[10/06, 16:31] Soka Chan Heng Yuen: Here is my encouragement:
Key pts
1) All people seek happiness. People seek religion as the way to overcome sufferings n gain happiness. Most religions teach concept of all powerful god who can magically change our circumstances fr bad to good as the way to happiness. Nichiren Bud give a different view. It teaches that everything (in universe and in our lives) is a reality that is the working not of a god but the mystic law - a law that pervades n connects all things and phenomena in universe.
2) The mystic law also exist in our lives and manifest as the state of Buddhahood in our lives. When we awaken and bring forth Buddhahood, our life can tap great potential of mystic law - this gives us wisdom, lifeforce, compassion and can even call forth protective functions (also call Bud gods) in our environment to assist n protect us. By chanting to Gohonzon we can bring forth Buddhahood. This is how we can overcome all our sufferings and gain happiness.
3) Thus the terms 'faith' and 'prayer' in Nichiren Bud is very different from other religions. In Nichiren Bud, 'faith' does not means belief in god but rather to believe in mystic law and to believe Buddhahood in our life. 'Prayer' for us is not prayer to god for help, but it refer to chanting to bring forth B from our lives.
4) In the Gosho we study this month, the Daishonin teaches that our heart is key factor to bring forth Buddhahood when we chant. This heart refer to our sincerity and oneness of mentor and disciple. When we practice with such a heart, our Buddhahood is manifested instantly. This is not magic but a natural working of mystic law. He uses example of moon reflected in pond and sound of drum to explain how naturally and instantly we can bring forth B when we have the correct heart or spirit. Nichiren explain alithough such phenomena seem so mystical or difficult to understand, this is exactly how mystic law works. He assure us that we can naturally and instantly bring forth B when we have the heart of sincerity n the spirit of mentor n disciple to strive for kosenrufu.
5) When we can bring forth B, we can overcome all suffeing n attain absolute happiness. Even if we live in impure world filled with suffering we can still gain happiness. Our state of B can transform everything, even suffering into happiness. When we bring forth our B, our impure world itself become the B land. This is because the B see everything good or bad in our lives n in our world, as a means to attain enlightenment n achieve kosenrufu. This is changing poison to medicine. Thus a person who bring forth B from within is always positive, hopeful n happy no matter what circumstances.
6) Attain B is not a destination but a never ending journey to bring forth our B everyday and every moment to create good n value as we live a life of problems in a world fill with sufferings. This is the true teaching of attaining B as a human being explain in Lotus Sutra n N Bud, that is so different from other Bud teachings of a godlike B who live in problem free paradise.
[10/06, 17:12] Eric So: Tqvm 🙏
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