Ten Key Points to Apply to Your Buddhist Practice to Derive Maximum Results

Ten Key Points to Apply to Your Buddhist Practice to Derive Maximum Results

  

1) FAITH

There are several things we can do to strengthen our faith. First, we can practice vigorously to get results or benefits. Second, we can attend SGI discussion meetings and listen to other’s experiences. Third, we can study SGI publications to deepen our understanding of Buddhism. Fourth, we can connect with seniors in faith to receive encouragement and advice. The benefits of the Gohonzon are expansive, infinite and know no bounds

  

2) MISSION

What’s our mission in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism? The first mission is to become happy oneself. The second mission is to help others become happy, which is what we call Kosen-rufu or world peace. It’s very important to support our mentor SGI President Ikeda and the SGI’s mission of peace, culture and education and also to help develop capable ad positive successors for the 21st century.

  

3) GOALS

The third point is having a Goal. We often hear that goals should be specific and detailed. We can set bold, ambitious goals. The more impossible they are, the more rewarding they become when we reach them. We can also set goals that we feel comfortable with. Basically, we set goals to overcome hardship and create value.

  

4) DETERMINATION

Now that we’ve converted our dreams and desires into very concrete goals, next is my fourth key point: Determination. We have to be determined to change, determined to never give up and determined to take the correct action now!

  

Let’s talk about determining to change. It means to do Human Revolution. It’s important to shift our fundamental life tendency in order to change our destiny and our karma. If we don’t, we’ll just repeat the same life pattern.

  

5) DAIMOKU

So far, we have faith, we understand our mission, our goal is set and we’re determined not to give up until we reach our goal. Now on we need lots and lots and lots of Daimoku. Key number five is Daimoku, chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Besides morning and evening prayers, we have to chant as much as possible. Abundant prayer is the key

  

6) TAKE ACTION

Next we have key number six: Take Action. Everything is empty without action. In Buddhism, we have to take action, to say: ”I’m the one who has to do it. It’s my karma, my destiny. When my goals are fulfilled, it’s my joy and my fortune.”

  

7) STUDY

The seventh key point is Study.  This Buddhism is meant to be studied. Each day we should study even one sentence or paragraph as if every single word is directly intended for us, for our lives. When things don’t seem to be going our way, or we find ourselves in a crisis, it is an understanding of the Buddhist life-philosophy that keeps us going till we win. I believe everyone knows the importance of study.

   

8) SHARE BUDDHISM WITH OTHERS

The eight key point is to share Buddhism with others. The will of Nichiren Daishonin is the peace and happiness of all people on earth, through the propagation of his Buddhism. Nothing is a greater cause than chanting Daimoku and sharing this Buddhism and the SGI peace movement with other people. We have to make such a great cause in order to transform our own karma.

  

9) SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS

Now we come to the ninth key point: Share our experiences. We should share the essence of our experiences, not just the results, I would like to encourage you to chant for the wisdom to share your struggle, your determination and the efforts you made so people will have concrete information they can walk away with – knowing how they also can do it. In this way, we create the most value out of our precious experiences.

  

10) CONTINUE MY PRACTICE OF FAITH THROUGHOUT LIFE

OK, we’ve got everything covered, so what would you guess the tenth key point is? It’s ‘Continuing in our Practice’ of faith. The goal of this Buddhism is to bring happiness to oneself and to others. When we have achieved our personal goals, we have more capacity to help others. In a deeper sense, it’s the real beginning of our practice, not the end. The lamp we light for someone else illuminates our own way. When we make efforts for the happiness of others, we are helping ourselves simultaneously. Once we achieve our dreams and goals, we should not slacken in faith. There is continual struggle in life between the negative and positive, between good and evil. This is where a benefit can turn into an obstacle if we stop polishing our lives. It’s also very important to support our organization every way we can.

  

I hope I did not throw too many keys at you! Are you ready to take action? Will you be unstoppable? The ultimate key is in your own hands. I hope that within a short time, you will be able to declare that you have realized more benefits than anyone and that you are the happiest person in the world.

  

Ten Points To Derive Maximum Benefit From Our Practice

By Jeanny Chen (from November 2000 issue of Living Buddhism) - Some key points and highlights