Confused after Recent Dissapointments

[The_Wonderer]

Hi All,

I have been with SGI for past few years. All these years, I liked the practice but always had a mixed feeling towards the organization.

I had been chanting hard but the results were exactly the opposite. This let to a lot of discouragement and events after that also let to a lot of fear building inside me.

I am no longer chanting these days but life is still on the downhill path and I feel I need some kind of spiritual/religious support, be it Nichiren or my old religion.

I am totally confused on what to do next: In SGI the focus is more towards organization and there is less solace/Religion and while doing the old religion I am still drawn to chanting.

Its all too messed up. At times I feel leaving chanting may bring more harm to me.

Please advice
Thanks In Advance

[Queequeg]

If you're burnt out on SGI, there are other options. Depending on where you are, you might benefit from getting in touch with Nichiren Shu. There are online sangha options, as well, if you can't make it to a temple. Also, in general, (I'm assuming you are an English speaker) you can reach out to Nichiren Shu clergy and they are friendly and supportive.

https://www.nichiren.or.jp/english/

http://enkyojibuddhistnetwork.org/

http://www.shodaigyo.org/

[markatex]

I had been chanting hard but the results were exactly the opposite. This let to a lot of discouragement

This is one problem with encouraging people to chant for specific outcomes and promising the moon, basically. It inevitably leads to disappointment and disillusionment, even if it seems to work initially.

Through chanting, we receive the Buddha’s merits, but what that looks like is usually something far different than what we can anticipate. It might even seem to us as if everything around us is falling apart despite our chanting. The goal is to develop a kind of buoyancy, where we aren’t swayed by either fortune or misfortune.

Definitely reach out to Nichiren Shu. We may not be local to where you are, but there are options for long distance support.

[narhwal90]

The usual SGI response "chant harder" has never resonated with me either, even after 30 years of practice both closer in and farther away from the organization. What did help was to diversify my practice, to continue the chanting and gongyo but also reach out for other methods. One thing SGI does not teach is the meticulous observation of mind, other traditions do. Personally I like the vipassana/samatha & Zen methods. Making volunteer service part of my practice has also played its part- to get way out of my comfort zone once a month and get in service alongside others I would never have met otherwise.

I think investigating N.Shu is a great idea, their shodaigyo instruction is interesting and nuanced- it might provide an important perspective relative to chanting that SGI does not teach. N.Shoshu and the other Hokke schools perhaps also. I'm done with internecine conflict between the Nichiren schools, its not a conflict I wish to take up again.

[Mysticlaw]

Hi All,

I have been with SGI for past few years. All these years, I liked the practice but always had a mixed feeling towards the organization.

I had been chanting hard but the results were exactly the opposite. This let to a lot of discouragement and events after that also let to a lot of fear building inside me.

I am no longer chanting these days but life is still on the downhill path and I feel I need some kind of spiritual/religious support, be it Nichiren or my old religion.

I am totally confused on what to do next: In SGI the focus is more towards organization and there is less solace/Religion and while doing the old religion I am still drawn to chanting.

Its all too messed up. At times I feel leaving chanting may bring more harm to me.

Please advice
Thanks In Advance

I would like to encourage you to reach out to a senior in faith and join a district that has the right understanding of the practice. In our district, we always place emphasis on one to one dialogue and valuing every members at discussion meetings. Ikeda sensei also emphasise that, “Religion must always be for the people. People do not exist for the sake of religion. This must be the fundamental guideline of religion in the twenty-first century.”

Chanting should be a joyful process instead of an obligation. I am always happy to help if you need

Would also like to share this experience with you:

http://www.sgi-usa.org/2017/09/21/fight ... o-victory/

“For us to freely manifest the workings of the Law in our own lives, we need to chant with the same mind and attitude as the Daishonin. In other words, our chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—the daimoku—must be based on faith, the spirit to battle fundamental darkness. The daimoku that the Daishonin spread could be described as ‘fighting daimoku’ ” (The Opening of the Eyes: SGI President Ikeda’s Lecture Series, p. 147).

https://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhist-c ... icine.html

“The Buddhist practice taught by Nichiren, centered on chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, is, in one sense, the practice of affirming faith in our inherent Buddhahood. This faith makes it possible for us to turn difficult experiences into opportunities to deepen our self-understanding, to strengthen and develop our courage and compassion, to grow in vitality and wisdom and ultimately to realize a limitlessly expansive state of life.”

[illarraza]

The World of Buddhahood or the World of Anger?

Faithful Daimoku or SGI fighting Daimoku?

[Mysticlaw]

The World of Buddhahood or the World of Anger?

Faithful Daimoku or SGI fighting Daimoku?

The testimonial demonstrated the resilience and perseverance of the practitioner. The "fighting" daimoku is the spirit of having determination and courage to overcome challenges.

Chapter 14 of the Lotus Sutra teaches:

Manjushri, when the wheel-turning king sees someone among his soldiers who has gained truly great distinction, he is so delighted in heart that he takes that unbelievably fine jewel that has been in his topknot for so long and has never been recklessly given away, and now gives it to the man. And the thus come one does the same. In the threefold world he acts as the great Dharma king. He uses the Law to teach and convert all living beings, and watches his worthy and sage armies as they battle with the devils of the five components, the devils of earthly desires, and the death devil. And when they have won great distinction and merit, wiping out the three poisons, emerging from the threefold world, and destroying the nets of the devils, at that time the thus come one is filled with great joy. This Lotus Sutra is capable of causing living beings to attain comprehensive wisdom. It will face much hostility in the world and be difficult to believe. It has not been preached before, but now I preach it.

[illarraza]

"fighting, struggling, seizing," Lotus Sutra Chapter 3, referring to the burning house.

https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc ... lgHidden=1

"In order to save living beings,
as an expedient means I appear to enter nirvana
but in truth I do not pass into extinction.
I am always here, preaching the Law.
I am always here,
but through my transcendental powers
I make it so that living beings in their befuddlement
do not see me even when close by.
When the multitude sees that I have passed into extinction,
far and wide they offer alms to my relics.
All harbor thoughts of yearning
and in their minds thirst to gaze at me.
When living beings have become truly FAITHFUL,
honest and upright, gentle in intent,
single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha,
not hesitating even if it costs them their lives,
then I and the assembly of monks
appear together on Holy Eagle Peak.
At that time I tell the living beings
that I am always here, never entering extinction,- LS Chapter 16

"Answer: According to the sutra text, the votaries of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law, who are so faithful in upholding the sutra that they are hated by others, are the true priests of Mahayana. They are the teachers of the Law who will propagate the Lotus Sutra and bring people benefit. As for priests who are thought well of by others, who go along with other people’s desires and so come to be revered, one should regard them as the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and as evil influences to the world. A sutra passage likens persons of this type to a hunter who spies sharply about him as he stalks a deer, or to a cat who hides its claws as it creeps up on a mouse. In just such a way, we are told, do they flatter, deceive, and mislead the lay men and women."

"Foolish men are likely to forget the promises they have made when the crucial moment comes. Some of them feel pity for their wives and children and grieve at the thought of parting from them in this life. In countless births throughout many long kalpas they have had wives and children but parted from them in every existence. They have done so unwillingly and not because of their desire to pursue the way of the Buddha. Since they must part with them in any case, they should remain faithful to their belief in the Lotus Sutra and make their way to Eagle Peak, so that they may lead their wives and children there as well."

"Answer: Shakyamuni Buddha laid down a rule for future conduct when he said that we should “rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna says that one should rely on treatises that are faithful to the sutras, but not rely on those that distort the sutras. T’ien-t’ai states, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” And the Great Teacher Dengyō says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.”

Perhaps "fighting Daimoku" is appropriate when dealing with slanderers or those occasions when we muster faith, otherwise, I prefer faithul Daimoku. It seems to me, Asuras are fond of fighting.

Mark

[The_Wonderer]

Thanks All for the posts and the inspiration.

I have been now trying to restart the chanting.

There are lot of doubts and fear and I need some guidance on how to focus and re-build faith.

[narhwal90]

Morning gongyo has become an important part of the day, helps me perceive better what the mind is doing & get better as not getting sucked into thoughts and emotions. I don't do "fighting" daimoku anymore, I well remember that kind of attitude from the old NSA days- I chant quietly and steadily maintaining focus on the mind, recognizing thoughts and whatnot as they arise and the practice is letting them subside just as quickly and not participating. For my part faith comes from seeing the practice help me gain freedom from my own mind. Doubts and fears are just other things in the mind to gradually detach from. Which is not to say they are irrelevant, but presenting as they usually do they are impediments- for me at least.

I observe a profound difference in the mind after steady practice vs a lengthy period of not doing it.

Good luck!

[dude]

1. Find someone to share those doubts and fears with. If you can't, bring those doubts right here.

2. Study Buddhism daily as a part of your practice.