Winning through Faith as “Heroes of the World” · 2014-06-12 · 1 The NSGI Times “As long as...

The NSGI Times1

“As long as you have an iron will . . . youcan turn misfortune into advantage.”Former South African president NelsonMandela (1918–2013), an indomitablechampion of human rights, wrote thesewords in a letter from prison to hisbeloved daughter Zindzi Mandela. Nodoubt President Mandela’s beamingsmile, which embraced and encouragedso many people, derived from thisunshakable conviction.

Our noble members are alsofacing all kinds of hardships andchallenges amid the difficult realities ofsociety. Some are probably going throughtruly harrowing struggles. There may betimes when those experiencing setbacksfeel as if they are failures, causing themto weep bitter tears of frustration.

Let’s remember, however, thatone of the honorific titles of the Buddhais “Hero of the World”—in other words,an invincible champion who triumphs insociety without fail. Therefore, asindividuals who embrace the greatteachings of the Buddha, there is nodifficulty we cannot surmount.

In 13th-century Japan, NichirenDaishonin’s followers faced the constantthreat of social and economicpersecution, which included having one’slands confiscated because of falseaccusations, or being disinherited. In suchsituations, the Daishonin urged them notto show grief (cf. WND-1, 824) or tofalter in the least (cf. WND-2, 597).Taking such encouragement to heart, hisfollowers went on to achieve great

Winning through Faith as “Heroes of the World”

SGI President Ikeda’s Editorial

SGI President Ikeda’sEncouragementOpening a New Era of KosenrufuTogether (4 - 5)

What is love?

The New HumanRevolutionVigilant Safeguarding 34-44

BUDDHIST CONCEPTSDesires and Enlightenment

Thoughts on Friendship

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SGI WORLDSGI - Spain Hosts InterfaithSymposium, Lecture on Mediaand ReligionSSA Strengthens Interfaith Ties

TREASURE OF THEHEART

The Cloud of Transiency

victories in their lives.While striving to help my mentor,

second Soka Gakkai president JoseiToda, keep his businesses afloat [in theearly 1950s], there were many times whenI felt we had exhausted all options. Butthe true struggle of faith starts when we’reat rock bottom. I roused the strength andenergy of a charging lion and did everythingI could to support and assist my mentor.

As practitioners of the MysticLaw, we can employ “the strategy of theLotus Sutra” (WND-1, 1001), whichenables us to withstand anything andresolutely find a way forward.

When encouraging members facingtrying circumstances, Mr. Toda wouldoften cite the Daishonin’s words: “Whengreat evil occurs, great good follows”(WND-1, 1119). He would also offersuch encouragement as: “The time hascome to achieve great benefit by changingpoison into medicine a hundredfoldthrough the power of the Mystic Law!”and “Those who have struggled the hardestalways triumph in the end.”

No matter what obstacles wemay come up against, it’s important that

we keep chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, bring forth our inner wisdom, exerciseour creativity and resourcefulness, andmake sincere, steadfast efforts toovercome the situation. By doing so, wewill definitely be able to make abreakthrough.

Why do we encounter difficultiesin the course of our Buddhist practice?Because they help us gain the eternal lifestate of Buddhahood. By surmounting suchdifficulties, we can impart hope andcourage to others who are struggling inthis troubled world in which we live, tellingthem: “Even when faced with such anobstacle, I wasn’t beaten. I managed toendure and win out in the end.” Therefore,please take on challenges without fear orhesitation. Be determined to win withconfidence and composure.

A husband and wife—pioneeringSoka Gakkai members from Japan’sShiga Prefecture, who experienced aseries of business failures andbankruptcy—finally built a successfulbusiness that began with one machine andgrew into a large factory. They neverretreated a single step in the struggle forkosen-rufu, taking a courageous standagainst ungrateful priests at the time of thepriesthood issue. Looking back on thosedays, the husband said: “If you’re afraid,the devilish forces rejoice. We weredetermined to show our real strength asGakkai members, and fought all out untiladversity itself threw in the towel. We arenothing but grateful for all the hardshipswe went through.” The magnificent fighting

spirit of this couple has been admirablyinherited by their son, who is a graduateof Soka University.

One person’s victory cantransform a workplace and even an entirecommunity.

The towering spirit of ourmembers—”Heroes of the World”—shines like the sun, undefeated by difficulteconomic times and natural disasters,bringing peace and happiness to society.

Let us once again today, withindestructible faith, make the lion’s roarof daimoku resound, and strive to createthe greatest possible value we can throughour sincere efforts, whether or not othersare aware of them.

The presence of our members,bravely challenging difficultiesin this troubled age,brings smiles of hopeto society and the world.

(Translated from the May 2014 issue of theDaibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai monthlystudy journal)

“When great eviloccurs, greatgood follows”

Living Each Day without

Regret

Be diligent in developing your faith

until the last moment of your life.

Otherwise you will have regrets. For

example, the journey from Kamakura

to Kyoto takes twelve days. If you

travel for eleven but stop with only

one day remaining, how can you

admire the moon over the capital?

From “Letter to Niike”(WND-1, 1027).

This is a Gosho passage that I engravedin my life together with my belovedKansai members during the OsakaCampaign of 1956.

In any struggle, those who keepstriving to the very end, firmly resolvedto win, will be victorious. By fightingour hardest at a crucial moment, we canput our lives on an imperishabletrajectory forever imbued with the fournoble virtues of eternity, happiness, trueself, and purity.

Chanting powerful daimoku thatresounds like a lion’s roar, let’s exertourselves bravely and vigorously eachday.

(Translated from the December 13, 2012, issueof the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai dailynewspaper)

The NSGI Times 2

SGI President Ikeda’s Encouragement

What is the key to fosteringcapable people? It is treatingthem with the same warmth

and care you would have for your ownchildren or younger brothers and sisters.It is sincerely chanting for their happinessand victory.

Not only SGI meetings but everyaspect of life can be used as a teachingexperience in our effort to foster capablepeople. Chanting together, talkingtogether, doing activities together—in thisway, my mentor, second Soka Gakkaipresident Josei Toda, took every availableopportunity to foster and train me.

From morning until late at night,365 days of the year, there is not a momentthat I forget Mr. Toda. I have striven forkosen-rufu all these many decades,always at one with him in my heart.

Once disciples learn the basics

from their mentor, there is no limit to whatthey can achieve.

My young successors, I want youto take full responsibility for ourmovement. Now is the time for you todevelop yourselves. I am chanting for youevery day.

*

Our men’s division members, especiallythose who are active in the Ojokai (themen’s division equivalent in Japan of theGajokai, whose role it is to safeguard SGIcommunity centers), are full of vigor andvitality.

You are indeed noble champions,having overcome tempests arising fromthe four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness,and death to shine as bright beacons insociety and in our organization for kosen-rufu. Though your efforts may go unseen,they are known to the Daishonin.

How infinitely profound andimmense is the benefit we accrue throughspreading the Mystic Law! It will enablenot only you, but your families as well, toenjoy protection and prosperitythroughout the three existences of past,present, and future.

Your striving each day in highspirits gives me the greatest joy.

Nichiren Daishonin writes: “Eachof you should summon up the courage ofa lion king and never succumb to threatsfrom anyone. The lion king fears no otherbeast, nor do its cubs. Slanderers are like

barking foxes, but Nichiren’s followersare like roaring lions” (WND-1, 997).

Intrepid individuals who havesummoned forth the invincible “courageof the lion king” are not daunted byanything. Those who continue practicingthe Daishonin’s Buddhism and sharing itwith others, come what may, areabsolutely assured of winning in the end.

My friends, I pray with all myheart that you will be intrepid, bold, andpersevering. Those who are neverdefeated are victors.

(Translated from the January 25, 2014, issueof the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai dailynewspaper)

(4) Be Intrepid! Be Bold!

February, the Soka Gakkai’straditional month for sharingNichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism

with others, is here again. Our reliableyouth division members, many of them stillnew to the practice, are eagerly taking theirplace on the stage of kosen-rufu andenthusiastically expanding our network offriendship. I’m delighted to see everyonestriving with such energy.

I hope you will all live out yourprecious lives with a vibrant youthful spirit.I intend to do the same.

The inspiring sight of our membersstanding up to fulfill their great mission asBodhisattvas of the Earth moves medeeply. There is surely no life more nobleor respectworthy.

Please keep pressing forward,ever forward, come what may. Please winvictory after victory, and enjoy a life ofever-increasing happiness.

*

When my mentor, Josei Toda, wasinaugurated as second Soka Gakkaipresident (in May 1951), I was the leaderof Omori District (in Tokyo’s Ota Ward).My resolve at that time was to be a districtleader directly connected to the heart andspirit of my mentor.

In the early 1950s, my wife,Kaneko, was also the women’s divisionleader of a district in Tokyo’s MeguroWard. She actively participated in Gakkaiactivities, taking our two infant sons withher—leading the eldest by the hand andour second son strapped on her back. She,too, was determined to strive alongsideour mentor on the front lines of kosen-rufu, for the happiness and welfare of herfellow members.

I hope that all of our dedicatedfrontline leaders—including the group anddistrict leaders and, especially, the chapterleaders who are the central pillars of ourmovement, as well as the youth divisionleaders—will make fresh strides forwardin beautiful unity.

*

Those who exert themselves tirelessly onthe front lines of our organization are trulyadmirable.

Even if your efforts to share theDaishonin’s Buddhism may not always goas hoped, your deep concern to promotekosen-rufu itself embodies the nobleconcern of the Buddha. You have alreadysown the seeds for your own happinessand that of others. All of your efforts willgive rise to great benefit. Beautiful flowersare also certain to come into bloom in yourlife and in the movement for kosen-rufu.

Nichiren Daishonin writes: “I am. . . praying as earnestly as though toproduce fire from damp wood, or toobtain water from parched ground”(WND-1, 444). Wholehearted prayer tothe Gohonzon enables us to break throughall of our obstacles and limitations.

Please create waves of victoryfrom your local areas that will ripple outto encompass the entire world.

(Translated from the February 2, 2014,issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the SokaGakkai daily newspaper)

(5) Strive on the Front Lines of Kosen-rufuwith a Vibrant Youthful Spirit!

The lion king fears noother beast, nor do itscubs. Slanderers arelike barking foxes, butNichiren’s followersare like roaring lions”

Those who are never defeated are victors.

Nichiren Daishoninwrites: “I am . . . prayingas earnestly as though toproduce fire from dampwood, or to obtain waterfrom parched ground”(WND-1, 444).

The NSGI Times3

The agonies of love are many andvaried. Each person has their owncharacter and personality; they

have different backgrounds and circum-stances. So there is no set rule that ap-plies equally to everyone . . . Whom aperson dates is also a matter of personalchoice. No one has any right to meddlein your private affairs.

However, I would like to stress atthe outset how important it is not to losesight of pursuing your own personal de-velopment.

Love should be a force that helpsyou expand your life and bring forth yourinnate potential with fresh and dynamicvitality. That is the ideal but, as the saying

"Love is blind" illus-trates, people of-ten lose all ob-jectivity whenthey fall inlove.

If therelationshipyou're in iscausing yourparents to worry,or making you neglectyour studies or engage indestructive behavior, then youand the person you're seeing areonly being a negative influence and hin-drance to each other. Neither of you willbe happy if you both just end up hurting

each other.

If you areneglecting thethings youshould be do-ing, forgettingyour purposein life because

of the relation-ship you're in,

then you're on thewrong path. A healthy

relationship is one in whichtwo people encourage each other

to reach their respective goals whilesharing each other's hopes and dreams.

A relationship should be a source of in-spiration, invigoration and hope.

Love is a complex matter that is areflection of each person's attitude and phi-losophy toward life. That is why I believepeople shouldn't get involved in relation-ships lightly.

The bottom line is that, without re-spect, no relationship will last for verylong, nor will two people be able to bringout the best in each other.

Rather than becoming so love-struck that you create a world where onlythe two of you exist, it is much healthier tolearn from those aspects of your partnerthat you respect and admire, and continueto make efforts to improve and develop

What is Love?

By Daisaku Ikeda

If you are ne-glecting the thingsyou should be doing,forgetting your pur-pose in life becauseof the relationshipyou're in, then you'reon the wrong path. Ahealthy relationshipis one in which twopeople encourageeach other to reachtheir respectivegoals while sharingeach other's hopesand dreams. A rela-tionship should be asource of inspira-tion, invigorationand hope.

If the relation-ship you're in iscausing your par-ents to worry, ormaking you neglectyour studies or en-gage in destructivebehavior, then youand the personyou're seeing areonly being a nega-tive influence andhindrance to eachother. Neither of youwill be happy if youboth just end uphurting each other.

The NSGI Times 4

yourself. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, theauthor of The Little Prince, once wrote,"Love is not two people gazing at eachother, but two people looking ahead to-gether in the same direction." It followsthen that relationships last longer whenboth partners share similar values andbeliefs.

Furthermore, please don't suc-cumb to the view that love is the be-alland end-all, deluding yourself that as longas you are in love, nothing else matters.Nor, I hope, will you buy into the mis-guided notion that sinking ever deeper intoa painful and destructive relationship issomehow cool.

All too often when a relationshipends, the great passion it once inspiredseems nothing more than an illusion. Thethings you learn through studying, on theother hand, are much more permanent. Itis important, therefore, that you never ex-tinguish the flame of your intellectual curi-osity.

Far too many people nip their ownbrilliant promise in the bud because of theirblind pursuit of love.

Much of daily life tends to be ordi-nary and unexciting. Making steady ef-forts day-to-day can be trying. It's notalways going to be fun. But, when youfall in love, life seems filled with dramaand excitement; you feel like the leadingcharacter in a novel.

But if you lose yourself in love justbecause you're bored, and consequentlyveer from the path you should be follow-ing, then love is nothing more than escap-ism. What you are doing is retreating intoa dream world, believing that what is onlyan illusion is actually real.

Even if you try to use love as anescape, the fact is that the euphoria is un-likely to last for long. If anything, you mayonly find yourself with even more prob-lems along with a great deal of pain andsadness. However much you may try, youcan never run away from yourself. If youremain weak, suffering will only followyou wherever you go. You will never findhappiness if you don't change yourselffrom within. Happiness is not somethingthat someone else, like a lover, for in-stance, can give to you. You have toachieve it for yourself. And the only wayto do so is by developing your own char-acter and capacity as a human being; byfully maximizing your potential. If you sac-rifice your own growth and talent for love,you will absolutely not find happiness. Truehappiness is obtained through fully realiz-ing your own potential.

I would also like to add that toembark on a relationship as an escapefrom something is extremely disrespect-ful to both your partner and yourself.

Each of you has a precious mis-sion that only you can fulfill . . . To neglectone's mission and seek only personal

pleasure is a sign of selfishness. It is im-possible for an egotistic, self-centered in-dividual to truly love another person.

On the other hand, if you genuinelylove someone, then through your relation-ship with them, you can develop into aperson whose love extends to all human-ity. Such a relationship serves tostrengthen, elevate and enrich the innerrealm of your life. Ultimately, the relation-ships you form are a reflection of your ownstate of life. The same is true of friend-ship. Only to the extent that you polishyourself now can you hope to developwonderful bonds of the heart in the fu-ture.

***

With some people, however, oncethey have gotten into a relationship, theyhave a hard time saying "no" to the otherperson for fear of losing them. In that re-spect, love is like riding in a car with nobrakes. Sometimes, even if you want toget out, you can't; even if you regret hav-

"Love is not two people gazing at each other, but twopeople looking ahead together in the same direction."

ing gotten in, the car won't stop. In manycases, people get involved in a relation-ship thinking they are free and indepen-dent, but at some point find they havebecome captive to the relationship.

Each one of you is infinitely pre-cious. Therefore, I hope you will treatyourself with utmost respect. Please don'tfollow a path that will cause you suffering,but take the road that is best for your well-being.

The truth is, ideal love is fosteredonly between two sincere, mature and in-dependent people. It is essential, there-fore, that you work on polishing yourselffirst.

It is demeaning to be constantlyseeking your partner's approval. Such arelationship is bereft of real caring, depthor even love. If you find yourself in a rela-tionship where you are not treated the wayyour heart tells you you should be, I hopeyou will have the courage and dignity todecide that you are better off risking be-ing scorned by your partner than endur-ing an unhappy relationship.

Real love is not two people cling-ing to each other; it can only be fosteredbetween two strong people secure in theirindividuality. A shallow person will onlyhave shallow relationships. If you want toexperience real love, it is important to firstsincerely develop a strong self-identity.True love is not about doing whatever theother person wants you to do or pretend-ing you are something you're not. If some-one genuinely loves you, they will not forceyou to do anything against your will norembroil you in some dangerous activity.

Please have the confidence and for-titude to think to yourself when you facerejection: "It's their loss if they can't ap-preciate how wonderful I am!" This is thekind of resilient spirit you must strive tocultivate.

Please don't let a broken heart dis-courage you. Tell yourself that you're notso weak or fragile as to let such a minorthing bring you down. You may think thereis no one who could possibly compare tothat person, but how will they compare tothe next hundred, the next thousand, thenext ten thousand people you will meet?You cannot declare with certainty that therewill not be others who far surpass them.As you yourself grow, the way you lookat people will change as well.

I'm sure quite a few among you havehad your hearts broken or been badly hurt,and perhaps feel unable to go on, yourself-esteem in tatters. But you must neverbelieve that you are worthless. There isno substitute for you who are more pre-cious than all the treasures in the universegathered together.

It is important for you to becomestrong. For if you are strong, even yoursadness will become a source of nourish-ment, and the things that make you sufferwill purify your life.

Only when you experience thecrushing, painful depths of suffering canyou begin to understand the true meaningof life. Precisely because you have expe-rienced great suffering, it is imperative thatyou go on living. The important thing is tokeep moving forward. If you use yoursadness as a source of growth, you willbecome a person of greater depth andbreadth--an even more wonderful you.

Excerpted from Discussions onYouth Vol. 1 (SGI-USA, 1998)

But, whenyou fall inlove, lifeseems filledwith dramaand excite-ment; you feellike the lead-ing characterin a novel.

Please have theconfidence and for-titude to think toyourself when youface rejection: "It'stheir loss if theycan't appreciatehow wonderful Iam!" This is thekind of resilientspirit you muststrive to cultivate.

The NSGI Times5

Vigilant Safeguarding 34

The most impressive thing about fosteringthe youth of the TCG was the way thatthey all developed a strong sense ofpersonal responsibility.

For several days before they were to beon duty, TCG members wouldwholeheartedly chant daimoku for thesafety and success of the pilgrimage.When the weather turned out to be badon the pilgrimage day, for example, it

rained hard; they took that asa challenge and opportunity topray even more for fineweather for the nextpilgrimage. Weather, ofcourse, is a naturalphenomenon, over which wehave no control. As such, badweather on a pilgrimage dayis in no way the fault of theTCG.

The TCG had deeplyengraved a Gosho passage intheir hearts: “If one can moveShakyamuni Buddha, the lordof teachings, can the grass andtrees fail to respond, can thewaters remain calm?” (WND-2, 811). Here, ShakyamuniBuddha, the lord of theteachings, refers to thefoundation of the universe,which is expressed in theGohonzon (the embodiment of

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo). In other words,through earnest prayer to the Gohonzonanything can be transformed.

The Daishonin also wrote: “One’s bodyand mind at a single moment pervade theentire realm of phenomena” (WND-1,

366). The inner realm of our life is so vastthat it encompasses the entire universe.

The youthful members of the TCG, in thelight of the teachings of Buddhism, werecertain that their prayers could help themrespond to any situation, even the worstweather. In the case they had to directtraffic in the pouring rain they were readyto faithfully carry out their duties and takeevery necessary step and precaution toensure the health and safety of themembers.

This was the way that Shin’ichi Yamamotolived. Since becoming the president of theSoka Gakkai, he had always prayed thatthere would be no natural disasters, thatthere would be rich harvests, and that thepilgrimages to the head temple would takeplace safely. And the TCG members wereunited in that attitude with their mentor.

Shin’ichi was deeply grateful that themembers of the TCG shared his spirit andfervently prayed with a determinationpowerful enough to move the universe thatthey would remain dedicated to protectingthe members in any given situation.


As the ancient Roman poet Horace wrote:“Doth wise schooling inborn powersextend.”

Understanding something in theory doesn’tnecessarily mean one will actually be ableto do it. During a disaster or accident, it isoften the case that people know what theyshould do but freeze up and are unable to

act. Hands-on training,repeated until fully mastered,best prepares one for actionin a crisis. Training instills thelesson in one’s body, and inone’s life.

One of the problems withmodern society is that thereare few opportunities foryoung people to receivetraining in safeguarding humanlife.

The Soka Gakkai, however,plays the role of a great traininginstitute, fostering andeducating youth to servesociety.

The leaders of the Soka Groupcontinued to think about waysto value the practical trainingthey’d used since their days asthe TCG, and how to pass thatspirit on to the next generation

and foster leaders for a new era.

Shin’ichi poured his life into encouragingthe members of the Soka Group. Heattended other Soka Group General

Meetings and personally trained themembers. He wrote messages, essays,and poems for them. He praised them incountless short poems. He wanted torespond to their thoroughgoing dedicationto vigilantly safeguarding the Soka Gakkai.

A Soka Group member, stands alonein the cold wind.

The members of the Soka Group—grounded in the principles of safeguardingthe Soka Gakkai, caring for its members,and striving tirelessly behind the scenes—were without doubt disciples of Shin’ichiwho faithfully embodied his spirit. That iswhy Shin’ichi was deeply confident thatthey were capable and treasuredsuccessors of the Soka Gakkai.

Shin’ichi started 1977 together with theSoka Group and all the youth. It was anindication of his determination to build ayouthful Soka Gakkai in which youngpeople were in the forefront in everyrespect, striving passionately.

The NSGI Times 6


The Soka Gakkai’s Year of Study, 1977, was a year ofspecial emphasis on studying the teachings of Buddhism.Before the year had even started, Soka Gakkai studydepartment introductory- level examinations wereconducted in December 1976. Then on January 9, about450,000 associate professors and assistant professors

sat for the intermediate-level examinations across thecountry.

On January 23, oral examinations were held for thosewho passed the intermediate-level examinations.Shin’ichi, who was in Osaka that day, acted as one ofthe examiners for candidates at the Kansai Centre. Healso encouraged those taking the examination before andafter the test.

On February 6, nearly 433,000 teachers and assistantteachers sat for the elementary-level examinations thatwere held simultaneously throughout Japan.

In addition, qualification examinations for those ofprofessor status were held from the end of Januarythrough mid February. The dates and methods differedby region and prefecture, through such means as writtenexaminations, oral examinations, and essay questions.Shin’ichi himself chaired the committee to determineprofessor status.

Many of those sitting for the professor-level examinationswere

also in charge of the study groups for the introductory-level examinations, the elementary-level examinations andthe intermediate-level examinations. They were allexceptionally busy, but in spite of that they remainedextremely energetic and dynamic. While leading studygroups for others they saw the exam candidates deepentheir conviction about Buddhism, brim with joy, andgrow as individuals.

Teaching the philosophy of Buddhism is teachingBuddhist faith and practice as well as fostering capableindividuals. While teaching Buddhist philosophy withcare and precision, their own lives were naturally filledwith joy and energy.

As Nichiren Daishonin writes: “One who recites evenone word or phrase of the Lotus Sutra and who speaksabout it to another person is the emissary of ShakyamuniBuddha, lord of the teachings” (WND-1, 331). The life-state of the Buddha wells up from within those whotogether read the Gosho and discuss Buddhism.


The driving force for the major study campaign in 1977was Shin’ichi Yamamoto’s lecture on NichirenDaishonin’s writing “The True Aspect of All Phenomena,”which appeared in the Seikyo Shimbun in fourinstallments starting on New Year’s Day of that year.

At the opening of the lecture, Shin’ichioutlined the aims of the Soka Gakkai’sstudy campaign through speaking aboutthe renowned Buddhist scholar andtranslator Kumarajiva (344–413).

Kumarajiva was born in the land ofKucha (in present-day Xinjiang UygurAutonomous Region, China) and beganstudying Buddhism at the age of seven.He went on to translate Buddhistscriptures into Chinese, including hisenduring translation of the Lotus Sutra.He was over 50 years old when he begantranslating the Buddhist scriptures in theTang-dynasty capital of Ch’ang-an(present-day Xi’an). From that point on,for the next 8 or possibly 12 years before

he passed away, he translated Buddhist scriptures at theamazing pace of two or even three volumes a month.

Many talented translators and scholars flockedto his side to assist him in his labors—at times, as manyas 800 to 2,000. Sitting before them, with scriptures inhand, Kumarajiva translated in a lecture format. Telling

those assembled why he chose to translate as he didand explaining the underlying meaning of the scriptures,sometimes working in a question-and-answer format,he collaborated with his assistants until they found thebest possible translation.

Kumarajiva did not translate by sitting alone inhis study surrounded by reference materials; nor did hewrite in difficult technical language. He explained theBuddhist teachings and translated them while interactingwith the lives of the common people, in a dialogue setting.That’s how he was able to produce such smooth andexcellent translations conveying the true meaning of thesutras, solidly based on the original texts.

Explaining Kumarajiva’s translation method,Shin’ichi passionately declared: “Philosophy shinesthrough discussing it with others and putting it intopractice in our lives. Our study campaign follows theexample set forth by Kumarajiva. With our scripture,the Gosho, in hand, sometimes we adopt a lecture format,sometimes a question-and-answer format, andsometimes a one-on-one discussion, always staying indirect contact with others and presenting Buddhism in adialogue setting.”


Shin’ichi also discussed how Shakyamuni conveyed histeachings: “The Chinese Buddhist philosopher T’ien-t’ai(538–597) categorized the so-called ‘eighty thousandteachings’ of Shakyamuni into the five periods and eightteachings. To some, that might sound like it was a carefully

organized doctrine, implying thatShakyamuni taught in accord with anestablished curriculum. But in truthShakyamuni’s teachings were a form ofencouragement to ordinary people. Attimes he would offer words of sympathyand encouragement to those crushed bythe grip of poverty or to elderly womensuffering from illness, and on otheroccasions he would provide warmassurance to young people despairing overtheir own internal struggles.

“Shakyamuni stood on the side of theordinary people, who were suffering anddiscriminated against under the burden ofancient India’s caste system, and hisimpassioned words uttered over the

course of his life have become the ‘eighty thousandteachings’ that we know today. This is symbolized bythe fact that the Buddhist scriptures almost always takethe form of a question-and-answer session.

“In other words, Shakyamuni’s teachings ofenlightenment, welling forth from his dialogues with thepeople and in his actions, were collected and form whatwe now regard as the Buddhist sutras.”

Shin’ichi went on to say that the same was trueof Nichiren Daishonin’s numerous writings: “The Goshois simply the crystallization of the Daishonin’s dialogueswith individuals. Throughout his tumultuous life, he wouldalways lend his support to help others attain absolutehappiness. He would write, talk to others, and then writesome more, all while facing the countless struggles andchallenges of life.

“Some think of Buddhist practice as retreatingto a quiet place and leading a life of calm andcontemplation, but you should know that from its earliestorigins Buddhism was a philosophy of practice, of livingand energetically engaging with others in dialogue.”

Buddhism is a teaching for helping all living beings,and especially the people who are suffering the most.Therefore, study needs to be rooted in daily life and serveas a guide for action. Study becomes a revitalizing forcewhen it provides assurance and self-confidence in thepower to overcome life’s difficulties and tribulations. TheSoka Gakkai’s emphasis on study has achieved just thisin the real world.

The NSGI Times7


The supreme teaching of Nichiren Buddhism vibrantlyexists in the lives of the ordinary men and women of theSoka Gakkai as a sure and sound philosophy.

As Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), the pioneeringthinker and founder of psychoanalysis, observed: “Menare strong so long as they represent a strong idea.”

When an obstacle arises in the path of kosen-

rufu, our members rouse themselves with the knowledgethat “If you propagate it [the Mystic Law], devils willarise without fail. If they did not, there would be no wayof knowing that this is the correct teaching” (WND-1,501) and are thus able to develop even stronger faith.No matter how harsh the circumstances they findthemselves in, they know that “Neither the pure land norhell exists outside oneself; both lie only within one’s ownheart” (WND-1, 456). As a result, they’re able tofundamentally transform their state of life through theirBuddhist practice without being swayed by any adversity.

Those suffering from illness know that “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sicknesscan therefore be an obstacle?” (WND-1, 412). Thisenables them to chant with even greater fervor and bringforth the life-state of Buddhahood.

Some follow the Daishonin’s instruction“Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month.Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils willtake advantage” (WND-1, 997). They challengethemselves day after day, striving their hardest in Gakkaiactivities and advancing steadily and persistently toward

each new goal, knowing “If one cannot cross a moat tenfeet wide, can one cross a moat that is twenty or thirtyfeet wide?” (WND-1, 808).

Others make their work their challenge, as theDaishonin advises in the passage “Regard your serviceto your lord as the practice of the Lotus Sutra” (WND-1, 905). They strive to demonstrate actual proof of theirvictory through their wholehearted efforts in theirworkplaces or professions.

Many Soka Gakkai members make as theirmotto “The purpose of the appearance in this world ofShakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, lies in hisbehavior as a human being” (WND-1, 852). They polishtheir characters and do their utmost to be examples ofBuddhist humanism for all to see and emulate.

Presently, the Lotus Sutra and NichirenDaishonin’s Buddhism have been revived as a way oflife and a philosophy of the people through the SokaGakkai study movement. Shin’ichi vowed to expand thegroundswell of the study movement, open an age of theBuddhism of the people, and build a century of life.


It had been Shin’ichi’s idea to designate 1977 the Yearof Study, because he believed that for the Soka Gakkaito make a great leap forward in starting a new phasein the effort for kosen-rufu, all the members wouldhave to engrave the Gosho in their hearts more than

ever.

What does it mean to be a human being?What is life? What is the self? What is thepurpose of life? What is true happiness? Whyare we born? Why do we die? Buddhism is aphilosophy of life that provides the fundamentalanswers to all of these questions. Therefore,studying Buddhism and mastering its teachingsis exploring the meaning of our own lives andopening the door to a storeroom of the richestspiritual treasures.

Nichiren Daishonin writes: “Exertyourself in the two ways of practice and study.Without practice and study, there can be noBuddhism” (WND-1, 386). Unless we alsostudy while developing our faith, we can’t gain

a profound understanding of the fundamental principlesof Buddhism and genuinely deepen our faith.

Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Todanoted: “Faith seeks understanding, and understandingdeepens faith.” He also said: “Study strengthens anddeepens faith, which brings benefit.”

In citing the scriptural passage “Become themaster of your mind rather than let your mind masteryou” (WND-1, 486), the Daishonin confirmed the pathof Buddhists. To be “the master of your mind” meansto make the principles of Buddhism our guide, and weachieve this through study. Study is also a measure toindicate whether our behavior and way of life asBuddhist practitioners is correct or not. It is a mirrorthat shows us who we are.

In addition, study is like a beacon illuminatingour course toward realizing kosen-rufu and attainingBuddhahood in this existence, undeterred by the threeobstacles and four devils that attempt to obstructBuddhist practice. Also, a moral and ethical foundationforms through learning that all living beings possess thelife-state of the Buddha and about the Law of causeand effect that governs our lives throughout past, present,and future.

After long and careful consideration, it wasShin’ichi’s conclusion that study is indispensable infurthering the Soka Gakkai’s movement for humanrevolution.


When Josei Toda set about to rebuild the Soka Gakkaiafter World War II, he concentrated all his energies onencouraging each member to engrave the teachings ofNichiren Buddhism in their lives through study.

During the war, pressure by Japan’s militaristgovernment led to the arrest of 21 Soka Gakkai’s leaders.Toda was racked with sorrow and disappointment whenall the leaders but he and President Makiguchi renouncedtheir Buddhist faith.

The families of those imprisoned lost their mainbreadwinners and were thus faced with starvationand ruin. In addition, they were branded asunpatriotic families. They were the first to beginto have doubts about their faith and renounce it.Wives tearfully begged their incarcerated husbandsto do so in order to return home as quickly aspossible. In this manner, one after another theleaders gave in to the oppression of the militaristauthorities.

Even the majority of those who weren’t arrestedfoolishly renounced their faith, out of fear thatthey’d also be persecuted.

After his release from prison, Toda bitterlyresented this turn of events. He felt that if all those

who quit had really understood the Daishonin’s teaching“As practice progresses and understanding grows, thethree obstacles and four devils emerge in confusing form”(WND-1, 501), they would’ve been able to maintainunshakable conviction in the principles of Buddhism.

On the other hand, Makiguchi sent letters fromprison to his family conveying his upbeat spirit: “It is onlynatural that the three obstacles and four devils shouldhave assailed me; it is just as the sutra states.”

In his copy of the Gosho, Makiguchi underlinedin red a passage from “The Opening of the Eyes”: “ThisI will state. Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutionsassail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law”(WND-1, 280). Makiguchi was overjoyed that throughexperiencing great persecution he could give his life toupholding and living the teachings of the Gosho.

Cherishing the Lotus Sutra passage “Thosepersons who had heard the Law dwelled here and therein various Buddha lands, constantly reborn in companywith their teachers” (LSOC7, 178), Toda perseveredthrough his prison ordeal as an inseparable disciple ofMakiguchi.

Toda realized that those who renounced theirfaith during the war did so because they lacked convictionin faith and didn’t understand the teachings of Buddhism.He couldn’t allow the same thing to happen again. Withthis thought deep in mind, Toda set out to rebuild theSoka Gakkai with a firm emphasis on study. Beginningon New Year’s Day 1946, the year after the war ended,he delivered lectures on the Lotus Sutra. He also lecturedon such essential teachings of the Daishonin as “OnEstablishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of theLand,” “The Opening of the Eyes,” and “The Object ofDevotion for Observing the Mind,” with the aim offostering capable individuals.

The NSGI Times 8

Vigilant Safeguarding 42Shin’ichi thought long and hard about which of theDaishonin’s writings would be best for everyone to learnabout in order to promote the study movement that wouldhelp build a new era in the Year of Study. He decided tostart with lectures on “The True Aspect of AllPhenomena.” In his “Postscript” to that treatise, NichirenDaishonin writes: “Those [doctrines] I have revealed toyou in this particular letter are very important” (WND-1, 386–87). This was an indication of the significance of

this particular writing, which describes in great depth theessence of Nichiren Buddhism.

This letter was written to Sairen-bo Nichijo inMay 1273, when the Daishonin was 52 and in exile onSado Island in a place called Ichinosawa.

Starting with the true aspect of all phenomena,the ten factors of life—regarded as the key to theenlightenment of Shakyamuni’s contemporaries in thetheoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra—the writingexplores the essence of the teachings of the Lotus Sutraand concludes that Myoho-renge-kyo, the entity of thesutra, is manifested as the Gohonzon. In other words,the treatise reveals the object of devotion in terms of theLaw.

It also indicates that Bodhisattva SuperiorPractices, leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, hasthe duty to propagate the Lotus Sutra, and states thatthis is the practice that the Daishonin himself has carriedout in his life. The Daishonin is, on one level, in terms ofoutward behavior, the reincarnation of BodhisattvaSuperior Practices. On another level, in terms of his innerenlightenment, he represents the Buddha of beginningless

time who establishes the great teaching to save all livingbeings in the Latter Day of the Law.

This one treatise, then, is the consummation of“The Opening of the Eyes,” which reveals the object ofdevotion in terms of the Person, and “The Object ofDevotion for Observing the Mind,” which reveals theobject of devotion in terms of the Law.

In the second part of the treatise, the Daishoninstates that kosen-rufu will be realized in the future, andhe concludes by elucidating that the way of faith, practice,and study is key to carrying out Buddhist practice duringthe Latter Day of the Law. The essence of NichirenBuddhism is clearly articulated in this treatise.

For that reason, Shin’ichi planned to use hislectures on this writing to shed light on genuine Buddhistfaith, the practice of Nichiren’s disciples, and thesignificance and mission of the Soka Gakkai’sappearance in the world.

The bright mirror of the Gosho is our standardand compass in all things. To return to the Gosho is to bedirectly linked with the Daishonin, which is the supremepath of faith.


In his lecture on “The True Aspect of All Phenomena,”Shin’ichi explained that all phenomena in society and theentire universe are expressions of the Mystic Law, andthat the Gohonzon represents a microcosm of the universe

and the source of everything. He also stressedthat the Buddha is not some illusory, abstractbeing, and both Shakyamuni and Many TreasuresBuddha are concrete expressions of the powerof the Mystic Law. He emphasized that NichirenDaishonin’s teachings that ordinary mortals canbe regarded as true Buddhas and all living beingsare entities of the Mystic Law stand out as greatprinciples of humanism that completelyoverturned Buddhist thought of his day.

Shin’ichi said that in the Lotus Sutra only theBuddha’s disciples from beginningless time wereentrusted with the mission of propagating theMystic Law in the Latter Day, which is to say,those propagating the Law in the present ageare just such disciples and Bodhisattvas of the

Earth. For disciples of the Daishonin, genuine faith andpractice are found within the courageous struggle tofurther kosen-rufu in the Latter Day of the Law. As theLotus Sutra states: “He or she is the envoy of the thuscome one. He has been dispatched by the thus comeone and carries out the thus come one’s work” (LSOC10,200).

Shin’ichi then spoke of the Bodhisattvas of theEarth: “The Bodhisattvas of the Earth do not act becausesomeone tells them to. Because their lives are dedicatedto the Mystic Law inherent in the universe, theyspontaneously chant daimoku and contribute to worldpeace and the welfare of society, as naturally as plantsand trees grow from the earth.”

During his wartime imprisonment, Josei Todaawakened to his identity as a Bodhisattva of the Earth.He declared that he was the great leader of propagationand that the Soka Gakkai was the one and onlyorganization in the entire world propagating the correctteachings of Buddhism in the Latter Day of the Law. TheJoju Gohonzon at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters isinscribed with the words: “For the Fulfillment of the GreatDesire for Kosen-rufu through the CompassionatePropagation of the Great Law.”

Toda always said: “The Soka Gakkai is agathering of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth entrusted byNichiren Daishonin to propagate the Mystic Law in thepresent age, the Latter Day of the Law. It is anorganization functioning in complete accord with theBuddha’s intent and decree.”

This was Toda’s firmly held conviction.


The third installment of Shin’ichi’s lecture on “The TrueAspect of All Phenomena” was published in the January5 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun. From this installment hedescribed the faith of disciples and the method of practicefor kosen-rufu. When he reached the section of theGosho, “Now, no matter what, strive in faith and be

known as a votary of the Lotus Sutra, andremain my disciple for the rest of your life”(WND-1, 385), his lecture took on even greaterintensity.

Shin’ichi strongly believed that thewords “Now, no matter what” expressed theDaishonin’s vast determination and compassionto enable all his disciples to bring forth theirBuddhahood without fail.

Nichiren Daishonin’s disciples, unawarethat they were the Bodhisattvas of the Earth,had wandered lost in the darkness of delusionfor countless eons, repeating the cycle of birthand death. But in this life they became theDaishonin’s disciples and encountered his greatBuddhist teaching. The Daishonin, their mentor,

survived the Tatsunokuchi Persecution and then declaredhimself to be Bodhisattva Superior Practices, leader ofthe Bodhisattvas of the Earth, and the Buddha of theLatter Day of the Law.

The harsh winds of persecution also struck hisdisciples, providing them with the perfect opportunity toread the Lotus Sutra with their lives. The moment to standup and carry out kosen-rufu in the Latter Day of theLaw had come. For Nichiren Daishonin’s disciples the

decisive chance to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime hadarrived.

“My disciples, do not fear! Don’t let this goldenopportunity slip away! Now is the time to stand up withcourage. Based on correct faith, become a votary of theLotus Sutra, and remain a loyal disciple of NichirenDaishonin as long as you live!”—Shin’ichi felt thisimpassioned call of the Daishonin roar through his heartlike thunder.

Shin’ichi asserted: “Standing up with theawareness that we are disciples of Nichiren, in terms ofour concrete practice, is committing ourselves to the SokaGakkai, striving for kosen-rufu, and living out our livesin the spirit of ‘many in body, one in mind’.

“Directly linked to the life of Nichiren Daishonin,the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law who battledthe three powerful enemies, the Soka Gakkai is the soleorganization carrying out kosen-rufu in complete accordwith his teachings.”

To be continue on next issue....

The NSGI Times9

BUDDHIST CONCEPTS

People encountering Nichiren Buddhism for the first time are oftensurprised by the stance taken to-

ward desire which seems to contradictprevailing images of Buddhism. For many,Buddhism is associated with asceticism,and indeed there are many schools andtraditions which stress the need to elimi-nate desire and sever all attachments.

Needless to say, a life controlled by de-sires is miserable. In Buddhist scriptures,such a way of life is symbolized by "hun-gry demons" with giant heads and hugemouths, but narrow, constricted throatsthat make real satisfaction unattainable.The deliberate horror of these imagesgrew from Shakyamuni Buddha's senseof the need to shock people from theirattachment to things--including our physi-cal existence--that will eventually changeand be lost to us. Real happiness doesnot lie here, he sought to tell them.

The deeply ingrained tendencies of attach-ments and desire (Jpn bonno) are oftenreferred to by the English translation"earthly desires." However, since they alsoinclude hatred, arrogance, distrust andfear, the translation "deluded impulses"may in some cases be more appropriate.

But can such desires and attachments re-

ally be eliminated? Attachments are, afterall, natural human feelings, and desires area vital and necessary aspect of life. Thedesire, for example, to protect oneself andone's loved ones has been the inspirationfor a wide range of advances--from thecreation of supportive social groupings tothe development of housing and heating.Likewise, the desire to understandhumanity's place in the cosmos has driventhe development of philosophy, literatureand religious thought. Desires are integralto who we are and who we seek to be-come.

In this sense, the elimination of all desireis neither possible nor, in fact, desirable.Were we to completely rid ourselves ofdesire, we would end up undermining ourindividual and collective will to live.

The teachings of Nichiren thus stress thetransformation, rather than the elimination,of desire. Desires and attachments areseen as fueling the quest for enlightenment.As he wrote: "Now Nichiren and otherswho chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo...burnthe firewood of earthly desires and be-hold the fire of enlightened wisdom..."

In the same vein, the Universal WorthySutra states: "Even without extinguishingtheir earthly desires or denying the five de-sires, they can purify all of their sensesand eradicate all of their misdeeds."

Nichiren's ap-proach has the ef-fect of populariz-

ing, humanizinga n d

democratizing Buddhism. In other words,by making the aspirations, dreams andfrustrations of daily life the "fuel" for theprocess of enlightenment, Nichiren opensthe path of Buddhist practice to those whohad traditionally been excluded by thedemands of a meditative withdrawal fromthe world--those, for example, who wishto continue playing an active role in theworld.

It is thus not a coincidence that this atti-tude toward desires should be central tothe Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, withits emphasis on the role of lay practitio-ners. For people living in the midst of ever-changing, stressful realities, those chal-lenges are a far more effective spur tocommitted Buddhist practice than an ab-stract goal of "enlightenment" through sev-ering of all desires and attachments.

Overcoming problems, realizing long-cherished goals and dreams--this is thestuff of daily life from which we derive oursense of accomplishment and happiness.SGI President Daisaku Ikeda has empha-sized the importance not of severing ourattachments, but of understanding and,ultimately, using them.

Often the faith experiences of SGI mem-bers describe events and changes thatseem at first glance to be focused on theexternal, material side of life. But such"benefits" are only part of the story. Bud-dhism divides the benefits of practice intothe "conspicuous" and the "inconspicu-ous." The new job, the conquest of ill-

ness, thesuccessful marriageand so on are not

separate

"The teachings of Nichiren stress the transformation, rather than the elimination, of desire. Desires andattachments are seen as fueling the quest for enlightenment. As he wrote: 'Now Nichiren and others whochant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo... burn the firewood of earthly desires and behold the fire of enlightenedwisdom.'"

Desires and Enlightenment

from a deep, often painstaking process ofself-reflection and inner-driven transfor-mation. And the degree of motivation gen-erated by desires can lend an intensity toour practice which ultimately reaps spiri-tual rewards. Bonno soku bodai--literally,"Earthly desires are enlightenment"--is akey tenet of Nichiren Buddhism.

Through our Buddhist practice, even themost mundane, deluded impulse can betransformed into something broader andmore noble, and our desires quite natu-rally develop from self-focused ones tobroader ones concerning our families,friends, communities and, ultimately, thewhole world.

In this way, the nature of desire is steadilytransformed--from material and physicaldesires to the more spiritually orienteddesire to live the most fulfilling kind of life.

As President Ikeda says: "I believe in theexistence of another kind of human de-sire: I call it the basic desire, and I believethat it is the force that actively propels allother human desires in the direction ofcreativity. It is the source of all impellingenergy inherent in life; it is also the longingto unite one's life with the life of the uni-verse and to draw vital energy from theuniverse."

[Courtesy January2000 SGI Quar-terly]

The NSGI Times 10

Friendship is the most beautiful, mostpowerful, and most valuable treasure inlife. It is your true wealth. No matter howmuch status a person may gain or howrich one may become, a life withoutfriends is indeed sad and lonely; it alsoleads to an unbalanced, self-centered ex-istence.

You were born in this vast universe onthe tiny planet Earth, and in the same eraas the people around you. Yet, it is ex-tremely rare to find, among the billions ofpeople on this planet, genuine, uncondi-tional friends with whom you can totallybe yourself and who will intuitively under-stand your thoughts and feelings withoutneed for words.

It's important to understand that friend-ship depends on you, not on the otherperson. It all comes down to your ownattitude and contribution. I hope you willnot be a fair-weather friend, only helpingothers when circumstances are good andleaving them high and dry when someproblem occurs; instead, please becomethe kind of person who sticks by theirfriends with unchanging loyalty throughthick and thin.

Our human relationships are like a mir-ror. So if you're thinking to yourself, "Ifonly so-and-so were a little nicer to me, Icould talk to them about anything," thenthat person is probably thinking, "If onlysuch-and-such would open up to me, Iwould be nicer to them."

Therefore, you should make the first moveto open the channels of communication.If despite these efforts you are still re-buffed, then the person you should feelsorry for is not yourself, but your friend.

The human heart is truly complex; wecannot read what's in another person'sheart. People change. What should youdo? My advice is that you hold fast toyour own identity with the spirit--"Othersmay change, but I will stay who I am." Ifyou should be snubbed or let down byothers, have the strength of character tovow that you will never do the same toanyone.

The Buddhist scriptures clearly reveal thatShakyamuni Buddha was a person whoinitiated dialogue with others. You needto be strong to initiate a dialogue. Youmust remember that experiencing rejec-tion and disappointment is an inevitablepart of life.

If you feel hurt or betrayed by someone,isn't it better to make a new friend, ratherthan stop trusting people altogether? If you

don't trust anyone, yes, certainly, you mightavoid being hurt or let down, but you'llonly end up leading a lonely, barren exist-ence locked up in your own shell. The factis only someone who has experienced painand hardships can empathize with othersand treat them with kindness. It's essen-tial, therefore, that you become strong.

Be like the sun. For the sun shines on se-renely even though not all of the stars willreflect back its light, and even thoughsome of its brilliance seems to emanateonly into empty space. You may find thatthose who reject the radiant light of yourfriendship will naturally fade out of yourlife. But the more you shine your light, themore brilliant your life will become.

No matter how other people are or whatthey do, it is important that you walk yourown path, believing in yourself. If you re-main constant and stay true to yourself,others will definitely come to understandyour sincere intent one day.

More importantly, you have the power ofdaimoku behind you. I have heard manyexperiences in which people have re-counted that they were victims of bully-ing, but after chanting sincere daimoku,they suddenly found one day that the bul-

lying had ceased. By chanting about yourproblems, you will find yourself quite natu-rally overcoming all hardships and suffer-ings, almost without your even beingaware of it. When you look back later,you will clearly appreciate this fact.

It is also important that you chant for yourfriends. This is a sign of true friendship.

You may have friends who are sick or areunable to attend school, or who are strug-gling to cope with problems at home.Whatever the case may be, the best thingyou can do is to chant for them. Yourprayers, like invisible radio waves, willdefinitely reach them.

And when you chant, you should do sosincerely and honestly, following the feel-ings in your heart without restraint, just asa baby instinctively seeks its mother's milk.There is no need to be stoically formalwhen you chant; there is no need for pre-tense. If you are suffering, then take thatsuffering to the Gohonzon; if you feel sad,then take your sadness to the Gohonzon.

It is also best to chant with clear determi-nation, having a concrete goal in mindabout how you want to grow or changeor what you want to accomplish. It's also

Thoughts on Friendship

By Daisaku Ikeda

important to chant for those people whomyou may not like, or find hard to deal with,or feel resentful toward. It may be diffi-cult and perhaps even impossible for youto do so at first. But if you challenge your-self and chant for them, the wheels ofchange will definitely be set into motion.Either you will change or the other per-son will. Either way, you will be able toopen a path leading in a positive direc-tion. Many people have experienced thisfirsthand. Most importantly, your owntransformation into a person able to chantfor even those you harbor negative feel-ings toward will become your greatestfortune.

Sometimes your friends can have a stron-ger influence over you than your parentsor anyone else. So if you make goodfriends--friends who are interested in im-proving and developing themselves--youwill move in a positive direction as well.

Nothing is more beautiful than friendshipsdeveloped among people challengingthemselves and encouraging each otheras they work toward the realization of acommon goal.

People of conviction, people who standalone, people who pursue their chosenpath--not only are such people good andtrustworthy friends themselves, but theycan make genuine friends of others.

The bamboo groves of autumn are gor-geous. Each bamboo tree stands inde-pendently, growing straight and tall to-ward the sky. Yet in the ground, out ofsight, their roots are interconnected.

In the same way, true friendship is not arelationship of dependence, but of inde-pendence. It is the enduring bond thatconnects self-reliant individuals, com-rades who share the same commitment,on a spiritual dimension.

Friendship is also determined by the waywe live our life.

If you always remain sincere in your in-teractions with others, you will one daynaturally come to find yourself sur-rounded by good friends. And fromamong those people, I'm sure you'll forgelifelong friendships that are as strong andunshakable as a towering tree. Don't beimpatient. Please work first on develop-ing yourself. Rest assured that an infinitenumber of wonderful encounters awaityou in the future.

Excerpted from Discussions on YouthVol. 1 (SGI-USA, 1998)

The NSGI Times11

On March 29, SGI-Spain hosted an in-terfaith symposium organized by theMadrid Community Interfaith DialogueAssociation (ADIM). The symposium,held at the SGI-Spain Culture Center inRivas-Vaciamadrid, near Madrid, wasattended by some 100 people includingrepresentatives from the Bahá'í faith,Brahma Kumaris, the International Soci-ety for Krishna Consciousness, TibetanBuddhism and SGI-Spain.

Following an opening speech by ADIMPresident Margarita Pintos, Adela CortinaOrts, professor of Ethics at the Universityof Valencia, and Javier Ruiz Calderón, ascholar specializing in the philosophy andhistory of religion in India, gave keynotespeeches.

Dr. Cortina characterized globalizationtoday as being rooted in human egoism.Toward establishing a new kind of globalsociety based on human values, she high-lighted the importance of transforming thepresent mindset of competition to onebased on cooperation. In this transforma-tion, compassion, she said, would be adriving force and, as religion fosters suchcompassion, it would also be a vital driv-ing force. Dr. Calderón concurred thatreligious values have an important role inestablishing a new and better global soci-ety.

SGI - Spain Hosts Interfaith Symposium,Lecture on Media and Religion

Dr. Cortina (left) addressing the symposium(March 29)

The interfaith symposium

Professor Tamayo (center) speaking on therole of the media (April 12)

Interfaith

The event included workshops and activ-ity reports from representatives of the dif-ferent faith traditions on their efforts tocreate a better world.

On April 12, SGI-Spain held a lecture,attended by some 60 people, on the por-trayal of religion in the media. The guestspeaker was Professor Juan José TamayoAcosta, director of the Department ofTheology and Religious Studies at CarlosIII University of Madrid. ProfessorTamayo posited that the Spanish mediaunderrepresents minority religious groups.He recommended that the media provideequal opportunities to all religious groupsto communicate their philosophies and thatreligious groups open their activities up tothe public and become better communi-cators.

[Adapted from reports from SGI-Spain;photos courtesy of SGI-Spain]

In March, in line with their commitmentto deepen mutual understanding in a ra-cially and religiously diverse society,Singapore Soka Association (SSA) par-ticipated in two interfaith events and co-organized a seminar on parenting withother faith-based organizations.

On March 1, the Tampines West Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle(IRCC) invited SSA young women'sleader Li Jin Haw to represent the Bud-dhist perspective at their Interfaith Dia-logue 2014 titled "Religion through So-cial Media." Some 120 people attendedthe event, held at Tampines PrimarySchool, including students and represen-tatives from welfare and religious organi-zations. IRCCs are local-level interfaithplatforms formed to provide opportuni-ties for community grassroots organiza-tions in Singapore to come together tolearn about each other's cultures, tradi-tions and religious practices.

During the dialogue, Ms. Li highlightedthe opportunities and challenges posed bysocial media for faith-based groups.While recognizing that information todaycan be disseminated at unprecedentedspeed across the world, she stated thatthe essence of religious teachings can onlybe truly conveyed through dialogue andgenuine concern for others, both of whichare emphasized in Buddhism.

SSA Strengthens Interfaith Ties

Li Jin Haw (right) at the InterfaithDialogue

Other invited panelists were Pastor JoshuaWoo from Princep Street PresbyterianChurch and Ustaz Zulhilmi Mohamed fromthe An-Nahdhah Mosque.

On March 15, some 15 SSA studentgroup members joined the Roses of PeaceInitiative 2014 organized by Jamiyah(Muslim Missionary Society) Singapore.The action involved some 300 studentvolunteers distributing 5,000 roses at 10locations across Singapore. Each rosehad a quote on peace from the scripturesand founders of the major religions (Is-lam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism andSikhism) in Singapore. The initiative aimedto cultivate a better understanding of dif-ferent faiths and foster an appreciation ofuniversal values such as peace and humanhappiness that underlie the teachings ofdifferent religions.

On March 29, a seminar on parenting byauthors Richard and Linda Eyre was heldat SSA Headquarters. The event, "TheEntitlement Trap: Parenting Tips for Rais-ing Successful Children," was the resultof an interfaith collaboration betweenSSA, Jamiyah Singapore and The Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Theguest of honor was the Speaker of Par-liament of Sinagpore Halimah Yacob.

[Adapted from articles in the April 4, 2014,issue of SSA Times, Singapore Soka As-sociation (SSA): photos courtesy of SSA]

Bundles of roses for peace

The NSGI Times 12

Kumo wa Tensai de Aru (Cloudis Genius) by Takuboku Ishikawa(l88619l2) used to be my

favourite novel. A brilliant but solitary poet,his pride in himself and his belief in hisown competency were such that heprobably must have chosen to conversewith clouds rather than with people. Iwould like to stress, however, that it isthe zest of youth to form friendships whichbinds people together. In this sense, Iwould like boys and girls, who have aboundless future, to read HashireMerosu (Melos, Run!) by Qsamu Dazai(1909-1948); it movingly describes thevery quintessence of friendship.

Yoshida Kenko (1283-1350)stated in his Essays in Idleness “Sevenkinds of persons make bad friends.” Hementioned the seven types of people thatone should avoid making friends with. Hesaid: “The first is the man of lofty position;the second, the young man; the third, theman of robust constitution who has neverknown a day’s illness; the fourth, the manfond of liquor; the fifth, the fierce soldier;the sixth, the liar; the seventh, the miser.Kenko included those who are in a highersocial status and young people. I wonderif I am correct in attributing this choice tothe penetrating insight of a man in his latterforties who had forsaken the secularworld at the young age of 29. I wouldimagine that his mention of a man fond ofliquor indicates that he himself may haveencountered many drunkards. What ismost impressive to me, however, is hismention of a man of robust constitutionwho has never known a day’s illness. Ofcourse, I do not think Kenko exactlyrecommended illness a virtue. What hemeant by “illness” is, as I understand it,the inner spiritual depth of a human beingwhich is brought about not only byphysical illness but also by other difficultieswhich he experiences during the courseof his life.

It is true that those who have neverbeen bedridden even once are less likelyto feel sympathetic towards the weak.But, more than anything else, the sufferingof illness is a strong motivating forcewhich, whether one wants to or not,makes one think about what matters mostin life. I am especially sensitive to this pointbecause I myself have had a weakphysical constitution since childhood.

Nichiren Daishonin states in one ofhis writings: “Illness gives rise o the resolve

The Cloud of Transiency

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to attain the Way. Those early years whenI devoted my entire being to activities whilekeeping this phrase deep within my heartnow hold for me fond memories. At thesame time, they are the priceless treasuresof the heart which indelibly adorn the pagesof my adolescence.

A minor masterpiece of LeoTolstoy called The Death of Ivan Ilyichdescribes the process in which an ordinaryhuman being is gradually awakened to thetruth of life, and illness serves as a turningpoint. In this work, the author showsunparalleled skill in describing the problemof life and death; its appeal to the readersequals that of any other major literarypiece.

The story is about Ivan IlyichGolovin, an ordinary government officialwho began his career with the post ofconfidential clerk and emissary to thegovernor. He was the son of an officialand a member of the elite; he finally roseto the position of a member of the Courtof Justice, but the first half of his life wasquite simple and ordinary. With his wifeand two children, Ivan Ilyich enjoyed life.

His pleasure, as far as his career wasconcerned, lay in the gratification of his

pride; his social pleasure lay in thegratification of his vanity. He also founddelight in playing cards. Ivan Ilyich’s lifeas an official continued to go along as heconsidered it should — pleasantly andpredictably; he carried out his jobresponsibilities tactfully and he lived his lifeas just another government official.

One day, however, he came downwith an ill-defined illness. Having climbeda stepladder to do some drapery work athome, he slipped and fell, hitting his sideagainst the knob of a window frame. Thebruise on his side was painful but it soonpassed. But sometime thereafter, IvanIlyich began complaining of a funny tastein his mouth and a sort of lingeringuncomfortable feeling in the left area ofhis stomach. Ivan Ilyich went to manyreputable doctors to find out what waswrong, but none of them could diagnosehis condition; his pain steadily becameworse.

He tried to ignore it by concentratingon his job, but the pain in his side wouldseize him even during court proceedings.

The story goes on: “It would come andstare at him while standing right in his way.”Bewildered and surprised, he would beginasking himself whether it alone was true.

Thereafter Ivan Ilyich began todesperately carry out his life- or-deathstruggle against this illness. He said tohimself: “It’s not a question of just anappendix or a kidney but one of life and….death.” His honoured profession,association with other people, card gamesand other pleasures of life which seemedto fulfill his life, when compared to theessential question of life and death, nowbecame a mere illusion. As soon as thisperiod of Ivan’s struggle with illness began,whatever had brought Ivan Ilyich joy fromthe time of his childhood now dwindledbefore his eyes and became insignificantand often repulsive.

Just two hours before his death, arevelation came to him. The “right thing”came to him. His fear of death vanishedand a realisation overcame him. LeoTolstoy puts the finishing touches to hismasterpiece: “It’s all over,’ said someonenear him. He caught the words andrepeated them in his soul: Death is over,’he said to himself. ‘It is no more.’ He drewin a breath, stopped in the middle of a sigh,stretched out and died.” Here, Tolstoy’sportrayal is really true to life.

Nichiren Daishonin states in one ofhis writings: “The companions with whomwe enjoyed composing poems praising themoon on autumn evenings have vanishedwith the moon behind the shifting clouds.Only their mute images remain in ourhearts. Though the moon has set behindthe western mountains, we will composepoetry under it again next autumn. Butwhere are our companions who havepassed away?”

Every phenomenon in life is subjectto change and will eventually disappear.Of course, human beings naturally andunderstandably take delight in the transientaspects of life, but if they consider themto be all that life means, they willexperience nothing but the feeling ofindescribable emptiness when thesephenomena disappear behind thickclouds. This is just what Ivan Ilyichrealised at the last moment of his life. Ourlife span is finite and limited. I sincerelyhope that each one of you will spend eachday forging ahead with a seeking spirit sothat you will never lose sight of the “rightthing” in life.

N i c h i r e nDaishonin states inone of his writings:“Illness gives rise othe resolve to attainthe Way.

Winning through Faith as “Heroes of the World” · 2014-06-12 · 1 The NSGI Times “As long as...

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