Daily Practice - Discussion Meetings

Today is certainly an auspicious day!  65 years ago today, Daisaku Ikeda met the man who was to become his mentor in life,Josei Toda, when he attended his first discussion meeting. This experience led him to become a member of the Soka Gakkai ten days later, 24th August, which is now celebrated as Men's Division Day.

I had planning yesterday for our September discussion meeting. It was vibrant, collaborative and well-attended.  Our detailed planning will ensure a fantastic meeting next month, I'm sure. And today's anniversary has got me thinking more deeply about our tradition of discussion meetings or 'zadankai'.

I wonder how what percentage of members decided to start practicing after attending their first meeting...I know I did. I felt like I'd come home when I heard the group chanting. The discussion was lively, attended by people across all sections of society and I felt very welcome. I hope all 'first-timers' enjoy theirs as much I did. "I'll have some of that", I thought!

Studying why we host meetings, rather than lectures, I read the following quote from President Makiguchi: 

Once when he was asked whether it might be better to have formal lectures instead of a discussion format, President Makiguchi replied, "No, it wouldn't. Dialogue is the only way to communicate with another about life's problems. At a lecture, listeners inevitably feel uninvolved."

I think discussion meetings can be so inspiring when they are filled with heartfelt experiences, when you can see how much someone has transformed their situation, and won their personal battle. 

Sensei Ikeda talks more about our discussion meetings in "The SGI's Peace Movement from Buddhist Peacework"  I loved the line "The powerful Buddha nature that emerges from the combination of chanting daimoku and the mutual inspiration achieved by attending the discussion meeting enables each individual to generate value in the forms of beauty, benefit, and goodness." I know how great I always feel, leaving a discussion meeting, with renewed determination to practice alongside my mentor.

While preparing this blog post, I found this guidance which I would like to share. I am determined to invite two friends to our meetings this month so I am going to engrave this guidance into my heart...and then chant to be courageous and invite them along...

TO MY FRIENDS

Our SGI discussion meetings always abound with lively and cheerful conversations and vibrant hope starts shining in everyone’s heart. This friend and that friend; let’s help them all to form a connection to Buddhism by inviting them to our discussion meetings.

– Daisaku Ikeda, October 15 2010

Wishing everyone a fantastic discussion meeting this month!