My First Shared Experience
Seeking Something to Believe In
Thank you everyone for the experience I’m about to share. I started practicing ever since the center was located at the old building off Guadalupe and Koenig. My life was seeking something to deal with my unstable mind, emotions and death because I knew that one day I will not have my grandma. My first meeting was Kosen rufu gongyo and the second, an introduction to Buddhism. First impression at Kosen rufu gongyo (a meeting like this one) was, “No way these people are going through all these problems and are still happy!”
At first, I was very skeptical; however, I wanted to know more so I decided to attend the intro meeting. As I opened the door, I was welcomed with a feeling I never experienced before—warm, caring strangers! Everyone shared stories of becoming truly happy while overcoming problems through chanting with faith in the Gohonzon, receiving benefits, building fortune and taking action for self and others. After that meeting, I decided to join the SGI.
The beginning of the first year was off to a great start with consistent practice. Chanting, studying, and surrounding myself with good friends in faith. Everything I chanted about, the benefits came. At first, the Gohonzon, to me, was like a personal Genie in the altar.
The Storm That Tested My Faith
The following months, I experienced the storms of karma and fundamental darkness of life’s ups and downs accompanied with an inconsistent practice and study.
Losing Friends and Turning Away
I lost two good friends in a car accident on Thanksgiving Day and an uncle two weeks later from a heart attack. Instead of chanting before the Gohonzon, facing the problems and calling for support, I decided to turn to substance abuse instead because it was the quickest way to numb the pain. I had to distance myself from the meetings, family and friends.
The Call That Brought Me Back
Noticing my absence, a good friend in faith called every week; however, it seemed like every day. When I saw her name on the caller ID, I immediately sent the calls to voicemail. I didn’t have a consistent, disciplined practice until I decided to answer the next call and go to a district meeting. That moment I decided I want to face myself and to offer my life to this practice.
Learning to Share Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Attending one meeting after another, I began to spend time with another good friend in faith who taught me how to share this Buddhism with others. He would always encourage me to be natural. I’ve introduced Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to countless people, to family, friends and 11 people I help to receive the Gohonzon. He taught me the importance of dialogue, chanting to the Gohonzon, how study deepens faith, how faith and actual proof fuels practice, what it means to be a genuine disciple, to foster capable youth, learning to bond with the mentor, Daisaku Ikeda, seeking his guidance through his writings and doing one’s human revolution (inner transformation).
Human revolution is a revolution in our actions and behavior. It means to purposefully engage in behavior that is grounded in compassion, in actions that break free from the cycles of the six paths and bring us to the world of Bodhisattva and Buddhahood.
— Daisaku Ikeda, The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 2: Human Revolution, pg. 8
Overcoming Obstacles Through Chanting
Over the years, I encountered obstacles that tried to obstruct my Buddhist practice from people close to me and at work. Through each encounter, such as: Divorce, jealousy, violence (mental and psychical), illnesses, financial hardships, loss of loved ones, family disharmony, sons calling from jail and fundamental darkness. I am overcoming them one by one through winning in faith, practice, study, building fortune, creating a relationship with the mentor and good friends in faith. Without this Buddhist practice, my life-condition would be an absolute mess!
At the beginning years of the practice, family violence occurred for hours, I tried to stop it with words and the slandering continued. Exhausted with the situation, at 3am I called a good friend in faith to explain, he asked, “Are you sitting in front of the Gohonzon?” The moment I opened the altar and began chanting with tears pouring down my face, immediately, the fight ended and everyone went their separate ways.
Since then, when I encounter obstacles, I go directly to the Gohonzon and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to raise my life-condition. I pick up the World Tribune, Living Buddhism, the Gosho and anything I can focus my eyes on to motivate me to keep moving forward. I keep track of daimoku savings I chanted since I first started to practice and I’m about to start the 13th-million daimoku chart.
The Benefits of Consistent Practice
Furthermore, the benefits of this practice are limitless. When my grandma had surgeries for her knee and two back-to-back strokes, the people in my environment (family, doctors, nurses, and caseworkers) said some things weren’t possible. I would drive home from the hospital to chant with absolute resolve then upon returning, the outcomes became possible.
Another example is when I was about to travel to my first FNCC conference. For two-weeks, the DPS agent told me I couldn’t get my driver’s license renewed because my married last name didn’t match my immigration document. Protective forces in the environment emerged and I was able to renew it. I learned to challenge the environment when it says, “No, it’s not happening.”
Before starting a relationship with my love, Dimitri, who is my soon to be fiancé and husband: I made a list of valuable qualities I wanted in my next relationship and he matched 33 out of 35. I chanted two-hours a day for a month for someone with those qualities to appear in my life. He definitely adds happiness, laughter, joy and growth to my life!
Over the years, I am fortunate to attend seven conferences at the Florida Nature and Culture center. Support with behind-the-scene activities such as driving six youth to Chicago festival, toban (receptionist duties), facilitate two WD Sophia groups and cleaning the center. For the last two years, I dedicated my life to the first group, Champions for Creating Happiness and Peace. I traveled to Dallas, Houston and San Antonio to study and share experiences with women ages 35-45.
My Vow to Continue Human Revolution
Of course there’s more human revolution and changing karma to do. It doesn’t just happen once or twice a day, a week or a year and that’s it. It’s an ongoing process throughout life. As long as I’m alive, I will continue to do human revolution. I have a mission—a mission to transform karma as well as to prove to myself and to others the greatness of Nichiren Buddhism. To me, that’s the seeking spirit, that’s the vow.
What I continue to learn about this practice is how to become skilled at what it means to practice this Buddhism correctly in order to solve problems through faith and wisdom, not giving up, not to be swayed by circumstances or my fundamental darkness. Also, it trains my life to understand the importance of maintaining composure, behavior, and awareness in the face of obstacles or benefits.
I want to conclude my experience with an encouragement from my mentor in faith, Daisaku Ikeda.
It all comes down to training. Without training, you won’t be able to bring out your potential when it counts the most. What is real training? It is polishing your faith. Developing your abilities to share Nichiren Buddhism and engaging others in dialogue are wonderful ways to gain training.” Mr. Toda observed, “All who have received proper guidance and training concerning faith, introducing Buddhism to others, and developing leadership skills have grown to become excellent individuals.” He also said, “Unless a diamond is polished, you cannot even tell it’s a diamond. What’s most important is to polish your faith through earnest struggles. Then you are guaranteed to accumulate immeasurable good fortune.” Those who remain steadfast in their faith attain boundless good fortune as indestructible as a diamond.
Embracing Compassion: A Revolution in Leadership, Vol 3 pg. 44-45
