Message to the European Women’s Division General Meeting

Many congratulations on holding this European Women’s Division General Meeting in high spirits! My wife and I are chanting for the great success of the meeting and watching over you. We are imagining all of your cheerful smiles, as you gather together from your respective areas in Europe.
Amid the harsh realities of an ever changing world, I am well aware of how much you are exerting yourselves, day in and day out, in your Buddhist activities in order to construct a peaceful society, for the prosperity of your local community and to establish happiness for yourselves and others. Thank you so much for your great efforts. There is no doubt that the heavenly deities will surely protect every one of you, who are tirelessly dedicating yourselves for kosen-rufu.
Referring to the Buddhist parable of King Rinda, whose power and vitality increased when he heard the sound of white horses neighing, Nichiren Daishonin states as follows: “The neighing of the white horses is the sound of our voices chanting Nam-myoho-rengekyo. When Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four heavenly kings, and the others hear this sound, how could they fail to take on a healthy colour and shine with a brilliant light? How could they fail to guard and protect us? We should be firmly convinced of this!”(WND-1, pp. 989-990)
How immense is the power of the Mystic Law!
The Daishonin asserts that through continuing to chant resonant daimoku our lives will be polished and come to shine with brilliance, our environment will be transformed and we ourselves will be protected.
My mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda said:
“Whatever the problems you may have, you must turn them into prayers and deepen your faith. Everything, without fail, will be transformed into great benefit. The Mystic Law has the power to transform everything. A person who resolutely forges ahead based on faith will be a great victor in the end, without fail.”
Therefore, I sincerely hope that you will steadfastly walk on the correct path of faith, practice and study while encouraging one another. Shine as brilliantly as the sun in your family and steadily climb the slope of happiness everyday, one step after another. Putting your health first, please brightly and wisely demonstrate “actual proof of victory” in your local communities and your workplaces, and continue to expand the circle of trust in your environment. It is the cheerful advance towards happiness by the members of the Women’s Division that symbolises the hope-filled advance of the SGI.
It is my fervent wish that all of you, without exception, will live an unsurpassed life where all your prayers and dreams come true.
I conclude my message by expressing my heartfelt prayers for my beloved fellow members of the Women’s Division of SGI Europe. I am praying for your great health and success and the increasing happiness and prosperity of your families.
Three cheers for the Women’s Division of Europe! Please stay well forever!

May 31st, 2013
Daisaku and Kaneko Ikeda

Tohoku Women and Reconstruction Seminar

Link to a video from the Tohoku Women and Reconstruction Seminar organised by Soka Gakkai Women's Peace Committee. Features members' experiences on how they are rebuilding their lives after the 2011 earthquake and a speech by Professor Kevin Clements from the University of Otago, New Zealand. In Japanese and English http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vwg1HXd461c#!

Daily Gosho - The Three Kinds of Treasure

Following on from last night's Discussion Meeting where we discussed what karma means to us, and what causes we must have made in our past lives to be born in this age, practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.

Nichiren is urging Shijo Kingo to create the maximum amount of value from his life on earth and behave with the conduct of a Buddha. Living a life of no regrets, striving ever forward...

"It is rare to be born a human being. The number of those endowed with human life is as small as the amount of earth one can place on a fingernail. Life as a human being is hard to sustain— as hard as it is for the dew to remain on the grass. But it is better to live a single day with honour than to live to 120 and die in disgrace."

(The Three Kinds of Treasure - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 851) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=848 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, October 18th, 2012

Background

This letter was written at Minobu in the ninth month of 1277 and addressed to Shijo Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon-no-jo Yorimoto, commonly known as Shijo Kingo, in Kamakura. Sometime around 1274, Shijo Kingo had begun making efforts to convert his lord, who was named Ema, to the Daishonin’s teachings. Lord Ema, however, did not respond positively. Instead, he reduced the size of Kingo’s landholdings and threatened to send him to the remote province of Echigo. Kingo’s colleagues spread scurrilous reports about him, and Kingo was accused of fomenting trouble at a debate in the sixth month of , during which the Tendai priest Ryuzo-bo was bested by the Daishonin’s disciple Sammi-bo.
Nichiren Daishonin cautions Shijo Kingo and instructs him on the best course of behavior in his trying circumstances. Later that year Lord Ema fell ill, and Kingo, applying his medical skills, helped cure him. The lord was most grateful and in 1278 restored, and later even increased, Kingo’s landholdings.
At the outset of this letter, the Daishonin tells Kingo that he should remember his debt of gratitude to his lord, and stresses the Buddhist teaching that fundamental changes within oneself inevitably result in changes in the environment. He mentions that when he was about to be executed at Tatsunokuchi Kingo vowed to die by his side. Now Kingo is undergoing a severe ordeal and the Daishonin is exerting all his powers to protect him. The Daishonin says that, since Kingo was fortunate enough to have been born human and encountered the true teaching, he should accumulate “the treasures of the heart” and win the respect of others. Finally, through historical references to Emperor Sushun and others, the Daishonin teaches Kingo that as a Buddhist he should conduct his daily life admirably and be considerate of others.

Daily Gosho - The True Aspect of All Phenomena

So, you know those days that you get, where that inner voice is shouting a bit too loud? Telling us we're rubbish, that we can't achieve our dreams and to get back in our box. That's the kind of day to rouse our dominant lifestate back into Buddhahood, because as Nichiren says, we can chant, therefore, we must be Buddhas. Kinda like that "I think, therefore I am" but much more empowering :)

"Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku."

(The True Aspect of All Phenomena - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 385) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=383 Selection Source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shinbun, October 14th, 2012


Background
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter to Sairen-bo Nichijo while at Ichinosawa on Sado Island in the fifth month of the tenth year of Bun’ei (1273). For some reason Sairen-bo was also in exile on Sado, where he had been converted by the Daishonin in the second month of 1272. A former Tendai priest, he already knew something about “the true aspect of all phenomena”; it was a fundamental concept in the Tendai school of Buddhism. He could not, however, satisfactorily come to grips with this concept through T’ien-t’ai’s theory alone, so he asked the Daishonin for an explanation. The True Aspect of All Phenomena is the Daishonin’s reply.
Though comparatively short, this document elucidates two important elements of the Daishonin’s Buddhism. It was completed a month after Nichiren Daishonin wrote The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, in which he explained the Gohonzon, the object of devotion that can lead all people in the Latter Day of the Law to enlightenment. True Aspect of All Phenomena begins with a passage from the “Expedient Means” chapter — the heart of the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra — that implies that no phenomenon is in any way different from the true aspect, or Myoho-renge-kyo. It also implies that all the innumerable forms and realities that exist, both concrete and abstract, are manifestations of Myoho-renge-kyo. The Daishonin then explains the essence of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-renge-kyo, and its embodiment, the Gohonzon. This is the first element — the object of devotion in terms of the Law.
After clarifying the ultimate teaching of the Lotus Sutra, the Daishonin states that Bodhisattva Superior Practices, the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, will propagate that teaching, and that he himself is carrying out the mission entrusted to that bodhisattva. In light of his own behavior and his fulfillment of the predictions in the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Daishonin suggests that he himself is Bodhisattva Superior Practices. A more profound interpretation, however, identifies him as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, whose purpose was to establish the Gohonzon for the enlightenment of all people in the Latter Day. Thus True Aspect of All Phenomena also explains the object of devotion in terms of the Person. This is the second element. Referring to both the Person and the Law, the Daishonin clarifies the fundamental object of devotion for the people of the Latter Day. He brings together the points he expounded in The Opening of the Eyes completed in 1272, which focuses on the second element, and in The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, which focuses on the first element.
The latter half of this letter explains to Sairen-bo that those who devote themselves to propagating the correct teaching in the same spirit as the Daishonin are themselves Bodhisattvas of the Earth. The Daishonin predicts that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread widely in the future, and concludes by setting forth the key elements of Buddhist practice in the Latter Day of the Law— namely, faith, practice, and study.

Congratulations Senior Citizens Group of SSA!

The Senior Citizens Group of SSA are celebrating their 20th anniversary.  http://www.sgi.org/news/events/events2012/ssa-senior-citizens-embracing-youthfulness.html How youthful do they all look! Amazing! Banzai!

President Ikeda's New Year's Message 2013

Spreading Our Harmonious Network throughout the World

The Year of Victory for a Youthful SGI has begun with bright hope, as we vibrantly continue to expand our network of peace and happiness.

            I wish all of you, my dedicated fellow members and precious friends around the world, the best of health in the coming year, praying that you will open the door to fresh victories and brilliant achievements in your life.

            The Mystic Law, the ultimate law of the universe, gives us the power to make our lives shine their brightest and also to bring forth the most wonderful potential of the lands in which we dwell. As such, you, our SGI members in 192 countries and territories, are truly irreplaceable treasures of your respective communities. I fervently pray that the lands in which you are spreading friendship and trust will be blessed with peace and prosperity.

*

Both Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, the Soka Gakkai’s founding presidents, deeply took to heart the following passage from the “Supernatural Powers” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which describes the mission of a Bodhisattva of the Earth:

As the light of the sun and moon  

can banish all obscurity and gloom,  

so this person as he advances through the world  

can wipe out the darkness of living beings. (LSOC21, 318) 

            Genuine bodhisattvas do not shun the real world, which is filled with suffering and hardships, nor do they content themselves only with attaining their own enlightenment in quiet solitude. They do not seek some far-off utopia divorced from the harsh realities of society, but are committed to striving for the happiness of the people, alongside the people, in this troubled saha realm. Through their efforts, they illuminate the lives of those around them, and dispel the darkness and confusion that prevails.

            We of the SGI are putting this Mahayana bodhisattva spirit into practice, and our activities are gaining wide support and understanding from many respected thinkers throughout the globe today.

            Observing secular humanism’s emphasis on the intellect at the expense of spirituality, Dr. Lou Marinoff, founding president of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association with whom I have published a dialogue,[1] has remarked: “How do we feel compassion for others if we are only guided by our head? I think that is not enough. There has to be a practice of the heart, too.”[2]

            Action is the essence of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. As its practitioners, we turn our problems and suffering into a source of compassion and wisdom with which to encourage others. We change karma into mission. We pursue the path of human revolution—the most difficult and fundamental challenge of inner transformation—and seek to inspire others to do the same.

            Based on this spirit, we respect and value each person. We place importance on one-on-one dialogue and on small group meetings where we study Buddhism and encourage one another. By doing so, we are building an egalitarian community that transcends differences of race, ethnicity, gender, and age.

            Engaging in dialogue in small groups, Dr. Marinoff notes, is “the philosophical way.” He adds that this kind of dialogue, by permitting meaningful interchange to take place, can help forge mutual trust and foster greater awareness.[3]

            Let’s take renewed pride in our daily efforts to promote our movement for peace, culture, and education based on the life-affirming philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism, for they embody a new humanism that shines as a guiding light for all the world. Let’s joyfully continue to reach out to others in dialogue to further our noble cause of kosen-rufu.

*

Six decades ago (in 1953), at the First Youth Division General Meeting, President Toda delivered a lecture that he referred to as being his “first message to the world.”[4] On that occasion, he said: “The ardor and energy of youth have the power to change the course of world history.”[5] He further stated: “We possess the unparalleled life philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, which elucidates the means for helping all people become happy. And through faith in the Gohonzon, we are able to apply this philosophy in our lives and in our efforts to overcome our negative karma.”[6] Mr. Toda also declared that Soka youth who embrace this life philosophy are “leaders of the world.”[7]

            This lecture can be regarded as the starting point of our youthful SGI, which today has spread around the globe. Back in those early days, however, the Soka Gakkai was still a very small organization. It thus was imperative for us to make dynamic strides forward to realize President Toda’s cherished goal of a membership of 750,000 households.

            In 1953, I was 25 years old. In order to actualize my mentor’s grand vision of worldwide kosen-rufu, I embarked on a fresh challenge on the front lines of our movement as the young men’s division 1st Corps leader and as the acting chapter leader of Bunkyo Chapter. While struggling with poor health, I earnestly took the lead to expand and advance a youthful Soka Gakkai.

            I chanted and exerted myself tirelessly to meet with, talk to, and encourage our sincere members, wishing to give them greater confidence, energy, and joy. I also resolved to treasure my juniors and foster them to become even more capable than myself. And I encouraged those who were facing various struggles, telling them: “Don’t be disheartened if things seem like they couldn’t get worse! What matters is that you win in the end. You can definitely turn things around. Let’s do our best together!”

            Leaders in our organization exist to sincerely encourage each member. Both leaders and seniors in faith are there to help others confidently face hardships, break through their personal limitations, and achieve a life of victory.

            I reached out to one member after another, steadily increasing the ranks of fellow Bodhisattvas of the Earth who were actively committed to realizing Mr. Toda’s great aspiration for kosen-rufu. I also read and studied the Gosho with them.

            Taking to heart the Daishonin’s words, “The more one praises the blessings of the Lotus Sutra, the more one’s own blessings will increase” (WND-1, 673), we also joyfully shared our personal experiences in faith, applauded each other’s efforts, and strengthened our unity and oneness of purpose. 

            As joy spread from one person to another, the young men’s division 1st Corps tripled its membership in the space of a year. In addition, Bunkyo Chapter, which had been experiencing stagnant growth, also achieved a phenomenal increase in membership and became a model for the rest of Japan. Mr. Toda was overjoyed by both these achievements—breakthroughs that gave fresh momentum to our organization as a whole.

*

Nichiren Daishonin writes: “Although Nichiren and his followers are few, because they are different in body, but united in mind [i.e., many in body, one in mind], they will definitely accomplish their great mission of widely propagating the Lotus Sutra. Though evils may be numerous, they cannot prevail over a single great truth” (WND-1, 618). These words constitute the SGI’s eternal guideline. The spirited chorus of the youthful leaders of Africa whom I met in September last year, as representatives of the entire SGI, still resounds in heart: “Itai doshin! (Many in Body, One in Mind!)” “Victoire! (Victory!)”   

            Let us bring the great light of hope to shine even more brightly in our local communities and in the world by strengthening and expanding our network of supreme human harmony, the epitome of unity in diversity.

            In the coming Year of Victory for a Youthful SGI, let’s resolve together to raise high the banner of victory in both our lives and in our endeavors for kosen-rufu as we continue to forge ahead bravely and vigorously with ever-youthful hearts!

Daisaku Ikeda

President

Soka Gakkai International

---

[1] Lou Marinoff and Daisaku Ikeda, The Inner Philosopher: Conversations on Philosophy’s Transformative Power (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Dialogue Path Press, 2012).

[2] From an interview featured in the January 2012 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai’s monthly study journal. 

[3] Ibid.

[4] Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, Toda Josei Zenshu (Collected Writings of Josei Toda), (Tokyo: Seikyo Shimbunsha, 1989), vol. 4, p. 29.

[5] Ibid., p. 27.

[6] Ibid., p. 28.

[7] Ibid., p. 29. 

Daily Practice - My Actual Proof Campaign

SGI-UK have embarked on our Actual Proof Campaign, towards 18th November 2013, and winning towards 18th November 2030.

In this way, by linking our daily prayers and actions to realise true happiness for ourselves and others with the completion of the new headquarters on 18th November 2013, President Ikeda is encouraging us to realise great victories in our lives that can stand out as "actual proof" of faith that is as grand and impressive as the new seven-storey headquarters building.  

President Ikeda explains the significance of the construction of the Soka Gakkai General Headquarters, as follows:

"You could say, without doubt, that the structure and edifice symbolises both an invincible citadel  of mentor and disciple, as well an impregnable stronghold of kosen-rufu. I want to establish an absolutely solid foundation so that members of the Soka Gakkai are able to strive in faith with pride and with peace of mind. The Soka Gakkai Headquarters is a 'fighting bastion' that furthers the noble cause of kosen-rufu whilst battling the three powerful enemies and all manners of devilish forces. With this in mind, the Soka Gakkai Headquarters should advance eternally with conviction that it is foremost in the world! It must remain strong and resilient! For this was the strict order of my mentor. My wife and I are praying earnestly each day so that all of our dear, fellow members are able to construct a valiant citadel of victory, be it in their homes, work places or communities." *Tentative translation, Seikyo Newspaper article, May 3rd 2012

So now is the time for us to ask ourselves:

What is the challenge facing me that I really want to break through?

What is my grand vision for my life or my family?

What positive advance could I make in my home life, place of work or study?

Is there a secret dream locked in my heart that I have not yet dared to really pray to realise?

What will be my great actual proof that I will proudly share with others?

Let's be inspired to set ourselves great goals and achieve them by 18 November 2013! Our goals could be anything but our victory should be something that shows undeniable actual proof of our faith to ourselves and others, so that we can become even happier through realising more of our unlimited potential and also inspire others to want to do the same.

If you would like more details of the campaign, such as a copy of the daimoku chart, please drop me an email at buddhasofessex@gmail.com and I will gladly send you a copy of the campaign leaflet.

So with the bravery and courage of a lion king - let's be ever-victorious, together, in 2013!

Gosho - On Persecutions Befalling the Sage

Ok, so for me, this Gosho extract really fits in with our Actual Proof Campaign for 2013. In case you haven't seen it, the Youth Division have set a campaign for us all to show the actual proof in our own lives in 2013. 18th November 2013 is the anniversary of the founding of the Soka Gakkai in 1930 and marks the completion of the new Soka Gakkai General Headquarters building - the castle of worldwide kosen-rufu.


President Ikeda is encouraging us to realise great victories in our lives that can stand out as "actual proof" of faith that is as grand and impressive as the new seven-storey headquarters building. So now is the time for us to ask ourselves:

What is the challenge facing me that I really want to break through?

What is my grand vision for my life or my family?

What positive advance could I make in my home life, place of work or study?

Is there a secret dream locked in my heart that I have not yet dared to really pray to realise?

What will be my great actual proof that I will proudly share with others?

Let's be inspired to set ourselves great goals and achieve them by 18 November 2013! Our goals could be anything but our victory should be something that shows undeniable actual proof of our faith to ourselves and others, so that we can become even happier through realising more of our unlimited potential and also inspire others to want to do the same.

If you would like more details of the campaign, such as a copy of the daimoku chart, please drop me an email at buddhasofessex@gmail.com and I will gladly send you a copy of the campaign leaflet.

So with the bravery and courage of a lion king - let's be ever-victorious, together, in 2013!

 "The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs."

(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 997) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=996 Selection Source: Suntetsu, Seikyo Shinbun, October 7th, 2012


Background
Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter at Minobu on the first day of the tenth month of the second year of Koan (1279) to his followers in general. It reviews some of the outstanding incidents in his life. But more importantly, it contains the sole allusion to his inscription of the object of devotion for all humanity as the purpose of his life, a task that he accomplished on the twelfth day of the same month.
Around 1275, propagation efforts in the Fuji area began to produce significant results under the leadership of Nikko Shonin. There were a number of converts among both priests and laity, but as the number of new believers increased, so did official pressures. In Atsuhara, a village in Fuji District of Suruga Province, believers were subjected to a series of threats and harassments known collectively as the Atsuhara Persecution. Twenty believers, all farmers, were arrested on the twenty first day of the ninth month, 1279, on false charges, and three of them were later beheaded. In spite of these persecutions, not one of the twenty farmers abandoned their faith.
Seeing that his followers were now ready to give their lives if necessary to protect the Law, the Daishonin realized that the time had come to fulfill the purpose of his life, as is described in the first paragraph: “For me it took twenty-seven years.” “It” here means the reason for his appearance in the world— that is, the inscription of the object of devotion for the sake of all humankind.
Next, details concerning the persecutions encountered by Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin are presented. The important prophecies in the Lotus Sutra for the Latter Day of the Law are also outlined.
The types of ill effects suffered by slanderers are explained to show the impact of the strict law of cause and effect on individuals and on society. The Daishonin states that the miserable fate of several treacherous disciples, as well as the crisis facing Japan at the time, is retribution for hostility shown toward the votary of the Lotus Sutra.
At the same time the Daishonin tells his disciples that they must now “summon up the courage of a lion king.” Furthermore, he urges believers in the Atsuhara area to be prepared for the worst.
In the last section, the Daishonin cites the example of Sammi-bo, one of his earliest disciples, who was highly esteemed for his debating skill and great learning, but forsook his faith and died a tragic death during the Atsuhara Persecution.

Happy SGI World Peace Day!

Woke up and actually got up :) Fantastic morning gongyo with vibrant daimoku to follow. Today, I'm going to reflect and determine on what more I can do to acheive world peace through my practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. What better way to celebrate SGI World Peace Day... http://www.sgi.org/resource-center/study-materials/october-2-sgi-world-peace-day.html

Daily Gosho - Letter from Sado

Let's be as courageous as Nichiren Daishonin, who despite facing slander, persecution and exile, kept his courage, faith and determination throughout. He did this out of compassion for those living in the Latter Day of the Law. Every time we do Gongyo, we are redeterminating to practice with this courageous spirit - the heart of a lion king - and if we are the same mind as Nichiren, we most definitely are Bodhisattvas of the Earth... 

"... those with the heart of a lion king are sure to attain Buddhahood. Like Nichiren, for example."

(Letter from Sado - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 302) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=301  Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, August 5th, 2012


Background
This letter was written on the twentieth day of the third month, 1272, some five months after Nichiren Daishonin had arrived on the island of Sado to begin his exile there. He addressed it to Toki Jonin, a samurai serving as a leading retainer to Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa Province, to Saburo Saemon (Shijo Kingo) in Kamakura, and to other staunch followers.Nichiren Daishonin had been banished on the tenth day of the tenth month, 1271. Charges of treason had been brought against him by Ryokan, the chief priest of Gokuraku-ji temple in Kamakura, and by Hei no Saemon, deputy chief of the Office of Military and Police Affairs. Hei no Saemon was resolved to execute the Daishonin at Tatsunokuchi before he was to be delivered to the custody of Homma Shigetsura, the deputy constable of Sado. The attempt at execution was unsuccessful, however, and after a delay of almost a month Homma’s warriors escorted the Daishonin to the coast of the Sea of Japan. After a delay there caused by bad weather, the Daishonin finally arrived on Sado on the twenty eighth day of the tenth month.
Nichiren Daishonin was housed at first in a dilapidated structure known as Sammai-do, where he lived exposed to the wind and snow that blew in through gaps in the roof and walls. After five months he was able to move to more comfortable quarters at Ichinosawa. The Daishonin engaged in debates with Pure Land and other priests and actively propagated his own teachings. While on Sado he wrote two major treatises, The Opening of the Eyes and The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. In the second month, 1274, the Daishonin was pardoned and returned to Kamakura on the twenty-sixth day of the third month.
In this writing the Daishonin first states that the only way to attain Buddhahood is to be willing to offer one’s life, one’s most precious possession, to Buddhism. Next, he says that the method of propagation known as shakubuku is appropriate to this age, and that one can attain Buddhahood only by dedicating oneself to it. He then declares that he is the “pillar, sun, moon, mirror, and eyes” of and “father and mother” to the country; these are symbolic references to the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, who is perfectly endowed with the three virtues of parent, teacher, and sovereign. He also mentions his earlier prophecies in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land concerning political upheaval and violent feuds within the country.
Lastly, he gives an elaborate explanation of karma or destiny, stating that his present difficulties arise from the fact that he slandered the Lotus Sutra in a past existence. Using himself as an example, he elucidates to his disciples the kind of spirit and practice by which they can alter their karma. He adds that persons who try to propagate the correct teaching of Buddhism vigorously will invariably face opposition, and that such opposition in reality presents an opportunity for them to change their karma. Those who have given up their faith and instead criticize are admonished that their actions bear the heaviest consequences. He compares their lack of vision to fireflies who laugh at the sun.

Daily Gosho - The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra

What's that saying in business? Fail to prepare, prepare to fail... Reminded of this when I read this Gosho quote. Nichiren Daishonin is reminding us of the need to prepare correctly with our sincere prayer, and concrete determination to achieve our goals. 

Sensei Ikeda gives us the guidance to form a blueprint in our mind of how we want our life to be, our biggest vision, our fullest potential. To make the determination based on our sincere daimoku, then take the correct action using our wisdom, courage and compassion - our Buddha nature. Let's continue crossing those moats...

"If a person cannot manage to cross a moat ten feet wide, how can he cross one that is a hundred or two hundred feet?'"

(The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 766)  http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=763  Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, July 27th, 2012

Background

This work is an autobiographical account covering the events of an important period in Nichiren Daishonin’s life - from the time shortly before the Tatsunokuchi Persecution through his two-and-a-half-year exile on Sado Island to his eventual retirement to Mount Minobu. In the course of his struggles over this period of nine years, the Daishonin fulfilled the predictions in the Lotus Sutra concerning its votary and established himself in both word and deed as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.

This letter was written in the second year of Kenji (1276) and addressed to the lay nun Konichi, a widow who lived in Awa, the Daishonin’s native province. Her son had earlier converted to the Daishonin’s teachings, and through him she herself became a convert. Some time after her conversion, her son died. But she overcame her deep sorrow and remained a sincere believer in the Daishonin’s Buddhism to the end of her life.

The chronicle of events begins in when the Mongol empire sent a delegate to Japan to demand that the nation acknowledge fealty to the Mongols. The predictions of foreign invasion made in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land had started to come true. The Daishonin once more remonstrated with the Kamakura authorities and religious leaders, but they ignored his repeated warnings and instead struck out against him and his followers. At this point the Daishonin urges his disciples never to yield to persecution but to devote their whole lives to propagating the Mystic Law.

His undaunted struggle incurred further wrath from the regime and from the other religious schools and finally led to the Tatsunokuchi Persecution. Later in his work The Opening of the Eyes, the Daishonin points to that attempt on his life as the immediate cause for him to reveal himself as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. In the passage that follows, the Daishonin speaks of his life on Sado. He expresses joy in the knowledge that he was the only one who fulfilled the prophecy in the Lotus Sutra concerning the votary who is exiled more than once.

After he returned to Kamakura in 1274, he remonstrated with the regime for yet a third time. When the government again spurned his counsel, he left Kamakura to live in the recesses of Mount Minobu, where this letter was written. Just five months later, the Mongol forces attacked Japan. The cause for this, he states, was the nation’s slander of the Lotus Sutra. In conclusion, the Daishonin expresses appreciation to the lay nun Konichi for having sent a letter to him at his lonely retreat on Mount Minobu.

Daily Gosho - The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life

Oh how timely! I've been talking a lot today about unity. Unity in my home, in my district and in our beloved organisation. There is nothing we cannot achieve if we are united as one, based on the oneness of mentor and disciple.

Let's strive to reach out to the members in our district and cherish each person from the bottom of our hearts. Valuing their unique qualities and contribution to kosen-rufu, we can support each other and build up the most solid foundation in our lives, community and district. Sowing the seeds for happiness in our own lives and growth of our organisation.

Give a member a call, send that text, organise a home visit - there are so many ways to deepen our bonds of friendship and become, as Nichiren wrote, "as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim." We are many in body but most definitely one in mind. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

"All disciples and lay supporters of Nichiren should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the spirit of many in body but one in mind, transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death."

(The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 217) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=216 Selection source: Daibyakurenge, Gosho for July, 2012 


Background
This letter, dated the eleventh day of the second month in 1272, was sent by Nichiren Daishonin to Sairen-bo Nichijo, a former Tendai priest who, for reasons that are unclear, was also living in exile on Sado Island. Details about Sairen-bo are scarce, but it is known that he was originally from Kyoto, and that he had studied at Mount Hiei, the seat of the Tendai school, before his exile. He was also present at the Tsukahara Debate, held in front of Sammai-do, the Daishonin’s dwelling at Tsukahara, on the sixteenth and seventeenth days of the first month in 1272. In this debate the Daishonin was the clear victor over Pure Land, True Word, and other priests from Sado and from various provinces of northern Japan. A number of people converted to his teachings at this time, among them Sairen-bo.
Sairen-bo was a highly educated priest to whom the Daishonin sent several important essays, including The True Aspect of All Phenomena and The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life. He had a number of unresolved questions about Buddhist theory, and he addressed them one by one to the Daishonin, who in turn answered these questions in written form. The Daishonin praised him, saying, “How admirable that you have asked about the transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death!” In his reply the Daishonin offers a look into the wonder of the Buddha’s own enlightenment, as well as the practical means whereby ordinary people may attain the same end.
In the first paragraph, the Daishonin states that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the heritage of the ultimate Law of life, and that the transmission of this Law is made from the Buddha to all living beings. Then he refers to the question of how we can inherit the ultimate Law of life and manifest it within ourselves.
This Law flows in the depths of the lives of those who believe in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, practice in exact accord with them, and chant the daimoku. The Daishonin declares that there is no distinction whatsoever between Shakyamuni Buddha, the Lotus Sutra, and us, ordinary people.
Viewed from the standpoint of the Daishonin’s Buddhism, this can be taken as a declaration that there is absolutely no difference or separation between Nichiren Daishonin as the Buddha of the Latter Day, the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - or the Gohonzon which embodies that Law - and ourselves, who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
In terms of time, the heritage - the mystic relationship between the Law and the lives of the people - courses eternally through past, present, and future, unbroken in any lifetime. In terms of space, the Daishonin proclaims that the heritage of the ultimate Law flows within the lives of his disciples and lay supporters who work in perfect unity for the realization of a peaceful world and happiness for all humanity.
Having stated that the ultimate Law is within the lives of human beings, Nichiren Daishonin further explains how to inherit the Law. He emphasizes the importance of the attitude, “now is the last moment . . . ,” in or der to manifest innate Buddhahood, a state that transcends both life and death.
In discussing the thousand Buddhas and the ten kings of hell, he reveals the continuity of cause and effect spanning past, present, and future. Whatever state of life predominates while one is alive will continue in the next life. Whether one can succeed to the heritage of the Law depends entirely on one’s faith. This is why he strictly warns in his conclusion, “Even embracing the Lotus Sutra would be useless without the heritage of faith.”

Daily Practice - 100 Day Campaign for a solid foundation in our lives

Our district in Romford has started a 100-day daimoku campaign, to create a solid foundation in ourselves, our family, our district, our relationships, our career, and kosen-rufu, following Fulwell District's shining example! We'll finish this campaign on the 18th of November - Soka Gakkai Founding Day. Would you like to take part with us? Here's how:

1. Decide what it is you want to change or transform
2. The amount of daimoku you will do per day towards this.  (1 hr. but no less than half hour)
3. Subscribe to Art of living and try to attend 70 % of meetings
4.  Contribute to the planning of the discussion meetings

Here's a wonderful daimoku chart to help you on your way to victory https://dl.dropbox.com/u/25421090/Daimoku%20Road.pdf Each square on the chart represents 15 minutes of chanting (1,000 daimoku). One hour's daimoku per day would equate to 400,000 daimoku over this 100-day period! 

You can chant either at home or with friends in the district. Why not call a friend and chant in your own homes, at the same time? This is called domei daimoku. Whichever way works for you, we really hope you can join us in this campaign. We've got an online calender so you can link your ichinen with global friends at http://www.doodle.com/7hga3753sm5gsqmv too.

Let's change karma into mission, and transform our obstacles into victories! Looking forward to hearing how you've won in November!

A Buddhist must not be defeated. I hope you will maintain an alert and winning spirit in your work and daily life taking courageous action and showing triumphant actual proof time and again.

President Ikeda, Faith into action

“You can’t build a tall building without first making its foundation solid and secure.”
Daisaku Ikeda

The important thing is to have the stand-alone spirit, the determination to overcome all difficulties within one’s current circumstances.  When one regards something as impossible the wall of difficulty appears higher and stronger and one loses the courage to observe reality as it is, eventually losing the ability to summon forth the power needed to confront it.  After making a half hearted effort and failing, one draws the cowardly conclusion that it was impossible, just as one has expected.

On the other hand, when one makes up one’s mind ‘to win without fail’, the imaginary wall of difficulty begins to crumble.  In one’s heart, the lion-like spirit awakens and one tackles one’s challenges head on, roaring out to them confidently, “Come on!”.

Thoughts on The New Human revolution’ Seikyo Shimbun October 6th 2003

Daily Gosho - The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon

Let's keep our practice, and the Gohonzon at the centre of our lives…steadfastly exerting ourselves in the three practices…strengthening our faith, day by day…

"Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."

(The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 832) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=831&m=0&q=
Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, July 23rd, 2012

Background
In this reply to Nichinyo, Nichiren Daishonin expresses his gratitude for her offerings to the Gohonzon and explains the significance of the object of devotion. The exact identity of Nichinyo is unclear. She is thought to have been either the wife of Ikegami Munenaka, the older of the Ikegami brothers, or a daughter of the lay priest Matsuno Rokuro Saemon, an earnest believer in Suruga Province. Judging from two letters the Daishonin sent her, she seems to have been a woman of good education and considerable affluence. Moreover, as the recipient of a Gohonzon, or object of devotion, she was evidently a sincere believer. This letter contains a description of the Gohonzon that details the figures represented therein and their significance. The Daishonin also underscores the importance of faith in the Gohonzon.
In the first half of the letter, the Daishonin points out the rarity and importance of the Gohonzon. He cites the Lotus Sutra and other works to show that the Gohonzon is the embodiment of “the true aspect of all phenomena” and “the three thousand realms in a single moment of life.”
In the second half, describing the great benefit of faith in the Gohonzon, the Daishonin declares, “Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself,” adding that the Gohonzon is also found only in faith. Sharing two examples from secular tradition, the Daishonin reminds Nichinyo that faith is by far the most important element in manifesting “the Gohonzon” in one’s life. He concludes by stressing that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with faith is the most complete form of Buddhist practice.

Daily Gosho - Concerning the Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha Fashioned by Nichigen-nyo

When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, there is not a single part of our environment which cannot fail to be transformed…

"When a strong wind blows, the grass and trees can no longer remain still; when the earth shakes, the seas are atremble.  Thus, if one can move Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, can the grass and trees fail to respond, can the waters remain calm?"

(Concerning the Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha Fashioned by Nichigen-nyo - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 2, page 811) Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, July 22nd, 2012

Background

This letter was written in the second month of 1279 at Mount Minobu to Nichigen-nyo, the wife of Shijo Kingo in Kamakura.

In this passage, the Daishonin used the analogies of one’s head and hair, strong wind, grass and trees to illustrate the fact that when one moves the root of something, everything else will move in accord.

In other words, the Daishonin taught us that when one prays to the Gohonzon with single-minded determination, one could certainly positively transform the harsh reality one is confronting.

In his discussion on “The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra”, SGI President Ikeda said the following with regards to one’s attitude when offering prayers, “The Gohonzon doesn’t respond to indulgent, abstract prayer. When we pray to the Gohonzon with our entire life, there is no way that a path forward will not be opened.”

Daily Gosho - On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

There is no obstacle which we cannot overcome, with the power of our vibrant daimoku…

"A blue fly, if it clings to the tail of a thoroughbred horse, can travel ten thousand miles, and the green ivy that twines around the tall pine can grow to a thousand feet."

(On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 17) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=6

Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, July 21st, 2012

Taiwan Soka Association's contribution to society

Another example of SGI's contribution to the wellbeing of society... The Taiwan Soka Association Women's Chorus was recently invited to perform at the Duanwu Festival held by the Taoyuan Women's Prison.

http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/tsa-womens-chorus-perform-taoyuan-womens-prison.html

Let's engrave Sensei's guidance into our hearts and do the Buddha's work, in every muddy swamp we see… "Please go to the places where people are struggling the most, encourage and inspire others, and cause wonderful flowers of happiness to bloom. It is our responsibility as leaders of kosen-rufu to lighten people's hearts and brighten their spirits, to impart courage and hope to all." SGI Newsletter No. 8573, SGI President Ikeda's Encouragement

Daily Gosho - The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings

"If in a single moment of life we exhaust the pains and trials of millions of kalpas, then instant after instant there will arise in us the three Buddha bodies with which we are eternally endowed.  Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is just such a 'diligent' practice."

(Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 790, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 214)Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, July 20th, 2012

Let's continue to practice in such a diligent manner, without regrets. President Ikeda encourages us in his Lecture on “the Opening of the Eyes” (NL 6594):

"No  matter  what  happens,  we  must  not  give  in  to  doubt,  we  must  not  be  discouraged.  Those  who possess such a robust spirit will not fear anything."

No matter what…this is the Soka Spirit…achieving victory after victory, no matter what the circumstance...

Daily Practice - Summer Courses

Hopefully everyone will have the chance to get to one of this year's Summer Courses.  My son Louis just came back from his first - a Young Eagles course, for boys aged 7 to 12 - and he would like to share his experience with you:

Louis Websdale, age 10, Romford District, Young Eagle

Champions of the Future, Champions of Peace!

I went on the Ropes Course on the second day of the course. I was chosen to go up first and show everyone how you do it. I was nervous because I'd never done anything like that before but I pushed myself and it paid off.  The best part of the whole course was the tarzan swing and chanting with everyone which was an amazing feeling! I came home and led Gongyo for the first time. My family were really proud of me after the course. 

If you are a Young Eagle reading this blog, then out of my heart, IT WAS AMAZING! Hope to see you next year!

Daily Gosho - The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood

This Gosho extract explains the concept of the mentor and disciple relationship.

As President Toda writes, ““The Lotus Sutra teaches that a mentor and his disciple will be reborn at the same time, lifetime after lifetime, thanks to the beneficial power of the Lotus Sutra, and they will spend time together in living its teaching. So, all I did was to put into action this time-honored principle of the Lotus Sutra. My teacher, Mr. Makiguchi, and I are not merely a mentor and his disciple in this lifetime alone. When I was a mentor, he was my disciple. When he was a mentor, I was his disciple. We were always together in the past, and we will be together too in the future.” (excerpt from the letter President Toda wrote to his wife’s father on March 23, Wakaki Hi no Shokan [Accounts of Youthful Days—Memoirs in Imprisonment])

How fortunate we SGI members are to have found the 'true teaching', and to be able to strive for kosen-rufu, alongside our mentor. Bodhisattvas of the Earth, who made a vow in the distant past, to be reborn together.

 "The sutra states, 'Those persons who had heard the Law dwelled here and there in various Buddha lands, constantly reborn in company with their teachers.'"

 (The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page ) Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, July 16th, 2012

http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=746

Background

This letter is addressed to Soya, a lay follower who lived in Soya Village in Shimosa Province. His full name and title were Soya Jiro Hyoe-no-jo Kyoshin, and he is thought to have been an officer of the high court of the Kamakura shogunate. He had converted to Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings around 1260 and became one of the leading believers in the area, together with Toki Jonin and Ota Jomyo.

In 1271, Soya became a lay priest and was given the Buddhist name Horen Nichirai by the Daishonin. Horen built two temples and lived at one of them until he died in 1291 at the age of sixtyeight.

In this letter, the Daishonin first quotes the “Expedient Means” chapter of the Lotus Sutra and states, “The way to Buddhahood lies within the two elements of reality and wisdom.” Reality indicates the ultimate truth that the Law permeates all phenomena in the universe. Wisdom, on the other hand, means the ability to perceive and understand this truth. When this wisdom exists — when the “water of wisdom” fills the “riverbed of reality”— it is known as the fusion of reality and wisdom. This is enlightenment. In other words, one illuminates and manifests the Law in one’s own life.

The Daishonin stresses that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the Law that unites both reality and wisdom; it is the seed of Buddhahood for all people in the Latter Day. This Law is to be propagated by Bodhisattva Superior Practices at the beginning of the Latter Day. The Daishonin states that he is the first one to embark on this great mission, by which he is really indicating that he is the original teacher who will lead all people to enlightenment.

Next, he points out that any teacher or disciple who ignores those who commit slander of the Law will fall into hell. This amounts to a compassionate warning about the responsibility believers have to protect the Buddha’s teaching.