UKE: What is meant by shakubuku - is it just telling someone about this Buddhism or getting someone to practice as well?

CF: Essentially it is teaching others to practice this Buddhism, but there are many aspects to this - it can be bringing someone to a meeting, inspiring someone with our life force or getting them to receive the Gohonzon and practice fully .

When people know you are a Buddhist they tend to gauge the validity of the practice by seeing how you react to problems - the joyful attitude you have and the dignity with which you live your life. SO you can say even a smile in the street could be a form of shakubuku.

Theoretically speaking, what we follow in the UK is shoju, or a gradual introduction of others to Buddhism. Shakubuku literally means to refute someone's attachment to heretical teachings - which we don't do here because this country has no past history of heretical Buddhist teachings. The spirit of shoju is to teach by example, demonstrating the validity of Buddhism by the way we live and the attitude we have to our own life.

UKE: In what situation can one do shaubuku? Should we wait for someone to approach us or is it all right to speak about Buddhism straight away?

CF: Any situation is ideal to do shakubuku It's like anything else - we all have our own way of doing shakubuku according to the situation we are in and our character, etc.

The important thing is that we have it in our hearts to do shakubuku Then at any opportunity we can find ourselves talking about this practice quite naturally. I personally don't think, "Oh, I'm going out to do shakubuku today." But in the same way that if I have a good cake recipe I want my friends to try it, or a good medicine, I can't help but tell people about Buddhism. The practice of this Buddhism is a recipe for life and a medicine for all sufferings. It just seems to slip into the conversation!

I believe that shakubuku is a natural response to our faith and practice. If you believe that every obstacle in life is there to help you to do human revolution, and manifest your Buddhahood, you can't help but feel gratitude for even the most dreadful circumstances.

With faith in this Gohonzon, there is no situation that cannot be turned into a benefit. Nichiren Daishonin often mentions the Lotus flower that blooms in a muddy pond. Our problems are the mud and our Buddhahood the Lotus. Without the mud the Lotus cannot bloom. Without struggles our life cannot shine with Buddhahood; it is the very struggle that makes our life shine.

When you have this attitude to life people naturally want to know - 'What has she got that makes her so happy?'

However, there may be times when you feel desperately for someone who is really suffering, or maybe dreadfully ill. Then, you have to take your courage in hand and say to them, 'You must chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.' A greatest life force is often the key to such shakubuku.

In another circumstance, though, a sudden introduction to Buddhism may seem forced or embarrassing. So we need our wisdom and common sense to judge the situation.

Sometimes we need to push a person, sometimes we need to let go and trust in the Gohonzon that he or she will start to practice, at the right time for their life. Certainly, we should never pester someone to practice or regard their hesitance as an obstacle. Rather, we should chant for the wisdom to know the best way to lead them to the Gohonzon.

UKE: What is the importance of shakubuku to our lives? How can introducing someone to the practice help you to change your own karma?

CF: If you think of the law of cause and effect, then naturally shakubuku is a wonderful cause to create in your own life.

What your are doing, in fact, is giving that person the ability to live their life in the way THEY determine, and ultimately find absolute happiness. You can say it's like giving them life itself, which of course must have great effect in your own life.

Also, to 'look after' a new member requires wisdom and compassion. Often we find ourselves chanting a lot of daimoku about people we have introduced, especially if their practice is weak and we know that, by making a greater effort they could become happier. You can't give up half way and say "I'm fed up with this.' Even if you are fed up with it, for some reason your relationship to them is part of your karma, and like everything else is there for you to do human revolution and ultimately bring you to happiness. Through doing shakubuku, you are concerning yourself with more than just your own problems, so your life opens up and, quite naturally, you feel joyful.

UKE: How can we prepare to do shakubuku? Do we need some special qualities to be able to talk to people and convince them to practice?

CF: Your daily practice is all you need to do shakubuku. During gongyo and daimoku we prepare for our life, if you like, for everything. And because shakubuku is difficult we can challenge our human revolution and express our faith and gratitude.

The only quality you require is faith. I vividly remember a meeting I attended some years ago, where a Japanese girl gave her experience. She could hardly speak English but the way she spoke and the expression of her face touched me with her joy.

As human beings our sufferings are the same; they transcend the barriers of race and culture. After all, money problems are money problems are money problems all over the world at any age. The same goes for relationships with our families, etc. So we all have the capacity to understand another person's suffering and feel compassion for them.

UKE: Many people are so busy either in their professional lives or KOSEN-RUFU activities that they cannot seem to find the time or opportunities to do shakubuku. As shakubuku is so important to change your karma, what is your advice to them?

CF: As I said earlier, one can do shakubuku at any moment. Any Buddhist activity can also be shakubuku. Again, if it is in your heart to do shakubuku, then you will naturally seize any opportunity to do it.

I personally believe that anyone who comes into my environment does so because they are looking for this practice. I think that every moment in your life can be a cause for good fortune if you CHOOSE it to be. In the same way, sufferings can be turned into benefit - the choice is yours.

It is in the end a matter of our attitude. There will always be obstacles to anything but it is down to you whether you use them as steppingstones or let them stop you.

UKE:Do you have to be practicing yourself to do shakubuku?

CF: No, not necessarily. There are many people who through their contact with members strongly support us and through their support do shakubuku. For instance, my father was always telling people how wonderful this Buddhism is, but felt he could not practice himself as he was very ill and did not want to risk damaging my faith by not fulfilling his expectations. But he told a number of people to do this practice.

UKE: Does it matter how many people you shakubuku? Do you get more benefits the more people you bring to meetings?

CF: No. It is the quality of your efforts to embrace people that matters, not quantity. And the one and only person you introduce may be responsible for introducing many, many people, or become a truly great leader in the future.

Also, benefit cannot be quantified: every situation is different and no one but you can really judge the benefit of teaching someone to practice.

It is really a question of time and effort - the amount of effort you make before the Gohonzon chanting for someone, the time you spend teaching them gongyo or answering their questions; in short, the care you show them. Again, in the end it is your attitude that is really important, not numbers.

IKE: In the same vein, do you lose your benefit if the person you introduce to Buddhism ultimately decides not to practice anymore?

CF: No, your benefit is still the same. Maybe it is the person you introduce who loses something!

Everyone has the right to decide and choose how to lead their life. You have planted the seeds of Buddhahood [sometimes called geshu] in their life and that alone will bring you immense good fortune. Also, once that seed is planted the cause exists for them to come to the practice at some point in the future; maybe not in this lifetime, but that seed will always exist in their life, and so lead them ultimately to the Gohonzon and unshakable happiness. All you can do at the moment is chant for them to be happy and hope that they will practice in this lifetime.

There is no reason to be disheartened - if you have done your best that is what counts. Whether a person practices or not depends upon his or her karma.

UKE: How responsible are you for someone you introduce to Buddhism, in terms of their faith and their behavior outside and inside the organization?

CF: In any situation you must make effort to be close to those you introduce to Buddhism. Through such closeness, and your faith, you can encourage them to practice properly. When I started to practice I was told that the process of shakubuku is not complete until the person you introduce has done shakubuku themselves. You cannot force someone to have strong faith, but through your strong practice you make the cause for them to grow too.

Similarly, the behavior of someone you introduced, within the organization or in society, is not your responsibility. You can't take responsibility for someone else's karma. All you can do is point out the error of their ways and chant for their happiness.

No matter how correct your guidance, you cannot control another's behavior. However, if their behavior is causing you to be unhappy, then of course you have something to challenge and change in the situation too - your own suffering. Your responsibility is to determine to inspire them and do your utmost to help them to change.

UKE: Would you like to add anything?

CF: Yes. Shakubuku is an essential element in the three practices. In order to really gain the maximum benefit from this Buddhism you need to do all three, which includes shakubuku. [Faith, practice and study]

However, as I said, there is no need to get panicky if you 'can't get someone to practice. What is important is to improve the quality of your life daily and become a great example in society. Even if you don't directly introduce someone, you will lay great causes for others to be encouraged.

UKE: Thank you very much.

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This page was last modified on Sunday, August 20, 2006.