I practiced Soto Zen for a few years before coming to Nichiren Buddhism and I had read fairly broadly, so I already knew about the Four Noble Truths, etc. While it's good to be open-minded, adopting a cafeteria-style approach to the Dharma is something I'm deeply skeptical of. I've read a bit of Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg and occasionally will do a few minutes of vipassana or loving-kindness meditation, but they're mainly stress-reduction techniques for me. It seems to me, at this point, that if you've read one popular Dharma book (Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, etc.), you've read them all. Be mindful all the time, everything changes, be nice to people.
At this point, I find that I'm pretty much sticking to reading Nichiren Shonin, Zhiyi, Nagarjuna, and the sutras. The rest is mostly fluff.
Faith is an important subject. Especially in the beginning, experiencing joy in the practice of chanting the daimoku is the key. That sustained me for a long time. Faith deepens as your practice deepens and goes along through the years, but it can take time to get there. I wonder if it often takes having your practice see you through a couple of life-changing events for faith to really grow. I feel like that's been the case for me.
How to develop faith?
Re: How to develop faith?
Yep. You can't know the efficacy of practice if its never tested.markatex wrote: ↑Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:25 amFaith deepens as your practice deepens and goes along through the years, but it can take time to get there. I wonder if it often takes having your practice see you through a couple of life-changing events for faith to really grow. I feel like that's been the case for me.
Those who, even with distracted minds,
Entered a stupa compound
And chanted but once, “Namo Buddhaya!”
Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas.
-Lotus Sutra, Expedient Means Chapter
There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma.
-Ayacana Sutta
Entered a stupa compound
And chanted but once, “Namo Buddhaya!”
Have certainly attained the path of the buddhas.
-Lotus Sutra, Expedient Means Chapter
There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma.
-Ayacana Sutta
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