What is a best approach for shakubuku or how were you shakubukued?

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Permalink Reply by Dan (site assistant) on April 4, 2008 at 1:49pm

I think shakubuku is best done as a team if you've never done it before. I remember my first street shakubuku that I didn't know they did in Chicago when I had recently just become a member in May 1st 1983 (shakubukued in a small college town in Wisconsin).

Second week of summer break coming back home to Park Ridge, IL, I found my closest district in Niles, IL. I got there early, and a men's div. (Steve) took me out into the neighborhood. With extreme reluctance I went along but he had it down pretty good when he engaged people out on the street in a conversation, sometimes getting blown off but his enthusiasm was infectious. I learned a lot from him in that way. Later on, on my own during those days of street shakubuku campaigns I actually got better at striking up a conversation with any person curious about what I just said to them: "have you ever heard of Nam myoho renge kyo?"

I had done shakubuku before I even became a member 3 months into the practice, but again, that was on a college campus where incidental conversations fell naturally where I could bring up buddhism with a dorm mate or Friday night pizza nights with a friend or three. And I had the beck & help of my sponsor and other fellow students whom she shakubukued where we could team up on the curious student who happened to walk into our conversation in the dorm lounge.

You're in Japan I presume and what with all the negative media hoopla about Soka Gakkai could be tougher just talking to strangers on the street, Maybe hang out with a fellow Gajokai where you can plan on getting together with an acquaintance or relative of yours or his and get the ball rolling during bowling or at the noodle shop. I've sometimes found it easy to get into a conversation with the bartender, sushi restaurant waiter, or bookstore clerk (talking about books, asking for any Nichiren/Gakkai material maybe?) not expecting any results but essentially for me to open up my own life (grease the tracks you might say) and putting out the cause of where I'm actually 'shakubukuing' (break & subdue, get it?) myself to extol the virtues of why I appreciate so much this buddhism and chanting in the process.

Tools? Maybe business card with NRMK handy, a pamphlet with intro to SGI buddhism, and a willing readiness to listen to that other person so that you can learn to connect with his/her buddha nature for starters. ;-D I added as an attachment below my reply the Happiness Brochure (pdf documetn) you could possibly use. Good luck! Go get 'em, Gordon!

happiness brochure[1].pdf

best,

Dan

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Permalink Reply by Kanani on April 7, 2008 at 9:28am

Dan, I remember those days... the Japanese women used to pull me out and we would go to some of the worst areas in town.. I feared for their safety (Ha on me).. they kept passing out papers and smiling... I stood watch like the bulldog.. late in the years, I would shakabuku someone and participating friends would teach them to chant, do gongyo and together we would make sure that our guest would attend meetings.. We worked as a team recognizing that some of our guest could relate to some people and we usually tried to pair people up. Occassionally we would have "Eatin' meetin's" where everyone had a chance to be casual and connect.. those were usually the best because guest brought guest... nani

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Permalink Reply by Dan (site assistant) on April 9, 2008 at 11:51am

If I was put in the middle of nowhere, I think I'd probably go do the street 'geshu' thing again if I could. Oh yeah, can't pass up those old days (1980s' for me) when the japanese pioneer members had that extra rice ball or sushi to stuff your face with during a campaign. ;-D

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Permalink Reply by Patrick on April 5, 2008 at 11:43am

Gordon,
My experience.

Be honest, be a good listener, and be a good citizen of your community. People will naturally listen to you if you live a happy, good life, with no regrets.

Most importantly, be patient.

I offer to be a good person you must become a great listener. Listening to other's problems and seeking solutions in front of the Gohonzon for them is a starting point. Asking how their life is going and listening intently and offering heart-felt prayers for their happiness is essential, as well, I think. Take their problems as your own problems, seeking a solution as if it was your own problem. People are moved by our hearts and the actions we take on behalf of others happiness.

Action based on a solid prayer for their happiness is the key, I believe.

Faith into Action as sensei says.

Good luck.
You will do fine with 'faith alone' and sincere actions on behalf of others happiness.

Patrick

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Permalink Reply by Kanani on April 7, 2008 at 9:22am

When I took this practice seriously, my enthusiam generated curiosity in many of my acquantances... then i evolved into chanting sincerily for my loved ones.. MY greatest accomplishment was my mother...long story but here goes.... I chanted for many things that I thought would make me happy but I discovered that there were always additional consequences. One day I just started chanting for my mother's happiness. She lived in Alabama, I lived in Albuquerque.. our relationship was always strained and she was very very abusive to her daughters... after 3 months of 3 hour toso's, I got a call from her.. a pleasant one at that.. then 2 months later, she called to say that my stepfather and her had reunited after 8 years and she was back in South Carolina... I still continued my 3 hour toso's just for her and our communication improved.. one day she called and said that she had met another woman from hawaii and they worked and played bingo together. Mom was laughing and joyous... I didn't stop my toso... A year to the date of my gojukai... my mom recieved her gohonzon... see, her Hawaiian friend was also a member.... the last 8 years of my mothers life were the greatest... we shared so much and we laughed so much... I was with her when she had her right lung removed and I was with her the day before she passed. The last time I saw her, she told me that she was truly happy and that she was ready... she would see me in our next life time...THAT was my greatest proof of the validity of this practice... all my other benefits do not compare... So when I shakabuku others... I first chant for heart to heart dialogue and to hear what they are saying... then I share my experiences... and keep planting those seeds... ok... that's enough for now... thank you for letting me share... nani

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Permalink Reply by Glenn on April 9, 2008 at 9:42am

Doing shakubuku is based on compassionate heart to help others from suffering and give them happiness.It is not an obligation but an opportunity for us to develop our human revolution.

My greatest achievement of doing shakubuku is a freind of mine who is a converted muslim. I thought it would be hardly impossible to shakubuku a muslim who is quite devoted to islamic faith. However, i have no reason not to shakubuku him its because he is a muslim but because he is a human being who shares the same sufferings, and seeking true happiness in life. As a true friend, i always at his side throughout the fun, the good and the bad times and even jumped into his world and see the reality of his own life and his environment that he used to do and acquainted with his worldly desires. Even if the value i spared so much with time, attention and help does not reciprocate equally, i always try to feel on him what true freinds are who is ready to give and share in whatever help to alleviate and change his life for the better. It is one's heart(sincerity) that can change and move peoples lives. With this, people can trust and admire you and is easy to talk on the views of life and do shakubuku. When u have compassion and sincerity of one's heart, u can touch also others heart.

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Permalink Reply by Kanani on April 9, 2008 at 10:40pm

Glen you are so right... I had opportunity to introduce many Muslims to this practice.. no one really converted yet as I know of, however, the dailogue opened my heart to a deeper understanding of what true Islam is.. Also honest respect for their belief and being a true example of the validity of this Buddhism.. that in itself aids in the enlightment for their understanding.. perhaps eventually they will convert, however for now having the mutual respect and generating potential human revolution (which I found so many philosophies DO NOT propogate), becomes the dynamic revelation for Nam Myoho Renge Kyo... Mahalo.. kanani

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Permalink Reply by Glenn on April 10, 2008 at 5:41am

Kanani,

Mabuhay!..

I am with full agreement to what u have said. They will eventually lead to understanding to the truth, the correct Law, which expounded in the purest form in the Law of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo or the Gohonzon. Maybe you should try to invite your muslim friends in the SGI discussion meeting. That would make feel them a different experience in SGI family. The bottomline of this effort, is our deep prayer towards the Gohonzon.

My friend is still attached to the holiness of quran as taught and learned in islam. I did not resist on it the kind of attachment he had. I know sooner or later his faith in the Gohonzon would be grow deeper through his own experience and understanding. Indeed, he learned much of this wonderful practise and philosophy to his own life. It would be his 1 year practicing member this coming May. He still a neophyte and need guide to mold him into a strong young men. My mission to him would be someday a good leader in the course of his long Buddhist practise. I am always at his back even though he is quite busy now. My attitude towards the way i treated him never changed. We are like close brothers and confidant.

Cheers!! :p)
]
Glenn

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Permalink Reply by Dan (site assistant) on April 10, 2008 at 8:54am

One of the most memoral gohonzon enshrinements I ever did was going into a Muslim-only college here at Chicago's lakefront about 21 yrs ago. He was from Pakistan and he'd recently received a gohonzon. Myself, and my group WD leader (his sponsor) went into the building of his dormitory. A few young men were sitting in their white robes, probably finished with one of their 5 daily prayers. It was a bit eerily dark, only lit by the sunbeams that streamed in from the dome above, and felt like I'd walked back in time to the medieval ages.

The young man then led us into his dorm room. He carefullly opened up one of the doors of his closet compartments, feeling a bit abashed and a little apologetic as he moved some hangers of clothes out of the way to unblock the view to his gohonzon. Deep in the back of the closet was his gohonzon safely enshrined, hanging. We whispered gongyo together with him as he requested and then we had our dialogue with him as he was returning back to Pakistan in a couple of days. Such a brave young man. He said he would to best of his ability try to learn more about Buddhism and spread it in his country when it was prudent for him to find or meet someone of like mind to him.

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Permalink Reply by Budog on April 11, 2008 at 9:13pm

Wow, this is hard to explain... I was Shakabukued by two girls. They were in a relationship, or more accurately we were in a lust triangle. But it all worked out in the end, through them I met my Wife of 23 years and am active in Nichiren Buddhism again.

Budog.

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Harada on April 13, 2008 at 10:36pm

As far as the rules go in Japan, don't let them affect you. Japanese create rules and more rules for everything. That just how they think the world is supposed to be.

I started having the first SGI English meetings in Sendai, Japan and even though I was a youth area and regional leader in Orange County, California before going to study at SUA, they didn't want to appoint me to a leadership position in Sendai, Japan, because I couldn't guarantee them I was going to continue living in Sendai, Japan forever?

In my about 12 years of leadership positions in California, I moved around a lot and changed many leadership positions from regional young lions leader to group leader to district leader to chapter leader to area and regional leader, but never once did whether I would ever move or not come up in whether I would be a leader or not. How can anyone guarantee that they won't move or not?

The most important thing is what we do now, not what we might do in the future.

So it doesn't matter to me whether they appoint me to a leadership position or not, I'm going to do all I can do to promote kosen rufu in Sendai, Japan and to connect as many English speaking people to the SGI and provide a meeting they can join. Whether they appoint me a "leader" or not, I already am a leader.

When I first came to Sendai I was shocked that they didn't have an English meeting in Sendai as they even have one in Niigata, which is a much smaller area.

I asked a few English speaking members what they thought of the idea and they said they already proposed the idea to the leaders of the international group in Sendai, but they said they couldn't have an English meeting because they didn't have any leaders to lead it. So I told those English speaking members, LET's LEAD IT Then!

Anyway, as this relates to you as a Gajokai, don't worry if they ever take you out of "training," just do your best as a trainee for as long as it takes.

About doing shakubuku; Although I was almost born into the practice as my mom received her gohonzon when I was almost 11 months old, I can't give you an answer to how I was shakubukued, but I can say I've done lot's of Shakubuku in my life.

The important thing to realize is, whether someone joins the SGI or get's a gohonzon or not is not the important thing, and you can't determine that. That is up to the other person's life.

For example, one of the ladies in our English group in Sendai was first introduced to the practice about 3 years before she finally decided to start practicing. But at that time, her life wasn't ready. However, 3 years later when someone told her about it again, she right away told the person, "Yes I'm ready to start practicing now." And she's a solid member ever since for about 6 years.

I have now taken 4 people in Sendai to meetings to try chanting, but so far none of them have joined the SGI, which I know I can't decided for them.

Shakubuku is helping others to realize that they are Buddhas and helping break them of their attachments to mistaken views, which we all have about too many things in our lives, including the leaders who think you need to do "shakubuku" to become official Gajokai. You need to shakubuku those leaders from their mistaken views.

I aways make a list of all the people I want to shakubuku and I chant for them to practice and I chant for their lives to prepare them for the practice and for them to be happy and successful in life.

Though some of the people I've shakubukued joined the SGI and some got their gohonzons, not all of them continued to practice and some are just now coming back to the practice after being inactive for a few years.

However, many people I've introduced to the practice, never practiced, which still is doing shakubuku. Shakubuku is not determined by whether someone gets a gohonzon or joins the SGI.

One of the people I shakubukued became so active that she shakubukued her mom and dad and they got gohonzons too and she shakubukued other people too and became a youth leader.

However, I recently found out that she has stopped practicing and turned in her gohonzon at the same time that I heard another person I shakubukued a while ago who also got her gohonzon is finally coming back to the practice after a few years of not practicing.

Though I believe they are influenced by my life to practice and continue practicing, even President Ikeda has had many people he's introduced to Buddhism that never practiced or if they did practice for a time, some gave it up and others are now strong leaders.

The bottom line is each person's life will determine whether they join or not and whether they continue or not. You can't determine another person's life path. Yes you can influence it drastically, but it is up to them.

You should just try to share the joy of practicing with as many people as you can and let their life determine when it is time for them to practice or not.

Chant to find people that are suffering and when you discover that a person is suffering, the only logical thing to do is tell them that you have chanted to overcome your sufferings and you think they should try it out too.

That's my approach. I find people that are suffering from the prospects of a divorce for example and I say, I know people that have saved their marriage by chanting, you should try it out. Or if I think they want the divorce to go smoothly I give them the example of my older brother who successful went through a divorce by chanting. And I say, here repeat after me, say, Nam, Myoho, Renge Kyo. Give it a try.

It should be perfectly natural for you to share the practice if you are finding suffering people around you who could benefit from chanting. If you are not finding people suffering around you, look harder and chant to find them and help them.

Ganbatte! I know you can do it! But even if you were to stay a "Trainee" Gajokai forever, I will still have the same respect for you, because we are all equal according to the Lotus Sutra, "with no distinctions between us."

Peace, Timothy

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Permalink Reply by Dave Streater on April 16, 2008 at 6:38pm

From the standpoint of how I was "shakabukued", the key is, work for free communication, make all info as available as possible, and stay away from any kind of ...'sales'...- type approach. Experience and philosophical discussions are the key. As the song goes "You Can't Hurry Love"-- or enlightenment, or practice- you need to maximally facilitate and avoid chasing away the potential members with the most promise. Daimoku for the person's happiness, who you are introducing is essential.
BCDave

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