If you think namu-myoho-renge-kyo is a magic phrase that makes you happy and is a get-out-of-death-and-suffering-free card, no, it doesn't "work." Nichiren Buddhism is a life-long practice -- even if your life turns out to be heartbreakingly short. It's not a quick fix or magic cure.
Better to have chanted one time than never at all. Winehouse's death is sad, but it's no basis for questioning the value of Nichiren Buddhism.
Now for some links....
This is a great example of one person doing his/her best to heal broken hearts. According to the Yomimuri Shimbun:
A Buddhist priest of the Nichiren sect has been making a 600-kilometer pilgrimage on foot to console the souls of those who died in the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami...."I heard many bodies were found in this area," he said. "I'd like to pray for their souls."
He chanted sutras about 150 times in devastated areas and he wrote sutra passages on 20,000 slips of paper which he then threw into the sea....
Chanter and devoted SGI member Herbie Hancock is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador:
"It feels like an answer to some of my biggest dreams," Hancock told The Associated Press. "UNESCO really cares about working toward the globalized peaceful world that people actually want to live in. One idea that is interesting to me is jazz as a metaphor for targeting literacy. With jazz, you don't just pick up an instrument and start improvising: it's about discipline. Freedom with discipline is the ethos of jazz."
Why are so many singers and musicians attracted to Nichiren Buddhism? Here's another -- Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, profiled in the NY Times:
Humble, respectful, a little mystical, he and his interests would appeal to ferocious record snobs but also to middle-aged urbanites who like their music calming and uplifting and conscious, in the hip-hop sense of the word. Is it relevant that Mr. Atwood-Ferguson is a Nichiren Buddhist, the same sect that includes Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Buster Williams and Bennie Maupin? Somehow it seems so.
The Art of Happiness Gallery features Buddhist-inspired art. Check it out.
Are you in Atlanta? Check out Lotus Dharma in Atlanta.
Here's some food for thought from Barbara O'Brien...
No matter what your practice is, if it's all about you, it's going to fail. True self-power requires opening up and letting everyone else in. You practice by yourself with everyone else.
Got a link to share? Paste it below or e-mail nine@buddhajones.com.
9 comments
Just thought I'd asked:Who are "we" and "where" did "we" appear to go?
What do you mean by "so many"?let's see how many we can come up with. Off the top of my head....amy winehouse...phoebe snow...courtney love...wayne shorter...herbie hancock...tina turner...melody gardot...suzanne vega...duncan sheik...considering that buddhists account for something like .3 percent of the population in the u.s., i think it's amazing that i can name more than three renowned music stars who identify as nichiren buddhists.
Hey, you know I get off on being contrary! I just become wary at confusing association with causality. One could also ask "why do so many rock stars die at 27 ?" There's a list of over thirty. But if you make it past the age, you're not on a list of people past the age. I do apologize if I offended. And come to think about it (code for "I may be wrong") there is a natural proclivity towards something that is "spiritually awakening" to those who are fortunate enough to have the musical muse sitting on their shoulder, especially with something as lyrical as chanting. .3 percent of the population, which is estimated at 311 million, would be about 900,000 Buddhists. I would guess, a guess-timate, that there were that many either currently practicing or former members in Nichiren sects alone in the US, not counting the other non-Nichiren sects of Buddhism. So the number of Buddhist in the US might be higher.One might not think it "amazing" to list say 50 or 100 artists in this arena that claim a Christian belief along with their music (granted not off the top of your head, but put a couple of devoted Christian heads together) because this is an overwhelmingly Christian nation filled with Christians. Just ask any Christian and they will confirm that for you. And the number of artists would be enough to confirm their belief bias. Again, I apologize, but I was just confirming my own bias that we all have a tendency to confirm our belief biases. PSAmy was brilliant.
"We" means the pseudonymous handful of people who can post items to the main column on this website. "Where" means hiatus such as summer vacation.Joe, there are a lot of pop stars and musicians who chant. Are there just as many renowned architects, astronauts, politicians, and judges who chant? That would be great, but I doubt it.Try it. Name all the famous people you can think of who identify themselves as Nichiren Buddhists. I bet singers/musicians will be disproportionately represented on that list. But I could be wrong. So show me.
Source link.Uh, ...so I guess you didn't read my response to Brooke where I pretty much agreed with you? I don't know what credence Uma's scholar pop gives to statistical studies in this context without citing sources, but your PEW Research Study basically agrees with me so what do you want to talk about now? How about you'll the criteria for acceptance in a chosen field? Politicians vs rock stars?
"How about you'll the criteria for..." WHO WRITES LIKE THAT? Oh yeah, I do.
I don't know about famous people, but my impression is that a lot of teachers/educators are attracted to Nichiren Buddhism. Maybe it's because of the whole Makiguchi connection. Maybe it's because one Nichiren sect actively courts teachers and academics. I'm not sure. I'd be interested to see a demographic breakdown of Nichiren practitioners by profession.Also, I'd say that athletes are attracted to the practice for some reason. I can think of a few stars -- Roberto Baggio, Orlando Cepeda...OK, so only two sports stars off the top of my head. I'm sure there are more.Oh, and actors. Tons of actors. Joe, I'd put you on the list of recognizable actors who chant.With all "famous people" who chant, I'm sorta suspicious. What are their motives for touting affiliation with Nichiren Buddhism? How serious are they about their practice? Is it just for publicity? Is a particular sect using implicit "endorsements" from celebrities to legitimize itself and attract more recruits?One thing I dig about Tina Turner's approach is that she doesn't really get into talking about the dharma or trying to explain. She just chants, and people respond.With Herbie Hancock (and I think Wayne Shorter, too) when they talk about Buddhism (in interviews I've read) they talk in a fresh and personal way about concepts. They're not locked into sectarian terminology or the kind of salesmanship you sometimes see when celebs talk about religion. When Hancock/Shorter talk about Buddhism, you can hear how they've made the practice their own.Anyway, I think those are two great examples of celebs who model different approaches to what I consider "good Nichiren practice": Tina Turner who is all about sound and feeling, and Herbie Hancock who verbalizes hard-won understanding.
Yes, dear, you're correct, "tons of actors" if you weight them by their egos. A typical actors' ego weighs about 2000 lbs., is kept inside their enormous hydrocephalic heads, and has the density of a cubic metre of water. This is one of the reasons they gush so easily about what "they" are up to. They're bursting! So if you get three actors practicing Nichiren Buddhism you have "tons of actors". Throw in Orlando Bloom and it's slightly more because it's a metric ton. He's also taller than most when he stands on his wallet. But I don't see actors or athletes or musicians "touting" an affiliation with Nichiren Buddhism. I see it the other way around. But every organization loves a celebrity endorsement as long as they stay within a set of parameters. Its like they say in Scientology: "Shut the fuck up Tom!"
joeisuzu notes:But I don't see actors or athletes or musicians "touting" an affiliation with Nichiren Buddhism. I see it the other way around. But every organization loves a celebrity endorsement as long as they stay within a set of parameters.Indeed, that's the function often foisted upon celebrities, in our culture, by many groups, whether religious, political, or the producers / purveyors of a market product.deardenver is on the right track - nothing is proven by finding the examples that support your theory. You have to look at a balanced sample and see if any correlation really holds up under scrutiny.