The ever-extant but unseen power of the mystic law

"There are shadows in the darkness, but people cannot discern them. There are trails in the sky where birds fly, but people cannot recognize them. There are paths in the sea along which fish swim, but people cannot perceive them."

[An Outline of the "Entrustment" and Other Chapters

WND p916]

http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/119#para-20

In the similar token, 

1. Buddhahood exists in all common mortals but we do not see it readily.

2. Though we cannot see electromagnetic waves, they exist and allow us to transmit and receive radio/TV signals, and communicate via handphone, WIFI / bluetooth signals operate wireless devices. Similarly, invoking "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" sends out a signal to activate the protective functions in the universe that work our prayers.

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Education: The Best Weapon against Violence — Common Threads

http://commonthreads.sgi.org/post/152623591373/education-the-best-weapon-against-violence

Education: The Best Weapon against Violence

Interview with Jan Hellman

Tips on chanting

Chanting is a communication with the universe.  

When Nichiren Daishonin chanted the first Nam-myoho-renge-Kyo on April 28, 1253, he was facing east, towards the rising sun.

For us, we can't possibly do that without inviting disapproving glares from passersby.

Hence, we do our chanting in the privacy of home.  Face the wall and imagine the Gohonzon (the object of worship, specifically, the letter "妙") in front of us as we chant.

And while chanting, we do the following: 

1. Our body (身): we sit in a posture of supreme respect, putting our palms together, holding the beads, 

2. Our mouths (口): we utter the invocation "Nam-myoho-renge-Kyo" as clearly and crisply as our mouth can possibility pronounce each word, and at a suitable loudness.

3. Our mind (意): we think/visualize  the prayers we want to be answered.

The moment you feel that it is boring, check on all the numbers 1,2,3 again;  Very likely, one of the three things is amiss.  The tell-tale sign that our concentration has drifted is when our invocation becomes slurred and we end up mumbling instead of chanting.  That is when we need to refresh our determination/prayers by chanting crisply.

From my personal experience, concentrate on pronouncing each and every syllable of the chanting clearly, by exercising your entire mouth (ie. don't mumble) and you will really come to enjoy chanting, and you can even chant for long hours!

By Chang Cheng Liang

Lions, Roar! --- here's sensei's guidance to us

Sensei spoke
"we are all born into this world to attain happiness. This means in one's life is the moment of happiness more than moment of suffering. Those who experience countless moment of happiness are victors and winners with the crown of glory.
Those with countless moment of sadness and suffering are losers.
The purpose of our faith and the mystic law, is for purpose of transforming all sadness, sufferings and undesired emotions into happiness just as changing poison into medicine. There will be no purpose of embracing faith if this transformation is not possible.
This is the single crucial teaching of the Daishonin! Enabling us to transform everything, transforming, transforming and transform till the end. We will pride ourself that we had countless moment of happiness in this life and that we had countless moment of happiness in our family! Transforming suffering into happiness this is the mystic function of ichinen sanzen. Whether we can do it or not does not depend on others! It is all up to our determination! I have spoken much today shall we call it a day? Sorry for the time taken and thank you so much!"

池田先生说：
"我们出生在这个世界上是为了获得幸福，这意味着在一个人的生活中，幸福的时刻应该多于痛苦的时刻。那些经历无数幸福的时刻，是拥有荣耀冠冕的胜利者。那些拥有无数悲伤和痛苦的时刻是失败者。

我们的信仰和妙法的目的是为了将所有的悲伤，痛苦和消极的情绪转化为幸福，就像将毒变为药一样。如果这种转变是不可能的，就失去了信心的目的。

这是日莲佛法的重要教导！使我们最终能够转变和改革一切不幸。我们将为自己感到自豪，我们在这生活中有无数的幸福的时刻，我们在家庭里有无数的幸福时刻！把苦难变成幸福这是一念三千的妙法。我们能否做到这一点不取决于别人！这一切都取决于我们的决心！


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Apr 2017 gosho

5 eternal guidelines of SGI