JCCC Michael Leister Buddhist (SGI) Johnson County Community College

Struggling with depression and poor grades, Michael Leister, JCCC student, began studying Nichiren Buddhism five years ago after another classmate introduced the faith to him. According to Leister, his life has been transformed, he is no longer taking medication, and he has turned his failing grades into A's and B's.

Leister regularly attends the local Soka Gakkai International chapter (SGI), a Buddhism branch that promotes diversity. As a lay Buddhism denomination, its members are responsible to each other, as priests are not part of the faith.

Along with participating in discussion groups, members pray for enlightenment and happiness by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (devotion, mystic law, lotus, sutra).

Photography & Production: Aneal Vohra (Special to the Ledger)
Video Producer: Michelle Persons
Ledger Advisors: Anne Christiansen-Bullers abullers(@t)jccc(dot)edu and Corbin Crable ccrable(@t)jccc(dot)edu

Video Registered Copyright © 2011 Aneal Vohra (Reg#eCO_112e).
avohra(@t)stumail(dot)jccc(dot)net.

LICENSING & PERMISSION:
This video is licensed non-exclusively to JCCC's Campus Ledger. Third parties may link to this video's YouTube® "CampusLedger" page or www.campusledger.com website. If this video's embedding feature is turned on, parties who respect artists' & journalists' copyrights may embed this video in its entirety to their non-commercial media. All other rights are reserved with photographer.

Johnson County Community College
www.jccc.edu

Category:

Education

Tags:

• yt:stretch=4:3
• Michael Leister
• Buddhist
• Soka Gakkai International
• SGI
• Nichiren Buddhism
• Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
• Happiness
• Campus Ledger
• JohnsonCountyCommunityCollege
• JCCC
• Overland Park Kansas

[rollewellyn]

Great feature piece. Michael Liester depicted his practice of Buddhism in a way that demystifies what some people perceive Buddhism to be by taking it out of the realm of theory and into practical application in daily life which produces tangible benefits and actual proof of his practice.

The videographer, Aneal Vohra, did an amazing job in shooting, editing and presenting this piece. The essence of Aneal's work and heart shines through brilliantly in this video. Bravo Aneal!