My Buddhism journey started in 2009, I traveled to Thailand for the very first time and got a chance to visit some pagodas in Bangkok/Pathum Thani. During this visit to pagodas, I pay homage to Buddha from the core of my heart and feel a connection with Buddhism. I was very much surprised how true dharma disappeared from its land of origin(India) and I started researching back into history. My research and observation make me understand the hidden truth of the past and manipulation in history to suppress the facts, the true dharma was destroyed over the centuries but while it was being destroyed in its own land at the same time it was flourishing in Asia and around the world. This reminds me of one of Shakyamuni Buddha’s quotes “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth”, the true teachings widely spread all over the world today. During this period 2009 - 2020, I learned about many Buddhism branches such as Theravada, Mahayana, Pure Land Buddhism, Vajrayana, and Nichiren Buddhism. Even though I respect all beliefs and the branches of Buddhism, Mahayana and Nichiren Buddhism touched my life as I was able to apply it in life and experience it’s truth. In my understanding, there are many religious philosophies in the world but there is one made for you and will work for you, it’s just you have to discover it. I got to know about Nichiren in 2011, one of my friend Deepti Gupta introduced me to Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and from one of those SGI meetings I learned about the chant “Nam myoho renge kyo”. well I started practicing it but it didn’t work for me initially and the reason is my fault that I didn’t practice it correctly (faith, practice, and study). Time flies and I moved to Vietnam in 2012, from the time I moved to Vietnam till July-August 2017 everything went well but all of a sudden my personal and professional life got into trouble. I was depressed and worried about my future and my mind again went back to Nichiren, sometimes the worst thing happened in our life to redirect us to the right path. My Nichiren Buddhism journey starts from Dec 30, 2017, I read one of the SGI books “The Winning Life” and learned about the concept of ten worlds, I was able to develop faith and started chanting single-mindedly “Nam myoho renge kyo”. The karma started to change because the right cause was being created, my life situation started improving and happiness returned back in all forms.

As a true believer of Nichiren Buddhism I like all the organizations (SGI, Nichiren Shoshu and Nichiren Shu...) propagating it, however my thoughts are more closed to Nichiren Shu even though my journey started with SGI. The reason why I have opted for Nichiren Shu is because they believe in Shakyamuni buddha and Nichiren as bodhisattva. After I read Lotus Sutra and understand about many buddhas from the past, it made me believe that Nichiren is also a buddha who was awakened to truth and wanted sentient beings to enter the highest path and quickly attain Dharma. The people of Nichiren time and ages to come needs a more simplified and easy way of practicing the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren interpretation of Lotus Sutra (it’s just my understanding) empowers the later age people with Dharani/Chant “Nam myoho renge kyo” and a mandala (gohonzon). Nichiren continues the Shakyamuni mission and the buddhas will keep appearing in the world to save the sentient beings from suffering and leading them towards achieving the enlightenment.

Namu myoho renge kyo

A journey started from Thailand to Mount Gridhakuta to Mount Minobu, Yamanshi Japan