YOU ARE A BUDDHA - APPRECIATE YOUR LIFE

YOU ARE A BUDDHA - APPRECIATE YOUR LIFE

In Buddhism, appreciation is for our own life. We strive to appreciate the essence of our life, whatever we are going through at the moment. Learning appreciation is difficult, because our society always teaches us about good and bad. If we have the things we want we are happy, if we don't have them, we begrudge our lives. Two of the "Fourteen Slanders" that prevent us from becoming happy are:

1. A mistaken view of life - we don't know who we are

2. Too much attachment to material things

We do not live in harmony with our true nature, and we are swayed by the opinions and thoughts of those outside of us. We embrace our mistaken identities so deeply that they become our reality.

Appreciation does not refer to things outside of yourself. 

Appreciate your own life first. Appreciate when you fail. Appreciate when you try and try again and still fail. Appreciate when you embarrass yourself.

OUR FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM IS THAT WE ARE UNHAPPY.

So how do we turn it around? APPRECIATE who you are. You are a BUDDHA. You are the best thing that ever appeared on this whole planet. If you believe there is nothing you cannot do with your life, then there IS nothing you cannot do.

To believe that you can do anything is to bring your life into harmony.

To chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is to put yourself in harmony.

But it comes from appreciating your own life.

When your life is falling apart, try and chant in that moment to appreciate your own life. If you are in harmony, it will turn around. Our life has unbelievable power and wisdom, but we do not trust ourselves and let it come forth. We always look for validation outside and we'll never get it. If we validate ourselves, we will be able to influence everything around us.

NO MATTER WHERE MY LIFE IS AT, I WILL CHANT WITH THE DETERMINATION THAT I WILL TURN THIS SITUATION AROUND WITHIN ONE MONTH. I WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, AND IN THAT ONE MONTH, I WILL CREATE THE BIGGEST BENEFIT OF MY LIFE.

To turn your life around in one month:

1. Perceive the truth of your life.

2. Take responsibility for creating the biggest benefit you have ever had

3. Everything begins and ends with you: the principal of Kyochi Myogo* is the oneness of the person and the law. When you chant, you and the law become one.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo encompasses everything in the universe. Chant that your life and your goal become one. You are the centre of the universe. Chant Nam-myoho-­renge-kyo for the harmony of your life. Chant to perceive your own truth.

We usually think of appreciation as something outside of us. We appreciate our possessions or what someone does for us. But in Buddhism, appreciation is for our own life. We strive to appreciate the essence of our life, whatever we are going through in the moment.

We are all programmed from a very early age - by our families, and teachers, TV etc to believe that we are a certain person. But Buddhism says that we have an incorrect view of life. Our goal as Buddhists is to develop a correct view of our life. Nichiren Daishonin said; "He who perceives the greatness of his life is a Buddha. He who doesn't is a fool." Chant to realize that you are the Buddha just as you are. Nam-­Myoho-Renge-Kyo gives you the opportunity to perceive who you truly are. When you perceive who you are, you will naturally impact your environment.

It is not easy to appreciate your life, because your life does not want to appreciate itself. Just try chanting daimoku for fifteen minutes exclusively focusing on appreciating your life. Your mind will get distracted and you will think about everything but appreciation. But strive to stay focused on appreciation. Just as you are.

In our minds we judge our lives. We see part of our self as good and part as bad. We believe we have to push everything to the positive side to be happy. But you cannot do that. You are just who you are. There is no such thing as Good Buddha, Bad Buddha. There is only the Buddha, just as you are.

BEING A BUDDHA DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE PERFECT. IT MEANS YOU ALWAYS TURN THE NEGATIVE INTO A BENEFIT.

We are all just Buddha, and sometimes we do terrible things. Good and bad exist because we are human beings. The only thing our stupidity proves is that we are human, and there is nothing wrong with that. Being a Buddha means that we take the negative and turn it into benefit.

We need to find out how wonderful and powerful our life is. We can do it in one night if we really appreciate our self. Appreciation does not mean that you accept the circumstances. Again, it is not about something outside of you.

What does it mean to appreciate another person? It means that you have no judgments about them. No matter what their condition, you will do anything for that person's happiness. Don't use anger as a form of judgment. It is fine to get angry, but don't judge another person’s life just because today you are feeling anger towards them.

Appreciation has three qualities:

No matter what happens, you do not betray your dreams, your goals or yourself.

No matter what happens, you do not make any judgments about yourself.

No matter what (unhappy) situation is in your life, you must turn it around.

IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE DEPRESSED - this must be our fundamental attitude. If you are angry, make it a function of the Buddha. Whatever quality is fundamental to your life, chant to appreciate it and you will bring forth unbelievable Power.

Excerpts from Guidance by Mr. SONODA’S from the International District Meeting 30/11/2000