Cultivate a mind of joy in all things, chant the sacred title of the Lotus Sutra with great joy and at all times.

Frequently I am asked how long should I chant? Sometimes this question is asked by folks who may have previously been told that they should chant an hour or more a day, or some other fixed goal. Consider this: you can scrub a floor as a free person or as a slave. It is fundamentally up to you. We all have activities we must engage in, some several times a day, some less frequently. You can cultivate in yourself your own sense of freedom or entrapment. Chanting the Odaimoku, Namu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo, can be much the same way. If we enslave ourselves to the Odaimoku then we are not cultivating happiness for ourselves.

Writing these short meditation essays is an engaging activity causing me to look at things in different ways in order to find connections between our everyday lives and the teachings presented in the Lotus Sutra. I have always looked for Buddhism in everyday experiences but writing it down and sharing has been a new experience. One question that arises is who is reading these things? Another question is where are you when you are reading the posts? Take a moment right now and look about you and consider where you are. Are you in a comfy spot; are you in your kitchen sipping a cup of coffee or tea? Perhaps you’re on some public transportation reading on your way to or from work. You might also be at work, sneaking some me time for yourself. Or perhaps you are in some uncomfortable place; some place that is not a pleasant place to be. All of those are one way of looking at and responding to the question, where are you. But there is an equally viable alternative way to consider the question and that is where are you personally in your life? Where are you spiritually in your life? Where are you?

For those of us who practice in a Nichiren denomination we have the representation of the Lotus Sutra and the eternal Buddha depicted on the calligraphic mandala. It is not uncommon for some to view this picture as the actual thing that enables enlightenment. Again this too is a distortion, as the enlightenment is something we already possess and not something that resides outside our lives and which we need to somehow meld with or absorb. We already have it. The picture representation, however it appears, is merely a tool for us to use to awaken to our already existing Buddhahood.

Sometimes we think of Buddhism and think we need to be just like the Buddha. We may even think that we need to sit under a tree and be peaceful like we imagine the Buddha. But I think we miss the point sometimes by wishing to become exactly like the Buddha and fail to realize our goal is to attain enlightenment just as we are.

The Lotus Sutra mentions dancing as both an expression of joy as well as something to be offered in appreciation for the Dharma. I was thinking about this, as I especially like the images that come to mind when it talks about people dancing with great joy.

When a person dances are they tying to get somewhere? There isn’t really a destination in mind for the purpose of dancing. The goal of dancing isn’t to get from this place to the next. When we dance it is the joy of the steps. It is the pleasure even possibly from not needing to go anywhere but to just enjoy the process.

Dancing as an expression of joy I think is more joyful if we just enjoy the process. And as an expression of joy it can also be an expression of appreciation for the joy in our lives and for the Dharma. An expression of appreciation then becomes gratitude arising from joy.

Our practice is much like dancing in many ways. Our practice while certainly directed towards enlightenment is most importantly about the steps along the way and the joy of those steps, which actually manifest in the dance of and not to enlightenment.

In the Lotus Sutra the chapter on Simile of Herbs points out that while it is true that there are various kinds of plants, each with its own unique characteristics, the cloud of rain provides nourishment to them all in the necessary quantities even though some need more and others need less.

The beauty of the teachings of the Buddha is regardless of what our unique capability is, what our unique gifts may be, or even what our handicaps are, we all can equally benefit from the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhism and enlightenment are not dependent upon our cleverness, our economic status, or our gender – none of the differences we may use to label and separate each other. Those labels do not apply when it comes to benefiting from the teaching and practice of Buddhism.

There is a ritual that we sometimes observe in Nichiren Shu called suigyo, or water purification practice. The phrases we recite as we are performing this ritual speak of cleansing ourselves, making our lives pure in order to carry out the practice of spreading the Dharma.

Let us renew our efforts to clean ourselves, not only physically but spiritually as well. Let us reconcile all of our past grudges, the things that hold us back, let us make fresh our entire lives, and renew our efforts to share the Dharma with great joy.

Friends form a unique relationship; true friendship is one of mutual commitment to the well-being of the other. Friendship takes time to build. It takes trust, openness, and a desire to put in to it freely just for the benefit of the other, and not just for what can be taken away. And from a Buddhist perspective a good Buddhist friend can help us to maintain our practice, a person who will tell us when we have done something right or when we might do something better. A good Buddhist friend will not merely say things just to make us feel good. Instead, they will say things to us that will make us be good. This is also the kind of friend we can become to others. Helping them attain Buddhahood is the best gift we can give to our friends.

We may get tired or discouraged along the way, but remember the story of the magic city. The Buddha assures us, we have his promise that we cannot fail if we continue to exert ourselves.

If we continue to practice the Lotus Sutra we can establish within our lives the indestructible condition of enlightenment just as we are.