by the Pacific Northwest Zone team
What is your zone motto? Altruistic action opens the way for everyone’s happiness!
Tell us briefly about your zone’s history. Pacific Northwest Zone comprises six regions, which encompasses the states of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana.
We have a proud history of Soka Spirit. In 1992, courageous pioneer member Hiroe Clow spoke out about Nichiren Shoshu High Priest Nikken Abe and his salacious conduct during a trip to Seattle decades earlier. The priesthood sued the Soka Gakkai and Ikeda Sensei over her published account.
Over the next eight years, members in the Pacific Northwest joined SGI members across the country and the world, rallying in support of her and the SGI through Soka Spirit chanting sessions and letter-writing campaigns, demanding Nikken’s resignation.
In 2000, thanks to Clow’s testimony and the evidence presented, the Supreme Court of Japan ruled in favor of the Soka Gakkai and Sensei. This verdict became a landmark victory for justice, demonstrating the true spirit of the SGI and Sensei in contrast to the corruption of the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood. We remember this as the “Seattle Incident” or the “Seattle Victory.”[1]
That same year, 2000, our zone as we know it today, was officially formed and named Pacific Northwest Zone.
Do you have Buddhist centers in your zone? Yes. We have two centers that serve the members: the Oregon Buddhist Center and the Seattle Buddhist Center.
Does your zone have a particular point of pride? A majority of our zone is composed of remote and frontier areas, and we have incredible members and leaders in those locations who vigorously take action as pioneers of their organization, embodying Sensei’s stand-alone spirit. We have many colleges and universities in our zone and are moving toward our goal of establishing 10 SGI campus clubs. The Ikeda Youth Ensemble has been a vibrant group in our organization for several decades, and we are determined to continue this amazing training for our youth.
What is essential for you as a zone? Seattle was the third city in America that Sensei visited on his first journey for worldwide kosen-rufu in October 1960. He then returned to our zone in 1983, visiting Alaska. Our determination is to always advance with an awareness and pride of pioneering kosen-rufu in the U.S.
As Sensei encouraged us:
Human brilliance derives from the light of altruistic action. It is no exaggeration to say that people are truly human only when they endeavor to dedicate their lives for their friends and fellow human beings. Here, too, lies the way to break through the shell of the small ego and develop and expand one’s spiritual capacity to a profound degree.[2]
Every year around Oct. 6, members from the four regions local to Seattle gather at the Ballard Locks—which Sensei visited in October 1960—to take a commemorative photo and refresh our vow to expand kosen-rufu in our zone.
Do you have something that is unique to your zone? Our geography is vast and diverse, with our membership spread from farmlands and dense cities to remote islands and the tundra of Alaska. Some members drive two hours to attend their district meetings! We have a long history of cherishing and respecting the land, originating from the local Native American tribes and continuing in our communities today. Members in the Pacfic Northwest are passionate and active in our communities.
What’s your vision toward 2030? To have 1,000 youth joyfully participating in our district activities and introducing their friends to this practice, creating an endless stream of capable successors. We’re likewise determined for all members to receive benefit, with a culture of home visits, shakubuku and friendship at the core of our organization.
You are reading {{ meterCount }} of {{ meterMax }} free premium articles
