-Resolution-

Hello npsdians. So sorry as i have not update for the past few weeks. The reason being my internet connection is down. Anyway it has been solved but i like to address something in today's post

The year 2007 is coming to an end and the start of 2008 is nearing. I hope all of you will set down your new year resolutions and if able, share it at the kenshu.

It is extremely important for us to have resolutions or goals because just like when we want to shoot things, we need to have a target. The same theory applies to this. A goal, if it was never to be reach, is perfectly fine to me as i believed one will always move at a much quicker pace than your old self without a goal.

As Ghandi says, "Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory." What matters most is whether we have given our all till we have no regrets. We ourselves know whether have we try our very best or not. If 2007 was not a very good year for you, then make 2008 the best one for you. Joy and happiness in life does not lies behind you, but in front of you.

Hereby, i like to recall what i have resolute in 2007 where i share this poem of ikeda sensei as part of my determination in front of all the student, attending the year end kenshu for last year.

" Today i rededicate my life to kosen-rufu.
To be strong, so that nothing can upset the peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and hope to every person i meet.
To make my friend feel that there is something good and beautiful about them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and to be optimistic about them.
To think only the best, work towards doing and expecting only the best.
To be just as happy about the success of others as i am about myself.
To forget any mistake in the past and press forward to greater achievement in the future.
To give so much time in improving myself, so that i have no time to criticize others.
To be too strong for fear, too kind for anger and too happy for worry.
To lift my heart in faith each day,
So that the Gohonzon may show forth in my life
Nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo."
Daisaku ikeda

Sensei guidance

"Life is an everlasting struggle with ourselves.It is a tug of war between moving forward and regressing, between happiness and unhappiness. Outstanding indiviuals didn't become great overnight. They disciplined themselves to overcome their weaknesses, to conquer their lack of caring and motivation until they became true victors in life. One reason Buddhists chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo each day is to develop strong will and discipline and, along with those, the ability to tackle any problem seriously and with the determination to overcome it."
Ikeda sensei

Winning

Hello all npsdian, how have all of you been struggling in your daily efforts to create value in your lives? No matter what the outcome, just carry on with daimoku as the core in out lives. I had just read the 300th issue of SSA times and , really, Nicihren Buddhism have really gone a far way since the start of the soka gakkai. In this issue, we can see members urging one another to read the sekiyo shimbum as they believed they have already entered the age where buddhism is a struggle of words. Similarly , i hope those that have been regularly reading this blog will encourage another person to read up although i know the languauge and the words for this blog are not that professional enough.

To further improve my english, (as some of you all know, i actually fail my o-level english) , i will read a lot more. My struggles are nothing compared to Sensei as i believe the unending struggle waged by sensei is the force that propell the gakkai into today magnificent organisation. In the Nationwide Executive Conference 2005, Sensei says

" I am proud of the fact that i shouldered complete responsibility for the Soka Gakkai from a young age. I was 32 when i became the third president. The three obstacles and four devils always arise on the road to kosen-rufu. My life have been a nonstop battle against devilish forces bent on destorying the Daishonin's Buddhism. My mind is never at rest 365 days a year; I am thinking unceasingly of the welfare of my fellow members in Japan and around the world. That is the honest truth."

and in Nationwide Executive Conference 2005 session 1, sensei also says : " My vow as a disciple whose spirit was at one with Toda sensei was to protect him no matter what, even at the cost of my life. I did not reveive a salary for months on end, and i didn't even have an overcoat to get through winter. I was so tired every night that i sometimes didn't have the energy to take off my shoes before i collapsed in my room."

Eversince sensei have taken the lead for kosen-rufu, there is no such thing as rest in his mind. To repay Toda sensei's gratitude, sensei fought to the very last ouce of his energy. Likewise, please prove to sensei that we too, will spare every effort to lead a winning life through human revoultion.

" Life is here for us to win.
There is nothing that we need be afraid of !
Buddhism is the power source for us to be
able to win, no matter what problems or difficulties we may encounter!."
(Ikeda sensei)

Recalling my poly days, i will always remember this words whenever i meet any problems. "Winners never quits, quitters never win." Never lose heart and forge the way ahead in our lives. Faith is for us to be happy, not for others to see.

From this moments on , Npsd, 2gether, we win!!

Ikeda Sensei guidance

"Buddhism is a struggle to be victorious. So, too , is life and our efforts to achieve kosen-rufu. Happiness is the laurel won by life's winners. World peace is nothing other than the triumph of humanism. Victory starts with conquering one's own weaknessse. A powerful wave of outstanding victory arises from a person of earnest, determined effort."

Daisaku Ikeda

NPSD Nov Institution Meeting

NPSD Nov Institution Meeting

A big Thank You to everyone who made our NPSD last institution meeting of the year a great success! It was truly a joyful and rejuvenating meeting, whereby I can see the smiles displayed on all of your faces and the fun that you all had enjoyed at the meeting.

That day, we also witnessed the graduation of our "Da Ge" IIC, Song Heng (dressed in blue, see below), from NPSD, whereby he shared with us his life-changing experience through faith. He had become what he is today all thanks to the training that he had received in SD. It was truly a hearfelt sharing.


Song Heng, thank you so much for all your contributions to NPSD! We will always remember you as our "Da Ge". All the best for your future endeavours! =)

Our Big NPSD Family

1st Informal Shot

2nd Informal Shot

Finally, a formal shot "p

What matters now

An excerpt from message of ikeda sensei was sent to the SGI-USA youth in the pioneering efforts where only 1 or 2 members will turn up for a meeting only.
" What counts is not the number of people who are engaged in our challenge. Rather, what matters is if one earnest indiviual resolutely stands up, he or she can bring about victory for all people. "
What we should think now is not how many people can turn up for meeting but rather, make our meeting so amazing that everyone that attend can really realised their mission in life. Let's really have this conviction in whatever we do now.

2gether we win
wL

Dear all, here's something that I would like to share from NHR vol 11, Dynamic Advancement Chapter, which is in line with the study that we had on Monday:

"Human beings tend to allow themselves to be defeated by suffering and as a result lose their joy and shining smiles, their lives becoming dark and spiritless, filled with sorrow and regret. Buddhism, however, teaches the path to overcoming those sufferings and bringing one's life to shine with brillant splendour.

So how do we do this? The first step is to establish a fundamental purpose in life. The Daishonin teaches that this is accomplished not by wishing solely for our own happiness and seeking such things as wealth, status, honour, fame, authority or power, but by dedicating our lives to kosen-rufu.

Where do we see the brillance of humanity in people? Isn't it found in those who have broken through the shell of their ego and who dedicate themselves to helping their suffering friends, to their fellow human beings and to society at large, even though at times they must make sacrifices to do so? This is what it means to dedicate one's life to kosen-rufu.

Furthermore, nothing is wasted on the path of kosen-rufu. Every hardship we encounter becomes a source of great good fortune and benefit.

Life's true brillance is born from awakening to our personal mission and initiating courageous action to advance kosen-rufu. Faith is not a duty. It is a right. But if we become passive and just do as others tell us, our faith will come to feel like a duty and we will experience no real joy.

On the other hand, if we stand up on our own and take bold action, we will savour the greatest joy that life has to offer. It is also important to strive to improve ourselves day after day. This means perservering in faith. To persevere doesn't mean simply doing today what we did yesterday. It is to challenge oursleves anew and to make a fresh resolve each day. Faith is a constant struggle against devilish functions, and a Buddha is one who never ceases in that struggle.

I want you all to know that it is by engaging in such struggle that we bring our lives to shine; it is here that a golden life is realized." ~ Shinichi Yamamoto

NPSD-WEB REVOLUTIONZ

hi NPSDIANZ, this is going to be the new look of npsd-web, comments please, hehe.

gratitude

Hi all Npsdian,
firstly will like to thank teck kun for such a wonderful article. He have already taken the first step to post something nice for us. Actually, the setup of this blog is really for u all, yes the ppl u are reading, to encourage u and to let u all have space to say somethings and i will very much like to see more such initative going on..
Will also like to take this opporunity to report to all of you tt today, i haf met up with boon keng and zhong hao. I am determined to struggle for npsd this round and i recall one of the words song heng told me and i have write it down in my notebook, : "In order for NPSD to soar to greater heights, the central figure have to work doublely hard than any other person. " In the recent guidance of Ikeda sensei, sensei also call on all leaders to take on the most ardous task yourself.
For the sake of my mentor and my seniors who i owe so much, i will do it! Come what may that will stop npsd from growing, i urge all of the ymd to steadfast and challenge each obstacles head on , juz like our mentor and our seniors.
With that i have composed a poem for the seniors who i owed so much : "

Gratitude

Having encounter such compassionate senior,
like a north star,
guiding me to my mentor
What can one ask for.
I pledge,
with your upmost protection for me,
resolutely live out my mentor's calling.
From this moment,
as proud disciples of Ikeda Sensei,
together we win!

(dedicated to my seniors in faith
by your humble junior, wL)

Hi NPSDianZ, this is Teck Koon.
Would like to share something i've read from http://www.ikedaquotes.org

It's quite lengthy,
so please read it with your whole heart.

Title "What is Happiness?"
Exact link is over here: http://www.ikedaquotes.org/contents/short_essays/happiness.html

What is the purpose of life? It is to become happy. Whatever country or society people live in, they all have the same deep desire: to become happy.

Yet, there are few ideals as difficult to grasp as that of happiness. In our daily life we constantly experience happiness and unhappiness, but we are still quite ignorant as to what happiness really is.

A young friend of mine once spent a long time trying to work out what happiness was, particularly happiness for women. When she first thought about happiness she saw it as a matter of becoming financially secure or getting married. (The view in Japanese society then was that happiness for a woman was only to be found in marriage.) But looking at friends who were married, she realized that marriage didn't necessarily guarantee happiness.

She saw couples who had been passionately in love suffering from discord soon after their wedding. She saw women who had married men with money or status but who fought constantly with their husbands.

Gradually, she realized that the secret of happiness lay in building a strong inner self that no trial or hardship could ruin. She saw that happiness for anyone — man or woman — does not come simply from having a formal education, from wealth or from marriage. It begins with having the strength to confront and conquer one's own weaknesses. Only then does it become possible to lead a truly happy life and enjoy a successful marriage.

She finally told me, "Now I can say with confidence that happiness doesn't exist in the past or in the future. It only exists within our state of life right now, here in the present, as we face the challenges of daily life."

I agree entirely. You yourself know best whether you are feeling joy or struggling with suffering. These things are not known to other people. Even a man who has great wealth, social recognition and many awards may still be shadowed by indescribable suffering deep in his heart. On the other hand, an elderly woman who is not fortunate financially, leading a simple life alone, may feel the sun of joy and happiness rising in her heart each day.

Happiness is not a life without problems, but rather the strength to overcome the problems that come our way. There is no such thing as a problem-free life; difficulties are unavoidable. But how we experience and react to our problems depends on us. Buddhism teaches that we are each responsible for our own happiness or unhappiness. Our vitality — the amount of energy or "life-force" we have — is in fact the single most important factor in determining whether or not we are happy.

True happiness is to be found within, in the state of our hearts. It does not exist on the far side of some distant mountains. It is within you, yourself. However much you try, you can never run away from yourself. And if you are weak, suffering will follow you wherever you go. You will never find happiness if you don't challenge your weaknesses and change yourself from within.

Happiness is to be found in the dynamism and energy of your own life as you struggle to overcome one obstacle after another. This is why I believe that a person who is active and free from fear is truly happy.

The challenges we face in life can be compared to a tall mountain, rising before a mountain climber. For someone who has not trained properly, whose muscles and reflexes are weak and slow, every inch of the climb will be filled with terror and pain. The exact same climb, however, will be a thrilling journey for someone who is prepared, whose legs and arms have been strengthened by constant training. With each step forward and up, beautiful new views will come into sight.

My teacher used to talk about two kinds of happiness — "relative" and "absolute" happiness. Relative happiness is happiness that depends on things outside ourselves: friends and family, surroundings, the size of our home or family income.

This is what we feel when a desire is fulfilled, or something we have longed for is obtained. While the happiness such things bring us is certainly real, the fact is that none of this lasts forever. Things change. People change. This kind of happiness shatters easily when external conditions alter.

Relative happiness is also based on comparison with others. We may feel this kind of happiness at having a newer or bigger home than the neighbors. But that feeling turns to misery the moment they start making new additions to theirs!

Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is something we must find within. It means establishing a state of life in which we are never defeated by trials and where just being alive is a source of great joy. This persists no matter what we might be lacking, or what might happen around us. A deep sense of joy is something which can only exist in the innermost reaches of our life, and which cannot be destroyed by any external forces. It is eternal and inexhaustible.

This kind of satisfaction is to be found in consistent and repeated effort, so that we can say, "Today, again, I did my very best. Today, again, I have no regrets. Today, again, I won." The accumulated result of such efforts is a life of great victory.

What we should compare is not ourselves against others. We should compare who we are today against who we were yesterday, who we are today against who we will be tomorrow. While this may seem simple and obvious, true happiness is found in a life of constant advancement. And the same worries that could have made us miserable can actually be a source of growth when we approach them with courage and wisdom.

One friend whose dramatic life proved this was Natalia Satz, who founded the first children's theater in Moscow. In the 1930s, she and her husband were marked by Soviet Union's secret police. Even though they were guilty of no crime, her husband was arrested and executed and she was sent to a prison camp in the frozen depths of Siberia.

After she recovered from the initial shock, she started looking at her situation, not with despair, but for opportunity. She realized that many of her fellow prisoners had special skills and talents. She began organizing a "university," encouraging the prisoners to share their knowledge. "You. You are a scientist. Teach us about science. You are an artist. Talk to us about art."

In this way, the boredom and terror of the prison camp were transformed into the joy of learning and teaching. Eventually, Mrs. Satz even made use of her own unique talents to organize a theater group. She survived the five-year prison sentence, and dedicated the rest of her long life to creating children's theater. When we met for the first time in Moscow in 1981, she was already in her 80s. She was as radiant and buoyant as a young girl. Her smile was the smile of someone who has triumphed over the hardships of life. Hers is the kind of spirit I had in mind when I wrote the following poem on "Happiness":

A person with a vast heart is happy.
Such a person lives each day with a broad and embracing spirit.
A person with a strong will is happy.
Such a person can confidently enjoy life, never defeated by suffering.
A person with a profound spirit is happy.
Such a person can savor life's depths
while creating meaning and value that will last for eternity.
A person with a pure mind is happy.
Such a person is always surrounded by refreshing breezes of joy.


Ciaozz,
be TRUE happy :)
smile~~

--Start--

Hi everyone, hope each and everyone of you usher in the start of your new study term with high spirits and vigor. Each new semseter brings about fresh determinations and hopes. However, it is only with unyielding determination in chanting, having faith and taking initative in all your endeavors that will ensure success. Allow me to use this post to also apologise to all of you as recently due to unforseen challenges in my NS duties( i never use the word problems as i believe that all the challenges i am facing are chances for us to grow and i am also convinced that i be able to overcome them ) but nevertheless, all the other iic have already planned out fresh activities for npsd. In fact, all of them, drag their body out from bed on a sunday morning, reach TBSC at 8am sharply, to chant and plan for the growth of NPSD. Mind you that all of them live quite far from tbsc but they make it in time.

I remember reading this in one of the sensei guidance, it was somewhat like this, Soka is another word for winning. Being in the soka families means that to be a winner. As buddhism ulitmately is either win or lose, all the more, we must win. Perhaps you must be choking now as the words winning keeps appearing in your mind right now but the winning we are concerned is not like we buy 4D then we win. The winning that what i am looking for is to win against yourself. To dare yourself to do something you never imagine you will. As lao tzu says, " He who gains victory over other men is strong; but he who gains victory overhimself is all powerful." By winning over our weakness, we will definately become capable people that will produce mega-watts smile.

I do not wish to bore you with another lenghty post as i know that already not a lot of people is reading this blog but it is okay for me as i vow to keep this blog alive and this blog is also a chance for me to win over my laziness. I really hope that in this fresh new start of your new journey in your studies, you can adhere to these words by sensei

"Fight to the very end. You must beat the forlorn and irresolute side of you that says," I cannot go on anymore,"That is enough." You must emerge victorious in the battle against yourself, and tell yourself " i must not lose heart," I must not give in." Ikeda Sensei

In closing, let us all, to keep it simple, as i cite Mr Toda's words," Now, all i can do is ADVANCE, STRUGGLE and WIN. Now, i move FORWARD , ever FORWARD!!." The essential phase for npsd and your lives have arrived. Live out your live to the fullest now. NPSD , lets really, ADVANCE, STRUGGLE , WIN!!!

2gether we win!!
wL

Dear NPSD bros & sis,

Just to share with you all: Above is the poem that our SD chiefs have written to Sensei on behalf of all of you in response to Sensei's high hopes for SD. It was presented to Sensei as part of the gift Jinhao & Mabel brought to Japan for Kenshu in September. The gift photo is also shown above. It's very cute, isn't it?

Thank you so much for all of your efforts! Very encouraged that you all have taken the initative in arranging homevisits and dialogues with your members. Due to everyone's efforts, we have achieved another victory for SD in this HEARTS campaign. SD have achieved 5200 homevists from March till 6 October 07! Through this HEARTS campaign, we realised that it is only through dialogue and homevisit that our beloved members start to open up and join us for activities. Hence, for NPSD, let's continue with HEARTS campaign and continue to reach out to our members through dialogue and homevisit. Let's continue to advance valiantly! NP must grow even more! Every NPSDian must become happy!

While chanting

Hi everyone, after chanting and was flipping through sensei daily guidance, i came across this,

: " There may be times, certainly, when being a member of an organization seems bothersome and we just want to be alone. But how sad it is if we are left alone without any support and then lose our faith. True growth comes from striving together with our fellow members in the living realm of human beings, ourselves experiencing the rich gamut of human emotions. (Daily encoragement 15th feburary volume 4) "

No matter what happens, faith is our's. The faith that you should have is not for others to see but for yourselves to become happy!

2gether we win!

Battlles

" Having battles to fight
makes life exciting.
Encountering great difficulties
provide us opportunites
to develop our Buddhahood.
By confronting every obstacles,
we enable our Buddhahood
to shine brilliantly within our lives."
Ikeda sensei

(I am reposting this again as i think this is a very importance guidance that we should learn from)

President Ikeda's Guidance to Soka High School Baseball Coach:SHS finally made it to the playoffs, only to lose in the first round.

The Coach wrote to PI:"Our ace pitcher was drafted and is gone. We are not as strong as wewere; I believe our capability is lower, but we will chant and becomea greater and more capable team."

President Ikeda: "You are wrong. You should have enough capability to win without having to go back and chant. Become capable and then your Daimoku will become a strong wind behind your capability. If you are relying on Daimoku to make it happen rather than on your own capability, then you are just using faith like a superstition. You should practice, and therefore, become capable. The team which becomes the most capable will be the one which practices and works hardest and has the most perseverance. Capability is very important because it requires constant courage and training, but if your capability counts only 50% and you base the other 50% on Daimoku to the Gohonzon to bring it about "somehow", then your religion has become a crutch for you. Religion is not there to hide yourshortcomings, but to strengthen you as a human being."

--never give up--

Recently i have try to reach out to the ymds and find out about their results. The outcome, i must honestly say, is not that encouraging. I think that it is due to my inability that so many of the ymd members have not reached their full potential.I like to apologise to all of you all. I am sorry!

However, i hope this will be a lesson to all of us. I am confident that if you strive for kosenrufu, the protection that you get will be immensed. Having said that, i also have to strictly warn those that uses daimoku as an excuse. Please do not seek the law outside of yourselves! I do not wish to say much. From now on, action will take center stage. I will also like to take this opporiunity to clarify something. It is not the grades that is important but how much you have actually sweat it out.

As sensei says: " The important thing is that you get into the habit of challenging yourselves to the limit. In a sense, the results you get are not so important. The actual grades you received in high school, for instance, won't decide you for the rest of your life. But the habit of pushing yourself to the limit will in time bear fruit. It will distinguish you from others w/o fail. It will bring your unqiue talent to shine."

I will not say much as if you are reading this post, let us together reflect upon ourselves how much did we push ourselves to our limit in everything we do??

2gether we win : wL

WHAT IS THIS THING??

HI NPSDIANS!! This is deckun, this is a logo created by me. i don't think

it's a good logo afterall, but for the moment, please bear with it, lol. anyone is interested, PLEASE, please help me in making the NPSD logo. :)

how this logo comes about?

mm, when i anyhow play around with my mac fireworks, lol.

what is this afterall?

to me, it looks like a aftermath when u use ur own eyes look directly towards to the the light of the lighthouse or the sun(LOL)

.. it also looks like the lotus flower (with 5 petals only, LOL)

it's like the website is not update for long time, so i think it's time to start something

New...

so i come out with this :)

NEW NPSD TEE-SHIRT??

NEW NPSD TEE-SHIRT??

Hi NPSDIANS!! this is deckun, i am looking for help in making a new NPSD tees. anyone

interested??

this is my 10mins unfinished product, have a look (Above text) :)

to those who wanna help me interested, please help me in it, ur support can make

a difference, :)

(A very strict but true guidance.. Hope everyone will take time out to read it)

President Ikeda's Guidance to Soka High School Baseball Coach:SHS finally made it to the playoffs, only to lose

in the first round.

The Coach wrote to PI:"Our ace pitcher was drafted and is gone. We are not as strong as wewere; I believe our

capability is lower, but we will chant and becomea greater and more capable team."

President Ikeda: "You are wrong. You should have enough capability to win without having to go back and

chant. Become capable and then yourDaimoku will become a strong wind behind your capability. If you are

relying on Daimoku to make it happen rather than on your own capability, then you are just using faith like a

superstition. You should practice, and therefore, become capable. The team which becomes the most capable

will be the one which practices and works hardest and has the most perseverance. Capability is very

important because it requires constant courage and training, but if your capability counts only 50% and you

base the other 50% on Daimoku to the Gohonzon to bring it about "somehow", then your religion has become

a crutch for you. Religion is not there to hide yourshortcomings, but to strengthen you as a human being."

TO BECOME A PERSON OF HIGH SELF-ESTEEM
By Danny Nagashima, SGI General Director

You can analyze your situation all you want. You have to get to the root of why "I don't believe in the greatness of my life". You have to grab it by the roots and yank it out of your life. The answer is probably so simple, but we tend to over-analyze, it gets complicated and the solution seems far away. Your mission as a Buddhist is to become happy - not to master suffering. We have the negative and positive sides of us - one says "who are you kidding", the other "you can do it". You have to fight to not to give in to your negativity. This is not about being a writer, an artist, an actor, etc. It is about becoming the man or woman that you always wanted to become, a man or woman who really values his/her life.

The obstacles you face are the answer to your prayer.

Those feeling of self-doubt, those feelings that "I am a failure" - those are the feelings that I have to face and to address. How you feel about yourself, that feeling of self-loathing, of not being good enough, of being a sham. Those are the feeling you have to face. Your talent is not being questioned; it is about how you feel about yourself. That is the karma; You have to value your own life, to appreciate that it has nothing to do with anybody else validating you. Follow your heart, follow your buddhahood, and the effect from that , the benefit from that will be massive.

You need to follow your heart, truly treasure your life. When Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the gohonzon, he was already chanting daimoku out of the greatness of his life, his buddhahood, his enlightened state, he inscribed the gohonzon for all humanity so that everyone could relieve his or her suffering. When you sit in front of the gohonzon and chant, you have to have the most reverence for your life, the same as the Daishonin's, therefore your life deserves that kind of reverence.

If you chant for two weeks to really be a person of unlimited self-esteem and to really, truly appreciate your life including your flaws, your accomplishments, your defeats and your losses, your victories, all that you have created and to truly appreciate your talent as XYZ for two weeks, everything will change.

Forget about the past garbage. Put it away. That will only make you feel impotent. From today on really chant about being that man/woman of unlimited self-esteem. Really appreciate everything about your life; all the things that make you incredibly unique and wonderful. All your sufferings, problems, heartaches, will be the stuff you need, in order to share your experience, to encourage and to inspire others.

Focus on really, truly awakening to your greatness. This is the opportunity (sufferings, obstacles, lack of self-esteem) you needed to go through in order to become outrageously successful - so you can fulfill your dream. If you focus on this - really valuing your life mow, then everything will fall into place in a much bigger way. This is something no one can give you; the universe is showing you what you need to tackle. When you first chant this way, a lot of garbage may come out of your life, a lot of negativity, awful feelings may surface, let it enlightened side of your fear. We always bring into our lives what matches our life condition. Chant to feel incredible joy about your worth. You will feel and know self worth and greatness.

You not being able to do whatever you determine is a manifestation deep down of your feeling of fear, that you are not good enough, that you do not have it in you. You must get yourself to a place where there is the greatness of your life, then everything will be transformed. We have to believe in our buddhahood. When we face the Gohonzon, we should say, " I am going got praise my wonderful life". It is important to awaken to your own greatness. Your life is the Gohonzon. Now is the time for you to start over.

When you pray to a deity, your prayer becomes passive. Our voice is the Mystic Law. This law is not outside of you. When you get a benefit, it was you who created it. You must awaken to your greatness, appreciate and value your own life. It is no different to the enlightened life of Nichiren Daishonin, embodied in the Gohonzon.

Just as a beautiful piece of art elicits a response, or a great book touches your life in a certain way, we must elicit the Buddha nature from our own lives. It is right there, and the Gohonzon is the perfect vehicle to bring out that strength, joy and vibrant life condition then you take that to the world and change the environment. We are not necessarily chanting for the house, the car, the job, the relationship; but we are chanting to elevate out life condition to attract that happiness. The result that we see in our lives are a reflection of our life condition.

Every day as you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo consciously call forth your Buddhahood to manifest itself consistently. Chant to rise above your basic tendency of disbelief,or continually thinking that you are a common mortal who does not deserve good fortune in this life. Do not negate your life when you sit in front of the gohonzon. Do not beg. Do not scream. Do no berate the gohonzon. Believe in the greatness of your life; manifest the extraordinary side of you. The gohonzon is the toll we need to bring out our buddhahood.

My life is the gohonzon. Do not slander your life. The doubt is necessary to prove to myself that " I am a Buddha. I will fulfill every one of my dreams for myself". We already possess something incredible - our Buddha nature, the gohonzon. But we do not believe that the good fortune, the "million dollars" is truly mine. I will not be able to get it, or to enjoy it. Trust that the gohonzon, your prayer is the absolute means for you to transform your life. Trust and faith are the key words.

Chant with the expectation that every one of your wildest dreams will be fulfilled beyond your wildest imagination. Chant to believe in your buddhahood. Trust in the greatness of your life of your life. In "On Attaining Buddhahood", Nichiren Daishonin made a primary point. To free ourselves from the suffering of birth and death which we have endured in this lifetime after lifetime, and to attain absolute happiness, we need to awaken to the mystic truth that has always been within our lives. That truth is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. That truth is I am a Buddha. Trust that you have everything you need for your happiness.

TEN POINTS TO BECOME A PERSON OF HIGH SELF-ESTEEM:

1) Chant to become a person of unlimited self-esteem.

2) Chant to awaken to your own greatness.

3) Chant to appreciate your life, including flaws, accomplishments, defeats, losses, and victories and truly appreciate all that makes you a unique and wonderful person.

4) Chant to make the impossible possible.

5) Chant to consistently manifest your Buddha nature and rise above your basic tendencies and overcome your inherent negativities in your life.

6) Believe that you are a Buddha and create all the benefits for yourself.

7) Believe you are the gohonzon.

8) Trust that in the gohonzon, you have the means to fulfill each and every desire to become extraordinarily happy.

9) Chant to display your buddhahood and to bring forth that strength, joy, vibrant life condition,

10) And then take it to the world and then change the environment.

Think Positive

If you want to get somewhere, you have to know where you want to go and how to get there. Then never, never, never give up. The secret of life isn't what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.

Help other people to cope with their problems and your own will be easier to cope with. Never use the word impossible seriously again. Toss it into the verbal wastebasket. Self-trust is the first secret of success. So believe in and trust yourself. Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have.

Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself. In giving it, you will accumulate a deposit of joy greater than you ever believed possible. How you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself - so always think positively. Go at life with abandon; give it all you've got. And life will give all it has to you.

NPSD meeting on 22 July 2007

NPSD meeting on 22 July 2007

Dear all,

Above are the photos that we have taken at the meeting just now.

Thank you so much to everyone who was there just now, you all have made the meeting a great success!

Thank you to Jefferson, Xue Yun, Derrick and Zi Jing who planned the whole meeting.

Thank you to Xue Yun for being doshi and for bringing her friend, Fiona along.

Thank you to Cai Ling and Jefferson for being emcees, you all did a great job!

Thank you to Zi Jing for taking charge of games and preparing jelly as refreshments for us. The jelly was very nice, too bad for those who missed today's meeting =p

Thank you to Hong Bin and Yvonne for the inspiring testimonials. They touched us in the hearts.

Thank you to Jefferson, Kok Sheng, Vanessa and Sherlene for joining the dance, though you all didn't have a chance to perform due to time constraint. Let's save it for our next meeting, ok? So that we will have a chance to see your superb dance. =)

Thank you to Song Heng for the video and drinks.

Thank you to Soo Shan for the sweet goodies from China and Xue Yun for the snacks.

Thank you to May, Derrick, Soo Shan and Vanessa for preparing the NPSD song and Xue Yun for the song lyrics and emcee script.

We didn't sing well enough for the NPSD song. Huimin, our SD vice chief, commented that our NPSD seniors sang much better than us. Let us really learn this song and sing it well during the next meeting. Cos it's our very own song, we must be proud of it!

For those who could not make it today, thank you to you all for your daimoku behind the scenes. Hope to meet up with you all soon!

Flutter Intrepidly, The Banner of Youth!

Flutter Intrepidly, The Banner of Youth!
-Dedicated to our successors, my beloved youth division members who are the treasures of the SGI-July 3rd, commemorating the day of my mentor's release from prison and the day I was imprisoned.- Sensei

Fierce winds, blow!
Angry waves, surge!

I am a youth
I am the scarlet banner fluttering in the storm-
Nothing daunts me,
Nothing defeats me,

Here where I stand
Is the headland from which I set forth;
Today, this moment,
Ever a fresh, new campaign-
When I think of my future
Boundless strength and courage
Well up in my heart.

Winds! Waves!
As an indomitable youth,
I will bravely battle
Your relentless onslaughts.

Wow! : ) Let's all achieve great advancements and victories this year (its 3&4Q already)

Refusing to Accept Failure

Refusing to Accept Failure


Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. On May 29, 1953 he scaled the highest mountain then known to man-29,000 feet straight up. He was knighted for his efforts.

He even made American Express card commercials because of it! However, until we read his book, High Adventure, we don't understand that Hillary had to grow into this success.

You see, in 1952 he attempted to climb Mount Everest, but failed. A few weeks later a group in England asked him to address its members.

Hillary walked on stage to a thunderous applause. The audience was recognizing an attempt at greatness, but Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform.

He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain. He said in a loud voice, "Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because you've grown all you are going to grow... but I'm still growing!"

"To live is to be engaged in constant struggle.
The cells in our body, the blood flowing through our veins, are all
engaged in unending struggle. Life is a struggle both on the individual and
social levels. In a poem, the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
cried out: "For i was a human being/ and that means to be a fighter."
(Ikeda sensei)

MILK Run Booth @ NP Atrium on 25, 28 and 29 Jun 2007

MILK Run Booth @ NP Atrium on 25, 28 and 29 Jun 2007

Dear all NPSDians,

Thank you for all your efforts in making our MILK Run Booth reachout to be a great success! All of you in one way or another contributed to the great success of the reachout, be it coming to the booth to set up, reaching out at the booth, dropping by the booth to fill indemnity form, behind the scene chanting for the great success of the booth, all these efforts contributed to us managing to get 35 students to sign up at the booth.

Our SD Chief, Wan Xiang, commended all your efforts in front of the IICs on Friday at ICA. He mentioned that though 35 students may not seem like a lot, it actually matters a lot to him and he is very proud of all of us. Because we have taken the first step to breakthrough ourselves to talk to the NP students about the significance of this MILK Run and create an awareness of MILK Run and SSA among the student community. We, IICs, are proud of you all too! Let's continue to move forward in unity and score more victories in our lives. =)

Above are the photos that we had taken at the booth, which will serve as beautiful memories for us in NPSD, when we share with our juniors next year regarding MILK Run. Please enjoy! =)

HIIIIII!!!!!! NPSDIANZZZZ ,here's some pictures taken during the milk run training and the booth!!

Maiden

Hi npsdian, tommorrow will be the very first day of our NPSD booth and perhaps publicity stun happening in our campus.. According to our very very very senior npsd, this is actually the first time npsd got the chance to set up a booth in Ngee Ann which i think is the fruit of all the dedication and behind the scene effort on all levels of NPSD..Really thanks you all for making this happen so let us really treasure this opportunity with a sentence of GOETHE,:

" It is not enough to move forward with the intention that you will eventually reach your destination. you must rather think that, because the next step may be your last, each and every step must be worthwhile."

Let our smiles touch each and person's heart.. Take this booth as a challenge.. IF we are weak in speaking, then muster your courage, set a target and set off.. This is how we grow.. Let us all have a target of how many people we want to go forward and speak to,irregardless of eventually whether they will join the run or not..Just by taking the first step, you are on the way to victory. As sensei sum it all out,

"The key to winning in any endeavor is to win over oneself. How we perceive our obstacles depends on our inner life state. We must win over cowardice, over the tendency to give up, over laziness. When we triumph over our own limitations, we will make great strides in our lives and shine with the brilliant light of victory." Ikeda sensei

All right, that's all.. let proceed to the field with sensei words in our mind.. I know in NPSD, we love to say please win in this, please win in that, let's win, win, win.. However, in my sense, i am not asking you to win overthe world, win something impractical or win things you dunnoe why you want to win.. Right now,all i am asking you to win, is to win over yourself. To win over your weakness.. That itself,is the spirit of (NPSD) "Together we win!!"

Praying wL
2gether we win!!

--Sorry--

Hi brothers and sisters of NPSD.. OMG, its have been 1 month since some post was being published so will like to apologise cause i am really being bogged down by my army stuff.. Please accept my sincere apology that i cannot join you all in the struggle for the milk-run.. Due to all your hardwork, good news have come to my ears mainly regarding about the booth.. As i do not have time to elaborate and i know NPSD ymd don't really like to read my draggy post therefore will just love to touch on this short sweet point that i believe will ensure our victory of 75ymd and 75ywd NPSD milkrun goal.

THOSE BEING THE SCENES WILL WIN!!!

"There are people who seek nothing but visible rewards such as fame, popularity or material wealth.But these are fleeting and ephemeral. We can only accumulate eternal, indestructible good fortune through acts of unseen virute...The principle that" unseen virtue bring about visible rewards."(WND pg940) is a strict and impartial law of hope, which guarantees that whose who work hardest behind the scences will be blessed with the greatest reward. "

I know the booth that we accquire for NP is a success but let all really apply the principle of beind the scenes in our booth. There is a saying which i love a lot too, "IF YOU WANT TO CHOP A TREE, SPEND HALF A DAY SHARPENING THE AXE". By preparing ground work and putting effort in behind the scene work, that will be the only way of success for our booth..This principle is same for all, no matter in studies or in kosenru-fu, prepartion must be throughly make before embarking on the struggle..

With that, let challenge ourselves to the fullest!!

wL
2gether we win

Dedicated to All the people in NPSD who are fighting so hard behind the scene for Kosenru-fu..

Sweat and Tears

The sweat and tears that we shed,
with teeth clenched in our challenge,
towards the future of tomorrow,
are engraved as golden memories.

(Ikeda sensei)

Exams are coming.. Please win in all your struggles..

2gether we win: wL

Inspiration

When you face an obstacle in life,
And you try to strategize a solution,
Solving the problem with your head instead of your heart,
Making slight of Daimoku,
You will be defeated in the end.

It is Daimoku.
Everything begins and ends with Daimoku.

Rather than receiving million words of gratitude or
Reading million philosphy books,
Chant Daimoku and pray.
Everything will become as you envisioned.
Everything will open up for you.

After all,
It is all come down to how much Daimoku you yourself chant.
If you chant,
You will naturally want to study.
If you chant Daimoku,
Your task at hand will natuarlly become fulfilling.

There may be times when everything is just so hard for you.
There may also be times when you just feel so sad and
You cry yourself to sleep.
There may be times when someone has hurt your feelings badly.

But at such times,
Just come and knock on the door of my heart,
That door is always open for you.

My ears will always listen to your heart intently.
My eyes will fill themselves with tears for you.
If you are happy,
You don't need to say a word.
I will see that in your face.
But if you are unhappy,
Just come and tell me everything.

I will carry the load for you,
And we will proceed together

Daisaku Ikeda

HIIIIIIIIII!!!!!! NPSDIANSS~~~~A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've upload episode lighthouseTV - photo03 in lighthouseTV, check it out!!
These are the fotos taken this morning milk-run training @mount faber.

=decKun=

Prayers!!


Dear npsdian, firstly, will like to thank deck kun for applying the principle of honnin-myo into the website. Buddhism must always be fresh and progressing. Sensei always warns us of stagnation therefore let us strictly adore to this rule and swear that we are never to slack in whatever things we decided to embark on. Human revolution is indeed one of the essential keys to victory. If we are lazy, then let us chant that we will be strong. Prayers are everything in the realm of faith. Prayers full of ichinen are the first step of being answered.

for example,

-I want to try to win the run

-I want to win the run

-I want to win the winning trophy

-I want to have the winning trophy in the milk run

-I am going to have the winning trophy in the milk run

When you set prayers that you are going to win, you must do it. It is different from wanting. Wanting is more passive which is like a desire whereas if you are going to win, you make it your own responsibility to actualize it. Have conviction! If your ichinen is that forceful, no difficulties will bring you down. If one npsdian was to determine to stand up, the target for milk run is achievable.

Remember how SARS affected Singapore and why Singaporean fears it terribly? It is because SARS extremely contagious. I still vividly recall when seniors of NPSD and my YMD leaders dwell on topics regarding faith, it is usually not the terms or flowering words that touched me, but rather, it was just the wholly contagious feeling I get when they talk. The joy and the confidence exuberated from them is unstoppable. Please talk to your friend regarding the milk run with prayers that the message you are spreading to them is so contagious that they must “Kana” it.

The below pointers are the summary of the study session I share last Sunday:

(How to get benefits by Practicing)

1)Set a clear goal first, then chant and take action. This is the formula to get benefits

2)To practice make things change drastically toward better direction

3)Having faith means not having doubt

4)Pray for goals you think impossible

5)Strong determination is essential when praying to produce benefits

6)Having faith means to prove the fact that if you try it, you will make it.

7)To believe in the Gohonzon means to realize that we all possess the Buddha nature, the potential for happiness in our life and to try to make it manifest.

“Obviously when you strike a bell you’re going to get a vastly different sound, depending on whether you use a toothpick, a chopstick, or a bell striker to do so. The bell’s the same but if you hit it powerfully, it rings loudly; if you hit it weakly, it rings softly. The same is true of the Gonhonzon. The benefit that we receive depends entirely on the power of our faith and practice.”
:Ikeda sensei

Lastly, before ending this post, I like to apologise as I will be getting busier and busier with the activities in my camp. However, I am really counting on especially the cics to make this MILK run an unprecedented success. I will continue sending my prayers and although I cannot be at the meeting, I will, nevertheless, do my utmost in maintaining this blog and assisting in whatever I can.

“Npsd, we are going to win in MILK RUN! “

from:wL

A HUMAN REVOLUTION
Transforming our way of living

By DAISAKU IKEDA

This year, the Doomsday Clock devised by the Chicago-based Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was advanced two minutes, for the first time in five years. It now stands at 11:55 p.m., just five minutes away from the "midnight" of human annihilation. This change not only reflects last year's nuclear test by North Korea and uncertainties regarding Iran's nuclear development goals; it is also a reflection of the impact of environmental degradation and climate change.

This "clock" was established in 1947 at a time when nuclear weapons were understood to be the greatest threat to human survival. Today, the global ecological crisis casts a stark shadow over the future, one that demands immediate action.
It is now 35 years since The Club of Rome issued their initial report on the global environment, "The Limits to Growth." Three years later, in 1975, I met with the club's founder, Aurelio Peccei. He expressed his deep concern that, unless we change direction, the 21st century could see the Earth become a barren planet, with both nature and humanity in ruin. Despite the severity of the crisis, leaders in the business, political and other fields were failing to focus earnestly on the search for solutions; they were more preoccupied with short-term gain, with little thought for future generations.

Discussing these realities, Peccei and I concurred that nothing was more crucial than a revolutionary change within human beings themselves.
Humanity has experienced many revolutionary changes over the course of history: revolutions in agriculture, in science, industrial production, as well as numerous political revolutions. But these have all been limited to the external aspects of our individual and collective lives.

In other words, while we have made great leaps forward in our technological capacity to control and shape the world around us, we have not achieved a correspondingly dramatic expansion and elevation of the human spirit. As a result, we end up at the mercy of the very forces we have unleashed.

For millenniums humanity has pursued the goal of obtaining the material necessities of our survival. Yet, as Mahatma Gandhi stated, the Earth can produce enough to satisfy everyone's need, but not everyone's greed.

If it continues to be driven by the unrestrained impulses of desire, our materialistic culture will completely escape our control. Even now, it threatens to consume and exhaust the Earth itself, undermining the life systems that support our existence.
Ultimately, all human activities have as their goal the realization of happiness. Why, then, have we ended up producing the opposite result? Could the underlying cause be our failure to correctly understand the true nature of happiness?

The gratification of desire is not happiness. If it were, as Socrates noted, a person who spends his life scratching an itch would have to be considered happy. Genuine happiness can only be achieved when we transform our way of life from the unthinking pursuit of pleasure to one committed to enriching our inner lives, when we focus on "being more" rather than simply having more.

Our own lives are most effectively enhanced and fulfilled when we seek the kind of happiness that is not limited to ourselves, but includes the welfare of others. I further believe that a commitment to the happiness of others holds the key to the achievement of peaceful coexistence among people and between people and the natural world.

In the Buddhist tradition, the pursuit of such an ideal is embodied by the bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas are described as seeking not simply their own release from suffering. Rather, they are prepared to risk everything in order to take action on behalf of those who suffer. For the bodhisattva, there is a profound harmonization of the interests of self and other; wholehearted efforts on behalf of others are the greatest source of benefit and joy. Bodhisattvas are said to fear the loss of the altruistic spirit more than the torments of hell itself; for to lose the spirit of altruism is to lose the very reason for one's being.

While I have used the specifically Buddhist term bodhisattva, this is not to imply the existence of a special kind of person, somehow different or better. Rather, the capacity for altruism is something inherent in every human heart. The term describes anyone -- of whatever culture or religion -- who acts for the sake of others.
Working for people's happiness is something everyone can do, regardless of circumstances. It requires no special titles or qualifications. In the end, it comes down to the effort to engage with and encourage others. But this encouragement is not something offered at arm's length, keeping oneself at a safe distance. Real encouragement is conveyed only in the process of sharing the reality of life's sufferings and challenges.

Making the effort to live this way amid the corruptions and humiliations of society, striving to offer the gifts of courage and hope, brings out the inner radiance of our lives. Encouraging others enables us to fully grasp the meaning of our lives and experience enduring happiness.

The transformation from a self-centered, self-involved way of life to one dedicated to the well-being of others is the process of "human revolution."
Even in the face of the severe crisis confronting humanity today, I cannot side with the advocates of apocalypse. Rather than the spurs and promptings of fear, we can best negotiate the challenges we face when guided by a vision of hope.

The inner transformation resulting from even a single person's human revolution holds just such a hope. This is a revolution open to all, one that does not demand the sacrifice of a single life.

When this process achieves a critical momentum -- with waves of positive change spreading from one person to another -- global society itself will be dramatically transformed.

This is a revolution that starts here, now -- in the heart of every one of us.

Daisaku Ikeda is president of Soka Gakkai International, and founder of Soka University and the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research. This column is the last in a one-year series.

Hi da jia!

First of all i would like to really thank teck koon, jefferson, yvonne and may for all your efforts put into planning the orientation cum graduation. thanks for rising to the call and getting everything done so promply. i'm really inspired by you guys especially when i'm such a last min person haha. i must work harder to overcome my last-min-fundamental darkness. let's really pray that it'll be a success and everyone will go back feeling recharged, re-energised. =) (even though auntie layleng is having exams sobzz) ya but pls really enjoy yourselves. i'm sure you all enjoyed the planning and everything rite? wanted to share this with you guys yesterdae but had to go off for home visit. Well remember this month we should be reading NHR vol3. =) just to share Sensei's words,

"What determines an organisation's strength? It is unity and harmonious cooperation among its leaders. When the leaders of an organisation are out of sync or lack harmony with one another, any ability or power individuals may posses is diffused."

Also in the same chapter

"The important thing si to think not only about yourselves but work in harmony with those around you in order to win. This will contribute to your own growth as well."

Yupz so let's work together and encourage one another. when we treat one another with sincerity, it will be felt somehow. Let's always bear this in mind push forward together. Like that then will truly be 共胜 smiles!

The Best Defense is the best Offence

The Best Defense is the best Offence



Hello Npsdian, haha, school reopening soon and a fresh beginning of challenges will emerge once more. In addition, NPSD will be expecting a fresh batch of new NPSD members coming from the future division so let’s be on our best spirit to warmly welcome each and every one of them when they arrived

I once read in a guidance which sensei declared, “The best defense is the best offence”. This statement personally, has lots of meaning to me as it serves as a cry for me to always stand in the frontline of Kosenrufu. The reason being, I believed that the 8th level of consciousness, which is the karmic storehouse, is the crucial factor that determined lots of thing in life.

At times I wonder what will happen for me in the future. However, ever since meeting that statement, I found my reply. I believed all of us want to lead a happy life where we can fight off the devils of the sixth heaven and sansoshima but then again, what defenses do we really have then? Right now, I may think that I am still young and will never have a serious setback but life is harsh and complicated

As sensei says,” Buddhism describes the fundamental anguish that restricts the freedom of life as the four sufferings or the eight sufferings. The four sufferings comprise birth, old age, sickness and death. In more detail, we can describe them as follows: the suffering of living bound by the shackles of karma; the loneliness of old age; the anguish of sickness, and the fear of that most fundamental fact, death. The eight sufferings include four additional sufferings: the suffering of having to part with loved ones; the suffering of having to meet those whom one hates; the suffering of being unable to obtain what one desires, as in the case of one who wishes to become wealthy or successful but is unable to realize these desires; and the suffering arising from the five components, in other words, the suffering of being unable to realize harmony in the physical and spiritual aspects of one’s life and of feeling heavy and depressed.
(SGI President Ikeda’s guidance at the Eleventh SGI General Meeting held in the World Peace Ikeda Auditorium in Santa Monica on February 17 1990)

Acknowledging that each life is based on its karmic retribution, the actions we take presently will then be of a significant scale. If we were to idle around while we are still young, healthy, and without any life threatening problem, then we will make no improvement on our “offensive” strategy for the sake of our life. Rather than to seat back and do nothing but allow the chance for devils or your negative karma prepare and strike you in the future ,let us shift the advantage by challenging them head-on.

In the previous post, “A famous Japanese author wrote: ‘Rather than worrying about your future, thinking, “Perhaps I should become this. Perhaps I should become that,” first be still and build a self that is as solid and unmoving as Mount Fuji.’, If we really want to build a solid and stable foundation for us, let build it on our attack with the conviction that it will cast off all the negative karma in our lives. Only by activating the ninth conciseness which is your Buddha nature where we can triumph over our bad karma

Sensei went on later to say that: “It is the sharp sword of the Mystic Law and the great power of faith that enable us to completely sever the chains of these sufferings. Therefore, I wish to make it clear that in order to secure eternal freedom and happiness, you must absolutely not be cowardly, especially in faith.”

Let us advance with courage and aggression now! Starting from this moment, call up a member and reach out to their lives.Be a champion in our HEARTS campaign. Don’t give up! Expand both their lives and ours as much as possible and challenge every difficulty, be it in doing home visit or reading a book, do it with the fighting spirit of an Ashura. I assure you, With that kind of fierce ichinen coupled with the lion’s roar daimoku, devils will be trembling from it and victory will be yours for savor.

“Simply trying to eliminate, avoid, or run away from one’s karma or destiny will ultimately postpone the whole process of changing it only”
IKEDA SENSEI

2gether we win : wL