By Lora Ben
My previous chapter had a list of names, SGI/NSA members who, at the time of the split, decided to go with the Temple. We were given the list, and we were encouraged to place our names next to a name of a Temple member, and then to chant for that person’s happiness. I chose to chant for all of them, but I chose two names in particular to really focus on.
A few months later, a friend (non-Buddhist) called me. She told me that an old friend of hers was back in town; she said that her friend was looking for someone who practiced Buddhism in our town. So I told her to invite her friend to her house, and that I would meet her friend there. Instead, my friend gave her friend my phone number. I received a call from the woman, and found out that she was one of the Temple members for whom I have been chanting specific daimoku.
I told her I
was SGI; she told me she was Temple; but she was very nice to me and asked
if we could meet. So I visited her at home and I learned that she had not
been in contact with anyone for a long time. She said I was the only one
who, after a long search, took the time to visit her. She is disabled and
needed someone to help her get to meetings, but the other temple members
had totally given up on her. They told her that if she did not overcome
her disability, that meant she had poor faith. She was abandoned completely
to practice alone.
I asked her
if she had Gohonzon, and she told me she had one, but it was not enshrined
because it was all dirty. She showed it to me and indeed it was full of
mildew stains. I asked her if she wanted to exchange her Nikken Gohonzon
for an SGI-issued Gohonzon. To my surprise, she said yes — just as simple
as that. No debate or argument as I had expected!
She is now a very strong practicing SGI member, and I visit with her every time I go back in the desert where I used to live. The members in that area are taking good care of her.
You may want
to ask at your area or region level if they have a list of temple members
on file, or if someone knows of temple members in your area. Chant to make
that connection. At first I just chanted for all the temple members to
be happy, then suddenly I was given this list of names to focus on. Daimoku
reaches far and wide. Just chant about connecting from the heart.
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