What Is Faith Workshop

Goal: Polishing our understanding and revealing great minds of faith — 
Your Victory in Faith.

Program Sequence
MC: Barbara Lewis

Opening Exercise: Blind Faith versus Determined Faith Exercise — 
Does blind faith enable you, the Buddha?
Exercise Facilitator: Yolanda Palis

Presentation: Qualities of Faith
Information Facilitator: Mike Aiken

• What are the three aspects of faith? 
• How do you change fear to appreciation? 
• Where does faith manifest: Your Behavior or Your Mind? 
• When does faith arise: Through Wisdom or Through Reality? 
• Why does faith begin at the crucial moment?

Exploring Question 1:  What is Faith — Nichiren Daishonin or You the Buddha?

• What is faith in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism? 
• What makes your have faith that you are the Buddha? 
• What reveals the Buddha mind?

• How do you begin or develop faith? 
• How do I know I have faith 
• How do I have faith that flows that is not easily moved? 
• How is there a secret to faith? 
• How can I have faith in my potential?

• Why is flowing faith not easily moved? 
• Why is pure faith never stopped by obstacles? 
• Why is action faith never useless? 
• Why is determine faith always winning

Quotes on Faith: Qualities of Faith in Our Daily Life

Faith Equals Daily Life
“Our daily lives … are an area in which we can show the benefits of our faith…Ikeda states that ‘prayer without out action is futile,’ however, we see that we need to exert ourselves fully on the job or wherever we are, since nothing happens automatically because of our prayers.’ By promoting ‘Kosen-rufu in our daily lives, we bring the great life-condition gained from the practice of our faith to work in our everyday surroundings and inject humanism and respect for the dignity of human life…Buddhism teaches a way of life that is directed outward as well as inward. Another way of looking at this is to say that we practice for ourselves and for others. The point to remember is not that you should artificially create a great desire for Kosen-rufu, but that you should tackle your daily life in the way best suited to you based on faith.” —Seikyo Times, December 1983

Singled Minded Faith
“The mystic law is wonderful. The protection of the Gohonzon is absolute. A determination based on faith, through invisible, will always eventually manifest itself in concrete form. The day will come when the ironclad law of cause and effect will be clearly proven, on the level of individual lives, organizations and societies. That’s why the most important thing is the single-mindedness of faith within ourselves. That’s the essence of everything. It’s the most critical point for us.” —Seikyo Times, December 1991

The Three Aspects of Faith
The three aspects of faith are expectation, polishing, and intent. Faith means courage. “The Gosho states, ‘The lion king fears no other beast. The same is true of its cubs.’ Faith means courage. Faith is the ‘Detonator’ for explosive advancement. It is the source of myriad activities.” —Seikyo Times, December 1991

Faith Means Continuation
“The belief of some is like fire while that of others is like water. When the former listen to the teachings, their passion flares up like fire, but as times goes on, they tend to discard their faith. To have faith like water means to believe continuously without ever regressing.” — “Two Kinds of Faith,” Major Writings, Vol. 2, page 899

Kyochi Myogo — Fusion of Reality and Wisdom 
“The fusion of the objective reality or truth of the Buddha nature inherent in one's life and the subjective wisdom to realize that truth. This fusion is itself the attainment of Buddhahood. T'ien-t'ai discussed this principle in his Hokke Mongu. Nichiren Daishonin defined the Law, which underlies the fusion of reality and wisdom, as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. He embodied his own enlightenment — the fusion of reality and wisdom — in the form of the Gohonzon, the object of worship. In terms of Buddhist practice for people in the Latter Day of the Law, reality corresponds to the Gohonzon, and wisdom is one's faith in the Gohonzon. When one chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with deep faith in the object of worship, he fuses his life with the Gohonzon, and attains Buddhahood.”
—SGI-USA Culture Department Booklet Series #3  “Faith is the key to reality and wisdom" (Kyochi Myogo)