Cherishing Every Encounter to Bring Many People Happiness by Guiding Them Toward the Buddha’s Teachings
Rissho Kosei-kai of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Ms. Bayanjav Oyungerel
When and how did you join Rissho Kosei-kai?
In 2015, guided by my eldest daughter’s mother-in-law, I joined Rissho Kosei-kai, and I am very grateful for that today.
The moment I heard her say “a Japanese Buddhist organization,” memories of my husband undergoing surgery for a brain tumor at a Japanese hospital in 2007 came flooding back. My husband was left with some paralysis after his surgery, but he is in good health now and doing very well. Since that time, I have felt a very close connection to Japan and to the Japanese people. Because of these circumstances, I was grateful to become a member of Rissho Kosei-kai.
Please share any experiences you have had since joining Rissho Kosei-kai in which the Buddha’s teachings helped you change your mindset.
I regard the hoza, or “Dharma circle,” of Rissho Kosei-kai as a place where we learn, together, how to live according to the Buddha’s teachings and as the place where I transformed my heart. Before joining Rissho Kosei-kai, I kept my worries to myself, trying to handle everything on my own. When I sat in a hoza session for the first time, I was truly moved to see everyone in the sangha openly sharing their struggles without holding anything back. When I first joined Rissho Kosei-kai, I was devoting myself wholeheartedly to caring for my husband, helping him with his daily life, and I was quite exhausted, both physically and mentally. I thought, “This is just how I feel, so there is no point in telling anyone. . . . After all, this is my life.” Due to my strong sense of self and my competitive nature, I kept my feelings to myself and could not bring myself to confide in anyone. However, during the hoza session, the senior leaders and members of the sangha gently reached out to me, saying things like, “It must have been hard for you up until now,” and “You’ve done a great job persevering on your own.” Their encouragement allowed me to honestly pour out what was in my heart. Speaking honestly helped me start thinking positively about things, and my mind became peaceful.
That hoza was a major turning point in your life, wasn’t it?
As I listened to members speak at hoza, I came to deeply reflect on the fact that, out of concern for my husband, who needs assistance, I had failed to understand his desire to do things for himself. My misguided approach—trying to do everything for him—had actually been making him uncomfortable. Since then, I have respected my husband’s wishes, letting him handle whatever he can on his own and offering support only for the things he cannot do. I assist him only when necessary for his daily activities, striving to ensure that daily life itself serves as part of his rehabilitation. After shifting my mindset by changing my own thoughts and attitudes through the teachings, my relationship with my husband has improved. Now, whenever I see my husband helping with the housework, I feel confident and joyful, and most importantly, he has come to support my practice in Rissho Kosei-kai.
While learning the Buddha’s teachings, are there any points you keep in your mind?
“Everything is interconnected”—this teaching, dependent origination, is what I feel most personally in my daily life. Also, precisely because everything exists through interdependence, I am interested in the teaching “all things are nonself,” that is, nothing exists independently or on its own. There is a famous proverb in Mongolia that says, “One person alone does not make a family, and a single log cannot keep a fire burning.” This proverb illustrates how cooperation and unity are essential among family and companions in Mongolia’s harsh natural environment and nomadic way of life. At the same time, I realized the proverb shares many commonalities with the concepts of interdependence as taught in the truth of dependent origination and the doctrine of “all things are nonself.” And I was reminded once again that we do not live alone, but rather that we are sustained by helping and supporting one another within the bonds and relationships we share with our families and those around us.
What do you find most appealing about Rissho Kosei-kai?
I believe that the sutra recitation of Rissho Kosei-kai is an important practice that helps us recognize the preciousness of life, which we have inherited from our ancestors. Every morning and evening, whenever I offer sutra recitation, I feel an indescribable sense of refreshment, and I always express my gratitude to the Buddha and my ancestors. In Mongolia, many people traditionally practice Tibetan Buddhism, and I used to visit temples to listen to monks chant sutras and explain Buddhist teachings, but since everything was in Tibetan, I could not understand a word. However, what I find appealing about Rissho Kosei-kai is that I can perform sutra recitation using the sutra readings in my native language, Mongolian. I feel truly grateful that I can experience the Buddha’s teachings up close every day and fully understand their meaning. Today, I have come to love reciting sutras, and thankfully, I have even begun reciting the Mongolian-language edition of The Threefold Lotus Sutra. I also read the President’s monthly message with sincere gratitude.
Finally, could you share your current wish and goals for your future practice?
Out of gratitude for having encountered the teachings of Rissho Kosei-kai, I have guided six relatives and friends to the faith.
One of them, my sister-in-law Erdenechimeg, is a diligent person whose buddha nature shines brightly, and she has also received the Dharma Teacher qualification. In the autumn of 2024, my sister-in-law and I received the Gohonzon from Rev. Hidemitsu Suzuki, deputy director of Rissho Kosei-kai International, and enshrined it in our respective homes. I will continue cherishing every single encounter, helping as many people as possible find happiness by guiding them to these precious teachings—that is my greatest wish right now and the goal of my practice. And I hope that, through the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, each and every one of the people I guide will come to realize the noble buddha nature that they inherently possess and let their own lives shine even more brightly.
I am truly happy that this year, together with my son Sanchir and my two grandchildren, I was able to participate in a group pilgrimage for the anniversary of Shakyamuni’s birth, visit the Great Sacred Hall, and learn the Buddha’s teachings. I accept this as a testament to my faith—the result of practicing the teachings of the Buddha and Rissho Kosei-kai in my home—and I am truly grateful. I intend to continue striving every day to put into practice what I have learned at Rissho Kosei-kai, while hoping that my faith will be passed down to my children and grandchildren. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. Shuger Zorigmaa, chapter head of Rissho Kosei-kai of Ulaanbaatar, as well as to the other chapter leaders and all members.
