Peace Through Prayer

Dear Reader,

This article was written from my Buddhist point of view. However, I hope that whatever your belief, these words will inspire you to keep thoughts of peace on your mind. - LaVora

"If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquility throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?" - Nichiren

for California

A Time For Deeper Faith

The United States' led war against the nation of Iraq is now upon us. Therefore, I believe I need to deepen my faith that my prayers for peace will work. It's hard to have faith when news reports and other people seem to say that war must be. But I must overcome my doubts about the power of my life and strengthen my prayer for peace.

I am reminded of what the 13th century Japanese Buddhist teacher, Nichiren, once wrote for a believer named Nichigen-nyo:"As for [Nichigen-nyo's] prayers, I suspect that her faith may be weak, even though she does not doubt the Lotus Sutra. I have found that even those who appear to believe just as the sutra teaches may not actually have strong faith...The fact that her prayers have gone unanswered is like a strong bow with a weak bowstring, or a fine sword in the hands of a coward. It is in no sense the fault of the Lotus Sutra." (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 489). Buddhist Teachings

The Lotus Sutra that Nichiren wrote of is a teaching that was preached in India about 3,000 years ago. The man who preached it was Siddhartha, who is also known as Shakyamuni, or simply, the Buddha.

Buddha means "one who is awakened to the truth of life." A Buddha is totally free, happy, loving, courageous and all-powerful. The main idea of the Lotus Sutra is that all people, animals and things are Buddhas.

The Lotus Sutra that Nichiren wrote of in the quoted passage is not only the ancient Indian Lotus Sutra. It is also Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and the Gohonzon that Nichiren taught about. Nichiren's teaching made the Lotus Sutra easy for ordinary people to practice.

"Nam" is a word from the ancient Indian Sanskrit language. It means "I devote myself to." "Myoho-renge-kyo" is a Japanese way of pronouncing the title of the Lotus Sutra. The Gohonzon is the scroll that Nichiren Buddhists focus on while chanting (saying) the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo over and over again. This scroll has Nam-myoho-renge-kyo written down the center in Chinese letters. The Gohonzon is a type of mirror that helps anyone see that she or he is a wonderful Buddha.

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo while looking at the Gohonzon is how Nichiren Buddhists pray each day. When praying, a Nichiren Buddhist is praising the Buddha that is her or his own life and all life.

Above, Nichiren's words for Nichigen-nyo were meant to encourage her to strengthen her faith in her own Buddha nature. With strong faith and prayer Nichigen-nyo could make what seemed impossible come true.

Life is the Greatest Treasure
Buddhism teaches that every life is sacred and worthy of the highest respect. Speaking of this sacredness, Nichiren wrote:

"Life is the foremost of all treasures. It is [taught] that even the treasures of the [galaxy] cannot equal the value of one's body and life. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 1125)

While Buddhism places the highest importance on life, today we are at war. This war is causing great suffering and leading to people's deaths.

It is said that one-half of the Iraqi people are under 15 years-old. Therefore, babies and children, as well as fathers, mothers and grown-up daughters, sons, sisters and brothers may be being killed in the war.

The people who lose their lives in this war are not merely "soldiers" or "civilians" from the United States, Iraq or other nations. They are human beings who will no longer see or be seen by loved ones.

From Killing Comes Killing
Some people say that in order to create peace and stop wrong-doing, people who have harmed no one must sometimes be killed. But Buddhism teaches that whatever we do returns to us. This means that killing only leads to more killing; it could never lead to peace.

Daisaku Ikeda is the leader of the modern-day Nichiren Buddhist organization called the Soka Gakkai International (SGI). Mr. Ikeda has said this about the idea that it is all right to cause blameless people to die in order to stop wrong-doing:

"Every leader claims to be working for the sake of the people. Every war is fought in the name of peace. No war, however, is without its victims.

'That's war, after all. Some sacrifice is inevitable!'

We must be fully vigilant against such views, not letting them take root within us even for a moment. For they express a nauseating disregard for life.

To kill under the pretext of protecting life only perpetuates the cycle of slaughter." (From The World is Yours to Change, p. 129)

With these words Mr. Ikeda warns us not to care so little about human life that we believe it is okay that people are killed in war. He also states the Buddhist view spoken of above-whatever we do returns to us, so from killing comes killing. From Great Evil To Great Good

Nichiren taught that "When great evil occurs, great good follows." (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 489). However, great good does not magically follow great evil. We have to work hard to create great good; most importantly, we have face, challenge and win over great evil.

Buddhism also teaches that both good and evil begin in the human heart. This teaching means that war, and the suffering it brings to people, is part of me. So, to end the great evil of war, and bring about the great good of peace, I must start with myself.

The war in Iraq has caused me to deeply look at the ways that I make war within myself. At the root of these "mini-wars" is my doubt that I have the power to make my dreams come true. As long as these inner wars exist, outer wars, like the one in Iraq, will continue to happen.

Peace Begins With Me
Therefore, I am praying to deeply believe that I am a Buddha who can freely create whatever I desire. Through this prayer, I become more respectful toward myself, my family, friends and everyone. Why is this so? Because with the inner peace that I gain by truly believing in my unlimited power, I am fearless. I am not afraid that anyone or anything can stop me from accomplishing my goals.

As a fearless person, I see myself and everyone as Buddhas who have boundless greatness within. When I am fearless, my respect for myself and others remains no matter what. I do not look down on myself or others even when I must clearly say that I am or they are wrong.

Remembering that my prayer can create what seems impossible, I am also praying deeply for the war in Iraq to end NOW. I am praying that this war will be humanity's last war. I am praying that, starting with me, true peace will take the place of hatred, violence and mistrust in our world. This is the great good that I have vowed to myself to bring about.
No matter what happens, I'm going to keep peace on the top of my prayer list. I won't give up until, through my strong prayer and sincere actions, peace is the leading news of the day.