My Religious Experience:

by Shoryo Tarabini

I began practicing Nichiren Buddhism when I was 15 years old. Maybe this does not seem so unusual, but I began it amidst great opposition from my parents, family and friends.

I was born into a Jewish and Catholic family. My grandfather (who also later converted to Nichiren Buddhism) had studied to be a cantor in the synagogue, and in Italy a number of relatives were either Catholic nuns or priests. My family has always been rather devoted to Western religious faith. I myself also was a devote practitioner and attended religious school since I was a young child. My family always taught me to maintain and protect my family's traditions. So naturally, when I decided to take faith in Buddhism, it caused a bit of a stir within the family, to say the least.

However while I was attending High School, a friend had encountered the Lotus Sutra and started chanting the Odaimoku. He seemed to brighten up and become happier after taking faith. I was impressed, but had no intention of giving up my own religious background and becoming a practitioner of Buddhism. Well, at least so I thought.

I was very hesitant to try any other religion other than my own. I had been taught since I was a young child that if I practice another religion, I would be punished by God and then fall into hell. My friend, however, asked me again to just try chanting "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo." I finally gave in, and tried reciting the Odaimoku just to appease him.

Together with my friend, I slowly began to chant "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo." I was expecting God to send down bolts of lightening to punish me. After chanting the first Odaimoku, I looked up. However, strangely enough, there was no lightening. Instead after reciting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo a single time, I experienced a nice feeling inside, something I had never expected. I tried reciting the Odaimoku once more, again imagining that lightening would strike me. But again, instead of the lightening a wonderful warm feeling welled up inside me.

At that point, I decided to set aside what I had been taught about maintaining only the traditions of my family religion and explore more of the Odaimoku. The more I chanted "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo," the more I felt that wonderful feeling, as if I was going home.

The next time I chanted the Odaimoku was in front of the Mandala Gohonzon. When I chanted the Odaimoku this time, I felt not only that warm feeling again, but great power and goodness.

I knew now that I had encountered the religion which I must embrace for the rest of my life. And so, I immediately decided to abandon my family's old religious traditions and devote my life to Buddhism. The numerous wonderful experiences that followed created within me even greater and more powerful feelings and enormous confidence. So much so, that I later decided to continue my devotion to Buddhist faith as a priest.

By S.T.

Bulletin Lotus #29