Saturday 8 December 2012

My first meme: The Buddhist meme

I love memes. My old and now practically defunct blog was at one point only dedicated to doing memes. I like how they bring people together and especially like the memes consisting of lists of questions, because of the randomness of it, the summarising skills necessary and the somewhat surprising insights they give on people. 

Sure, you can't say you "know know" someone after reading their meme, but it never fails to show some little detail of them that you previously ignored, or at the very least it will confirm what you thought.

Unfortunately, quite a lot of said lists are not exactly appropriate for this blog.



As you might have noticed, I have discovered the world of picture captions, which is awesome. I can now populate my blog with my very own captioned memes! Yay! I can be dull and uninteresting, all on my own!

However, I also thought, why not writing a Buddhist meme as well?

I know it's not going to get viral, especially considering that among my extremely cherished followers I can only count six people (of which two do mysteriously go by the same name...) and I don't seem to be getting a lot of comments, period. (but me lovez commentz! I has a sad)

So, anyway, I decided to write one, and if noone is interested, I'll just remember that "standalone spirit" thing that my mentor keeps mentioning.

If, however, you find it nice and decide to do it, could you please either:

1. post the actual meme as a comment

or

2. post it on your blog/website/whatevs and leave a comment with the link? 

I decided to model expected behaviour and lead by example by being the first to write a comment with just the list of questions (so people can copy those if they so choose).

  
Here it is!


1. Who shakubuku-ed you?
My parents. they both started practising before I was born. I would say that probably my mother had more to do than my dad with the actual event that made me start practising regularly (the sly, insidious woman), but they both were instrumental to it.

2. That person, do they still practise?
They both still do, fortunately. As do both my paternal grandparents and my dad's cousins. Big Buddhist family, mine. Seven members and two fortune babies. I'm so proud of everyone.

3. Do you still turn to them if you have a faith related question?
I most certainly do. I generally speak more to my mum than my dad, just because dad seems to have problems with long distance communication in general, but normally I always call my mother if I have a problem, if I am sad or if I need advice. I tend to call my dad when I want to discuss Buddhist philosophy or issues related to being a leader. 

4. Were you instantly hooked or did it take you a long time?
I absolutely hated Buddhism for quite a long time. Then I realised that I could find friends through it, nice people who didn't find me weird, and changed my mind. Then I grew up more and realised that I could achieve anything thanks to it. I would say that the moment in which I knew for a fact I was going to be a Buddhist for the rest of my life was the Kosen Rufu Day 2008 meeting in Milan.
 
5. Do you remember the first time you chanted? Any particular experience about it? 
I haven't got any recollection. According to my dad Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is one of the first things I learnt to say as a baby.

6. When did you receive your Gohonzon/membership?
I became a member in May 2006 and received my Gohonzon in February 2009.


7. Anything you want to share about that day?
My membership day: the MC read my name wrong and EVERYONE in the room shouted the correct pronunciation.

My Gohonzon receiving: it was just so lovely. My district leader and a wonderful Japanese lady picked me up and took me to Taplow, then took me back home where I enshrined my Gohonzon surrounded by my friends, shared a huge tiramisu and got covered in presents and cards. I still have all the cards. It was better than any birthday.

8. Which division are you in?
Young Women.
 

9. Do you have any official responsibility?
I'm a District leader and a Chapter Lilac Chief. I am also part of Dedicated Lilac, which didn't seem like a responsibility to me, but as people tell me it actually is. 


10. What’s your favourite quote by Nichiren?
"And yet, though one might point at the earth and miss it, though one might bind up the sky, though the tides might cease to ebb and flow and the sun rise in the west, it could never come about that the prayers of the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra would go unanswered" (WND, On Prayer, p. 345)


11. And by Sensei?
"Each of you, the young women of Soka, is a supremely noble entity of the Law of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. As such, you cannot fail to become happy or overcome any challenge." (The Vow of the Ikeda Kayo Kai, p.16)


12. How about favourite Buddhist quote/guidance by someone else?
I had a hellish day not long ago. What dragged me out of it was this guidance from a fellow member: "Feeling deadlocked is cause of great suffering. But if you accept that what you are going through now is the effect of the causes you made in the past and you focus on the causes you are making now, then you ARE moving forward."


13. Do you have a daily daimoku target?
Yes, an hour. It should be 90 minutes, but I can't realistically do it. I manage often though.


14. Did you hit it today?
Not yet. *glances at Butsudan*


15. How would you describe your way of chanting? (when you are alone)
I'm horrendously fast. I also tend to be quite even in my intonation and strong (not necessarily loud). Noone would describe my daimoku as relaxing I don't think.


16. If you were to choose a world to describe yourself, what would that be?
My dominant world is definitely Anger. But oddly enough, I also have a massive dose of Bodhisattva in there. I'm a living oxymoron. Or just a moron.


17. Have you done Gongyo today?
Yes! 


18. How do you do shakubuku? (I am actually interested, I need tips!)
I normally just casually drop that I am Buddhist and people ask me questions, which I'm always happy to answer. (you ask me to talk? Me happy!)


19. Are you part of a “behind the scene group”? If yes, which one? (if not, go and pick one!)
I am a lilac. Have been since 2006 officially but would have started eons earlier if I had been allowed.

When I finish Dedicated Lilac, unless I can stay and help the National Team, I think I will join Seven Seas.

20. Have you ever been to a course?
Yes, I have been to a New Members' course, an HQ course and two Summer Courses. I determined I will go to at least one course every year from now on, and I would like to go to training courses abroad as soon as possible (Japan maybe?).

And with that, I bid you farewell and goodnight!

1 comment:

  1. 1. Who shakubuku-ed you?
    2. That person, do they still practise?
    3. Do you still turn to them if you have a faith related question?
    4. Were you instantly hooked or did it take you a long time?
    5. Do you remember the first time you chanted? Any particular experience about it?
    6. When did you receive your Gohonzon/membership?
    7. Anything you want to share about that day?
    8. Which division are you in?
    9. Do you have any official responsibility?
    10. What’s your favourite quote by Nichiren?
    11. And by Sensei?
    12. How about favourite Buddhist quote/guidance by someone else?
    13. Do you have a daily daimoku target?
    14. Did you hit it today?
    15. How would you describe your way of chanting? 16. If you were to choose a world to describe yourself, what would that be?
    17. Have you done Gongyo today?
    18. How do you do shakubuku?
    19. Are you part of a “behind the scene group”? If yes, which one?
    20. Have you ever been to a course?

    ReplyDelete

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