A Buddhist Podcast – The Supremacy of the Law – Part 1

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October 3rd, 2010
Welcome to tonights episode of A Buddhist Podcast, thank you for taking the time to download! Tonights lectures is based on President Ikeda’s lecture on the first part of a letter written by Nichiren Daishonin to a lady called Nichimyo Shonin. The letter is called The Supremacy of the Law. Themes from this lecture include:
  • Wir sind das Volk
  • Be the change
  • The heroine, Nichimyo
  • No laws can change the human heart
  • Practice Buddhism to become a great human being
  • The Lotus Sutra is the broadband of Buddhism
  • If the Dragon Kings daughter can reveal Buddhahood – So Can We
  • We cannot allow people to suffer because of the terrible leaders we have
  • Our courage ripples out to encourage others
  • Help everyone we meet discover their greatness
The music tonight is courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at Musicalley.com. We play Planetary Woman by Eoghan Colgan and Inside of Me by the Ivy League.
Once again, if you want a shout out on the show, write and let us know or click the link on the left hand side of our website “Shoutouts”. If you have a great experience of practicing this Buddhism that you would be happy for us to read on the show, you can click the link for Experiences on the site!
Thank you so much for listening, take care and have a fantastic week.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (47.8MB)

16 Comments »

  1. Trully insightful. I had a great time listening. Kudos!

    Comment by Ametefe Frank — October 11, 2010 @ 1:58 pm

  2. Trully insightful. I had a great time listening. Kudos! We are preparing for a West Africa Youth Division seminar here in Ghana.

    Comment by Ametefe Frank — October 11, 2010 @ 2:00 pm

  3. [Abridged from a personal message]

    Hi Jason and Karen,

    Thanks for a wonderful podcast to you both. Really fantastic, and the amount of work to put it together must be enormous. Well done. I’m certainly investigating strongly now, and it’s you and this which has opened my eyes to this faith.

    Anyway, I wanted to say that I’m deeply upset at the this podcast in which you indicate the flack about the T-Shirts.

    I’m pleading with you not to be affected by this negativity. You and Karen are doing a fantastic job brining this Buddhism to people who might not otherwise have been exposed to it, and for that I thank you both from the bottom of my heart. Remember, where there’s a hit there’s a writ!

    Comment by Andy Cooper — October 18, 2010 @ 2:42 pm

  4. Hi, it was nice to hear this prayer podcast.
    I wanted to share my experience and what I am feeling right now.
    I started chanting in 2006 , one of my friend told me to do so , that time my life was changing i was planning to go to Canada for my masters .Chanting made everything every easy , I got the admission and the visa , then i left the chanting . Then again i came back to my country and again my life was changing and I was getting married , again same thing happened i started chanting and things went well and i again left:( …after one yr of my married life as i settled in my new life , I wanna continue my practice but somehow i fail to do it regularly . and i feel bad that about the fact whenever i needed something i chanted and then i left as soon as i used to achieve my goals. I fail to follow a routine. I have no job and tried soo hard to chant regularly for my job and also to gain power to chant regularly but i fail.
    The SGI meeting centre is also far away from my house. please help me .
    I need a job in my field (graphic designer) , and chant regularly .

    thank you.

    Comment by shweta — October 18, 2010 @ 6:21 pm

  5. Hi Jason and Karen,
    Thank you both (and anyone else involved) in continuing to broadcast pure quality and nectar in a podcast bottle!

    I am continuing to tell everyone I know about your podcasts in the hope they can be as uplifted by them as I am.

    I recall some time ago there was talk of an introductory podcast, I think this would be an excellent idea if in the future your time permits. I can then tell all my non Buddhist friends, etc.. to download and listen.

    If you could give a shout out to Norman and Ann Myles, two very close friends of mine who not only put me up when I am back in the UK, but who also led me to this wonderful practice and continue to support me throughout.
    Although not that adept on the internet, they still get to hear and enjoy your podcasts as I burn them to disc and post to them in the UK.

    With Kindest Regards
    Alan

    Comment by Alan in Khon Kaen — October 19, 2010 @ 8:05 am

  6. Thank you so much for these podcasts! I’m determined to engrave ND’s teachings and those of my mentor deeper each year.
    As this buddhism is based upon, “Changing Poisen to medicine”, I feel I have finally broken thru!

    Happy Oct 5th SF EV !!

    Sincerely,
    John

    Comment by John — October 21, 2010 @ 10:28 pm

  7. Hi John
    Thank you for your post, you have such a wonderful spirit. Deeper each year, I think that will be my motto too! Congratulations on breaking through!

    Comment by jason — October 22, 2010 @ 9:37 am

  8. HI Alan,
    Thank you for your kind words and for your encouragement. I will put my mind to some introductory podcasts. Please let me know the subjects you would like to cover, have you heard the latest episode, William does a great job to explain the basics, have a listen and let me know if thats what you need.
    Shout out request logged! Thank you as well for burning CDs for them, that is so generous of you. Take great care. Jason

    Comment by jason — October 22, 2010 @ 9:39 am

  9. Hi Shweta, I don’t really know your situation very well, so its difficult for me to help. I think the first thing is to establish some form of the three practices in your life every day, no matter what. I’m sure you clean your teeth twice a day, so add chanting twice a day, even if its only 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening! Just start simple. Then read something written by President Ikeda and/or Nichiren Daishonin even if you only read one small paragraph. Finally, encourage someone every day, find some way to smile or inspire someone to bring out their best side. These are the basics, if you do these no matter what, with a determination to change your life, then you will change your life and you will begin to ‘master your mind’ instead of your ‘mind mastering you’. Chanting, studying and encouraging others will activate the courage, compassion and wisdom you need to transform your life. If its not going fast enough, chant more, study more, and encourage more. Welcome problems and determine that every day you will chant, study and encourage others.
    It all depends on how much you want to become happy and transform your situation. To paraphrase Nichiren Daishonin, “to practice is easy, to continue is difficult”. How much do you want to become truly happy? Start small, determine to no matter what never give in, and then do it! Every day I chant to never miss gongyo and to strengthen my practice every day! Just that prayer I am sure has helped me many times!

    Comment by jason — October 22, 2010 @ 9:56 am

  10. Hi Jason,
    Thank you – Yes, Williams book does do an excellent job and I am sure would attract many people to this wonderful practice. I think the next chapter is the last – so once this is recorded the whole book is available. Earlier in the year I brought a few copies from Amazon and sent them to a few people who I thought would have an interest (mainly customers of the shoe company I work for here, who visit on a regular basis) When I have talked to them they often say “thank you so much for the book, I will get round to reading it” so I am thinking the audio version might be more suitable for them!

    And thank you for logging the shout out – Norman and Anne will be tickled pink when the receive the CD I burn for them with it on.

    All the kind words and encouragement you and Karen receive are more than merited, I assure you.

    Take care on your travels!

    Comment by Alan in Khon Kaen — October 23, 2010 @ 7:11 am

  11. Dear Karen & Jason,

    Only about a couple of weeks ago did I discover Nichiren Buddhism.

    I am currently in a non-Buddhist religious order and had expressed my deep disappointment withit to an old high-school buddy. He gently suggested that I give SGI a try.

    I read a bit about it online and told him I was interested. Thereupon, he booked a 400-mile flight to visit me and took me to the Los Angeles North American headquarters. There we were met by someone who works at SGI-USA, who expertly answered all of my questions.

    In addition, my buddy gifted me the audio-book “The Buddha in Your Mirror” as well as other introductory Nichiren Buddhist literature. What I read captivated my not only my emotions but also my intellect giving me hope for a purposeful spiritual future.

    A couple of days later, I discovered your podcasts, which I thoroughly enjoy and likewise nourish both my heart and mind. I listen to them as I go about my business both at the friary and on the way to my outside ministries.

    I look forward to listening to as many of your past and future podcasts as I can.

    I’m writing you now to thank you for the inspiration.

    Adin (pronounced: ah-DEEN)
    Los Angeles

    Comment by Adin Eichler — October 27, 2010 @ 7:37 pm

  12. Just wanted to say a massive thank you for your continued effort with these wonderful podcasts. I started practicing just over a year ago and was stuck in a very destructive place. I downloaded all your podcasts to my ipod and listened to them all, everyday at work, all day long for months. I have no doubt that it was down to your encouragement and hard work in these podcasts that gave me the strength in those early days to turn my life around. It has led me to be a strong practitioner of the Diashonins buddhism and am happy to say i am receiving membership into the SGI this coming sunday.

    So fanks!!

    Ryan

    Comment by Ryan — November 2, 2010 @ 11:50 am

  13. hey Jason thanks for the reply. yes i agree , “to practice is easy, to continue is difficult”… thanks for the help .

    regards
    shweta

    Comment by shweta — November 9, 2010 @ 7:12 pm

  14. Thanks a lot for creating this podcast. I am preparing for a gosho lecture on Supremacy of the Law..so your podcast is worth its weight in gold… Thanks..Vimal, New Delhi, India

    Comment by Vimal Dixit — December 18, 2010 @ 2:07 pm

  15. Just in time for coming sunday zandaikai gosho discussion on the topic on ‘The supremacy of the law’.

    cheers
    singapore

    Comment by gurukee — June 16, 2011 @ 8:39 am

  16. thanks for keeping it real….. you both are so natural and thats what i love about it….no heirs and graces….and in this show you too were so naughty! 😉 this is the first time i have commented on this site (still getting use to it) i have only been listening since 19th december 2011 and have made the determination to listen to all the shows up to the recent one by the 3rd march….im just starting the show 04.01.2011 :-))) my knowledge of this buddhism has grown tenfold and thats down to listening to your shows. thanks to you! take care always! stand tall….be proud…Toby X

    Comment by toby wiltshire — February 22, 2012 @ 6:06 am

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