Saturday, August 29, 2015

Gratitude / voice

30/8/15 8:02:01 am: Kwee! Chang: 每日指导
8月 30日
知恩、报恩,是为人之道,父母的恩情比山高、比海深,无论发生任何事情,都要爱护父母,打从心底感谢父母,这是心智成熟的证明。能尊敬父母的人,一定是好父母,能构筑起和乐的家庭,对孩子会有深远的影响。
国际创价学会会长池田大作
30/8/15 8:02:01 am: Kwee! Chang: Daily Encouragement
August 30

Nichiren 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.

Daisaku Ikeda, SGI President


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Don't be disheartened by problem members

29/8/15 11:02:06 pm: Chang Cheng Liang: 当我们用真心去弘教,因为出发点是为他人的幸福,不管对方有没有开始修行,我们已经在我们生命里种下了善因。
同样的,让我们不要气馁,从容不迫的继续我们的努力鼓励与祈求我们地区里的会员们在信心上的成长,获得绝对幸福。
29/8/15 11:08:07 pm: Chang Cheng Liang: 从这方面来看,问题会员是帮助我们做人间革命,成佛,的善因:)
29/8/15 11:11:47 pm: Chang Cheng Liang: 让我们一起加油!题目再题目!


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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

The power of one genuinely committed individual can surpass that of a force of one million

27/8/15 12:06:00 pm: Kwee! Chang: "The power of one genuinely committed individual can surpass that of a force of one million"


I am Dhruva Das Munshi and have been practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism for around 9 years now.

I describe my life in two parts – one is pre-August 2006 era and the second part is post 17 December 2006.

What a turnaround it has been. Life was an equation I never understood. No matter what I did or tried, it continued going in one direction – down, down and down. The prime age of my life was virtually lost in wilderness of being repeatedly defeated by circumstances, situations and a factor called luck.

I was born with a silver spoon as my father was a senior government official and we got every comfort on a platter. I had my education in the best schools and colleges across the country.

Later on, I too joined the government on a good scale. The pinnacle of my service was when I became the youngest Personal Staff Officer of a former prime minister and perhaps those were the best days of my life. But, suddenly what happened to me I could not fathom yet – I resigned from the government and became jobless.

With no job, my wife was the sole bread earner. One could understand our financial condition, which was at an all time low. I tried my hands in many ventures but failed every time. I used to feel too ashamed to sit at home but I did not have any money to go out and attend interviews. I even thought of committing suicide.

In August 2006, one of my closest friends put in a lifetime's effort into persuading me to practice Nichiren Buddhism. After hours of discussion and arguments, she finally dropped a quiet bomb, saying, "Your life will change 180 degrees." For that I had no argument.

My first benefit was within a week. My wife who had been sick for more than six months was completely cured and resumed her job as a Nursing sister and the money problem was solved to a certain extent.

Within a month, I got a petty job which took wings and I became the Chief Operating Operator of a financial giant without any knowledge or experience. It became possible because I am a BSG MD and this gave me enough strength to do 3 days of work in 1 day CONTINUOUSLY and CONSTANTLY.

Sensei said that "charging forth with single minded purpose is the spirit of youth".

Within a year, I purchased a flat in a place like New Delhi and won the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award, a coveted award for social work in 2009. I also won the Lal Bahadur Shastri award for my contribution to the media and was nominated for the Cambridge Year Book of Who's who for my services for the economically backward youth in 2010.

One of the most glorious achievements was that on 10 January 2008. I gave up my smoking and drinking habit of 35 years without any withdrawal symptoms. It was possible only due to my chanting, which gives me a lot of strength.

This attracted many of my friends. I introduced more than 50 of them to this wonderful practice and all of them have had wonderful experiences.

Then the whole roller coaster came to a halt and all the devils attacked from all sides in 2010.

Nichiren Daishonin told us "not to expect good times, but take the bad times for granted".

Moreover he said, "As practice progresses and understanding grows, the three obstacles and four devils emerge in confusing form, vying with one another to interfere."

I lost my vision of left eye in February 2010. In June 2010, I was diagnosed with cancer. The attack was complete.

In the meantime, I was given leadership position and I exerted to my maximum to make my district the best district. I regularly chanted for hours together, read at least one gosho per day with a member and encouraged members to subscribe to Value Creation and study with me.

Not even a single day went without a home visit, which usually took place at 6:30 am due to uncertain evening timings. I never ever missed my gongyo and attended all meetings.

I expressed my deep gratitude to all my leaders for encouraging me.

I took up the challenge of cancer and took a VOW to prove the Law. I fought for exactly four years against cancer, chanting abundant daimoku, sometimes 8 to 10 hours per day for months together and on 25 July 2014, the doctors gave me a clean chit.

I AM FREE FROM CANCER.

I am absolutely free of the dreaded disease.

On 15 March 2015, I started a library of Gakkai and other books and it was inaugurated by our Area leader. This is just to encourage my members to study. The library is open on weekends.

I was praying for a kosen-rufu job for an engagement after my fitness to spend my time constructively and I got an offer with the help of a shoten zenjin. I got the exact profile I was praying for.

I joined my new assignment on 20 January 2015 as the Chief Executive Officer of a group of companies. It is a gift from Gohonzon for my services in Bangalore between October and December 2014, which is as follows:

On 23 October 2014, I had to go to Bangalore and during the flight, I prayed to get connected to a BSG member. My grandson helped me in getting connected to the Ram Murty Nagar district in Bangalore.

But my mission started on 28 October 2014. I received a call from one of my old shakubuku friends whose son was admitted in a renowned neuro-sciences hospital in Bangalore for acute depression and wanted me to chant for him.

On learning that I was in Bangalore, she requested me to visit the hospital to chant with her. I went to meet her the next day. After gongyo and daimoku, she invited the parents and guardians of other patients to talk to me and I explained the greatness of the Mystic Law to them.

Among them was a Brigadier, whose 18 years' old daughter was in a very bad condition. I impressed upon the parents and guardians that this low life condition can be transformed only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The son of my shakubuku friend was cured within a week and was discharged from the hospital.

Within this one week, I was introduced to many people for whom I regularly visited the hospital and encouraged the patients who were mostly in the age group of 18 to 25 years' old and their guardians.

During this period, I introduced three nurses and one doctor to this practice who acknowledged that whatever I was doing was incredible. Medical science had no answer to it. On most of the days I did 10 to 15 gongyos per day with those patients or with their attendants.

I am proud to report today that by merely chanting daimoku and doing gongyo, 20 patients were cured. All these youths along with their guardians and parents are practicing Nichiren Buddhim today.

Now, for the icing on the cake –

During one of my interactions with the daughter of the Brigadier, I told her that I would leave Bangalore on 29 December and that she must be cured before that and give me a farewell party. In the meantime, she started doing gongyo and daimoku.

I am proud to report that she has recovered fully and was discharged on 29 December, the day of my departure from Bangalore.

My joy knows no bounds. I felt happier than when I was declared free of cancer. I had no words to express my gratitude to the Gohonzon. It strengthens my conviction that all our prayers are answered.

Today I feel that the Gohonzon has extended my life span only to serve those youths. And as a reward for my service to those youngsters, Gohonzon presented me with my present job.

President Ikeda assures us that: "The power of one genuinely committed individual can surpass that of a force of one million".

Striving in rhythm of my mentor, I am determined to use my life to foster society's next generation of leaders, instilling them the hope and courage to become a force for change in their own lives. I am determined that every action I take on behalf of SGI, for my fellow members and Ikeda Sensei will be victorious no matter what.

I would leave no stone un-turned until victory is a reality.

NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO FOREVER!
27/8/15 12:10:44 pm: Kwee! Chang: The Physics of Chanting
by Emily Maroutian
-------------------
When I first heard about the SGI practice of chanting, "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo," I was skeptical and doubtful that it would actually "cause" anything to happen. After all, what could repeating a few words do anyway? However, I was open-minded enough to try it.
I sat on my bed, closed my eyes and began to chant. I chanted for about five minutes and I immediately began to feel my body vibrate from the sound my vocal cords were making. I experienced a tingling sensation in the palm of my hands and the rhythm of the chant made my body rock back and forth. My body's physical reaction to the chanting frightened me and so I stopped. Does this really work? I thought. But how can it?
Then it suddenly hit me! Physics!
Physics' current theory of everything, String Theory, dictates that the entire universe is made up of tiny vibrating strings. The underlining fundamental make-up of all things, including you and I, are minuscule invisible strings. Much like the strings on a guitar, they vibrate and play notes. Moreover, since sound is a vibration, not only is the entire universe vibrating but it is also playing a symphony.
So how does chanting work?
When an opera singer hits a high note, she can break glass from across the room without ever touching anything. In physics, this is called resonance. Her vocal note and the glass's vibrational note resonate and that causes the shattering effect.
You and I are constantly vibrating through our being.
We attract (law of attraction) into our lives whatever it is that harmonizes with our note (law of harmonic vibrations). This is why you can meet someone and feel as though you have known them forever; both of you are harmonizing. They resonate with you and you resonate with them.
We can also repel opposing vibrations (law of repulsion) and keep away situations and people that are vibrating on opposite levels. This is why people who have been in our lives for a long time can suddenly decide they want to move on. Our shift has repelled them because our vibrations don't harmonize.
If this is the case, then let them go and have faith that it's all for the best. If you are shifting positively and people are dropping out of your life, let them go. You can't hold back growth and transformation by holding onto someone who "needs" to leave. Holding on might require that you have to shift into a level that is unhealthy or negative. It may take time, but they will return once they can harmonize with you once again.

When we chant something as powerful and beneficial as "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo," we shift something within our being, which then alters what we attract into our lives. We alter the level in which we are vibrating on and that attracts a different level of people, things and situations.

In the same way, when we are depressed and carrying around self-pity, we vibrate on a level that attracts things that keep us feeling depressed. It also attracts more reasons, situations and issues that make us continue to pity ourselves. It is the Karma that we create and recreate over and over again.
If we were to chant, "I hate my life." repeatedly, we would attract and harmonize with people and situations that reinforce that statement. We also reinforce it with our thoughts, emotions and our whole being.
Our environment will support our being regardless of how positive or negative we are.

So we must not only chant "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo," but we must become it as well. Our being must vibrate on the level of "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo." Our lives must align with it in order for its true power to be unleashed in our lives and our environment.

Who we are is the biggest cause in our lives.

Anyone at anytime can change their note.

It begins with "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo."

When we shift, our environment shifts. Every member of SGI knows this through experience, now there is a physical explanation of how it works.
Resonance, String Theory and the laws of attraction and harmony are what come into play when we devote ourselves to the mystical law of cause and effect through sound and vibration. Nichiren understood this hundreds of years before science discovered it. Now I understand it as well. Through this understanding, we can have faith that when we chant we are aligning ourselves with the highest good in the universe.
My experience with chanting was very positive and life changing. Even though I chanted for only about five minutes, it only took a matter of four hours for my environment to respond to my request. After that experience, I began chanting everyday and continued to receive the same level of response from my environment.
We chant because it begins with our words and moves through our thoughts, feelings, actions and being. Then it resonates in our environment and then the world. But it begins within us. The more we gather and the more we chant, the more energy we feed into our goal of a peaceful loving world. So never forget fellow Buddhas that the universe is playing a beautiful symphony in which you and I are notes. And when we all gather, we make beautiful music together.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo


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Book launch

27/8/15 8:16:28 am: Willy: Book Launch "A Tribute to Lion City: The Jewel of South East Asia"

This book is a compilation of Sensei's poems and essays that captures his thoughts and interactions with Singapore, her leaders and people over the course
of his three visits to Singapore in 1988, 1995 & 2000. Through this book, Sensei pays tribute to Singapore on the occasion of her golden jubilee in 2015.

This book is published by a reputable publisher and will sold in book shops through out Singapore

Date & Time: August 29 (Sat), 4-5 pm (seated by 3.45 pm)
Venue: HQ ICA
Attendees: 4 Division Chapter and above leaders and 1 District Leader Rep from each district

Guest of Honour: Mr Masagos Zulkifi (Minister, Prime Minister's Office)

Please come in proper attire, no shorts, bermudas and singlets.


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Is this prove plausible ?

"Prove Me Heaven & Hell Really Exist - Dr Zakir Naik" on YouTube - https://youtu.be/zhTwYywUXLw

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Exert yourselves to achieve your dreams

27/8/15 7:29:30 am: Linda Nah!: 🙏27th Aug Daily Guidance by Daisaku Ikeda:
One saying goes that people will not exceed their dreams. So you should have big dreams. But you must recognize at the same time that dreams are dreams and reality is reality. It's natural, therefore, that to achieve big dreams, you must view your situation realistically and work with you entire being to see that they come true.

八月二十七日池田先生今日指导:
有句话说"人的成功超不出自己的梦想"。梦想不嫌大。但梦想终究是梦想,现实是现实。为了实现伟大的梦想,理所当然需要冷静地注视现实,全力以赴地努力。🙏


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Friday, August 21, 2015

An interesting way how to keep staying positive...

Nice sharing from a SGI India member

Hello fellow comrades!! 

For me chanting twice daily was a big challenge. I am in this wonderful practice from past almost four years now. Initially I would just chant for 5 minutes twice a day, daily. But then as faith deepened i challenged myself and today i can easily chant for 1 hour daily. Yes sometimes we feel that the circumstances are harsh but hey! We do not stop taking our meals and drinking water when we are in hot water..do we? So why faith should suffer? In fact difficulties are like the fuel which  propel us to move forward.
The more sugar we put in our coffee, the sweeter it becomes. Similarly the more effort we put in deepening our faith by chanting more and more, the greater are the benefits that follow.
Whenever i feel lazy, i tell myself..NO! These devilish forces (which is our own lesser state of life) cannot stop me from changing my karma. I am the master! I am the director of my movie(my life) and the crowd watching the movie being shot can yell as much as they like or they may try to distract me from making this beautiful movie. I will NOT stop! I will not pay heed to these voices as this is my own fundamental darkness. I will win!!! I am the Sun!!
No suffering, be it death (i lost my dearest mom to cancer last month) can discourage me or stop me from achieving my goal!! If these are the challenges which i need to face to come out shining like a diamond then" LIFE!! BRING IT ON!!" I am the master!!
Once you speak to yourself like this every time you feel lazy or low then you will surely know what to do next. And that is sit and speak to your life for one hour..twice..daily. !
As they say "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." You need to do this to feel it yourself!! Go lions!!! Roar!!
Nam myoho renge kyo
- simran kalsi(New Delhi, india)

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The Two Bundles of Reeds

(mutual compassion in human relationship corresponds to Dweck's growth mindset studies...and some other famous psychologists and sociologists....another term for this is EMPATHY.

Dweck studies factors for success in her work.
Mutual compassion encompasses behaviours that relates to efforts and hard work in working through conflicts and relationship building. )

http://www.sgi.org/about-us/president-ikedas-writings/the-two-bundles-of-reeds.html?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=9053&utm_campaign=Routine

The Two Bundles of Reeds

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daisaku ikeda

There is a Buddhist concept called"dependent origination" (Jpn. engi) which means that all phenomena are interrelated. In other words things exist only in relation to other things. Though the term engi has now come to mean omens or luck in popular usage and is often used in a negative context, it originally meant "arising in relation." That is, not a single phenomenon, whether sentient or insentient, exists in isolation, independent of other phenomena. Everything in this world comes into existence in response to causes and conditions. We see this in the web of nature, in the relationship between man and woman and their environment, between the individual and society, between parents and children, husband and wife, and so on.

This concept is extremely sophisticated, and the people of ancient India may have found it very difficult to understand. Shariputra, a disciple of Shakyamuni who was known as "foremost in wisdom," explained the concept by means of the following analogy:

Suppose there are two bundles of reeds. They can remain standing as long as they lean against each other. In like manner, because this exists, that exists and because that exists, this exists. If one of the two bundles is removed, then the other will fall. Similarly without this existence, that cannot exist, and without that existence this cannot exist.

This is a skillful metaphor. It definitely hits home in describing the problem of environmental disruption whereby both human beings and nature fall together. Moreover, I think it has something to teach us in terms of our human relationships.

Human relationships are not easy to handle. Misunderstandings between husband and wife, conflicts between couples and their in-laws, and so on, are as old as human history, but they still remain very difficult to resolve. However, if even one person embraces the firm view of life that "because of that, this exists"--or, in other words, "because of that person I can develop"--then he or she need never experience pointless conflicts in human relations.related articleThe Jewel Hidden in the Robe

The other person's good or bad points do not determine one's happiness or unhappiness . . . One who realizes this point can turn everything, good and bad, into an impetus for personal growth.

Of course, I am well aware that this is easier said than done. I think, therefore, it is all the more vital that we foster a sense of community and coexistence based on the awareness that we are all interrelated.

We are all human beings who, through some mystic bond, were born to share the same limited life span on this planet, a small green oasis in the vast universe. Then how can we quarrel with each other or victimize one another? I firmly believe that profound mutual compassion is what will change discord into harmony.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Benefit of inviting others to discussion mtg; happiness for oneself n others like in the natural law of rotation n revolution

17/8/15 8:15:14 am: Kwee! Chang: August 17

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.

Daisaku Ikeda, SGI President
17/8/15 8:15:14 am: Kwee! Chang: 每日指导
8月 17日
为他人行动,自己的生命会涌现活力。自己幸福也令他人幸福――这就有如行星自转也同时在公转般。这是宇宙的法则。
国际创价学会会长池田大作


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Thursday, August 13, 2015

concept of Being in the Moment

From Harmony (SGI Hong Kong monthly magazine - like our monthly Creative Life) -

DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

In this issue, we look at the concept of Being in the Moment and what this means for practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism.
There are many articles, books, pod-casts available all telling us what it means and the best way to be "in the moment". As our Special Features mentions, when we chant, it is important to "be in the moment". As we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we should not dwell on the past but rather focus on the moment with strong determination for what we want to accomplish to create the best future possible. In order to achieve that, it is important for us to have a correct attitude while we chant. SGI President Ikeda says:
"To be bound by the causes of the past and lament their effects in the present makes for an unhappy life. While it is true in a certain respect that the present is the result of past causes, by elevating our life-state in the present, our negative past causes are transformed into positive ones. There is no need for us to be prisoners of the past; in fact, we can even change to past.
The moment our mind-set changes, we create a cause in the present that can definitely transform the effect manifested in the future. Nichiren Buddhism is the Buddhism of the sun. It is a philosophy of hope that enables us to transform the present and realize a bright future. Those who embrace this philosophy need never feel despondent or hopeless. They need never give in to complaint. What matters is our inner resolve right now."
We trust that you will find the features article beneficial as it assists you in renewing your determination and becoming fully focused on this very moment of life.
We continue to publish the very inspiring guidance series The Wisdom For Creating Happiness And Peace.
President Ikeda has consistently emphasized the Daishonin's teaching that "It is the heart that is important," the philosophy that forms the basis for human revolution. What is the essence of the life state of Buddhahood that we are aiming to achieve? How do we reveal our Buddha nature? This installment presents valuable guidance about fundamentally transforming our state of life. We hope that you will read and re-read this chapter, embrace and understand it with your heart.
We hope that you will be inspired and enjoy your life, moment by moment in the now.
Skip Williams
Quote of the Month:
"Invisible radio waves travel vast distances throught space. In the same way, our inner determination activates the forces in the universe."
–Daisaku Ikeda - Buddhism For you -Determination p.40
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