Current May

7/31/2019 Current May

1/7


2/7

2

goal, since he just retired, and Im intransition (read: unemployed). At this timeof year, I reflect on how many treasures ofthe heart, in addition to those of the bodyand storehouse, I have accumulated duringmy years of Buddhist practice. I speculate

about what my life would look like withoutthe Gohonzon. Based on the trajectory I

was on when I began chanting, it is never apretty picture. This thought process alwayshelps me put this period of giving intoproper perspective.

Unlike the straight-donationapproach charities favor, the Buddhist wayis to enable folks to create their ownfortune. Ive always loved the fishinganalogy: rather than give fish to thehungry, teach them how to fish, so they will

never starve or depend upon someone elseto feed them. By sharing this practice withothers, teaching them to chant, andencouraging them on their Buddhist

journey, we definitely provide people withthe tools to change financial fortune, along

with relationships, health, and so muchmore. With the Gohonzon, we can leave the

world of victimhood in the dust.Most of us support favorite

charities. I read alarming stats lately,estimating that charities allocate a

staggering 20 30% of donations toadministrative costs. However, I stillchoose to believe most non-profits workhard to control costs in order to dedicatemaximum funds to those in need.

Whenever I encounter panhandlersdowntown, or homeless people with theirpleading cardboard signs along freewayentrances, I feel uncomfortable. As I awaitthe change of the traffic light, I try toevaluate the person.If you are trulyhomeless, how is it that you have enoughmoney to acquire pricey designer tennisshoes or a spanking-new leather jacket?Despite the documented exposs showingthat some of these beggars generate inexcess of fifty thousand dollars a year, I feelcertain many of them are genuinely inneed. As a compassionate person, I feel Ishould give them something a gift of fast

food coupons which cannot be used fordrugs or alcohol.

Questions I wonder about: Do wehave a moral obligation to share ourresources with those less fortunate? Howdo we reconcile a charitable attitude with

the Buddhist approach? During thedevastating Tsunami last year in Japan,donating to the relief effort was a no-

brainer, simply because so many of ourcomrades in faith were impacted. It didntfeel like charity, but rather extending ahelping hand. Would I feel the same ifthere werent so many SGI membersinvolved?

The silent prayers in our dailyrecitation of the sutra mention our debt ofgratitude. Is that debt only to our founders

and mentors in Buddhism, or do we havean inherent debt to our fellow humans as

well? I found these words from Sensei inMy Dear Friends in America: I hope youwill build, and help others build, solid livesfilled with unshakable happiness, whileprotecting the weak and the suffering.This sounds like we are being encouragedto do everything in our power to help those

who suffer.

Then there is the intriguing notionof paying it forward. A few very dearfriends, one an ordained, new-thoughtminister, find little ways to employ thisconcept. They often pay for several cars

behind them when entering a toll booth,anonymously pay utility bills for strugglingneighbors, and leave behind meaningful


3/7

3

little gifts in unexpected locations whenvisiting friends. Another pal of ours hostsan open-to-all dinner at his home mostFriday nights, particularly for single folks

who might otherwise spend the eveningalone. These random acts of kindness are a

different form of charity toward strangers,all stemming from loving hearts.

The decision about how much andin what way to give to others is an intenselypersonal one. Recently, I was faced with amoral dilemma in this area. My husbandand I received a form letter apparentlypenned by and sent from our fourteen-

year-old grandson living in another state.Raised as a Christian, he is heavilyinfluenced by his other grandparents,fervent fundamentalists. The letter was a

plea for donations to a church mission, wassprinkled with Bible verses, and definitelynot written by our grandson. I felt it wasmisleading and inappropriate.

If our grandson had called, sent apersonal note, or actually written the letter,I might have felt differently. I would neverconsider soliciting funds from our co-grandparents to send our Buddhist

Florida Nature Culture Center FNCC

grandchildren to FNCC or for any otherreason. However, it is interesting that thissituation surfaced at the same time I am

working to pull money together for the Maycontribution campaign. I know what valueis created by our donations to SGI,including keeping the lights on in our manycommunity centers. What value would becreated from donating to the church cause?I continue to chant about this diceydilemma, unsure of what to do, while I alsochant about the even more urgent matter of

whether we will achieve our contributiongoal for 2012.

I hope you will all enjoy the monthof May and your experience giving from

your personal treasures of thestorehouse, while accumulating treasures

of the heart.More valuable than treasures in a

storehouse are treasures of the body, andthe treasures of the heart are the most

valuable of all. Strive to accumulate thetreasures of the heart! (WND, vol. 1 p.1170)

PILGRIMAGE TO THEPROMISED LAND

(Philadelphia)by Linda Segall Anable

Last month, my dear friend andcontributing editor Angelique Jurd spokeof her devotion to the music of BruceSpringsteen, a passion we both share,

which brought us together nearly ten yearsago, despite our living in differenthemispheres. The lower half-planet where

Angel lives receives far fewer visits fromour personal savior than the upper, and herlocation in the Bruce-challenged land, NewZealand, has seen him only once, in 2003

(yes, she was there). However, it must benoted that the hardships endured bySpringsteen fans in New Zealand arepartially mitigated by the unique fortune ofgetting to live there.

Like New Zealand, my hometown ofPortland, OR, is also not on Bruces 2012itinerary, so in order to see him (which Ireally, really wanted to) I had to travel on an airplane not something I relish,

but my desire to see Bruce generallytrumps any and all obstacles. I decided to

go to New York and see two shows atMadison Square Garden (MSG). I havegood friends in NYC, including many Brucefriends, and part of the fun is hanging out

with those similarly obsessed. Like me,many are now approaching geezerhood,and have been following Bruce (technically,also a geezer) for generations. Now thosegenerations join us.


4/7

4

Preparation for my pilgrimagecommenced with a daimoku campaign, themost practical method I know for thefulfillment of desires. After a Buddhistlifetime of good fortune, few personal itemsremain on my bucket list, but seeing Bruce

is never checked off, even after some 70shows, starting in 1975, when I saw him atthe Roxy nightclub in LA. In the Bruce

October 17, 1975 a life-changing event

world this ranks me as a lightweight; manyfans I know, mostly on the Right Coast,have been to hundreds of shows. Right

Coaster NJ Gov. Chris Christie (not one ofmy Bruce friends), has been to 127,including the second night in Philly, wherehe responded to a fan who gave him thefinger, Happy now?

Though I hardly ever go anywhere,for Bruce I leave town, get on planes, andhang out with gangs of Bruce People,standing outside for hours as we await themoment when our fate is decided theselection of a lottery number determining

whether or not we get into the pit thestanding room in front of the stage or areleft to lurk in the nether regions of thearena, where, thanks to Bruces penchantfor roaming the arena and being passedaround the audience on his back, there isstill a chance to touch his butt. I did notspecifically chant for butt-contact notthat I would turn it down, but I prefer eye-contact. In 2003, I received an 8-second

pupil-to-pupil eye-lock in Chicago duringthe instrumental break at the end ofBobby Jean, not that I remember.

Of course, soon as you start adaimoku campaign, obstacles appear,always a sign that youre on your way to

victory and one dayyoull look back on thisand it will all seem funny, la la laWell,after I had initially booked a non-stopround trip to NYC for the MSG shows,friends warned that MSG is the toughestticket in the country, and it would be betterto go to Philly, or risk getting shut out.Shut out? The magnitude of anxiety Idendure worrying about a shutout wasunthinkable, so I opted to go to Phillyinstead, which entailed changing planereservations.

My new itinerary meant a higherfare, plus a cancellation fee, but what thehell. I was going to see Bruce in Philly,

where he always goes the extra mile, wherethere are always exciting surprises. I wasable to score GA floor tickets for the twoshows, so I was spared the worry of going

with no tickets not a problem, sinceBruce always reserves the best seats forfans. However, these tickets dont dropuntil the last minute.

Despite my careful plans, unknown

to me, I had somehow neglected to finalizemy new airline reservation some buttonI didnt press. When I went to get my

boarding pass the day before my trip, Ifound out I was not booked, either going orreturning. I felt faint. I called the airlineand was quoted a last-minute fare morethan three times my original round-tripticket, with connecting flights and middleseat both ways. I got so upset with myselffor making such a bozo error, I considerednot going, although I was holding threeconcert tickets (my two and a friends),plus hotel and train reservations. It would

be costly to cancel as well.Emotional rescue appeared in the

form of my dear husband, who, uponlearning of my blunder, did not bat an eye,did not twitch, did not judge. He said,Look, its your birthday (it was), its Bruce(also true), and youre going! Joy! Relief!


5/7


6/7

6

Throwing himself, literally, into the crowd,he is fearless. My favorite Sensei quote is,Faith is to fear nothing. Thats why Ialways say, If President Ikeda were a rockstar, he would be Bruce Springsteen. They

just operate in different contexts.

Springsteens passion, hiscommitment, dedication, the way be

merges the spirit with the flesh, have notdimmed a whit over the 40+ years hes

been performing. His stamina is asincredulous as ever, perhaps more,

considering hes 62. The show starts at agrand climax and builds from there. He

gives everything hes got every single time.At an age that should have long ago seenthe end of crazy antics, there he is, sliding

on his knees, jumping on the piano and

leaping into the crowd. At the tourpremiere at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem,

March 9, 2012, Apollo Theatre, Harlem, NYC

he dangled over the outside edge of thebalcony, which must have given hisinsurance carrier a coronary. The shows

often run past three hours without a break.Springsteen once told 60 Minutes that hisshows are part circus, dance party,political rally and big tent revival. And asEric Alterman recently said in The Nation,The sum of these parts forms anincomparably larger whole, one that has noequivalent in American life and culture.

Speaking of life and culture, while Iwas there, the National Constitution Centerin Philadelphia was hosting a majorSpringsteen exhibit (still running) thatfeatures his life and career a prettyimpressive achievement for a rock and roll

singer. Seeing that was another majorhighlight of the trip.http://constitutioncenter.org/springsteen

I could have gone home happy afterthe first show, with memories to last alifetime, but there was a second show,

when my fortune grew even greater. Mylottery number was just 40 from thenumber called, which put me in the spot

you see in the photo at the end of thisarticle: lower left, purple shirt, handsclasped. Of course, I could have just

printed this picture and not written a singleword about the experience. Actual proof ofactual proof! But that wouldnt besuperfluous enough.

In a night filled with peaks, the twobiggest moments were Bruce dancing withhis mom, who is almost 90, and theovation for the Big Man, Clarence Clemons,Bruceslongtimesaxophoneplayer and

foil. (Brucealwaysknockedhimself outtrying tointroduceClarence:Theminister ofsoul! Secretary of the brotherhood! Thenext king of England! You want to be likehim but you cant! I have seen the future ofthe whole f*ckin thing and its ClarenceClemons!). The Big Man passed away lastsummer at age 69. It was hard to imaginehow the band could go on. It was like aplanet had left the solar system. However,the band did go on, and Bruce had to find a

way to deal with the loss, for his fans aswell as the band. He expanded the hornsection, explaining that it takes a village


7/7

7

to fill Clarences shoes. There are now 17members in the band. The saxophone solosare handled by Clarences talented youngnephew, Jake Clemons, who has been well-received.

One of the bands signature songs is

Tenth Avenue Freeze-out, often playedduring band introductions. The song tellsthe story of how the band was formed andcontains the line: The change was madeuptown and the Big Man joined the band

After he sang that, Bruce stopped and heldthe microphone high in the air. Standingdirectly in front of me, not five feet away,he pointed to the sky, touched his heart,said, Love Clarence, demanded more,more, more, and the loving screams liftedthe roof off the building for a full minute. It

was incredible. I felt myself vibrating at theDNA level. Who in history has ever hadsuch a powerful tribute? I thought,Clarence must be SO enjoying this.

And when Bruce pulled his mom,Adele, up on stage during Dancing in theDark, I wont even try to describe that.My state of complete and utter love says itall. Here is a video of a woman seeingactual proof before her eyes.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOQd

_0auiF8&feature=share .About that eye contact I got a

smile from Bruce during Promised Land,and I thought, How ironic because that isexactly where I am right now.

That is, until September, when

Bruce will be at another venue in thePromised Land, known as Wrigley Field inChicago. Im looking to break Gov.Christies Springsteen show record, which

will take some doing but darn it, Imwilling to try. I have my plane reservationsand, this time, a confirmation number.Havent scored concert tickets yet, but Imnot too concerned because my Chicagodaimoku campaign is well underway!

Faith is to fear nothing

Daisaku Ikeda

The Horizonhttp://www.lindasegallanable.com/horizon/current.pdf

\Editor: Linda Segall Anable;www.lindasegallanable.com

Contributing Editors:Angelique Jurd; Constance Barr

Copy Editor: Mary WilliamsSnail Mail $6/year

Documents

Current May