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Ikeda Sensei

Proudly Advancing on the Great Path to Victory

SGI youth in Europe come together in performance for the World Youth General Meeting, Sept. 27, 2020. Photo by Seikyo Press.

Translated from the Oct. 5, 2020, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper.

I am reminded of a conversation I had with my mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda, who cherished young people above all. “Everyone has grown splendidly,” he said, to which I replied, “Yes, they’ve really grown!”

We exchanged these words as he happily gazed at the vibrant gathering of youth at Mitsuzawa Stadium in Yokohama, Japan, on Sept. 8, 1957, the day he delivered his Declaration Calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons.

Now, 63 years later, a historic World Youth General Meeting has taken place (on Sept. 27, 2020). I am sure that both Mr. Toda and founding President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi would have been overjoyed to see this event.

On Oct. 3, I visited the Soka Gakkai Mentors Hall (in Shinanomachi, Tokyo) and did gongyo there with my wife, Kaneko. I wished to report to my two predecessors on the inspiring development of our young Bodhisattvas of the Earth around the globe.

On display at the hall was a piece of calligraphy that I had previously inscribed as an expression of gratitude to our first two presidents, which reads, “Pride in the Great Path to Victory.” While at the hall, I prayed earnestly for our precious successors, and indeed all the young people who were in some way involved in the recent youth meeting, to continue proudly advancing on the great path to victory throughout their lives.

In reference to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, Nichiren Daishonin writes: “These great bodhisattvas [who emerged from the earth] are particularly suited to bring benefit to people in the Latter Day of the Law, like fish who are at home in the water or birds that move freely through the sky” (“On the Five Guides for Propagation,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 551).

The Bodhisattvas of the Earth voluntarily appear in the corrupt age of the Latter Day of the Law, based on their vow. They are committed to overcoming any obstacle, no matter the circumstances, opening the way for kosen-rufu and leading all people to happiness and the world to peace.

Demonstrating their true strengths as the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, the mentors and disciples of Soka have taken on daunting challenges and steadfastly created value.

The Osaka Campaign,[1] for example, took place amid a fierce storm of slander and abuse, of hatred and jealousy.

Following my lead, the Kansai members set forth boldly, brimming with courage and wisdom, determined to blaze new trails. During my time in Kansai, I visited members, even if only to see them briefly. I listened to their troubles and wholeheartedly urged them to stand up in faith alongside me. I strove to speak with as many people as I could, even if only offering a few words of encouragement, to enable them to form a connection with Buddhism.

Thoroughly treasuring each individual—this is the unchanging formula for kosen-rufu, past, present and future.

Nichiren writes: “When one carries out the single practice of exercising faith in Myoho-renge-kyo,[2] there are no blessings that fail to come to one, and no good karma that does not begin to work on one’s behalf” (“A Sage and an Unenlightened Man,” WND-1, 133).

Let’s remember that our everyday Soka Gakkai activities are the most fundamental way to not only accumulate immeasurable “treasures of the heart” (“The Three Kinds of Treasure,” WND-1, 851), but also realize Nichiren’s ideal of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land and the entire world.

If you look up into the night sky tomorrow (on Oct. 6, 2020), you may see the red planet Mars, which will reportedly approach within 62.07 million kilometers (38.6 million miles) of Earth. It will continue to shine brightly through early November as if celebrating our organization’s founding anniversary.

Dedicated to the great adventure of spreading the Mystic Law, the teaching of the oneness of self and the universe, let’s continue our efforts to build a peaceful planet from where we are right now, with open hearts and taking utmost care of our health.

References

  1. Osaka Campaign: In May 1956, the Kansai members, uniting around a young Daisaku Ikeda, who had been dispatched by second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda to support them, introduced 11,111 households to the practice of Nichiren Buddhism in a single month. ↩︎
  2. Myoho-renge-kyo is written with five Chinese characters, while Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is written with seven (nam, or namu, being comprised of two characters). The Daishonin often uses Myoho-renge-kyo synonymously with Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in his writings. ↩︎

Entrusting You With the Spirit of ‘Faith for Absolute Victory’

Together on the Eternal Journey of Mentor and Disciple