When deadlocked, we are in a struggle between negative and positive forces. We don’t see the path forward: we feel up against a wall. It is then that our faith is put to the test. Are we going to succumb to negativity, doubt our Buddha nature, and give up? Or, are we going to seize […]
When overwhelmed, too busy or in crisis, the temptation might be to chant less because of time constraints You think,”I’m so busy I don’t have time.” The net effect of this is to push the practice to the periphery of your life rather than keeping it in the center. when we do this, we’ve pulled […]
When we chant about a challenge or an obstacle we are taking on negative forces which we must encounter on our way to Buddhahood. They train and test us so we can forge the strength to be a Buddha. “The benefit we receive when we initially take faith is like a small mountain. The boundless […]
When we run up against a mental limit we think we are going to do something, and then we don’t do it. We resist moving forward, and abandon our goal or project. My Experience With Mental Limits I came up against my mental boundaries in the gym, where at seventy one I challenged myself to […]
Earthly desires in many traditional religions are considered the cause of suffering and obstacles to attaining enlightenment. Eliminating them altogether becomes the goal. Enlightenment, on the other hand, is to attain a vast, expansive state of unshakeable happiness. The two would appear to be polar opposites. In Nichiren Buddhism, when you chant about your problems, […]
Everyone faces problems and obstacles. So what do you do when a tough problem, arises? What’s Your Reaction? Do you throw up your hands and give in, or do you decide to challenge the problem? When you engage with a serious problem, something you aren’t sure you can overcome, you have entered into an invisible […]
Problems, Suffering or Opportunity Experienced Nichiren Buddhist practitioners tell you that when you are confronting a problem, you have an opportunity to grow happiness in your life. Some examples would be, a need for housing, a friend who is ill, an issue in a relationship, or a problem at work. That sounds crazy to someone […]
Do you have an obstacle, or more than one, which is keeping you from moving forward in your life? We all have these at different times in our lives. What can you do to overcome an obstacle? Probably in the past you thought that the problem was due to something outside of yourself, another person, […]