Experience
Julie Yeo
LOS ANGELES
Living Buddhism: Julie, thank you for sharing your
experience. What was your childhood like?
Julie Yeo: I grew up in South Korea in a family
ruled by an abusive father. I was yelled at if I
talked back to my father and scolded if I remained
quiet. I was in physical and spiritual pain each
day, and often wondered why I was even alive. I
felt completely worthless, and my greatest desire
was to disappear.
When I was 6 years old, my mother divorced my
father—an act unthinkable in Korean society at the
time. By law, I had to live with my father, and my
mother couldn’t visit me until I was 19.
My father married his second wife, and the cycle
of abuse continued. When I was 12, he divorced his
second wife and soon married a third time. With
each passing year, my anger toward my parents
penetrated deeper and deeper into my life.
How were you introduced to Buddhism?
Julie: During my final year of high school, my
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April 2016
father’s business went bankrupt. I was forced to
work full time and give up my dream of attending
college. My father tried to evade financial responsibility by threatening to divorce my stepmother,
who, around this time, had been introduced to the
SGI and began chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
After she joined the SGI, my stepmother began
chanting hours upon hours every day. Until then,
she had been verbally and emotionally abusive
toward me, but after six months of Buddhist
practice, she became a completely differently person.
Even then, I assumed she was just pretending to
respect me to get something out of me. This was
how deeply I mistrusted even those closest to me.
What convinced you to begin practicing Buddhism?
Julie: After a while, I could no longer ignore the
changes I saw in my stepmother. One day, she told
me, “You can definitely become happy if you
chant!” Until then, I had never even considered the
possibility of becoming happy. I started to attend
local SGI meetings and chant. Right away, I felt joy
Leticia Rey
Becoming a Sponsor of
American Kosen-rufu
Julie Yeo with her (l–r) daughter, Sharon, husband, Mike, and son, William, Los Angeles Friendship Center.
and hope emerging from my life, feelings I had
never before experienced.
Although my father was deeply opposed to our
Buddhist practice, my stepmother stood her
ground. My father’s resentment caused my stepmother and me to unite for a common goal—to
have a harmonious kosen-rufu family. In the
process, we became more than friends; we became
“myoho sisters.”
As I worked to pay off my father’s debt, I read
SGI President Ikeda’s encouragement every spare
moment I had. His guidance became a source of
great confidence and hope. I was also moved by my
stepmother’s example in faith. Although we were
struggling financially, she saved the little she had
and made steady contributions to the SGI, based
on her unwavering determination to advance
kosen-rufu in South Korea. I also began chanting
to fulfill my own mission to contribute to kosen-rufu
and world peace.
Although our circumstances didn’t change
overnight, we saw clear proof of our Buddhist
practice. For instance, I was able to attend college
on a full scholarship!
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Experience
What a profound transformation. What is your
prime point in faith?
Julie: At first, my motivation to practice was simply
to become happy and change my karma. However,
as I sought to understand the oneness of mentor
and disciple—and our shared pledge to accomplish
kosen-rufu—I would continuously determine: “I
will fight together with Sensei! I will win so I can
report my victory to my mentor!” As I challenged
my circumstances with this attitude, I began to
view my karma as my mission for kosen-rufu—as
problems that I willingly chose to take on in this
lifetime to prove the power of Nam-myoho-rengekyo and lead others to happiness.
In 1995, I attended a meeting with President
Ikeda in Hawaii as a Korean youth representative.
During this trip, I made a vow to move to the
United States within 10 years and strive for kosenrufu in America. Seven years later, in 2002, I moved
to Los Angeles with my husband, 5-year-old son
and a daughter on the way.
We knew that this journey would not be easy,
but we were not prepared for how many difficulties
each day would bring. My husband and I spoke
very little English, we were living in the U.S. on a
six-month tourist visa and neither of us had a job.
We started to chant abundantly and shared
Buddhism with people every day. Despite our
scarce finances, we also started contributing
financially to the SGI-USA for the advancement of
kosen-rufu in America. Just before our tourist visa
expired, my husband secured a job with a company
that sponsored our visa.
I read this guidance from President Ikeda:
There is a Russian proverb that says, “It is no
use to blame the looking glass if your face is
awry.” Likewise, your happiness or unhappiness is entirely the reflection of the balance of
good and bad causes accumulated in your life.
You cannot blame others for your misfortunes.
In the world of faith, it is necessary to realize
this all the more clearly. (My Dear Friends in
America, third edition, p. 100)
While chanting to the Gohonzon, I determined
to take full responsibility for my happiness and
soon realized that I was still holding on to hatred
and resentment toward my father. This was shocking since I had been chanting for his happiness for
many years; I realized that I needed to deepen my
prayer.
Based on President Ikeda’s guidance, I determined to change this poison in my life and bring
genuine happiness to my entire family. One day, I
realized that my father’s abusive behavior is what
had compelled me to seek Buddhism. In fact, he
had led me to Buddhism. I also realized his role in
my life was to teach me how to deepen my conviction in my own Buddhahood. I understood the
words, “Great joy [is what] one experiences when
one understands for the first time that one’s mind
from the very beginning has been a Buddha.
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the greatest of all joys.”
(The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings,
pp. 211-12). With this realization, I felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation for my father.
Shortly after, in 2003, I called my father just to say
hello. For the first time, we had an enjoyable conversation. In August of that year, he joined the SGI!
How did you learn the spirit of contribution?
What was your turning point?
Julie: From my stepmother’s actions, and also from
Julie: While many aspects of my life were improv-
ing, and I seemed so happy and energetic in front
of other people, a deep sadness would overtake me
whenever I was alone. I began feeling distant from
my husband and children, and would get angry
very quickly. I wanted to be a warm, loving mother
and wife, but I just couldn’t express those feelings,
which made me suffer even more. Around this time,
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April 2016
my father. He was a taxi driver and didn’t make a
lot of money. But he told me once that it didn’t
matter whether he made a little each day or nothing
at all. Every day he contributed something to the
SGI and the dream of kosen-rufu. He was so proud
to be an SGI member.
In 2008, the South Korean government created a
system for citizens to locate family property they
had lost track of during the chaos of World War II.
A distant relative volunteered to complete the
registration paperwork on behalf of my father. As a
result, we learned he owned a mountain near
Pusan, South Korea. It remains in our family.
My father practiced very sincerely until he passed
away last July. When I traveled to Korea for his
funeral, a neighbor told me that, on the morning of
his death, my father had encouraged him to chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and said that Daisaku
Ikeda is the most impressive human being in the
world.
needed to wait 90 days for the city to process our
down payment, we were selected. And the owner
even gave us all the staging furniture! Also, the
government program closed shortly after we
received the down payment. When we moved into
our house, my daughter, who was 9 years old at the
time, said, “Mom, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is
absolute!” She confirmed for us that all the causes
we had been making all these years had brought us
to this point.
What does it mean to you to be a sponsor of
American kosen-rufu?
How have your circumstances changed since
Julie: I have willingly taken on any responsibility
moving to the United States?
Julie: For our first 10 years in Los Angeles, we lived
in a small apartment with
very little privacy, which
caused tension in our family.
Over time, our home grew
more and more tight, and we
lacked the financial stability
to live in a larger home.
In 2011, I determined to
move into a beautiful, spacious home that would serve
as the sun of kosen-rufu in
Los Angeles. I thought, I am
going to show so much actual
proof in my life that no one
can have any doubts about
this practice! Although we
had little money, I continued
to chant with an unshakable determination and
made as many causes as I could to advance
kosen-rufu.
I learned about a city government program that
provided the down payment for first-time homebuyers. After looking at over 150 homes, my
husband and I found the perfect place located just
minutes away from the SGI-USA Los Angeles
Friendship Center. Although many people wanted
to buy this home—some even offering cash on the
spot—I chanted deeply with the determination:
Gohonzon, I want this homeowner to choose my
family so that he can make a cause for American
kosen-rufu!
Eventually, despite the fact that the owner
in the SGI-USA to support the precious members,
and I continue to contribute financially to the
organization, which is helping
many people, especially
youth, learn about the practice and live empowered
lives. Each year, my husband
and I set a monetary goal
based on our vow to advance
kosen-rufu in America and
strive based on faith to
achieve it.
Through these efforts, we
have established the conviction that we can turn any
situation around based on
faith.
I also have the great
opportunity to use my home
as an offering for kosen-rufu. We hold activities here
quite often, encouraging many members and friends
to learn about Buddhism. Most important, I’ve
learned that nothing can defeat me because my life
is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
I feel so honored to be a sponsor of American
kosen-rufu through my financial contributions. I
envision every district in America overflowing with
vibrant young people who have the hope and determination to move the world in the direction of peace
and President Ikeda becoming known far and wide
as a great humanitarian for peace. Based on the
SGI-USA’s efforts, I have full confidence that the
United States will become the driving force for
world peace!
I continue to
contribute financially
to the organization,
which is helping
many people,
especially youth,
learn about the
practice and live
empowered lives.
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