‘Pilots of Happiness’ Steer the Course Forward

The World Tribune is publishing Ikeda Sensei’s encouragement every month for the SGI-USA women’s division’s America Victory Daimoku Group and Sophia Group meetings. The following excerpt is from Shine Like the Morning Sun, pp. 119–20.

Feb. 11 this year (2013) will mark the 50th anniversary of an essay I wrote, titled simply, “To the Women’s Division.” My mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda, was thoroughly convinced that kosen-rufu would be achieved by women. I fondly remember picking up my pen on Mr. Toda’s birthday (Feb. 11, 1963) to write this essay, with my mentor in my thoughts. 

In a spirit of oneness with Mr. Toda, I called on the women’s division members to always shine like the sun, to dauntlessly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, no matter what storms of adversity might beset them, and to advance wisely to achieve victory in life. Responding to that call five decades ago, the women’s division members throughout Japan stood up as “pilots of happiness,” steering a sure course forward in their districts, chapters and families. 

Even when they faced challenging problems such as illness, financial difficulties and family discord, they encouraged one another with the assurance that the scale of their karma was a reflection of the scale of their mission, as well as the benefit they would eventually receive. And striving to elevate their life conditions “day by day and month after month” (“On Persecutions Befalling the Sage,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 997), they opened up new horizons for themselves and also helped to positively transform their communities. 

No matter what sufferings they might encounter, women who uphold the Mystic Law have the power to change any poison into medicine and become happy without fail.