March 16, 2021 I scan news story after every news story Reading about the murder of Six Asian women in Atlanta My heart gets heavy As I think about my sangha community Of BIPOC folx I bottle the anger inside of me Keep filling the glass Until it threatens to overflow I have to release that rage Let it off But how can I When I feel so much numbness, pain, anxiety, depression Hopelessness about the state of the world And the pervasiveness of a system That has disenfranchised the marginalized For far too long? March 16 Kosen-Rufu Day A day when our second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda Passed the baton to the youth So they could fight against injustice And fight for a more peaceful society After his passing March 16 A day where I and my sangha community of believers Refreshed our vow for kosen rufu Was a day of violence, hurt, trauma I remember my vow for kosen-rufu When I think of the hate incident And countless other hate incidents That have brutalized Asian and Pacific Islander communities For far too long Lunch time I gather my things Get in the car Shut the door And just start chanting Nam myoho renge kyo Nam myoho renge kyo Nam myoho renge kyo Each syllable as I repeat the words Rolls off my tongue I revive my life Through each pronunciation Of a mantra whose roots are in Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese Nam = devotion I dedicate myself to this life affirming philosophy That teaches each person, no matter their color, creed, race, sexuality, gender, dis/ability, political affiliation Is a Buddha A Buddha endowed From time without beginning For the eternity of life From past, present and future life cycles With boundless wisdom, courage, compassion and life force Myo= life and ho= death Myoho= Mystic Law, oneness of life and death I cannot see this law tangibly But it runs through every current of my being Reviving me Inspiring me Renge= simultaneity of cause and effect I make the cause to channel my anger Into my prayer And each time I recite the words I awaken to the power in my life Without anyone else telling me Or having to wait on someone to tell me I'm dope Sutra = teaching through one's voice I recite the entirety of this beautiful Mahayana teaching The Lotus Sutra When I recite the beautiful song Of my life, my Buddha nature I chant to bring forth this well To tap into the well and bring forth this boundless supply of nourishing freshwater The elixir of life that keeps me going every day. I remember that within my anger is The beautiful world of Buddhahood The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds Even the mind state of hell I'm roasting in Can be the world of Tranquil Light Even the rage and frustration I feel Can have the seed of Buddhahood When I give life and creativity to that anger To speak out against injustice In my own unique way Peach, cherry, plum, damson. As the words roll off my tongue And into the universe As I connect with the higher power of myself And with the galaxies, sun, stars, moon, grass, trees, flora, fauna Tears pool in my eyes And run like rivers down my face As I think about the lives lost To disgusting prejudice, hatred, a lack of respect for the dignity of life A boulder forms in my throat And my shoulders shake Tiny earthquakes My chanting rocks harder than any earthquake though When I resolve as my prayer gets stronger and stronger To eradicate the violence and misery in the world By eradicating the violence and misery in myself I remember in 2001 celebrating Victory over Violence with my sangha community And resolving to be the change in my own life So I can be the change in the world To see the Buddhahood in others I need to see the Buddhahood in my own life The jewel, the pearl that shines from within I tap into my inner potential And chant for the lives lost in the shooting Especially the lives of the 6 Asian women lost To the poisonous bullets of intersectional racism and misogyny I shed tears in memory I shed tears for their families I shed tears when I remember that this isn't an isolated incident But one of several incidents of anti-Asian hatred That have occurred even well before the pandemic I remember our country, despite saying all men are created equal, Hasn't always said the same about everyone. I remember my vow To stand in solidarity with my Asian brothers, sisters, non-binary siblings To do my human revolution So I can kickstart a beautiful revolution of peace and social justice With tears shed And the words nam myoho renge kyo said I take to the pen And start writing.
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