Vanessa Ho Jiah Yung
Young Women Division
I started practising Nichiren Buddhism with my mother in Malaysia when I was nine years old. However, I was an inactive member until the age of 22 when I underwent a break-up with my first boyfriend. I felt sad and powerless.
When I started chanting the daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and studying Buddhism, I began to reflect on my past behaviour. I used to feel inferior, thinking that my happiness depended on others. As a result, my relationship with my family and boyfriend, as well as my outlook towards my career were unsatisfactory.
Studying the Buddhist concepts and carrying out my own human revolution, I slowly discovered that I have the power to transform my life.
My mother was a great role model in faith. For as long as I can remember, there were frequent arguments and conflicts in the family. Thus, my mother, the first person to practise Buddhism, swore to transform my family’s situation. Through her practice, I observed a positive change in her behaviour. I saw her put utmost effort into achieving her human revolution for harmony in our family. This gave me great confidence in this Buddhist practice. Whenever I faced challenges, she always reminded me to believe in the Gohonzon, and that our prayers will always be answered.
Just like how she took care of her members as a leader, she also supported me tirelessly no matter how many times I repeated my complaints to her. Through our constant dialogues, I became more hopeful over time. My mother, the sun in the family, brought rays of hope into our lives.
I wasn’t close to my father since young. To me, he was an authoritarian person and objected our Buddhist practice. However, my mother encouraged me to chant for my father’s happiness and for him to have the good fortune to embrace Nichiren Buddhism.
My dad was working in Singapore and was retrenched in 2018. He could not find a job for a year. My mother managed to convince him to chant and within three months, he got a job. With this actual proof, he began participating in Soka Gakkai activities with a stronger faith. He actualised his human revolution and our family became more harmonious. My relationship with my dad also improved tremendously.
Since I became consistent in my faith, practice and study, I always managed to transform my challenges into victories. In 2022, my boss transferred me to Singapore to expand the company’s operations here.
Around this time, I started a relationship with a colleague. However, few months later, we ran into problems. In the middle of 2023, I was offered a new job opportunity in Singapore. Although my previous job offered me flexibility, I still accepted the new offer thinking that it would minimise the conflicts I had with my boyfriend at work and in our relationship. Shockingly, he chose to break up with me. I was devastated, and asked myself why I had to go through this relationship if it was never meant to last.
I found my answer at the discussion meeting in October 2023. The Gosho passage we studied states, “The blessings gained by practising The correct teaching , however, are so great that by meeting minor sufferings in this life we can change the karma that destines us to suffer terribly in the future” (WND-1, p. 497).
Sensei explained, “…the grave negative effects of karma that we would otherwise have experienced in the future are transformed and received as minor effects in the present. We need to be deeply convinced of this principle, called ‘lessening karmic retribution’” (The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, new edition, Part 1 “Happiness”, 5.10).
I quickly recognised the negativity in the relationship and accepted the fact that he was not the right person for me after all. Instead of feeling inferior or powerless like before, I was convinced and hopeful that I can attract the right person for me in the future if I focus on polishing my life.
I am also very grateful for this new job that allows me to explore a new career field and have a good mentor at work. I realise that this job is a benefit instead of what I previously thought—the cause of my break-up with my boyfriend.
Of course, I still face challenges. When I first moved to Singapore, I was commuting between Malaysia and Singapore. I used every opportunity I had on my return to Malaysia to foster my YWD leaders and members, staying in touch with and encouraging them.
With my current job, I am challenging to leave my office on time to come out for kosen-rufu activities. However, I determine not to be affected by momentary ups and downs. As Ikeda Sensei says, “If we uphold the Lotus Sutra and base ourselves on faith throughout our lives, then no matter what successes or setbacks we may experience along the way, we are certain to win in the end” (The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace Part 2, “Human Revolution”, 16.10).
I will strive at work following the guidance of second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, “In faith, do the work of one; in your job, do the work of three,” while chanting at least an hour a day and studying Sensei’s guidance. Having just been appointed as a district leader in Singapore now, I am also determined to strive for kosen-rufu in Singapore, and encourage every single youth whom I encounter so that they may awaken to their unique mission and bring forth their fullest potential!
(Adapted from July 2024 issue of Creative Life)
