jeudi 29 septembre 2011

In response to the question, “What can I do for peace?” Dr. Urbain outlined a three-part framework: Inner Transformation (toward more courage, wisdom, and compassion), Dialogue (about anything!) and Global Citizenship (create a new culture together). These are not only the steps to individual peace but also the interdependence of these three concepts is fundamental.

"Daisaku Ikeda's Philosophy of Peace"--by Dr. Olivier Urbain

For Ikeda the fundamental transformation of the human "Psychosphere," by peaceful means, although long and winding, is the best and the surest path for lasting peace. For him, peaceful means for social transformation entails an intense struggle for self-transformation, consistent truthful dialogue, and elements of global citizenship. And his life-long activism and the quest for peace is guided by the innate optimism and faith in humanity, justice, and the sanctity of life—a Universalism that is not determined by "relativism." In giving an objective analysis of Ikeda's peace philosophy, the author himself exercised a form of Habermasian dialogue whose ultimate appraisal rest partly with the reader, and, perhaps, partly to posterity, which I believe is executed rightly and meaningfully.

taken from the review by READERS' CLUB OF MANIPUR

mercredi 28 septembre 2011


Faith means making a hundred percent effort ourselves - in our daimoku and in our actions. When we practice in this way, the Buddhist gods will lend us their protection. We mustn't have a complacent, dependent attitude in faith, chanting haphazardly without definite goals and making only halfhearted efforts in the belief that we'll automatically be protected. Depth of determination and unshakable character are vital. Those possessing these qualities are second to none in faith.

lundi 26 septembre 2011

Focus on what you have not on what you haven't got.

Be grateful and give thanks for what you have.

jeudi 22 septembre 2011

Chanting for ourselves is easy but teaching others to chant is something many of us find extremely difficult. So why is this ? Perhaps when we talk to people about something we hold very dear to us we expect them to validate our belief .

mercredi 21 septembre 2011

Performing Gongyo gives one the focus to overcome lifes' daily problems and trials but we have to move beyond the personal and into the collective in order to fix the problems in our society . Of course Buddhism only represents one of the ways to realisation, there are others.

lundi 19 septembre 2011

Helping



You see images of devastation on T.V , on the internet etc. and feel helpless. Yes , we can chant to end the suffering but what can we do in  a concrete way to further the cause of Kosen Rufu ?

lundi 5 septembre 2011

There is a very famous Taoist story – I love it tremendously. The story is about
an old Taoist farmer whose horse ran away:

    ...That evening the neighbors gathered to commiserate with him since this was such bad luck. He said, "Maybe." The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses, and the neighbors came exclaiming at the good fortune. He said, "Maybe." And then the following day, his son tried to saddle and ride one of the wild horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. Again the neighbors came to offer their sympathy for the misfortune. He said, "Maybe." The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to seize young men for the army, but because of the broken leg the farmer's son was rejected. When the neighbors came in to say how fortunate everything had turned out, he said, "Maybe."

This is the attitude of a man who understands what is accidental and what is
essential. The accidental is always 'maybe'; it is a 'perhaps'. You cannot be
certain about it, you need not be certain about it. People who become certain
about the accidental are going to be frustrated sooner or later; their certainty is
going to create much frustration for them. Their certainty will create expectations,
and they cannot be fulfilled – because the universe is not there to fulfill your
expectations. It has its own destiny. It is moving towards its own goal. It does not
care about your private goals...
                                                                                             --Osho