HARMONY-October 2014

DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

We often associate the setting of goals, determinations, and making a fresh start to coincide with New Year celebrations – the big time to reset the clocks and our life. In reality, every day and every moment is an opportunity for a fresh start.

We get up in the morning , brush our teeth and wash our faces, making a clean, fresh start to the day for our body. We make our beds and tidy the house, to ensure it is all nice and fresh. We even reboot our electronics on a regular basis to ensure the best performance.

But what do we do about our mind? Are our thoughts fresh? Is our mind open to approach each new day with vigor and joy, or does it remain dull and cluttered with thoughts and worries about yesterday, tomorrow and beyond? Even though we know that dwelling on the past does not resolve any problems of the future, human nature is such that we ignore all the positive opportunities ahead and instead look back and frequently ask ourselves why this, why that, why me?

Nichiren Buddhism teaches that no matter what our situation, no matter how deep and dark our despair, we are reassured, that the moment we chant Nan-myoho-renge-kyo, our life expands and we infuse our life with the wisdom of the Buddha and move forward in a positive direction. Buddhism is reason and manifests in daily life, so let’s celebrate our life with vibrant gongyo and chanting of Nam-myoho-regnge-kyo so that all our actions become the Buddha’s work.

Our daily gongyo is the point of starting afresh. As President Ikeda says:

“When we do gongyo and chant daimoku, we conduct a ceremony in which we praise Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the law of the universe, and the Buddha. We also praise the eternal life of the universe, and the world of Buddhahood in our own lives.

[When we chant to the Gohonzon] right then and there the doors of the microcosm within us open completely to the macrocosm, and we can experience a great and serene sense of happiness, as though gazing out over the entire universe. We savor tremendous fulfillment and joy, and gain access to a great and all-embracing wisdom. The microcosm of our lives that is encompassed by the universe in turn encompasses the entire universe.”

We sincerely hope that the contributions and articles in this issue will inspire you to re-determine your goals and focus on positive changes in your life.

Let’s make it a fresh start, every  day to create value!

Carola Chard

Quotes of the Month:

“Gongyo revitalizes us from the very depths of our being. Therefore, the important thing is to do gongyo each day filled with a feeling of rhythm and cadence—like a white horse galloping through the heavens. I hope you will do the kind of satisfying gongyo that leaves you refreshed and revitalized in both body and mind.”