Gaia Community: jaBuddha's Blog

Yet they add and dabble and think they are doing themselves well!

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:42:46 -0000

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin

Faith in this sutra means that you will surely attain Buddhahood if you are true to the entirety of the Lotus Sutra, adhering exactly to its teachings without adding any of your own ideas or following the arbitrary interpretations of others.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1030

"Letter to Niike"
Written to Niike Saemon-no-jo in February 1280

It may seem harsh to the ear, or shallow and dogmatic. However, the 755 year history of this Buddhism is unlike that of any other teaching. The modern movement of the Soka Gakkai into 192 countries and territories in the past 50 years is UNPRECENDENTED!

Please, study the works of Daisku Ikeda, Jose Toda, and Tsunesaburu Makiguchi. Locate an SGI center in your locale. Humanity is at the tipping point. The bright and vibrant future for the world can be realized with hope, courage and confidence. "The lion is being a lion best when it roars." Chant "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" for 100 days and SEE the amazing results in your life!!

This is my story; and I'm sticking to it!

PeAcE!!!
jaB

Supreme Invocation

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:13:24 -0000

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

The invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was established by Nichiren Daishonin on April 28, 1253. Having studied widely among all the Buddhist sutras, he had concluded that the Lotus Sutra contains the ultimate truth of Buddhism: that everyone without exception has the potential to attain Buddhahood. The title of the Lotus Sutra in its Japanese translation is Myoho-renge-kyo. But to Nichiren, Myoho-renge-kyo was far more than the title of a Buddhist text, it was the expression, in words, of the Law of life which all Buddhist teachings in one way or another seek to clarify. What follows is a brief and unavoidably limited explanation of some of the key concepts expressed by this phrase.

Nam

The word nam derives from Sanskrit. A close translation of its meaning is "to devote oneself." Nichiren established the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a means to enable all people to put their lives in harmony or rhythm with the law of life, or Dharma. In the original Sanskrit, nam indicates the elements of action and attitude, and refers therefore to the correct action one needs to take and the attitude one needs to develop in order to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.

Myoho

Myoho literally means the Mystic Law, and expresses the relationship between the life inherent in the universe and the many different ways this life expresses itself. Myo refers to the very essence of life, which is "invisible" and beyond intellectual understanding. This essence always expresses itself in a tangible form (ho) that can be apprehended by the senses. Phenomena (ho) are changeable, but pervading all such phenomena is a constant reality known as myo.

Renge

Renge means lotus flower. The lotus blooms and produces seeds at the same time, and thus represents the simultaneity of cause and effect. The circumstances and quality of our individual lives are determined by the causes and effects, both good and bad, that we accumulate (through our thoughts, words and actions) at each moment. This is called our "karma." The law of cause and effect explains that we each have personal responsibility for our own destiny. We create our destiny and we can change it. The most powerful cause we can make is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; the effect of Buddhahood is simultaneously created in the depths of our life and will definitely manifest in time.

The lotus flower grows and blooms in a muddy pond, and yet remains pristine and free from any defilement, symbolizing the emergence of Buddhahood from within the life of an ordinary person.

Kyo

Kyo literally means sutra, the voice or teaching of a Buddha. In this sense, it also means sound, rhythm or vibration. Also, the Chinese character for kyo originally meant the warp in a piece of woven cloth, symbolizing the continuity of life throughout past, present and future. In a broad sense, kyo conveys the concept that all things in the universe are a manifestation of the Mystic Law.

Primary Practice

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo--also known as "Daimoku"--is the primary practice of SGI members. Through this practice, one is able to reveal the state of Buddhahood in one's life, experienced as the natural development of joy, increased vitality, courage, wisdom and compassion.

Please watch this video if you haven't yet had the chance!!!

Thu, 01 May 2008 13:21:41 -0000

I'd like to share an inspirational video with you.

It's a ten minute talk given by a professor named Randy Pausch who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and only has a few months left to live. His talk is not about death however, it's about achieving your childhood dreams and how to live your life.

To watch the video please visit:

http://www.anthonyfernando.com/2008/04/29/the-last-lecture/

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School's out for 2007

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 08:19:17 -0000

Early, early in the morning now it is.

I have been blessed to have connected with Michelle earlier who is my 1,200th Zaadz friend. Some may say I do not need another friend - I do not agree. The energy one creates here is as unique as one's voice.

We each do our own special work on the planet, and limitations, boundaries and judgment are of no value...

Here's a cute and spicy (rated R) joke:

In a Chicago hospital, a gentleman had made several attempts to get
into the men's restroom, but it had always been occupied.

A nurse noticed his predicament.

Sir, she said ' You may use the ladies room if you promise not to
touch any of the buttons on the wall.'

He did what he needed to, and as he sat there he noticed the buttons
he had promised not to touch.

Each button was identified by letters: WW, WA , PP, and a red one
labelled ATR.

Who would know if he touched them?

He couldn't resist.. He pushed WW. Warm water was sprayed gently upon his bottom. What a nice feeling, he thought. Men's restrooms don't have nice things like this.

Anticipating greater pleasure, he pushed the WA button. Warm air replaced the warm water, gently drying his underside.

When this stopped, he pushed the PP button. A large powder puff caressed his bottom adding a fragile scent of spring flower to this unbelievable pleasure..

The ladies restroom was more than a restroom, it is tender loving pleasure.

When the powder puff completed its pleasure, he couldn't wait to push the ATR button which he knew would be supreme ecstasy.

Next thing he knew he opened his eyes, he was in a
hospital bed, and a nurse was staring down at him.

'What happened?' he exclaimed. The last thing I remember was pushing
the ATR button.

'The button ATR is an Automatic Tampon Remover. Your penis is under
your pillow.'

It's what's in the heart that matters most

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:47:02 -0000

We may pray every day;
And yet it matters how,
What and where,
Our prayer is offered.

In other words,
What is your source and destination,
What the core desire within your heart.

Peace.

A sound and its echo arise simultaneously

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:51:09 -0000

November 15

Daily Wisdom: From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin

"The benefit of all the other sutras is uncertain, because they teach that one must first make good causes and only then can one become a Buddha at some later time. With regard to the Lotus Sutra, when one's hand takes it up, that hand immediately attains Buddhahood, and when one's mouth chants it, that mouth is itself a Buddha, as, for example, the moon is reflected in the water the moment it appears from behind the eastern mountains, or as a sound and its echo arise simultaneously."

Reference:

WND Page 1099
Page 1099 Wu-lung and I-lung
Written to Ueno-ama Gozen on 15 November 1281 from Minobu

These excerpts are from "Daily Wisdom: From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin," a perpetual calendar of daily inspirational excerpts taken from the Gosho. This book is available for purchase at local SGI-USA Community Center bookstores and the online store.

The voice carries out the work of the Buddha

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 04:13:09 -0000

-- WORDS OF THE WEEK --

"The voice carries out the work of the Buddha"*

For the sake of everyone's advancement, it is vital that we express, without hesitation,
our positive and constructive opinions. By frankly sharing our thoughts and wisely discussing with each other, let's all advance together with the spirit of "Many in Body, One in Mind"!

* "Ongi kuden" - Gosho Zenshu, page 708, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 4

Live near Orlando, FL?

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:22:18 -0000

Orlando Community Center
Orlando Area Website
452 N. Semoran Blvd.
Orlando, Florida 32807
Voice: 407.482.3939 or 407.482.3969
Fax: 407.482.3965

Come to the Mountain of Peace!

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:41:37 -0000

The Mountain of Peace

A Musical Exploring the Roots of Violence and the Challenge of Peace

Sunday, September 30; 7pm

Lazzara Hall, Fine Arts Center, University of North Florida

OPENING EVENT of PEACE AWARENESS WEEK

THIS is a FREE EVENT open to all !!

Don't miss this entertaining and inspiring multi-media musical production,

featuring an intergenerational and intercultural cast of local singers, actors

and dancers from UNF and the surrounding Jacksonville community.

This is a community event you won't want to miss, so bring friends and family!

The Mountain of Peace" is a full-length musical that conveys the story of five international

families living in various parts of the world, each of whom loses as loved one to the

ravages of war. These experiences lead the groups into seeking solutions at a peace

summit upon The Mountain of Peace. Through dance, song, and drama, they convey

their pain, their joys, and the difficult process of healing that leads to inner peace,

a prerequisite to outer peace.

The music of Frances Key and Cyrille Verdeaux powerfully enhances this dramatic and

inspiring story, as local singers and actors lend their talents to convey this vitally

important message to our community.

Songs and script written by Frances Key
Frances is a local songwriter, scriptwriter and teacher, founder of the Raymond and

Crystal Key Humanitarian Initiative and The International Peace Performers.

Directed by Jeremie Cook (Jeremie is an award-winning director and actor from Jacksonville)

Dance Choreography by Wendy Sugalski
(Wendy is a dance instructor at Let's Dance Studio and a graduate of Douglas Anderson

School of the Arts)

For more info, see:

http://www.unf.edu/thefloridacenter/CTSymposium/peace_week.htm

VIDEO CLIPS of Select Songs in the Production:

They are Different
Oh Africa!
Flag of the Living Stars

For anyone living close to Northern Florida, this is a magnificent musical production; and admission IS FREE!! Please consider rewarding yourself and viewing this important theatre event in the beautiful main concert hall on the UNF campus in Jacksonville, FL.

Below are the lyrics to a song ("As Above, So Below) from this musical that presents the central theme and thesis of the production: the inter-connectedness of all life (a very Buddhist concept, I might mention):

As Above, So Below

It's said to be a mystery,

But evidence abounds,

In ethereal and material,

All principles are found.

Why wonder what's beyond-

Life's mirrors tell the tale...

Upon the earth are manifest,

The very things we work with here!

This connection gives direction,

To all who seek to know,

It's expansion that brings attraction,

Whether near, whether far,

Energy does flow.

As above, so below,

(Child questions) From them to us, from us to them?

(Answer) There's no "us" and "them- we're One!

Some are the hands, some are the feet, some are the eyes and ears,

So does the work get done.

As above, so below,

As above, so below.

Inspiration brings new action,

Like atoms following the rule of eight,

Everybody's looking to unite with those,

who stimulate their mind and souls,

To bond with those who generate the same (vibration)

As above, so below,

As above, so below.

We link, and link, and link, and link,

The spectrum do we cover,

Degreed awareness is what we are,

Building upon each other.

As above, so below,

As above, so below.

Wait a moment, let me see...

It's starting to be clear;

We're all reflections of each other,

So there is no there nor here, no here nor there?

As above, so below,

As above, so below.

Exactly- see, it's not that strange!

Our thoughts like rivers flow,

We send out intentions through all dimensions,

And focus makes them grow.

Focus makes them grow!

As above, so below,

(Reflect, protect, direct, collect, connect!)

As above, so below,

(Contemplate, illuminate, elevate, initiate, radiate,

Incubate, reciprocate, In this way we all create!)

As above, so below,

As above, so below.

As above, so below,

As above, so below.

It's really simple, don't you see?

Love's the highest energy,

On Compassion wings it flies,

'Cross the veil of Space and Time.

SGI Recent Event

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:57:15 -0000

Peace 2007

September 9, 2007

SGI Events Commemorate Josei Toda's Antinuclear Delcaration

Danny Sze

Panelists discuss strategies for mobilizing youth in New York

SGI organizations around the world have been calling for nuclear abolition in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda's Declaration Calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons which was delivered in front of 50,000 young people at the Mitsuzawa stadium in Yokohama, Japan, on September 8, 1957, marking the start of Soka Gakkai's activities to promote peace.

On September 8, 2007, in New York City, 200 people joined a Civil Society Forum, "Abolishing Nuclear Weapons: What Can Each Of Us Do?" at the Cooper Union, cosponsored by SGI, Global Action to Prevent War and the World Federation of United Nations Associations. The panel of young speakers from organizations working for nuclear disarmament was chaired by Kathleen Sullivan, disarmament education consultant to the United Nations.

In his message to the forum, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda stressed, "It was human beings who gave rise to nuclear weapons. It cannot therefore be beyond the power of human wisdom to eliminate them." He called for a wave of dialogue toward abolition led by young people. Panelists echoed the need to engage people at the grassroots more widely. [full message]

The new global SGI antinuclear exhibition, "From a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace: Transforming the Human Spirit" was also on display. It includes sections on "Arms-based Security vs. Human Security" and "Changing Our Worldview," and facts on global efforts to control and eliminate nuclear weapons.


Opening of the antinuclear exhibition at the New Zealand Parliament		Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato Seri Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar and his wife viewing the exhibition in Kuala Lumpur

The exhibition was first shown at the New Zealand Parliament's "Beehive" building in Wellington on August 9, hosted by SGI-New Zealand and the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs with support from the Peace Foundation, the New Zealand United Nations Association, the New Zealand Council for International Development and the Wellington Interfaith Council. Dr Anwarul K. Chowdhury, until recently UN Under-Secretary General, and champion of a global culture of peace, spoke at the launch which was attended by several members of parliament.

Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato Seri Syed Hamid bin Syed Jaafar Albar, opened the exhibition on September 2, at the Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) Wisma Kebudayaan in Kuala Lumpur. The showing was cosponsored by SGM and Physicians for Peace and Social Responsibility (PPSR), an affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).

World Youth Peace Declaration

Also on September 8, 300 youth members of SGI from 56 countries gathered for a peace conference in Yokohama where an SGI World Youth Peace Declaration was adopted. This includes a vow to work for nuclear disarmament and create a culture of peace as well as commitment to wide-ranging dialogue and cooperation with people of other faiths.

SGI World Youth Peace Conference in Yokohama


"Culture of Peace Forum for Mothers and Children" in Tokyo

In Tokyo, the Soka Gakkai Women's Peace Committee hosted a "Culture of Peace Forum for Mothers and Children" on September 9 with 1,200 participants, from elementary school children to survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Singer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Japan Agnes Chan performed and told the audience about children at risk from depleted uranium in Iraq following her recent visit there.

SGI-Denmark hosted a youth meeting in Copenhagen on September 8 at which John Scales Avery, chair of the Danish Committee of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, stressed that the vast majority of the world's people have said "no" to nuclear weapons, and at SGI-UK's South London National Centre in Brixton, a multimedia exhibition "LIFE--truth, justice, dignity" calling for nuclear abolition was opened by Prof. Robert Hinde, chair of Pugwash UK.

[Adapted from an article in the October 2007 issue of the SGI Quarterly compiling various SGI reports and articles published in the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan.]

The highest offering to the Buddha

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 03:32:17 -0000

I continue to offer prayers to the teacher, parent and sovereign of all living beings;
praying for your greatest happiness and good health. Peace.

THE HIGHEST offering to the Buddha is not to worship

something reminiscent of the Buddha. Rather,

it is to inherent the Buddha's spirit. In other words, the

highest offering lies in struggling to manifest, as one's

own way of life, even a part of the spirit of the Buddha,

who upheld the philosophy that everyone is a Buddha

and tirelessly strove to save all from suffering.

Buddhism Day by Day, p. 297

-Daisaku Ikeda

The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood

Is not the meaning of the sutra and the commentary that the way to Buddhahood lies within the two elements of reality and wisdom? Reality means the true nature of all phenomena, and wisdom means the illuminating and manifesting of this true nature. Thus when the riverbed of reality is infinitely broad and deep, the water of wisdom will flow ceaselessly. When this reality and wisdom are fused, one attains Buddhahood in one's present form.

The sutras expounded prior to the Lotus Sutra cannot lead to Buddhahood because they are provisional and expedient teachings that separate reality and wisdom. The Lotus Sutra, however, unites the two as a single entity. The sutra says that the Buddhas open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings, show it, cause them to awaken to it, and induce them to enter its path. By realizing this Buddha wisdom, one attains Buddhahood.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin - Page 746

Music Jam for Peace Concert Series

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:36:55 -0000

The Soka Gakkai International (SGI-USA) Santa Monica Culture of Peace Resource Center has launched the Music Jam for Peace concert series. The mission of this series is to use the universal language of music to excite and educate young people about the values, attitudes and behaviors of a culture of peace and to inspire positive action in their daily lives. Through their performances, featured artists will communicate important ideals and concepts based on one or more of the eight action areas defined by the 1999 United Nations Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace:

Fostering a culture of peace through education;
Promoting sustainable economic and social development;
Promoting respect for all human rights;
Ensuring equality between women and men;
Fostering democratic participation;
Advancing understanding, tolerance and solidarity;
Supporting participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge; and
Promoting international peace and security.
Some of the finest up and coming young artists in Los Angeles will be featured at each Music Jam for Peace concert. While these high energy performances are geared toward youth, people of all ages are welcome to attend. All concerts are free and open to the public. No tickets will be issued. Seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.

SUMMER 2007

Music Jam For Peace
Miki Ishikawa
Holly Gleason
Heavynn Lumpkins
Saturday, August 11
3:00 p.m.

Santa Monica Culture of Peace Resource Center

Artist Profiles

Heavynn Lumpkins

Writing and singing since the age of eight, Heavynn's seriousness and commitment are reflected in her multiple abilities, her tenacity, and her enthusiasm for working in the entertainment business. Heavynn is an excellent songwriter with a beautiful voice and years of professional experience in the studio. She plays the guitar, sings, writes, records, arranges, and is a seasoned live performer. She is currently expanding her talents beyond music with acting classes and a private coach. Her formal study of music and voice began at Hamilton Music Academy in Los Angeles. As her persona evolved, she became a member of Star Makers; a Northern California group of teens who performed live Broadway hits. She was selected as the vocalist to represent her high school when she sang the national anthem a cappella for the First Lady Hillary R. Clinton. After completing basic training in the US Army Reserves during her junior year of high school, she was requested to sing for US Army Officers and Generals. Heavynn's determination is to be an artist who touches people of all races, religions, and cultural backgrounds. Background vocal credits include: NO Doubt, J-lo, 2 Pac, Lean Rimes, T-Boz, Heavy-D, Tracie Spencer, Victoria Posh Spice and The Luniz. Heavynn has performaned for the NAACP Image Awards, BET Awards, NBC, Victory Over Violence and Disney.

Miki Ishikawa

Miki Ishikawa started modeling and doing commercials at the age of 5 and singing at the age of 6. She learned Broadway songs along with many ballads from her vocal coach, allowing her to build a strong voice. Due to her father's new job, her family moved to Los Angeles in 2000. She started training vocally again and soon began to train in dance as well. She joined a performing group, which allowed her to perform in many public places such as Six Flags. Soon, she was discovered by a dance company that took her to Japan to do a tour with them, dancing and singing solo performances. In 2004, she landed a recurring role on the hit Nickelodeon TV show, Zoey 101, as Vicky. In 2005, she booked her first feature film as one of the family members in the romantic comedy Yours, Mine and Ours starring Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo. Shortly after, she was given the opportunity to work with CrownSoul Entertainment, as Madison in the short film Three the Hard Way. Miki is currently performing for Walt Disney Records with the group T-Squad. They have been on tour with Jonas Brothers, Cheetah Girls, Everlife and many others. This summer they are scheduled to headline a “conservation” tour in local zoos and parks around the nation.
Questions and Answers with Miki Ishikawa

Holly Gleason

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Holly wrote her first song, a lullaby to her pillow, while still in the crib. Subsequent compositions were created as she began singing to the birds on the telephone wires outside her house while growing up. In high school she opened for Luciano Pavarotti in a concert that took place in Pebble Beach, CA. She has sung at Carnegie Hall under the conduction of world-renowned composer, John Rutter and has performed with the Monterey County Symphony. She received a fine arts degree from the University of Southern California and currently lives in Los Angeles. She started working the LA small club circuit as a solo artist two years ago and has enjoyed residencies at Canter’s Kibitz Room and Highland Grounds. She has also played at Tangier, El Cid, The Cat Club, Rainbow Room, The Pig & Whistle and Room 5. Questions and Answers with Holly Gleason

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Parking
Santa Monica Culture of Peace Resource Center
Free parking is provided 1-block away from the Santa Monica Culture of Peace Resource Center. The parking structure address is 1212 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. MAP

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About the Culture of Peace Resource Centers

The mission of the Soka Gakkai International-USA (SGI-USA) Culture of Peace Resource Centers is to introduce and host community-based educational and cultural programs that foster values, attitudes and behaviors that reject violence and encourage the active use of dialogue among individuals, groups and nations to address the root causes of conflict. All events and programs will focus on one or more of the eight action areas defined by the 1999 United Nations Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace:

Fostering a culture of peace through education;
Promoting sustainable economic and social development;
Promoting respect for all human rights;
Ensuring equality between women and men;
Fostering democratic participation;
Advancing understanding, tolerance and solidarity;
Supporting participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge; and Promoting international peace and security.

The SGI-USA Culture of Peace Resource Centers invite everyone – community members, governments, civil society, the media, parents, teachers, students, politicians, academics, scientists, artists, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and more to participate in center activities and join in our shared responsibility for building a culture of peace.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury

During his service as United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations, Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury undertook a pioneering initiative on Culture of Peace and chaired the nine-month-long negotiations which resulted in the adoption by the UN General Assembly in September 1999 of the landmark Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace. His proposal along with those of several countries the previous year led to the declaration by the UN of the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010). He is a member of the International Advisory Panel of UNESCO on Culture of Peace and is the recipient of the U Thant Peace Award and UNESCO Gandhi Gold Medal for Culture of Peace.
A Message From United Nations Under-Secretary-General Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury

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Contact Us

Santa Monica Culture of Peace Resource Center
SGI Plaza
606 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
MAP
Phone: 310-260-8900

World Peace Ikeda Auditorium
525 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90406
MAP

New York Culture of Peace Resource Center
SGI-USA New York Culture Center
7 East 15th Street
New York, NY 10003
MAP
Phone: 212-727-7715
Email: info@sgi-ny.org

Honolulu Culture of Peace Resource Center
SGI-USA Hawaii Culture Center
2729 Pali Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96817
MAP
Phone: 808-595-6324

Where did you grow up?

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 02:14:36 -0000

I grew up in Brooklyn, NY. We lived in a neighborhood with a division between the Jewish homes (like ours) and the Catholic families. I found the Catholic boys, who mostly went to Catholic School, to be mean and generally better athletes than the Jewish kids,

Our house was a two-story brick house on Avenue T built in the 1940's. My maternal grandmother lived in the downstairs house until she died (I was seven then). We rented the house to a lady shortly thereafter (Betty) and she remained there beyond my stint of living there.

I moved out to Long Island to live in the dorms for college (1969-1973); and then I moved to the Southwest U.S. for the greater part of my life until 2002 when I relocated to Florida. What I remember the most about my neighborhood in Brooklyn is the location of all the resaurants nearby and how "my world" mostly consisted of four or five blocks.

My most enjoyable times were going to Yankee Stadium on the train during the summers to watch MLB. The 1964 Worlds Fair in Flushing, Queens was also a special time, as well as catching Wednesday matinees in the summer of off-Broadway shows with my mom in the City. The single most poignant memory was returning from a field trip during junior high school and hearing that the president had been shot. JFK's assassination was my worst memory in my life until 9/11.

Who has been the most significant person in your life so far?

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 22:00:53 -0000

Hands down, Soka Gakkai International President, Daisaku Ikeda. Without his tireless efforts to share the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin widely, I would have been left dangling from a limb out in the wilderness. By now, I am sure, without this Buddhism, I would be into my next existence - starting all over again.

Endocrine Disruptors: Ignore at your own peril!

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:57:24 -0000

Endocrine Disruptors

1. What is the endocrine system?

The endocrine system is a complex network of glands and hormones that regulates many of the body's functions, including growth, development and maturation, as well as the way various organs operate. The endocrine glands -- including the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, thymus, pancreas, ovaries, and testes -- release carefully-measured amounts of hormones into the bloodstream that act as natural chemical messengers, traveling to different parts of the body in order to control and adjust many life functions.

2. What is an endocrine disruptor?

An endocrine disruptor is a synthetic chemical that when absorbed into the body either mimics or blocks hormones and disrupts the body's normal functions. This disruption can happen through altering normal hormone levels, halting or stimulating the production of hormones, or changing the way hormones travel through the body, thus affecting the functions that these hormones control. Chemicals that are known human endocrine disruptors include diethylstilbesterol (the drug DES), dioxin, PCBs, DDT, and some other pesticides. Many chemicals, particularly pesticides and plasticizers, are suspected endocrine disruptors based on limited animal studies.

3. What are some likely routes of exposure to endocrine disruptors?

Exposure to endocrine disruptors can occur through direct contact with pesticides and other chemicals or through ingestion of contaminated water, food, or air. Chemicals suspected of acting as endocrine disruptors are found in insecticides, herbicides, fumigants and fungicides that are used in agriculture as well as in the home. Industrial workers can be exposed to chemicals such as detergents, resins, and plasticizers with endocrine disrupting properties. Endocrine disruptors enter the air or water as a byproduct of many chemical and manufacturing processes and when plastics and other materials are burned. Further, studies have found that endocrine disruptors can leach out of plastics, including the type of plastic used to make hospital intravenous bags. Many endocrine disruptors are persistent in the environment and accumulate in fat, so the greatest exposures come from eating fatty foods and fish from contaminated water.

4. How do we know that endocrine disruptors are dangerous?

Many plant and animal species are showing signs of ill health due to exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. For example, fish in the Great Lakes, which are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other man-made chemicals, have numerous reproductive problems as well as abnormal swelling of the thyroid glands. Fish-eating birds in the Great Lakes area, such as eagles, terns, and gulls, have shown similar dysfunctions.

Scientists have also pointed to endocrine disruptors as the cause of a declining alligator population in Lake Apopka, Florida. The alligators in this area have diminished reproductive organs that prevent successful reproduction. These problems were connected to a large pesticide spill several years earlier, and the alligators were found to have endocrine disrupting chemicals in their bodies and eggs.

5. Should humans be concerned for their health based on evidence that fish, birds and alligators have been affected?

Yes. All vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans) are fundamentally similar during early embryonic development. Scientists can therefore use the evidence acquired on other species to make predictions about endocrine disrupting effects on humans.

6. Is there direct evidence that humans are susceptible to endocrine disruption?

Yes. In the 1950s and 1960s pregnant women were prescribed diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen, to prevent miscarriages. Not only did DES fail to prevent miscarriages, but it also caused health problems for many of these women's children. In 1971, doctors began reporting high rates of unusual vaginal cancers in teenage girls. Investigations of the girls' environmental exposures traced the problem to their mothers' use of DES. The girls also suffered birth defects of the uterus and ovaries, and immune system suppression.

7. Are children at greater risk from endocrine disruptor exposure?

Yes. Because endocrine disruptors affect the development of the body's vital organs and hormonal systems, infants, children and developing fetuses are more vulnerable to exposure. And as was the case with DES, parents' exposure to certain chemicals may produce unexpected -- and tragic -- effects in their children, even decades later.

8. These days don't chemicals have to be safe to be allowed on the market?

No. The majority of the more than 2,000 chemicals that come onto the market every year do not go through even the simplest tests to determine toxicity. Even when some tests are carried out, they do not assess whether or not a chemical has endocrine interfering properties.

9. What can I do to reduce my risk of exposure?

Educate yourself about endocrine disruptors, and educate your family and friends.
Buy organic food whenever possible.
Avoid using pesticides in your home or yard, or on your pet -- use baits or traps instead, keepin your home especially clean to prevent ant or roach infestations.
Find out if pesticides are used in your child's school or day care center and campaign for non-toxic alternatives.
Avoid fatty foods such as cheese and meat whenever possible.
If you eat fish from lakes, rivers, or bays, check with your state to see if they are contaminated.
Avoid heating food in plastic containers, or storing fatty foods in plastic containers or plastic wrap.
Do not give young children soft plastic teethers or toys, since these leach potential endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Support efforts to get strong government regulation of and increased research on endocrine disrupting chemicals.

How to become (truly) happy: In memory of Shin Yatomi (1962-2007)

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:34:04 -0000

5 Keys To Becoming Happy
by Shin Yatomi

How do I become happy?

If you lived in a palace where you could enjoy everything - beauty, health, money and power - would you consider leaving behind such a 'happy' life? I probably would not.

But one man did more than two millennia ago in his quest for genuine happiness. Shakyamuni's story still encourages millions around the globe to seek the meaning of suffering beyond pain and the meaning of happiness beyond pleasure.

Shakyamuni's quest for genuine happiness paved the way for Nichiren Daishonin to reveal the essential law of life as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Based on this truth, Nichiren Buddhism explains some key attitudes for building true happiness. The following five points - though by no means complete - provide us with an outline from which each person may begin painting a clearer picture of authentic happiness.

The First Key: Happiness begins with a vow.

Do you have a despotic boss who is unhappy no matter what you do? The reason why most tyrants are unhappy is that they are waiting for someone else to please them while they themselves do nothing but make demands. Happiness served on a silver platter turns sour after a few bites. Nichiren Buddhism explains that we begin and continue the quest for happiness of oneself and others by making a personal vow and renewing it every day. Each person must create his or her own happiness. Waiting for happiness is a formula for unhappiness. Happiness is born of action.

The Second Key: Happiness is overcoming unhappiness.

Happiness is not an absence of problems, and the presence of problems does not mean unhappiness. Nichiren Buddhism explains that genuine happiness lies in overcoming difficulties. The important thing is to learn how to face our problems, not how to avoid them. Through the practice of Nichiren Buddhism, we can transform meaningless sufferings into meaningful challenges.

The Third Key: The solution to your problem lies within.

It is always tempting to blame our environment for our suffering, but Nichiren Buddhism explains that we cause our own suffering through our delusions and that we can overcome our suffering by manifesting our innate Buddha nature. It is a common myth that we will become happy when we acquire pleasurable things or meet someone wonderful. But the truth is that when we are happy, we can truly enjoy the niceties of life or good companionship. This is a Copernican change in our view of happiness. Put simply, we are the cause and the solution to our problems, and genuine happiness must be created from within. To realize this is to free ourselves from being a victim of circumstances. Being a victim is easy, but it doesn't make us happy.

The Fourth Key: Don't compare yourself with others.

We are trained by society to compare ourselves with others, to see our lives through the eyes of others. Over the years, we've learned to feel superior to the less fortunate and disparage ourselves when we are with the more fortunate - restlessly vacillating between arrogance and self-disparagement depending on our circumstances. Nichiren Buddhism, however, teaches us how to build a stronger self that need not seek the reference of its worth outside. Nichiren Buddhism encourages us to bring forth our unique quality that cannot be compared with anything else. Each person has a unique set of karmic circumstances and - by challenging them - can make unique contributions to the world. Our karmic suffering can be transformed into our precious mission in life. With this awareness, we can change arrogance into appreciation, self-disparagement into true confidence.

The Fifth Key: Be in the here and now.

We sometimes dwell in resentment and regret about our past: 'Because that horrible thing happened to me, I cannot be happy.' At other times, we are preoccupied with worries about our future: 'What if my relationship doesn't work out?' Nichiren Buddhism teaches that the present moment contains all the past and the future. In other words, by challenging our present state of existence, we can transform resentment and regret into appreciation for our past. Of course, we cannot undo our past, but - by developing a strong state of life Now - we can change the meaning our past holds for us and change worries into hopes.

Nichiren Buddhism also teaches that we cannot create happiness simply by moving from one place to another. What's most important is to change our inner state of being where we are. Put simply, Nichiren Buddhism shows us how to create happiness in the past (appreciation), in the present (fulfillment) and in the future (hope) by challenging our lives in the here and now.

The End and the Beginning

Mon, 28 May 2007 16:48:41 -0000

The following poem, The End and the Beginning, is by Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska who was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature:

The End and the Beginning
by Wislawa Szymborska

After every war
someone has to clean up.
Things won't
straighten themselves up, after all.

Someone has to push the rubble
to the sides of the road,
so the corpse-laden wagons
can pass.Someone has to get mired
in scum and ashes,
sofa springs,
splintered glass,
and bloody rags.

Someone must drag in a girder
to prop up a wall.
Someone must glaze a window,
rehang a door.Photogenic it's not,
and takes years.
All the cameras have left
for another war.Again we'll need bridges
and new railway stations.

Sleeves will go ragged
from rolling them up.

Someone, broom in hand,
still recalls how it was.
Someone listens
and nods with unsevered head.
Yet others milling about
already find it dull.

From behind the bush
sometimes someone still unearths
rust-eaten arguments
and carries them to the garbage pile.

Those who knew
what was going on here
must give way to
those who know little.
And less than little.
And finally as little as nothing.

In the grass which has overgrown
causes and effects,
someone must be stretched out,
blade of grass in his mouth,
gazing at the clouds.

A Handful of Libertarian Quotes

Sun, 20 May 2007 15:03:03 -0000

(No particular order)

A quotation at the right moment is like bread to the famished. - Anonymous

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always count on the support of Paul. - George Bernard Shaw
America needs fewer laws, not more prisons. - James Bovard
War is just one more big government program. - Joseph Sobran
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin
One of the greatest delusions in the world is the hope that the evils in this world are to be cured by legislation. - Thomas B. Reed (1886)
If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all. - Jacob Hornberger (1995)
Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. - P.J. O'Rourke
The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates. - Tacitus
Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. - George Washington
No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session. - Mark Twain (1866)
There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him. - Robert Heinlein
The triumph of persuasion over force is the sign of a civilized society. - Mark Skousen
A wise and frugal government which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government. - Thomas Jefferson (1801)
The evils of tyranny are rarely seen but by him who resists it. - John Hay (1872)
Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. - James Bovard (1994)
None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. - Goethe
When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is a left boot or a right boot is of no consequence. - Gary Lloyd
Where morality is present, laws are unnecessary. Without morality, laws are unenforceable. - Anonymous
Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue. - Barry Goldwater (1964)
Liberty is not a means to a political end. It is itself the highest political end. - Lord Acton
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. - C. S. Lewis
In order to get power and retain it, it is necessary to love power; but love of power is not connected with goodness but with qualities that are the opposite of goodness, such as pride, cunning, and cruelty. - Leo Tolstoy
There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible to live without breaking laws. - Ayn Rand
If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen. - Samuel Adams
If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that, too. - Somerset Maugham
The United States is a nation of laws, badly written and randomly enforced. - Frank Zappa

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Shiver my timbers matey! Be a blessed one all your days...jaB

A little fire out of context, yet makes a point...

Wed, 16 May 2007 23:10:03 -0000

A ten for speaking straight from the heart Carolee, and putting it out there. I happen to 100% disagree with everything you state; however, that is not the point here. Rick M. has invited folks to take up a discussion on this topic. Now, I don't at all see eye-to-eye with Rick either. I am neither atheist nor Christian. I do believe that those who believe implicitly in the "Word of God" are free to do so. We who do not - and that's a fair percentage of the world's population - need to be given due respect for our beliefs as well.

Personally, I remain silent during that (added in later) portion of the pledge. I think it is truly against everyone's best interest to violate the U.S. Constitution by disregarding the principle of separation of Church and State. In the name of all that is holy, and for the sake of peace - please let's all follow the wise dictum of "live and let live". All people of faith need to unite to stand against people with evil intentions. If one should choose to believe in Satan or whatever...let's be friends to one and other; respecting, supporting and seeking to understand everyone's faith and form of worship. Humbly, JRG

Yes Terry, peace CAN happen!

Tue, 15 May 2007 22:16:41 -0000

This little piece was written in response to a certain friend, Terry, who questioned the possibility of peace ever happening...

Peace must begin in the minds of we humans. I, for one, have TOTAL confidence in the viability of our Human Race. A century of peace IS dawning - just ahead, beyond the clouds of shellings and suicide bomb explosions, and heartless bullet rounds driving death into the bodies of hapless individuals; there just over the horizon...can you even imagine it, even if you cannot see it yet?

There it is! The unmistakable markings of a new dawn; an era of almost unimaginable beauty and sublime purpose. Yes, dearest Terry - there IS hope!!!