Duncan Shiek’s adidas were so white, one might wonder if his feet ever touched the ground. Nevertheless, in a tight circle in Hunters West Building lobby this spring, the award winning Buddhist musician spoke to a circle of students about Buddhism, world peace, and music.
Shiek began the hour-long conversation with an introduction to Nichiren Buddhism, which originated in Japan. “I practice chanting every morning Nam myoho renge kyo,” said Shiek. “This basically translates to devotion to the mystic law of the lotus sutra.”
Shiek, a Buddhist for 19 years, told the students that Nichiren Buddhists chant “Nam myoho renge kyo” because it is a declaration to living in the middle path, allowing chanters with faith and understanding of the mystic law to awaken their “full potential” or “Buddha nature.”
Nichiren Daishonan, a Buddhist monk, was born in Japan in 1222 and was persecuted for his philosophy that the government was responsible for helping the suffering population. Nichiren Buddhism was adopted by Japanese educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi to reform Japan’s militaristic educational system into a more humanistic one that could promote the full potential of Japan’s youth. In 1930 he founded the non-government organization Soka Gakkai. Today Soka Gakkai is an international organization for peace with many chapters throughout the world and a website that details their history. Daisaku Ikeda is its third president.
Hunter’s Buddhists for Global Peace club sponsored this event with Soka Gakkai International on March 31st. Surrounded by a visual display of people who have lived for world peace, Shiek and a group of more than 15 students and SGI members openly conversed. Gandhi, King, and Ikeda were present on surrounding poster boards.
“I’m hoping to bring creativity and the teachings of Buddhism to schools,” said Shiek. His own experience studying religion at Brown University led him to discover Buddhism. Shiek’s website has his “list of sins.” He has 11 Tony Award nominations and a 1997 Grammy nomination for best male vocal. He has been recording with Atlantic records for 12 years, releasing five albums. He also composed the original music for the eight-time Tony award winning musical Spring Awakening.
When a student asked his musical influences Shiek joked that he has an “anglo-centric” background. “Talk Talk, Nick Drake, The Beatles, Joy Division, Radiohead” and several other popular artists all shape his style.
This event was one of many events to complete SGI’s March goal of reaching 30,000 youth across America. “We want to awaken world peace,” said SGI volunteer Edgar Del Rosario, 31, a Buddhist for five years and resident of Staten Island, who has a degree in performing arts, “This is an international movement taking place in many schools and community centers around the world.”
One student reached by SGI was Thesenica Eunice Marcus, 22, a Brooklyn resident studying English and German at Hunter, who has personal interests in publishing, writing and music.
“This event has been a happy coincidence for me,” said Marcus after the discussion with Shiek. “I feel like where I am is a good spot. I want to learn more about Buddhism and even try chanting.”
SGI’s website, www.sgi-usa.com, declares, “Happiness is being able to experience profound joy that comes from never being defeated by any problem in life. In fact, we use life’s challenges as catalysts to deepen and expand our inner lives. True happiness results from our efforts to manifest our highest potential: wisdom, compassion, courage and vitality.” Their charter says, “The very survival of the human species hangs in the balance,” and with other cultures and religions they will “work toward the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.”
SGI members in the northeast meet everyday of the week at the New York Culture Center at 7 East 15th Street. There are monthly meetings and events at the center and at member’s homes.
“Our mission is not to make everyone Buddhist,” said Emily Joffee, 24, who was raised a Buddhist and is president of the Buddhists for World Peace club at Hunter. “It’s for world peace through a human revolution. It all starts with a change in our personal lives.” Joffee, a music major, is a singer/songwriter and resident of the Bronx. In a follow up interview she explained how Nichiren Buddhism is unique from other forms of Buddhism. “Nichiren believes that anyone can attain enlightenment, men, women, and children; anyone from any social or economic class,” said Joffee. “Other forms of Buddhism taught that enlightenment could only be attained by the top sector of society while the lower classes should be subservient.”
The Buddhist for World Peace club has been representing SGI at Hunter for five years and has monthly meetings where members watch movies and discuss the foundation and teachings of Nichiren Buddhism. Joffee said the turnout is usually “anywhere from five to twenty students.”
Shiek expanded the discussion of “awakening” world peace. A few students asked about the problems of religious conflicts and another asked how one should deal with “kill or be killed situations.”
Shiek said he was thankfully never put in one of those situations but he would not say that violence is never an option. He said the struggle for peace was a reflection of the “fundamental darkness and diamond within each person.” He said these capacities are “inspiring insights into human potential”.
“Everyone has a Buddha nature,” said Shiek, “it just needs to be awakened.”
The WORD’s Jake Mabanta can be reached at jrm424@aim.com.