Part 1: Happiness; Chapter 7: Happiness for Both Ourselves and Others [7.7]
The bodhisattva way constitutes what is most important in life and the supreme memory that we engrave in our lives.
By helping others become happy, we, too, become happy. This is also a tenet of psychology. How can those who have lost the will to live under the weight of inconsolable suffering or deep emotional wounds get back on their feet? All too often, the more they dwell on their problem, the more depressed and discouraged they become. But, by going to support and help someone else who is also suffering, they can regain the will to live. Taking action out of concern for others enables them to heal themselves.
There are many people in the world who feel that working for others' welfare is not worth the effort. Some even view the merest mention of charity and compassion with derision. Such arrogant disregard for others causes untold suffering in society.
An American missionary supposedly once asked Mahatma Gandhi: "What religion do you practice and what form do you think religion will take in India in the future?" Two sick people happened to be resting in the room. Pointing in their direction, Gandhi replied simply: "My religion is serving and working for the people. I am not preoccupied with the future."*1 For Gandhi, politics and government were also a matter of service and, as Rabindranath Tagore said, of helping "the most destitute."*2
It's all about action. In essence, altruistic bodhisattva practice is the very heart of religion, of Buddhism, and also of humane government and education.
We have a tremendous mission. The Daishonin writes: "More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all" (WND-1, 851). To focus only on the "treasures of the storehouse"—finances or the economy—will not improve the economic situation. Things may improve for a while, but this will ultimately not contribute to the welfare of society. It is people, it is the heart, that matters most. The heart determines everything. When we possess the "treasures of the heart," when our lives overflow with good fortune and wisdom, we will naturally be endowed with abundant "treasures of the body" and "treasures of the storehouse."
What is left at the end of our lives? It is our memories, the memories that we have engraved in our hearts and minds.
I met the Russian novelist Mikhail Sholokhov when I visited Moscow in 1974. He told me: "When one lives to an old age, the most painful experiences in life become difficult to recall. The older one grows, the colors of the events in one's life fade and everything from the happiest times to the saddest starts to pass away." After pausing for a moment, he continued with a smile: "When you turn 70, Mr. Ikeda, you will know that what I am saying is the truth." His words are profound, indeed.
Everything passes. Both the soaring joys and crushing sorrows fade away and seem but like a dream. However, the memory of having lived one's life to the fullest never disappears. The memories of having worked wholeheartedly for kosen-rufu, in particular, are eternal.
Surely all that remains and adorns our lives in the end is what we have done or contributed to the world in our lifetime in terms of how many people we have helped become happy, how many people appreciate us for having helped them change their lives for the better.
The Daishonin writes: "Single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and urge others to do the same; that will remain as the only memory of your present life in this human world" (WND-1, 64).
From The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 5, published in Japanese in September 1999.
Part 2: Human Revolution Chapter 12: Transforming Karma into Mission [12.5]
Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo gives us the power to transform our karma into our mission. President Ikeda explains that when we persevere in chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can positively transform all of our struggles and sorrows into happiness, in accord with the Buddhist principle of "changing poison into medicine."
We live in the saha world—a world requiring forbearance and endurance.*1 There are always things in this life that we have to endure and persevere through. Nichiren Buddhism and faith as taught and practiced in the Soka Gakkai enable us to calmly overcome every form of sadness, suffering, and karma, and attain a state of supreme happiness.
Life is filled with all sorts of struggles and sufferings—our own illness or that of loved ones, death, financial hardship, relationship problems, the frustration of not being able to have what we want, and the list goes on. Problems are unavoidable. They are an inescapable reality of life.
Practicing Nichiren Buddhism, and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, enables us to positively transform all of those sufferings, in accord with the principle of "changing poison into medicine."*2 The poison of suffering is transformed into the medicine of joy.
Because of the principle that "earthly desires lead to enlightenment," suffering becomes enlightenment and happiness. The greater our problem or sorrow, the greater the happiness we can change it into. This is the power of daimoku. That's why those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo do not fear anything. There is no need to.
Young saplings are buffeted easily by the slightest wind, but when they grow into sturdy, tall trees, they stand unshaken by even the fiercest storm. People, similarly, when their life force is weak, are easily disturbed by the "winds" of even minor problems or worries.
Living in this saha world, it is impossible to stop the winds of suffering from blowing. Our only alternative is to become strong. When we develop dauntless fortitude, like mighty trees, we will be untroubled by even the most powerful gales. In fact, we can even find them exhilarating. The aim of our Buddhist practice is to carry out our human revolution so that we can lead such lives and develop such inner strength.
Though we may not notice it, a tree grows every day. In the same indiscernible way, our daimoku nurtures our growth day after day into people of unshakable strength who abound with good fortune. After 10 or 20 years of practicing with the Soka Gakkai, the great benefit we have accumulated becomes clearly visible.
The Mystic Law is the supreme treasure in the universe. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo allows us to accumulate that treasure in our lives on a daily basis. At the same time, it functions to cleanse our lives of negative karma from past actions, just as pure water flushes out dirty water.
The process of purification takes time. At the start, we have to struggle with the slightly dirty water of our negative karma. The power of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, however, lightens this task, too. That's why it's so important that we continue chanting. When our lives are eventually purified, everything will start improving dramatically.
We will definitely attain an indestructible state of absolute happiness brimming with good fortune and benefit. We will then enjoy whatever happens. We will be content, even if we do not have fame or fortune. Each moment will be deeply satisfying. Joy will fill our hearts, and everything will appear beautiful to us. We will be able to swiftly discern right and wrong, the true essence of all things. Whatever our own circumstances, we will be able to give thought to the welfare of others. That's the kind of people we will become.
The way to happiness is not complicated. Those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo consistently in the realm of kosen-rufu triumph in the end. They are certain to attain a state of absolute happiness—in other words, the life state of Buddhahood. If you remember this single important point, your life will always be solid and secure.
From remarks on his first visit to the SGI-Brazil Auditorium in São Paulo, Brazil, March 3, 1993.
The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace brings together selections from President Ikeda's works on key themes.
How Orlando Bloom's Buddhist practice helped lead him 'To the Edge' in new adventure show
"As a philosophy and as a practice, it's something that's definitely been the anchor in my life," he tells TODAY.com.
Nathan Congleton / TODAY
Orlando Bloom may be most well known for his roles in "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Lord of the Rings," but viewers will see a new side of the actor as he takes on three extreme sports in a matter of weeks in his new show, "Orlando Bloom: To the Edge."
While Bloom goes rock climbing, wingsuiting and free diving — meaning without an oxygen tank — to about 102 feet below sea level, he's also often reciting Buddhist chants before embarking on each adventure.
Viewers might be surprised to find out Bloom has been practicing Buddhism for more than 30 years. The 47-year-old tells TODAY.com how his faith played a role in "To the Edge," now streaming on Peacock.(Peacock is a part of TODAY.com's parent company, NBCUniversal.)
"As a philosophy and as a practice, it's something that's definitely been the anchor in my life," Bloom says.
He starts by sharing the meaning of "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo," the chant he recites throughout the three episodes: "It means, 'I bring myself in tune with the rhythm of the universe through the vibration of sound.'"
Bloom, a practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism and a follower of the Soka Gakkai organization, says he likes the philosophy that the Buddha believed would lead all living beings to enlightenment in their current lifetime.
"At its core, it's about respecting all living beings," he says. "And I liked that as a roadmap. I always wanted a roadmap, and in a way, this practice has been that for me."
Orlando Bloom has been practicing Buddhism since he was 16.Nathan Congleton / TODAY
Bloom's 'art to living'
Bloom says he discovered Buddhism when he was working with an artist on painting and drawing when he was 16. Ahead of his school exams, he heard his mentor chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
"I just said to him one day, 'What are you doing?'" Bloom recalls. "And he said, 'I'm chanting that you're going to do really well in your exams, and then you're going to have a really successful life.'"
Bloom asked if it would actually help, and his mentor said it would, so Bloom decided to start his own practice.
"I just never stopped because I found it to be very, very helpful to me," he says. "If there is an art to living, I found that the philosophy and this practice is, for me, the art."
But that doesn't mean his faith has remained constant over the course of 30 years — he says he questions his faith "every day."
"Ten times a day. Ten times a second. All day, every day. There's no moment I'm not — constantly," he says.
"It's not like I chant 'Nam-myoho-renge-kyo' to be, like, levitating," he adds with a laugh. "No, I chant 'Nam-myoho-renge-kyo' to survive my life and everything that happens in life. Chanting helps me to navigate the nastiness."
Bloom says he wanted to incorporate his faith into "To the Edge" because it makes him focus on each experience in life.
Orlando Bloom free dives in his adventure series "To the Edge."Peacock
"What my chanting of 'Nam-myoho-renge-kyo' does is, it just focuses me," he says. "It has me open my mind to the experience, to be present to the moment, to go with the flow."
And while some may think the idea of Buddhism is the opposite of trying extreme sports, Bloom says his faith grounded him ahead of the intense moments seen on the show.
"I've had this practice since I was 16, and it's an amazing tool to keep me present, focused and grateful for what's right in front of me because I think, sometimes, we can forget that all of the obstacles in our life are really opportunities for our growth," he says.
"When you're right in it, it's like, 'Why is this happening? What am I doing? Why was this a good idea?' And I just mean in everyday life, by the way," he continues.
But while filming moments of "abject fear, or a heightened sense of pressure," on "To the Edge," Bloom says his chant became something he relied on.
"I find it was a perfect tool for me, and it just so happened that I was doing it, so it became part of what you saw me do on the show," he says.
Inside 'To the Edge'
Orlando Bloom rock climbs in the third episode of "To the Edge."Peacock
Of the three sports — wingsuiting, free diving and rock climbing — he says wingsuiting was "one of the most heightened moments" of his physical experience on the show.
Bloom says there wasn't anyone in his life who was completely against him attempting the extreme stunts seen in the show, but his partner, Katy Perry, did have some hesitations.
"I think my partner was, like, not entirely sure what I was doing until I came home, freaking out, and then she was like, 'OK, that's crazy,'" he says. "But she's happy now. And she saw it all."
The pop superstar FaceTimed her beau several times throughout the show, and came in person to watch him go wingsuiting for the first time.
Perry hugged Bloom after his wobbly flight, before playfully saying he looked like "a flying wombat."
As for the other episodes, Bloom says he found free diving "mentally and emotionally challenging, but also rather beautiful in its own way," while rock climbing was "just a brutal grind."
Bloom mentions the moment at the end of his climb, which had been selected specially for him, when he was standing on top of ancient art.
"I never felt so connected as I did in that moment," Bloom says. "It was probably a combination of all three (stunts) coming together."
He added: "From doing these things, you learn to become capable, and that's something that I wanted."
