HARMONY-September 2014

Thu, 28th Aug 2014  
Category: Harmony, News (All), Publication

harmony_september_2014
DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

The heart of the matter in Buddhism is that our heart matters most. This philosophy of life is based on the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, who through sincere dialogue with his followers, enabled them to understand the concepts of Buddhism and the meaning of their lives. Following this way, the members of SGI engage in discussion meetings and have open dialogue to support each other in the journey of faith. President Ikeda keeps reminding us that sincere dialogue is the way to understand each other better, and ultimately is the key to world peace.

Dialogue requires us not just to be able to speak eloquently – but also to hone our listening skills. Those wanting to grow in their Buddhist practice will have a seeking spirit and will have many questions. Therefore, it is crucial that we study to deepen our understanding and knowledge of this wonderful philosophy of life.

What matters most when we engage in dialogue is our intent. Are we really caring and compassionate towards our friends, and sincere in our effort to help, or are we just talking for the sake of talking and pushing our personal views upon others? Are we listening to the other person, or are we thinking of what we will say next? Words once spoken cannot be taken back, and one careless hurtful remark can break the trust and friendship between people. At the same time, an endless stream of complaints under the guise of dialogue will not bring any benefit at all – in fact it is one of the major slanders we risk committing in our daily lives. Once we start complaining, we are undoing good causes we have assiduously made in our life.

Let’s be mindful of the effect our words have on ourselves and others before we speak, and strive to be positive, encouraging and supportive.

Let’s also include those thoughts we have in our hearts and heads, as that is where the cause is initially made. We cannot reach someone’s heart, even with the sweetest words, if our mind and our heart does not really think and feel the words we speak. Our thinking is also crucial to our own inner dialogue. How can we be compassionate towards ourselves and others if we allow our own inner voice to keep putting us down?

The best foundation for a heart-to-heart dialogue is to chant sincerely to lift our life condition and really be open to absorb and understand the situation clearly. With the life state of the Buddha, we will be able to master our minds and communicate through the smallest word, or even silence.

Everything begins with prayer.

Carola Chard

Quotes of the Month:

“To lead a life in which we are inspired and can inspire others, our hearts have to be alive; they have to be filled with passion and enthusiasm. To achieve that, we need the courage to live true to ourselves. Rather than borrowing from or imitating others, we need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action out of our own sense of responsibility.” -Daisaku Ikeda (Ikedaquotes-power of the heart)