My personal experience chanting Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo
by Ed Williams
There are advantages and disadvantages to growing up in a small town. As a matter of fact the country is no bigger than one of the smallest urban communities in the US. A population of 180 thousand spread across eight thousand eight hundred and sixty four square miles, Belize is where it all began for me. I grew up with superstition and old fashion values. I found myself working for the customs service and having a friend and fellow alumni of St Johns college Charles Chevannes. I remember like it was yesterday when he walked into my work station with a wide grin and said, “What you doing later?” as if there was a whole lot to do in a little town like Belize City. He proceeded to invite me to the humble begginings of the local Buddhist discussion meeting at the house of ,then the only Japanese in Belize, Kensuky Inoue ,on assigment with the United Nations in Belize. These discussion meetings actually started out as drinking sessions charactersitics of a small town like Belize where one of the favorite past time was to gather drink alcholic beverages and talk about whatever, sports, women, cars and even life. I ofcourse had nothing better to do so I went and that was the beginning of the most important phase of my life. At that time I was beginning to question a lot of things somewhat superstitious in nature. So the timing was right I was challenging everything and if I could punch holes in it I sort of moved on mentally. I finally encountered a philosophy that welcome my challenging approach as a matter of fact I was told faith is actual proof. So no proof no faith that resonated with where I was at that time. That along with a strong lure to the orient, a sort of beckoning as if my subsoncious knew things I did not forced me to see this through. To put this to the test. I heard if you chanted Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo you can accomplish anything. Great there were some things I wanted, simple things like a motor bike. I chanted I got it! and so on and so on, Cool! Then Kensuky Inoue challenged a small group of us myself, Charlie Chavannes, Freddie hunter, Arturo Gamero and our wives, girlfriends whatever to take a pilgrimmage to Japan to visit the head temple and chant to the original gohozon, the Diagohozon. That was indeed a challenge for us all at the time. Myself, I grew up in this little town and I was twenty something and never left the country. Not to mention the fact that we were all broke. So we embarked on yet another challenge of the practice of chanting Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo. we made plans. We chanted two and a half hours a day and one hundred days later we were drinking cocktails on flight to Japan pinching ourselves to make sure it wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t it was real! We did it again! and again and again until it finally sunk in that this was the way it is. In Japan we met my mentor Daisaku Ikeda. I didn’t feel anything at the time I was numb from culture shock first time out of my little cocoon. I did notice however that the fishes in an acquariom nearby tried their best to get as close to this person as they possible could within the acquarium. I felt this guy really cares and has big plans but at the time I did not realize he would become my mentor. As a matter of fact I could not see myself having a mentor as such as arrogant as I was. I remember vaguely whilst in Japan getting into what could have deteriorated into an argument about whose work was more important house wife or Breadwinner. Whereas everyone else at the table were expressing appreciation for the work of house wives in nurturing the entire family I was adamant that I worked harder than my wife and the work she does can in no way compare with the importance of what I did. In my culture the man was head of household, king and reigned suppreme. I remember growing up as a boy no one worked harder than my dad who worked in road construction, a real man’s job. Anyway at the time I was insensitive to all that, today I look back and realize how limited I was. I have come a long way. I returned from that trip confused there was a whole lot coming at me but I knew one thing, I would sort it all out over time. I will hang in there! There is something here that’s got me. I was swept along by a powerfull movement that I did not quite understand at the time. I plunged myself into veracious reading of the teachings of this great man Nicheren Daishonin. Realizing more and more as time went by how fortunate I was to have encountered this in this lifetime.
Well I have run now promised my daughter I would pick her up from school. In my next post I will tell you about the next challenge the biggest one of the all- sickle cell anemia! Thanks for your time. See Ya!
Posted by edwilliamsjr 
Posted by edwilliamsjr 