Vincci Loo Mei Xian
Women Division
I am a fortune baby, but only started practising this faith when I entered secondary school. Growing up, I disliked studying and would often daydream in class. Throughout primary school, I never scored an ‘A’ in my exams and would always achieve a borderline passing grade. Naively, I thought I would do all right in my PSLE.
My turning point came when I received my PSLE results and learnt that I was going to be streamed into the Normal (Academic) course, while all my peers were placed in the Express course. Witnessing their elation upon receiving their grades, I knew I had only myself to blame for not studying hard enough. I remember crying to my mother when I shared my results with her. Instead of scolding me, she calmly told me that there was no turning back, and the only thing could do was to chant to the Gohonzon to find the best secondary school where my potential could be fully unleashed.
Heeding her advice, | started chanting an hour of daimoku with my mother from that very day onwards. I believe it is my mother’s faith that led me to embark on my own faith journey. Throughout my school life, she supported me and shared my worries and problems. Instead of telling me, “You should chant,” she would warmly encourage me by saying, “Let’s chant together.” Her unwavering support kept me going.
I continued to chant with my mother daily and put in the necessary hard work in my studies. Chanting gave me hope and courage to challenge myself. I also participated in Future Division activities, which I found so interesting that I always looked forward to attending them. | began to find joy and confidence in my studies, eventually excelling in school. I graduated from secondary school with flying colours and continued to do even better in polytechnic, graduating as the Valedictorian. Subsequently, I completed my studies at the university, receiving multiple scholarships and various academic accolades for my outstanding results.
I am now working in the field of organisational psychology research, helping leaders understand their employees’ sentiments in the workplace. It is a job that I had chanted for, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life. I have developed compassion and empathy for different people as a result. Through my Buddhist study, I have also learned to actualise the Buddhist principles in my daily life. I strive to bring out the best in myself every day, so that I can help cultivate a healthy work environment in the organisations I work with.
I have been married for eight years and lived with my in-laws while waiting for our new flat. I had always wanted to enshrine my own Gohonzon for my daily Buddhist practice but was mindful as I was staying at my in-law’s place and my husband, Lawrence, was not a practitioner yet. I set a prayer to enshrine the Gohonzon with Lawrence. With this in mind, | determined to share Nichiren Buddhism with him wholeheartedly and enable him to experience the same joy as I do through faith, without feeling pressured or coerced.
One day, while praying earnestly to share this Buddhism with Lawrence, I had the wisdom to place our publications Creative Life (CL) and Soka Times (ST) in our toilet. Knowing that Lawrence enjoys spending quiet time reading there, I saw it as a good subtle way to share Buddhism with him without being seen as overly “proactive”. To my delight and pleasant surprise, Lawrence started reading the CL and ST in the toilet and would share his thoughts with me afterwards. Gradually, we began to exchange our learnings and thoughts from reading the publications.
After four years, I was so glad Lawrence finally took up faith and agreed to enshrine the Gohonzon in our new home last year! In fact, during the Circuit Breaker period, he started chanting five to 10 minutes every morning. He told me he felt it helped him to reset his mind and plan his day better. I continue to read and study Buddhism regularly to share with him. He often asks me many questions about our Buddhist practice, which challenges me to study even more. We now spend our mornings and evenings chanting for 30 minutes together, and I was surprised when he told me that these are some of the moments he enjoys spending with me.
Ikeda Sensei wrote, “In a letter to Tokimitsu, the Daishonin comments: “A daughter opens up the gate of another household, a son carries on the house in which he was born.’ (WND-2, p. 884) The mission of women who inherit faith in Nichiren Buddhism is to open the gateway to happiness for their family and relatives, the gateway of prosperity for their communities, and the gateway of victory in kosen-rufu…
In any event, it is no exaggeration to say that the key to harmonious families is to be found in the drama of passing on faith from parent to child. That’s why Mr Toda repeatedly urged parents to raise their children in the realm of Soka.” (The Buddhism of the Sun – Illuminating the World “The Five Eternal Guidelines of the Soka Gakkai – Part 1)
Having been warmly watched over and supported in the Soka family, I am determined to be the sun and lighthouse that shine and illuminates the lives of others as well. I am also determined to build a kosen-rufu family and ensure that the transmission of faith will continue from generation to generation in my family. I vow to renew my determination each day and, with gratitude, continue to share Nichiren Buddhism with the people around me!
(Adapted from June 2024 issue of Creative Life)
