whytebyrd

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I am currently looking to join a new chapter merely because I lack transportation and even though I know it's not a big deal to ask for a ride, I still hate doing it because I'm a little far out from other members.

I currently live in Fircrest, WA and I'm part of the North Tacoma district's Narrows Bridge chapter. I'm curious of anything in the Fircrest/University Place areas that won't be a hassle to get to by foot or bus.

Thanks in advance for any info.

DAISAKU IKEDA is President of the Soka Gakkai International, the world’s largest Buddhist lay group and America’s most diverse. In a rare interview, Ikeda speaks to contributing editor Clark Strand about his organization’s remarkable history, its oftmisunderstood practice, and what its members are really chanting for.

From Hollywood celebrities to renowned jazz musicians to everyday practitioners around the world, Soka Gakkai Buddhists are best known for their familiar chant, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. What they are chanting is the Japanese title of the Lotus Sutra, which posits that all of us—without exception—can attain enlightenment through faith in its teachings...

Full text:
www.tricycle.com/interview/faith-revolution
 

pitbullgirl65

This election is bringing out the latent racist in people. I've gotten to the point that I can't stand most Americans. When I hear people wanting to bomb the hell out of the Middle East, say racist remarks about POC and Muslims, et al, I'm  sickened and sad.  The whole guns,god and war crap has gotten old. 
My fellow members, how has it gotten to the point where it's as if humanity is moving backwards?  I've actually (seriously) thought of moving to Japan.  Thoughts? Encouragement?  :/
 

rosesnchaos

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.. how much daimoku and kosen rufu activities do you need to do to climb back up?

I'm experiencing a very negative time of my career (what career??) life.

I've been doing lots of chanting, taking part in SGI activities (including joining as exhibition guide for an upcoming exhibition "Transforming the Human Spirit") and trying to have dialogues with people about humanism.

Recently I resigned from a well-paid job. One reason was because of the psychological damage I got from working under a psycho manager with her unpredictable temper and moodswings. Another reason also, I need the time to study for a Japanese test in Dec (Level 2 of Japanese Language Proficiency Test). It's going to be my 2nd attempt and I wish to pass it this time. At the same time I pursued some freelance writing job for a bit of side income.

So then. I got a part-time teaching position at a local college, which I used to work for 3 years as a marketing staff prior to the abovementioned well-paid job. I was given 4 different groups of students, despite I'm not a trained ESL teacher (I'm a Business major). So ok. I thought I could deal with it, with some prior preparations before each classes.

THEN. I got complaints by the students. They think I'm too inexperienced to teach them and they demanded for a change of teacher. The college cut down my groups to 2, reducing my monthly salary. I'm paid by the hour I work, so I'm quite low paid now. On top of that, there seems to be gossips and backstabbing going on in this organization, which almost got me involved.

After all the drama, I realize perhaps I'm not working the job I'm supposed to. In other words, I've yet to discover my true calling.

So I'm now chanting for the guidance, the wisdom to find a suitable and fulfilling career, something that contributes to kosen rufu and humanism.

I've yet to find any solution.

My mom isn't too pleased with me. She said I was being the smartass to resign from the earlier job. She keeps nagging that things are getting expensive by the day, economy is bad, yadda yadda and she said I was selfish.

I'm beginning to think I am. And I feel..so.. lost. *sobs*

Any advice, dear people?

snolan

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I've just started watching Generation Kill on HBO (time delayed on my PVR). Right off it feels pretty much right; I was never a Marine, but I've worked with Marines, Army, and Navy when I was in the Air Force and people really talk and act this way. I am not very far into it, but it has promise as a fairly realistic portrayal of what life is like for combat troops.

Now that is freaking surreal, one of the Marine snipers chants "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" as he shoots an enemy RPG team, it happens about 45 minutes into the second episode. The same Marine is talking philosophy with his fellow troops a little later.

snolan

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Last Sunday, sutragirl and I picked up fellow SGI member Ros in Centreville, took her to Vienna Metro and we rode in to Farragut North, then caught a bus to the brand new Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Washington, DC Cultural Center at 3417 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.



It is a lovely building, and we had an inspiring meeting there with experiences shared and some chanting, though I foolishly got the start time wrong and we missed opening chanting (gongyo). Ros is fascinating and we enjoyed the whole trip in and back with her talking about life experiences and jobs. Parking in the area around the new cultural center was not nearly as bad as we'd assumed, and I suspect I may carpool, but drive all the way in next time as the busses were unpredictable and slow.

I still want to sing the praised of the DC are public transportation planning site though:
wmata.com/
The trip planning site is very useful for planning your trips. You can prioritize on time, transfers, or money; it includes information about competing (non-Metro) busses and trains, and it is very informative. If you plan to drive part of the trip - just skip that leg of your journey.

There are more photos of the new cultural center at my .Mac gallery.</lj>