Ikeda Sensei’s serialized novel The New Human Revolution chronicles the history of the Soka Gakkai following his inauguration in 1960 as its third president. It carries practical guidance on how to expand our movement for kosen-rufu and hundreds of experiences of inner transformation. Sensei appears in the novel as Shin’ichi Yamamoto. The following takes place in 1978.
Installment 10
Installment 20
Installment 30
Installment 40
Installment 50
Installment 1
The ability to engage in dialogue is one of the most outstanding human attributes. Dialogue expresses our humanity.
Through talking with one another, hearts open, mutual understanding develops and friendship spreads.
True dialogue is not putting on a facade and spouting empty, flowery rhetoric. Dialogue is interacting life to life, just as we are, as fellow human beings, with sincerity, conviction and patience.
A Buddhist sage[1] once said: “The voice carries out the work of the Buddha” (“The Sacred Teachings of the Buddha’s Lifetime,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 57). The Lotus Sutra—extolled as “the king of sutras”—is a dialogue among Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples. Nichiren Daishonin wrote his treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” as a dialogue between a host and a guest.
Dialogue has the power to encourage and engender hope. It is a wellspring of courage and a fresh breeze of revitalization. It is a bridge connecting people’s hearts.
On the afternoon of October 10, 1978, Shin’ichi Yamamoto and his wife, Mineko, met with the eminent U.S. economist John Kenneth Galbraith, his wife, Catherine, and others accompanying them at the Seikyo Shimbun Building. Dr. Galbraith, professor emeritus at Harvard University, had written many renowned works, including The Age of Uncertainty.
Installment 2
Young women’s division representatives applauded the tall, silver-haired economist as he stepped from the car at the building’s entrance.
Born in 1908 and now almost 70, he still had a fire in his eyes and exuded youthful vitality.
People with a passion for fresh challenges remain ever young.
Reaching out to shake his hand, Shin’ichi said: “You must be very tired from your long journey. Welcome. I am honored to meet you.”
Dr. Galbraith had left the United States on September 10 for a trip to Italy, France, Denmark, Belgium, India, Thailand and now finally Japan, meeting with dignitaries and lecturing along the way. He showed no signs of fatigue, however, and said with a bright smile: “I have been looking forward to meeting you too. This warm welcome has revived me.”
Holding a bouquet of flowers from Mineko, Catherine Galbraith said: “With these flowers from Mrs. Ikeda and the bouquet of beautiful smiles filling the courtyard, how could anyone fail to be energized!”
Everyone smiled even brighter.
“Let’s have a wonderful dialogue for the sake of humanity’s future!” Shin’ichi said as he led the delegation into the building.
After graduating from a Canadian university, Dr. Galbraith earned his doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley, later becoming a professor at Harvard. He went on to serve as the U.S. ambassador to India, the president of the American Economic Association and as an economic advisor to U.S. presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
He wrote numerous books, including The Affluent Society, The New Industrial State and Economics and the Public Purpose. His Age of Uncertainty had just been published in Japanese that February and had become a bestseller, so his name was well known in Japan.
Installment 3
Dr. Galbraith was over 6 1/2 feet tall. Shin’ichi barely came up to his shoulder as he escorted him through the building. When they arrived at the meeting room, they exchanged greetings again.
Looking up at his guest, Shin’ichi stretched his hand toward his head and said with humor: “I’m sure you’ve already seen Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest mountain. I welcome you Dr. Galbraith, a true master of economics, and will engage in our dialogue as if gazing up at Mount Fuji.”
The professor smiled. “I am not nearly as dangerous as my size suggests!”
Everyone laughed. Shin’ichi then quipped: “Tall people have a good overview of their surroundings, but short people can see the ground more clearly. So perhaps by combining these two perspectives, they can find some overall ‘certainty.’”
Several businesses had invited Dr. Galbraith to Japan, and the representatives of one publishing company, including its president, accompanied him. They smiled as they listened to the friendly banter.
During the dialogue, Shin’ichi and Dr. Galbraith each brought up various topics and shared their thoughts on them.
Kicking things off, Shin’ichi said: “In modern times, people seem to focus solely on life and view death as something separate. But if we ponder the meaning of life, seek happiness and think about the state of our society and civilization, it is extremely important to look at death, explore it and come to a sound understanding of both life and death.
“Buddhism teaches that life is eternal. In other words, when we die, our lives merge with the universe and continue in a latent form to reemerge into an active state under the right causes and conditions. Our deeds, words and thoughts are carried on as our accumulated karma.
“So, my question to you is, what do you think happens after death?”
If we don’t understand death, we cannot understand life.
Installment 4
Dr. Galbraith responded in a slow, measured way.
“That is a very important, fundamental question, full of mystery and extremely difficult
to answer. I do not know what happens after we die. I do, however, believe in the continuity of existence. And at my age, I will not have to wait long to find out!”
Even on this solemn topic, he retained a sense of humor. Laughter facilitates communication.
The atmosphere can easily become heavy when discussing serious and important subjects. Sensing the economist wished to lighten the mood, Shin’ichi Yamamoto appreciated his consideration.
The two discussed many topics, including their favorite books and views on marriage. On books that had inspired them the most, both mentioned the works of Tolstoy. Dr. Galbraith was delighted.
Tolstoy had observed: “Communication with good people brings happiness.”[2]
As they talked about life, when asked about his personal motto, the economist said: “I haven’t a simple motto, but I have a firm rule. It is, ‘Work now, and don’t expect to finish.’ I always say that to myself.”
Shin’ichi thought those were wonderful words to live by.
He imagined that by “work now,” Dr. Galbraith meant to work wholeheartedly each moment, with grand ideals yet a firm grasp of reality. And by “don’t expect to finish,” he perhaps meant not being satisfied with easy results but always striving for improvement.
When asked what words inspired him, Shin’ichi said: “The greater the resistance waves meet, the stronger they grow.”
Installment 5
Shin’ichi then asked Dr. Galbraith about the saddest event in his life.
“It was losing my son. If I may say so, he was remarkable, deeply intelligent. He died of leukemia when he was very young.”
This reminded Shin’ichi of when he had asked Arnold Toynbee the same question. The historian said with a pained expression that it was when his son took his own life. Shin’ichi would never forget the way he sat there motionless, his eyes damp and his fingers interlaced in front of him as if in prayer.
Even the most eminent among us cannot escape sorrow. We struggle with and live on through storms of fate. No life is without challenges. The key to happiness is whether we let our suffering defeat us or use it to develop, improve and become stronger.
The economist also spoke of his grief at the assassination of John F. Kennedy, who had appointed him his ambassador to India.
The conversation then moved to U.S.-China relations, and from there to a discussion of the different leadership styles of China’s Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai and India’s Jawaharlal Nehru.
When Shin’ichi mentioned that he would be visiting India the following year, Dr. Galbraith encouraged him to go to Punjab, a region spanning northwest India and eastern Pakistan. It was famous as a cradle of ancient civilizations, he explained, being home to the ruins of Harappa, but it had also developed significantly.
Catherine Galbraith noted that the state of Kerala in southwest India was also undergoing impressive development. She had supported her husband during his tenure as ambassador and was extremely knowledgeable about the country.
Women, because of their practical daily life experience, often grasp the reality of a society most accurately.
Installment 6
Dr. Galbraith published a chronicle of his time in India titled Ambassador’s Journal: A Personal Account of the Kennedy Years.
In the introduction, he describes Catherine’s efforts: “The household, entertainment, a wide range of protocol activities, concern for the problems of the American community [in India], association with wives and families of my Indian and diplomatic associates, cultivation of the arts and representation of the Ambassador at a succession of functions during my absence were all accomplished by my wife. She even found time to learn Hindi to the point of making a quite acceptable speech in the language.”[3]
He had known little about this, however, until he read her personal recollections, published in the May 1963 Atlantic Monthly. He confessed to being rather astonished at the scope of her activities.[4] The article, titled “‘Mother Doesn’t Do Much’: The Ambassador’s Wife in India,” appears in the appendix of Ambassador’s Journal.
Catherine described her activities in detail. She explained how she had supervised not only the staff but also looked after their families. Numbering around 50 altogether, they adored her as “the mother of us all.” She cared for them when they were sick, helped settle quarrels and strove always to be fair and impartial. She served the staff tea every day, presented the wives with new saris on Indian holidays and gave everyone gifts at Christmas.
She also managed the ambassador’s events, from greeting guests to organizing meetings, interviews, receptions and dinners. And she accompanied her husband on official visits and sometimes had to speak on his behalf on short notice.
While seeing to all these duties, she also raised their children.
Nichiren Daishonin likens the teamwork of a couple who shares the same conviction to the two wings of a bird or the two wheels of a cart, teaching that they can achieve anything.[5]
Installment 7
The publisher of the Japanese translations of The Age of Uncertainty and others of Dr. John Kenneth Galbraith’s writings said he would like to ask something connected to their discussion of India.
What did they think Japan should do to help reduce the economic gap between advanced industrial countries and developing countries? In other words, how should Japan address the North-South divide?
Dr. Galbraith responded without hesitation: “The first is that Japan, as a country now belonging to the community of rich countries, has a moral obligation to contribute some of its well-being in assistance and capital to poor countries.
“The second is to contribute through agriculture. With its rice farming know-how, Japan can offer instruction to developing nations partly because there is an ease of association between Asian cultures that would make its instruction readily acceptable. This is an extremely practical way for Japan to contribute.
“In poor countries, nothing is so important as food, such as rice and wheat, and water. We first need to consider what the people in those countries need most. What are your thoughts, Mr. [Shin’ichi] Yamamoto?”
“The things you have mentioned are very important. I am concerned, however, that simply providing one-sided economic aid of goods and technology may lead to a solely interest-based relationship; it may establish a hierarchy between ‘donor’ and ‘recipient’ countries. There is also the danger that it will undermine the pride and self-reliance of people in the recipient country.
“It is therefore essential to build mutual trust. This requires ongoing grassroots educational and cultural exchange. I believe and have consistently maintained that only by patiently continuing such efforts over 10, 20 or 50 years can we open the way to lasting trust.”
Installment 8
Dr. Galbraith said that he agreed completely.
The conversation was in full swing.
Next, they moved on to discuss The Age of Uncertainty, which asserted that today’s world no longer had any solid guiding principles. Shin’ichi said he strongly concurred.
Many serious issues threatened the survival of humanity, such as war, nuclear weapons, pollution, dwindling resources and overpopulation. But people seemed unable to find a guiding principle or philosophy to tackle these challenges with.
Shin’ichi was determined to do whatever he could to avert these dangers. Above all, he vowed to ensure a third world war would never happen.
He firmly believed that the Buddhist ideal of respect for the dignity of life was just such a fundamental guiding principle and that if people the world over embraced it, they could eliminate these threats.
But no matter how convinced he was of the superiority of the Buddhist teachings and how unshakable his faith in them, for them to be broadly accessible to the public he knew it was essential that scholars come to validate and appreciate their greatness too. Without efforts to win public support, a religion will easily lapse into dogmatism and self-righteousness. That’s why Shin’ichi held dialogues with world thinkers.
He asked Dr. Galbraith, “What guiding principles do you think we need as we search for certainty in this ‘age of uncertainty’?”
The economist noted that in the past, the ideas of Adam Smith and Karl Marx had been regarded as great certainties, but errors in those ideas became apparent over time, and they could no longer be relied upon as certainties. In fact, he said, all human endeavors need constant amendment to make life more secure, peaceful and intelligent. Perhaps accepting that way of thinking is ultimately a guiding principle, he added.
Installment 9
Dr. Galbraith worried that people’s obsessions with ideology often caused them to look away from reality, avoid critical thinking and judge things by placing them in narrow theoretical frameworks.
Shin’ichi also opposed making decisions based on predefined external norms such as ideology or theory. Doing so could have the reverse effect of shackling the human spirit.
“I believe it is important to recognize that we human beings, the ones making the decisions, are defined by uncertainty, full of contradictions and inner conflict, our minds changing moment by moment,” he said. “Therefore, I consider it vital for us to elevate our humanity and grow as human beings so that we can always make sound decisions. To do that, we need a universal philosophy of life that enables us to realize such inner growth, and we of the Soka Gakkai have found that in the teachings of Buddhism.
“In short, we can describe the correct teaching of Buddhism as the fundamental Law, eternal and unchanging, that permeates all phenomena and the universe. We possess within us an inexhaustible font of wisdom, and Buddhism teaches how we can uncover and tap it. We call the process of unlocking our potential rooted in this law of life ‘human revolution.’
“I have discussed the problems facing humanity with Arnold Toynbee, the French thinker and activist André Malraux, and others. They agreed with me that a trend toward spiritual transformation, toward human revolution, in line with Buddhist principles, represents a dynamic philosophical movement that will usher in a brighter future for our world in the 21st century.”
Dr. Galbraith responded candidly: “My understanding of Buddhism is quite limited. That is why I find your remarks so thought-provoking.”
His words were humble. Those of great scholarship possess a sincere spirit for learning and a thirst for truth.
Installment 10
Shin’ichi Yamamoto went on to discuss the role of Buddhism.
“Politics, economics and science all originally seek human happiness, but they primarily focus on external factors such as social systems and living conditions. Religion, in contrast, concentrates on finding happiness within. It can be said that human happiness depends on developing both a solid inner foundation and favorable external conditions.
“Human beings create and develop all institutions, systems and fields of learning. Reforming our societies therefore hinges on reforming the hearts of human beings, the protagonists of change. I believe this is the role of the higher religions, especially Buddhism.”
Dr. John Kenneth Galbraith leaned his tall frame forward, listening intently.
“That is a very important point,” he said, nodding. “As you say, the aim of everything is human happiness. If I could expand on this a bit, I would add that while politics, economics and science have made rapid progress in their respective areas, somewhere along the way, they have become ends in themselves, unrelated to human contentment, happiness and peace. This seems to me a dangerous development.”
“Yes, precisely!”
The economist went on to stress the need for a philosophical system that can give a unity of purpose to the divergent tendencies of modern intellectual life, directing them back toward such core human aims as happiness and peace.
“As an economist,” he said, “I aspire to contribute in any way I can to human happiness. After listening to you speak, Mr. Yamamoto, I would really like to join you on a visit to India, the land of the Buddha. It would be wonderful if we could continue this conversation someday in Sarnath.”
Sarnath, also known as Deer Park, is where Shakyamuni delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment.
During their nearly two-hour meeting, Dr. Galbraith and Shin’ichi agreed on many points.
Sincere and honest dialogue engenders mutual understanding and forges human ties.
Installment 11
In an article titled “My Japan Diary” in the Japanese magazine Bungei Shunju’s April 1979 issue, Dr. Galbraith wrote about their dialogue: “We discussed China and the Soviet Union, nuclear armaments, aid for developing countries and Japan’s special responsibilities in this respect. We had a lot of back-and-forth, and we agreed on almost everything.”
Though a reunion in India did not happen, Dr. Galbraith and his wife visited the Seikyo Shimbun Building again in October 1990, and they had another opportunity to speak.
On that occasion, Shin’ichi and Dr. Galbraith lost track of time talking about peace, economics and prospects for a new international order toward the 21st century. They also shared personal stories about their interactions with various world leaders.
The fruit of friendship ripens when we treasure each conversation, speak sincerely and foster mutual respect and understanding.
In September 1993, Shin’ichi gave his second lecture at Harvard University, titled “Mahayana Buddhism and 21st Century Civilization.” Dr. Galbraith made time in his busy schedule to attend and serve as a commentator.
He described Shin’ichi’s lecture as a “marvelous account of the path that we all share in hoping, all share in wishing, [that we] may be on the road to peace,” acknowledging the spirit of peace central to Buddhist thought.
Installment 12
The day after the lecture, Shin’ichi visited the Galbraiths, accompanied by his wife, Mineko, and eldest son, Masahiro. The couple lived in an elegant brick home with pink trim in a quiet residential area near the university. Squirrels scampered through the trees in the yard.
Though Dr. Galbraith was almost 85 at the time, it was a lively conversation.
Expressing his admiration for Shin’ichi’s efforts to build peace through dialogue, the economist shared that he, too, had tried to live his life with a fervent and abiding conviction and desire to put an end to the cycle of war.
They went on to discuss the best way to show people how to lead truly fulfilling and enjoyable lives. In response to Shin’ichi’s remark that the “important thing is fulfillment for oneself and others,” Dr. Galbraith said he would like to foster more dialogue, benefit and joy in the world. And, as if entrusting Shin’ichi with his wish for peace, he urged him to continue his meaningful dialogues toward that end.
Dr. Galbraith also said he hoped they could continue their discussions about peace and the future of humanity and leave a record for posterity. Shin’ichi felt likewise.
Starting from August 2003, a quarter century after their first meeting, their dialogue was serialized in nine installments in the Soka Gakkai–affiliated monthly magazine Ushio (Tide). In September 2005, it was published in book form in Japanese as Dialogue for a Greater Century of Humanism (tentative English title).
In his preface, Dr. Galbraith wrote, “I have great respect for President Yamamoto’s valuable work to promote the welfare of all people wherever they may be.”
In his own preface, Shin’ichi said: “My friendship with Dr. Galbraith is a priceless treasure in my life. I cannot begin to quantify the inspiration his profound and wise words have given me.”
Dialogue connects people’s wishes for peace, forming waves and ultimately a new tide of thought that will transform the age.
Installment 13
On October 10, after his meeting with Dr. Galbraith, Shin’ichi traveled to Osaka. He was scheduled to attend various activities in Kansai and then head to Shizuoka for a memorial service at the head temple commemorating the 700th anniversary[6] of the Atsuhara Persecution.
On the flight to Osaka, Shin’ichi turned his thoughts to that time.
The Atsuhara Persecution refers to the ongoing oppression of Nichiren Daishonin’s followers in Atsuhara Village in the Fuji Shimokata area of Suruga Province (part of present-day Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture), which reached a peak in 1279.
For several years before the persecution began, the Daishonin’s disciple Nikko Shonin had been spreading the Daishonin’s teachings among the priests of Ryusen-ji, a Tendai school temple in Atsuhara, and also among local farmers. At Ryusen-ji, a large temple with many resident priests, Nisshu, Nichiben and others converted one after another. Inspired by the Daishonin’s teachings, they eagerly shared them with fellow priests.
The temple’s deputy chief priest, Hei no Sakon Nyudo Gyochi, wielded power at Ryusen-ji. He exploited his status as a member of the ruling Hojo clan and appropriated the temple’s assets for his own personal use. In exchange for money, he even appointed a known thief as an officiating priest. He committed many deeds unconscionable for a Buddhist priest, including selling fish he had killed by poisoning the temple pond (see “The Ryusen-ji Petition,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 822).
In addition, Ryusen-ji disregarded the teachings of T’ien-t’ai (Jpn Tendai) stressing the primacy of the Lotus Sutra and recited the Amida Sutra[7] instead. Its faith was distorted from the very foundations.
Nisshu, Nichiben and others whom Nikko Shonin had taught chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo dauntlessly in the spirit of the Daishonin. They also sharply pointed out errors in the Pure Land (Nembutsu) and other teachings and emphasized the correct teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
Seeing the growing momentum and success of these efforts to spread the Lotus Sutra, Gyochi feared it would undermine his position as deputy chief priest. Finally, he resorted to intimidating the priests who had become the Daishonin’s followers.
Gyochi oppressed the Daishonin’s followers to protect his own status, not even attempting to discern which Buddhist teachings were correct. Those drunk on power and authority always fear reform.
Installment 14
Openly hostile, Gyochi issued them an ultimatum: The Lotus Sutra, he said, is untrustworthy. They must sign an oath pledging to immediately cease reading and reciting the Lotus Sutra and instead read the Amida Sutra and recite the Nembutsu, the name of Amida Buddha. Then he would guarantee them a place to live (see “The Ryusen-ji Petition,” WND-2, 826).
Some capitulated and abandoned their practice. Adversity tests the authenticity of one’s faith.
Nisshu and Nichiben did not give in to Gyochi’s demands, however, and thus lost their positions at Ryusen-ji. But they continued to reside in secret on the temple grounds while spreading the Daishonin’s teachings in Atsuhara and other villages.
The villagers trusted and respected them so much that the flame of kosen-rufu spread. In 1278, three brothers named Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro—all farmers in Atsuhara—began practicing. Soon they became leaders among the farmers who had become the Daishonin’s followers.
In 1279, as the gentle days of spring arrived, the sound of voices chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in many village homes resounded through the fields of Atsuhara. Bitter at the ever-growing number of Lotus Sutra followers, Gyochi began to persecute the farmers as well.
In April, during a festival at a local shrine, amid the excitement of a horseback archery contest, an attacker wounded a follower of the Daishonin named Shiro. Then in August, another follower, Yashiro, was killed. These were warnings of what would happen if believers continued their faith in the Lotus Sutra.
Gyochi instigated these crimes in collusion with the official in charge of the local Fuji Shimokata administration office. On top of that, Gyochi tried to pin the blame on Nisshu and other followers of the Daishonin. The threat of violence must have struck great fear in the Atsuhara farmers.
In “Many in Body, One in Mind,” the Daishonin mentions the people of Atsuhara and says: “Although Nichiren and his followers are few, because they are different in body, but united 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 [or good]” (WND-1, 618).
Unity fosters people of courage. Where there is unity, there is victory.
Installment 15
The farmer-believers in Atsuhara encouraged and supported one another and remained utterly unshaken in their faith.
Gyochi and his cohorts thus devised and carried out another malicious plot to oppress them.
On September 21, 1279, officials from the Shimokata administration office arrested 20 of the farmers, including the three brothers Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro. The apprehended were accused of rice theft and vandalism. Their accuser was Yatoji, an older brother of the three brothers who opposed their Buddhist practice.
How unbearably painful to be hated and persecuted by one’s own parents, siblings or other relatives. That is why the devil king of the sixth heaven often enters the bodies[8] of close family members, causing them to oppose and attack practitioners. The Ikegami brothers, Munenaka and Munenaga, also faced opposition to their faith from their father, Yasumitsu. In particular, the older brother, Munenaka, was disowned twice.
The official complaint accused Nisshu of leading on horseback an armed mob to break into the private quarters of Ryusen-ji’s chief priest and of stealing rice from the temple’s fields and hiding it in his own lodgings (see WND-2, 825).
Of course, this was a complete fabrication.
The arrested farmers were taken to Kamakura. There, Hei no Saemon-no-jo Yoritsuna interrogated them at his private residence. Yoritsuna was the same official who had persecuted the Daishonin. This time, he colluded with Gyochi. Without even addressing the formal charges, he jumped to threatening the farmers: “Renounce your faith in the Lotus Sutra and embrace the Nembutsu teaching. Then you will be set free and have no more worries. Refuse, and you’ll be severely punished.”
The farmers had been practicing the Daishonin’s teachings for only about a year, but none of them wavered.
The strength of one’s faith is not measured by years but by one’s resolve.
Installment 16
In response to Yoritsuna’s threat, the farmers all chanted loudly, an expression of their resolve to uphold the Law even if it meant giving their lives.
Enraged, Yoritsuna instructed his second son, 13-year-old Iinuma Hogan Sukemune, to shoot hikime arrows at the farmers. These whistling arrows with a blunt tip made of paulownia wood were believed to drive demons out of those they struck. They made a shrill sound as they flew and were used in ritual archery contests and other events. How terrifying for the farmers, and how painful.
Such was the cruel torture the farmers endured.
Finally, on October 15, Yoritsuna had Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro—the central figures among the farmers—beheaded. But even then, none of the others abandoned their faith. They continued chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo resolutely. No doubt their indomitable faith unnerved Yoritsuna. In the end, there were no further executions, with the remaining 17 farmers being sentenced to banishment.
Nisshu, meanwhile, left Atsuhara and resided for a time in Shimosa Province (present-day northern Chiba Prefecture), but he continued to work alongside Nikko Shonin to propagate the Daishonin’s teachings.
The community of believers had grown to encompass priests such as Nissho[9] and samurai retainers such as Toki Jonin and Shijo Kingo, as well as their wives and other family members.
But to propagate the Law throughout the entire world and make the teaching of universal enlightenment a reality, ordinary people needed to establish unwavering faith so they could overcome all difficulties, just as the Lotus Sutra teaches. Many among the Daishonin’s followers, such as the farmers, couldn’t read or write. Nevertheless, they devoted themselves with pure-hearted faith to spreading the Law at the risk of their lives, not giving in to oppression by tyrannical authorities. In other words, there appeared invincible ordinary people who embraced Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the heart of the Lotus Sutra, and strove for kosen-rufu alongside the Daishonin.
He writes: “If you are of the same mind as Nichiren, you must be a Bodhisattva of the Earth” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” WND-1, 385).
Not only enabling people to become happy themselves but inspiring them to also work for the happiness of others—this is the essence of the Daishonin’s Buddhism of the people.
Installment 17
The Atsuhara farmers’ behavior and way of life exemplify the ultimate in faith. Faith has nothing to do with education, social status or economic standing. It is the courage and resolve to face great difficulties or persecution on account of spreading the Mystic Law, boldly and without fear. It is being able to regard such adversity as a “crucial moment,” remembering and keeping the mentor’s words deeply in one’s heart and having the conviction to follow through on one’s chosen path. It is also being ready to give one’s life for the sake of the Law unfettered by self-interest. And it is having unshakable belief in the principles of Buddhism, free from doubt or hesitation.
On the other hand, Nichiren Daishonin describes those who abandon their faith as “cowardly, unreasoning, greedy, and doubting,” adding that his “words have no more effect [on them] than pouring water on lacquer ware or slicing through air” (“On Persecutions Befalling the Sage,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 998).
“Unreasoning” here means foolish. Elsewhere, he writes: “Foolish men are likely to forget the promises they have made when the crucial moment comes” (“The Opening of the Eyes,” WND-1, 283). Ultimately, their weakness and foolishness cause them to lose sight of their mentor’s teachings and abandon their resolve rather than remain true to their beliefs.
In “Letter to Misawa,” the Daishonin relates how the devil king of the sixth heaven orders his minions to “possess the minds of his [the votary of the Lotus Sutra’s] disciples, lay supporters, and the people of his land and thus try to persuade or threaten him” (“Letter to Misawa,” WND-1, 894–95). During the Atsuhara Persecution, Sammi-bo discarded his faith, and a number of erstwhile followers—such as Daishin-bo, Ota Chikamasa and Nagasaki Jiro Hyoe-no-jo Tokitsuna—joined forces with those persecuting the Daishonin’s followers. This betrayal illustrates the Daishonin’s point.
The devil king of the sixth heaven seeks to disrupt people’s faith by creating unfathomable events or unexpected situations. That’s why we must always remain vigilant in our efforts for kosen-rufu.
In the end, Sammi-bo died tragically; the others suffered serious loss in accord with the law of cause and effect.
Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda wrote in a poem:
As you begin the ascent
of a still
steeper mountain,
continue the journey of kosen-rufu
with firm resolve.
Installment 18
That Jinshiro, Yagoro and Yarokuro died for their beliefs amid the Atsuhara Persecution might seem antithetical to Buddhism’s aim of happiness in life.
Life is incomparably sacred, a precious treasure to be protected. Why, then, did the Daishonin write: “Since death is the same in either case, you should be willing to offer your life for the Lotus Sutra” (“The Dragon Gate,” WND-1, 1003)?
Death awaits us all someday. In the Daishonin’s time, countless died in famines, epidemics and armed conflicts. People also had to face the prospect of losing their lives should the Mongol forces invade Japan.
Life is the greatest treasure; but it is as fleeting as the morning dew. The important thing, then, is how we use our lives. Hence the Daishonin says we should not waste our precious lives on “shallow, worldly matters” (“Letter from Sado,” WND-1, 301), but instead dedicate them to protecting and spreading the great, eternal, unchanging teaching of the Lotus Sutra, the teaching that enables all people to attain enlightenment and find happiness.
This is because by doing so, we can attain the state of absolute and indestructible happiness that is Buddhahood. As the Daishonin writes: “By offering their lives to the Lotus Sutra, they became Buddhas” (“On Namu,” WND-2, 1073).
Life is eternal; it spans the three existences of past, present and future. Even should we face persecution and lay down our lives for Buddhism in this present existence, our path would open to attaining Buddhahood in the future.
Moreover, in “Letter from Sado,” the Daishonin tells us that experiencing great hardships for the sake of Buddhism enables us to expiate in this lifetime the negative karma we have accumulated in past existences (see WND-1, 303).
The resolve to give our lives without hesitation and to selflessly dedicate ourselves to propagating the Law is not some sort of tragic fatalism. It is a state of serene and imperturbable joy.
When the Daishonin was about to be beheaded at Tatsunokuchi, he said to a tearful Shijo Kingo: “What greater joy could there be?” (“The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra,” WND-1, 767). And while enduring the harsh winter in exile on Sado Island, he wrote: “I cannot hold back my tears when I think of the great persecution confronting me now, or when I think of the joy of attaining Buddhahood in the future” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” WND-1, 386).
When we resolve to devote ourselves to kosen-rufu for as long as we live, we connect on the deepest level with Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
A fearless strength emerges, and the joyous life state of a Buddha pulses within.
Installment 19
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the Soka Gakkai’s first president, died in prison defending the correct teaching of Nichiren Daishonin. Nichiren Shoshu, in contrast, feared persecution by Japan’s militarist authorities and acquiesced to their demand to enshrine the Shinto talisman. Thus, they betrayed the Daishonin’s spirit. Makiguchi’s selfless dedication to spreading the Law, ultimately laying down his life for Buddhism, is the starting point of the Soka Gakkai spirit.
Makiguchi’s disciple Josei Toda, who later became the second president, was arrested and imprisoned along with his mentor. Toda awakened to his identity as a Bodhisattva of the Earth while incarcerated, and upon his release dedicated his life to kosen-rufu.
The question “What would you die for?” could be rephrased as “What would you live for?” They are two sides of the same coin.
Makiguchi, the mentor, gave his life to protect the Daishonin’s teachings; Toda, the disciple, inherited his mentor’s conviction and devoted his life to realizing the cause of kosen-rufu. Both men embodied the sublime spirit and practice of selflessly dedicating their lives to propagating the Law.
The Soka Gakkai now flew smoothly like a large jet plane. But Shin’ichi Yamamoto had prepared himself for any severe turbulence on the journey of kosen-rufu like in the days of the Atsuhara farmers and President Makiguchi. As president, he put his all into piloting the Soka Gakkai, vowing to never allow a situation that would cause members to be sacrificed. And if a life-threatening persecution should arise, he was determined to take it on alone.
Of course, to advance kosen-rufu, we each need to be ready to devote our lives selflessly to spreading the Law. Only with such firm resolve can we attain Buddhahood in this lifetime and transform our karma.
To be ready to do this means deciding that life’s ultimate purpose is kosen-rufu. It means demonstrating the power of the Gohonzon and the truth of Nichiren Buddhism in our lives and way of living, not for fame or personal gain but to share the teachings with others.
We carry out Soka Gakkai activities and pray earnestly that, for the sake of kosen-rufu, we can become healthy, transform our financial difficulties, build a harmonious family and so on. Prayers based on a vow for kosen-rufu are the prayers of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas of the Earth; therefore, they activate the protective functions of the universe.
Installment 20
We strive in our faith and practice so we can “enjoy ourselves at ease” (see The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 272)—in other words, to enjoy a serene and unhindered state of happiness.
People often think that gaining wealth and fame will automatically bring happiness. But if we look for happiness outside ourselves, pulled this way and that by our desires, we’ll never know true fulfillment and satisfaction. Though we may get what we want, our joy will be short-lived. Soon we’ll feel empty again. Human desires have a way of growing and expanding, and if we can’t get what we want the next time, we’ll become dissatisfied and anxious.
Such is the limited pleasure gained from fulfilling worldly desires. On the other hand, “boundless joy of the Law” describes the supreme and absolute happiness of attaining enlightenment. This happiness does not come from the outside but wells up from the depths of our being.
That is why Nichiren Daishonin declares: “There is no true happiness for human beings other than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (“Happiness in This World,” WND-1, 681). The “boundless joy of the Law”—true happiness—is found in chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. More importantly, true happiness is found in practicing for both ourselves and others. As the Daishonin says: “You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. …Teach others [about Buddhism] to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” WND-1, 386).
Those who take action for kosen-rufu are Bodhisattvas of the Earth. The Daishonin tells us that these bodhisattvas possess the four noble virtues of the Buddha—eternity, happiness, true self and purity.
“Eternity” means that the state of Buddhahood inherent within Buddhas and all living beings abides eternally throughout the three existences—past, present and future. “Happiness” is a state of tranquility free from suffering. “True self” means that Buddhahood is our true and intrinsic nature, an independent, indestructible strength. “Purity” means that no matter how corrupt and polluted the age, our lives function purely, like a clear, flowing spring. By establishing a life state imbued with eternity, happiness, true self and purity—a state born from our resolve and efforts to selflessly spread the Mystic Law—we can genuinely “enjoy ourselves at ease.”
Installment 21
Shin’ichi reflected on how the Soka Gakkai’s development and the kosen-
rufu movement’s dynamic postwar growth came about solely because second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda and the members carried on the spirit of selfless dedication to spreading the Law embodied by the Soka Gakkai’s first president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, who withstood persecution and died in prison for his beliefs. Shin’ichi pondered the Daishonin’s words “If the spring is inexhaustible, the stream will never run dry” (“Flowering and Bearing Grain,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 909).
On the evening of October 11, Shin’ichi attended a general meeting of Osaka’s Joto Ward at the Kansai Toda Memorial Auditorium in Toyonaka City commemorating the 700th anniversary of the Atsuhara Persecution.
Speaking of that history, he discussed the contemporary meaning of giving one’s life for Buddhism.
“Today, with our kosen-rufu movement steadily growing into a mighty river, it is important that all of you lead long and happy lives, without anyone being sacrificed or left behind. That is my heartfelt prayer and wish.
“To continue vigorously chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with great conviction in faith, no matter what; to teach others about Buddhism and encourage them; and to live out our lives fully for the sake of kosen-rufu, showing actual proof of our own happiness—please know that this is what it means for us to give our lives for Buddhism in this day and age.”
To give one’s life for the Law is not, by nature, an act of heroism that glorifies death. It is deciding that kosen-rufu is the purpose of our lives and, while grappling each day with the realities of society, persevering in faith and becoming champions of happiness. This is the great path of practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism in modern times.
Shin’ichi continued his guidance tour in Osaka and Kyoto, and then traveled to Shizuoka, where he participated in a memorial service commemorating the Atsuhara Persecution’s 700th anniversary.
On October 14, an “Evening Commemorating the Atsuhara Persecution” was held at the Tonohara Athletic Field [on the head temple grounds], where members performed an original dance called “The Three Martyrs of Atsuhara.”
The vibrant dance brimmed with their passion to live with the same unwavering faith as the three Atsuhara martyrs. They had all practiced diligently, finding time while working hard at their jobs and engaging in their Soka Gakkai activities.
Shin’ichi applauded the performance, calling out in his heart: “The noble spirit of the three martyrs is alive in the Soka Gakkai. As long as the Soka Gakkai exists, the correct teaching of Nichiren Buddhism will not perish!”
Installment 22
That month’s headquarters leaders meeting was held at the Itabashi Culture Center in Tokyo on the afternoon of October 21.
During his speech there, Shin’ichi talked about his motivation in writing Soka Gakkai songs.
“I’ve written several songs this year at the requests of various regions and prefectures and also divisions. Our members strive tirelessly in their Soka Gakkai activities each day. I wanted to convey my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to each one of them.
“Clumsy though my efforts may be, I have done my very best, wishing to bring our members joy and, at the very least, some encouragement and hope.
“Most recently, the women’s division and Ibaraki Prefecture leaders have made requests, so I have written a new song for the women’s division called ‘Song of Mothers’ and one for Ibaraki, ‘A Life of Victory.’ I’d like to introduce the lyrics to you today.”
First was “Song of Mothers.”
Child in arm, sweat on her brow,
she strives day after day—a brilliant sight—
to fulfill her noble mission from the distant past.
Who will praise this mother?
Protecting her humble castle,
she is a tiny sun, ever constant,
bringing light to one and all,
this future great mother of happiness.
Ah, overcoming life’s sorrows,
the mother’s sincere prayers
reach beyond the hills of despair
to where her castle is filled with smiling faces.
Gentle and strong is the mother,
a white lily blooming in her heart,
age meaning nothing to her.
Heavenly deities, watch over her dance!
Glorious music, the song of mothers.
Installment 23
The women in the audience broke into cheers and applause that went on for some time.
When it finally died down, Shin’ichi said: “The song expresses my heartfelt admiration for the women’s division’s tireless efforts.”
Applause erupted again.
Shin’ichi had written the lyrics just the evening before. Earlier that day, he had met with women’s division region leaders at the Soka Women’s Center (later, the Shinano Culture Center).
One after another, they reported on activities in their local organizations. They told Shin’ichi of the members receiving incredible benefits and how the women’s division strove to encourage fellow members amid Nichiren Shoshu priests’ repeated outrageous attacks. They also stated their wish for a new women’s division song.
The women’s division had decided to create a new song to mark the opening of the Soka Women’s Center in June, and volunteers had produced a tentative draft titled “Castle of Mothers.”
After he read it, Shin’ichi shared his thoughts: “The song refers to the Soka Women’s Center as the ‘castle of mothers,’ but I think it would be better not to limit that expression to one building.
“We have millions of women’s division members. But as far as I know, only about 60,000 have visited the new center, so calling it the ‘castle of mothers’ will not have much meaning for the majority who have never been there.
“I think it should be your home that is regarded as the ‘castle of mothers.’ Nichiren Daishonin says: ‘The place where the person upholds and honors the Lotus Sutra is the “place of practice” to which the person proceeds’ (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, p. 192).
“In other words, the true teaching of Buddhism is that the place where we carry out our Buddhist practice each day is the training ground for attaining enlightenment. We each build indestructible happiness where we are and transform our home into the Land of Tranquil Light. As women’s division members, each of you has the mission to make your home a castle of happiness, a castle of mothers.”
Our homes are the starting point for creating happiness.
Installment 24
One of the leaders then said: “Could we impose on you to write the lyrics for us?”
Wanting to support them, Shin’ichi started on the lyrics after he got home around 10:30 that night.
“I’m going to write lyrics for a women’s division song,” Shin’ichi told his wife, Mineko. “Would you take down my words?”
Mineko hurried over with a pad of paper.
“Child in arm, sweat on her brow… ,” Shin’ichi began, the words pouring forth. An image had already formed in his mind. He wanted the song to describe one woman’s noble lifetime journey dedicated to kosen-rufu.
As she wrote down the lines of the song’s first verse, Mineko thought back to the women in the Soka Gakkai’s early days going from house to house to talk about Buddhism and encourage members, carrying small children on their backs or in their arms or leading them by the hand.
Times were hard. Some had sick children. Others struggled with family discord. Some had lost their partners. Nevertheless, the women awakened to their mission of kosen-rufu from the distant past and devoted themselves earnestly to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and sharing Buddhism with others. People often ridiculed them, threw water or salt[10] at them to drive them away, or cursed and insulted them.
But the women of Soka, the mothers of kosen-rufu, remained undefeated. Sometimes wiping away tears, they returned insults with smiles, embraced everyone openheartedly, and pressed ahead in high spirits on the path of kosen-rufu. A sun of joy burned proudly in their hearts, their lives brimmed with energy, and a vast sky of hope stretched endlessly above them.
Nichiren Daishonin writes: “A woman who embraces the lion king of the Lotus Sutra never fears any of the beasts of hell or of the realms of hungry spirits and animals” (“The Drum at the Gate of Thunder,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 949).
And today, many who were fostered by these mothers of kosen-rufu are carrying on the baton and advancing cheerfully on the same great path of mission as youthful women’s division members, creating melodies of happiness.
Shin’ichi composed the lyrics with the deepest respect and admiration for these great women of Soka who had fought one bitter battle after another.
Installment 25
Shin’ichi initially began the song’s second verse with “Protecting her humble home.” But then he decided to change “home” to “castle,” thinking it a better way to convey that a mother’s home is in fact her castle.
He also used “tiny sun” to describe the women’s division—the mothers of kosen-rufu. Come rain or shine, the sun rises each day without fail. Whatever happens, it does what it must, persistently fulfilling its mission and illuminating all with its warm light.
Great achievements are made through painstaking, persevering efforts.
He started on the third verse. “Ah, overcoming life’s sorrows…”
Here, he depicted life’s struggle against cruel destiny.
Life has its raging storms; it is never entirely smooth sailing. Though others may be unaware, most people grapple with some kind of serious problems, sometimes enduring painful situations. Waves of suffering come crashing in one after another.
That’s why we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! That’s why we share Nichiren Buddhism with others!
Awakening within us the great life force of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth and the Buddha, we confidently triumph over every obstacle with strong, open and rich hearts.
It is by overcoming our karma and our problems that we can prove the benefit, validity and greatness of Nichiren Buddhism. We transform our karma into our mission. There is nothing we can’t resolve through our Buddhist practice.
Sometimes icy rain pounds us and clouds of despair shroud our hearts. But always remember that the sun will rise to shine again, today and tomorrow.
By aligning our lives with the Mystic Law, which permeates the entire universe, we ourselves come to shine like the sun. We radiate the joy of victory and brilliant achievement, and illuminate our family, our community and the future with the light of happiness.
Shin’ichi infused the women’s division song lyrics with this hope and heartfelt cry of encouragement.
Installment 26
When Shin’ichi reached the last line of the third verse, he said to Mineko: “Here, I’d like to mention their partners. In the men’s division song ‘Life’s Journey,’ I put the line ‘Ah, untold mountains and rivers crossed with partners and family’; I’d like to do something similar here.”
“Yes, but some women’s division members have lost their partners and work hard alone to raise their children. In addition, some are single.”
“I see your point. All right, let’s go with ‘her castle is filled with smiling faces’ to embrace all situations, including partners.”
Shin’ichi then moved on to the fourth verse.
“Mr. Toda likened the women’s division to white lilies, so I’d like to use that here. How about ‘Gentle and strong is the mother, / a white lily rising in her heart’? White lilies symbolize the Soka Gakkai women’s division. I want them to always be proud of that.
“What do you think? It’s a song for the women’s division, so I’d like your honest opinion.”
Mineko smiled and said: “Since you’re using the metaphor of white lilies, I think ‘blooming’ works better than ‘rising.’”
“OK, let’s go with that. And since women’s division members range from newlywed 18-year-olds to those in their advanced years, I’d also like to mention our elderly members who’ve worked so hard since the pioneering days. So many continue even in old age to energetically support, protect and encourage their juniors.”
Shin’ichi thus concluded the last verse with “age meaning nothing to her. / Heavenly deities, watch over her dance! / Glorious music, the song of mothers.”
It took him less than 10 minutes to dictate all four verses.
He looked over the lyrics on a clean copy Mineko made, but there was no need to change anything. He named it “Song of Mothers,” based on the song’s closing line.
Installment 27
At the Headquarters leaders meeting, Shin’ichi announced: “The music for ‘Song of Mothers’ is now being written and should be completed within today.
I hope you like it.”
The women responded to the lyrics with much enthusiasm. One elderly member said with excitement: “The opening words, ‘Child in arm … ,’ really brought back memories. And when I heard the line in the fourth verse ‘age meaning nothing to her,’ I realized that this song was written for me now. I vowed to keep striving and adorn my final years with triumph.”
A younger women’s division member from Toyama Prefecture who saw the lyrics in the Seikyo Shimbun shared her feelings with Mineko: “I thought I had done my best, but when I read the lyrics from beginning to end, I realized that a genuine women’s division member is someone who strives as hard as the song describes, who has that same determination, and who dedicates her life wholeheartedly to kosen-rufu.
“It made me feel that I can’t truly call myself a women’s division member yet. I will do my best so that I can proudly declare that I am a genuine women’s division member!”
Earlier that day, the person asked to compose the music had rushed to the Itabashi Culture Center, met about the song, and set to work.
Shin’ichi remained at the culture center after the leaders meeting, holding informal discussions with members while waiting for the music to be finished. When a recording of the song performed to the music was delivered that evening, he listened to it with those present.
“What a fine tune!” he said. “Tomorrow, the Lake Biwa Festival will take place at the Shiga Training Center. Let’s play it for everyone there.”
Shin’ichi had planned to attend the festival, but because of two other activities in Shinanomachi, Tokyo—a business professionals division general meeting and a prefecture leaders meeting—he decided to ask Mineko and his eldest son, Masahiro, to attend in his place. He also gave serious thought to what he could do to ensure everyone had an enjoyable time.
Sincere efforts connect people’s hearts.
Installment 28
The joyful Lake Biwa Festival, themed “Together with the Sun,” took place under blue skies on the grounds of the Shiga Training Center. There were two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
The performances included a magnificent 1,200-member chorus, a modern dance number, a reenactment of the story of the three Atsuhara martyrs, a dynamic gymnastics display and traditional folk songs and dances.
Mineko attended the afternoon session. In her greetings, she said that Shin’ichi regrettably could not attend due to several events that day in Tokyo.
“He asked me to come and apologize on his behalf, so here I am.”
She told them that Shin’ichi had very much looked forward to seeing the Shiga members. He had asked her to bring a tape recording of the brand-new women’s division song, she said, because he wanted them to be the first to hear it.
The song was played. In the lyrics, Shin’ichi described women’s division members as “tiny suns.” Given that the festival’s theme was “Together with the Sun,” Mineko sensed how united in spirit Shin’ichi and the Shiga members were.
She explained to the 5,000 participants the sentiments he poured into each line.
Women are strong. Women are noble. Women are the driving force of kosen-rufu. Women, shine as suns of happiness!—this was the message Shin’ichi wished to convey.
“In closing,” Mineko said, “I would like to ask everyone to strive in high spirits to protect and develop the joyful castles that are your homes and your communities.”
She then walked around the grounds to speak with the performers. The wind stirred up clouds of dust. Microphone in hand, she stopped in front of each group to offer encouragement and her appreciation.
The journey toward fulfilling one’s mission begins by asking “What can I do right now?” and then taking action.
Installment 29
As Mineko made her way around, an elderly woman called out: “I’m from Takashima!”
Takashima lies northwest of Lake Biwa, and there, too, members had endured attacks by Nichiren Shoshu priests and danto members—Nichiren Shoshu lay believers who were critical of the Soka Gakkai. During the local temple’s monthly lectures, priests told Soka Gakkai members that unless they left the organization and affiliated themselves directly with the temple, the priests wouldn’t conduct funeral services for them or their families. Some caved to such pressure.
Shin’ichi had received numerous letters detailing these incidents and expressing members’ determination to not be cowed.
With a smile, Mineko grasped the woman’s hand and said: “We’ve received many letters from Takashima members. President Yamamoto knows how difficult and frustrating it has been for you. Whatever happens, please stay strong. What is right is sure to become clear in the end. I am chanting daimoku wholeheartedly for you.”
Nameless women, the mothers of kosen-rufu, were holding back their tears and enduring the tyranny of clerical authority while earnestly protecting their “humble castles” and striving to transform them into shining castles of happiness.
Shin’ichi had written “Song of Mothers” out of his wish to give such sincere, dedicated women a rousing anthem of support.
He first heard a live choral performance of it on the afternoon of October 23, at a women’s division leaders meeting in the Kosen-rufu Hall of the Soka Culture Center in Shinanomachi, Tokyo. The bright, hopeful and spirited voices of the White Lily Chorus were like a spring breeze of eternity, happiness, true self and purity.
On that day, he presented leadership guidelines for the sunlike women’s division: “Be wise leaders who guide younger members with rich humanity and powerful conviction.” “Face life’s hardships with courage, which ultimately starts with overcoming your own weaknesses.” “There is no growth in a life full of complaint.”
As long as the sunlike women of Soka are here, then no matter how dark the night of adversity, a dawn of hope will surely come.
Installment 30
The lyrics for the Ibaraki song, “A Life of Victory,” were also introduced at the October 21 Headquarters leaders meeting. They expressed Shin’ichi’s strong hopes for Ibaraki’s total victory.
Shin’ichi saw Ibaraki as a place rich in diversity that could serve as a new model for creating the future.
In many prefectures, everything was concentrated in and around the capital and major cities. But decentralization and a widely distributed population characterized Ibaraki.
The prefectural government was in Mito City, located in the center of the prefecture. In the north, which included Hitachi City, industrialization had progressed along the Pacific coastline, and in the southeast, a coastal industrial zone had developed around Kashima Port. To the south, Tsukuba Science City had been built as a hub for cutting-edge scientific research, while Tsuchiura and other areas had become bedroom communities for Tokyo as the metropolitan area had continued to expand. Agriculture also thrived in most of the prefecture, including in the west. In addition, there were many lakes and wetlands, such as Lake Kasumigaura, and the prefecture had many tourist attractions, including the Fukuroda Falls and riverside and lakeside districts.
The richly diverse Ibaraki was a microcosm of Japan. If members could establish models of victory in kosen-rufu throughout Ibaraki, these would serve as guideposts for victory in the 21st century. Shin’ichi believed this was Ibaraki’s great mission.
To make fresh progress, each member needed to break free of their own limitations and transform their state of life. This meant opening their hearts wide, being flexible in interactions with others, and cultivating the perseverance and resilience to never give up, no matter the challenges.
The more we cling to ego, the deeper the divide between ourselves and others grows, and the narrower the world becomes. The prosperity of our communities and the development of kosen-rufu can be achieved only when everyone works in unity with initiative and broad-mindedness.
And patience supports broad-mindedness. Patience is key to victory in all things.
Shin’ichi wanted the Ibaraki members to engrave in their hearts the motto “Win through perseverance” so the prefecture could make a great leap forward.
Installment 31
Shin’ichi envisioned Ibaraki’s future victory as he wrote the lyrics for “A Life of Victory.”
O, plum blossoms fragrant in the winter wind,
you, my friends, persevere and triumph.
Come, let us sing the song of Ibaraki
and create a life of victory,
a shining life of victory.
A bright red sun in our hearts,
we call on the heavenly deities to protect us on a journey of trials and joys!
Ah, uphill climbs await even amid eternal joy.
We walk arm in arm, a procession of friends,
arm in arm, a procession of happiness.
My friends, though hardships may arise,
someday the golden winds of kosen-rufu will blow.
Make joyous cheers of victory
resound through the heavens!
Ah, Ibaraki, home of the bravehearted.
Music was quickly composed, and soon members’ happy voices could be heard singing the song throughout the prefecture. Amid all the excitement, Ibaraki block leaders gathered at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters 15 days later, on November 5. Shin’ichi attended their gongyo meeting and praised the victorious efforts of all the Ibaraki members.
Toward the end of his speech, he referred to Nichiren Daishonin’s “Happiness in This World”: “This writing concludes with the words ‘Strengthen your power of faith more than ever’ (WND-1, 681). In the realm of faith, it’s important to have the ‘more than ever’ spirit, always striving to improve, maintaining a seeking spirit, continually starting anew and taking on fresh challenges.
“If you begin to think ‘I’ve been practicing for a long time and participated in many activities, so I’ve done enough,’ then you have grown lazy in faith. If leaders are even a little inclined to think this way, the organization will stagnate. Please know that a ‘life of victory’ depends on courageously winning over that tendency.”
Installment 32
After the Ibaraki song, Shin’ichi threw himself into writing lyrics for other Soka Gakkai songs, despite his schedule being filled with meetings and informal gatherings. The next song he took on was for Saitama, a place that held many memories for him and had achieved remarkable growth as a champion of kosen-rufu in the Kanto Region.
Shin’ichi also regarded Saitama as a leader of the 21st century. The movement for kosen-rufu was growing from a mighty river into a great ocean. He expected Saitama, as a great river of Soka, to be the first to pour into those open waters and create the current of a new era.
That’s why Shin’ichi wanted the members there to reaffirm their mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. He hoped that, with the wellspring of the mentor-disciple bond flowing in their hearts, they would become courageous people brimming with the pure stream of faith who could nourish society through solidarity with their fellow members.
In Saitama, too, Nichiren Shoshu priests had been trying fiercely to destroy the Soka Gakkai. Calling out in his heart, “Let’s advance proudly along the great path of Soka!” Shin’ichi imbued the Saitama song with his heartfelt emotions.
The lyrics to “The Banner of Kosen-rufu” were completed, set to music, and published in the Saitama regional page of the Seikyo Shimbun on October 27.Behold the realm of happiness in Saitama!
Here now in my beloved Saitama,
my dear friends emerging from the earth
join hands and courageously
gather under the banner of kosen-rufu.
Pure, unsullied Saitama, dauntless and strong.
Friends the world over, admire its scenery,
lauding it as the “Loire of Japan,”
fragrant with culture and blossoms of happiness!
Saitama with its rivers and mountains,
its lion cubs fearing nothing,
dear friends whose hearts shine brightly.
Thirty-two years later, in October 2010, to celebrate the Saitama Youth Division General Meeting with 36,000 young people, Shin’ichi added a final line: “Behold the victory of Saitama!”
Installment 33
To lay out a grand vision for kosen-rufu in Japan, one element was essential: strengthening and developing the organization in Tokyo. The question was, which area should symbolize and serve as the core for this new era in Tokyo?
Kosen-rufu in Tokyo had begun mainly in the old downtown neighborhoods of the east known as shitamachi. Now the Yamanote area to the west of central Tokyo held the key to fresh growth.
In that area, Setagaya Ward was rapidly increasing in population, its once-tranquil rural landscape transforming into an upscale residential district. More people saw it as a desirable place to live. A new, community-rooted kosen-rufu movement advancing in Setagaya would open a path for progress. It would become a powerful force to lead and set the tone for the age and open the door to Tokyo’s future.
Setagaya held an unforgettable golden memory for Shin’ichi. It was there, on November 7, 1954, that the youth division held its first athletic meet, called the “Festival of the Century,” on the Nihon University athletic field.
Shin’ichi had proposed and planned the event. He believed it would be an extremely meaningful opportunity for young people to enjoy building physical strength while learning the importance of unity. The Soka Gakkai’s board of directors, however, opposed the idea. They questioned its necessity given the members’ busy schedules with faith activities. They argued that it was inappropriate for a religious organization to hold such an event and wondered whether the expense and effort would be worthwhile.
But second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda gave his assent. The youth division took full responsibility, and the event was a huge success, generating fresh energy and fostering many capable people. Such events became a Soka Gakkai tradition, evolving into the peace and culture festivals of later years.
In that sense, Setagaya could be seen as the birthplace of a new culture and new kind of movement for the organization. Shin’ichi believed wholeheartedly that carrying on that tradition, that spirit, and leading the way to a new era of kosen-rufu was Setagaya’s mission.
Installment 34
Shin’ichi decided to write a song for the Setagaya members in the hopes of opening the way for the future development of kosen-rufu in Tokyo and, further, throughout all of Japan. He wrote the lyrics in one sitting, recalling the athletic meet 24 years earlier, where everyone gathered with their mentor, Josei Toda. Brimming with their commitment to kosen-rufu, the youth waved banners of encouragement as their fellow members competed intensely.
O, waving the banner together,
the banner of Bodhisattvas of the Earth from time without beginning.
High in the skies above the
castle of Setagaya,
a dawning of happiness and culture.
O, striking the bell together,
the bell of our eternal mission.
Our Setagaya Soka family, hearts open wide,
a model of kosen-rufu.
O, gazing at Mount Fuji together,
our hearts majestic and everlasting.
Mount Setagaya stands firm as well,
as we triumph over every storm.
Shin’ichi titled the song “Banner of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.”
When he finished, he smiled with deep satisfaction. “If the Setagaya members have the courage to face storms of adversity and make bold strides forward,” he said to Mineko, “the times will definitely change. A victory song will resound throughout Tokyo!”
The lyrics were set to music and the song was published in the Tokyo edition of the Seikyo Shimbun on October 30. A chorus presented it that evening at a special Setagaya Ward meeting held in the Kosen-rufu Hall on the fifth floor of the Soka Culture Center in Shinanomachi, Tokyo. All the participants joined the chorus in a joyous performance of the song.
Setagaya men’s and women’s division chapter leaders sang it twice at the Tokyo chapter leaders meeting Shin’ichi attended at the Tachikawa Culture Center on November 1.
Shin’ichi said powerfully, “The Bodhisattvas of the Earth are those who have emerged in accord with their own wish and vow to achieve kosen-rufu.”
Installment 35
On October 30, the same day the Tokyo edition of the Seikyo Shimbun ran “Banner of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth,” the Niigata edition published the lyrics and music to the new Niigata Prefecture song, “Snowy Mountain Path,” also written by Shin’ichi.
Autumn was deepening day by day and the harsh Niigata winter would soon arrive. Before long, members would conduct their activities in deep snow. Shin’ichi had been determined to write a song for the Niigata members by then.
After his meeting with Dr. John Kenneth Galbraith on October 10, Shin’ichi went to Kansai to offer guidance to members. On October 11, he attended events at the Soka Girls Junior and Senior High Schools (present-day Kansai Soka Junior and Senior High Schools) and participated in a general meeting for Osaka’s Joto Ward at the Kansai Toda Memorial Auditorium. The next day, October 12, he took part in gongyo sessions, group photo sessions and informal meetings with members at the Kyoto Culture Center (present-day Kyoto International Culture Center), Katsura Community Center and Uji Peace Center in Kyoto. In between these activities, he worked on the Niigata song.
Even while traveling by car or walking, he came up with words, forming the lyrics one line at a time. He would go among members and offer encouragement, and then return to composing. It was a continuous cycle of action and creation.
As he wrote, he thought of Niigata’s winter days, its raging blizzards and roiling gray seas, its snowbound homes and bone-chilling cold. This harsh coastal climate had forged the iron fortitude of first Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, who spent his childhood and early teens in Niigata. It also cultivated the spirit of the Niigata residents, known for their unmatched perseverance. In other words, Niigata is a place that forges human character, a grand stage of revitalization, where those who endure the greatest hardships go on to attain the greatest happiness.
The lyrics were completed on October 12; the music, on October 25. The prefecture leaders immediately relayed the news of the song by phone to the pioneer members who had paved the way for kosen-rufu in Niigata. They wanted these hardworking, dedicated members who had endured so much to be the first to share in the joy.
Areas with such considerate leaders are strong. Unity is nothing less than a beautiful symphony of humanity, composed of respect and gratitude.
Installment 36
Reading the lyrics of their new song, “Snowy Mountain Path,” in the October 30 Seikyo Shimbun, the Niigata members were overwhelmed with emotion. They said the song accurately captured their thoughts and feelings.
Ah, these blizzards, relentless wind and snow,
the snow mountains of this world are my path.
The blazing brilliance of time without beginning
leads to eternal happiness.
Ah, leads to eternal happiness in Niigata.
O, the vast sea reflects my heart.
With dear friends burning with justice,
forge onward, recalling the Daishonin!
Ah, in Niigata, there is pride—
a land of pride, Niigata.
Ah, bells ring out in every town.
You, too, ring the bells of kosen-rufu into the new century,
resounding with prayers and happiness.
Ah, Niigata greets the dawn,
a triumphant song of dawn, Niigata!
Courage can change a night of endurance into a morning of victory. Through courageous faith, we can transform karma into mission.
Shin’ichi wrote the lyrics with the prayer that members in Niigata—the honored land where Nichiren Daishonin expounded many of his landmark teachings—would summon the spirit to exert themselves bravely and vigorously and stand up with firm resolve.
The song debuted in a choral performance at a Kaetsu Zone meeting on the evening of October 29, the day before it appeared in the Seikyo Shimbun. Then, on the evening of the 31st, at a concert of chapter songs at the Niigata City Music and Culture Hall, a mixed chorus sang it and, finally, all participants joined in. With eyes shining and hearts filled with a vow to write a new chapter for kosen-rufu in Niigata, as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they sang with a passion that could melt even the deepest snow.
The song became the prelude to a fresh voyage of the good ship Niigata, setting sail toward the vast ocean of a new century.
Installment 37
Next, I’ll write a song for Tochigi!”
Shin’ichi’s intense schedule continued, but still he made time to work on more lyrics.
A general meeting commemorating Tochigi Day, November 6, was slated for November 3 at the Ashikaga Municipal Gymnasium. The Soka Gakkai had designated Tochigi Day to mark the day in 1973 when Shin’ichi had attended a prefecture leaders general meeting at the Tochigi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Shin’ichi had been invited to the November 3 commemoration, but due to several events at Soka University, he would be unable to attend. That was why he wanted to finish a song for Tochigi by then so they could all make a fresh start together.
Also, Shin’ichi hoped to visit Ashikaga in Tochigi before the year was out to encourage the members.
Tochigi always reminded Shin’ichi of his mentor, Josei Toda, because it was there, in Nasu, that he had made his first postwar guidance tour and laid the groundwork for the initial growth of the kosen-rufu movement. Shin’ichi’s deep wish and heartfelt prayer were that Tochigi would pioneer the way for kosen-rufu on the local level.
As he wrote, Shin’ichi reflected on Tochigi’s scenic beauty—the Nikko area’s magnificent natural landscape, the Nasu mountains, and his mentor ascending their steep paths. “During his visit, Mr. Toda must have made his way around Tochigi, praying and hoping that among its mountains and rivers would someday emerge a steady stream of Bodhisattvas of the Earth. I want the Tochigi members to keep that spirit and pride alive forever and foster many capable people. Come forth! Come forth! Lionhearted successors!”
True leaders are those who can foster people to excel them. This requires the resolve and dedication to give one’s all to nurture them. Someone who seeks to exploit their juniors cannot raise genuinely capable people.
Founding Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi insightfully observed, “Education aimed at fostering capable individuals is the foundation of all social systems.”[11]
Installment 38
Prefecture leaders learned of the Tochigi song, titled “Friends with a Shared Vow,” on November 2, the eve of their general meeting.
The next day, chorus members practiced the song even on the bus to the gymnasium, their eyes brimming with joyful tears. Shin’ichi had named them the Toda Chorus that March, thinking of his mentor’s first postwar guidance tour.
The meeting began and the song was soon presented.
Ah, in our home in the highlands,
we stand and make a vow with friends in faith.
Here lies the eternal path—past, present and future.
Tochigi’s triumph creates rivers of happiness.
That day we vowed to write
a magnificent history that all would speak of.
Ah, we traverse mountains and rivers, brave and dauntless.
Tochigi’s victory brings tears of emotion.
Tochigi members are fearless,
our steps light in our march for kosen-rufu.
Let’s advance boldly with the sword of compassion
as we rally under the banner of Tochigi,
never forgetting our shared vow!
The members felt the deep significance of the word vow in the song’s title and lyrics.
For Shin’ichi, as conveyed in the line “never forgetting our shared vow,” presenting the song on this occasion was an expression of his firm resolve to fulfill his vow to work alongside the Tochigi members for kosen-rufu.
For the Tochigi members, the song ignited a fresh fighting spirit in their hearts, reminding them of the vows they had made with Shin’ichi to undertake new challenges.
The vow of Soka Gakkai members is the vow of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth to realize kosen-rufu. It is the pledge of mentor and disciple who live for that cause eternally, as described in the Lotus Sutra: “Those persons who had heard the Law / dwelled here and there in various Buddha lands, / constantly reborn in company with their teachers” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 178).
Installment 39
On November 7, 1978, a representative leaders meeting commemorating the 48th anniversary of the Soka Gakkai’s founding was held in the Grand Lecture Hall at the head temple, Taiseki-ji. In addition to 2,000 Soka Gakkai leaders, Nichiren Shoshu priests from throughout Japan attended. The meeting, which High Priest Nittatsu also attended, was meant to put an end to priests’ ongoing attacks on the Soka Gakkai.
These attacks should have stopped well before then. In early April, the Nichiren Shoshu Administrative Office had issued a notice asking its priests to strictly refrain from criticizing the Soka Gakkai during regular Gosho lectures at local temples, which took place on the 13th of each month and were open to all lay believers. However, the directive had not been followed.
In addition, hoping to create harmony, the Soka Gakkai had responded sincerely to a letter of inquiry from the priesthood questioning whether the organization’s doctrinal interpretations had deviated from the school’s teachings. The Soka Gakkai explained that to advance kosen-rufu in modern society, it was articulating the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism in a manner that suited the times while remaining true to the Daishonin’s original intent. That response was published in the Seikyo Shimbun on June 30 with the high priest’s approval.
At that point, too, the slanderous attacks on the Soka Gakkai should have ended, but they stubbornly persisted. Behind this aberrant situation were the machinations of the power-hungry attorney Tomomasa Yamawaki, who plotted to manipulate and control the Soka Gakkai by using the priesthood. He had long been secretly feeding false information to the priests to make them distrust the Soka Gakkai, and even devised and shared with them a plan to undermine the organization.
The priests fell for Yamawaki’s schemes. The more the Soka Gakkai tried, in its capacity as a supporting lay organization, to respect and accommodate the priesthood’s wishes, the more blatant the harassment became.
The Nichiren Shoshu priests’ arrogant words and actions had long caused suffering and anguish to Soka Gakkai members.
Priests who called themselves disciples of Nichiren Daishonin repeatedly attacked the Soka Gakkai, whose members were selflessly dedicated to realizing the Daishonin’s wish for kosen-rufu. It was just as the Daishonin predicted when he wrote: “Neither non-Buddhists nor the enemies of Buddhism can destroy the correct teaching of the Thus Come One, but the Buddha’s disciples definitely can” (“Letter from Sado,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 302).
The maneuverings of devilish functions indicate the time for kosen-rufu has arrived.
Installment 40
To resolve the situation, the Soka Gakkai facilitated discussions between youth division leaders and the young priests spearheading the attacks. The November 7 meeting was held as an opportunity to improve relations between the Soka Gakkai and the priesthood and put an end to the discord.
The prepared remarks of each speaker were shown to the priesthood in advance. As the Soka Gakkai’s priority was restoring harmony, it had decided to fully accept the priesthood’s position. But then the priesthood demanded an apology regarding the so-called wooden Gohonzons incident.
This was a reference to the Soka Gakkai replicating eight Gohonzons in wood. With High Priest Nittatsu’s permission, the organization had replicated the Soka Gakkai Joju Gohonzon bearing the inscription “For the Fulfillment of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu through the Compassionate Propagation of the Great Law.” Among the other seven was a commendatory Gohonzon with a margin inscription recognizing Shin’ichi’s role in initiating the construction and donation of Taiseki-
ji’s Grand Main Temple (Sho-Hondo), which read: “In Praise of the Construction of the Grand Main Temple, the Actual High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching.”
Because the Gohonzon is the foundation of faith, Shin’ichi wanted to replicate certain paper scroll Gohonzons in wood so that they would endure long into the future. In January 1974, he brought the matter up with High Priest Nittatsu, who gave his consent in light of the purpose of preserving and cherishing Gohonzons.
Then, in a liaison session with priesthood representatives on September 2, the Soka Gakkai again communicated its plan to create a wooden version of the Soka Gakkai Joju Gohonzon. It then proceeded to do so with the high priest’s approval.
On January 1, 1975, prior to the New Year’s gongyo meeting at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters, Shin’ichi led an enshrinement ceremony for the newly created wooden Soka Gakkai Joju Gohonzon. The following day, Shin’ichi reported the details of the ceremony to High Priest Nittatsu.
The Daishonin writes: “I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart. The Buddha’s will is the Lotus Sutra, but the soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (“Reply to Kyo’o,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 412).
From the time of founding president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the Soka Gakkai has instilled in its members the importance of practicing with faith based on the Gohonzon. By solidly establishing this spirit of faith, members have demonstrated wonderful proof of benefit in their lives. Practicing Buddhism with this spirit has opened the way for the development of kosen-rufu.
Installment 41
On January 4, 1975, the front page of the Seikyo Shimbun carried the headline “Enshrinement Ceremony for the Soka Gakkai Joju Wooden Gohonzon Held at Soka Gakkai Headquarters.”
Further, on November 9, 1977, High Priest Nittatsu attended ceremonies at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the Soka Gakkai’s founding. Marking the occasion, he recited the sutra and chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo before the Soka Gakkai Joju Gohonzon in the Mentor-Disciple Hall and other Gohonzons enshrined at the Headquarters.
Nevertheless, the following year, a group of priests began stirring controversy, claiming that the Soka Gakkai had created wooden Gohonzons without permission. High Priest Nittatsu addressed this issue at a guidance session with priests of the rank of teacher in June 1978. He is reported to have said: “The Soka Gakkai had some wooden Gohonzons made. I was unaware of this. However, I later gave my approval, and it was officially sanctioned. I request that the matter be laid to rest and there be no further dispute over the issue.”
The priests who repeatedly criticized the Soka Gakkai used the high priest’s words to accuse the Soka Gakkai of creating counterfeit Gohonzons. This was completely unjustified.
High Priest Nittatsu was clear in his message that he had given his approval and there should be no further dispute about the matter. But the priests went against his directive and intensified their attacks.
Replicating paper scroll Gohonzons in wood was a common practice within Nichiren Shoshu. Soka Gakkai Vice President Hiroshi Izumida also recalled hearing from High Priest Nittatsu: “The Gohonzon is a treasure for those who receive it. As long as it is not being treated disrespectfully, if they wish to replicate it in wood to safeguard it, they are free to do so. No one has the right to interfere with or criticize such actions.”
The priests, however, brandishing their clerical authority, continued to find devious ways to put pressure on the Soka Gakkai. Precisely because the organization was in the right, devilish functions and fierce winds of defamation assailed it, seeking its downfall.
Installment 42
Despite the Soka Gakkai having created wooden Gohonzons with High Priest Nittatsu’s approval, some in the priesthood denounced the action. Wishing to respect the priesthood’s position, on September 2, 1978, Shin’ichi asked High Priest Nittatsu in person what the organization should do with the wooden Gohonzons. The high priest said he was fine with them being kept as treasures at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters. This was also reported in the Seikyo Shimbun.
Later, however, the priesthood contacted the organization requesting that the wooden Gohonzons be transferred to the keeping of the head temple, citing the uproar among the young priests. If the Soka Gakkai agreed to this, the issue would be resolved, it said.
The Soka Gakkai complied, transferring all but the wooden Soka Gakkai Joju Gohonzon. Shortly after, on October 3, the Nichiren Shoshu Administrative Office issued a notice stating that the Soka Gakkai had presented the wooden Gohonzons to the head temple.
The notice also announced: “Regarding the Soka Gakkai’s creation of the wooden Gohonzons, the high priest has issued an order prohibiting any further discussion on the matter. Please take full note of this.
“As you are already aware, our school is dedicated to widely propagating the correct teaching of Nichiren Daishonin. Therefore, we ask that you, as priests, eliminate any discord among yourselves that could hinder this purpose, and that you unite with lay believers to faithfully carry out your mission.”
Nevertheless, priests demanded that the Soka Gakkai include a formal apology concerning the wooden Gohonzons at the November 7 representative leaders meeting commemorating the Soka Gakkai’s founding.
Given the notice issued by the Nichiren Shoshu Administrative Office, the Soka Gakkai executive leaders thought this demand outrageous. But they decided to compromise as much as possible, hoping that doing so would restore normalcy to Nichiren Shoshu, end the priests’ unjust attacks and allow Soka Gakkai members to practice their faith in peace.
The voyage of kosen-rufu is a struggle to persevere, navigating through raging waves toward new horizons.
Installment 43
On November 7, just before 1 p.m., the representative leaders meeting got underway in the head temple’s Grand Lecture Hall.
After opening words by the Soka Gakkai young men’s division leader, General Director Kiyoshi Jujo and Vice President Hisao Seki clarified how the organization planned to respond to the various issues that had arisen between it and the priesthood. In his speech, Seki reluctantly used the phrase “regarding our ill-considered creation of wooden Gohonzons,” despite the Soka Gakkai having done nothing wrong in light of the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism and the process it had followed. The organization had decided to acquiesce to Nichiren Shoshu’s demand out of a wish to maintain harmony between the priesthood and laity.
Shin’ichi spoke next. He apologized in his capacity as chief representative of all Nichiren Shoshu lay organizations, saying that the Soka Gakkai had overstepped its bounds in some of its dealings with the priesthood, thereby causing upset within Nichiren Shoshu, and that, despite his best intentions, he had failed to do enough to resolve the issues.
Envisioning their faces one after another, he thought of the members who had fought back bitter tears while suffering insults and cruel treatment from Nichiren Shoshu priests at the monthly temple lectures and at funeral services. Shin’ichi was willing to endure anything if it would protect his beloved fellow members. Above all, he wanted to put an end to the priests’ despicable attacks.
He called out to the participants: “Kosen-rufu is a long journey into the distant future. I envision the real stage for our movement into the 21st century beginning from now. I ask you, my dear fellow members, to form a beautiful solidarity of faith and advance with a state of life as vast as the ocean.
“Today and again tomorrow, let us tenaciously go among the people and guide those troubled by the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death to the joy-filled path of eternity, happiness, true self and purity. For the welfare of others and society—indeed for all humanity—let us advance anew to spread the brilliant light of the correct teaching that Nichiren Daishonin left for the entire world!”
Shin’ichi wanted his precious fellow members to make a fresh start in their efforts for kosen-rufu filled with hope, pride and vibrant energy.
Installment 44
Lastly, High Priest Nittatsu took the podium. He said he had been concerned for some time that the discord between the priesthood and the Soka Gakkai would invite public ridicule and even run the risk of destroying Nichiren Shoshu. He then declared: “On the understanding that the Soka Gakkai’s policy confirmed here today will be properly implemented, I ask that you put an end to all the controversy that has arisen to date, and that you refrain from maligning one another and work hard to realize ideal unity between priesthood and laity.”[12]
In closing, Nittatsu reiterated his wish that both priests and lay believers would leave the past behind them, realize true harmony, and protect and support Nichiren Shoshu.
The meeting commemorating the Soka Gakkai’s 48th anniversary came to a close. It should have marked an end to the priests’ defamatory attacks on the Soka Gakkai. That was the original reason for the event. But once again the attorney Tomomasa Yamawaki colluded with ill-intentioned priests, and their scheming escalated.
Despite this, the Soka Gakkai did all it could to achieve harmony between priesthood and laity, addressing each issue with sincerity and integrity.
Though stormy seas continued, hope filled the hearts of Soka Gakkai members as they sailed ahead toward the grand dream of kosen-rufu. Boundless courage surged within them.
A bright rainbow shines ever in the hearts of those who live with a sense of mission.
Installment 45
Shin’ichi had a packed schedule in November, but he continued to find time to write lyrics for Soka Gakkai songs.
The November 9 Seikyo Shimbun announced a new song for the guidance division titled “Everlasting Youth,” and the following day the newspaper published the lyrics and music. The guidance division comprised senior members who had rich experience as leaders in the organization. Its mission was later inherited by the Many Treasures Group.
Ah, long years have I traveled,
humming noble songs of kosen-rufu
under the bright moon, proud to walk
this path spanning the three existences.
Ah, this journey with no regrets!
Ah, I have climbed steep hills throughout the seasons
with tears and empathy.
I have climbed as an emissary of the Buddha,
with my friends and successors always in my heart.
Ah, only the high heavens know my efforts!
Ah, no matter the distance,
I hasten there to embrace those in need.
I continue to go out and share their sorrows.
So many wonderful memories of this lifetime.
Ah, in the struggle for the Law, I have won!
Ah, though weary, I rise to action,
determined to advance again with everlasting youth.
Flying on wings, I soar again today
toward the blossom-filled sky unfolding before me.
Ah, how beautiful it is to lead the way!
The Soka Gakkai’s remarkable development is largely due to its leaders’ steady efforts to offer personal guidance and encouragement. If we liken the Soka Gakkai to the human body, the organizational structure is the skeleton, while personal guidance and encouragement function as the blood vessels, carrying life-giving blood throughout. As a result, the Soka Gakkai membership has thrived and advanced vibrantly.
Installment 46
An organization ultimately consists of connections between people. And these connections grow stronger only when based on mutual respect and trust.
Undeniably, however, those holding central leadership positions in their local organizations—such as block (now district) and chapter leaders—have a host of responsibilities, including attending meetings and overseeing day-to-day administration. This often leaves them little time for giving one-to-one guidance.
This is where senior members with years of taking responsibility for organizational activities and with a wealth of experience in both faith and life can play an invaluable role. By supporting leaders at every level and devoting themselves to offering personal guidance, they can inspire countless individuals in faith and foster capable people for kosen-rufu.
In a sense, the presence of such senior members is a “lifeline of faith” for each member, a vital root system of support for our movement. This is why Shin’ichi once referred to the guidance division as the “Red Cross of kosen-rufu.”
For all members to strive joyfully in their Buddhist practice and become happy, we need a network of encouragement that reaches everyone without exception. The senior members who comprise the guidance division play a pivotal role in that network.
Furthermore, if members who are awakened to their social mission as a result of this encouragement take the lead in creating circles of goodwill and friendship in their communities, they will forge a new safety net that brings security and peace of mind to the people.
In other words, senior members’ daily efforts to encourage others will surely be significant in relieving the alienation and isolation that plague modern society.
In the song, Shin’ichi described their noble activities and spirit with the lines “Ah, no matter the distance, / I hasten there to embrace those in need. / I continue to go out and share their sorrows.”
To empathize with and encourage others—that is where the brilliance of humanity shines. When we support others in this way, a wellspring of courage arises in their hearts and we deepen human connections.
Installment 47
Shin’ichi hoped the guidance division members would bring their lives to a magnificent completion both as Buddhist practitioners and as human beings. Like founding Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, he wanted them to burn with a fighting spirit for kosen-rufu as long as they lived.
How we live our later years determines the final outcome of our lives. Even if we have overcome hardships and given our all in Soka Gakkai activities since our youth, we cannot achieve ultimate victory in life if our resolve for kosen-rufu wanes in our golden years. Nichiren Daishonin states: “Be diligent in developing your faith until the last moment of your life. Otherwise you will have regrets” (“Letter to Niike,” WND-1, 1027).
As they age, many will hand over their central leadership positions to younger members. This is also crucial in terms of keeping the organization vibrant and alive.
But if these former leaders then think that everything can be left to the younger generation and gradually lose their enthusiasm for Soka Gakkai activities, it’s a sign that they’re being defeated by the negative functions in their own hearts.
No matter our role in our local organization, it’s important to unite with the central leaders, to find and come up with ways to contribute to kosen-rufu, and to take action. We need to keep taking on fresh challenges with the resolve to strive more than ever, telling ourselves that “Now is the time to get to work!” That is the true spirit of Soka.
As we grow older, we often have more free time. We can spend more of it offering personal encouragement, speaking to others about Buddhism, fostering friendships, and contributing to our communities.
The rich life experience we have accumulated—including our failures—becomes a powerful source of strength as we encourage others and talk about Buddhism. Faith enables us to make the most of every aspect of our lives.
Even if we lose our mobility, we can still encourage others by phone or writing. We can chant for everyone’s happiness. There’s no need to overexert ourselves. What matters most is to maintain our fighting spirit.
Life and society are impermanent. But by dedicating ourselves to kosen-rufu with our fellow members and keeping an unwavering vow in our hearts as long as we live, we will achieve a life of eternity, happiness, true self and purity grounded in the ultimate Law of life.
Installment 48
The lines in the fourth verse of “Everlasting Youth,” “Ah, though weary, I rise to action, / determined to advance again with everlasting youth,” expressed Shin’ichi’s wish that the guidance division members would always remain champions of kosen-rufu. And the next lines, “Flying on wings, I soar again today / toward the blossom-filled sky unfolding before me,” carried his prayer that they would have strong conviction in Buddhism’s ever-enduring principles and live with joy and a youthful spirit.
Nichiren Daishonin writes: “Single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and urge others to do the same; that will remain as the only memory of your present life in this human world” (“Embracing the Lotus Sutra,” WND-1, 64). Striving in faith for ourselves and others, praying for people’s happiness, sharing Buddhism, and encouraging our friends—all, he says, will become precious memories of this lifetime.
Precisely because we were born as human beings and encountered the Mystic Law, we can join in the great undertaking of kosen-rufu, speak to people about Buddhism, and fulfill our mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. When we recognize this, we cannot help feeling supreme delight at being able to participate in Soka Gakkai activities.
We find the greatest fulfillment in life in how many people we can share the Law with, inspire to start practicing, and foster as capable individuals. These efforts become inner treasures that shine with indestructible brilliance. The true honor of a champion of kosen-rufu is to live in a way that others deeply appreciate you: “I’m this happy today because you kept coming to visit me,” and “Your guidance and encouragement at that time helped me get back on my feet.”
Shin’ichi had high hopes for what the guidance division would contribute.
Looking to Japan’s future, an unprecedented aging of Japanese society loomed. To ensure that people could lead happy, fulfilling lives in their later years, it would be important to consider not only such issues as social security, employment and caregiving, but also people’s view of life and death so they could spend their days vibrantly and creatively. In other words, the focus would become people’s mental and spiritual condition.
The Soka Gakkai’s senior members, who worked wholeheartedly for their friends and communities with the principles of Nichiren Buddhism as their life philosophy, would be models of how to live life in one’s golden years.
Installment 49
Shin’ichi Yamamoto hoped that these seniors, with their wealth of
life experience, would demonstrate remarkable actual proof of faith.
In our later years, what constitutes the greatest proof of our Buddhist practice? Not wealth, status or fame, but the radiance of our innate character.
An all-embracing warmth, consideration for others, an unyielding belief in high ideals and an unflagging desire for self-improvement—these luminous qualities cause our character to shine.
This can be likened to the beauty of autumn foliage. Trees endure the deep snow and sprout new buds in spring. Stretching their branches toward the heavens, they produce leaves and thrive under the scorching sun. Come autumn, the leaves turn a fiery red, blazing magnificently until the moment they fall, as if seeking to cheer all who gaze upon them. These colorful leaves symbolize our golden years and the vibrancy of a life fully lived. Such mature beauty rivals that of the fresh green of youth.
As the radiance of our seniors in faith grows and they gain the love, trust and respect of others, kosen-rufu will naturally expand. Their presence is a source of pride for all members and the supreme treasure of the Soka Gakkai.
On November 10, the day the Seikyo Shimbun published the lyrics and music to “Everlasting Youth,” the paper’s Yamanashi edition also carried a new Yamanashi Prefecture song. Titled “Bloom Fragrantly with Culture,” Shin’ichi had written it as well.
Volunteer members from Yamanashi worked on some lyrics and sent their draft to Shin’ichi. But neither they nor the prefecture leader were fully satisfied with the outcome, so they asked Shin’ichi if he would write the song for them.
Resolving to do his best to respond, Shin’ichi set to work, using their draft as reference. He completed the lyrics on November 3, the day of a meeting commemorating Soka Culture Day, and shared them with the Yamanashi members. Someone immediately composed music, and a new song was born.
Installment 50
Bloom Fragrantly with Culture” debuted on November 9 at a Yamanashi Prefecture chapter leaders meeting held at the Yamanashi Headquarters building.
Behold, indomitable Mount Fuji shining!
Let’s converse about our history,
forever praising this noble land of Yamanashi
as we venture forth boldly!
Leaves glistening with dew in this oasis,
the curtain of kosen-rufu rises from this land.
Now as you make your stand, Yamanashi,
bloom fragrantly with flowers of culture!
Along rivers forged by time,
Bodhisattvas of the Earth strive earnestly, eyes sparkling.
Let us win each moment in Yamanashi,
building an invincible castle, you and I!
Ah, this golden castle!
In Yamanashi, graced by the majestic presence of Mount Fuji, Shin’ichi had created many fond youthful memories with his mentor.
On the weekend of June 11 and 12, 1955, the last Suiko-kai[13] training session Josei Toda held took place in Yamanashi on the banks of Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Yamanaka. At one point, with their mentor looking on, the young men faced off in sumo wrestling matches.
On the evening of the 11th, during an informal discussion with Toda, one youth asked him: “People often talk about ‘returning home with honors.’ What does this mean for us as Buddhists?”
“Isn’t the very act of being my disciple and working for kosen-rufu a great and eternal honor? Indeed, it is the supreme and everlasting honor!”
Toda wanted to instill in them the idea that true honor lies not in worldly glory, social status or fame but in dedicating one’s life to kosen-rufu.
Grasping that the supreme and most enduring honor was to devote themselves to their mission for kosen-rufu as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, these young Soka lions renewed their determination. They traveled to areas throughout Japan, launching into efforts to fulfill their mentor’s vow of achieving a membership of 750,000 households.
This is what Shin’ichi was referring to in the lyric “The curtain of kosen-rufu rises from this land.”
Installment 51
Shin’ichi hoped the members of Yamanashi, the place where the young men of the Suiko-kai vowed to rise to action, would themselves stand up as pioneers of the second phase of kosen-rufu.
Meanwhile, the line “bloom fragrantly with flowers of culture” expressed his high expectations for Yamanashi.
Culture can be seen as the work of cultivating the human spirit. It can bring about the triumph of humanity, standing in opposition to external forces that threaten people, such as violence, authoritarianism and the power of money.
Our kosen-rufu movement, based on inner change, seeks social prosperity by guiding humanity away from barbarity toward peace. It is the cutting edge of culture. Shin’ichi wished for the members to build a magnificent castle of kosen-rufu in their communities and nurture beautiful flowers of humanistic culture amid Yamanashi’s richly poetic landscape. To do so, it was important that they pour their energies into fostering capable individuals one after another.
The renowned Japanese general Takeda Shingen (1521–73), who hailed from Kai Province (present-day Yamanashi Prefecture), is noted as declaring: “People are the castle, people are the stone walls, people are the moat.” When each person finds the best place to use their abilities, together they become a solid fortress, a stone wall and a moat, creating an impenetrable defense.
What is the key to fostering capable individuals? For leaders themselves to keep growing. Inspiration rouses people to action. To inspire others, leaders must grow each day. It is therefore vital that leaders hold their mentor in their hearts, keep their seeking spirit burning bright, constantly take on new challenges and improve themselves. They must strictly guard against complacency and carelessness.
It is also important that leaders pray for each member’s growth and happiness, do activities with them and teach them the fundamentals of faith. People do not grow if left to their own devices. Like the fruit trees that adorn the land of Yamanashi, they grow in proportion to the heartfelt care they receive. In addition, leaders of kosen-rufu must have a conviction as unwavering as lofty Mount Fuji.
Shin’ichi envisioned Yamanashi’s shining castle of capable individuals towering into the skies of the 21st century.
Installment 52
On the evening of November 9, 1978, Shin’ichi flew to Osaka, his sixth visit to the Kansai region that year. This time, his itinerary included a meeting to commemorate the opening of the recently completed Soka Gakkai Senshu Culture Center in Osaka’s Izumisano City.
Already 22 years had passed since the Osaka Campaign of 1956, during which Shin’ichi and the Kansai members had achieved an unprecedented result in propagation. He now sought to lay the groundwork for renewed development so that Kansai would remain an ever-victorious citadel.
Upon arriving in Osaka, he immediately headed to the Kansai Makiguchi Memorial Hall in Toyonaka City to attend a Kansai executive conference. His efforts began with guidance to the central leaders.
“There are many important requirements for leaders, but today I would like to confirm the following points with you. First, while it’s of course vital that leaders of kosen-rufu base themselves on strong faith, they also need to cultivate themselves broadly and deeply.
“Academic credentials and knowledge do not automatically equate with being cultured. You become truly cultured when what you have learned transforms into intelligence and discernment and shines through your character. To achieve this, you should read extensively, learn, engage in deep reflection and strive each day to elevate yourself.
“Second, on the long journey of kosen-rufu, it is crucial to maintain your health, which is basically your own responsibility. Be mindful of your diet, avoiding overeating or excessive drinking. If you feel fatigue building up, make adjustments so that you can get to bed early. Exercise daily and don’t forget the basics, such as handwashing and gargling and getting regular medical checkups.
“Buddhism is reason. It’s a mistake to think you can be careless about your health and everything will be fine just because you practice Buddhism. Making a deep determination to be healthy, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and wisely maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle—this is what we should strive to embody as practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism.”
Installment 53
Next, in the realm of faith,” Shin’ichi continued, “we must always address each challenge seriously.
“Soka Gakkai activities are the most wonderful form of Buddhist practice for the present age. Buddhist practice is essentially a battle with ourselves, enabling us to break through our limitations, strengthen and expand our hearts and elevate our life state. Therefore, if we lack genuine sincerity, even though we may put on a facade for others, we can’t accomplish our human revolution. Those who are earnest, dedicated and sincere, on the other hand, will grow remarkably.
“When people’s faith becomes stagnant and routine, their dedication wanes and they end up just pretending to be working hard. Then, no matter their leadership position, they will lose their joy of faith and ability to inspire others.
“We triumphed in the Osaka Campaign 22 years ago because everyone was completely earnest. That’s why they brimmed with joy, benefits and conviction, and were able to achieve a jubilant victory. To build a new ‘Ever-Victorious Kansai,’ I ask you, the central leaders, to never forget this.”
Shin’ichi’s tone overflowed with his powerful wish to see Kansai achieve further dynamic development.
The next day, on the 10th, Shin’ichi visited the Sakai Culture Center (later renamed the Sakai Peace Center), in the city of Sakai, just south of Osaka, for the first time in nearly three years.
Sakai was the second Kansai chapter formed in the organization’s early days after Osaka Chapter. It was a small chapter originally, but the Sakai members’ dedicated efforts inspired those in Osaka Chapter to work even harder and Sakai became a driving force in Kansai.
Sakai had flourished in past centuries through trade with China, Portugal and Spain, developing into a self-governed city led by wealthy merchants. As a vibrant commercial and cultural center, the region pulsed with independence and innovation.
From Sakai, with its proud pioneering spirit, Shin’ichi sought to generate a fresh wave of kosen-rufu throughout Kansai.
Installment 54
Sakai Chapter was formed in November 1953. Shin’ichi’s visit coincided with the chapter’s 25th anniversary. He commemorated the occasion by doing gongyo with representative leaders at the Sakai Culture Center.
Shin’ichi had visited Sakai for the first time to attend a discussion meeting on August 14, 1952, the year before the chapter’s founding. That day had marked exactly five years since he met Josei Toda, and his determination to fight alongside his mentor burned fiercely. Shin’ichi also had fond memories of visiting Sakai many times when he led campaigns in Osaka in 1956 and 1957.
Now, on finishing gongyo and taking his seat, Shin’ichi noticed before him the gentle, bespectacled face of Hiroshi Asada, Sakai Chapter’s first leader.
“I’m so happy to see you again after so long!” Shin’ichi said to him with an air of nostalgia. “The fact that you, the pioneers who fought so hard in the early days, remain active and full of energy is a source of hope for the younger generation.
“We should demonstrate the truth of Nichiren Buddhism and the correctness of the Soka Gakkai’s faith through how we live our lives.
“Seeing seniors hold fast to their youthful convictions and continue to dedicate themselves joyfully to kosen-rufu into their 70s, 80s and 90s inspires their juniors. It reassures them that faith in Nichiren Buddhism is authentic, a belief they can embrace throughout their lives without regrets.
“On the other hand, there are some leaders who once put on a good show but eventually stopped participating in activities altogether. How disheartening this must be for younger members. Senior members have a great responsibility. That’s why it’s so important to persevere in faith all your life. I’m counting on you.”
“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
Asada was 76, but his voice rang with a youthful fighting spirit.
“I’m so happy to hear that. You sound just like a young person! Having a youthful spirit, no matter your age—this is the Soka Gakkai spirit. It is a spirit of ‘everlasting youth’!”
Installment 55
Shin’ichi continued in a conversational tone: “Thanks to everyone’s tireless efforts, the Soka Gakkai has grown tremendously and become an organization with great social responsibility. Naturally, as a result, our movement will undergo significant changes. This itself is proof that the Soka Gakkai is a living religion evolving with the people and the times.
“For instance, if we were to liken the Soka Gakkai in the early days to a motorboat, then today, it’s like a large tanker. If a tanker were to speed through a harbor, it would create massive waves that violently rock the smaller boats. It stands to reason that it has to move calmly and with utmost care, always mindful of those around it. Therefore, in our haste to advance, we mustn’t ignore social norms. I hope our organization will respect its social responsibility more than any other group. I ask the same of all of you. This is fundamental in considering the Soka Gakkai’s long-term future direction.
“Additionally, it will become increasingly important for members to strengthen their families, solidify their personal foundations and lay down deep roots of trust within their communities.”
Families are key threads in the fabric of society. Members’ close, warm and bright families themselves serve as wonderful proof of the power of Nichiren Buddhism. They shine as beacons in their communities, lighting the way to happiness.
After the meeting, Shin’ichi hurried to the Senshu Culture Center in Izumisano City.
Though often in Osaka, he hadn’t been able to manage a visit to Senshu. He therefore wanted to use this chance to pour his all into encouraging the members in this pivotal area in southern Osaka. The following year, 1979, the first series of Seven Bells would end and it would be time for a fresh start. Shin’ichi was determined to visit the places he had rarely been to and meet with and encourage as many members as he could.
Kosen-rufu expands when we take a fresh step forward and meet new people. When one person stands up with a burning sense of mission, that flame will spread rapidly from one person to the next.
Installment 56
The Senshu Culture Center had just been completed on November 5.
Senshu’s vibrant farming sector produced onions and other vegetable crops, and its thriving textile industry specialized in manufacturing towels. It was also increasingly becoming a commuter town. Additionally, plans were underway for a new international airport to be built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay off the coast of Senshu, making the area highly promising as a new gateway to Japan.
Shin’ichi arrived at the center just before 4 p.m. He stepped from the car and said to the members who had gathered to welcome him: “What a magnificent center! Senshu has won!”
Large displays of yellow, white and purple chrysanthemums, glowing in the afternoon sunlight, adorned the entrance and the garden.
“What beautiful chrysanthemums!” Shin’ichi said. “I am deeply moved by everyone’s sincerity.”
There were 1,265 individual displays in all, each lovingly cultivated by volunteers from the local blocks (present-day districts). In the language of flowers, chrysanthemums represent purity and nobility, two qualities that perfectly described the Senshu members’ faith and way of life.
To commemorate this first visit, Shin’ichi planted some trees, including camphor and cherry, and took group photos with the members.
He saw several familiar faces—members who had striven alongside him during the Osaka Campaign in 1956, sharing both hardships and triumphs.
“It’s been a while!” He quickly stepped forward and shook their hands.
At that time, Shin’ichi had served as youth division chief of staff. Once, while leading activities in Izumiotsu City, he spent an evening with the 20 or so members who stood before him now. That day, after their vigorous efforts and a guidance session, everyone was hungry, so Shin’ichi decided to have a meal and chat with them in a separate room at the meeting venue.
He spoke with each person, encouraging them to never waver in their faith throughout their lives. No one forgot the vow they made that day to do their best.
A vow is a seed for future happiness.
Installment 57
hose members later named themselves the Hundred Yen Group because they had each contributed 100 yen for that meal. Since then, they had advanced together, encouraging one another to remain true to their vow for kosen-rufu.
Life is filled with memorable events and turning-point encounters. Those who cherish them as treasures of the heart are strong. They are unbeatable. This is because, no matter their challenges, they have a source of inspiration to return to.
Deeply engraving in their hearts the vow they had made with Shin’ichi, they were all leading triumphant lives, giving their all to encouraging their fellow members and sharing Nichiren Buddhism with others.
As they now reported animatedly on their struggles and achievements, they exuded strength and nobility.
“You’ve really worked hard,” Shin’ichi said. “That makes me so happy. You are great champions of the people.
“How about we rename your group and make a fresh start? ‘Hundred Yen Group’ tells it like it is, which is very appropriate for Osaka, but how about something a little more inspiring?”
Everyone laughed.
“Since we’re all reunited here among such beautiful chrysanthemums, what do you say to the Chrysanthemum Group?”
Applause erupted.
Shin’ichi also presented them with a poem:
Such dear memories
as I finally meet you again,
the Chrysanthemum Group.
A meeting to commemorate the center’s opening started just before 6 p.m., with Shin’ichi leading everyone in a solemn gongyo. Words from local leaders, an awards presentation and a performance by a women’s and young women’s division chorus followed. They sang “Song of Mothers,” the Kansai song “Ever-Victorious Skies,” and then debuted a stirring new song.
A castle of champions stands invincible,
built by friends here in Senshu, with stone walls of capable people.
Titled “Castle of Champions,” the song set to music a poem Shin’ichi had written for Senshu members two and a half years earlier. Moved by everyone’s sincerity, he silently called out: “Thank you.”
Installment 58
When Shin’ichi spoke, he touched on the foundations of faith.
“Faith comes down to basing ourselves on the Gohonzon. So, what does it mean to live our lives this way?
“Life is unpredictable. It doesn’t always go smoothly; there are many ups and downs. Life is a struggle. In a certain sense, we can see it as a continuous series of challenges: illness, accidents, financial difficulties, interpersonal relationship problems and even suffering because of our children. But Nichiren Buddhism teaches that ‘earthly desires lead to enlightenment’ and the ‘sufferings of birth and death lead to nirvana.’ No matter our doubts or struggles, we must never forget these principles.
“Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon so that we could savor deep joy by transforming earthly desires into enlightenment, the sufferings of birth and death into nirvana, and a life racked by the inescapable hardships of the human condition into one of eternity, happiness, true self and purity. In other words, the Gohonzon serves as the axis for transforming delusion and suffering, and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the impetus. When we face adversity, however, we often fall into despair, thinking the situation hopeless and allowing our faith to waver. This is because we have let external conditions sway us, and our fundamental focus is no longer on the Gohonzon.
“When we align our lives with the Gohonzon, we can surmount any hardship without fail. The essence of faith lies in facing the Gohonzon and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, no matter what happens. Faith based on the Gohonzon, genuine faith in Nichiren Buddhism, is maintaining this spirit in all situations—whether we are suffering, sad or happy.
“When we do this, there is no way the Gohonzon will fail to respond. Powerful life force and profound wisdom will undoubtedly well up within and enable us to overcome any difficulty. Always keeping our faith focused on the Gohonzon is the key to ‘enjoying peace and security in [the] present existence and good circumstances in future existences’ (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 136).
“We often speak of putting down the roots of faith, but this means persevering in faith whatever happens.”
References
- Chang-an (561–632), a disciple of the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai. These words appear in the commentary accompanying The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, lectures of T’ien-t’ai that Chang-an recorded and compiled. ↩︎
- Lev Tolstoy, “Karma,” accessed September 19, 2024, https://archive.org/details/Karma_LevTolstoy/page/n1/mode/2up. ↩︎
- John Kenneth Galbraith, Ambassador’s Journal: A Personal Account of the Kennedy Years (London: Hamish Hamilton, 1969), p. xx. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- See “The ‘Entrustment’ and Other Chapters,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 914–15. ↩︎
- According to the traditional Japanese way of counting. ↩︎
- Amida Sutra: One of the three main Pure Land scriptures. ↩︎
- This is a metaphor for negative functions arising from fundamental ignorance taking control people’s hearts and minds. ↩︎
- Nissho (1221–1323): One of the six senior priests designated by Nichiren Daishonin. He was Nichiren Daishonin’s first convert among the priesthood. ↩︎
- In Japan, it was traditionally believed that salt had purifying qualities and so it was thrown at unwelcome callers as a gesture of repulsion. ↩︎
- Translated from Japanese. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Soka kyoikugaku taikei (The System of Value-Creating Education), in Makiguchi Tsunesaburo zenshu (Collected Writings of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi), vol. 6 (Tokyo: Daisanbunmei-sha, 1983), p. 260. ↩︎
- Translated from the Japanese. Nittatsu Shonin zenshu (Collected Writings of Nittatsu Shonin), part 2, vol. 7 (Shizuoka: Collected Writings of Nittatsu Shonin Editorial Committee, 1980), p. 245. ↩︎
- The Suiko-kai (Water Margin Group) was a young men’s division training group formed by second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda. It was named after the ancient Chinese epic novel The Water Margin, which the group studied. ↩︎
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