Simple words to understanding Buddhist thought
by Anita Artzner
When I was asked to write an article on the principle’s of Nichiren
Daishonin’s Buddhism, I said to myself, “What a huge
responsibility!”
As a third year SGI-USA member (Soka Gakkai International, or
value-creating society), the largest Buddhist organization in
American,
I felt like this was a great opportunity to help others become
happy.
The following words quickly describe to a layperson, like all SGI
members, this particular Buddhist practice.
Human Revolution.
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (Devotion to the mystic law of cause and effect
of all phenomenon) Faith, practice and study.
A human revolution is the concept that a person’s ideas, thoughts,
and actions (causes) have a direct effect on personal, local, and global
communities. With prayer and chanting Nam-myoho,-renge-kyo, we can
transform our situation and find the way to personal fulfillment.
Faith is the acceptance of this one truth of the Buddha’s teaching.
Practice is to cultivate the Buddha nature each of us possess. This
is accomplished by lots of chanting, called daimoku, in front of the
Gohonzon, or object of devotion.
Study is to read the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin and other SGI
publications, including The World Tribune and Living Buddhism.
So if you have a desire in your life that you want to achieve, or an
obstacle you’d like to overcome, you can begin your own human
revolution by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and focusing on faith,
practice and study.
For more information contact the Cleveland Community Center at (216)
265-0974.