by Austin Tully

Created on: January 11, 2008

A TRUSTING CIRCLE OF FRIENDSHIPS: Experience of a Nichiren Buddhist

Happy New Year 2008.

2008 is a very special year for me.

January 20th marks 28 years since I committed my life to the practice of Nichiren Buddhism, and received my own Gohonzon(scroll). 1980 was the start of a new decade, approaching a new Millenium. At the time, I was a dancer with the DanceTheater of Pina Bausch in Wuppertal, West Germany. I'm even in a video on YouTube! At 1:21, you can see my shoulder; and at 1:27, you can see the side of my cheekbone. But don't blink. Fame is like that.

During two of the years that I was with that company, we did two extensive international tours; one of SouthEast Asia, and the following year South America. I was able to connect with Soka Gakkai International members(Nichiren Buddhist lay organization)from around the world, and it was truly an awesome experience. Even if we didn't speak the same language, we could always do gongyo(prayers) and chant "Nam MyoHo Renge Kyo" together. SGI is everywhere. But, I must say (without sounding like a xenophobe), that we do it best here, in SGI-USA!

Some of you may know that Germany is not known for its light comedies. Think of Goethe, Wagner, and Beethoven. Angst, anguish, and human suffering. I felt right at home. The tormented artiste. In ballet training, we learned that if it didn't hurt, you probably weren't doing it right.

Early on in my Buddhist practice, I loved to study the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. They were so beautiful, so poetic, and so true. I especially liked the short ones that were only one or two pages long. One that really spoke to me personally was A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering. A good friend and fellow-Buddhist told me that the Sea of Suffering was choppy and very turbulent. He said, basically, that I was trying to cross it in a canoe. With lots of determined daimoku(chanting) and strong faith, I needed a strong and sturdy ship to survive the crossing.

"One who listens to even a sentence or phrase of the sutra and cherishes it deep in one's heart may be likened to a ship that crosses the sea of the sufferings of birth and death..... "Even a single phrase cherished deep in one's heart will without fail help one reach the opposite shore.
To ponder one phrase and practice it is to exercise navigation.""
A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering.(WND p.33)

I also learned that there are two kinds of Faith. One is like fire, that flares up hot and quickly, but dies out quickly, too, leaving not even

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