Good Evening

My Name is Ashvani What you are attending tonight is a Buddhist meeting of SGI (SGI) Stands for a value creation society. We are nichiren Buddhists, Nichiran was a 13 century monk in Japan who by studying the original buddhas teaching found out that the lotus sutra is the highest teaching of the original Buddha (shakya muni) who tought that we change our destiny in this life time and be happy. We are an organization of 13 ml people who pray for world peace, worldwide in 192 countries and territories . We chant Nam Myo Ho Renge kyo literally translated, Nam meansDevotion, myo ho-is mystic law-rengerepresent the Lotus flower which represent cause and effect because it is the only flower that blooms and seeds at the same time thus represents the simultaneity of cause and effect . Kyo is Vibration and sound. So devotion to the mystic law of cause and effect through vibration and sound. The Gohozon which is the scroll we chant to is not a deity or any external power but the reflection of our own life. While we chant we focus on the character of Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo which is written in the middle of the Gohonzon to bring out the highest potential or in other words the best of us. There are three pillers to this practice Which is Faith Practice and Study. Faith in this practice is not the blind faith but in the beginning is just an expectation of something will happen and as you see your prayers being answered one by one, you start to develop and deepen your faith. Practice is consists of two parts Practice for oneself and practice for others. Practice for oneself is chanting Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo twice a day morning and evening. And reciting of Gongyo which is chapter and half of lotus sutra. Which we did this evening. Practice for other We introduce other people to this practice and we help them receive the same benefits in their lives as we experience ourselves. We help them learn this practice and do the same with others so everyone can have an opportunity to be happy in this life time.
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We study the writings of Nichiren Daishonin to encourage us and to know that the things that are happening in our life what do they mean and how to overcome our obstacles and challenges and create happiness. We also study the encouragement from our mentor in life President Daisaku Ikeda. Who is the president of our international organization. Who has shown us with his own life to how to really utilize this practice to improve our life and our circumstances. There is another organization that is called Nichiren Shoshu who also chant Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo. But this organization has priests, who says that in order to be happy and attain enlightenment in this life time you have to go through the priest. But that goes against everything Nichiren Daishonin had ever tought us. That is why we the SGI has disassociated our self from them. Nichiren Diashonin tought us that there is no one but ourselves stands between our enlightenment and our happiness. The ultimate goal of our organization and our practice is world peace through individual happiness. Thank you.