Dreams Take Flight (梦想高飞)
Zhang Shu Qin
Taiwan
Gazing up, sunlight pierces through the leaves, life is in abundance, the birds are chirping with lively tunes on trees lush with green foliage, the incessant sound of the flowing streams, nature is ever so lucid, like an oil painting for me to display creativity. As Mr Ikeda said, “Nature stays still, but man moves. Nature is unchanging, but man changes at every moment. Through the clear mirror of nature, we can see the depths of the human heart and the breadth of human nature and life.”
I liked to be with nature since young. I liked drawing and the happiest moments were those spent doodling under a big tree. The seeds of the aspiration to become a professional arts teacher started here. However, the realities of life at times nearly suffocated me to the point that this dream seemed so unreachable.
Someone once said, “The climax of life does not lie at the moment we achieved our dreams but lies in our persistence to stay on the path towards our aspiration.” The road of growing up is not just the distance in between, but an experience and to me, dreams are actually a form of decision.
I am fortunate that in the process of building my dreams, I took faith in the mystic law. I had the support and companionship of the sisters in Kayo-kai and the warm encouragement of the adult divisions. Because of them, I had the courage to challenge the realities of life and advanced steadfastly along the path towards my dream. Words cannot describe how moved and grateful I am. I wanted to shout out, “I am the most fortunate queen on earth!”
The Journey of Painting
I grew up in a big family with five siblings. My family lived in a Chinese style house together with my uncles. With more than twenty members living under one roof, family life was always abuzz and noisy. My father and his two brothers worked in the same construction company and my mother followed them around, working long hours every day.
Although we did not have worry about finances, we lived in familial violence. My father would beat my mother whenever things did not go the way he wanted. We would also receive the full scale of his wrath and had to kneel in the middle of the night as punishment. So we were very fearful of my father.
When I was in primary one, I slipped and fell from a tree while playing. The leaves and branches covered all over me and nobody knew what happened until our family dog alerted my grandmother who found me. I was rushed to hospital and had to undergo surgery as I suffered a concussion. It was a narrow escape as the doctor said that if I had arrived at the hospital half an hour later, I would not be able to regain consciousness.
Because of this accident, my parents felt that I am not smart and allowed me to do what I liked and so I could continue what I liked most – drawing and painting.
Upon graduating from secondary school, I enrolled in an Arts course in Taipei and stayed at my aunt’s house. The three year course gave me a solid foundation in drawing. Upon graduation, I was admitted to Taiwan Arts Institution (now called National Arts University of Taiwan).
University life was supposed to be interesting and colourful, but I faced a bottleneck in my course. I was a perfectionist and gave myself too much pressure. This descended into depression and I decided to leave the University after failing to make a breakthrough.
At that time, a professor encouraged me, “Leaving school does not mean you have lost the passion to draw. So long as you are ready, you can always draw again.”
I started to work as a sale person in a bakery shop. My supervisor was very impressed with my serious attitude at work and when the company opened a new branch, I was promoted to branch head.
There are mystical encounters in life. My life underwent 180 degrees change because of one sentence from my supervisor. She said, “No matter what worries you face, as long as you chant the daimoku, wisdom will well forth from your life and the best solution will emerge.” So I took faith just like that, chanting five to ten minutes daimoku daily and took part in Gakkai activities.
At that time, I had many problems and worries. My elder sister suffered from severe depression due to her job and relationship issues and leading to bipolar disorder. My younger brother’s rebellious nature constantly troubled my parents and after my grandmother passed away, my father and his brothers fell out due to jealousy over inheritance issues. As a member of the family, I hoped to transform the misfortunes of the family through the mystic law.
My parents thought that my elder sister’s condition was caused by her being possessed by evil spirits and they went to many mediums and temples to ask for remedies. However, things simply got worse as the days went by. My seniors in faith asked me to shakubuku my mother. As such, I shared Buddhism with my mother and she began to chant and pray sincerely for the sake of my brother and sister.
As my father was also facing problems at work, he became very bad tempered and beat my elder sister frequently whenever he was in a foul mood. One day, my mother called me and told me in between sobs that my elder sister had run away from home.
Just as I was wondering what to do, my seniors encouraged me that this was the crucial moment and that only by chanting daimoku could we solve the problems. I asked my mother that we must chant together in one mind and I also requested the Women division in my district to take care of my mother.
I happened to have taken leave from work the following day. So I chanted from 11pm at night till 4am the following morning. I rested for a while in the day before I continued to chant again. I prayed whole heartedly that my elder sister would return home as soon as possible and that she would be safe and sound. Under the protection of the Gohonzon and the diamoku, my elder sister returned home on the third night.
My conviction in the Gohonzon strengthened after this initial actual proof. My elder sister’s mental condition gradually improved as she started to take medicine regularly. As the gosho teaches, “As practice and understanding deepen, the three obstacles and four devils will surface, vying with one another.” (Page 99). My father strongly opposed to this faith and used different ways and means to stop my mother from attending Gakkai activities. My mother relented under my father’s threats and stopped chanting and attending activities completely and returned to provisional practices.
The doctor advised that my elder sister come in contact with organisations which conduct healthy and positive activities and to be optimistic in outlook. However, my younger brother mixed with bad company and indulged in gambling, fighting, accumulated debts and asked my parents for money often. My father also listened to the words of a fortune teller and blamed the misfortunes on fungshui. He spent close to a million dollar to fix the fungshui of the ancestors tombs and this caused much conflicts in the family. My elder sister’s condition deteriorated by the day.
In the meantime, I changed my job which was now based in Taichung. This job involved the sale of art pieces in a shop. As long as I have some time to spare, I would return home to keep my mother company. My elder sister’s illness was still unstable. She still suffered from insomnia. When she was awake, she would walk around her room, at times, she would stare at me on her bed and at other times, she would sing Chinese Opera. It pained me to see her in this condition.
In the midst of it all, I persisted with my chanting. I even chanted 8 hours in a day once. One day, my father blew his top and beat my sister severely. On the advice of my mother’s friend, we moved my elder sister to live in a temple.
Two days later, when my mother paid her a visit, she saw the temple in-charge using a broom to hit my sister. She demanded an explanation and the in-charge claimed that this was the only way to rid my sister of the evil spirits from her body. Unconvinced, my mother brought my sister home.
After enduring such suffering for long periods, my parents were drained physically and emotionally. They attempted suicide. One day, my mother knocked her head on the wall while my father was about to drink pesticide to kill himself. Fortunately, these were discovered in time before tragedy happened.
As my elder sister’s condition was very serious, the doctor suggested that she stay in a mental rehabilitation home. My sister resisted the idea and my mother was at a loss. I encouraged my sister to start chanting to change her illness karma. At the same time, my mother and I also prayed fervently in one mind for the best solution to this urgent matter. My second sister became our Shoten Zenshin and agreed to allow my elder sister to stay her house to recuperate.
In order to transform the familial violence karma, I prayed seriously and also took part in Gakkai activities. I kept taking on new missions and responsibilities, determined to transform karma into mission. Three months later, my elder sister’s mental condition improved so much that she could return to work. I was joyous beyond words. Thereafter, she found a partner in life and gave birth to a healthy baby son. She is now living in harmony with her family.
Beset with Problems
My brother was pampered since young and was spoilt through and through. When he became older, he mixed with bad company and constantly asked for money from my parents. When they refused, he threatened them. In addition, he has always had problems holding on to a stable job. More recently, he was addicted to online gaming and stayed at home most of the time.
The problems at home did not make me lose my passion for painting. In order to challenge my brother’s problems and to fulfil my ambition, I returned to Yuanlin. As I worked, I advanced towards my goal.
I attended painting lessons on Saturdays and applied the techniques I learnt on Mondays to Fridays in order to build a solid foundation. As the cost of the art accessories and lesson fees were exorbitant, I decided to look for a teaching position to support the expenses. As I did not have any contacts and with only high school qualifications, I did not make much progress after more than a month and lost all self-confidence. My parents told me to give up and my father has always been objecting to my career path, making me very distraught. With tears, I sought my seniors. They said, “In this mystic law, all prayers will definitely be answered. You must pray seriously until you gain victory.”
Determined to show actual proof, I set a daily target of three hours of daimoku with the prayer of landing a job in the creative arts industry. In the third month, hope surfaced. A creative arts company advertised for an art teacher, but the pre-requisite is to have a degree in the Arts but I only have a diploma. So I felt very nervous before the job interview.
I chanted 6 hours of daimoku before the interview and I got the job! From then on, I was attached to kindergartens and primary schools. Although I have put financial difficulties behind me, my passion for creating artworks continued to burn passionately. On the other hand, my job scope required me to travel around the whole of ZhangHua province. In order to juggle between work and pursuing personal interests, I had to work late till the middle of the night almost daily. My body began to show signs of strain.
My seniors paid me a home visit one day during the summer break. With their strong encouragement, I decided to advance toward my goal with the spirit of staying undefeated. I plucked up the courage to make a request from my boss to allow me to switch my job to a part time basis. This was flatly rejected and I left the teaching job.
In the midst of finding a job, I participated actively in Gakkai activities. I am determined to show victory wherever I am and become the bright sun, breaking through deadlocks. Mr Ikeda teaches, “So long as we pour all our energies toward achieving our goals, maybe we cannot see results immediately but in the long run, we will see the bumper harvest. This is the unchanging principle in life. Do not allow yourself to be swayed by little things that happened. The most important thing is to continue to work towards your goal assiduously for the rest of your life.”
As I was challenging job issues, my brother became increasingly violent. When he could not get money from my parents, he would use his fists. As the saying goes, “The roof leaks in a downpour that does not stop.” My younger sister’s company also faced the crisis of liquidation.
After reunion dinner on 2010, my brother asked us for money to gamble. My parents tried to counsel him but he flew into a rage and grabbed a chopper from the kitchen to threaten all of us that if we did not hand over 30, 000 dollars within 3 minutes, we had to face the consequences.
My parents and I hid in our bedroom, chanting daimoku in our hearts. In the end, I plucked up the courage to speak with my brother. The stand-off was defused finally. Although he admitted that he was in the wrong, my brother could not resist the temptation and went out to gamble after all. That night, my mother and I chanted the whole night, determined to use daimoku to overcome all difficulties.
My younger sister took faith at the encouragement of my mother and I. She decided to end the business of the company and it was bought over by another owner three years later. In 2011, my mother and I chanted 4 hours of daimoku daily for my brother. But my brother was a ticking time bomb, and gave a stern test of our faith.
In the mid-December 2011, my brother again failed to get money from my father. He hit my father with slippers and a pole. In order to shield my father, my mother suffered injuries all over her body, just like my father. My brother only stopped his madness after giving chase from living room to corridor.
That night, when I returned home from class, I found my parents covered with bruises and injuries. I was very furious and took photographs as proof and called the police to report the case. However, I knew that I needed to return to the prime point of faith and only the power of the daimoku can overcome the frightening karmic ties.
It took place at the time when the preparation for the district general meeting was in full swing and I resolved to transform karma into mission. I disclosed my family situation to my seniors and they told me to chant gratitude–filled daimoku. Upon returning home, my mother and I began to chant the daimoku that was filled with appreciation. We thanked my brother for playing this role so that we would grow. Once our ichinen changes, everything started to change in the positive direction. Besides, whenever opportunities arose, I would have dialogue with my brother and encouraged him to identify his strengths and work hard to change the current situation.
In order to support the family, my mother ran a fruit and vegetable farm. The produce was continuously improved and became very popular and it was even sold online. She became known as Mrs BaLe. My brother also helped out at the farm. In 2013, my mother fell ill and my father finally knew how to cherish my mother, stopping all familial violence, thus ushering in the spring of hope.
In 2014, I was busy preparing for the general meeting as well as submitting my art work for a competition. I had just completed 700 million daimoku and as I was moving towards the target of 800 million, my brother underwent a huge turnaround. He decided not to idle around and asked me to find him job opportunities. Through chanting, he found a stable job. After he received his first salary, he only left 5000 dollars for himself and gave the rest to my mother. He not only gave up gambling but also shared with his friends the harm that gambling brings and exhorted them not to try it. Now, he was married with his own children and has a happy family.
Currently, I was working part-time at a fast food restaurant and just as I was contemplating applying for a position in an art gallery, my ex-boss called me. He wanted me to go back teaching arts and this time he allowed me to do so part-time on a permanent basis! I was overjoyed and chanted to the Gohonzon with a deep sense of gratitude. Not only that, my hourly wage was increased, a clear acknowledgement of my talent. Two years ago, I had taken part in an art competition in Italy, Bologna. Although my entry was not accepted, I was very determined to do my best and take part in it again this year.
Mr Ikeda once taught, “If there is no forbearance, there is no happiness. Only by experiencing the storm of suffering and hardship can we witness the rainbow of enlightenment.”
The future of hope is boundless, as long as we steadfastly construct our dreams, they will take flight!
[Cosmic Monthly April 2016]
Translation Disclaimer: The original testimonial is in the Chinese Language. It has been translated to the English Language for our readers’ convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however the editorial team acknowledged that the translation may not be perfect to the author’s original and seeks our readers understanding. Please note that all guidance and quotes are loosely translated.
(编辑注释: 以上是中英翻译，原版如下.)
梦想高飞
张淑琴
台湾
抬头一看，叶缝中阳光闪烁，生机盎然，大树葱郁茂盛，鸟儿在树梢歌唱，潺潺的溪流声不绝于耳，自然是如此的鲜明，如同一幅画布，让我尽情地挥洒。诚如池田先生所说：“自然不动，但人会动。自然不变，而人却时时刻刻地在改变。透过自然这面明镜，我们能凝视内心深处、人类本质和生命的宽广度。”
从小便与大自然为伍，喜爱画画，在大树下涂鸦成了生活中最快乐的事，成为专业美术老师的梦想在心中萌芽滋长。然而曾几何时，严峻的现实生活压得我快喘不过气来，梦想似乎遥不可及。
有人说：“人生最精彩的不是抵达梦想的瞬间，而是坚持走在梦想道路上的过程。”成长旳路上，不仅是距离，而是一种经历，梦想更是一种决定。
我很庆幸在筑梦的过程里，信受妙法，有华阳姐妹们的鼓励陪伴，以及壮妇部给予的关心支持，使我勇气倍增，面对现实山挑战，踏实地朝着梦想前进，内心的感动与感谢不言而喻，不禁想呐喊：“我是最幸福的女王！”
绘画之路
生长在大家庭，五个孩子，加上与伯父、叔叔们同住在三合院，二十几个亲戚齐聚一堂，异常热闹。父亲三兄弟一同从事建筑工作，母亲也跟着东奔西跑，镇曰早出晚归。
我们虽不愁吃穿，却活在家暴中。父亲只要看不顺眼，便殴打母亲，我们也成了出气筒，常常半夜被叫起床罚跪，对父亲的恐惧占满胸怀。
小学一年级，某天爬树游玩，不慎跌落在地，满地枝叶将我覆盖，没人知悉，直到家里养的狗发现，将奶奶引来，才发现了我。紧急送医后，因头部裂伤，动完手术后，总算捡回一条小命。医生表示，若再晚个半小时，就可能变成植物人。
因为这个缘故，父母认为我的脑筋不好，让我自由发展，得以持续我旳最爱画画。
中学毕业后，北上就读复兴商工美工科，寄住在姑姑家。三年的艺术课程，奠定扎实的绘画基础，毕业后，我顺利考取台湾艺术学院（现为国立台湾艺术大学）。
大学生活本应多采多姿，但在绘画的路上，我却遇到了瓶颈，因为求好心切，压力过大，导致忧郁症状，迟迟无法突破的情况下，我选择了休学。
当时，有一位教授鼓励我：“离开学校不代表失去对画画的热情，只要你准备好，随时可以再次拿起笔画画。”
之后，我投入职场，在面包店担任销售人员，我工作非常认真，受到主管的肯定，公司开分店时，我晋升为店长。
人的际遇非常奇妙，因为主营的一句话，我的人生有了180度的转变。
她说：“不论遇到任何烦恼，只要透过唱题，一定会涌现智慧，以最好的方法解决。”于是我单纯入信，每天唱题五至十分钟，并参加学会活动。
当时有许多烦恼，大姐因工作、感情不顺遂，罹患了严重忧郁症，伴随被害妄想症、人格分裂症；弟弟叛逆让父母伤透脑筋；父亲三兄弟由于奶奶过世、分家问题产生怨嫉，彼此嫌隙曰渐加深等。身为家中的一分子，我想透过妙法，转变家族的不幸。
姐姐的忧郁症，父母以为是中邪，到处求神问卜，曰复一曰，每况愈下。前辈告诉我一定要鼓励妈妈开口唱题，于是我向妈妈提起佛法，妈妈因北开口唱题，为了姐姐、弟弟而真心祈求。
由于爸爸工作不顺，心情烦躁，常常打姐姐出气，有一天，妈妈打电话向我哭诉，说姐姐离家出走了。
心慌意乱之际，前辈鼓励我，在这重要时刻，唯有唱题才有解决办法。我鼓励妈妈一定要和我同心祈念，并请彰化的妇人部照顾妈妈。
我隔天刚好休假，于是从晚上11点唱题到隔天凌晨四点，白天稍微休息，又持续唱题。我全力祈求姐姐赶快回家，一定要平安无事故。在题目与御本尊守护下，姐姐失踪的第三天晚上回到家。
这个初信的功德，加深了我的确信。姐姐也因按时吃药，精神遂渐恢复。诚如御书所云：“行解既勤，三障四魔，纷然竞起。”（御书949页）爸爸强力反对信仰，百般阻挠妈妈参加学会活动，妈妈屈服于爸爸的暴力之下，不再唱趣与活动，回到尔前信仰。
医生提议，姐姐应多接触正面团体及保持乐观思考，但弟弟结交损友，赌博、打架、负债、跟父母伸手要钱，父亲听信算命师的言语，怪罪风水问题，为此花费将近百万治理祖先风水，家庭气氛吵吵闹闹，姐姐的病情曰益严重。
在这当中，我从台北转往台中，在手工艺品店里从事美工相关工作。一得空，便回家里，陪伴妈妈。姐妲的病情时好时坏，有时失眠，在房里来回踱步，有时躺在床上睁眼瞪我，有时唱京剧、比莲花指，看了令人心疼。
身处困境，我坚持唱题，曾经一天唱了八小时题目。有一天。爸爸情绪大爆发，痛打姐姐，妈妈在朋友的建议下，将姐姐安置在寺庙里。
两天后，妈妈前往探视，看到姐妲竟然被庙方以扫把鞭打，妈妈严厉询问，对方振振有词地表示，唯有如此才能驱走姐姐身上的魔，于是，妈妈将姐姐接回家。
长期处在这种痛苦的环境下，父母身心俱疲，竟然有轻生的念头。某天，妈妈头撞墙壁，爸爸也准备喝农药自杀，所幸在家人制止下，才不致酿成悲剧。
由于妲姐的病情过于严重，医生建议，最好将她安置在精神疗奍院。但是姐姐不肯听从，妈妈犹豫不决。于是我鼓励姐姐为自己的病业开口唱题，我也与妈妈一同强盛祈求有最好的方式解决眼前的难题。果真，二姐成为诸天，将姐姐接去家中，让她安心静养。
为了转换家族家爆的不幸宿命，我拼命祈求，也认真投入学会活动，不断接受使命，决意以使命转换宿命。
三个月后，大姐的精神状况好转，能够重返工作岗位，内心的喜悦笔墨难以形容。之后，妲姐找到共度一生的伴侣，生下一个健康的儿了，一家和乐。
困难重重
弟弟从小受宠，养成茶来伸手、饭来张口的习性，养尊处优。后因结交损友，不时向父母要钱，要不到钱就威胁父母，加上长期工作不顺，沉迷线上游戏，成了标准的宅男。
虽然家中困难重重，但我对画画的热忱丝毫未减，为了挑战弟弟的事，及实现梦想，我回到员林，一面工作，一面朝着梦想前进。
我每周六到画室学习，星期一至五则每天以六至八小时临樣画作及素描练习，累积扎实的实力。然而，因进修费用、画具、画册等开销惊人，因此想找一份教授绘画的工作维持生计。但由于没有任何门路，而且只有髙职学历，找了一个多月，迟迟没有进展，自信全失。家人劝我放弃，父亲更是一路反对到底，让我惶恐不安，带着沮丧心情向前辈哭诉，前辈鼓励我：
“我们信仰的妙法是祈无不遂的，一定要认真祈求，直到胜利为止。”
为了要展现实证，我立下每天三小时题目，以才艺工作为目标，第三个月，希望浮现， 一家才艺公司应征美术老师，但条件是本科系大学毕业，我虽是芙术科系，但学历受限，内心忐忑。
应征前我唱了六小时题目，果真顺利入选，此后我开始前往幼儿园、国小教授绘画及捏塑。生计虽有了着落，但创作的火焰始终燃烧着，而公司的教学范围遍及全彰化县，加上同业的竞争及作品精致化，自己创作进度、插画工作严重落后，长时间跑课让我感到疲惫，常常备课到深夜，身体逐渐发出警讯。
当时正值暑期活动期间，投入运营、家访过程中，深受鼓励，决定以不输的精神朝着目标前进。我鼓起勇气向老扳提出改为兼职的想法，遭到回绝，只好离职。
找工作期间，我积极参加学会活动，决意一定要在现今所在之处获得胜利，成为太阳，光辉灿烂，打幵困境。池田先生指导：“只要向着目标全力以赴，也许短期之内毫无成果，最后必将结实累累。这是人生不变的原则。切勿忽喜忽忧，至要之事是在有生之年，不断地、努力地奔向自己的目标。”
桃战工作课题的同时，弟弟的性情变得更加残暴，要不到钱就饱以老拳。屋漏偏逢连夜雨，妹妹也面临公司倒闭的危机。
2010年过年，大家吃完年夜饭后，弟弟竞索钱赌博，爸妈不停地劝导，弟弟如发狂似地跑到楼下厨房拿菜刀，冲到二楼走廊威胁我们，限我们三分钟内必须准备三万元，否则后果自行负责。
我与父母躲在房间不敢出来，内心不断唱题。最后，我鼓起勇气与弟弟沟通，情况终于缓和，弟弟虽坦承自己有错，但无法自拔，最后还是出门赌博。那夜，我与妈妈彻夜唱题，决心以题目战胜一切。
妹姝在我和妈奶的鼓励下，信受妙法，公司决定结续营运，三年后，顺利顶让。2011年，我与妈妈每天以四小时题目为弟弟祈求。但弟弟如一颗不定时炸弹，在在考验我们的信心。
2011年12月中旬，弟弟再次向父亲拿钱不成，手拿着脱鞋及棍子殴打父亲，母亲为了保护父亲也浑身是伤，从客斤跑到骑楼，弟弟方才停止动粗。
当晚，我进修回家时，看到父母皆伤痕累累，内心愤怒不已，拍照存证，打算走法律途径，甚至打电话给防暴专线，不过，我明白终归要回到信心的原点，唯有题目的力量才能战胜可怕的宿业。
当时正逢地区总会如火如茶进行，我决意以使命转换宿命。向前辈诉说家中状况，前辈鼓励我，要唱感谢的题目。回到家，我与妈妈满怀着感谢开始唱题，感谢弟弟扮演这样的角色，让我们成长。一念的转变，一切都往好的方向转变。此外，我一有机会，就与弟弟沟通，鼓励他找出自已的长处，努力改变现状。
为了家计，妈妈转向经营果园，种菜及芭乐，芭乐经过不断改良，做出口碑，也上网销售，“芭乐嫂”之名不胫而去，弟弟也会到果园帮忙。2013年，妈妈病倒，爸爸终于懂得珍惜，停止家暴，迎来希望之春。
2014年，正当我为总会努力，以创作参加比赛，并唱完700万遍题目，朝着800万遍题目前进之际，弟弟有了巨大转变。
他决定不再无所事事，请我帮忙寻找工作机会，透过题目祈求，他找到一份稳定的工作，领到薪水时，他只留下五千元当生活费，其余交给父母，从此戒赌，甚至劝导朋友们，赌博害人匪浅，千万不要轻易尝试。如今，弟弟结婚生子， 一家幸福美满。
目前我在早餐店兼职，正当我有意要到其他家画室应征兼差时，接到老东家打来的电话，请我回去教画画，还准许我长期兼差，当下开心不已，面对御本尊唱着感谢题目。同时，老板提髙我的钟点费，赞赏我的实力。前年首次参加意大利波隆那插画比赛，虽然没入选，但今年我决心全力以赴再度参赛。
池田先生曾指导：“无法忍耐，就没有幸福。唯有历经苦恼之雨的烦恼，才能映出菩提的彩虹。”未来希塑无限，筑梦踏实，梦想高飞！
［宇宙月刊 2016年4月号］
Zhang Shu Qin
Taiwan
Gazing up, sunlight pierces through the leaves, life is in abundance, the birds are chirping with lively tunes on trees lush with green foliage, the incessant sound of the flowing streams, nature is ever so lucid, like an oil painting for me to display creativity. As Mr Ikeda said, “Nature stays still, but man moves. Nature is unchanging, but man changes at every moment. Through the clear mirror of nature, we can see the depths of the human heart and the breadth of human nature and life.”
I liked to be with nature since young. I liked drawing and the happiest moments were those spent doodling under a big tree. The seeds of the aspiration to become a professional arts teacher started here. However, the realities of life at times nearly suffocated me to the point that this dream seemed so unreachable.
Someone once said, “The climax of life does not lie at the moment we achieved our dreams but lies in our persistence to stay on the path towards our aspiration.” The road of growing up is not just the distance in between, but an experience and to me, dreams are actually a form of decision.
I am fortunate that in the process of building my dreams, I took faith in the mystic law. I had the support and companionship of the sisters in Kayo-kai and the warm encouragement of the adult divisions. Because of them, I had the courage to challenge the realities of life and advanced steadfastly along the path towards my dream. Words cannot describe how moved and grateful I am. I wanted to shout out, “I am the most fortunate queen on earth!”
The Journey of Painting
I grew up in a big family with five siblings. My family lived in a Chinese style house together with my uncles. With more than twenty members living under one roof, family life was always abuzz and noisy. My father and his two brothers worked in the same construction company and my mother followed them around, working long hours every day.
Although we did not have worry about finances, we lived in familial violence. My father would beat my mother whenever things did not go the way he wanted. We would also receive the full scale of his wrath and had to kneel in the middle of the night as punishment. So we were very fearful of my father.
When I was in primary one, I slipped and fell from a tree while playing. The leaves and branches covered all over me and nobody knew what happened until our family dog alerted my grandmother who found me. I was rushed to hospital and had to undergo surgery as I suffered a concussion. It was a narrow escape as the doctor said that if I had arrived at the hospital half an hour later, I would not be able to regain consciousness.
Because of this accident, my parents felt that I am not smart and allowed me to do what I liked and so I could continue what I liked most – drawing and painting.
Upon graduating from secondary school, I enrolled in an Arts course in Taipei and stayed at my aunt’s house. The three year course gave me a solid foundation in drawing. Upon graduation, I was admitted to Taiwan Arts Institution (now called National Arts University of Taiwan).
University life was supposed to be interesting and colourful, but I faced a bottleneck in my course. I was a perfectionist and gave myself too much pressure. This descended into depression and I decided to leave the University after failing to make a breakthrough.
At that time, a professor encouraged me, “Leaving school does not mean you have lost the passion to draw. So long as you are ready, you can always draw again.”
I started to work as a sale person in a bakery shop. My supervisor was very impressed with my serious attitude at work and when the company opened a new branch, I was promoted to branch head.
There are mystical encounters in life. My life underwent 180 degrees change because of one sentence from my supervisor. She said, “No matter what worries you face, as long as you chant the daimoku, wisdom will well forth from your life and the best solution will emerge.” So I took faith just like that, chanting five to ten minutes daimoku daily and took part in Gakkai activities.
At that time, I had many problems and worries. My elder sister suffered from severe depression due to her job and relationship issues and leading to bipolar disorder. My younger brother’s rebellious nature constantly troubled my parents and after my grandmother passed away, my father and his brothers fell out due to jealousy over inheritance issues. As a member of the family, I hoped to transform the misfortunes of the family through the mystic law.
My parents thought that my elder sister’s condition was caused by her being possessed by evil spirits and they went to many mediums and temples to ask for remedies. However, things simply got worse as the days went by. My seniors in faith asked me to shakubuku my mother. As such, I shared Buddhism with my mother and she began to chant and pray sincerely for the sake of my brother and sister.
As my father was also facing problems at work, he became very bad tempered and beat my elder sister frequently whenever he was in a foul mood. One day, my mother called me and told me in between sobs that my elder sister had run away from home.
Just as I was wondering what to do, my seniors encouraged me that this was the crucial moment and that only by chanting daimoku could we solve the problems. I asked my mother that we must chant together in one mind and I also requested the Women division in my district to take care of my mother.
I happened to have taken leave from work the following day. So I chanted from 11pm at night till 4am the following morning. I rested for a while in the day before I continued to chant again. I prayed whole heartedly that my elder sister would return home as soon as possible and that she would be safe and sound. Under the protection of the Gohonzon and the diamoku, my elder sister returned home on the third night.
My conviction in the Gohonzon strengthened after this initial actual proof. My elder sister’s mental condition gradually improved as she started to take medicine regularly. As the gosho teaches, “As practice and understanding deepen, the three obstacles and four devils will surface, vying with one another.” (Page 99). My father strongly opposed to this faith and used different ways and means to stop my mother from attending Gakkai activities. My mother relented under my father’s threats and stopped chanting and attending activities completely and returned to provisional practices.
The doctor advised that my elder sister come in contact with organisations which conduct healthy and positive activities and to be optimistic in outlook. However, my younger brother mixed with bad company and indulged in gambling, fighting, accumulated debts and asked my parents for money often. My father also listened to the words of a fortune teller and blamed the misfortunes on fungshui. He spent close to a million dollar to fix the fungshui of the ancestors tombs and this caused much conflicts in the family. My elder sister’s condition deteriorated by the day.
In the meantime, I changed my job which was now based in Taichung. This job involved the sale of art pieces in a shop. As long as I have some time to spare, I would return home to keep my mother company. My elder sister’s illness was still unstable. She still suffered from insomnia. When she was awake, she would walk around her room, at times, she would stare at me on her bed and at other times, she would sing Chinese Opera. It pained me to see her in this condition.
In the midst of it all, I persisted with my chanting. I even chanted 8 hours in a day once. One day, my father blew his top and beat my sister severely. On the advice of my mother’s friend, we moved my elder sister to live in a temple.
Two days later, when my mother paid her a visit, she saw the temple in-charge using a broom to hit my sister. She demanded an explanation and the in-charge claimed that this was the only way to rid my sister of the evil spirits from her body. Unconvinced, my mother brought my sister home.
After enduring such suffering for long periods, my parents were drained physically and emotionally. They attempted suicide. One day, my mother knocked her head on the wall while my father was about to drink pesticide to kill himself. Fortunately, these were discovered in time before tragedy happened.
As my elder sister’s condition was very serious, the doctor suggested that she stay in a mental rehabilitation home. My sister resisted the idea and my mother was at a loss. I encouraged my sister to start chanting to change her illness karma. At the same time, my mother and I also prayed fervently in one mind for the best solution to this urgent matter. My second sister became our Shoten Zenshin and agreed to allow my elder sister to stay her house to recuperate.
In order to transform the familial violence karma, I prayed seriously and also took part in Gakkai activities. I kept taking on new missions and responsibilities, determined to transform karma into mission. Three months later, my elder sister’s mental condition improved so much that she could return to work. I was joyous beyond words. Thereafter, she found a partner in life and gave birth to a healthy baby son. She is now living in harmony with her family.
Beset with Problems
My brother was pampered since young and was spoilt through and through. When he became older, he mixed with bad company and constantly asked for money from my parents. When they refused, he threatened them. In addition, he has always had problems holding on to a stable job. More recently, he was addicted to online gaming and stayed at home most of the time.
The problems at home did not make me lose my passion for painting. In order to challenge my brother’s problems and to fulfil my ambition, I returned to Yuanlin. As I worked, I advanced towards my goal.
I attended painting lessons on Saturdays and applied the techniques I learnt on Mondays to Fridays in order to build a solid foundation. As the cost of the art accessories and lesson fees were exorbitant, I decided to look for a teaching position to support the expenses. As I did not have any contacts and with only high school qualifications, I did not make much progress after more than a month and lost all self-confidence. My parents told me to give up and my father has always been objecting to my career path, making me very distraught. With tears, I sought my seniors. They said, “In this mystic law, all prayers will definitely be answered. You must pray seriously until you gain victory.”
Determined to show actual proof, I set a daily target of three hours of daimoku with the prayer of landing a job in the creative arts industry. In the third month, hope surfaced. A creative arts company advertised for an art teacher, but the pre-requisite is to have a degree in the Arts but I only have a diploma. So I felt very nervous before the job interview.
I chanted 6 hours of daimoku before the interview and I got the job! From then on, I was attached to kindergartens and primary schools. Although I have put financial difficulties behind me, my passion for creating artworks continued to burn passionately. On the other hand, my job scope required me to travel around the whole of ZhangHua province. In order to juggle between work and pursuing personal interests, I had to work late till the middle of the night almost daily. My body began to show signs of strain.
My seniors paid me a home visit one day during the summer break. With their strong encouragement, I decided to advance toward my goal with the spirit of staying undefeated. I plucked up the courage to make a request from my boss to allow me to switch my job to a part time basis. This was flatly rejected and I left the teaching job.
In the midst of finding a job, I participated actively in Gakkai activities. I am determined to show victory wherever I am and become the bright sun, breaking through deadlocks. Mr Ikeda teaches, “So long as we pour all our energies toward achieving our goals, maybe we cannot see results immediately but in the long run, we will see the bumper harvest. This is the unchanging principle in life. Do not allow yourself to be swayed by little things that happened. The most important thing is to continue to work towards your goal assiduously for the rest of your life.”
As I was challenging job issues, my brother became increasingly violent. When he could not get money from my parents, he would use his fists. As the saying goes, “The roof leaks in a downpour that does not stop.” My younger sister’s company also faced the crisis of liquidation.
After reunion dinner on 2010, my brother asked us for money to gamble. My parents tried to counsel him but he flew into a rage and grabbed a chopper from the kitchen to threaten all of us that if we did not hand over 30, 000 dollars within 3 minutes, we had to face the consequences.
My parents and I hid in our bedroom, chanting daimoku in our hearts. In the end, I plucked up the courage to speak with my brother. The stand-off was defused finally. Although he admitted that he was in the wrong, my brother could not resist the temptation and went out to gamble after all. That night, my mother and I chanted the whole night, determined to use daimoku to overcome all difficulties.
My younger sister took faith at the encouragement of my mother and I. She decided to end the business of the company and it was bought over by another owner three years later. In 2011, my mother and I chanted 4 hours of daimoku daily for my brother. But my brother was a ticking time bomb, and gave a stern test of our faith.
In the mid-December 2011, my brother again failed to get money from my father. He hit my father with slippers and a pole. In order to shield my father, my mother suffered injuries all over her body, just like my father. My brother only stopped his madness after giving chase from living room to corridor.
That night, when I returned home from class, I found my parents covered with bruises and injuries. I was very furious and took photographs as proof and called the police to report the case. However, I knew that I needed to return to the prime point of faith and only the power of the daimoku can overcome the frightening karmic ties.
It took place at the time when the preparation for the district general meeting was in full swing and I resolved to transform karma into mission. I disclosed my family situation to my seniors and they told me to chant gratitude–filled daimoku. Upon returning home, my mother and I began to chant the daimoku that was filled with appreciation. We thanked my brother for playing this role so that we would grow. Once our ichinen changes, everything started to change in the positive direction. Besides, whenever opportunities arose, I would have dialogue with my brother and encouraged him to identify his strengths and work hard to change the current situation.
In order to support the family, my mother ran a fruit and vegetable farm. The produce was continuously improved and became very popular and it was even sold online. She became known as Mrs BaLe. My brother also helped out at the farm. In 2013, my mother fell ill and my father finally knew how to cherish my mother, stopping all familial violence, thus ushering in the spring of hope.
In 2014, I was busy preparing for the general meeting as well as submitting my art work for a competition. I had just completed 700 million daimoku and as I was moving towards the target of 800 million, my brother underwent a huge turnaround. He decided not to idle around and asked me to find him job opportunities. Through chanting, he found a stable job. After he received his first salary, he only left 5000 dollars for himself and gave the rest to my mother. He not only gave up gambling but also shared with his friends the harm that gambling brings and exhorted them not to try it. Now, he was married with his own children and has a happy family.
Currently, I was working part-time at a fast food restaurant and just as I was contemplating applying for a position in an art gallery, my ex-boss called me. He wanted me to go back teaching arts and this time he allowed me to do so part-time on a permanent basis! I was overjoyed and chanted to the Gohonzon with a deep sense of gratitude. Not only that, my hourly wage was increased, a clear acknowledgement of my talent. Two years ago, I had taken part in an art competition in Italy, Bologna. Although my entry was not accepted, I was very determined to do my best and take part in it again this year.
Mr Ikeda once taught, “If there is no forbearance, there is no happiness. Only by experiencing the storm of suffering and hardship can we witness the rainbow of enlightenment.”
The future of hope is boundless, as long as we steadfastly construct our dreams, they will take flight!
[Cosmic Monthly April 2016]
Translation Disclaimer: The original testimonial is in the Chinese Language. It has been translated to the English Language for our readers’ convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however the editorial team acknowledged that the translation may not be perfect to the author’s original and seeks our readers understanding. Please note that all guidance and quotes are loosely translated.
(编辑注释: 以上是中英翻译，原版如下.)
梦想高飞
张淑琴
台湾
抬头一看，叶缝中阳光闪烁，生机盎然，大树葱郁茂盛，鸟儿在树梢歌唱，潺潺的溪流声不绝于耳，自然是如此的鲜明，如同一幅画布，让我尽情地挥洒。诚如池田先生所说：“自然不动，但人会动。自然不变，而人却时时刻刻地在改变。透过自然这面明镜，我们能凝视内心深处、人类本质和生命的宽广度。”
从小便与大自然为伍，喜爱画画，在大树下涂鸦成了生活中最快乐的事，成为专业美术老师的梦想在心中萌芽滋长。然而曾几何时，严峻的现实生活压得我快喘不过气来，梦想似乎遥不可及。
有人说：“人生最精彩的不是抵达梦想的瞬间，而是坚持走在梦想道路上的过程。”成长旳路上，不仅是距离，而是一种经历，梦想更是一种决定。
我很庆幸在筑梦的过程里，信受妙法，有华阳姐妹们的鼓励陪伴，以及壮妇部给予的关心支持，使我勇气倍增，面对现实山挑战，踏实地朝着梦想前进，内心的感动与感谢不言而喻，不禁想呐喊：“我是最幸福的女王！”
绘画之路
生长在大家庭，五个孩子，加上与伯父、叔叔们同住在三合院，二十几个亲戚齐聚一堂，异常热闹。父亲三兄弟一同从事建筑工作，母亲也跟着东奔西跑，镇曰早出晚归。
我们虽不愁吃穿，却活在家暴中。父亲只要看不顺眼，便殴打母亲，我们也成了出气筒，常常半夜被叫起床罚跪，对父亲的恐惧占满胸怀。
小学一年级，某天爬树游玩，不慎跌落在地，满地枝叶将我覆盖，没人知悉，直到家里养的狗发现，将奶奶引来，才发现了我。紧急送医后，因头部裂伤，动完手术后，总算捡回一条小命。医生表示，若再晚个半小时，就可能变成植物人。
因为这个缘故，父母认为我的脑筋不好，让我自由发展，得以持续我旳最爱画画。
中学毕业后，北上就读复兴商工美工科，寄住在姑姑家。三年的艺术课程，奠定扎实的绘画基础，毕业后，我顺利考取台湾艺术学院（现为国立台湾艺术大学）。
大学生活本应多采多姿，但在绘画的路上，我却遇到了瓶颈，因为求好心切，压力过大，导致忧郁症状，迟迟无法突破的情况下，我选择了休学。
当时，有一位教授鼓励我：“离开学校不代表失去对画画的热情，只要你准备好，随时可以再次拿起笔画画。”
之后，我投入职场，在面包店担任销售人员，我工作非常认真，受到主管的肯定，公司开分店时，我晋升为店长。
人的际遇非常奇妙，因为主营的一句话，我的人生有了180度的转变。
她说：“不论遇到任何烦恼，只要透过唱题，一定会涌现智慧，以最好的方法解决。”于是我单纯入信，每天唱题五至十分钟，并参加学会活动。
当时有许多烦恼，大姐因工作、感情不顺遂，罹患了严重忧郁症，伴随被害妄想症、人格分裂症；弟弟叛逆让父母伤透脑筋；父亲三兄弟由于奶奶过世、分家问题产生怨嫉，彼此嫌隙曰渐加深等。身为家中的一分子，我想透过妙法，转变家族的不幸。
姐姐的忧郁症，父母以为是中邪，到处求神问卜，曰复一曰，每况愈下。前辈告诉我一定要鼓励妈妈开口唱题，于是我向妈妈提起佛法，妈妈因北开口唱题，为了姐姐、弟弟而真心祈求。
由于爸爸工作不顺，心情烦躁，常常打姐姐出气，有一天，妈妈打电话向我哭诉，说姐姐离家出走了。
心慌意乱之际，前辈鼓励我，在这重要时刻，唯有唱题才有解决办法。我鼓励妈妈一定要和我同心祈念，并请彰化的妇人部照顾妈妈。
我隔天刚好休假，于是从晚上11点唱题到隔天凌晨四点，白天稍微休息，又持续唱题。我全力祈求姐姐赶快回家，一定要平安无事故。在题目与御本尊守护下，姐姐失踪的第三天晚上回到家。
这个初信的功德，加深了我的确信。姐姐也因按时吃药，精神遂渐恢复。诚如御书所云：“行解既勤，三障四魔，纷然竞起。”（御书949页）爸爸强力反对信仰，百般阻挠妈妈参加学会活动，妈妈屈服于爸爸的暴力之下，不再唱趣与活动，回到尔前信仰。
医生提议，姐姐应多接触正面团体及保持乐观思考，但弟弟结交损友，赌博、打架、负债、跟父母伸手要钱，父亲听信算命师的言语，怪罪风水问题，为此花费将近百万治理祖先风水，家庭气氛吵吵闹闹，姐姐的病情曰益严重。
在这当中，我从台北转往台中，在手工艺品店里从事美工相关工作。一得空，便回家里，陪伴妈妈。姐妲的病情时好时坏，有时失眠，在房里来回踱步，有时躺在床上睁眼瞪我，有时唱京剧、比莲花指，看了令人心疼。
身处困境，我坚持唱题，曾经一天唱了八小时题目。有一天。爸爸情绪大爆发，痛打姐姐，妈妈在朋友的建议下，将姐姐安置在寺庙里。
两天后，妈妈前往探视，看到姐妲竟然被庙方以扫把鞭打，妈妈严厉询问，对方振振有词地表示，唯有如此才能驱走姐姐身上的魔，于是，妈妈将姐姐接回家。
长期处在这种痛苦的环境下，父母身心俱疲，竟然有轻生的念头。某天，妈妈头撞墙壁，爸爸也准备喝农药自杀，所幸在家人制止下，才不致酿成悲剧。
由于妲姐的病情过于严重，医生建议，最好将她安置在精神疗奍院。但是姐姐不肯听从，妈妈犹豫不决。于是我鼓励姐姐为自己的病业开口唱题，我也与妈妈一同强盛祈求有最好的方式解决眼前的难题。果真，二姐成为诸天，将姐姐接去家中，让她安心静养。
为了转换家族家爆的不幸宿命，我拼命祈求，也认真投入学会活动，不断接受使命，决意以使命转换宿命。
三个月后，大姐的精神状况好转，能够重返工作岗位，内心的喜悦笔墨难以形容。之后，妲姐找到共度一生的伴侣，生下一个健康的儿了，一家和乐。
困难重重
弟弟从小受宠，养成茶来伸手、饭来张口的习性，养尊处优。后因结交损友，不时向父母要钱，要不到钱就威胁父母，加上长期工作不顺，沉迷线上游戏，成了标准的宅男。
虽然家中困难重重，但我对画画的热忱丝毫未减，为了挑战弟弟的事，及实现梦想，我回到员林，一面工作，一面朝着梦想前进。
我每周六到画室学习，星期一至五则每天以六至八小时临樣画作及素描练习，累积扎实的实力。然而，因进修费用、画具、画册等开销惊人，因此想找一份教授绘画的工作维持生计。但由于没有任何门路，而且只有髙职学历，找了一个多月，迟迟没有进展，自信全失。家人劝我放弃，父亲更是一路反对到底，让我惶恐不安，带着沮丧心情向前辈哭诉，前辈鼓励我：
“我们信仰的妙法是祈无不遂的，一定要认真祈求，直到胜利为止。”
为了要展现实证，我立下每天三小时题目，以才艺工作为目标，第三个月，希望浮现， 一家才艺公司应征美术老师，但条件是本科系大学毕业，我虽是芙术科系，但学历受限，内心忐忑。
应征前我唱了六小时题目，果真顺利入选，此后我开始前往幼儿园、国小教授绘画及捏塑。生计虽有了着落，但创作的火焰始终燃烧着，而公司的教学范围遍及全彰化县，加上同业的竞争及作品精致化，自己创作进度、插画工作严重落后，长时间跑课让我感到疲惫，常常备课到深夜，身体逐渐发出警讯。
当时正值暑期活动期间，投入运营、家访过程中，深受鼓励，决定以不输的精神朝着目标前进。我鼓起勇气向老扳提出改为兼职的想法，遭到回绝，只好离职。
找工作期间，我积极参加学会活动，决意一定要在现今所在之处获得胜利，成为太阳，光辉灿烂，打幵困境。池田先生指导：“只要向着目标全力以赴，也许短期之内毫无成果，最后必将结实累累。这是人生不变的原则。切勿忽喜忽忧，至要之事是在有生之年，不断地、努力地奔向自己的目标。”
桃战工作课题的同时，弟弟的性情变得更加残暴，要不到钱就饱以老拳。屋漏偏逢连夜雨，妹妹也面临公司倒闭的危机。
2010年过年，大家吃完年夜饭后，弟弟竞索钱赌博，爸妈不停地劝导，弟弟如发狂似地跑到楼下厨房拿菜刀，冲到二楼走廊威胁我们，限我们三分钟内必须准备三万元，否则后果自行负责。
我与父母躲在房间不敢出来，内心不断唱题。最后，我鼓起勇气与弟弟沟通，情况终于缓和，弟弟虽坦承自己有错，但无法自拔，最后还是出门赌博。那夜，我与妈妈彻夜唱题，决心以题目战胜一切。
妹姝在我和妈奶的鼓励下，信受妙法，公司决定结续营运，三年后，顺利顶让。2011年，我与妈妈每天以四小时题目为弟弟祈求。但弟弟如一颗不定时炸弹，在在考验我们的信心。
2011年12月中旬，弟弟再次向父亲拿钱不成，手拿着脱鞋及棍子殴打父亲，母亲为了保护父亲也浑身是伤，从客斤跑到骑楼，弟弟方才停止动粗。
当晚，我进修回家时，看到父母皆伤痕累累，内心愤怒不已，拍照存证，打算走法律途径，甚至打电话给防暴专线，不过，我明白终归要回到信心的原点，唯有题目的力量才能战胜可怕的宿业。
当时正逢地区总会如火如茶进行，我决意以使命转换宿命。向前辈诉说家中状况，前辈鼓励我，要唱感谢的题目。回到家，我与妈妈满怀着感谢开始唱题，感谢弟弟扮演这样的角色，让我们成长。一念的转变，一切都往好的方向转变。此外，我一有机会，就与弟弟沟通，鼓励他找出自已的长处，努力改变现状。
为了家计，妈妈转向经营果园，种菜及芭乐，芭乐经过不断改良，做出口碑，也上网销售，“芭乐嫂”之名不胫而去，弟弟也会到果园帮忙。2013年，妈妈病倒，爸爸终于懂得珍惜，停止家暴，迎来希望之春。
2014年，正当我为总会努力，以创作参加比赛，并唱完700万遍题目，朝着800万遍题目前进之际，弟弟有了巨大转变。
他决定不再无所事事，请我帮忙寻找工作机会，透过题目祈求，他找到一份稳定的工作，领到薪水时，他只留下五千元当生活费，其余交给父母，从此戒赌，甚至劝导朋友们，赌博害人匪浅，千万不要轻易尝试。如今，弟弟结婚生子， 一家幸福美满。
目前我在早餐店兼职，正当我有意要到其他家画室应征兼差时，接到老东家打来的电话，请我回去教画画，还准许我长期兼差，当下开心不已，面对御本尊唱着感谢题目。同时，老板提髙我的钟点费，赞赏我的实力。前年首次参加意大利波隆那插画比赛，虽然没入选，但今年我决心全力以赴再度参赛。
池田先生曾指导：“无法忍耐，就没有幸福。唯有历经苦恼之雨的烦恼，才能映出菩提的彩虹。”未来希塑无限，筑梦踏实，梦想高飞！
［宇宙月刊 2016年4月号］