Nichiren Buddhism is a form of Japanese Buddhism that emphasizes repeated recitation of the mantra namu myoho renge kyo ("salutation to the Lotus Sutra") for health, happiness and enlightenment. Nichiren Buddhists believe it is possible to attain enlightenment in a single lifetime through practice of "True Buddhism" (i.e., Nichiren). Nichiren Buddhism has divided into several branches, the largest of which are Nichiren Shu, Nichiren Shoshu, and Soka Gokkai International.

We live in a society that is increasingly becoming global in scope and one of our society's biggest failures is its ability to cope with people of faith ; whether they be Muslims , Christians , Jews etc. There seems to be no place in our ever expanding society for the spiiritual side of human life.We , as Buddhists , need to work to change this not only for ourselves but for the whole of society.

Si vous voulez comprendre les causes crèèes par le passé ,observez les resultats qui manifest dans le présent .Et si vous voulez comprendre les resultats qui se manifesteront à l'avenir ,observez les causes crèèes au présent.

The Buddha, Geoff and Me: A Modern Story

A story about Buddhism. by

Edward Canfor-Dumas

There is a spiritual dimension to our lives which many of us ignore because our lives are filled with taking care of family , earning a living etc. There is also a spiritual dimension to the various obstacles and problems that occur in our lives. Nichiren's Buddhism has a response ; chant " Nam MyoHo Renge Kyo ".

Courage

" Shakyamuni taught that the shallow is easy to embrace , but the profound is diffiicult. To discard the shallow and seek the profound is the way of a person of courage "

 "Shakyamuni enseigna que le superficiel est facile a saisir mais le profound , difficile . Abandonner le superficiel pour rechercher ce qui est pprofond demande du courage , c'est l'esprit  de rechercher le Bouddha "

Nous aurons notre réunion de district lundi soir qui vient, le 15, à 19 h30.

Nous avons planifié articuler nos discussion sur le thème du "courage".  Le sujet est ample, mais très directement relié à notre pratique individuelle, surtout quand les difficultés, les doutes ou l'inertie nous menacent.

Voici quelques questions pour alimenter la réflexion de chacun.

Quand sentons-nous que nous avons besoin de courage?

 

En quoi le courage consiste-t-il alors?

 

Et où le trouvons-nous ?

 

Daniel, Hélène, Carole, Alexandra et Ranjit

Spirituality and Religion

A quote from the website A quiet watercourse  "I like to define Spirituality as a sense of that which is common between us, regardless of Religion; that we are not islands in the world and that we are not separate from, but intertwined with the world around us.  It provides a sense of the sacred in the world, that some things go beyond our materialism, and that we should look beyond the daily grind and the “rat race”.

And as a friend of mine said when asked which religion he follows " All roads lead home so what difference does it make ?" . It's not about dividing .

Josei TODA second président de la Soka Gakkai disait ceci :

"De la compassion naît la sagesse. La compassion de vouloir aider les autres à surmonter leur problèmes fait indéniablement jaillir la sagesse nécessaire pour nous guider dans la meilleure voix à suivre"

Nous sommes tous bouleversés par le traumatisme considérable causé par le tremblement de terre en Haïti. Chaque pratiquant bouddhiste, les amis de toutes obédiences, les "non-croyants",  "prient",  "expriment" ou "envoient solidairement des pensées bienveillantes"  pour ceux qui sont en souffrance,  les familles endeuillées et les défunts, pour la reconstruction et un avenir de paix et de bonheur en Haïti.

Chanting

Chanting Nam MyoHo Renge Kyo puts you in touch with the universal being or mind of which we are all a part.

Response Ability – the conscious choice to find healthy responses to what happens in life, so that instead of blaming outside forces for what happens “to us” we focus on what we can do

Buddhism does not have a belief in a supreme  being ,  or god . Instead it asks you to look inside yourself for the universal spirit or Buddha nature . By chanting " nam myoho renge kyo " you can bring this Buddha nature closer to the surface so that it starts to affect your daily life . There are many things in daily life that are difficult to cope with and Buddhism , in  general , can provide you with tools to overcome , or change , these many and various difficulties. .

Buddhism Day by Day -Daisaku Ikeda

While controlling your mind , which is at once both extremely subtle and solemnly profound , you should strive to elevate your faith with freshness and vigor . When you do so , both your life and your surroundings will open wide before you and every action you take will become a source of benefit . Understanding the subtle workings of one's mind is the key to faith and attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.