The following are excerpts of Ikeda Sensei’s speech at the 58th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting, held in Tokyo on March 9, 2006. The full speech appears in the Oct. 31, 2014, World Tribune, pp. 4–5.
Nichiren Daishonin describes the appearance of innumerable bodhisattvas at the Lotus Sutra’s Ceremony in the Air as being “like so many stars filling the sky” (“Rebuking Slander of the Law,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 437). Today, a great assembly of capable people dedicated to the mission of kosen-rufu has gathered here from throughout Japan and the world. The Soka Gakkai is sparkling more brilliantly than ever before with talented individuals, just like the stars filling the sky. It shines as the world’s foremost organization.
In the beautiful swirling galaxies found throughout space, there is an astronomical phenomenon known as a starburst, during which thousands or hundreds of thousands of massive stars are all born at once. The sudden, explosive burst in which the stars are formed makes the galaxy blaze brilliantly. This event is one of the great dramas of the universe. There are also periods in the momentous advance of kosen-rufu when great numbers of capable people suddenly burst on the scene. And this is what we are presently seeing happen.
Now is the time for each one of you to think of yourself as the president of the Soka Gakkai and stand up to shoulder full responsibility for kosen-rufu. I hope each of you will brim with courage, energy and the Soka Gakkai spirit. Let’s accomplish such phenomenal development that even those who envy and malign us can’t help but be amazed by our matchless energy and commitment, and our ongoing exponential growth in capable members dedicated to kosen-rufu.
What is the basis of this effort? Our individual human revolution. It is not a matter of organizational ways and means. We must change ourselves first, undergoing an inner transformation. We must bring our lives to shine with a new brilliance as human beings, and turn it toward fostering the younger generation, people who will contribute to kosen-rufu.
I’ll never forget the day I stood with second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda on the ruins of Aoba Castle in Sendai, in northeastern Japan (on April 25, 1954). “The Soka Gakkai will build its castle from capable people!” declared my mentor, imparting an eternal guideline. I am determined to once again begin to foster the capable people who will be the driving force for enormous development in our movement.
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In many societies, the next decade will be a fierce contest to find and raise capable people. If we overlook this point, we’ll be left behind. Let’s give full attention to young people and expand the network of youth! I am dedicating myself to this wholeheartedly. I want to make youth division meetings as full of enthusiasm and passion as they were in the pioneering days of our movement.
The youth division is the fresh driving force for kosen-rufu in both Japan and the world. In that sense, the youth division members, running in the forefront of our movement, are the “mentors,” and the men’s and women’s division members, who are entrusting them with the future, are the “disciples.”
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The active participation of many youth is the key to growth in all organizations. Let’s make an openhearted effort to increase the involvement of youth in our movement.
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Without young people, we will have no future. Such things as mentor and disciple, truth and justice, and victory will be no more than empty phrases. We risk losing the precious struggle for kosen-rufu. Let’s open the future by bringing many more young people into our movement!
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