SGI Newsletter Published by Soka Gakkai © The Soka Gakkai. All rights reserved. For the exclusive use of SGI-related organizational newspapers and periodicals. 15-3, Samon-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0017, Japan Phone: 03-5360-9841 Fax: 03-5360-9887 No. 8885 Tuesday, December 10, 2013 SGI President Ikeda’s Study Lecture Series LEARNING FROM THE WRITINGS OF NICHIREN DAISHONIN: THE TEACHINGS FOR VICTORY Special Lecture Commemorating November 18, Soka Gakkai Foundation Day Our Mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth and the Dynamic Development of the SGI toward a Humanistic Century of Peace Bodhisattvas emerging from the earth—what a powerful, vibrant, free, and dynamic image! Great bodhisattvas completely without pretense or conceit, infinitely honorable and noble! Bodhisattvas of the Earth—the very name conveys the inherent, underlying strength of human life. Bodhisattvas of the Earth—here we find the starting point of the Soka Gakkai’s mission. In 192 countries and territories around the world today, our admirable members, Bodhisattvas of the Earth one and all, are joyously active, holding high the banner of the Mystic Law. The self-confident strides of ordinary people awakened to their noble mission for kosen-rufu and to their inherent potential as they forge ahead, breaking through every obstacle! The vigor of our young men’s division members, burning with a commitment to truth and justice! The inspiring endeavors of our pure-hearted young women’s division members! The shining smiles of our cheerful women’s division members! The purposeful steps of our dauntless men’s division members! The ringing voices of our lively future division members! Our great Soka movement, a gathering of Bodhisattvas of the Earth, is forging ahead steadily everywhere—in North and South America; in Europe; in Russia; in Africa; in the birthplace of Buddhism, India; and in all of Asia, in Oceania, and all 2 around the globe. Nichiren Daishonin writes: “The sun rises in the east and casts its rays to the west. The same is true of Buddhism” (WND-1, 401). The sun of the humanistic philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism has risen high in the sky and is beginning to brightly illuminate the world. The westward transmission of Buddhism1 has become a reality through the unprecedented development of our Soka movement. 1 Westward transmission of Buddhism: Nichiren Daishonin predicted that his Buddhism of the sun would flow from Japan toward the west, returning to the countries through which Buddhism had originally been transmitted and spreading throughout the entire world. 2 See SGI Newsletter No. 3442. Toward a New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu In January 1998, in an essay sharing my feelings on turning 70, I wrote that my goal by the age of 80 was “the completion of the foundations for worldwide kosen-rufu.”2 With the completion of our grand citadel dedicated to the great vow for kosen-rufu [the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu, which opened in Shinanomachi, Tokyo, in November 2013], the time has come for all SGI members to joyously make fresh strides forward. I declare that we have now solidly secured the magnificent foundations for kosen-rufu, and embarked vigorously on the second phase of worldwide kosen-rufu. On this momentous fresh departure, let us study a section from Nichiren Daishonin’s writing “The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” and pledge together to open new horizons in our movement. In this month’s installment, I will diverge slightly from our normal lecture format and share my thoughts with you in a more conversational manner as if we were studying together in a small group. The section I would like to study with you this time is a very famous passage in which the Daishonin proclaims the great mission of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. *** Now, no matter what, strive in faith and be known as a votary of the Lotus Sutra, and remain my disciple for the rest of your life. If you are of the same mind as Nichiren, you must be a Bodhisattva of the Earth. And if you are a Bodhisattva of the Earth, there is not the slightest doubt that you have been a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha from the remote past. The [Lotus] sutra states, “Ever since the long distant past I have been teaching and converting this multitude [of bodhisattvas that 3 has emerged from the earth]” [LSOC15, 261 (LS15, 220)]. There should be no discrimination among those who propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo in the Latter Day of the Law, be they men or women. Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku. At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well. Does this not signify “emerging from the earth”? At the time when the Law has spread far and wide, the entire Japanese nation will chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as surely as an arrow aimed at the earth cannot miss the target. But now you must build your reputation on the Lotus Sutra [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] and give yourself up to it. (WND-1, 385) Demonstrating the Principle of “Emerging from the Earth” The SGI has put this passage from “The True Aspect of All Phenomena” into practice in its entirety. The Daishonin writes: “Now, no matter what, strive in faith and be known as a votary of the Lotus Sutra, and remain my disciple for the rest of your life” (WND-1, 385). We of the SGI have calmly and steadily followed our chosen path with complete self-assurance. The Daishonin goes on to state that “If you are of the same mind as Nichiren”—in other words, if one strives for kosen-rufu in the same spirit as he does—“you must be a Bodhisattva of the Earth” and “a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha from the remote past” (WND-1, 385). As disciples directly linked to the Daishonin through eternal ties that can never be severed, we of the SGI are comrades who have joined together in dedicating our lives to the vow of kosen-rufu. We have striven selflessly, in “the same mind as Nichiren,” to realize the Daishonin’s will and decree. Moreover, we are fulfilling our noble mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth to propagate “the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo,” or the Mystic Law, in a spirit of equality and mutual respect, according with the Daishonin’s admonition that there should be no discrimination between men or women (cf. WND-1, 385). The Daishonin further states: “At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well” (WND-1, 385). We, too, are practicing in exact accord with this eternal and unchanging formula for 4 the progression of kosen-rufu. The spirit to stand up alone, to take personal initiative, is the core spirit and essence of the SGI. My mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, called out to young people: “Youth, just one of you stand! A second and then a third will definitely follow!” Our members around the world have indeed demonstrated that when one pioneering individual takes the lead, “two, three, and a hundred will follow” (cf. WND-1, 385). In many localities and regions, kosen-rufu has started from a single individual, and from there spread to another person and then another. Through such steady, persevering efforts to share Buddhism with others, we have created the great current of kosen-rufu we have today. Most importantly, the pioneering spirit of the early days of our movement is now being faithfully carried on by our youth division members. Youthful Bodhisattvas of the Earth everywhere are energetically taking the lead in propagating the Daishonin’s Buddhism with a sense of responsibility for realizing kosen-rufu in the areas where they live. What a wonderful age this is! What deep karmic ties these young people share! The SGI has indisputably demonstrated the Daishonin’s principle of “emerging from the earth” (WND-1, 385). The Daishonin’s assertion that “Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well” (WND-1, 385) is, I believe, nothing other than a prediction of the future emergence of the members of the SGI. Disciples Showing the Greatness of Their Teacher In this section of “The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” Nichiren Daishonin quotes some lines from the “Emerging from the Earth” (15th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra: “Ever since the long distant past / I [Shakyamuni] have been teaching and converting this multitude [of bodhisattvas that has emerged from the earth]” (LSOC15, 261 [LS15, 220]). This is an important statement indicating that the Buddha and the newly arrived bodhisattvas who are his true disciples share ties from the infinite past. It also prepares the way for his preaching of the “Life Span of the Thus Come One” (16th) chapter, which is the heart of the essential teaching (latter 14 chapters) of the Lotus Sutra. In order to clarify the significance of Shakyamuni’s statement, let us reconfirm the progression of events in the preceding “Emerging from the Earth” (15th) chapter, in which the Bodhisattvas of the Earth first appear in the sutra. The essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra begins by clarifying who will spread the sutra after the Buddha’s passing. Initially, the bodhisattvas already gathered at the assembly (the bodhisattvas of the theoretical teaching, namely, the first 14 chapters of the Lotus Sutra) volunteer to do this, but Shakyamuni rejects their offer and reveals 5 that “in this saha world of mine there are bodhisattvas mahasattva3 who are as numerous as the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers” (LSOC15, 252 [LS15, 212–13]) and that they will spread the Lotus Sutra after his death. 3 Mahasattva: A “great being,” another term for bodhisattva. 4 Maitreya: A bodhisattva predicted to succeed Shakyamuni as a future Buddha. In “The Selection of the Time,” the Daishonin says: “Bodhisattva Maitreya abides in the inner court of the Tushita heaven for a period of 5,670 million years, awaiting the time for his advent in the world” (WND-1, 538). In response to Shakyamuni’s words, a vast multitude of bodhisattvas emerges from the earth. Each of them, the sutra states, is “the leader of [their] own great assembly,” and in addition, “each brought with [them] a retinue equal in number to the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers” (LSOC15, 253 [LS15, 213]). This is a number of truly astronomical proportions, infinitely greater than the population of our planet. Incidentally, in some transcriptions or copies of the Lotus Sutra translated into Chinese, the word “emerge” is written with two characters that literally mean “spring forth” or “come out dancing.” The sudden, dynamic appearance of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth startles the bodhisattvas already present and causes them to doubt. On behalf of the perplexed assembly, the bodhisattva Maitreya4 asks Shakyamuni about the identity of these new arrivals that none of them have ever seen or heard of before, and declares what a wondrous being the Buddha must be to have converted and taught so many followers. In response, Shakyamuni makes the statement that we examined earlier: “Ever since the long distant past / I have been teaching and converting this multitude [of bodhisattvas that has emerged from the earth]” (LSOC15, 261 [LS15, 220]). Later, in the “Life Span” (16th) chapter, Shakyamuni discloses that his attainment of enlightenment for the first time in this world is just the provisional revelation of his enlightenment, and that in reality he has attained enlightenment in the inconceivably remote past. This is the “casting off the transient and revealing the true” by the Buddha. The appearance of these remarkable disciples, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, is the occasion for showing the true greatness of their teacher. At this point, I would like to stress again that the awareness of being Bodhisattvas of the Earth is the starting point of our Soka movement. The actions of the Soka Gakkai’s founding president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi themselves embodied the practice of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, meanwhile, stood up amid the devastated ruins of postwar Japan with the awareness that he was a Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Through his efforts based on this awareness and commitment, the Daishonin’s teachings came to pulse vibrantly in our organization and a great path for the development of kosen-rufu 6 in Japan was opened. And today the SGI has built a network of Bodhisattvas of the Earth that extends all around the globe. Kosen-rufu Is the Mission of Soka At a general meeting of the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (Soka Value-Creating Education Society; the forerunner of today’s Soka Gakkai) in May 1942, Mr. Makiguchi declared: “We must guide the country in the direction of great good.5 This is like making a landing in the face of the enemy.”6 He delivered this statement at a time when the Japanese nation was engaged in an insane war. By using the expression “making a landing in the face of the enemy,” Mr. Makiguchi was saying that Gakkai members had to throw themselves into the midst of a Japanese society that was ignorant of the Daishonin’s Buddhism and boldly share its teachings with those around them. In other words, he was calling on each member to courageously engage in dialogue, confidently proclaiming the truth of Buddhism and sharing their personal experiences in faith. 5 “Great good” refers to the highest kind of value in Mr. Makiguchi’s theory of value based on beauty, benefit, and good. 6 Translated from Japanese. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Makiguchi Tsunesaburo Zenshu (Collected Writings of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi), (Tokyo: Daisanbunmei-sha, 1987), vol. 10, p. 147. 7 Ibid., p. 148. He urged that only through this tenacious and persevering process of spreading the correct teaching of Buddhism could Japan be saved: “I believe that . . . we can help our families and society, and contribute in small part to the realization of kosen-rufu.”7 In prison, after being arrested during the wartime crackdown on the Soka Gakkai by the ruling militarist authorities, he steadfastly replied to the interrogating officers that kosen-rufu is the process of purifying the philosophy and ideals prevalent in the corrupt age of the Latter Day with the truth of the Mystic Law. Mr. Makiguchi had a profound awareness of kosen-rufu as the Gakkai’s mission. In the months leading up to his arrest (in July 1943), Mr. Makiguchi began to repeatedly insist to his disciples that the organization must “cast off the transient and reveal the true.” What did he mean by that? Mr. Toda, who was also imprisoned, had a deep awakening to its meaning. “The History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai” Soon after he was inaugurated as second Soka Gakkai president in May 1951, Mr. Toda published a lengthy essay titled, “The History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai.” In it, he wrote of the undying Soka Gakkai spirit as follows: 7 Our life is eternal, without beginning and without end. I am now aware that we have all appeared in this world with the great mission to propagate Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, or the seven-character Lotus Sutra,8 in the Latter Day of the Law. If I define our status in accord with this conviction, we are all Bodhisattvas of the Earth.9 8 The seven-character Lotus Sutra refers to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is written with seven Chinese characters (nam, or namu, being comprised of two characters) and represents the supreme essence of the entire 28-chapter Lotus Sutra. 9 Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, “Soka Gakkai no Rekishi to Kakushin” (The History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai), in Toda Josei Zenshu (Collected Writings of Josei Toda), (Tokyo: Seikyo Shimbunsha, 1983), vol. 3, pp. 119–120. 10 Ibid., p. 120. 11 Ibid. 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid. This was the conviction of Mr. Toda, who was released from prison on July 3, 1945, heir to the spirit of his mentor who died in prison for his beliefs. He noted that he alone had this awareness—with few of his disciples truly able to grasp his state of mind—and “the Soka Gakkai itself had not yet cast off the transient and revealed the true.”10 Subsequently, after overcoming various hardships—including the collapse of his businesses and stepping down from his position as Soka Gakkai general director [to protect the organization from being adversely affected by his business troubles]—Mr. Toda became the Gakkai’s second president. The Soka Gakkai was reborn. He wrote: “Soon, a great awareness emerged within the Gakkai as a whole, and action began based on that great conviction [that we are Bodhisattvas of the Earth].”11 He also said: “In terms of the teachings—in other words, in our outward activities—we are Bodhisattvas of the Earth, while in terms of faith, we are the followers and descendant disciples of Nichiren Daishonin.”12 It was with this conviction and resolve, he asserted, that we must strive selflessly and tirelessly for kosen-rufu. He further stated: “This conviction is the central philosophy of the Soka Gakkai and is now coming to pervade it. This indeed is ‘casting off the transient and revealing the true,’ is it not?”13 The entire Soka Gakkai rose up to engage in the shared struggle of mentor and disciple, aware of their mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth and vowing to realize kosen-rufu through their own efforts. I also took my mentor’s spirit and vow as my own and, with the powerful dynamism of a charging lion, fought my hardest. I rose to the most daunting of 8 challenges and blazed new trails for kosen-rufu. I sought out one capable person after another who would fight alongside me, fostered them, encouraged them, and worked together with them to build a magnificent people’s movement. “My Disciples, Form Your Ranks and Follow Me” As the “Emerging from the Earth” (15th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra clearly indicates, when Bodhisattva Superior Practices—the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth—appears in the world to carry out the widespread propagation of the Law in the evil latter age after the Buddha’s passing, innumerable legions of bodhisattvas are also certain to come forth in a steady stream to share his noble mission. The Daishonin writes: “Nichiren alone took the lead in carrying out the task of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth” (WND-1, 385); and “Now, at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, I, Nichiren, am the first to embark on propagating, throughout Jambudvipa [the entire world], the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. . . . My disciples, form your ranks and follow me, and surpass even Mahakashyapa or Ananda, T’ien-t’ai or Dengyo!”14 (WND-1, 764–65). The Daishonin appears as the forerunner, and then encourages his disciples to rally together and follow his lead. 14 Mahakashyapa and Ananda were among Shakyamuni’s ten leading disciples. Mahakashyapa was known as foremost in the ascetic practices called dhuta and Ananda as foremost in hearing the Buddha’s teachings. T’ien-t’ai (also known as Chih-I; 538–97), a Chinese Buddhist priest of the Ch’en and Sui dynasties. His lectures were recorded as Great Concentration and Insight, and he developed the meditation on three thousand realms in a single moment of life. Dengyo (also known as Saicho; 767–822), the Heian-period founder of the Japanese Tendai (T’ien-t’ai) school. Among his writings are The Outstanding Principles of the Lotus Sutra and A Clarification of the Precepts. The place where the Bodhisattvas of the Earth carry out their activities is this saha world, which is also known as “a world in which one must exercise forbearance and learn to endure” (OTT, 169). The Lotus Sutra was expounded to guide to enlightenment all living beings in this suffering-filled world in which we live. In the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni’s voice-hearer disciples have the great fortune of receiving prophecies of their future attainment of Buddhahood. Yet, later, when they make a vow to spread the Lotus Sutra after Shakyamuni’s passing, they show disdain for this saha world by expressing their wish to teach the Lotus Sutra in worlds other than this one (cf. LSOC13, 229–30 [LS13, 191]). This highlights how difficult it is to teach the Lotus Sutra in the saha world in the Latter Day of the Law. As the sutra makes eminently clear, teaching and spreading the sutra will inevitably result in the rise of the three powerful enemies and every other sort of persecution. 9 Only the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, who have practiced at one with the Buddha since the remote past, are able to persist in the struggle for kosen-rufu in the face of these harsh tempests of persecution and opposition. Referring to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and their momentous mission, the Daishonin explains to his followers: “These bodhisattvas are the ones who had thoroughly forged their resolve” (WND-1, 953). The Miraculous Emergence of the Soka Gakkai The “time” for the Bodhisattvas of the Earth to carry out their mission is the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law, and the “place” where they will do so is this saha world. Having chosen the most challenging circumstances, they rise into action here and now to help those experiencing the greatest suffering attain enlightenment. Nichiren Buddhism teaches the principle of “voluntarily assuming the appropriate karma.”15 This represents the transformation from a passive life to an active, self-motivated life—one based on the conviction that we have voluntarily chosen to be born into difficult and challenging circumstances to lead others to enlightenment. By making a vow for kosen-rufu based on this principle, we can transform our karma into our mission. When we awaken to our mission from the remote past, we will gain a new sense of self. We will be able to “cast off the transient and reveal the true” in our own life, and enable our real potential to shine forth. 15 Voluntarily assuming the appropriate karma: This refers to bodhisattvas who, though qualified to receive the pure rewards of Buddhist practice, relinquish them and make a vow to be reborn in an impure world in order to save living beings. They spread the Mystic Law, while undergoing the same sufferings as those born in the evil world due to karma. This term derives from Miao-lo’s interpretation of relevant passages in “The Teacher of the Law” (10th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Those who have awakened to their mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth fear nothing. When we take on the mission to help others become happy, courage and strength well up spontaneously from within us. How wondrous are the karmic ties we share as Bodhisattvas of the Earth and how noble the vow for kosen-rufu! I will never forget the impassioned words of Chingiz Aitmatov (1928–2008), the Kyrgyz writer with whom I met and spoke on many occasions: Is there no end to animosity and hatred in this human world? We are always looking for enemies, forced into feelings of mutual hostility. Many behave self-righteously, too, rejecting dialogue, insisting on their own truth, and refusing to recognize the good in anyone else. Ours is a world of darkness in which fellow human beings war with one another and destroy nature. 1 0 Amid this stark reality, the SGI—an ideal organization that could rightly be called a modern utopia—has emerged, a fact that may be difficult to immediately fathom.16 16 Translated from Japanese. Article featuring President Ikeda’s September 5, 1992, meeting and dialogue with Mr. Aitmatov at Soka University in Hachioji, Tokyo, in Seikyo Shimbun, September 7, 1992. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. Mr. Aitmatov also lauded the SGI for “not destroying others, but spreading the light of humanism to every corner of the world through a flexible approach based on firm convictions, and building a network of mutual understanding that allows others to live fully and freely.”17 He further declared: “The Soka Gakkai emerged in a time of great upheavals in human history [such as war, conflict, and unending bloodshed]. That is truly amazing. Its emergence is the hope of humanity.”18 The mission of Bodhisattvas of the Earth is truly great and noble beyond measure. It transcends all differences, including those of ethnicity, race, nationality, and gender. It is a mission that emanates from the vast creative life-force that pervades the very depths of the lives of all human beings. One who is awakened to this is called a Bodhisattva of the Earth. Each person is an entity endowed with the supreme Buddha nature. By encouraging and respecting one another as fellow human beings living together on this planet, we can bring forth the power to tap the limitless potential within ourselves and others and to create the values of happiness and peace. This is also our profound mission. We of the SGI have appeared in this world, having vowed to dedicate our lives to this mission. The Great March of the People in the 20th Century The great march of the people has been a powerful groundswell for change on many occasions throughout history. The Salt March, with Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) and his direct disciples in the lead, was a major breakthrough that served as a powerful momentum for the movement for Indian independence from the colonial rule of Great Britain. It stirred waves of courage that spread out to inspire people throughout India. Coincidentally, the Salt March took place in 1930, the year the Soka Gakkai was established. Another example of such a march was the historic civil rights march on Washington, D.C., in 1963, 50 years ago. This march, in which close to 250,000 1 1 ordinary people “stood in majestic dignity,”19 is vividly described by one of its leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–68): “The enormous multitude was the living, beating heart of an infinitely noble movement. It was an army without guns, but not without strength.”20 The gathering that day was one that transcended differences of class, profession, and religious affiliation, all its participants “united by a single ideal,”21 King observed. 19 Martin Luther King, Jr., Why We Can’t Wait (New York: New American Library, 2000), p. 113. 20 Ibid. 21 Ibid. 22 The Lotus Sutra states: “When the Buddha spoke these words, the earth of all the billion lands of the saha world trembled and split open, and out of it emerged at the same instant immeasurable thousands, ten thousands, millions of bodhisattvas mahasattva” (LSOC15, 252 [LS15, 213]). 23 Ceremony in the Air: One of the three assemblies described in the Lotus Sutra, in which the entire gathering is suspended in space above the saha world. It extends from the “Treasure Tower” (11th) chapter to the “Entrustment” (22nd) chapter. The heart of this ceremony is the revelation of the Buddha’s original enlightenment in the remote past and the transfer of the essence of the sutra to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, who are led by Bodhisattva Superior Practices. Though on a different level, our SGI movement for kosen-rufu is also a great march of the people—one that has called forth Bodhisattvas of the Earth all around the world, spreading an enormous groundswell for peace and hope. After calmly stating, “When great evil occurs, great good follows. . . . What could any of you have to lament?” (WND-1, 1119), the Daishonin points out: “When Bodhisattva Superior Practices emerged from the earth, did he not emerge dancing? (WND-1, 1119). Bodhisattva Superior Practices, the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, is said to have sprung forth dynamically from the earth as if he were dancing. And he was not alone. The Lotus Sutra states that immeasurable Bodhisattvas of the Earth “emerged at the same instant” (LSOC15, 252 [LS15, 213]).22 The sutra also goes on to say that the assembly (which was gathered at the Ceremony in the Air23) subsequently saw this immeasurable legion of bodhisattvas that had emerged from the earth fill the sky over countless lands (cf. LSOC15, 254 [LS15, 214]). To me, this depicts the great march of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth overflowing with unsurpassed joy—a scene of utter freedom and vibrant energy, yet also of solemn calm, played out on a stage of unfathomable scale. Encouraging the Person Right in Front of Us In the “Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One” (21st) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni transfers the essence of the Lotus Sutra to Bodhisattva Superior Practices as the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. The characteristic of Bodhisattva Superior Practices is described as follows: 1 2 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 [LS21, 276]) Mr. Makiguchi heavily underlined this passage in his personal copy of the Gosho. The Bodhisattvas of the Earth are a source of great light imparting courage and strength. They warmly illuminate the way ahead for those walking through the night of loneliness and anxiety. They wipe away people’s tears of despair and give hope to them. They dispel the darkness of ignorance and brighten people’s lives with the light of compassion and wisdom. This reference to “the darkness of living beings” is not something abstract. The important thing is to actually help banish the darkness of suffering shrouding the lives of individuals in our immediate environment. Reaching out to the person in front of us, engaging with them, giving them hope and courage for living, and empowering them to attain happiness through their own efforts—this is truly the definition of a world religion. It ultimately comes down to whether or not the teaching has the power to revitalize the lives of individuals right in front of us. The Daishonin writes: “Here a single individual has been used as an example, but the same thing applies equally to all living beings” (WND-2, 844). The SGI has been undertaking this effort all around the world. When the 19th-century Italian thinker and revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–72) heard people say that someone was just, he tested that claim by asking: “How many souls are saved by him?”24 Indeed, action for the sake of good and the welfare of others is what defines a truly just person. As Mazzini put it: “It is not enough that thought be grounded on truth; the thinker’s life must visibly express it in his acts.”25 24 Bolton King, The Life of Mazzini (London: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd., 1914), p. 259. 25 Ibid. 26 Norman Cousins, Human Options (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1981), p. 35. Expanding the Network of Bodhisattvas of the Earth around the World The renowned American journalist Norman Cousins (1915–90), with whom I engaged in a dialogue, said that simply speaking of brotherly love and compassion will not suffice; the crucial thing is to “reach out and take hold of the one who happens to be nearest.”26 The SGI movement has overcome every imaginable barrier—differences of national 1 3 boundaries and social systems, of ethnicity and language, of ideology and philosophical background; of gender and age; of social class and standing. Its members have also overcome barriers created by illness, disabilities, and all other kinds of challenging circumstances. Through sharing and encouraging one another with the message that all, irrespective of their present sufferings or hardships, have a right to become happy, the SGI has spread a beautiful network of Bodhisattvas of the Earth around the globe. * Here, I would like to reconfirm the SGI’s mission with you as follows: 1. As an organization of Bodhisattvas of the Earth directly connected to Nichiren Daishonin, the SGI will forever be dedicated to realizing the great vow for kosen-rufu and work tirelessly for world peace and the happiness of humanity. 2. With faith based on the spirit of oneness of mentor and disciple and the unity of “many in body, one in mind,” the SGI will forever strive to open the way to the triumph of humanity. 3. Acting with a spirit of self-initiative and respect for each individual, the SGI will forever illuminate people’s lives and society with the light of courage and hope. 4. Standing on the side of the people, the SGI will forever champion the welfare of the people and advance together with them. 5. Transcending all forms of discrimination and prejudice, the SGI will forever spread its network of human equality. A New Age Has Now Come The path of humanism that we are walking stretches widely before us. No matter when or where we begin our journey, the path is waiting for us. It is a path we can follow without hesitation or fear. The warm and encouraging words of the great American poet Walt Whitman (1819–92) resound in my heart: Camerado, I give you my hand! I give you my love more precise than money, 1 4 I give you myself before preaching or law; Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me? Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?27 27 Walt Whitman, “Song of the Open Road,” in Leaves of Grass (London: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd., 1968), p. 134. 28 Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, “Soka Gakkai no Rekishi to Kakushin” (The History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai), in Toda Josei Zenshu (Collected Writings of Josei Toda), (Tokyo: Seikyo Shimbunsha, 1983), vol. 3, p. 122. The gaze of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth in the Lotus Sutra, filled with gratitude for the eternal ties linking them to their teacher Shakyamuni, is always directed toward the future, as is the gaze of the Buddha. They are brimming with the dynamism of “dancing forth” to take part in the great struggle of spreading the Law. In his “History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai,” Mr. Toda wrote: “In the past seven hundred years, has there ever been an organization like the Soka Gakkai? . . . The time has now come. The time has now come for great propagation [of the Law].”28 Standing up now with fresh determination and commitment as Bodhisattvas of the Earth constitutes our own personal challenge to “cast off the transient and reveal the true,” a truly fitting challenge as we prepare to enter a new era of worldwide kosen-rufu. All people in the depths of their lives are Bodhisattvas of the Earth, a fact to which they can be awakened through contact with other Bodhisattvas of the Earth. My disciples, rise up and set forth with fresh vitality and vigor to take your places on a new stage where you will carry out your human revolution. The world of tomorrow is waiting. Humanity of the future is waiting for the great march of the Soka Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Let your victory cheers, filled with the supreme joy of a life dedicated to kosen-rufu, resound proudly in the place where you are and in every part of the world, as we make our way together toward a humanistic century of peace. (Translated from the November 2013 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the monthly Soka Gakkai study journal
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:57:06 +0000
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