I should call the number he gave. So I did. He was less than happy with me calling and would not talk to me. I was so happy at the time that I heard his voice, I didn’t care.
He sent me a nasty letter. I thought this was the end of the world. My long lost son hates me and has been convinced by his father I was Satan and he didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I went through all the same emotions I felt when he took him away from me, all over again. I was hurting and depressed. But like I have been told from the beginning, which I didn’t understand at the time, chant for the other person’s happiness. I did it. Repeatedly. All those negative feelings about the ex and how bad he hurt me diminished. I started to “get it”.
Christmas Day, my long lost son who was brain-washed, was on the other line. I couldn’t believe it! He wanted to talk to me! I was elated! We talked for about an hour. I hadn’t talked to him since 1993 when he was two years old, his father dangling him in front of me stating I would never see him again, while he was crying for me. I thought he was lost forever. It was the worst day of my life. I felt like I died that day and the days to follow. My precious angel with someone who beat me regularly and now wanted to have the ultimate control and was taking my son from me. At that moment, I hated him. More than anytime before. I hated him. I thought this was unforgivable. This went on for years. I had no idea where my son went.
My son called a few more times. I chanted and prayed that I would learn how to forgive and chanted for my ex.’s happiness. I did forgive him.
The only thing I ever wanted was to talk to my son. Those are the things that matter most in life. That was the beginning of my benefits since starting this practice. I have had great benefits but my family communicating again is the most special benefit I can imagine. .
I have been learning about how to grasp life by the horns and run with it. I learned how to tap into this potential I have and appreciate what I have today. Not fear the future or regret the past. The gift we are given today is what counts. I can look back at the past with gratitude and know without a shadow of a doubt that my life is what I make it. I have choices to make everyday. I can choose to appreciate what “is” and not worry about what could be. That is freedom. That is true freedom. I have been searching for my freedom all this time. I am free to express myself and free to choose whether I want to be happy, sad, content, or forgiving, which is freeing in and of itself. I have the power. That power, I have accessed through this Buddhist practice. I have found myself and love the life I have today. I can reflect back on the greatest assets in this life. My family and the ones I chose to be with.
I have courage. I didn’t gain this courage until I started chanting. This experience I have just shared was something I didn’t have the courage to talk about anymore. There was so much pain involved; I just stopped talking about it. Today is today. I am courageous today thanks to this practice.
I have become very close with my oldest son. He is in college studying to be a Geophysicist. We spend hours talking on the phone. My middle son contacts me once in a while. That’s ok. He is working and going to school and has a girlfriend. He and my oldest son talk regularly. My youngest, Katlyn is in high school. We have always been close.
My relationship now is one of mutual respect, with my significant other. We have been together for 8 years and are growing closer every day. All I did was chant for others happiness. This was the end result. Now I have my Gohonzon.
My sordid past and destructive way of living has changed because of this practice. I have found myself and come full circle. I am happy. This practice and this Buddhism changed my life and brought my family back together. That is the greatest benefit I can ever imagine.
By: Lacy Teel
SUBMITTED BY JOANNE BANKS
By devoting our lives to Buddhism, we will live a life of complete fulfillment.
Life flashes by in an instant. By devoting our lives to Buddhism, we will live a life of complete fulfillment. We are selling ourselves short if we fail to attain such a wonderful state of life.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 25/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 25/8
Be fearless and advance like a lion
Advancement—Nichiren Daishonin teaches the spirit that "not to advance is to retreat." The point is to continue forging ahead despite any storms or hardships that may arise, to be fearless and advance like a lion.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 24/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 24/8
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
A Resolved Fight
Spiritual Story by Amanda Garbutt
Shortly after reading A Course in Miracles for the first time, I was standing on my balcony and I saw a fight break out with my one son's friend and a boy who didn't even live here but had lived in a building across from us. This boy was hurting my son's friend.
I began to pray...
At first it didn't work because the boy was still hurting my son's friend and then I saw our Superintendent's son who had always been a bully with my three children. I prayed for him to help out my son's friend but to use his fighting ways for a good purpose, and to my surprise, he went over and helped my son's friend by firmly squeezing the back of the outsider's neck.
As he did this I prayed for no overly force but to use his fighting abilities for good... he let go and the outsider left. The moral of the story is that I taught someone, through prayer, how to use his fighting abilities for good. It ended the fight with just one grip of his hand, as a result of my prayers.
Shortly after reading A Course in Miracles for the first time, I was standing on my balcony and I saw a fight break out with my one son's friend and a boy who didn't even live here but had lived in a building across from us. This boy was hurting my son's friend.
I began to pray...
At first it didn't work because the boy was still hurting my son's friend and then I saw our Superintendent's son who had always been a bully with my three children. I prayed for him to help out my son's friend but to use his fighting ways for a good purpose, and to my surprise, he went over and helped my son's friend by firmly squeezing the back of the outsider's neck.
As he did this I prayed for no overly force but to use his fighting abilities for good... he let go and the outsider left. The moral of the story is that I taught someone, through prayer, how to use his fighting abilities for good. It ended the fight with just one grip of his hand, as a result of my prayers.
Victory by showing wonderful actual proof of faith at his place of work.
Shijo Kingo, a person of strong faith, was at one point envied and slandered by others, earning the disfavor of his lord. But later he received a new estate from him. In modern terms, we might say that Shijo Kingo scored this victory by showing wonderful actual proof of faith at his place of work. The test of faith is winning in daily life and society, since that is where Buddhism finds expression.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 23/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 23/8
To be swayed by such externals is pointless.
is not a question of your environment or those around you, nor what the organization or leaders may be like. To be swayed by such externals is pointless. It all comes down to one person: you. What matters is that you become a brilliant beacon, shining with joy and happiness and live your life with confidence and courage. If you shine with a radiant light, there can be no darkness in your life.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 22/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 22/8
Monday, October 10, 2011
I'll do it.
Those who say "I'll do it," who are willing to take on a challenge even if they are alone, are true winners. The determination, the commitment to take action yourself, is the force that leads to victory. As Buddhism teaches in the principle of a life-moment possesses 3,000 realms, our mind or attitude can change everything.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 21/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 21/8
To be fearless no matter what happens—that is the root of true happiness
To be fearless no matter what happens—that is the root of true happiness. To move forward resolutely regardless of what lies in store—that is the spirit, the resolve, that leads to human victory. But if we allow ourselves to be disturbed by petty criticism and slander, if we fear pressure and persecution, we will never advance nor create anything of lasting value.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 20/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 20/8
A Reincarnation Story
Spiritual Story by Jo Leonard
I’d been working at the international headquarters of a spiritual organization in Menlo Park, California. As most of the employees were members of the organization, lunch table conversations naturally centered on subjects inherent to the teaching, subjects such as dreams, past lives, and the shortest path home to God.
One day, as she nibbled on a carrot stick, a co-worker I had nicknamed Zeta told me of a past life recall she’d had. She remembered flying in a one person aircraft, seeing herself as both the pilot and a bombardier. A white cloth was tied around her head. She was horrified as she watched herself dropping bombs on people who were going about their lives in an open plaza in Atlantis.
At the time, some of my managerial duties included providing oversight to a department that was editing video recordings from a recent conference. We had hired an outside production company to help record the event and to assist our own folks with assembling the material for eventual distribution to the membership.
One day in casual conversation, one of the production assistants from the outside company confided in me that she was still troubled by a dream she’d had years ago. Before going any further, however, she made it perfectly clear that she did not believe in any of the things we believed in—things such as prophetic dreams, reincarnation or karma. Slightly red-faced from knowingly being in contradiction to her own belief system, she told me her dream.
It seems that she had been walking across a plaza where there were lots of people milling about doing what people do on pleasant days. A deafening sound descended, quite literally, out of the blue. The crowd began to run in all directions as dozens of low-flying planes roared into sight and began dropping bombs, creating small, but effective explosions. The production assistant recalled that the pilots wore (drum roll here) white headbands.
If your logical mind is asking how someone on the ground could tell what the pilots were wearing, I can only say that dreams do not play out like our lives in the physical universe. In dreams, you can be present in your all-knowing, 360-degree soul body as an observer.
I imagine my mouth must have hung open as I listened to her story. Two people I knew who didn’t know one another had the same dream from different perspectives. As they say, something was afoot in all of this.
Hesitantly, I asked the production assistant if she would like to meet someone who had told me about a similar dream. She nodded. “Stay right here,” I said as I spun on my heel and started off in the direction of Zeta’s cubicle.
Zeta and the production assistant exchanged stories as they stood in the back hallway. Hardly able to breathe, I watched in silence and astonishment. This was one of those momentous moments in time and space that somehow get orchestrated to resolve a longstanding karmic debt. The disturbing memory of that day in Atlantis, lodged deeply within both their hearts, was about to be removed with the precision of a surgeon’s knife.
How simply the karma played itself out. Zeta looked at the production assistant, tears swimming in her eyes, and said, “I’m sorry.” The production assistant nodded her acceptance and a debt was paid.
The world began to spin again.
Not all karma gets to be worked out in such a simple and straightforward manner. And who knows, perhaps the two of them have been meeting and working toward this moment for centuries. The moral of the story, however, is to stay awake. Watch for those moments when you can consciously finish unfinished business and make further spiritual progression possible for all. If you miss a moment, it might be a long time coming before all the circumstances and conditions for resolution get so perfectly lined up once again.
The bottom line: live consciously, resolve, grow.
I’d been working at the international headquarters of a spiritual organization in Menlo Park, California. As most of the employees were members of the organization, lunch table conversations naturally centered on subjects inherent to the teaching, subjects such as dreams, past lives, and the shortest path home to God.
One day, as she nibbled on a carrot stick, a co-worker I had nicknamed Zeta told me of a past life recall she’d had. She remembered flying in a one person aircraft, seeing herself as both the pilot and a bombardier. A white cloth was tied around her head. She was horrified as she watched herself dropping bombs on people who were going about their lives in an open plaza in Atlantis.
At the time, some of my managerial duties included providing oversight to a department that was editing video recordings from a recent conference. We had hired an outside production company to help record the event and to assist our own folks with assembling the material for eventual distribution to the membership.
One day in casual conversation, one of the production assistants from the outside company confided in me that she was still troubled by a dream she’d had years ago. Before going any further, however, she made it perfectly clear that she did not believe in any of the things we believed in—things such as prophetic dreams, reincarnation or karma. Slightly red-faced from knowingly being in contradiction to her own belief system, she told me her dream.
It seems that she had been walking across a plaza where there were lots of people milling about doing what people do on pleasant days. A deafening sound descended, quite literally, out of the blue. The crowd began to run in all directions as dozens of low-flying planes roared into sight and began dropping bombs, creating small, but effective explosions. The production assistant recalled that the pilots wore (drum roll here) white headbands.
If your logical mind is asking how someone on the ground could tell what the pilots were wearing, I can only say that dreams do not play out like our lives in the physical universe. In dreams, you can be present in your all-knowing, 360-degree soul body as an observer.
I imagine my mouth must have hung open as I listened to her story. Two people I knew who didn’t know one another had the same dream from different perspectives. As they say, something was afoot in all of this.
Hesitantly, I asked the production assistant if she would like to meet someone who had told me about a similar dream. She nodded. “Stay right here,” I said as I spun on my heel and started off in the direction of Zeta’s cubicle.
Zeta and the production assistant exchanged stories as they stood in the back hallway. Hardly able to breathe, I watched in silence and astonishment. This was one of those momentous moments in time and space that somehow get orchestrated to resolve a longstanding karmic debt. The disturbing memory of that day in Atlantis, lodged deeply within both their hearts, was about to be removed with the precision of a surgeon’s knife.
How simply the karma played itself out. Zeta looked at the production assistant, tears swimming in her eyes, and said, “I’m sorry.” The production assistant nodded her acceptance and a debt was paid.
The world began to spin again.
Not all karma gets to be worked out in such a simple and straightforward manner. And who knows, perhaps the two of them have been meeting and working toward this moment for centuries. The moral of the story, however, is to stay awake. Watch for those moments when you can consciously finish unfinished business and make further spiritual progression possible for all. If you miss a moment, it might be a long time coming before all the circumstances and conditions for resolution get so perfectly lined up once again.
The bottom line: live consciously, resolve, grow.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Buddhism and wisdom
Buddhism is wisdom. As long as we have wisdom, we can put all things to the best use; we can turn everything in the direction of happiness.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 19/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 19/8
Only through action are we able to truly gain the great benefit of the Mystic Law.
Buddhism is action. One meaning of kyo of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is action. Without action, we cannot say that we are practicing Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; it would merely remain a concept. Only through action are we able to truly gain the great benefit of the Mystic Law.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 18/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 18/8
A Prayer Away
Spiritual Story by Glenys Cunningham
The woman sat, watching the people around her, feeling the pain of the child who fell off his bicycle the tiredness of the old man who was slowly making his way home. She felt the joy of the children playing together on the jungle gym and saw the happiness of the young couple walking hand in hand.
Some glanced her way as they passed the bench she was sitting on, but they never spared her a thought. No one noticed the unshed tears in her eyes as she sat there watching and feeling.
So much pain in the world, so much happiness and so much loneliness.
So many people doing so many things, so involved in their own moments. There just wasn't space for thoughts of others.
And as she watched, her mind drifted to another place, another time. A time when she was like them -- wrapped up in her own life her own misery. Sometimes she wished she could return to those days, and yet...
Just then her attention was caught by a face she hadn't noticed in a long time. A face which reflected contentment, joy, peace and love. Wiping away the remnants of the tears, she stood up and with a final glance into the pond next to the bench, she headed toward the fallen child, helped him up, wiped his tears, returned his smile and offered to help the old man home with his shopping.
No, she didn't want to return to the old days. Those were the days when loneliness was unbearable. Now, although still lonely for human company, she had love in her heart and comfort was just a prayer away.
The woman sat, watching the people around her, feeling the pain of the child who fell off his bicycle the tiredness of the old man who was slowly making his way home. She felt the joy of the children playing together on the jungle gym and saw the happiness of the young couple walking hand in hand.
Some glanced her way as they passed the bench she was sitting on, but they never spared her a thought. No one noticed the unshed tears in her eyes as she sat there watching and feeling.
So much pain in the world, so much happiness and so much loneliness.
So many people doing so many things, so involved in their own moments. There just wasn't space for thoughts of others.
And as she watched, her mind drifted to another place, another time. A time when she was like them -- wrapped up in her own life her own misery. Sometimes she wished she could return to those days, and yet...
Just then her attention was caught by a face she hadn't noticed in a long time. A face which reflected contentment, joy, peace and love. Wiping away the remnants of the tears, she stood up and with a final glance into the pond next to the bench, she headed toward the fallen child, helped him up, wiped his tears, returned his smile and offered to help the old man home with his shopping.
No, she didn't want to return to the old days. Those were the days when loneliness was unbearable. Now, although still lonely for human company, she had love in her heart and comfort was just a prayer away.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
A Pair of Pears
Spiritual Story by Rabbi Allen S. Maller
There was a king who had a daughter who was very ill. The doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her. She just seemed miserable and cried often.
One night the princess dreamed that if she ate a pair of very special pears she would get well. In order to learn what would make the pears so special, she would have to meet with each person who brought pears to her. Her mother the queen, decreed that whoever brought in the very special pears that healed the princess, would have the opportunity to marry the princess, if she wanted to marry him.
Hundreds of young men brought baskets of pears to the princess. She talked for a long time to each of the young men, and ate their pears, but none of them made her feel better.
One farmer who had very sweet and juicy pears as well as three sons told his eldest son, the most handsome of the three, to take a basket of pears to the princess. On the way to the princess the handsome son met a dwarf who related how hungry he was. The dwarf saw the basket and said, “You must be taking pears to heal the princess. Please give me a few pears so I will not starve.”
The handsome son didn’t want to give away even one pear, especially to a dwarf. He was afraid that any pear given away might turn out to be the special one of the pair that would heal the princess. Then he would lose the chance to marry her.
So he said to the hungry man, “The only pears I have in this basket are pairs of pig’s feet.” The hungry man, who was really the prophet Elijah in disguise, replied, “Amen! So shall it be.” Then he walked away.
When the handsome son was brought to the princess, he opened his basket to show her his pears, and it was filled with pairs of pig’s feet. The princess fainted. The king ordered the eldest son to be thrown out into the street.
When the handsome son returned home he didn’t want to tell anybody what had happened so he just said that the pears didn’t work. The farmer then decided to send his middle son, the one who was tall, strong and had lovely blond hair, to bring the farmer’s best pears to the princess.
On the road to the castle the tall blond son also met Elijah, who was disguised this time as a poor beggar who was deaf in one ear. The blond son also didn’t want to help the beggar, even though he seemed very hungry.
The tall blond son said, “I can’t help you. The only pears I have in this basket are pairs of pig’s ears.” “Amen!” said Elijah, “so shall it be.”
When the tall blond son was brought to the princess he opened his basket and it was filled to the top with pairs of pig’s ears. The princess became nauseous and threw up. The king had the blond son thrown out the window into the street. When the middle son returned home he also didn’t tell anybody what happened.
The youngest son wasn’t very handsome, and he wasn’t tall or blond, but he was very kind and considerate. He begged his father to let him go because he wanted to help the princess, although he didn’t think she would want to marry him. On the road to the princess he also met Elijah disguised as a beggar with ugly sores and scabs all over his face and arms.
He felt sorry for the ugly beggar, and even before the beggar asked, he offered half of the pears in the basket to the man saying, “I pray these pears are good for you.” Elijah took them and replied, “Amen! So shall it be good for you.”
When the youngest son opened his basket before the princess she asked why it was only half filled with pears. He told her about offering half the basket of pears to the beggar who was covered with sores and scabs. The princess began to cry. The youngest son apologized for making her cry, but to his surprise she suddenly hugged him. They spent the whole day talking and the princess felt better and better. By the next day she was feeling great. A month later she told the youngest son she wanted to marry him, and that is what she did.
There was a king who had a daughter who was very ill. The doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her. She just seemed miserable and cried often.
One night the princess dreamed that if she ate a pair of very special pears she would get well. In order to learn what would make the pears so special, she would have to meet with each person who brought pears to her. Her mother the queen, decreed that whoever brought in the very special pears that healed the princess, would have the opportunity to marry the princess, if she wanted to marry him.
Hundreds of young men brought baskets of pears to the princess. She talked for a long time to each of the young men, and ate their pears, but none of them made her feel better.
One farmer who had very sweet and juicy pears as well as three sons told his eldest son, the most handsome of the three, to take a basket of pears to the princess. On the way to the princess the handsome son met a dwarf who related how hungry he was. The dwarf saw the basket and said, “You must be taking pears to heal the princess. Please give me a few pears so I will not starve.”
The handsome son didn’t want to give away even one pear, especially to a dwarf. He was afraid that any pear given away might turn out to be the special one of the pair that would heal the princess. Then he would lose the chance to marry her.
So he said to the hungry man, “The only pears I have in this basket are pairs of pig’s feet.” The hungry man, who was really the prophet Elijah in disguise, replied, “Amen! So shall it be.” Then he walked away.
When the handsome son was brought to the princess, he opened his basket to show her his pears, and it was filled with pairs of pig’s feet. The princess fainted. The king ordered the eldest son to be thrown out into the street.
When the handsome son returned home he didn’t want to tell anybody what had happened so he just said that the pears didn’t work. The farmer then decided to send his middle son, the one who was tall, strong and had lovely blond hair, to bring the farmer’s best pears to the princess.
On the road to the castle the tall blond son also met Elijah, who was disguised this time as a poor beggar who was deaf in one ear. The blond son also didn’t want to help the beggar, even though he seemed very hungry.
The tall blond son said, “I can’t help you. The only pears I have in this basket are pairs of pig’s ears.” “Amen!” said Elijah, “so shall it be.”
When the tall blond son was brought to the princess he opened his basket and it was filled to the top with pairs of pig’s ears. The princess became nauseous and threw up. The king had the blond son thrown out the window into the street. When the middle son returned home he also didn’t tell anybody what happened.
The youngest son wasn’t very handsome, and he wasn’t tall or blond, but he was very kind and considerate. He begged his father to let him go because he wanted to help the princess, although he didn’t think she would want to marry him. On the road to the princess he also met Elijah disguised as a beggar with ugly sores and scabs all over his face and arms.
He felt sorry for the ugly beggar, and even before the beggar asked, he offered half of the pears in the basket to the man saying, “I pray these pears are good for you.” Elijah took them and replied, “Amen! So shall it be good for you.”
When the youngest son opened his basket before the princess she asked why it was only half filled with pears. He told her about offering half the basket of pears to the beggar who was covered with sores and scabs. The princess began to cry. The youngest son apologized for making her cry, but to his surprise she suddenly hugged him. They spent the whole day talking and the princess felt better and better. By the next day she was feeling great. A month later she told the youngest son she wanted to marry him, and that is what she did.
Sharing the beauty of Buddhism through discussion meets.
There is nothing more noble than inviting our friends to discussion meetings, gathering together to enable them to establish a connection with Buddhism, to talk about Buddhist teachings, and to deepen our faith. As the Lotus Sutra clearly indicates, through such steady, dedicated efforts to teach others about Buddhism, you are accumulating the good fortune and benefit to be reborn as great leaders and savor a state of unsurpassed freedom in lifetime after lifetime.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 17/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 17/8
Overcoming restriction through displine.
Certainly there will be times when you wish you had more spending money, more time to sleep and more time for fun and recreation. You may feel restricted now, but you should consider your current situation as the perfect set of circumstances for your growth. Within the restrictions that define your present existence, the only thing to do is to discipline yourself and head in the direction of growth and self-improvement. In the process of exerting yourself in such endeavors, you will without a doubt build and strengthen your character.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 16/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 16/8
Friday, October 7, 2011
A Leap of Faith
Spiritual Story by Sandy Penny
I circled the fire with a tambourine in my hand, striking the instrument on my thigh in time with the chant, "My body does whatever it takes to protect itself." I gazed into the glowing red and orange eyes of the twelve foot by four foot bed of coals and watched a coating of white ash begin to form. The fire pit looked back, studying me with its many eyes. "Will you walk tonight?" it silently asked. Would I cast aside caution and logic and make a tremendous leap of faith with a few small steps on a 1200 degree bed of coals?
The chant changed to "I am the light, I am the love" and then swelled around me with "The fire and I are one," and I thought about how I came to be standing here on the edge of eternity, a 42-year old woman, questioning the very nature of reality.
It was only a few weeks ago as I entered the Chapel of Prayer with fifty or so people to listen to a Hindu Guru tell traditional Indian parables, that I met Charmaine McGhie and Tore Fossum. We were seated next to each other and connected so quickly that they invited me to a New Year's Eve Party and Firewalk.
I was intrigued. I had seen firewalking on TV and read about it in National Geographics, but never had I witnessed it in person. Meanwhile, they gave me a book called "Firewalk" by Jonathon Seinfeld which I read with interest. It talked about firewalking as an empowerment tool and a subcultural movement in the U.S. since the 1970s. The U.S. has more firewalkers than the rest of the world put together. I couldn't believe it! How could I have missed it? I had done every "new age" experience I had run into. How could such a phenomenon have slipped by me? My excitement grew as the days passed.
The book helped keep me occupied and gave me a lot to think about. It told stories of firewalking in every culture. It quoted scriptures about firewalking and discussed the unsatisfactory research that has been done. I was primed for the experience - to watch the experience, at least.
I arrived early at the suburban house in a nice Friendswood Texas neighborhood. Not really where you'd expect to see a firewalk. The preparations looked like any other New Year's Eve party. Guests arrived with covered dishes, and someone played piano - 50s hits to sing along with. Not even any alcohol present.
At about 9:00 p.m. everyone gathered in the back yard. A cool front was moving through, and the air was cooling down. The grass was soaked with a hose as a safety precaution, and the evening began.
We each took turns carrying logs to build the fire. We were instructed to think of the logs like children, and focus loving attention on them. A firewalk instructor took the logs from us and built an impressive "boy scout" style teepee-shaped structure which would become a large bonfire using about a half cord of wood. We took turns stuffing newspaper in the cracks, and the fire was lit with great ceremony. A blaze reached skyward as a word of thanks and protection was intoned by a lady wearing a long full skirt. Surely that skirt was not a good thing to walk on fire in. When the fire was blazing violet and gold, we went to the patio to try out some other phenomenal activities. It would be two to three hours before the coals were ready.
Someone asked if we wanted to play the "rebar game" and a chorus of assent rang out. I had no idea what that meant. Rebars are 3/4" x 6' steel reinforcement bars used to reinforce concrete. Two people stand face to face six feet apart and a rebar is suspended between them by placing the tip of the metal rod in the hollow of the throat. The two people are told to focus their energy and see the rod bending. When they feel focused, the walk toward each other. The rod could either pierce your throat, cut off your breathing, or it could bend. All of them bent. There were no tracheotomies. It is impossible to use force to bend the rod in this position as it causes tremendous pain. I know that through experience. But when focusing properly the rod just sort of melts, and you are suddenly catching your partner in your arms as you fall toward each other. Yes, I did it!
Next, we broke boards like so many karate experts. Only we weren't. One inch thick by twenty-four inches wide pine boards set on bricks. When focused, the board almost breaks itself. That was a tremendous energy rush for me. I didn't know I could do that.
Finally, the coals were ready. We returned to the back yard. The fire was so hot, it was difficult to stand close to it for more than a few minutes. The coals were raked out smooth, and the temperature was measured at 1200 degrees. How could we hope to walk on this? It was too preposterous. I was glad I'd only come to watch.
We circled the fire pit and chanted. No one wanted to be first. I wondered if anyone would find the courage. Suddenly Charmaine was at the top of the pit quietly chanting and focusing on the far end of the coals. Then it happened. She stepped onto the coals and kept walking, slowly, not rushing, the full twelve feet. As she stepped off, a cheer went up, and she went around and repeated it. She was followed by Tore and another, and another. A line of people followed, and no injuries. The lady in the long, full skirt walked eight times, and the fabric did not catch fire. Everyone had walked, except me and one other person. I had only come to watch anyway.
Some people walked slow, some people ran, some people danced. One person cartwheeled through the coals, and then he did the most amazing thing. He stepped onto the coals and stood there in one place, reached down and lifted up a handful of coals and threw them into the air. Then he quietly walked off the fire pit - unharmed.
This went on for a couple of hours. It was like a dream. My mind had no place to file this scene. Could I do it too? Did I have enough faith and concentration? I didn't know. I did not feel afraid. But I also did not feel compelled to walk. Even so, I had removed my shoes and socks. Was that significant?
Then a voice was calling out "last call It's time to go in and dance." Charmaine stepped up to the pit again, and this time I stepped out beside her and took her hand. We looked briefly at each other. She squeezed my hand, and I began to walk. We moved together, not too fast, casually.
The coals crunched under my feet, and I was about to step off the pit, already at the other end. I did it! I had actually walked on 1200 degree coals, and my feet were intact - not even a blister. Now everyone was cheering for ME! I knew I was about to begin rethinking reality. There was no other choice.
I circled the fire with a tambourine in my hand, striking the instrument on my thigh in time with the chant, "My body does whatever it takes to protect itself." I gazed into the glowing red and orange eyes of the twelve foot by four foot bed of coals and watched a coating of white ash begin to form. The fire pit looked back, studying me with its many eyes. "Will you walk tonight?" it silently asked. Would I cast aside caution and logic and make a tremendous leap of faith with a few small steps on a 1200 degree bed of coals?
The chant changed to "I am the light, I am the love" and then swelled around me with "The fire and I are one," and I thought about how I came to be standing here on the edge of eternity, a 42-year old woman, questioning the very nature of reality.
It was only a few weeks ago as I entered the Chapel of Prayer with fifty or so people to listen to a Hindu Guru tell traditional Indian parables, that I met Charmaine McGhie and Tore Fossum. We were seated next to each other and connected so quickly that they invited me to a New Year's Eve Party and Firewalk.
I was intrigued. I had seen firewalking on TV and read about it in National Geographics, but never had I witnessed it in person. Meanwhile, they gave me a book called "Firewalk" by Jonathon Seinfeld which I read with interest. It talked about firewalking as an empowerment tool and a subcultural movement in the U.S. since the 1970s. The U.S. has more firewalkers than the rest of the world put together. I couldn't believe it! How could I have missed it? I had done every "new age" experience I had run into. How could such a phenomenon have slipped by me? My excitement grew as the days passed.
The book helped keep me occupied and gave me a lot to think about. It told stories of firewalking in every culture. It quoted scriptures about firewalking and discussed the unsatisfactory research that has been done. I was primed for the experience - to watch the experience, at least.
I arrived early at the suburban house in a nice Friendswood Texas neighborhood. Not really where you'd expect to see a firewalk. The preparations looked like any other New Year's Eve party. Guests arrived with covered dishes, and someone played piano - 50s hits to sing along with. Not even any alcohol present.
At about 9:00 p.m. everyone gathered in the back yard. A cool front was moving through, and the air was cooling down. The grass was soaked with a hose as a safety precaution, and the evening began.
We each took turns carrying logs to build the fire. We were instructed to think of the logs like children, and focus loving attention on them. A firewalk instructor took the logs from us and built an impressive "boy scout" style teepee-shaped structure which would become a large bonfire using about a half cord of wood. We took turns stuffing newspaper in the cracks, and the fire was lit with great ceremony. A blaze reached skyward as a word of thanks and protection was intoned by a lady wearing a long full skirt. Surely that skirt was not a good thing to walk on fire in. When the fire was blazing violet and gold, we went to the patio to try out some other phenomenal activities. It would be two to three hours before the coals were ready.
Someone asked if we wanted to play the "rebar game" and a chorus of assent rang out. I had no idea what that meant. Rebars are 3/4" x 6' steel reinforcement bars used to reinforce concrete. Two people stand face to face six feet apart and a rebar is suspended between them by placing the tip of the metal rod in the hollow of the throat. The two people are told to focus their energy and see the rod bending. When they feel focused, the walk toward each other. The rod could either pierce your throat, cut off your breathing, or it could bend. All of them bent. There were no tracheotomies. It is impossible to use force to bend the rod in this position as it causes tremendous pain. I know that through experience. But when focusing properly the rod just sort of melts, and you are suddenly catching your partner in your arms as you fall toward each other. Yes, I did it!
Next, we broke boards like so many karate experts. Only we weren't. One inch thick by twenty-four inches wide pine boards set on bricks. When focused, the board almost breaks itself. That was a tremendous energy rush for me. I didn't know I could do that.
Finally, the coals were ready. We returned to the back yard. The fire was so hot, it was difficult to stand close to it for more than a few minutes. The coals were raked out smooth, and the temperature was measured at 1200 degrees. How could we hope to walk on this? It was too preposterous. I was glad I'd only come to watch.
We circled the fire pit and chanted. No one wanted to be first. I wondered if anyone would find the courage. Suddenly Charmaine was at the top of the pit quietly chanting and focusing on the far end of the coals. Then it happened. She stepped onto the coals and kept walking, slowly, not rushing, the full twelve feet. As she stepped off, a cheer went up, and she went around and repeated it. She was followed by Tore and another, and another. A line of people followed, and no injuries. The lady in the long, full skirt walked eight times, and the fabric did not catch fire. Everyone had walked, except me and one other person. I had only come to watch anyway.
Some people walked slow, some people ran, some people danced. One person cartwheeled through the coals, and then he did the most amazing thing. He stepped onto the coals and stood there in one place, reached down and lifted up a handful of coals and threw them into the air. Then he quietly walked off the fire pit - unharmed.
This went on for a couple of hours. It was like a dream. My mind had no place to file this scene. Could I do it too? Did I have enough faith and concentration? I didn't know. I did not feel afraid. But I also did not feel compelled to walk. Even so, I had removed my shoes and socks. Was that significant?
Then a voice was calling out "last call It's time to go in and dance." Charmaine stepped up to the pit again, and this time I stepped out beside her and took her hand. We looked briefly at each other. She squeezed my hand, and I began to walk. We moved together, not too fast, casually.
The coals crunched under my feet, and I was about to step off the pit, already at the other end. I did it! I had actually walked on 1200 degree coals, and my feet were intact - not even a blister. Now everyone was cheering for ME! I knew I was about to begin rethinking reality. There was no other choice.
What happens when we first pray?
The first thing is to pray. From the moment we begin to pray, things start moving. The darker the night, the closer the dawn. From the moment we chant daimoku with a deep and powerful resolve, the sun begins to rise in our hearts. Hope—prayer is the sun of hope. To chant daimoku each time we face a problem, overcoming it and elevating our life-condition as a result—this is the path of "changing earthly desires into enlightenment," taught in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 15/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 15/8
What is the difference between aging and growing old?
The German author Hermann Hesse (1877-1962) writes that the more one matures, the younger one grows. And certainly there are many people who, as they age, become increasingly vigorous and energetic, more broad-minded and tolerant, living with a greater sense of freedom and assurance. It is important to remember that aging and growing old are not necessarily the same thing.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 14/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 14/8
Thursday, October 6, 2011
A Gift for the Birthday Boy
Spiritual Story by Captain Elmo Jayawardena
It was a lazy morning during the Christmas week, I do not recall the date, but I do recall it was the time rich cake tasted very poor. This usually happens around the twenty ninth of December. Eating too much of it. The balloons were getting their first lines of deflation. Christmas feeling was still very much around, serenading in the night, carols in the air, a continuous exchange of visits and gifts, an extended celebration of a two thousand year old birth.
We were enjoying one of those pleasant after breakfast chats, supplemented by a free flow of coffee. The doorbell rang and there was a little girl, standing at the doorway with a piece of paper in her hand and a face that carried an expression of want. Rather a common sight during Christmas.
She very humbly murmured that the paper was her booklist and that she was going around begging money to buy her schoolbooks. She said this to my children and they went inside and brought some coins for her. This kind of incident happens very often in my hometown, especially during Christmas.
From where I was seated I could see her clearly. She looked about ten years, her feet were bare and she wore a dress two sizes bigger than her. She had one of those "nobody knows the troubles I've seen" faces. She spoke in a clear and humble voice and looked me straight in the eye. Something made me get up and speak to her. I am glad 1 did, as the words we shared made a big difference to me. Rather a world of difference to me and my otherwise mundane Christmas.
In answer to my questions, she said that her mother made hoppers (local pancakes) and she sold them before going to school. That was their livelihood. She had done well in school. For the new class she was entering the textbooks were given by the school, the list was for the rest. The hopper money was not adequate to cover the list and hence, she was going from house to house asking for help.
Her voice told me the story, her eyes told me that it was the truth. Who was I to judge? I said I'd buy her what was in the list.
We drove to a nearby bookstore. In silence she sat, with a strange look on her face. It's a look the needy have, a hard to believe �what's happening to me� look. It's a desperate yet special look. Somewhere along your life, you need to have eaten a lot of bread and salt to recognize it.
At the store the clerk was ticking each item and taking it out of a show case. The little girl kept staring as if dazed. A faint trace of a smile on her face. Perhaps she had never possessed so many new things before. They were merely exercise books, pencils, felt pens and such things. We bought her what was in the list and she whispered her thanks in utterances. Her gratitude was all over her face, the happiness sparkling through her eyes. Strange, I hadn't been aware that giving such simple things to one in need, could bring me such a lot of happiness.
As we drove back I could see in the mirror the little girl. All the gifts I've given in my life never lit a face so much. She was clutching the parcel with her little hands and smiling to herself, perhaps thankful that someone had taken the time and trouble to buy her a gift. The total event made us all very happy. Our Christmas became more meaningful, for the birthday had come, we bought our share of gifts, without forgetting the birthday boy.
I've written this story as it happened, in all its simplicity. I share the facts, but not the feeling, unless you too experience the pleasure of buying a gift for the birthday boy. I cannot remember the gifts I've given for Christmas, nor the ones I've received. They are mostly a meaningless social obligation. Yet, I remember every detail of the one gift I bought for the birthday boy, a little gift that did not cost much. I feel very happy every time I recall it. I am thankful that I was blessed with an opportunity to accomplish it.
The birthday is just around the corner. We do not go for birthday parties buying gifts for everybody and ignoring the birthday boy. There are many who represent the birthday boy. Many who would go through Christmas hoping for a little change, a little light, a little shine, which usually is denied. It is not for us to question validities, but to lend a hand when we can. A gift is something we give to make us happy. Buy gifts, by all means buy gifts for everyone, but when you go to the party don't forget the birthday boy.
It was a lazy morning during the Christmas week, I do not recall the date, but I do recall it was the time rich cake tasted very poor. This usually happens around the twenty ninth of December. Eating too much of it. The balloons were getting their first lines of deflation. Christmas feeling was still very much around, serenading in the night, carols in the air, a continuous exchange of visits and gifts, an extended celebration of a two thousand year old birth.
We were enjoying one of those pleasant after breakfast chats, supplemented by a free flow of coffee. The doorbell rang and there was a little girl, standing at the doorway with a piece of paper in her hand and a face that carried an expression of want. Rather a common sight during Christmas.
She very humbly murmured that the paper was her booklist and that she was going around begging money to buy her schoolbooks. She said this to my children and they went inside and brought some coins for her. This kind of incident happens very often in my hometown, especially during Christmas.
From where I was seated I could see her clearly. She looked about ten years, her feet were bare and she wore a dress two sizes bigger than her. She had one of those "nobody knows the troubles I've seen" faces. She spoke in a clear and humble voice and looked me straight in the eye. Something made me get up and speak to her. I am glad 1 did, as the words we shared made a big difference to me. Rather a world of difference to me and my otherwise mundane Christmas.
In answer to my questions, she said that her mother made hoppers (local pancakes) and she sold them before going to school. That was their livelihood. She had done well in school. For the new class she was entering the textbooks were given by the school, the list was for the rest. The hopper money was not adequate to cover the list and hence, she was going from house to house asking for help.
Her voice told me the story, her eyes told me that it was the truth. Who was I to judge? I said I'd buy her what was in the list.
We drove to a nearby bookstore. In silence she sat, with a strange look on her face. It's a look the needy have, a hard to believe �what's happening to me� look. It's a desperate yet special look. Somewhere along your life, you need to have eaten a lot of bread and salt to recognize it.
At the store the clerk was ticking each item and taking it out of a show case. The little girl kept staring as if dazed. A faint trace of a smile on her face. Perhaps she had never possessed so many new things before. They were merely exercise books, pencils, felt pens and such things. We bought her what was in the list and she whispered her thanks in utterances. Her gratitude was all over her face, the happiness sparkling through her eyes. Strange, I hadn't been aware that giving such simple things to one in need, could bring me such a lot of happiness.
As we drove back I could see in the mirror the little girl. All the gifts I've given in my life never lit a face so much. She was clutching the parcel with her little hands and smiling to herself, perhaps thankful that someone had taken the time and trouble to buy her a gift. The total event made us all very happy. Our Christmas became more meaningful, for the birthday had come, we bought our share of gifts, without forgetting the birthday boy.
I've written this story as it happened, in all its simplicity. I share the facts, but not the feeling, unless you too experience the pleasure of buying a gift for the birthday boy. I cannot remember the gifts I've given for Christmas, nor the ones I've received. They are mostly a meaningless social obligation. Yet, I remember every detail of the one gift I bought for the birthday boy, a little gift that did not cost much. I feel very happy every time I recall it. I am thankful that I was blessed with an opportunity to accomplish it.
The birthday is just around the corner. We do not go for birthday parties buying gifts for everybody and ignoring the birthday boy. There are many who represent the birthday boy. Many who would go through Christmas hoping for a little change, a little light, a little shine, which usually is denied. It is not for us to question validities, but to lend a hand when we can. A gift is something we give to make us happy. Buy gifts, by all means buy gifts for everyone, but when you go to the party don't forget the birthday boy.
Established their own solid sense of identity will triumph in the end
An important thing is that you concentrate on developing yourself. Whatever others may say or do, those who have established their own solid sense of identity will triumph in the end. The great Japanese author Eiji Yoshikawa (1892-1962) wrote in his novel Miyamoto Musashi [an account of the seventeenth-century master swordsman of the same name]: "Rather than worrying about your future, thinking 'Perhaps I should become this or perhaps I should become that,' first be still and build a self that is as solid and unmoving as Mount Fuji."
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 13/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 13/8
Courage is another name for the SGI spirit.
Courage is free. Anyone can have it. Courage is another name for the SGI spirit. Mr. Toda said: "The Buddha is filled with compassion, but it is hard for us common mortals to show compassion. So we must have courage instead." In other words, when we work courageously for kosen-rufu, our actions by their very nature, become compassionate.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/8
Buddhism of the True Cause
Mr. Toda once told me: "You can make a defeat the cause for future victory. You can also make victory the cause for future defeat." The Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is the Buddhism of the True Cause, the Buddhism of the present and future. We don't dwell on the past. We are always challenging ourselves from the present toward the future. "The whole future lies ahead of us! We have only just begun!"—because we advance with this spirit, we will never be deadlocked.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/8
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The wonder of reading Gosho.
Let's read the Gosho regularly. Even just a little is fine. Even a single sentence. Just opening the Gosho is a start. At any rate, let's strive to read the Daishonin's writings. It's important to have the spirit to study the Gosho, to open up the Gosho. Even if you forget what you've read, something profound will have been engraved in the depths of your life.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 11/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 11/8
A Different Way Of Looking At Life
Spiritual Story by Daniel Frankel
Once upon a time, there were three babies and an ogre. The ogre kept them chained inside a cave facing the wall and with their backs against the entrance of the cave so they could never see what was happening outside of the cave. They were not allowed to go outside and experience the world.
Since they grew up in the dark, their eyes adapted to the darkness and the only thing they could see were shadows on the wall in front of them coming from objects reflected by the light outside of the cave.
Since this is all they had seen all their life, shadows on a wall, life seemed normal to them; they believed that this is the way in which all people lived.
Out of boredom, they started giving names to the shadows on the wall and guessing what the shadows could be. Identifying the shadows became a fun activity for them.
One of them was the smartest, and he never missed identifying the right shapes of the shadows. The second guy was correct most of the times and the last one was almost always wrong with his guesses. Because of this, the two later guys always looked up to the first one; they thought he was super smart as he was always correct.
Many years later after the boys had grown up, the ogre went for a walk one day. At the same time, a man from the outside world was walking by and heard the three guys talking. The man walked into the cave and was stunned to see these young men chained inside the cave. Still in shock at what he had found, he asked… "What are you guys doing here? Who is keeping you here? This is so wrong… who would do such a thing to you?
As he asked, he reached into his backpack and pulled his tools to cut the chains of the smart guy who immediately screams at him… "What are you doing? Leave me here, this is my home! Why are you taking away my chains?"
The stranger kept on releasing him while saying… "No, you don't understand. It is not normal to live life like this. You shouldn't be here. There is a whole world out there waiting for you. You shouldn't be here"
"Really?" -the smart guy says- "OK, I want to see this great outside world you speak of, where is it?"
Just as the stranger tries to release the other two young men, he hears the ogre so they both run away promising the other two men that they'd come back to free them as well.
Lead by the stranger and almost blinded by the sunlight, the smart guy keeps on running until they get to a safe place. It takes him quite some time to adapt his eyes to the bright light from the sun, but once he does, he is marveled at the things he is seeing. The stranger starts showing him and explaining all kinds of things like colors, flowers and objects like cars, houses, buildings, and other things we normally see in the world we live today.
All of a sudden, the smart guy understands the impact of having being chained inside that cave for so long. He realizes all what he had missed from the outside world and that there are millions of things that he wants to see and experience in this world. Then he thinks about his friends in the cave and wants to go back and free them to share and discover this outside world with them too.
He decides to go back to the cave and tell his friends about this "outside" world, but he soon discovers that they have the same reaction that he did as he tries to break the chains that keep them in the cave.
They asked him to put the chains back on them because this is their world and they perceive it as normal. He tries to convince them to no avail. Finally, one of them says… "OK, we will go with you but first tell us… What is that shadow on the wall right now?"
As the smart guy tried to focus on the wall he couldn't see anything. He couldn't answer because his eyes were used to the bright sunlight now and they were taking longer to adapt to the darkness of the cave.
His two friends just looked at each other in disbelief. From their perspective he had lost his intelligence. This smart friend that they always looked up to for answers had become dumb.
From their point of view, he came back dumber from the outside world so they decided not to follow him.
Once upon a time, there were three babies and an ogre. The ogre kept them chained inside a cave facing the wall and with their backs against the entrance of the cave so they could never see what was happening outside of the cave. They were not allowed to go outside and experience the world.
Since they grew up in the dark, their eyes adapted to the darkness and the only thing they could see were shadows on the wall in front of them coming from objects reflected by the light outside of the cave.
Since this is all they had seen all their life, shadows on a wall, life seemed normal to them; they believed that this is the way in which all people lived.
Out of boredom, they started giving names to the shadows on the wall and guessing what the shadows could be. Identifying the shadows became a fun activity for them.
One of them was the smartest, and he never missed identifying the right shapes of the shadows. The second guy was correct most of the times and the last one was almost always wrong with his guesses. Because of this, the two later guys always looked up to the first one; they thought he was super smart as he was always correct.
Many years later after the boys had grown up, the ogre went for a walk one day. At the same time, a man from the outside world was walking by and heard the three guys talking. The man walked into the cave and was stunned to see these young men chained inside the cave. Still in shock at what he had found, he asked… "What are you guys doing here? Who is keeping you here? This is so wrong… who would do such a thing to you?
As he asked, he reached into his backpack and pulled his tools to cut the chains of the smart guy who immediately screams at him… "What are you doing? Leave me here, this is my home! Why are you taking away my chains?"
The stranger kept on releasing him while saying… "No, you don't understand. It is not normal to live life like this. You shouldn't be here. There is a whole world out there waiting for you. You shouldn't be here"
"Really?" -the smart guy says- "OK, I want to see this great outside world you speak of, where is it?"
Just as the stranger tries to release the other two young men, he hears the ogre so they both run away promising the other two men that they'd come back to free them as well.
Lead by the stranger and almost blinded by the sunlight, the smart guy keeps on running until they get to a safe place. It takes him quite some time to adapt his eyes to the bright light from the sun, but once he does, he is marveled at the things he is seeing. The stranger starts showing him and explaining all kinds of things like colors, flowers and objects like cars, houses, buildings, and other things we normally see in the world we live today.
All of a sudden, the smart guy understands the impact of having being chained inside that cave for so long. He realizes all what he had missed from the outside world and that there are millions of things that he wants to see and experience in this world. Then he thinks about his friends in the cave and wants to go back and free them to share and discover this outside world with them too.
He decides to go back to the cave and tell his friends about this "outside" world, but he soon discovers that they have the same reaction that he did as he tries to break the chains that keep them in the cave.
They asked him to put the chains back on them because this is their world and they perceive it as normal. He tries to convince them to no avail. Finally, one of them says… "OK, we will go with you but first tell us… What is that shadow on the wall right now?"
As the smart guy tried to focus on the wall he couldn't see anything. He couldn't answer because his eyes were used to the bright sunlight now and they were taking longer to adapt to the darkness of the cave.
His two friends just looked at each other in disbelief. From their perspective he had lost his intelligence. This smart friend that they always looked up to for answers had become dumb.
From their point of view, he came back dumber from the outside world so they decided not to follow him.
Obstacles are a golden opportunity to quickly forge an inner self that is as indestructible as a diamond, able to endure for eternity
From one perspective, Buddhist practice means plunging into the midst of the people and striving to strengthen our life force to the greatest extent. The purpose of SGI activities is for each of us to be able to build a strong, invincible, diamond-like self that can overcome every difficulty and blaze a way forward wherever we go. Obstacles are a golden opportunity to quickly forge an inner self that is as indestructible as a diamond, able to endure for eternity.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 10/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 10/8
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
How should overcome the turbulent world?
The present, as I am sure you all sense, is an age pervaded by great weariness and apathy. I would like you to be aware that the power and energy to serve humanity in such an enervated age can only be born from a vigorous, indomitable, noble will. Though the times may be rife with petty human conflicts, a pervading sense of hopelessness and all manner of turbulent storms, I hope that all of you will forge ahead boldly, with unflagging good cheer.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 9/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 9/8
What are people who makes halfhearted pronouncements?
Gandhi stressed the importance of being resolute in one's determinations: "A man who says that he will do something 'as far as possible' betrays either his pride or his weakness, though he himself may attribute it to his humility. There is, in fact, not a trace of humility in such an attitude of mind." In short, he asserts that someone who makes halfhearted pronouncements is either arrogant or cowardly.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 7/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 7/8
A Crisis In IT
Spiritual Story by Surya
There lived in Nepal a person named Prashanta. Prashanta was very skilled in computers and made a lot of useful software that he used to give to his co-workers for free. His co-workers recognized his skill and used to praise him very highly, but Prashanta never seemed to be affected by their praise and would continue his simple ways.
One day there was a crisis in the IT department. They desperately needed a software for extracting images from their old database and inserting into the new one. All of them suggested Prashanta to make it and he calmly agreed and set about making it. The finished product was very professional looking and worked wonderfully.
Everyone was pleased with the software and highly praised Prashanta, but he remained unaffected by their praise and would calmly thank them. Seeing his nonchalance a friend asked him how he could be so calm and unaffected when even the CEO himself was very pleased and excited about the software. "Don't you feel proud to have created such a fine piece of software?", asked his friend.
To his query Prashanta replied, "I am not the doer, I am simply the medium."
There lived in Nepal a person named Prashanta. Prashanta was very skilled in computers and made a lot of useful software that he used to give to his co-workers for free. His co-workers recognized his skill and used to praise him very highly, but Prashanta never seemed to be affected by their praise and would continue his simple ways.
One day there was a crisis in the IT department. They desperately needed a software for extracting images from their old database and inserting into the new one. All of them suggested Prashanta to make it and he calmly agreed and set about making it. The finished product was very professional looking and worked wonderfully.
Everyone was pleased with the software and highly praised Prashanta, but he remained unaffected by their praise and would calmly thank them. Seeing his nonchalance a friend asked him how he could be so calm and unaffected when even the CEO himself was very pleased and excited about the software. "Don't you feel proud to have created such a fine piece of software?", asked his friend.
To his query Prashanta replied, "I am not the doer, I am simply the medium."
Monday, October 3, 2011
A Change of Perspective
Spiritual Story by Catherine Ingram
The following story is a true experience that Catherine Ingram had while in a grocery store...
A few years ago, I was with a close woman friend in a grocery store in California. As we snaked along the aisles, we became aware of a mother with a small boy moving in the opposite direction and meeting us head on in each aisle. The woman barely noticed us because she was so furious at her little boy, who seemed intent on pulling items off the lower shelves. As the mother became more and more frustrated, she started to yell at the child and several aisles later had progressed to shaking him by the arm.
At this point my friend spoke up. A wonderful mother of three and founder of a progressive school, she had probably never once in her life treated any child so harshly. I expected my friend would give this woman a solid mother-to-mother talk about controlling herself and about the effect this behavior has on a child. Braced for confrontation, I felt a spike in my already elevated adrenaline.
Instead, my friend said, "What a beautiful little boy. How old is he?" The woman answered cautiously, "He's three." My friend went on to comment about how curious he seemed and how her own three children were just like him in the grocery store, pulling things off shelves, so interested in all the wonderful colors and packages. "He seems so bright and intelligent," my friend said.
The woman had the boy in her arms by now and a shy smile came upon her face. Gently brushing his hair out of his eyes, she said, "Yes, he's very smart and curious, but sometimes he wears me out." My friend responded sympathetically, "Yes, they can do that; they are so full of energy."
As we walked away, I heard the mothe rspeaking more kindly to the boy about getting home and cooking his dinner. "We'll have your favorite—macaroni and cheese," she told him.
The following story is a true experience that Catherine Ingram had while in a grocery store...
A few years ago, I was with a close woman friend in a grocery store in California. As we snaked along the aisles, we became aware of a mother with a small boy moving in the opposite direction and meeting us head on in each aisle. The woman barely noticed us because she was so furious at her little boy, who seemed intent on pulling items off the lower shelves. As the mother became more and more frustrated, she started to yell at the child and several aisles later had progressed to shaking him by the arm.
At this point my friend spoke up. A wonderful mother of three and founder of a progressive school, she had probably never once in her life treated any child so harshly. I expected my friend would give this woman a solid mother-to-mother talk about controlling herself and about the effect this behavior has on a child. Braced for confrontation, I felt a spike in my already elevated adrenaline.
Instead, my friend said, "What a beautiful little boy. How old is he?" The woman answered cautiously, "He's three." My friend went on to comment about how curious he seemed and how her own three children were just like him in the grocery store, pulling things off shelves, so interested in all the wonderful colors and packages. "He seems so bright and intelligent," my friend said.
The woman had the boy in her arms by now and a shy smile came upon her face. Gently brushing his hair out of his eyes, she said, "Yes, he's very smart and curious, but sometimes he wears me out." My friend responded sympathetically, "Yes, they can do that; they are so full of energy."
As we walked away, I heard the mothe rspeaking more kindly to the boy about getting home and cooking his dinner. "We'll have your favorite—macaroni and cheese," she told him.
What have we done for others?
Youth, and indeed life itself, flashes by in the blink of an eye. That is why it is important for you to ask yourselves what you can do for those who are suffering, what you can do to resolve the mournful contradictions that plague society, and boldly take on these great challenges without shunning the problems and difficulties you will inevitably face.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/8
Don't concern yourself with petty criticisms!
We cannot build true character if we allow ourselves to be swayed by passing praise or censure. "Don't concern yourself with petty criticisms! Commune constantly with fine books and fine people and improve yourself!" This was the creed by which Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda lived their lives.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/8
Sunday, October 2, 2011
A Boat Called Freedom
Spiritual Story by Iain Legg
I was coughing, spluttering. Salty seawater filled my mouth. I looked up and everywhere there were people swimming. There must have been thousands of people ...a multitude of arms and legs kicking, all moving in one huge anti clockwise circle, the size of an athletic track. In the center was a small desert island with a few palm trees and a person who was throwing food to the swimmers.
What was going on? How had I got here?
I was quickly halted from my thoughts as a jolt of pain shot up my leg. Some guy aged about 50 had blindly kicked me as he swam by. I tried to call out but he didn't seem to hear me.
I started to panic a little and tried to grab other people's attention but everyone just kept on swimming, and I was blocking the way. Other people hit me and kicked me as they struggled to get around so I had to either swim with them or drown (...or so I thought at the time...)
So I started swimming along but was still looking around frantically for a face I might recognise. It was difficult as most people seemed to swim with their faces in the water. Eventually I saw a friend who was swimming close to me and asked him why we were here. He didn't hear me amongst all the splashing and foaming water.
I pulled his arm. "What's with all this swimming?" I shouted.
"What are you talking about?" he shouts back as if I'm crazy... "we're swimming the circles and getting fed, this is what we do ...why do you question it again my friend" he smiled...
This seemed familiar as if we've had this conversation a thousand times. I felt frustrated. Alone.
...there must be more to life...
But then out of the corner of my eye I saw someone waving. It was a lady in a boat and she was beckoning me to come over to her. But she was away from the other swimmers. A long way, and I felt a little scared. Maybe it was just safer to stick with the majority...
...but something inside urged me to swim across even though she was right outside the circle of swimmers, and a very long way from the island that fed people. So I took a deep breath and started swimming across the lanes of people.
It took a while to get across and felt like the bravest thing I'd ever done ...but strangely it wasn't that difficult. Once I'd made up my mind, swimmers seemed to slow down and speed up almost as if they were moving out of the way for me. 10 minutes later and I reached the lady.
She was sitting in a simple small wooden rowing boat smiling down at me. Her pale blue eyes seemed to sparkle like sunlight on the water and her long silver hair blew gently in the breeze. I was thinking that she must be about 60 ...but somehow she seemed much older and wiser.
I grabbed the side of the boat and gathering my breath I asked "why did you wave to me?".
"....because you were looking for answers." she replied.
I was about to ask what her name was when I felt something cold and metallic beneath my hand. I looked down and saw 9 small silver letters attached to the side of the boat spelling out the name I-N-T-U-I-T-I-O-N
"Am I dreaming all this? All I can remember is suddenly having seawater in my mouth" I asked.
"This is not a dream, you've woken up." the lady softly replied.
My head was now in a real spin. This didn't feel real... I spluttered "but what about the others... why do they constantly just swim round and round in circles?".
She leaned forward and whispered sadly, "Because this is all they know. They have been taught from a very early age that they must swim round the island to be fed."
The thought of doing this forever somehow terrified me... "How do I escape? I don't want to spend the rest of my life going around in circles."
"Well you need to know clearly what you do want, not what you don't want..." she replied with a smile.
I knew deep down what I really wanted. Life was about being free – experiencing things, exploring, growing, having fun, being happy ...and sharing this with other people...
I thought about the poor exhausted people whose life revolved around an island (literally) ...I told the lady "I want freedom".
"Ok you need to picture it clearly in your mind in perfect detail." she replied. "You must feel gratitude and happiness bursting from your heart as if you have this freedom now...and you must feel these emotions every day ...then let your intention go and KNOW it will happen."
"Along the way you may feel hunches or gut feelings prompting you to take certain actions. Listen to these feelings, they are my whispers in the wind to guide you. Understand this, take action and you'll find your freedom..."
I listened to her words and imagined a beautiful sailing boat with sky blue coloured sails with a golden trim. The hull was a dark brown wood and in the corner, painted in small white letters, was the name ...'Freedom'.
No sooner had I seen this when the wind picked up and salty water blew across my face. I blinked my eyes and when they opened Freedom was gone, along with the lady in the boat ... and I was suddenly back swimming in circles, seawater choking in my mouth...
Every day for a week I thought about the silver haired lady and her words of wisdom. Every day I'd pictured the boat called Freedom, and every day I'd imagined how gloriously happy I'd be if I could see this boat in reality.
I needed to see this boat.
How could I live a life of mediocrity and boredom when I knew a better life existed? ...A better life was actually possible ...and I'd really believed it was, I was desperate to believe it was possible ...but to be honest, I was now starting to have a few niggling doubts...
I'd seen no signs of success and it was frustrating – my friend just smiled as usual... in that ‘told you so' kind of way. (Or maybe my friend just felt sorry for me for having these ‘far out' beliefs that there could be more to life?)
Ever since I was a small child I remember being told that our life involved swimming around a huge island. We apparently had to do this to get fed. People wasted the best years of their lives going around in circles. Trapped to the system.
Trapped by their beliefs.
And even though I'd accepted this system as the only way of life up until recently – now it seemed crazy ...or maybe I was going crazy? Sometimes it's hard to keep believing...
The wind started to pick up a little and the waves got bigger making it harder to swim – but nobody seemed to notice. They just carried on their long monotonous circle – an infinite loop of broken dreams. But then I heard her voice in the wind... my intuition...
"You see your Freedom from afar and that is why it stays away. You must imagine yourself sailing your boat, feel the emotions as you look around ...you must picture and feel Freedom from within."
"You see your Freedom as a need. Therefore you stay in a emotional state of lack and Freedom will always be lacking, just out of your grasp. You must know your Freedom is already yours. You must feel the gratitude and joy as if you have Freedom now."
"You see your Freedom every minute of your every waking hour. Your energy, your power that contains your dream must be released so its magic can work."
"But if I let go of my dream aren't I giving up?" I asked.
"When you release your dream you must already KNOW in your heart it will manifest ...Then you must take action ...your boat won't float right up to you!"
I smiled, and asked "What action do I take?"
"listen to your intuition..." the words slowly faded as the wind dropped and the sea was calm again.
So I visualized being within my boat called Freedom...
...the sky blue sails flapped gently in the sea breeze. I was capturing the magic of the moment as I sat aboard looking out to the horizon. Gulls flew overhead mixing their song with the gentle splashing of the ocean. The sun was beginning to set and was casting it's beautiful orange rays across the evening sky. Life was good...
...until choking seawater abruptly awakened me from my visualization/daydream. Yet regardless of the difficulties going on all around me in my current temporary reality, I persisted with this exercise every day. Then on the 7th day I remembered the lady telling me to release the power ...so I imagined a ball of pure white energy that contained my passport to Freedom – and I let it shoot from the palm of my hand into the starlit sky (...and I'm sure a star twinkled just at that moment...)
And that was it – I heard nothing for months, no signals, no whispers in the wind...
...but I never stopped believing.
Then one sunny day I heard the whispers telling me to swim and follow the wind. I didn't need to be told twice and started swimming, my guide - the wind and the waves. I swam until I could almost swim no more, and then in the distance I saw it -
A beautiful sailing boat with sky blue coloured sails with a golden trim. The hull was a dark brown wood and in the corner, painted in small white letters, was the name ...'Freedom'.
It was getting late and the sun was setting on the horizon ...casting it's beautiful orange rays across the evening sky. I swam up to the boat and climbed aboard – exhausted but exhilarated.
My dream had come true, but now out of my comfort zone, I thought to myself "Where shall I go? What shall I do?"
I heard the sound of laughing behind me and turned round to see a beaming face with sparkling blue eyes. Intuition, the wisest friend you'll ever meet.
"You can go anywhere, do anything", she smiled.
"...you always could..."
I was coughing, spluttering. Salty seawater filled my mouth. I looked up and everywhere there were people swimming. There must have been thousands of people ...a multitude of arms and legs kicking, all moving in one huge anti clockwise circle, the size of an athletic track. In the center was a small desert island with a few palm trees and a person who was throwing food to the swimmers.
What was going on? How had I got here?
I was quickly halted from my thoughts as a jolt of pain shot up my leg. Some guy aged about 50 had blindly kicked me as he swam by. I tried to call out but he didn't seem to hear me.
I started to panic a little and tried to grab other people's attention but everyone just kept on swimming, and I was blocking the way. Other people hit me and kicked me as they struggled to get around so I had to either swim with them or drown (...or so I thought at the time...)
So I started swimming along but was still looking around frantically for a face I might recognise. It was difficult as most people seemed to swim with their faces in the water. Eventually I saw a friend who was swimming close to me and asked him why we were here. He didn't hear me amongst all the splashing and foaming water.
I pulled his arm. "What's with all this swimming?" I shouted.
"What are you talking about?" he shouts back as if I'm crazy... "we're swimming the circles and getting fed, this is what we do ...why do you question it again my friend" he smiled...
This seemed familiar as if we've had this conversation a thousand times. I felt frustrated. Alone.
...there must be more to life...
But then out of the corner of my eye I saw someone waving. It was a lady in a boat and she was beckoning me to come over to her. But she was away from the other swimmers. A long way, and I felt a little scared. Maybe it was just safer to stick with the majority...
...but something inside urged me to swim across even though she was right outside the circle of swimmers, and a very long way from the island that fed people. So I took a deep breath and started swimming across the lanes of people.
It took a while to get across and felt like the bravest thing I'd ever done ...but strangely it wasn't that difficult. Once I'd made up my mind, swimmers seemed to slow down and speed up almost as if they were moving out of the way for me. 10 minutes later and I reached the lady.
She was sitting in a simple small wooden rowing boat smiling down at me. Her pale blue eyes seemed to sparkle like sunlight on the water and her long silver hair blew gently in the breeze. I was thinking that she must be about 60 ...but somehow she seemed much older and wiser.
I grabbed the side of the boat and gathering my breath I asked "why did you wave to me?".
"....because you were looking for answers." she replied.
I was about to ask what her name was when I felt something cold and metallic beneath my hand. I looked down and saw 9 small silver letters attached to the side of the boat spelling out the name I-N-T-U-I-T-I-O-N
"Am I dreaming all this? All I can remember is suddenly having seawater in my mouth" I asked.
"This is not a dream, you've woken up." the lady softly replied.
My head was now in a real spin. This didn't feel real... I spluttered "but what about the others... why do they constantly just swim round and round in circles?".
She leaned forward and whispered sadly, "Because this is all they know. They have been taught from a very early age that they must swim round the island to be fed."
The thought of doing this forever somehow terrified me... "How do I escape? I don't want to spend the rest of my life going around in circles."
"Well you need to know clearly what you do want, not what you don't want..." she replied with a smile.
I knew deep down what I really wanted. Life was about being free – experiencing things, exploring, growing, having fun, being happy ...and sharing this with other people...
I thought about the poor exhausted people whose life revolved around an island (literally) ...I told the lady "I want freedom".
"Ok you need to picture it clearly in your mind in perfect detail." she replied. "You must feel gratitude and happiness bursting from your heart as if you have this freedom now...and you must feel these emotions every day ...then let your intention go and KNOW it will happen."
"Along the way you may feel hunches or gut feelings prompting you to take certain actions. Listen to these feelings, they are my whispers in the wind to guide you. Understand this, take action and you'll find your freedom..."
I listened to her words and imagined a beautiful sailing boat with sky blue coloured sails with a golden trim. The hull was a dark brown wood and in the corner, painted in small white letters, was the name ...'Freedom'.
No sooner had I seen this when the wind picked up and salty water blew across my face. I blinked my eyes and when they opened Freedom was gone, along with the lady in the boat ... and I was suddenly back swimming in circles, seawater choking in my mouth...
Every day for a week I thought about the silver haired lady and her words of wisdom. Every day I'd pictured the boat called Freedom, and every day I'd imagined how gloriously happy I'd be if I could see this boat in reality.
I needed to see this boat.
How could I live a life of mediocrity and boredom when I knew a better life existed? ...A better life was actually possible ...and I'd really believed it was, I was desperate to believe it was possible ...but to be honest, I was now starting to have a few niggling doubts...
I'd seen no signs of success and it was frustrating – my friend just smiled as usual... in that ‘told you so' kind of way. (Or maybe my friend just felt sorry for me for having these ‘far out' beliefs that there could be more to life?)
Ever since I was a small child I remember being told that our life involved swimming around a huge island. We apparently had to do this to get fed. People wasted the best years of their lives going around in circles. Trapped to the system.
Trapped by their beliefs.
And even though I'd accepted this system as the only way of life up until recently – now it seemed crazy ...or maybe I was going crazy? Sometimes it's hard to keep believing...
The wind started to pick up a little and the waves got bigger making it harder to swim – but nobody seemed to notice. They just carried on their long monotonous circle – an infinite loop of broken dreams. But then I heard her voice in the wind... my intuition...
"You see your Freedom from afar and that is why it stays away. You must imagine yourself sailing your boat, feel the emotions as you look around ...you must picture and feel Freedom from within."
"You see your Freedom as a need. Therefore you stay in a emotional state of lack and Freedom will always be lacking, just out of your grasp. You must know your Freedom is already yours. You must feel the gratitude and joy as if you have Freedom now."
"You see your Freedom every minute of your every waking hour. Your energy, your power that contains your dream must be released so its magic can work."
"But if I let go of my dream aren't I giving up?" I asked.
"When you release your dream you must already KNOW in your heart it will manifest ...Then you must take action ...your boat won't float right up to you!"
I smiled, and asked "What action do I take?"
"listen to your intuition..." the words slowly faded as the wind dropped and the sea was calm again.
So I visualized being within my boat called Freedom...
...the sky blue sails flapped gently in the sea breeze. I was capturing the magic of the moment as I sat aboard looking out to the horizon. Gulls flew overhead mixing their song with the gentle splashing of the ocean. The sun was beginning to set and was casting it's beautiful orange rays across the evening sky. Life was good...
...until choking seawater abruptly awakened me from my visualization/daydream. Yet regardless of the difficulties going on all around me in my current temporary reality, I persisted with this exercise every day. Then on the 7th day I remembered the lady telling me to release the power ...so I imagined a ball of pure white energy that contained my passport to Freedom – and I let it shoot from the palm of my hand into the starlit sky (...and I'm sure a star twinkled just at that moment...)
And that was it – I heard nothing for months, no signals, no whispers in the wind...
...but I never stopped believing.
Then one sunny day I heard the whispers telling me to swim and follow the wind. I didn't need to be told twice and started swimming, my guide - the wind and the waves. I swam until I could almost swim no more, and then in the distance I saw it -
A beautiful sailing boat with sky blue coloured sails with a golden trim. The hull was a dark brown wood and in the corner, painted in small white letters, was the name ...'Freedom'.
It was getting late and the sun was setting on the horizon ...casting it's beautiful orange rays across the evening sky. I swam up to the boat and climbed aboard – exhausted but exhilarated.
My dream had come true, but now out of my comfort zone, I thought to myself "Where shall I go? What shall I do?"
I heard the sound of laughing behind me and turned round to see a beaming face with sparkling blue eyes. Intuition, the wisest friend you'll ever meet.
"You can go anywhere, do anything", she smiled.
"...you always could..."
Saturday, October 1, 2011
How to accomplish your goal?
The resolve to accomplish your goals is what counts. If you earnestly put your mind to something, your brain, your body, your environment—everything—will start working toward achieving that end.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 4/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 4/8
Let us reach beyond our small, limited selves and attain an all-encompassing state of being.
As human beings, let us reach beyond our small, limited selves and attain an all-encompassing state of being, our hearts communing with the vast universe.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 3/8
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 3/8
A Bag of Hurts
Spiritual Story by Zura Ledbetter
There was a sweet, wonder-filled little girl who was hurt over and over so badly that she entered adult life assuming that she was so bad that others just couldn't be nice to her.
What she didn't know until much later, was that God had given her an extra dose of curiosity. This curiosity is what kept her going, seeking answers. She sought many wise people to help her understand why she was so bad that her mother hurt her. And why she was unable to be better so that men wouldn't hurt her.
She was on a journey that she thought was to help her be "better", but she dragged a big sack with her everywhere she went. Inside this sack were all the hurts she had experienced. Because she was so eager to please those who offered their wisdom, she willingly agreed with what they said about forgiving and compassion toward those who caused the hurts. But she clung tightly to that sack of hurts.
But over time, she started loosening her grip on that sack. Her curiosity prompting her to explore... what if she let just one of them go? What if she looked at the men as victims, too? What if she looked at her mother as woman instead of a villain?
After 50 years of dragging that sack around and boldly showing it to all she met as if it were proof that she was a good person, she decided to open it up and just see what happened.
When she looked inside it was filled with bits of paper. At one time they had words on them, detailing the hurts. But time had faded the words and all that was left was some tattered and torn scraps of useless paper. She had been struggling to carry this bag that held nothing but the image of something that once was.
This sweet little girl had now become an almost-old woman. She saw the absurdity of lugging that bag around. It made her laugh. She started laughing and the laughter led to dancing and she felt free!
She was able to see her mother as a young woman with long beautiful hair. Her mother was a woman, a mother who loved her child, and she was sad that her little girl felt unloved.
By letting go of the sack of paper, and having compassion for those that hurt her, this little girl was able to become a woman. The woman looked in the mirror and said, "I am smart. I am interesting. I am kind. I am talented."
But most importantly, she was able to say "I am lovable." Although it took many years, she was finally open to bringing love and respect into her life in the people she surrounded herself with.
She finally saw the sweet, wonder-filled little girl that she had always been.
There was a sweet, wonder-filled little girl who was hurt over and over so badly that she entered adult life assuming that she was so bad that others just couldn't be nice to her.
What she didn't know until much later, was that God had given her an extra dose of curiosity. This curiosity is what kept her going, seeking answers. She sought many wise people to help her understand why she was so bad that her mother hurt her. And why she was unable to be better so that men wouldn't hurt her.
She was on a journey that she thought was to help her be "better", but she dragged a big sack with her everywhere she went. Inside this sack were all the hurts she had experienced. Because she was so eager to please those who offered their wisdom, she willingly agreed with what they said about forgiving and compassion toward those who caused the hurts. But she clung tightly to that sack of hurts.
But over time, she started loosening her grip on that sack. Her curiosity prompting her to explore... what if she let just one of them go? What if she looked at the men as victims, too? What if she looked at her mother as woman instead of a villain?
After 50 years of dragging that sack around and boldly showing it to all she met as if it were proof that she was a good person, she decided to open it up and just see what happened.
When she looked inside it was filled with bits of paper. At one time they had words on them, detailing the hurts. But time had faded the words and all that was left was some tattered and torn scraps of useless paper. She had been struggling to carry this bag that held nothing but the image of something that once was.
This sweet little girl had now become an almost-old woman. She saw the absurdity of lugging that bag around. It made her laugh. She started laughing and the laughter led to dancing and she felt free!
She was able to see her mother as a young woman with long beautiful hair. Her mother was a woman, a mother who loved her child, and she was sad that her little girl felt unloved.
By letting go of the sack of paper, and having compassion for those that hurt her, this little girl was able to become a woman. The woman looked in the mirror and said, "I am smart. I am interesting. I am kind. I am talented."
But most importantly, she was able to say "I am lovable." Although it took many years, she was finally open to bringing love and respect into her life in the people she surrounded herself with.
She finally saw the sweet, wonder-filled little girl that she had always been.
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