Actress Tisca Chopra says she was an out-of-work actor before Buddhism entered her life. She feels her faith brought her work, prosperity and better relationships on every front. Tisca, who has been practising Buddhism for the last 14 years, introduced her husband Anil and a host of celebrities — including actors Shweta Kwatra, Manav Gohil, Vinay Jain and Devika Punjabi — to Nichiren Buddhism. She feels that the practise of the philosophy has helped her move out of her ‘lesser self’ and expand into her ‘greater self’.
“If you focus on people and win in relationships, then that is one of the secrets to a successful life. And it’s not just about me winning but also about the other person in front of me being successful — in fact, this is a philosophy that shows you how everyone can win because it is essentially based on compassion,” Tisca adds.
Shweta initially sought out the philosophy because she was facing parental opposition to her marriage. “While that issue was sorted out, in the process I discovered a wonderful philosophy of self-transformation. I used to be arrogant and had problems dealing with people. I have realised that in any situation in life, both the problem and its solution lie within me and I have learnt to tap the inner resource to take on life’s challenges. My faith empowers me to deal with numerous spin situations that life throws at me. The truth is really that suffering lies not in one’s problems but in the incapability of being able to deal with them.”
Singer Shibani Kashyap, who is a relatively new entrant in Buddhism, feels that it has made her a happier person. “Of course, the material rewards came with the practice but for me the real reward was being able to connect with my inner self.” Shibani whose belief in Nichiren Buddhism has strengthened over the years points out that a sizeable portion of the industry — which includes actors Ravi Dubey, Ratan Rajput, Pracheen Chauhan, Shivani Gossain — are also a part of this sect of Buddhism.
“While I haven’t introduced anybody from the industry to this practice, my big victory has been introducing a personal friend who shifted here from Delhi, and was completely discouraged initially. After chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and following Buddhist principles, her career has taken off and her life has shifted into success!”
