persatuan soka gakkai malaysia publication pp …pp 6848/12/2012(031182) rm2.50 untuk agama buddha...

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JUNE15-2020726Persatuan Soka Gakkai Malaysia PublicationPP 6848/12/2012(031182) RM2.50 UNTUK AGAMA BUDDHA SAHAJA

For the sake of and together with our wonderful network of Soka women, let us strengthen our faith even more,

in the spirit of “becoming bluer than the indigo,” and resolutely achieve victory in our efforts to create a peaceful world

through spreading the humanistic ideals of Nichiren Buddhism.

– SGI President Ikeda

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Genuine Buddhas do not live in some secluded place far removed or separate from the suffering-filled reality of life, satisfied only with their own enlightenment. They possess a “mind of forbearance,” devoting themselves to helping others, while enduring all kinds of challenges and difficulties right in the midst of the swamp-likesaha world.

Let us continue to move forward tenaciously in our efforts for

Forbearance is the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light. This mind of

forbearance is called Shakyamuni Buddha.The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings (pg 169)

SGI President Ikeda’s Words of EncouragementThe Buddha Possesses a “Mind of Forbearance” (42)

kosen-rufu, while chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo ourselves and teaching others to do the same. Imparting hope to those around us through our persevering efforts,let’s make the place where we are right now shine as the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light.

Advancing with the Gosho: Words of Encouragement from SGI President Ikeda

From SGI Newsletter No. 9507 dated 09.12.2016.

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C O N T E N T S

Special Feature

2 Engage in Dialogue to Foster Friendship and Humanistic Ideals

7 Our Brilliant Path to Victory

Our Wonderful Network of Soka Women

SGI President Ikeda’s Encouragement

14 Constructing the New Era

The Unchanging Formula for Expanding Our Movement for Kosen-rufu

SGI President Ikeda’s Encouragement for the Future Division

17 Treasures of the Four Seasons (6)

Life-sustaining Rice

19 Building a Bright Future Based on Our Vow – Exploring the Life of Nanjo Tokimitsu (6)

Faith is the Key to Absolute Victory

Excerpts from SGI President Ikeda’s A Youthful Diary

23 A Youthful Diary – June 1949

SGI President Ikeda’s The New Human Revolution

32 The New Human Revolution – Volume 30: Chapter 4 <New> Bells of Dawn (Parts 1–12)

Editor-in-ChiefKoh Sia Feai

EditorDinesh Chandren

Assistant EditorGoh Lim Erng

Material CompilationTay Biby

Art Director Chew Meng Tatt

DesignerKoh Wei Chaw

DistributionChai Siew LinNg Shy Huh

Subscriptions enquiriesFor enquiries on subscriptions, please contact:

Email:[email protected]

Tel: 03-9075 6876 / 018-388 4997

Cover PhotoLum Heng

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Engage in Dialogue to Foster Friendship and

Humanistic IdealsExcerpted from SGI President Ikeda’s speech at

a young women’s division gathering held on June 4, 2009, at the Soka Young Women’s Centre in Shinanomachi, Tokyo.

One person’s sincerity can be truly inspiring. One person’s faith can have a tremendous impact on others.

In a letter addressed to a follower known as the lady of Sajiki, Nichiren Daishonin describes the profound significance of making an offering to the Lotus Sutra. He writes: “To illustrate, if a spark as small as a bean is set to a single blade of grass in a spring field of a thousand square [miles] thick with grass, it becomes in an instant an immeasurable, boundless blaze. Such is also the case with [your

offering of a single robe].” (WND-1,

pg 533) This is a vivid metaphor. The Daishonin also teaches that the benefit a person gains from making an offering to the Law will also extend to their family and loved ones, including their parents

and their grandparents, and indeed the lives of everyone they are connected to (Cf. WND-1, pg 533)

Everything starts with a single action. A single word of encouragement can inspire courage. Embodying these great principles, your seniors in the women’s division have expanded the stage of kosen-rufu. On June 10 (2009), our admirable women’s division will celebrate its 58th anniversary. Congratulations!

We Make Our Own History

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), in addition to being a social activist and former American first lady, is well-known as having played a major role in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In her later years, she wrote: “It is my conviction

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that there is almost no arena of life which we cannot transform according to our own desires if we want something badly enough, if we have faith in it, and if we work for it with all our hearts.”1 These words also echo the resolve of the women of Soka.

We uphold the supreme teaching of the Mystic Law and are pursuing the great path of kosen-rufu. Faith in the Daishonin’s Buddhism gives us the power to positively transform

even seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Mrs Roosevelt also wrote: “One thing I believe profoundly: We make our own history. The course of history is directed by the choices we make and our choices grow out of the ideas, the beliefs, the values, the dreams of the people.”2 The grassroots movement

1. Eleanor Roosevelt, Tomorrow Is Now (New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1963), pg 128.

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of the SGI is creating a new history, initiating a shift from war to peace, conflict to harmonious coexistence, resignation to hope. Together, let’s dedicate our lives to the monumental dream of kosen-rufu!

Wholeheartedly Engage in Dialogue

The fourth new guideline for the young women’s division is “Engage in dialogue to foster friendship and humanistic ideals.” Dialogue is extremely important in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.

The Daishonin writes: “This saha world is a land in which one gains the way through the faculty of hearing.” (WND-2, pg

87) Teaching another person about the Mystic Law and enabling them to form a connection with Buddhism is the supremely noble work of Buddhas. The dialogues you are carrying out in order to share the Daishonin’s teachings with others are directly linked to the expansion of happiness and humanism.

The Daishonin states: “[Having] heard the Lotus Sutra, which leads to Buddhahood, with this as the seed, one will invariably become a Buddha.” (WND-1, pg

882); and “One should by all

means persist in preaching the Lotus Sutra and causing [others] to hear it.” (WND-1, pg 882) We mustn’t spare our voices in sharing the unsurpassed principles of the Daishonin’s Buddhism with as many people as possible. Through such efforts, we help connect others to Buddhism, the path to eternal happiness. At the same time, we engrave experiences of everlasting good fortune in our lives. The Daishonin declares: “Single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and urge others to do the same; that will remain as the only memory of your present life in this human world.” (WND-1, pg 64)

Speak with Conviction

We must be confident and unhesitant in sharing the greatness of the Daishonin’s Buddhism with others. As the Daishonin says: “You must act and speak without the least servility.” (WND-1,

pg 824) Having the strength to plainly state things as they are is the shakubuku spirit, the Gakkai spirit, and the spirit of kosen-rufu. Our organisation is what it is today because our members have

2. Ibid., pg 4.

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this proud strength. Discussing the essence of

dialogue, Mr Toda said: “Sincerely sharing the truth with others and expressing what’s in our heart – these are the principles that gave birth to the Soka Gakkai and are the driving force of its development.” He also remarked: “Important is humanistic dialogue that fosters genuine heart-to-heart communication, friendship, and understanding of different cultures.”

In addition, he taught me: “Just launching into an abstract discussion of difficult Buddhist principles doesn’t necessarily contribute to people’s understanding of Buddhism. Sometimes it’s better to take a more creative and flexible approach and share the humanistic ideals of the Daishonin’s teaching through such subjects as literature, music, and art.”

Cherishing my mentor’s instructions, I have striven to engage in dialogue that transcends all barriers. Together with my wife, I have opened paths of dialogue and built bridges of friendship across the globe. This is a precious legacy that I bequeath to all of you. As philosophers of

Soka, please engage in dialogue freely, joyfully, to your heart’s content.

Lead Sincere Lives Based on Buddhism

Now I’d like to share some thoughts from writers around the world. The German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832)

believed that honesty is the most admirable quality of all.3 The heavenly deities – the positive forces of the universe – will always protect people of sincerity and integrity who base their lives on Buddhism.

The American writer Eleanor H. Porter (1868–1920) wrote: “The bigger [the person], the more simple and unassuming [they are].”4 Leaders exist to wholeheartedly serve the members, not to act self-importantly. I hope you will also remember this point.

The American philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) wrote: “I find this law of one to one [vital] for conversation,

3. Cf. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Poems of the West and East, translated by John Whaley (Bern: Peter Lang AG, 1998), pg 129.

4. Eleanor H. Porter, Sister Sue (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1921), pg 142.

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which is the practice and consummation of friendship.”5 A life that is committed to building bonds of friendship through one-on-one dialogue is truly noble. Moreover, to share lofty ideals and principles through dialogue is our pride as global citizens.

The Daishonin writes: “You should always talk with each other to free yourselves from the sufferings of birth and death and attain the pure land of Eagle Peak, where you will nod to each other and speak in one mind.” (WND-1, pg 909) The Mystic Law enables us to achieve, together with our fellow members, a state of life forever imbued with eternity, happiness, true self, and purity.

The American writer and social activist Helen Keller (1880–1968), who was both blind and deaf, said: “Ideas are mightier than fire and sword. Noiselessly they propagate themselves from land to land, and mankind goes out and reaps the rich harvest.”6 All of you are sincerely reaching out to others in dialogue each day. These steady, grassroots efforts will accumulate and eventually result in the great blossoming of kosen-rufu worldwide.

In one of his poems, Goethe

writes of encountering a little flower on the side of the road. Charmed by its beauty, he tries to pick it, but the flower speaks to him:

I have roots,

hidden from view.

I am grounded

in deep soil.

That’s why we flowers

grow so beautifully.7

Only through continuous efforts that are often unknown to others and by establishing deep and solid roots in the earth of the Mystic Law can you bring the precious flower of your own unique mission to bloom. And, that flower will spread innumerable seeds of hope throughout the world and into the future.

From SGI Newsletter No. 7844 dated 26.08.2009

5. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays and Lectures (New York: Library of America, 1983), pg 349.

6. Helen Keller, Optimism (New York: T. Y. Crowell and Company, 1903), pg 73.

7. Translated from German. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Im Vorübergehen” (In Passing By), in Goethe Gedichte: Sämtliche Gedi-chte in zeitlicher Folge (Goethe Poems: Collected Poems in Chronological Order), edited by Heinz Nicolai (Frankfurt am Main: Insel Verlag, 1982), pg 671.

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Our Brilliant Path to Victory

Our Wonderful Network of Soka Women

We will fulfil our mission.

Come join us in the eternal

citadel

in lifetime after lifetime,

and bring the cherry

blossoms of youth

to bloom in beautiful

profusion.

These are lines from the Soka Gakkai young women’s division song “Cherry Blossoms of Youth,” which debuted at the Tachikawa Culture Centre in Tokyo, on March 16, 1978. It is a buoyant, uplifting song celebrating the lives of young women who dedicate themselves to the supremely noble mission of kosen-rufu.

Around the time when this song was unveiled, self-serving members of the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and treacherous former Soka Gakkai leaders were secretly conspiring together against our organisation. In contrast, how pure and strong in faith were our

young women’s division members! When the new song was

being written, I offered several suggestions for both the music and lyrics, wishing to respond to the young women’s sincere dedication. The completed “Cherry Blossoms of Youth” became a musical tribute to the indestructible bonds of mentor and disciple.

I firmly believed that as long as our young women’s division members continued to raise their voices in joyous song, our movement would develop without end.

Today, 35 years since the “Cherry Blossoms of Youth” was first performed, the young women of that time have developed into outstanding leaders who, with unwavering commitment to kosen-rufu, are active on the front lines of their communities and society. Their lives shine with good fortune and wisdom. Keeping the cherry blossoms of youth blooming vibrantly in their hearts,

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they are also extending their care and encouragement to their successors in the young women’s division as if they were their own sisters or daughters. This brings me immense joy.

A plaque inscribed with the lyrics to “Cherry Blossoms of Youth” adorns the lobby of the Soka Young Women’s Centre in Shinanomachi, Tokyo.

The spirit of ardently devoting oneself to kosen-rufu lives on in the hearts of our young women’s division members around the world.

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June 4 is the Day of the SGI Ikeda Kayo-kai. On this date four years ago (in 2009), my wife and I visited the newly-opened Soka Young Women’s Centre in Tokyo for the first time, and participated in a commemorative gathering with women’s division and young women’s division representatives there. At that time, I presented the young women’s division with five eternal guidelines. [SGI Newsletter

Editors’ Note: The five eternal

guidelines of the young women’s

division are: 1) Be cheerful suns

of happiness; 2) Study the world’s

foremost life philosophy; 3) Live

your youth undefeated by anything;

4) Engage in dialogue to foster

friendship and humanistic ideals;

5) Open the gateway to the eternal

victory of mentor and disciple.]

Life is a struggle. When all is said and done, it is actually a struggle with ourselves. Will we triumph over our weaknesses or not? That is what determines our happiness or unhappiness. That’s why, no matter what difficulties or karma we may be confronted with, we must never allow ourselves to be defeated.

We uphold the sound life-philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism in order to build a strong, invincible self. The purpose of practising Buddhism in one’s youth is to win over all obstacles and savour unsurpassed happiness in life.

I would like all of our young women’s division members without exception to freely write their own unique story of happiness and victory as the most radiant and refined entities of the Mystic Law.

I spoke about these things on that day four years ago, in a friendly, family-like atmosphere.

I still remember the young women’s division members beautifully singing “The Vow of the Ikeda Kayo-kai” that day.

With each passing year, the

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network of our young women’s division members, the suns of happiness, continues to grow and shine ever more brightly.

This year again, I have received reports of cheerful and lively Kayo-kai gatherings being held across the globe [to commemorate SGI

Ikeda Kayo-kai Day]. Nichiren Daishonin writes to

a female follower: “As a woman you have inherited the life of the Lotus Sutra. In fact, you have

inherited the life of the parents of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions. Is there anyone else in the entire land of Jampudvipa [the entire world] who possesses such good fortune?” (WND-1,

pg 916) He is saying here that women who embrace faith in the Mystic Law inherit the supreme wellspring of life – namely, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo – that is the source of all Buddhas.

Upholding the life-philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism, the young women’s division members are freely writing their own unique stories and building strong, invincible selves to overcome all obstacles and attain unsurpassed happiness in life.

Photo: Beh Lih Harn

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In the muddy swamp of society, the young women’s division members make their lives shine like beautiful lotus blossoms, imparting hope and inspiration. They are incredibly busy and may encounter many challenges. But that is precisely why they are able to accumulate boundless treasures of the heart day after day and enjoy lives of the greatest benefit in the world.

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Umeko Tsuda (1864–1929) was a pioneer of women’s education in Japan [founding the Joshi Eigaku

Juku (Women’s English School;

forerunner of today’s Tsuda College,

a leading Japanese women’s college)]. In the late 19th-century, a time of great change in Japan, Tsuda declared: “Women must have their rights regarded and be an influence for good in society.”1

Women play such an important role in fostering life, protecting their families, supporting society, and illuminating the world. Groups and organisations that respect women’s opinions and make good use of their wisdom will prosper and flourish limitlessly.

Soka Gakkai 1st president and founder of Soka education,

Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, was also inspired by the strength and potential of women. That is why, as a young educator, he established a correspondence school for women.

June 6, Mr Makiguchi’s birthday, is also celebrated as Kanto Region2 Women’s Division Day. The women’s division members of Kanto Region are solidly united and working energetically for kosen-rufu.

June 10, meanwhile, is Soka Gakkai Women’s Division Day. On that day in 1951, the women’s division was inaugurated and its members launched powerfully into action alongside Soka Gakkai 2nd president Josei Toda. Mr Toda said to those gathered: “I want you to know that women who uphold the Mystic Law are the most noble and praiseworthy of all. Please continue to strive together with me so that in the future we can show others what wonderful actual proof we have achieved through practising the Mystic Law.”

1. Cf. Umeko Tsuda, “The Education of Japanese Women,” The Writings of Umeko Tsuda, edited by Yoshiko Furuki, et al. (Tokyo: Tsuda College, 1984), pg 21.

2. In the Soka Gakkai organisation, the Kanto Region is comprised of Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures.

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In 1951, the Korean War (1950–53) was raging. At the women’s division inaugural meeting, a member who originally hailed from Pusan (now Busan), Korea, expressed her firm resolve to dedicate her life to kosen-rufu and shared her wish for the peace of her homeland and the happiness of her fellow Koreans.

Sixty-two years have passed since then. Today, in South Korea, the exemplary civic-minded contributions of women’s division and young women’s division members have created a great flowering of friendship and trust in their communities and society.

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One of the Daishonin’s female followers, Nichimyo (also known

as the mother of Oto), visited the Daishonin during his exile on Sado Island. She had separated from her husband and was raising her young daughter, Oto, on her own.

The Daishonin sent these words of encouragement to this sincere follower, which are no doubt well known to many of you: “In battles soldiers regard the general as their soul. If the general were to lose heart, his soldiers would become cowards,” (WND-1, pg 613) and “The

stronger one’s faith, the greater the protection of the gods.” (WND-1, pg 614)

Some of you might have thought these words were addressed to a male follower. They are indeed strong and bracing words. The Daishonin, however, had the highest respect for the tremendous strength of women. He even bestowed the honorary title “Sage Nichimyo” on this intrepid woman. And, as we see, he expressed absolute confidence in her as a “general”, or great leader, in the struggle for kosen-rufu.

In these passages, the Daishonin seems to be calling out: “Observe my admirable and courageous female disciple!” “Heavenly deities, please praise and protect this dedicated practitioner and her daughter!”

I regard the Daishonin’s aforementioned words of encouragement to Nichimyo as expression of his will and decree as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law to resolutely protect and support all SGI women’s division and young women’s division members.

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The other day, my wife read a letter to me from a member in

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Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, where she attended a women’s division general meeting held on May 27, 1979, a few short weeks after I stepped down as Soka Gakkai 3rd president. The woman,

a greater block women’s division leader (present-day district women’s

division leader) at the time, had welcomed my wife to the meeting with utmost sincerity.

In their discussion, my wife

Women play such an important role in fostering life, protecting their families, supporting society,

and illuminating the world. Groups and organisations that respect

women’s opinions and make good use of their wisdomwill prosper and flourish limitlessly.

– Daisaku Ikeda

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and the other women present agreed that as long as they continued practising with the Soka Gakkai no matter what, they were certain to become happy. This women’s leader, too, has striven wholeheartedly for kosen-rufu over the past three decades with this unwavering spirit.

Not a single member present that day quit the Soka Gakkai. They all remained active and continued to receive wonderful benefits. Though some have passed away – including the woman’s husband who, incidentally, served as the photographer for the meeting – their remaining family members have inherited their spirit in faith and are admirably working for kosen-rufu. While forging ties of friendship in their communities, each of them has demonstrated proof of the happiness that comes from living out one’s life together with the Soka Gakkai.

The woman also reported that she continues to work on the front lines of our movement, actively reaching out to others in dialogue to promote kosen-rufu and achieve victory for the entire Soka family.

The Soka Gakkai shines with the achievements of such

great individuals who have taken responsibility for the happiness of their communities, with the wish to transform them into true realms of joy.

The Daishonin also wrote this famous passage to Nichimyo: “Blue dye comes from indigo, but when something is repeatedly dyed in it, the colour is better than that of the indigo plant.” (WND-1, pg 615)

For the sake of and together with our wonderful network of Soka women, let us strengthen our faith even more, in the spirit of “becoming bluer than the indigo,” and resolutely achieve victory in our efforts to create a peaceful world through spreading the humanistic ideals of Nichiren Buddhism.

The invincible prayers of

women

allow them to take on

difficult challenges

year after year

and transform their

environment

into a bright realm of

happiness.



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Constructing the New Era

The Unchanging Formula for Expanding Our

Movement for Kosen-rufu

Nothing is stronger than the power of youth. Nothing is more reassuring than the presence of youth. When one youthful Bodhisattva of the Earth resolutely stands up, the victorious sun of truth and justice rises.

Congratulations to the young men on celebrating Young Men’s Division Day (November 5) amid wonderful efforts to spread Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism of the sun! Your growth and development is a source of great joy for me.

On November 5, 1961, we held a gathering of 100,000 young men at the National Stadium (in Sendagaya, Tokyo), fulfilling the pledge we had made to our mentor, Soka Gakkai 2nd president Josei Toda. A brand-new stadium will soon be completed on that site and serve as the main venue for the 2020

Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. It is my wish that our youthful global citizens of Soka will create a record of fresh victories to coincide with this great celebration of peace.

The young men’s division members are leading the way forward for kosen-rufu with the spirit of “Everyone advancing” and “Everyone a capable person”. Right now, they are holding general meetings, as well as gatherings of the Gajokai and the Soka Group.1

Inspiring dramas of youth calling forth youth are unfolding everywhere, brimming with fresh and vibrant energy.

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Together with my wife, Kaneko, I would like to congratulate the

1. November 2 is the anniversary of the founding of the Soka Group.


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young women on celebrating Young Women’s Division Day (on November 12). In particular, it is wonderful to see the great development of the Byakuren Group members!

In The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Nichiren

Daishonin says: “Our head corresponds to myo, our throat to ho, our chest to ren, our stomach to ge, and our legs to kyo. Hence this five-foot body of ours constitutes the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo.” (OTT, pg 28)

Nothing is stronger than the power of youth. Nothing is more reassuring than the presence of youth. When one youthful Bodhisattva of the Earth resolutelystands up, the victorious sun of truth and justice rises.

– Daisaku Ikeda


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Each of our young women’s division members without exception is a supremely noble entity of Myoho-renge-kyo, the Mystic Law. I hope you will strive with self-confidence and joy to expand your network of hope and friendship in society where so many people are suffering. Your efforts to do so will spread the light of happiness and the light of a culture of peace far and wide.

Mr Toda said: “Worldwide kosen-rufu starts from one-on-one dialogues and discussion meetings. Put down firm roots in daily life, spread trust in society, and go out among the people.”

To go out among the people – essentially, this starts by meeting with and wholeheartedly encouraging one person; standing up and brimming with the joy of faith together with them. This is the unchanging formula for expanding our movement for kosen-rufu.

Undeterred by the persecution of the Japanese militarist authorities during World War II, Soka Gakkai founding president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi travelled all the way to Fukushima Prefecture to share Nichiren Buddhism with the

parents of a young acquaintance. “Let us find and foster capable

people who are like precious gold and can become core leaders of our movement!” – this was the passionate call of Mr Makiguchi, who died in prison for his beliefs 75 years ago (on November 18,

1944). Our fellow members living in

areas that were affected by the recent heavy rains and typhoons in Japan, including Fukushima, are devoting themselves tirelessly to recovery efforts.

Nichiren Daishonin declares: “A hundred years of practice in the Land of Perfect Bliss cannot compare to the benefit gained from one day’s practice in the impure world.” (WND-1, pg 736)

I am certain that the Daishonin is aware of everything you are going through.

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Many young people are being fostered in our Soka family and carrying on our movement. We can therefore rest our minds at ease.

With the radiance of eternally youthful hearts, let’s win each day and illuminate the future.



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Treasures of the Four Seasons (6)

Life-sustaining Rice A series of photo essays by SGI President Ikeda

for the members of the junior division.

Now that a new term has begun, you may be feeling sleepy when it’s time to go to school in the morning. That’s why it’s important to begin the day by having a solid breakfast. Going to school without eating something is like trying to ride a bicycle with flat tires – you’ll find it difficult to get moving. Having breakfast, however, will give you the power to start your day strong.

By the way, do any of you know how many grains there are in an average bowl of rice? From about two to three thousand. To me, each of those grains is like a precious jewel symbolising the year-long efforts of the farmers who nurtured them.

When it is spring in Japan, the farmers start by cultivating rice seedlings. They will also plow and irrigate the paddies to prepare them for planting, and then transplant the seedlings to the muddy soil of the paddies. In summer, the seedlings grow into sturdy young rice plants. The

farmers’ labours continue as they fertilise the plants and weed the paddies, sweating in the blazing heat. Sometimes, typhoons or heavy rains will come and knock down some of these plants they worked so hard to grow.

In autumn, the rice paddies turn a beautiful golden colour. That’s when the rice is ready for harvest. This year, too, harvesting season is just around the corner. When that’s over, the farmers will spend the winter months carefully preparing the fields for next year’s crop. In this way, an incredible amount of effort goes into producing the rice we eat.

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Japan was at war when I was a boy and that made our lives very hard. We also suffered after the war ended because of continued food shortages. And then there were several bad harvests that also left the Japanese people hungry. Some even died of starvation. We cannot live without food.


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My first prayers when I became Soka Gakkai president (in 1960) were that world peace would be realised, that there would be no natural disasters, and that there would be rich harvests so that no one would go hungry.

In a letter thanking a disciple for a sincere gift of rice, Nichiren Daishonin says: “Polished rice is not [just] polished rice; it is life itself.” (WND-1, pg 1126)

We are kept alive because of the tremendous labour of farmers as well as many, many others. Why is it a Japanese custom to express our appreciation before we eat? To convey our gratitude to the farmers and fishermen, and to those who prepared our food. We are also expressing gratitude for

receiving the “life” of what we eat. Our bodies transform that food into the energy we need to study hard, to grow, and to contribute to the happiness of others.

Treasuring food is an act of treasuring life. Those who can feel thankful for having food to eat will experience a deep inner strength welling up from inside.

My dear young lions, please eat breakfast with that sense of gratitude!

I hope you will also challenge yourselves in doing gongyo and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, so that you can start each day with the engines of your bodies and your minds revving to go!


When visiting Katano, Osaka, where Kansai Soka Junior High School and Senior High School are located, President Ikeda took this photo to express his gratitude towards the farmer and also prayed fervently for the growth of the students. (September 1983)

Photo: Seikyo Press


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Building a Bright Future Based on Our Vow – Exploring the Life of Nanjo Tokimitsu (6)

Faith Is the Key to Absolute Victory A series of encouragement from SGI President Ikeda

for the members of the high school division.

The future is always right here in the present. Regardless of what has happened in the past, we can freely change the future from the present moment by transforming our state of mind. Nichiren Buddhism is a philosophy of hope that enables us to make our lives shine and make a fresh start, no matter what the circumstances.

Perhaps you didn’t accomplish something you meant to during summer vacation. Though things don’t always go according to plan, there’s no need to worry. What’s important is that you challenge what you can today. And if you don’t succeed today, just try again tomorrow. I hope you will start each day with such optimism and determination!

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In this instalment, I would like to study with you a passage from a letter Nichiren Daishonin sent to Nanjo Tokimitsu in July 1280. It was in the midst of the Atsuhara Persecution, a series of harsh threats and acts of violence against the Daishonin’s followers. At the time, Tokimitsu was struggling valiantly, bearing the brunt of the attacks by the government authorities in order to support and protect his fellow believers. In the letter, the Daishonin tells him: “Though we may suffer for a while, ultimately delight awaits us. It is like the case of a crown prince, the only son of the king. Consider this: How can he possibly fail to ascend the throne?” (WND-2, pg 882)

These words convey the Daishonin’s conviction that no


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matter how tough things might be at present, his disciple will definitely triumph. They ring with his powerful encouragement to Tokimitsu to never let himself be defeated.

A stormy night never lasts forever. It is always darkest before the dawn. The same is true in life. No matter what storms of adversity assail us, by engaging in our struggle with an invincible spirit, we can drive away the clouds of our problems and worries. In particular, by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and causing the unconquerable sun of our inherent Buddhahood to rise in our hearts, we can definitely break through the darkness of suffering. In the end, we can enjoy a bright dawn of victory and savour a beautiful rainbow of hope and brilliant achievement.

The Daishonin assures us that by dedicating ourselves to kosen-rufu based on the Mystic Law, we can attain a boundless state of happiness that cannot be defeated by any difficulty.

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Former Jeju National University President Cho Moon Boo, with whom I have published two dialogues, experienced many

hardships from his youth, but he triumphed over them all.

He was born in 1932. The Japanese militarist government had already established the Korean Peninsula as an overseas colony, and Dr Cho’s family lost the lands they’d owned for many generations, leaving them very poor.

World War II ended when Dr Cho was in the fourth grade. He was a good student, but because of his family’s financial situation, he was unable to go on to junior high, so he found work at an elementary school while continuing to study on his own. Eventually, he was able to enrol in a junior high school night course. In the midst of this struggle, however, his father died suddenly, and Dr Cho had to keep working while attending high school.

After graduation, he took the entrance examination for Seoul National University – one of the best schools in his country – but failed to pass. However, he kept studying as he worked as a junior high school substitute teacher. After work, he would take a brief nap and then study until dawn. Continuing this for a year, he was finally able to pass the university


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entrance examination.Dr Cho went on to become

an eminent educator. He cared for students who had to work their way through school as if they were his own children, nurturing them wholeheartedly, and made an outstanding contribution to his

nation’s growth and development. Because he experienced immense hardship himself as a youth, he was able to truly empathise with others and compassionately cherish young people.

I will never forget a story Dr Cho shared with me during

In December 1999, at Tokyo Makiguchi Memorial Hall in Hachioji, President Ikeda reunited with Dr Cho Moon Boo. Dr Cho commended President Ikeda by saying that his achievements are brightly illuminating society in the 21st century.

Photo: Seikyo Press


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one of our dialogues. Early one morning, while he was working at the elementary school in hopes of going to junior high, he was taking a walk in the schoolyard when he spotted a small plant sprouting from a tiny crack in the cement. A ray of light filled his heart. Inspired by the little plant’s powerful life force, he vowed to learn from it and refused to accept defeat.

We all possess a tenacious, invincible power within us. Dr Cho saw that power in a single plant and, with hope for the future, persevered in his studies.

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In the passage we are studying, the Daishonin compares Tokimitsu to “a crown prince, the only son of the king.” (WND-2, pg

882) The words “the only” mean “no one else”, conveying the Daishonin’s trust in Tokimitsu to stand up alone as a true disciple.

In the Soka Gakkai as well, it is the stand-alone struggles of disciples that have created history.

When my mentor, Soka Gakkai 2nd president Josei Toda, faced the collapse of his businesses, I quit the night school I was attending and devoted myself solely to assisting and

supporting him. He responded by offering to teach me everything I could have learnt in school, dedicating Sundays to my private instruction at his home. Later, we also held these lessons at the office early in the mornings before work, and Mr Toda continued to teach me until just a few months before his death.

It was the training I received in this outstanding “Toda University” that has enabled me to engage in comprehensive talks with the world’s leading thinkers and publishes numerous dialogues.

Youth is a period of unexpected challenges. But the greater those challenges, the greater the victory you will achieve in the end. The fundamental key to making this possible is “faith for absolute victory” – in other words, our practice of Nichiren Buddhism.

I was there for Mr Toda. He even said: “As long as Daisaku is there, the Soka Gakkai’s future is secure.”

You, my dear friends of the future division, are there for me. I wish to declare: “As long as the future division members are there, the world’s future is secure.”



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A Youthful DiaryThe following are entries from SGI President Ikeda’s

A Youthful Diary in June 1949.

June 1Wednesday – Clear

“To lie is the basest act in life.” But in reality, all live under false pretences, and truth is lost to expediency. How pitiful! Must remember to think seriously about my own future and carry through the supreme mission throughout my life. The road to hell and the gallant road of a significant and truthful life are both at the feet of youth.

Received guidance and advice from Mr Toda about the logical system of “main point, outline and development” in terms of both work and public relations.

June, month of fresh green and summer breezes, wafting a thousand miles. Must advance without regrets in the time of my passionate youth.

Skipped tonight’s lecture on the Lotus Sutra to help Mr Kodaira proofread the Daibyakurenge. I pray earnestly for the development of the Daibyakurenge, the vanguard of kosen-rufu.

My room is so cramped, I feel that I insult the Gohonzon. It makes me quite apologetic, Disrespect for the Gohonzon is the same thing as contempt for one’s own life. As soon as possible, I want to enshrine my Gohonzon in a place of dignity.

What a magnificent moon tonight! Without the moon and the stars twinkling above us, how empty and desolate that world would be!

Life demands confidence. Life demands effort. Life demands compassion. To live without confidence is to live without meaning, like a stagnant puddle, never knowing what it means to risk or dare. To live without effort is to live on cunning, like some despicable and insolent thief. To live without compassion is to be like contemporary scholars and politicians. People of the limelight, masters of seeking their own advantage, ignorant of life’s subtle beauty.

Strength and conviction of a


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life lived confidently. Noble figure of a man of heroic effort, meeting troubles and hardships head on. A man filled with unfathomable mercy and dignity – Mr Toda. How wondrous is the perfection of life!

June 2Thursday – Clear

Days of youth wet with tears. Through tears, I sense the surge of new power. Through tears, I experience unutterable emotion welling from my innermost heart. Youth, rich in poetry. Youth, who

live with passion and effort. Now in the precious moments of youth, I wish to express the pinnacle of art in my way of living.

In literature, in poetry, in music.

I pray that youthful impulse will not lead me to follow the wrong road.

To break through hardships, to fulfil one’s purpose in life, to carry out the great task of human salvation – ultimately, there is no other way but to cherish absolute faith in the Gohonzon.

I must live always conscious of the supreme mission. Must advance, towards the glorious dawn.

All men strive to impress, and I’m no different. Leaders

of the future, however, must be men of real

capability. Must remember the spirit of our forebears, the men of old.

The times

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Photo: Jeffrey Lum


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advance, day by day. I want to be someone who can keep pace with that advance – no, who can lead it!

I love children, those new arrivals who will fulfil the future’s dreams. I love all my countrymen. I long to embrace and shake hands with everyone, at anytime, anywhere, but the rules of society forbid it.

I love the whole human race like a lover. But even if I cry out my love at the top of my voice, they cannot hear me.

People of the world! The time has come to embrace the true religion, to follow Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings.

I strike the golden bell and shatter the dawn’s silence. I drown out the noisy clamour of leaden bells.

June 3Friday – Cloudy

Cool since morning. Threatening to rain since afternoon, but none fell.

Busy days, but I grapple squarely with the tasks assigned to me. That gives my work meaning. Even when I'm suffering, I’m truly happy. Must make Mr Toda’s company the best in Japan. Must

create the finest magazine in the nation.

I am deeply stirred by the Gakkai’s growth and struggles.

Must persuade my father to take faith as soon as possible. I have to change my family’s destiny fundamentally. I keenly feel this to be my mission.

Nothing is achieved in life without decisiveness. Am I a coward? Or a young man who will truly carry out religious revolution? In the true spirit of youth wake up! In the true spirit of youth, advance!

At night, read from the Gosho:

Why then do the scholars of this latter age fail to look into it, but instead rashly presume to judge the doctrinal teachings on their own?

It is essential that one give close study to the three teachings that run through all Buddhism. These three are the sudden teaching, the gradual teaching, and the perfect teaching. These are the unity of the three truths set forth in the sacred teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime.


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The first two teachings, sudden and gradual, were expounded by the Buddha in the first forty-two years of his preaching life; the perfect teaching was expounded in the last eight years. Together they represent the teachings of a period of fifty years. Outside of these, there are no other doctrines. How then can you fail to understand them correctly?

When one is still at the stage of an ordinary living being, these three teachings are referred to as the three truths. When one has attained the goal of Buddhahood, they are called the three bodies. These are different names for the same thing. The process of expounding and bringing them to light is known as the sacred teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime. When one opens up and merges these so that one can perceive that the three truths constitute a single entity, this is to attain Buddhahood.(WND-2, pg 858-59)

Oh, vast motion of a boundless universe! History being endlessly created. People rushing about in confusion, as though imprisoned in a burning house. Lives surrounded by conflict after conflict. Ordered flux of the great cosmos that no human intellect can fathom. Where shall sensitive youth turn for an answer? As I read the Gosho, I tremble with delight.

Buddhism, clearly expounding the origin and basis of all, offering true happiness.

Who can [one] doubt it? Here is the ultimate, the guiding principle for all humanity. Politicians, men of letters, scientists! Awake! Believe in the Great Pure Law.

June 4Saturday – Clear

Progress and revolution involve all forms of opposition. Those who overcome it are worthy to be called youth. Like seeds that endure through winter and sprout from the earth in spring.

Youth! Abandon wishful thinking. Reality is harsh. Youth is the time to advance, to grow, to battle against corruption. A youth is most worthy of respect when


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advancing earnestly towards a goal. But don’t forget to smile. Be cheerful always.

Editorial conference at 2:00pm. Discussed renaming Boys’ Adventure. No matter what, somehow, it must become the best boys’ magazine in Japan. That is my mission and the way I can repay Mr Toda.

Youth division meeting at 6:00pm. K and I announced our religious debate to refute the erroneous Butsuryu sect. Surprised

at our seniors’ lack of enthusiasm.Has my hour finally come to

advance in the front line? For the sake of kosen-rufu, armed with the Daishonin’s supreme philosophy.

June 6Monday – Cloudy

Exhausted, both mentally and physically. Heavy assignments every day.

Youth amidst the storm: profound, remote, mysterious.

Photo: Jeffrey Lum


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Youth, like the surging strains of Beethoven. Youth, brimming with poetry as wildly impassioned as Dante’s. Valiant young trees that bear up in the storm. The mysterious beauty of forests lit by lightning storms. Same old familiar scent of the earth, though the soil is ploughed up again and again. Irrepressible motion of a souls that, even when drenched by rain and buffeted by wind, does not forget remote and timeless beauty. Youth in the storm! Advance, never forgetting the blazing sun soon to rise.

Cloudy since morning. We were warned by the chief accountant that we’d better start coming to work earlier to get everything set up. I feel sorry for the female clerks. The gulf between management and labour is glaringly obvious.

I wait for the day when employees at every company can work happily together in mutual trust. No, better not wait. we must create it ourselves, with our own hands.

Three chapters of the Tokyo Railway Workers’ Union went on strike in Meguro, Hiro’o and Yanagishima.

The strike was in demonstration against public safety

regulations. A man named Kinji Hashimoto died. Days of violence go on and on.

Pray, pray. That’s all I can do.For kosen-rufu to come even

one day sooner.Worked at the office till

9:40pm. Everyone went home; I stayed on alone. Working hard makes me happy, even if no one sees.

Home by 11:20pm. It’s so far to go!

Ate a bowl of noodles before bed.

June 7Tuesday – Light rain

The rainy season seems to have started. A gentle drizzle since morning. Asian peoples, especially the Japanese, have a strong, poetic feeling for nature. I hope our nation, now recovering from the ravages of war, will never lose this.

But the reality of it is that average working people’s nerves are on edge during the rainy season, and emotional outbursts are all too frequent. It’s a shame. I am physically exhausted. I can’t seem to stop oversleeping in the morning.

Human revolution is the goal of faith. Must strive harder.


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I can feel my body growing stronger year by year. To self-indulgent youths, to suffering senior citizens, to all stubborn-minded people, I must show the true joy of faith, a strong body brimming with ardour and a youthful spirit striving in a great mission.

“Stand up in the cause of justice and your strength is doubled.” (Schiller)

Talked for nearly two hours with the artist, Ichiro Ikebe, about French politics, art and society.

Raining harder towards evening.

Read alone in the quiet editorial room. Will study hard. Must not be defeated. Especially must study politics and economics.

June 8Wednesday – Rain

Raining again, and almost cold.The layout for the August

issue of Boys’ Adventure is almost finished now. What a relief. This issue has to show great results.

Buddhism is a battle. We of the Nihon Shogakkan who embrace a correct view of society will never knuckle under to other companies.

I meet lots of artists and

writers through my work, many of them considered to be masters. It’s disappointing once I actually talk to them. Those of character are the only great people in the world.

How many people in the arts today are truly worthy of respect? Maybe artists have a right to be eccentric, but how often they make me run after them, wasting such valuable time!

Dropped by a shoe shop near Kamata Station on the way home. Bought a pair of old shoes. Society holds too many contradictions. Some people are poor, though they live and work honestly. Others live by deceit and never lift a finger, but they lack for nothing. All kinds of people in the world.

Is the one who amasses material possessions the final winner in life? Absurd! Must examine my own situation and then leap beyond, to show great proof in the future. Isn’t that what faith teaches?

Youth, never be envious. Never lose heart.

June 9Thursday – Light rain

Rainy season. Walked to Umeyashiki Station.

The passers-by all got drenched


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in the summer rain. Rain makes the female students’ white dresses stand out even more brightly. Young girls, in your future … you may have nothing special in mind, yet you feed others’ imaginations. You have in you all the elements of great art. Perhaps you are art personified. Without your fresh presence, this town, society, the world itself – how cold and forbidding they would be! Like a house without flowers, or the

night sky without flowers, or the night sky without the twinkling stars. May your futures be blessed – and the future of young girls in America, in France, in Spain – everywhere.

Got home in the rain about 10:50pm. Soaking wet all the way. Thoroughly miserable. I feel lonely but can still weep tears of joy in hopes of a future dawn.

Supper tonight – a hunk of bread.

Human revolution is the goal of faith. Must strive harder.

– Daisaku Ikeda

Photo: Jeffrey Lum


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June 13Monday – Cloudy

Had a headache since morning. Have to take better care of myself. My mind changes from one moment to the next. I know what my goals are, but I waver all the same. Pathetic. One moment I’m in high spirits, bursting with youthful intensity, and the next moment I’m as petrified as though I were standing on the edge of a cliff.

One moment I contemplate high ideals and religious revolution, but in the storm of my actual situation, I tremble, It’s pitiable.

Youth, stand up! Advance! Otherwise there will be no human revolution.

Plunge into the whirlpool of reality and fight, Fear nothing. Remember your great mission.

Bought three books at Kanda: Pascal’s Pensees, The Book of Passion and one more. Altogether, spent ¥120.

Leaders’ meeting today. How valiantly the Gakkai forges ahead. I must not be left behind. My sole frustration and regret is that because of work, I can’t do Gakkai activities the way I want to. What joy it must be to offer one’s whole life to the Daishonin!

I must carry out propagation. I’m falling behind in my studies, too. Hope I can go back to night school tomorrow. I’ve been gone so long, my classmates probably wonder what happened to me.

June 14Tuesday – Cloudy

A refreshing morning. My physical condition is not good. Got to work at 9:30am. Everyone else was already working, and I felt self-conscious, embarrassed. Resolved to get to work earlier, starting tomorrow.

June 16Thursday – Rain

Scolded by Mr Toda. Agonising. All my fault. Must reflect on myself.

I believe in Mr Toda, and I’ll strive till the bitter end. I’ve got to recognise my weak points and change them otherwise I’ll be miserable all my life.

Must advance again, with all my might. Remember the childhood and youth of great men of the past.

Excerpts from A Youthful Diary, Daisaku Ikeda

(Soka Gakkai Malaysia: 2000), pg 3–9.


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1. Ho Goku is a pen-name of SGI President Ikeda.

The New Human Revolution — Volume 30: Chapter 4

<New> Bells of DawnBy Ho Goku1

Bells of Dawn 1Germany is home to the religious reformation that marked a new age in European history.

At the beginning of the 16th century, as the clergy grew more corrupt, as Christian teachings devolved into empty formalities, and as the Church became more secularised, the Pope in Rome authorised the sale of indulgences in Germany. It was announced that by purchasing these indulgences sold by the Church, believers would have their sins forgiven.

Martin Luther (1483–1546), a monk and theologian, questioned this practice. He insisted that salvation could not be bought but came only through faith. He issued his Ninety-five Theses in protest, which sparked the Christian Reformation.

Luther was excommunicated by the Pope, but he remained firm in his convictions. Believing that the Bible should be the sole

authority in Christian faith, he translated it into German. He also declared his doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, asserting that all human beings are equal before God.

Shin’ichi Yamamoto renewed his determination: “More than four centuries have passed since the Reformation launched by Martin Luther. As we approach the 21st century, a religion that exists for people’s happiness, a religion that can free all humanity from suffering, must flourish.”

At 8:30pm on May 16, 1981, envisaging the development of kosen-rufu in Europe, Shin’ichi arrived at Frankfurt Airport. It was his first visit to West Germany in 16 years.

The following day, May 17, Shin’ichi met with Professor Emeritus Gerhard Olschowy and


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Professor Josef Derbolav of the University of Bonn, the latter accompanied by his wife, Rita. Dr Olschowy was known for his research on environmental protection, while Dr Derbolav was an authority on pedagogy and Greek philosophy. Shin’ichi also met separately that day with Professor N. A. Khan of the Free University of Berlin. Dr Khan, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, was born in India and had a deep interest in religion. They were all old friends of Shin’ichi’s and

everyone enjoyed the reunion. Shin’ichi welcomed them at the hotel in Frankfurt where a friendship exchange meeting was scheduled to be held that afternoon to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the kosen-rufu movement in Germany.

The challenges facing humanity today are complexly interlinked and wide-ranging. That’s why Shin’ichi sought to deepen his ties with leaders in every field, build a solid network of wisdom for the sake of peace and prosperity

Martin Luther


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for all humankind, and generate a groundswell to shape the times.

Bells of Dawn 2During their conversation in Frankfurt, Shin’ichi and Dr Derbolav decided to publish a dialogue together.

Their conversations over the ensuing six years became the source material for the text. Dr Derbolav, it is said, was overjoyed upon receiving a draft of the manuscript and kept it by his bedside.

The dialogue was published in Japanese in April 1989,2 but Dr Derbolav, unfortunately, had died in July 1987 at age 75 and never saw the finished book.

Shin’ichi continued to hold dialogues with people in various fields, putting a special effort into publishing them. Behind this was his deep-seated determination. He knew that the ultimate aim of all areas of learning and all spheres of endeavour, such as politics, economics, education, and the arts, is human happiness, social prosperity, and peace.

Nichiren Daishonin argued that every area of human activity, from government to daily living, accords with Buddhism, quoting T’ien-t’ai

where he says: “No worldly affairs of life or work are ever contrary to the true reality.” (WND-1, pg

905) Shin’ichi wished to shine a light on that undeniable reality through his dialogues with various experts.

Moreover, to fundamentally solve the many problems confronting humanity – environmental destruction, education, nuclear weapons, war, discrimination, poverty, and so forth – would require a transformation in human beings themselves. That is why Shin’ichi wished to show how necessary it is to spread the supreme life philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism and make it the guiding spirit of the age. By exchanging ideas and learning from the insights and wisdom of leading figures in different fields, he sought perspectives and practical means for solving all those problems.

He was aware that his dialogues might produce only a limited number of concrete proposals or ideas for solving various problems, but he was hopeful and confident that his

2. The book was published in English under the title Search for a New Humanity.


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initiatives would inspire many young people to follow his lead and light the way forward for humanity.

Passing on an uplifting philosophy and way of thinking is to light a beacon that illuminates the future.

Bells of Dawn 3A refreshing breeze wove through the trees. The friendship exchange meeting took place in the hotel’s garden on the afternoon of May

17, with some 800 members from eight countries. Representatives from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Austria, and Italy, as well as a delegation from Japan, joined with the German members in reaffirming the vow they shared for the global spread of Nichiren Buddhism.

A stage had been set up, and a series of musical performances ensued. These portrayed the struggles of the Japanese youth who had relocated to Germany with the wish to contribute to worldwide

Professor Josef Derbolav


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kosen-rufu and who, while working in coal mines, opened the way for kosen-rufu there.

Most of these young men had no experience as miners before coming to Germany. The backbreaking work left them exhausted, and they often found such local staples as rye bread unpalatable. But they spurred themselves on and did their best to carry out Soka Gakkai activities.

The impassioned call that Shin’ichi had made in his editorial “Youth, Become World Leaders!” in the August 1963 Daibyakurenge resounded in their hearts.

The efforts and hard work of these young men and other courageous pioneering members who joined them had borne fruit, and now many Bodhisattvas of the Earth had emerged in Germany.

It had been President Toda’s firm belief that “A new age will be created by the passion and power of youth.”3

Next, a group of children took the stage and sang of the joy of ushering in the hope-filled month of May. Everyone warmly applauded.

Dieter Kahn, the general director of the Soka Gakkai organisation in Germany, then appeared on stage and declared

with evident emotion: “Finally, finally, our dream for the past 16 years has been realised. President Yamamoto is here with us in Germany!”

The German members had heard that certain Nichiren Shoshu priests and others continued to unjustly attack and harass members in Japan. So they had forged ahead bravely, determined to accelerate the pace of kosen-rufu in Germany and open new horizons for the movement worldwide.

They were eager to take on all challenges and triumph.

Bells of Dawn 4A number of guests also attended the friendship gathering, including Dr N. A. Khan of the Free University of Berlin. In their greetings, all expressed high hopes for the peace movement grounded in Buddhist ideals that Shin’ichi was promoting.

Finally, Shin’ichi took the microphone. “We have a right to become happy here on earth,” he

3. Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, “Seinen-kun” (Guidelines for Youth), Toda Josei Zenshu (The Collected Writings of Josei Toda), vol. 1 (Tokyo: Seikyo Shimbunsha, 1992), pg 58.


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said. “We have a right to live in peace. We have a right to live in freedom. What, then, is the key to making this a reality? I would like to assert that it is the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.

“Why? Because human beings are the starting point of everything, and life is the most precious thing of all. Nichiren Buddhism illuminates the true nature of life, teaches that all human beings possess the supremely noble and unsurpassed state of Buddhahood, and shows

the way for each person to establish indestructible happiness and peace. And it is the Soka Gakkai that is putting this Buddhism into practice.

“Just as the sun illuminates every part of the world and its light benefits all, the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is a teaching that brings true happiness to all people, and is therefore called the Buddhism of the Sun.

“The personal experiences of our members around the world testify to this undeniable power.


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I hope that you will all be bathed in the light of this great Buddhism, revitalise your lives, and build indestructible happiness.

“A religion that cannot help people become happy and lead fulfilling lives cannot possibly realise world peace and free the world’s people from suffering.

“I hope that each of you, my friends, will remain steadfast in your practice of this Buddhism of the Sun and enjoy solid happiness.

“Our gathering today as fellow practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism may be modest, but please be confident that 30, 50, or 100 years from now, this day will shine in history as a landmark that set in motion a groundswell of kosen-rufu for happiness and peace.”

Shin’ichi wished to reaffirm that the aim of Buddhist practice is the happiness of each individual, which is also the aim of the Soka Gakkai’s activities for peace.

Peace is not the mere absence of war. Genuine peace exists when people can savour the joy of being alive and pursue lives full of true happiness and delight.

Bells of Dawn 5On the afternoon of May 18, Shin’ichi visited the Frankfurt

Community Centre, where he took part in a gongyo meeting celebrating the 20th anniversary of the kosen-rufu movement in Germany. He also attended a commemorative tree-planting ceremony and joined in group photographs, to the delight of members who had worked so hard to open the way for kosen-rufu in Germany.

After the meeting, an informal discussion about faith was held with Shin’ichi, who expressed sadness that Germany remained divided into East and West. “As you know,” he said, “both capitalism and communism have reached an impasse. Mind you, our aim is not to criticise either system. Our activities as Buddhists begin by shining a light on the individuals who make up each society.

“The way to break the impasses the world faces today is for people to gain control over their never-ending desires, strive for their own and others’ happiness, and create the greatest value possible in their lives and in society. Any social system, whatever its ideals, will be incomplete and unworkable without the inner transformation of people themselves – that is,


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without human revolution. “The Buddhism of Nichiren

Daishonin elucidates the fundamental Law of the universe. Our faith in that Law enables us to draw out the life-state of Buddhahood, the source of limitless creativity existing in all people.

“Amidst the trouble and confusion of society, our Buddhist practice gives us the means to reveal our inner Buddhahood and brim with fresh life force. It gives us strength and direction to walk with confidence on the path of life, happiness, and peace.

“Furthermore, Buddhism teaches that rather than seeking happiness in some kind of heaven apart from this world, we can establish indestructible happiness right where we are, within the reality of our daily lives.”

Shin’ichi wished to drive home that, in these increasingly chaotic times, seeking the sound life philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism would bring immense hope to people’s lives and to the world.

Bells of Dawn 6Shin’ichi next addressed the subject of divorce, one of the topics the German general director

and other leaders had consulted him about.

Divorce had become increasingly common in Europe and other Western countries, and members sometimes sought guidance about it. The German leaders had asked Shin’ichi how they, as Buddhists, should deal with this.

Shin’ichi wished to reaffirm the basic attitude towards this issue.

“Divorce seems to be a common problem in society today, but I believe that we should avoid getting too deeply involved in such private matters, and refrain from any interference. This is an issue that each person must take responsibility to think about carefully for themselves.

“I can say, however, that to build one’s own happiness on the misfortune of others is not the Buddhist way.

“The important thing is for the couple involved to discuss things thoroughly. If they both practise Nichiren Buddhism, they should chant for a resolution, always bearing in mind such factors as their children’s futures. I hope they will make every effort to meet each other halfway and find the best solution. It’s worth remembering, too, that getting a


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divorce doesn’t mean you’ll change your karma.

“Leaders should always respect the character and rights of those who come to them for advice in this area and never divulge anything they are told. Never violate members’ privacy by talking about the situation with anyone, not even your family or friends. Please remember, should you fail in this, you not only hurt the parties involved but compromise the trust people have in you and the Soka Gakkai, disqualifying

yourself as a leader.“I wish to reaffirm that this is

an iron-fast rule all leaders need to abide by, not just in Germany but in Japan and everywhere else.”

Shin’ichi wished to address members’ questions and concerns clearly, in a way that was easy to understand. For that reason, since his arrival in Frankfurt he had spoken with as many members as he could and listened to what they had to say.

Answering the questions on people’s minds is key to the joyful


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and dynamic development of kosen-rufu.

Bells of Dawn 7Next, Shin’ichi spoke about why the Soka Gakkai organisation was necessary.

“There may be some who feel that organisations and individual freedoms conflict. But groups of all kinds, including companies and nations, need a structured organisation to achieve their aims. The Soka Gakkai, too, must have an organisation as a means to enable everyone to engage in faith, practice, and study, and to promote our movement for kosen-rufu.

“You have all come to practise Nichiren Buddhism today because we have an organisation. Also, an organisation is necessary for many people to advance in an orderly fashion. Without an organisation, we could easily become self-righteous and self-centred in our practice, or attached to our personal views or opinions. Were that to happen, we would veer from correct faith, practice, and study, and be unable to establish a correct way of life based on the Mystic Law.

“When people practice by themselves, they often lose sight

of the way forward. To remain steadfast in faith, we need to unite with others. We need to encourage one another to live bravely, urge each other to keep striving in our Buddhist practice, and support one another in staying on the right path. From that perspective, I think it becomes clear how important the organisation is.

“Please remember, however, that the organisation is a means, and that the reason for its existence is to provide guidance and direction so that each member can strengthen their faith and become happy. The purpose of the Soka Gakkai organisation is to help everyone attain absolute happiness and the life-state of Buddhahood.

“Moreover, positions in the organisation do not mean there’s a hierarchy among members. Leaders in the Soka Gakkai serve as cornerstones of unity.

“Therefore, I hope you all will respect, understand, trust, and encourage each other as fellow members of society and together lead victorious lives.”

The Soka Gakkai is a unique and unparalleled organisation that is striving for people’s happiness and world peace – in other words, for kosen-rufu. That is why Josei


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Toda said that the Soka Gakkai organisation was more important to him than his own life.

Bells of Dawn 8After the discussion, Shin’ichi and his group visited the Goethe House in Frankfurt.

Just three days earlier, Shin’ichi had viewed the house where Tolstoy lived in Moscow.

As a youth during Japan’s tumultuous post-war period, Shin’ichi had devoured the writings of Goethe, Tolstoy, and other great authors, finding in their pages strength and hope for the future.

By visiting the homes of such literary giants and seeing the environment in which they lived, Shin’ichi sought to deepen his insight into their character and their works. He also thought that if the opportunity presented itself someday, he would like to speak to young people about such authors and their writings.

The Goethe House was a five-story building. It had burned down in 1944, during the bombing of the city in World War II, but it had been restored.

Shin’ichi and the others went from room to room, viewing the

kitchen, dining room, living room, music room, and picture gallery. The Goethe family was reportedly one of the wealthiest in Frankfurt at the time, and the furnishings were grand and luxurious.

On the third floor was the study where Goethe had worked on The Sorrows of Young Werther and began his great masterpiece, Faust. There was a standing desk in the room. Goethe was said to have made a point of standing while he wrote. Here one could sense his youthful vigour.

Tolstoy and Goethe were quite long-lived for their times – both reaching the age of 82 and writing till the end. As if predicting the close of his own towering life, Goethe remarked that even in parting the sun is magnificent.4

Shin’ichi reflected that, at 53, he was still young. He told himself: “My life’s real struggle starts from now. To build the foundation for worldwide kosen-rufu and create a stage for our youthful successors, I must keep working and writing as long as I

4. Translated from German. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe , Goethes Gespräche: Gesamtausgabe (Goethe’s Conversations: Complete Compilation), edited by Flodoard Frhr. von Biedermann, vol. 4 (Leipzig: F. W. v. Biedermann, 1910), pg 445.


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live!” After completing his itinerary

in West Germany, Shin’ichi flew on to Bulgaria, departing at 1:00pm on May 20.

Bells of Dawn 9The Balkan Mountains, still capped with snow, glittered in the sunshine. About two and a half hours after leaving Frankfurt, Shin’ichi and his party landed at the airport in Sofia, the capital of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria

(now the Republic of Bulgaria), a communist country in Eastern Europe. It was Shin’ichi’s first visit, made at the invitation of the government’s Committee for Culture.

Sofia is a city filled with greenery and surrounded by mountains. At the airport, Shin’ichi and his party were welcomed by Milcho Germanov, first deputy chairman of the Committee for Culture, and others. That evening, Shin’ichi paid his respects to the committee and attended a welcome

Sofia, Bulgaria.


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banquet held at a hotel. The next morning, on

May 21, Shin’ichi visited the mausoleum of Bulgaria’s first post-war prime minister, Georgi Dimitrov (1882–1949). He laid a wreath and offered prayers for the prime minister and for peace. The mausoleum was in Ninth of September Square (now Battenberg Square), named to honour Bulgaria’s socialist revolution.

Next, Shin’ichi met with Nacho Papazov, chairman of the Committee for Science and Technical Progress. The chairman was recovering from illness and there were ongoing concerns about his health, as he had not been seen at any recent official events.

“I have just come to offer my greetings on arriving in Bulgaria and won’t stay long,” Shin’ichi said to him.

“I’m fine now,” Mr Papazov replied with a smile. “I have been looking forward very much to this day and to meeting you.”

The chairman had been Bulgarian Ambassador to Japan from 1967 to 1971. During that time, he said, he’d had the opportunity to hear Shin’ichi speak and had been very impressed. Recalling that Soka

University was under construction back then, he asked if it had opened yet. “For a decade now,” Shin’ichi said, and Chairman Papazov smiled in delight.

Shin’ichi pledged to continue doing all he could to promote exchange between Japan and Bulgaria. Then, as he stood up to leave, Mr Papazov reached out to stop him. “I deeply appreciate your concern for my health, but I have my doctor’s permission for today’s meeting. So please, do sit down.”

Shin’ichi sensed an urgency in the chairman’s voice.

An eager spirit to keep learning and growing always seeks dialogue.

Bells of Dawn 10“I don’t want you to overtax yourself,” Shin’ichi said.

But Chairman Papazov again urged him to sit. He then spoke at length from the heart: “I have the highest regard for your actions. In particular, for your dedication, out of a wish for peace, to cultural exchange for the sake of mutual understanding. Since my time in Japan as ambassador, I have very much hoped that you would visit


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Bulgaria. Today that wish has come true, and I am overjoyed.

“As you know, Bulgaria, situated on the Balkan Peninsula, has long been a crossroads of civilisations. As a result, it has seen repeated battles and has fallen under the successive rule of the Macedonian, Roman, and Byzantine empires. The Mongols invaded it, and the Ottoman Empire ruled over it for some five centuries. Bulgarians also experienced bitter suffering during the First and Second World Wars.

“Because of that, the realisation of world peace is my – no, all Bulgarians’ – cherished wish. That is why I have such high hopes for your efforts for peace and pray that they will bear great fruit.”

His words overflowed with a fervent wish for peace.

“As the chairman of the Committee for Science and Technical Progress,” he continued, “I would be very happy if in the future Bulgarian universities could engage in exchange with Soka University, which you have

Nacho Papazov, chairman ofthe Committee for Scienceand Technical Progress.


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founded.” Expressing his concern again

for the chairman’s health, Shin’ichi said: “Please take care of yourself for the sake of your country.” The two then firmly shook hands.

That afternoon, following a meeting with Education Minister Alexander Fol at the ministry offices, Shin’ichi visited the University of Sofia. Founded in 1888, it was the oldest national university in Bulgaria. Shin’ichi was to receive an honorary doctorate in education and sociology, and deliver a commemorative lecture. This would be the third academic institution to present him with an honorary degree, following Moscow State University and Peru’s National University of San Marcos.

Exchanges between universities, centres of learning, create networks for building peace that will endure into the future.

Bells of Dawn 11The Rectorate of Sofia University was located on St Kliment Ohridski Street. Its majestic stone facade and turquoise roof gave it an air of distinguished tradition.

The conferral of the honorary doctorate took place in an auditorium with a high sculptured

ceiling, which added to a solemn atmosphere.

Prof Ivanka Apostolova, chair of the Faculty of Philosophy, read the award citation. Rector Ilcho Dimitrov then presented Shin’ichi with the certificate, which was inscribed in Old Church Slavonic. They shook hands as the audience of around 100, including faculty heads, professors, and students, warmly applauded.

Shin’ichi then took the podium to give a lecture outlining his vision for a future of East-West harmony.

He noted that geographically, historically, and spiritually, Bulgaria has been a land where the civilisations of East and West have met and clashed, merged and synergised. Because of this, he felt, the country has the potential to play an important role in building a new human society.

Shin’ichi spoke of the close relationship people had with God in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, as represented by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and how there were few intermediaries standing between God and the people.

He then quoted lines from the poem “A Prayer” by the Bulgarian revolutionary and poet Khristo Botev (1848–76):


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O, my God, Thou Lord of Justice –

Not the one in far off heaven – But thou, God, who dwell’st

within me,In my heart and in my doing.5

The poem, Shin’ichi said, showed God as living within a person’s heart, never separated from the people. In his view, the idea of God existing within – of God coming down from on high to reside deep in people’s lives – served to liberate human beings from the chains of all forms of authoritarianism. Botev’s conception of God, he said, was an expression of his love for humanity, resembling the bright sun shining down on the oppressed people.

Bells of Dawn 12Shin’ichi went on to say that Botev’s view that God is found within human beings, though expressed differently, is not dissimilar to the ideals of socialist humanism valued in Bulgaria. It reminded him also, he said, of the view of human potential in Buddhism, which teaches that all people possess the supremely noble life-state of Buddhahood.

Shin’ichi stressed that Botev’s daring pronouncement that God is within affirms that everything, including religion, exists for the sake of human beings.

When this starting point is forgotten, religion, government, science, culture, and art descend swiftly towards corruption and stagnation. This was Shin’ichi’s steadfast conviction.

Next, he discussed the April Uprising of 1876, when Bulgaria was still under the oppressive rule of the Ottoman Empire. The national spirit that soared at the time, he suggested, was driven by a compulsion to defend human dignity. He then spoke of his hopes for the role the country would play: “As long as the banner of the spirit of humanity waves proudly over Bulgaria, the way towards a global humanistic society, transcending differences among peoples, will open widely in the 21st century. I believe that society will be like a vast green field where Eastern and Western cultures blend and the flowers of culture and peace will bloom.”

5. Khristo Botev, “A Prayer,” in The History of Modern Bulgarian Literature, translated by Clarence A. Manning and Roman Smal-Stocki (New York: Bookman Associates, 1960), pg 176.


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In closing, noting that the lion was the symbol of Bulgaria, Shin’ichi said that as a Buddhist he would continue to strive like a lion, travelling the world for peace and the happiness of all humanity. He also called on everyone to “forever wave the banner of human liberty, peace, and dignity, dauntlessly and bravely like a lion.” As he concluded his 40-minute address, applause rang through the hall.

Asked to sign the university’s guest book to commemorate the

occasion, Shin’ichi wrote:

Learning is, alone,

the universal truth.

Learning is the truth

upon which world peace

depends.

Learning is the reliable

guidepost for the youth

of the future.

From SGI Newsletter Nos. 10384 / 10385 / 10386 / 10387 / 10389 / 10390 / 10394 /

10395 / 10396 / 10397 / 10400 and 10401 dated 17 /17 / 17 / 17 / 20 / 20 / 24 / 24 /

24 / 24 / 30 and 30.01.2020.

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Now is the time

to fling down the gauntlet

for peace and justice.

To ignore lies and jealous attacks

is to retreat,

and can only end up in defeat.

Nothing is stronger

than people standing together

in solidarity for justice.

– SGI President IkedaFrom SGI Graphic October 1999

50· FLOW 726Published by Persatuan Soka Gakkai Malaysia, Wisma Kebudayaan SGM, No. 243, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel:603-21412003

Printed by Napoleon Printing, 21, Jalan 10/108C, Taman Sungai Besi, 57100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

FE726RM2.50

“Like a great mountain, lofty and dignified, Shin’ichi gazed into the skies of the future. The uproar and commotion that swirled around him registered as little more than the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze.”

In “Great Mountain”, the first chapter of the 30th and final volume of The New Human Revolution, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda writes about the events leading from Shin’ichi Yamamoto’s final leg of a tour of Asia in February 1979 to his resignation as third Soka Gakkai president in

April 1979. In this chapter, the lion king

Shin’ichi Yamamoto courageously confronted the schemes of the priesthood working in league with traitorous then-Soka Gakkai members aiming to drive a wedge between the mentor and disciples of Soka.

Despite enduring great persecution, Shin’ichi Yamamoto resolutely opened up a new chapter for worldwide kosen-rufu, unbowed and unbroken by the storm raging around him, just like a great mountain.

The New Human Revolution

GREAT MOUNTAINby Daisaku Ikeda

RM4.00 per copyAvailable at all SGM service centres.

persatuan soka gakkai malaysia publication pp …pp 6848/12/2012(031182) rm2.50 untuk agama buddha...

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