TagNew Members

For Our Wonderful New Members—Part 4 [43]

When obstacles and hardships arise in our lives, how do we respond? Some people may try to avoid struggles. Others get stopped in their tracks, not knowing how to proceed. There are various responses, of course. As Buddhists, we strive to courageously face hardships head-on. Nichiren Daishonin teaches that in the course of revealing our

“Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle? (“Reply to Kyo’o,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 412) Sometimes in life, we fall ill or something else happens that interferes with our happiness. These are the times when we need to recall Nichiren Daishonin’s declaration: “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

An essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra is that anyone at any time can become a Buddha. Buddhas are not deities who dwell in faraway places or special people who have dedicated a certain number of years to Buddhist practice. Rather, a Buddha is an ordinary individual who has awakened to the reality that they

As discussed in last month’s study article “The Dynamic Practice of Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (see May 10, 2019, World Tribune, p. 9), there are many ways to explain the meaning and significance of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. And although we may not fully understand its meaning, we can still accumulate great benefit and fortune from establishing a daily practice

For Our Wonderful New Members—Part 3 [42]

“If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?” (“On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 24). In the above passage, Nichiren Daishonin clarifies

For Our Wonderful New Members—Part 2 [41]

Nichiren Daishonin lived during a tumultuous time in 13th-century Japan when people suffered almost year to year from some form of natural disaster, extreme weather event, famine, epidemic or political instability. Searching for a way to relieve people’s suffering, he delved into Buddhist scriptures and revealed the truth found in the depths of the Lotus

“We know that the prayers offered by a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra will be answered just as an echo answers a sound, as a shadow follows a form, as the reflection of the moon appears in clear water, as a mirror collects dewdrops, as a magnet attracts iron, as amber attracts particles of dust,

Research shows that expressing gratitude enriches your life both mentally and physically. A study by professors Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough revealed the positive impact of gratitude based on observations of three groups that kept weekly journals. The first group focused on recording things they were grateful for, the second noted events (good or bad)

For Our Wonderful New Members—Part 1 [40]

Nichiren Buddhism encourages a dynamic balance of faith, practice and study. Nichiren Daishonin writes: “Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith” (“The True Aspect of

I am praying that, no matter how troubled the times may become, the Lotus Sutra and the ten demon daughters will protect all of you, praying as earnestly as though to produce fire from damp wood, or to obtain water from parched ground. (“On Rebuking Slander of the Law,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.

The quick answer is, “No.” Simply put, dialogue and one-to-one exchanges are the unchanging method by which we can most effectively spread Buddhism. With the rise of cell phones, social media and instantaneous digital communications, we may think that there must be a quicker way to spread Nichiren Buddhism and realize peace in the world.

“Having good friends and advancing together with them is not half the Buddha way but all the Buddha way.”—Shakyamuni Buddhism is referred to as the “inner way,” finding both the causes and solutions to human problems within the hearts and minds of human beings themselves. However, it also acknowledges the power of external influences in

Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are as if in winter, but winter always turns to spring. Never, from ancient times on, has anyone seen or heard of winter turning back to autumn. Nor have we ever heard of a believer in the Lotus Sutra who turned into an ordinary person. The sutra reads,

Gratitude means feeling thankful or returning the kindness or generosity received from others. As we practice Nichiren Buddhism, we come to understand the principle that all life and phenomena in the universe are eternal and interconnected. Nichiren Daishonin teaches that throughout our many past existences, we have formed connections with, and thus owe gratitude to,

Nichiren Buddhism teaches that Buddhahood—a truly free, unfettered state of life overflowing with boundless joy and compassion for all people—is gained by deepening our commitment to the happiness of self and others. The SGI is an organization made up of individuals striving to establish this state of life and united in creating a harmonious community

Today, more than ever, people are seeking a way to become genuinely happy, to live with boundless courage, hope and confidence, and to be unswayed by external circumstances. Nichiren Daishonin established a Buddhist practice rooted in daily life that enables us to build a solid self and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. But based on