Record of SGI Newsletters Compiled for July 2023: Name: _______________________

Newsletter Ref Number Page

S. No Category Title
Number of pages No.

JULY 3rd: THE DAY OF

1 ‘Never Be Defeated’ — The Invincible Spirit of Mentor and Disciple 1 1
MENTOR AND DISCIPLE

SGI President Ikeda’s

2 Spreading the Hope-Inspiring Breezes of Eternity, Happiness, True Self, and Purity 11264 2 6-7
Editorial

PRESIDENT IKEDA’S 13th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting

3 11259 5 8-12
MESSAGE ▪ Making a Fresh Start toward a Spring of Peace for All Humanity

PRESIDENT IKEDA’S SPEECH

4 Those Who Spread the Mystic Law Are the Noblest of All 11271 4 13-16
EXCERPTS
The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World
PRESIDENT IKEDA’S STUDY
5 ▪ Faith Is the Compass for Victory in Life — Courageously and Cheerfully Sailing 11234 14 17-30
LECTURE SERIES
the Course to Happiness
PRESIDENT IKEDA’S Ascending a New Summit of Kosen-rufu Together
6 11257 2 31-32
ENCOURAGEMENT ▪ Advancing with Our Inspiring Fellow Members
Toward a Hope-filled Future with the Daishonin’s Writings
▪ Let’s chant with unwavering conviction.
PRESIDENT IKEDA’S WORD’S ▪ Be wise young people who respect and treasure others. 11248,11254,11255,1
7 3 33-35
OF ENCOURAGEMENT ▪ Spreading far and wide the bright, warm light of Nichiren Buddhism. 1256,11260
▪ Let’s proudly make our way toward a triumphant May 3rd!
▪ Advancing each day with the writings of Nichiren Daishonin.
Toward 2030 - To Our Bright Beacons of Hope.
PRESIDENT IKEDA’S
▪ Soar Freely into the Skies of Learning and Personal Challenge
8 ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE 11251,11253 2 36-37
Toward 2030 - To My Young Successors, the Torchbearers of Justice
FUTURE DIVISION
▪ Basing Our Lives on Faith — The Compass for Victory
Our Brilliant Human Revolution
9 PRESIDENT IKEDA’S ESSAYS ▪ Spreading the Light of Respect for the Dignity of Life through Dialogue. 11252 10 38-47
▪ The Student Division, Champions of the Intellect

THE NEW HUMAN

11261,11262,
10 REVOLUTION VOLUME 28 Chapter 3: ‘Inner Change(1-5) 6 50-55
11263,11268,11269

ADVANCING WITH THE NEW

11 Establishing the Correct Teaching in Our Lives to Realize a Peaceful Land 4 56-59
HUMAN REVOLUTION
 July 3rd: The Day of Mentor and Disciple
July 11th: Founding Day of the Young Men’s Division
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
12 July 16th: Nichiren Daishonin submits his treatise Rissho Ankoku Ron 4 60-63
MONTH
July 19th: Founding Day of the Young Women’s Division
Mentors and Disciples of Soka … Eternalizing Kosen-rufu

BUDDHIST CONCEPTS FOR

13 Joyfully Making Financial Contribution for Kosen-rufu 1 64
DISCUSSION MEETINGS

PRESIDENT IKEDA’S
14 The Oneness of Mentor & Disciple … Is the Key to Victory in Life 3 65-67
GUIDANCE FOR THE YOUTH
 ‘NEVER BE DEFEATED’ rd
THE INVINCIBLE SPIRIT OF THE DAY OF
MENTOR AND
MENTOR AND DISCIPLE DISCIPLE

President Ikeda writes:

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“Never be defeated!” —
the starting point of this
invincible Kansai spirit
was the Osaka Rally, on
July 17, 1957. It was held
at the Nakanoshima Civic
Hall on the evening of
my release from police
detention following my
arrest [on July 3rd] on
trumped-up charges.
At the rally, I kept my
remarks brief, declaring,
“In the end, the correct
teaching and those who
strive tenaciously in faith,
steadfastly upholding the
Gohonzon, will definitely
emerge victorious!”
The spirit to not be
defeated by any obstacle,
to repel every attack, and
to broadly open new paths
for the development and
success of kosen-rufu — this
is the invincible spirit of
Soka mentors and disciples.

VC, Jan 2019, 32 Daisaku Ikeda speaks at the Osaka Rally on July 17, 1957
   President Ikeda’s EDITORIAL
Spreading the Hope-Inspiring Breezes of
Eternity, Happiness, True Self, and Purity
seikyo press
Every adversity is but a trial for us to become eternally happy — President
Ikeda and Mrs Ikeda with 'white lilies', the symbol of the women's division,
in full bloom
I n 1981, which the Soka Gakkai
designated as the Year of Youth,
I traveled throughout Japan and the
world, presenting many poems to our
youthful Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
I fondly recall writing these lines for my
young friends in America:
Faith is the engine that propels us
in the thrilling voyage of life,
a life victorious and transcendent.
I am very proud that, over these more
than four decades, our youth have
forged ahead on the voyage of life with
unwavering faith, bravely navigating
their way through storm-tossed seas of transform their karma through their
challenge and adversity.
6 Valuecreation
We are all engaged in an
intense and noble struggle to
fulfill our mission of kosen-
rufu. As time passes, daunting
challenges present themselves
in our lives, including illness
— whether our own or that
of loved ones — and having
to care for infirm or elderly
family members. Even
Nichiren Daishonin reflected in
the year before his death: “My
body is worn out and my spirit
suffers from the daily debates,
monthly persecutions, and two
exiles” (‘The Reconstruction of
Hachiman Shrine’, WND-2, 949).
My mentor, Josei Toda, warmly
encouraged members who were battling
illness, sharing passages from the
Daishonin’s writings, such as, “Could not
this illness ... be the Buddha’s design,
because [the sutras] teach that sick people
will surely attain Buddhahood? Illness
gives rise to the resolve to attain the way”
(‘The Good Medicine for All Ills’, WND-1,
1
937). He reassured them that their struggle
with illness was part of the mission they
had undertaken for Buddhism and an
opportunity for lessening their karmic
retribution.2 It was a sign, he said, that the
moment had come for them to radically
Buddhist faith and practice.
 The Mystic Law is the underlying and
eternal Law of the universe. When we
embrace faith in this Law, we can return
each day to our original life from time
without beginning, tap limitless revitalizing
power, and solidify the great, indestructible
life state of Buddhahood within us. All
of the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness,
and death are challenges we must face to
successfully climb the summit of attaining
Buddhahood in this lifetime. There is no
obstacle we cannot overcome.
As our society continues to age at
an unprecedented rate, the members of
our Soka family are warmly supporting
and encouraging one another as they
together confront “the sufferings that all
living beings undergo” (‘On Reprimanding
Hachiman’, WND-2, 934). Their example
spreads the fragrant, hope-inspiring
“breezes of eternity, happiness, true self,
and purity”3 (‘The Fourteen Slanders’,
WND-1, 761).
SGI Newsletter No. 11264 dated May 17, 2023. Translated from the June 2023 issue of The Daibyakurenge,
the Soka Gakkai monthly study journal
ENDNOTES
1. Daisaku Ikeda, ‘To My Beloved Young
American Friends — Youthful Bodhisattvas
of the Earth’, in The Sun of Youth: Selected
Poems of Daisaku Ikeda (Santa Monica,
California: World Tribune Press, 2016), 72.
2. Lessening karmic retribution: This term, which
literally means, ‘transforming the heavy and
receiving it lightly’, appears in the Nirvana
Sutra. ‘Heavy’ indicates negative karma
accumulated over countless lifetimes in the
past. As a benefit of protecting the correct
teaching of Buddhism, we can experience
The Daishonin fiercely rebuked
the devilish functions causing suffering to
his dear young disciple Nanjo Tokimitsu,
“Should you not cure this man’s illness
immediately, act rather as his protectors,
and escape from the grievous sufferings
that are the lot of demons?” (‘The Proof of
the Lotus Sutra’, WND-1, 1109).
Emulating the Daishonin’s spirit, let
us chant the powerful lion’s roar of Nam-
myoho-renge-kyo that enables us to triumph
over any illness. Let us put our health first,
advancing with wisdom and good sense.
Creating a wonderful symphony of
hope and revitalization, let us continue
our “thrilling voyage of life” together!
Let’s share with our friends
the great beneficial medicine
of life,
accompanied by the beautiful music
of eternity, happiness, true self, and
purity.
relatively light karmic retribution in this lifetime,
thereby expiating heavy karma that ordinarily
would adversely affect us not only in this
lifetime, but over many lifetimes to come.
3. Eternity, happiness, true self, and purity are
known as the four virtues. Describing the
noble qualities of the Buddha’s life, the four
are explained as follows: “eternity” means
unchanging and eternal; “happiness” means
tranquility that transcends all suffering; “true self”
means true and intrinsic nature; and “purity”
means free of illusion or mistaken conduct.
July 2023 7
   President Ikeda’s MESSAGE
13th SOKA GAKKAI President Ikeda sent the following
HEADQUARTERS LEADERS MEETING message to the 13th Soka Gakkai

Making a Fresh Headquarters Leaders Meeting toward

Centennial 2030 — commemorating

Start toward a May 3rd, Soka Gakkai Day, and the

35th anniversary of Soka Gakkai

Spring of Peace Mother’s Day — at the Toda Memorial

Auditorium in Sugamo, Tokyo, on May 3,

for All Humanity 2023. SGI leaders from eight countries

and territories, representing Europe and
Oceania, also attended the meeting

M y mentor Josei Toda’s inauguration

as second Soka Gakkai president
took place on May 3, 1951, the skies, the
land, and the members’ hearts all bright
and sunny. I fondly remember a scene
from that day.
Toward the end of the event, while
Mr Toda was leading a Soka Gakkai song
seikyo press
with dignity and vigor, the water pitcher
and glass on the podium were knocked
together, shattering with a loud smash.
Everyone jumped in surprise. But Mr Toda
responded with a smile. “There’s no point
in the glass and pitcher blaming each
other. It’s like our Buddhist practice. The
important thing is to develop a strong self

From this glorious 'May 3rd' to the 10th anniversary of the completion of the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu on
'November 18th', the Headquarters Leaders Meeting made a fresh departure, one in heart, toward the next peak of
kosen-rufu. Members pledged to encourage each and every one of their invaluable comrades to move forward with
great courage, while raising new, capable individuals (Toda Memorial Auditorium, Sugamo, Tokyo, on May 3, 2023)

8 Valuecreation
that no one can destroy. It’s

seikyo press
not up to anyone else. Faith in
Nichiren Buddhism enables us
to transform any karma on
our own.”
Each year on May 3rd,
we of the Soka Gakkai, united
by the bonds of mentor and
disciple, make a fresh start with
the vibrant, sunlike energy of
time without beginning. With
optimism, joy, and harmonious
unity, we renew our efforts to On the morning of May 3rd. The rising sun shone brightly on the Hall of
the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters complex,
turn everything in the direction and the clouds racing across the sky formed a ‘V’ sign
of hope, progress, and victory
while working together to fragrant like white lilies — and listen to
establish the vast and indestructible life their refreshing, compassionate voices!”
state of Buddhahood within us. I am delighted

seikyo press
I would like to offer my heartfelt that the ‘Melody
congratulations on this May 3rd of White Lilies’
Headquarters leaders meeting held under — the music so
sunny skies, with noble representatives beautifully created
from Europe and Oceania in attendance, by our dedicated
and all members in Japan and around the women’s division
world celebrating the triumph of mentor members, the
and disciple. mothers of kosen-
rufu — is also being

inherited by our
Today, with deep appreciation for young women in
the wonderful, dedicated efforts of Japan and around
all our members, I would like to share the world and
three calligraphic works I inscribed in now resounding
the past. spiritedly in their
The first, to celebrate this year’s lives, too.
35th anniversary of the establishment of In Europe,
Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day, is ‘Melody of white lilies have
White Lilies’.1 long been a symbol
Mr Toda would often exclaim to the of hope and purity.
effect: “In a world full of spiteful, mean- They have been Celebrating Soka Gakkai
spirited faces and envious gossip, just look described as Mother’s Day, President
Ikeda’s calligraphy, ‘Melody
at the smiling, fortune-filled faces of the ‘banners of justice’ of White Lilies’, was shown
women of Soka — their lives noble and and ‘teachers of during the meeting

July 2023 9
 the ruler
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[or a king or
champion]
(‘White Horses
and White Swans’,
WND-1, 1063).
The first
three Soka Gakkai
presidents — united
by the bonds of
mentor and disciple,
sharing the great
vow for kosen-
One Europe with Sensei! — SGI Europe Co-chairs Suzanne Pritchard and Robert rufu, and directly
Harrap call for pioneering a peaceful century
connected to
Nichiren Daishonin
joy’. This is the perfect description of the — have remained unswayed by even
lives of our women leaders, brimming with the fiercest storms like the Himalaya
good fortune and wisdom as they work

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with tireless devotion to compassionately
spread the Mystic Law.
Let us all pray for and support the
great success of this month’s young
women’s ‘Kayo College’ meetings
and next month’s women’s division
general meetings [in Japan]. I would
like to present this calligraphy ‘Melody
of White Lilies’ as a commemorative
gift from my wife, Kaneko, and I to
be displayed in Soka International
Women’s Center [near the Soka Gakkai
Headquarters in Tokyo].


The second calligraphic work is
‘Mountain of Mentor and Disciple’.
Nichiren Daishonin writes, “Like
Mount Sumeru, which rises up out of
the great earth and never sways, one
whose presence pervades the realms of President Ikeda’s calligraphy ‘Mountain of Mentor and
heaven, earth, and humanity and who Disciple’ — Let’s forge in our hearts an unshakable spirit of
mentor and disciple
does not waver in the slightest is called

10 Valuecreation
Mountains that rise from the earth and ‘emerging from the

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soar high into the heavens. earth’, the Daishonin
When we forge in our hearts an says, “‘Earth’ refers to
unshakable mountain of mentor and the earth of the heart
disciple committed to truth and justice, of us human beings.
we will not fear or be swayed by ‘Emerging’ indicates
anything. We will be able to bring forth that at the time of
the invincible power of the oneness of kosen-rufu people in
mentor and disciple. the entire world will
First Soka Gakkai president be practitioners of the
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi held that Lotus Sutra”2 (GZ, new
mountains are places that foster character ed., 1161; GZ, 834).
and produce capable people. Now is the Everyone
time for the eternal Mountain of Mentor — transcending
and Disciple that is the Soka Gakkai to put differences of gender,
even greater energy into fostering our ethnicity, culture,
youth division and future division members and even religion
to become ‘bluer than the indigo’. Let’s — is inherently a
produce a surging stream of champions of Bodhisattva of the
humanity, champions of philosophy, and Earth. Everyone is
champions of the people who will rise up waiting to encounter
President Ikeda’s
and shoulder the hopes of the global family! the Mystic Law, the
calligraphy, ‘Fellow
supreme Law of the Bodhisattvas of the
 universe. Earth Emanating Spring
Sunlight’ — The mission
The third and final calligraphic work The Lotus of Bodhisattvas of the
is ‘Fellow Bodhisattvas of the Earth Earth is to bring a spring
Sutra states that
of peace for humanity
Emanating Spring Sunlight’. the Bodhisattvas
The Bodhisattvas of the Earth of the Earth “emerged at the same
voluntarily emerge in an age of winter, a instant” (LSOC15, 252). Today, kosen-rufu
time of unprecedented challenges,
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emanating an inner radiance like

spring sunlight. They joyously
perform the indomitable dance of
“Winter always turns to spring”
(‘Winter Always Turns to Sprin’,
WND-1, 536) — the dance of human
revolution, of changing karma,
and of making the world a better
place through the life-affirming
principles of Nichiren Buddhism.
Commenting on the President Ikeda delivers his speech at the Headquarters Leaders
significance of the bodhisattvas Meeting (Makiguchi Memorial Hall in Hachioji, Tokyo, May 1999)

July 2023 11
seikyo press
Bring the sound of hope — A dynamic performance by the Soka Gakkai Music Corps ‘Soka Gloria Wind Orchestra’
and Fife and Drums Corps ‘Soka Shining Spirits’
is unfolding simultaneously around the
world, and the pages of the Seikyo Shimbun
brim with exuberant accounts of the
triumphs of richly diverse ‘human flowers’,
each beautifully blooming in their own
unique way like cherry, plum, peach, and
damson blossoms (cf. OTT: SG 200; EG 307).
No other newspaper is filled with such
bright smiles born of mutual trust and
encouragement.
With even greater conviction that
“The voice carries out the work of the
Buddha” (OTT: SG & EG 4), let us reach
out courageously, sincerely, and joyfully
in dialogue. Let’s also deeply pledge
SGI Newsletter No. 11259 dated May 4, 2023. Translated from the May 4, 2023 issue of Seikyo Shimbun,
the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper
ENDNOTES
1. White lilies are the symbol of the women’s
division.
12 Valuecreation
together to make “the sound of the
teacher and the disciples chanting in
unison” (OTT: SG 111; EG 169) enfold our
planet with all-encompassing hearts and
expand our circle of fellow Bodhisattvas
of the Earth. In this way, let us bring a
spring of good fortune and harmony to
people’s lives, a spring of value creation
to society, and a spring of peace and
coexistence to shine for humanity.
I am praying wholeheartedly that
all of you, my precious fellow members
everywhere, will enjoy long, healthy lives,
safety and security, and immeasurable
good fortune and benefit.
2. ‘Oko Kikigaki’ (The Recorded Lectures); not
translated in WND, vols. 1 or 2.
  President Ikeda’s SPEECH EXCERPTS
THOSE WHO SPREAD
THE MYSTIC LAW
ARE THE NOBLEST
OF ALL
O n this date, May 1st, in 1278,
Nichiren Daishonin wrote to one
of his disciples [the lay nun Myoho]:
Although the sun and moon
should fall to the ground and
Mount Sumeru crumble, there can
be no doubt that this woman will
attain Buddhahood. It is certain,
absolutely certain! (‘Reply to
Matsuno’, WND-2, 752)
President Ikeda delivers his speech at the Headquarters Leaders Meeting (Makiguchi Memorial Hall in Hachioji,
Tokyo, May 1999)
The following are excerpts from
President Ikeda’s speech at the 33rd
Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders
Meeting held at the Tokyo Makiguchi
Memorial Hall in Hachioji, on May 1,
1999. Video footage of the speech
was broadcast during the most
recent Soka Gakkai Headquarters
Leaders Meeting, on May 3, 2023
This is the Daishonin’s promise that
women who embrace faith in the
Mystic Law will definitely attain
Buddhahood.
In a letter to the lay nun of Kubo, the
Daishonin writes:
Where strong winds cause the
grasses to bend and flashes of
lightning fill people with alarm
— in a world such as ours, how
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July 2023 13
 wonderful it is that to this day you

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remain unshaken in your faith!
They say that when roots are
deep, the leaves will not wither;
when there is a jewel in the heart
of the fountain, its waters will
never cease to flow. And how
deep are the roots of your faith,
how pure the jewel in your heart.
How admirable, how admirable!
(‘Reply to the Lay Nun of Kubo’,
WND-2, 755)

The Daishonin frequently praises his

women disciples for their courageous faith.
Today, they correspond to you, the women
of Soka — the mothers of kosen-rufu.
Happy Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day to
you all!

The statue of Napoleon crossing the ‘Saint-Bernard
The exhibition Napoleon Bonaparte: The Pass’ (Hachioji City, Tokyo)
Man is currently being shown, to great
acclaim, at the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum in commitment to an ideal, how they can
Hachioji. As we approach the start of a shape and change the direction of the
new century, I believe that this exhibition times.
will give a glimpse to those who view it What can we learn from Napoleon’s
of what a single individual can achieve life? The great American thinker Ralph
when they stand up with unyielding Waldo Emerson remarked, “The lesson he
[Napoleon] teaches is that which
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vigor always teaches — that there is

always room for it.”1
As we celebrate another glorious
May 3rd, Soka Gakkai Day, all of
you have striven with vigor and
courage to open wide the path to
the 21st century for our movement.
Congratulations! Our success is
widely applauded and could only
be achieved by an organization of
The Soka Gakkai Music Corps ‘Soka Gloria Wind Orchestra’ and Fife
and Drums Corps ‘Soka Shining Spirits’ give a masterful performance
practitioners directly connected
in the meeting to Nichiren Daishonin. It is a

14 Valuecreation
miraculous achievement.

seikyo press
I am confident that the
Daishonin is praising you
all most highly.
Emerson also made the
following observation about
Napoleon: “His victories
were only so many doors,
and he never for a moment
lost sight of his way onward,
in the dazzle and uproar of
the present circumstance.”2
When Napoleon achieved
one victory, he immediately Members from Europe and Oceania (with future division members) joyfully
attend the 13th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting (Toda Memorial
looked to the next. He Auditorium, Sugamo, Tokyo, May 3, 2023)
wasn’t satisfied with the
present triumph; he didn’t who always triumphs. It forges and
allow himself to relax, he didn’t give up strengthens us so that our lives are ever
the larger struggle. That is the secret victorious.
to winning. It is important to make one 
victory the cause for the next. That is the
smart course of action and the way that Napoleon once said, “March ahead of the
leads to successive victories. ideas of your times and those ideas will
Those who just bask in the glow of follow and support you.”4
victory can grow complacent and lose out A fierce struggle is now under way to
in the future. The moment of triumph is determine what philosophy, what force
the very moment to start working toward will lead the 21st century. What will
a new and larger goal. That is how the next determine its outcome? Capable people,
victory is assured. talented individuals.
This spirit of moving ever forward Crucial are well-rounded people who
is the essence of “brave and vigorous have both character and strength. The
exertion” (Jpn yumyo shojin) [a phrase that Soka Gakkai’s goal is to foster just such
appears in the ‘Expedient Means’ chapter people.
of the Lotus Sutra, which we recite during Being a well-rounded person is the
gongyo]. If we look at each of the Chinese
3
defining quality of a genuine practitioner
characters of this term individually, yu of Nichiren Buddhism. That’s because
(brave) means acting with courage and Myoho-renge-kyo, the Mystic Law,
myo (vigorous) means applying all one’s encompasses everything: virtue, life force,
wisdom, while in the compound shojin passion, intelligence, good fortune, and
(exertion), sho means pure and unsullied philosophy.
and jin means ceaseless advance. “Brave Napoleon’s philosophy was to give
and vigorous exertion” produces a person opportunities to talented individuals.

July 2023 15
 Second Soka Gakkai president Josei
Toda called on us to educate and train
our juniors so that they would surpass
us. Capable people will determine victory,
will create our future. That is why the
Soka Gakkai will always foster capable
people and always win with capable
people.
In an editorial Mr Toda wrote for the
May 1, 1954, issue of our study journal
The Daibyakurenge, 45 years ago, he said
that those who strive for kosen-rufu are
emissaries of the Buddha and are doing
the Buddha’s work. They are infinitely
superior to such heroes as Napoleon and
Alexander the Great, he said.
Those who spread the Mystic Law and
actively engage in Soka Gakkai activities
are the true heroes, the noblest people
of all.
In ‘The Selection of the Time’, Nichiren
Daishonin writes:
A person who upholds the Lotus
Sutra just as it teaches must
[surely] be superior to the king
Brahma and more worthy than
the lord Shakra. If you have
asuras to help you, you can lift
SGI Newsletter No. 11271 dated May 25, 2023. Translated from the May 23, 2023 issue of Seikyo Shimbun,
the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper
ENDNOTES
1. Ralph Waldo Emerson, ‘Napoleon; or, the
Man of the World’, in Representative Men
(New York: The Library of America, 1983), 739.
2. Ibid., 732.
3. The Lotus Sutra passage states, “They
[the Buddhas] have exerted themselves
bravely and vigorously, and their names are
16 Valuecreation
and carry even Mount Sumeru.
If you have dragons in your
employ, you can drain all the
water in the ocean until it runs
dry. (WND-1, 583)
While there may be various ways
of interpreting this passage,
I think it can be read to mean that
those who practice the Mystic Law
just as the Buddha teaches can
freely make allies of anyone in any
state of life, even asura and animality,
to advance the great undertaking of
kosen-rufu.
In a general sense, the Soka Gakkai
is a gathering of such great leaders of
humanity. The more our movement
grows, the more the 21st century will
become one of hope and peace. With
this conviction, let’s make fresh strides
forward with pride and courage from
May 3rd!
I am praying earnestly for all of
you to enjoy long, healthy lives filled
with boundless good fortune, and I will
continue doing so as long as I live.
Thank you for listening so patiently
today.
universally known” (LSOC2, 56). In Japanese,
the passage reads, “Yumyo shojin myosho
fumon.”
4. Translated from French. Les pages
immortelles de Napoléon (The Immortal
Pages of Napoleon), compiled by Octave
Aubry (Paris: Éditions Corrêa, 1941), 239.
  President Ikeda’s STUDY LECTURE SERIES

Members of South Extension-2 Region, South Delhi Area (Apr 9, 2023)

I first met Josei Toda in August 1947. At

that fateful discussion meeting, which
marked the start of our mentor-disciple
relationship, he lectured on Nichiren
the
Buddhism
Daishonin’s treatise ‘On Establishing
the Correct Teaching for the Peace of

of the Sun the Land’. I was just 19. When I asked,

“What is the correct way to live?”
he replied without hesitation that

[88] Nichiren Buddhism enables anyone to

overcome the fundamental sufferings

FAITH IS THE COMPASS FOR of birth, aging, sickness, and death

and to lead the best possible life.
VICTORY IN LIFE — It was only two years after the

COURAGEOUSLY AND end of World War II. Everyone was

struggling to survive from day to day.

CHEERFULLY SAILING THE I remember reading a newspaper

article about a survey stating that
COURSE TO HAPPINESS 90 percent of families couldn’t make
ends meet on their earnings alone. In

July 2023 17
 that time of extreme turmoil, Mr Toda single-handedly launched
a great struggle for kosen-rufu to dispel the darkness of suffering
shrouding humanity.

Buddhism offers hope for surviving turbulent times

I have a piece of paper I treasure — the completion certificate

Mr Toda presented me at the end of one of his lecture series. I
vividly recall his affectionate gaze and confident voice as he
handed it to me. I accepted the certificate with immense pride
and gratitude as a verification of having received instruction
from my mentor on Nichiren Buddhism, the supreme philosophy
for world peace and eternal happiness.
The Daishonin writes, “If the Law that one embraces is
supreme, then the person who embraces it must accordingly
be foremost among all others” (‘Questions and Answers about
Embracing the Lotus Sutra’, WND-1, 61).
What are the beliefs and philosophy that guide our actions?
Unless we anchor ourselves in sound guiding principles, the
turbulent currents of life and society can quickly sweep us away.
People who embrace a fundamental philosophy that accords
with the underlying law of the universe will be “foremost among
all others”, as the Daishonin says, and can ultimately adorn their
lives with unsurpassed victory.

The joy of studying the supreme philosophy of life

This autumn, the much-anticipated Study Department

Introductory Exam will be held across Japan [on November 6,
2022]. Those of you studying for the exam may encounter
many new and unfamiliar Buddhist terms, such as changing
karma, lessening karmic retribution,1 and voluntarily assuming
the appropriate karma.2 Nichiren Buddhism is the supreme
philosophy of life, the light of wisdom illuminating turbulent and
troubled times. The more you study it, the more you open the
door to a life of happiness and victory. Buddhist study expands
and enriches your inner state of life.
The writings of Nichiren Daishonin are a source of inspiration
and courage. They awaken us to the absolute dignity of our
lives and enable us to overcome all adversity. Buddhist study is
the driving force for building a solid core of wisdom and freely
creating value. Studying the supreme principles of life brings joy

18 Valuecreation
and will not fail to impact our lives profoundly. Those who study
and those who teach become experts in human philosophy,
whose lives shine with pride and triumph. Mr Toda frequently
encouraged members by describing those who embrace
Nichiren Buddhism as champions of faith and life.
Let us study Buddhism, our compass in life, in a relaxed and
open manner, as if conversing under a shady tree while cooled
by a pleasant breeze. We will begin with a passage from ‘A Ship
to Cross the Sea of Suffering’.

One who listens to even a sentence or phrase of the [Lotus

Sutra] and cherishes it deep in one’s heart may be likened
to a ship that crosses the sea of the sufferings of birth and
death. The Great Teacher Miao-lo3 stated, “Even a single
phrase cherished deep in one’s heart will without fail help
one reach the opposite shore [that is, enlightenment].4
To ponder one phrase and practice it is to exercise
navigation.”5 Only the ship of Myoho-renge-kyo6 enables
one to cross the sea of the sufferings of birth and death.
(‘A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering’, WND-1, 33)

Resolute faith for overcoming obstacles

It is no exaggeration to say that life is a series of hardships. In an

age like ours, marked by unending crises, many face challenges
that seem beyond their control. In ‘A Ship to Cross the Sea
of Suffering’, the Daishonin explains the essence of faith for
advancing toward victory with hope and an expansive life state
even when tossed about by life’s seemingly endless trials.
He begins by praising the recipient, Shiiji Shiro, for the
accuracy of a report he had sent.7 He goes on to instruct him
on the importance of resolute faith in overcoming obstacles.
Describing the spirit of a genuine practitioner, he says, “The
greater the hardships befalling him, the greater the delight he
feels, because of his strong faith.... Likewise, without tribulation
there would be no votary [practitioner] of the Lotus Sutra”
(ibid.). He also urges Shiro to strive with an awareness of his
“profound karmic relationship from the past [that makes it

July 2023 19
 possible for him to teach others even a sentence or phrase of
the Lotus Sutra]” and fulfill his noble mission as an “envoy of the
Thus Come One” (ibid.).
The passage we are studying this time comes immediately
after. Here, the Daishonin encourages us that those who uphold
the Mystic Law can triumph over all challenges and attain
enlightenment without fail.

The inescapable sufferings of birth and death

No one can escape the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness,

and death. Buddhism regards birth and death as the most
fundamental sufferings.
During the Daishonin’s day, natural disasters, famine,
epidemics, and war plagued Japan. The populace was left
helplessly adrift in a sea of suffering, as the Daishonin lamented
in his treatise ‘On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the
Peace of the Land’: “There is hardly a single person who does
not grieve” (WND-1, 6). He later adds, “I have been brooding
alone upon this matter, indignant in my heart” (WND-1, 7).
In the passage we are studying, the Daishonin calls the
endless suffering of life in this world “the sea of the sufferings of
birth and death” (‘A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering’, WND-1, 33).
It is an expanse of raging waves stretching as far as the eye can
see, its waters dark and depths unfathomable.

Chanting daimoku for ourselves and others day

after day

How can we cross this vast turbulent sea and make our way to
the opposite shore of enlightenment? Quoting The Words and
Phrases of the Lotus Sutra by the Great Teacher Miao-lo, the
Daishonin explains that we can unfailingly reach that far shore
by hearing and cherishing in our hearts “even a single sentence
or phrase of the Lotus Sutra” (ibid.). Here, “a single sentence
or phrase” refers to Myoho-renge-kyo [or Nam-myoho-renge-
kyo], the one fundamental Law by which all Buddhas attain
enlightenment.
“Cherish it deep in one’s heart” (ibid.) means to continue,
day after day, to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and teach
others to do the same. Just as the color of cloth dyed in indigo
grows more vivid with each immersion in the dye, the repeated

20 Valuecreation
 practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo imbues our lives
with Buddhahood, as suggested by the metaphor ‘from the
indigo, an even deeper blue’.8 By devoting ourselves to the
basics of faith, practice, and study, the Lotus Sutra permeates
and enriches our lives.
Mr Toda said, “Please talk with others unhesitatingly about
what you’ve learned about Nichiren Buddhism. By doing so, it
will eventually become part of your life.”
By practicing steadfastly with faith like flowing water, we
will cross the sea of the sufferings of birth and death and attain
Buddhahood, regardless of our social position or circumstances.
We become victors in life by remaining unshaken by anything as
we exert ourselves courageously in faith.

The ship of Myoho-renge-kyo captained by

Shakyamuni

The Daishonin writes, “Only the ship of Myoho-renge-kyo

enables one to cross the sea of the sufferings of birth and
death” (ibid.).
Why must it be the “ship of Myoho-renge-kyo”? And what
sort of ship is it?
In the second half of this letter, the Daishonin employs apt
metaphors to impress upon Shiiji Shiro the magnificence of this
ship and to encourage him to strive with strong faith.
hugo_schnars-alquist_auf_der_elbe_(1898)-wikimedia commons

Like a sailing ship, practitioners of the Mystic Law can utilize the gale-force vicissitudes of
life to move forward

July 2023 21
 First, he explains that it is the ship mentioned in the ‘Former
Affairs of the Bodhisattva Medicine King’ (23rd) chapter of the
Lotus Sutra, where encountering the sutra is described as being
“like someone finding a ship in which to cross the water”9
(see LSOC23, 328).
This ship, the Daishonin says, was crafted by Shakyamuni as
the shipbuilder, who possesses immeasurable and boundless
wisdom. He fashioned it using the “lumber” of the sutras taught
before the Lotus Sutra, cutting away the unnecessary parts to
form its shape and joining them together with the “spikes” or
“nails” of the teaching in which he revealed the truth of
his enlightenment (see ‘A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering’,
WND-1, 34).10 In other words, the “ship of Myoho-renge-kyo”
is the true teaching that Shakyamuni wished to convey more
than any other.
Next, the Daishonin says, this ship, built just as he wished, is
launched upon the sea of the sufferings of birth and death. Its
mast is the Middle Way,11 and its sails are the ‘three thousand
realms in a single moment of life’12 — the teaching of hope and
transformation that opens the way for the enlightenment of
all people. Driven by the headwind of the “true aspect of all
phenomena”,13 the Buddha’s ship sails forward, carrying aboard
all living beings who have faith in the Mystic Law. But that is not
all. Shakyamuni himself takes the helm, Many Treasures Buddha
handles the rigging, and Bodhisattva Superior Practices and
the other three leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth,14 row in
perfect unison (see ibid.).15 This is the “ship of Myoho-renge-kyo”.
Like a sailing ship, those who uphold the Mystic Law can
redirect the wild gales of life’s many vicissitudes into the power
to move forward. No matter what strong currents may push
against them, countless Buddhas and bodhisattvas will work
together to keep the ship on the right course to Buddhahood.

Freeing all people from suffering

Mr Toda once offered four criteria for identifying a religious

philosophy that genuinely benefits humanity. Namely, it must
help all people (1) free themselves from suffering, (2) enjoy true
happiness, (3) truly purify their lives, and (4) awaken to the true
eternal nature of their lives.16
The “ship of Myoho-renge-kyo” is the great ship for freeing all
people from suffering. Who can board this ship? The Daishonin

22 Valuecreation
declares with absolute conviction that it is “the disciples and lay
supporters of Nichiren” (ibid.). He clearly promises that we who
embrace the Gohonzon [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] are certain
to reach the other shore of happiness and fulfillment. How
wonderful this is!

A first in the history of Buddhism

The Soka Gakkai is the organization that has spread the Mystic
Law throughout the world in accord with the Buddha’s intent.
Its members shoulder the lofty mission of the Bodhisattvas of
the Earth. While squarely facing the fundamental problems of
life and death, they chart a course across the dark sea with
the light of their courage and wisdom. They serenely forge
ahead on a grand voyage of mutual growth, joy, and fulfillment.
Today these awakened ordinary people have spread this great
philosophical movement to 192 countries and territories.
In a recent interview, Harvard professor of social anthro-
pology and Middle Eastern studies Nur Yalman commented,
“One of the major contributions of the Soka Gakkai is to show
how people can really better themselves and their societies
and the people around them by being kind and gentle and
good.” He also observed that the Soka Gakkai has brought
forth from Buddhist philosophy its message of humanism and
made it accessible throughout the world. He expressed his hopes
for our movement, adding, “This is the first time in Buddhist history
to raise the humanistic message of Buddhism to a universal
message.”17

I have already reported this to Brahma, Shakra, the

gods of the sun and moon, and other protective deities.
They would never fail to pay heed. Please regard your
situations as the design of the heavens.

With my deep respect,

Nichiren

(‘Letter to Hoki and the Others’, GZ, new ed., 1936)18

July 2023 23
 Prayers for absolute protection

Next, let us study a passage from ‘Letter to Hoki and the Others’,
which is included for the first time in the new Japanese edition
of the Nichiren Daishonin gosho zenshu (The Complete Works of
Nichiren Daishonin) [published in November 2021].
Only a few lines of the end of the original letter survive,
but the date and recipient are clearly indicated: “The twenty-
sixth day of the ninth month [September 26] / To Hoki and the
others.” Hoki, or Hoki-bo, refers to Nikko Shonin [the Daishonin’s
direct disciple and later successor]. The year 1279 is also written
on the letter in Nikko’s hand. Given the date and recipients
of the letter, it is likely that the subject the Daishonin speaks
of reporting to the protective deities refers to the Atsuhara
Persecution 19 or related matters.
Alarmed with the growing spread of the Daishonin’s
teachings, the established religious powers joined forces with
the political authorities to persecute his disciples, and they
did so with particular intensity in Atsuhara. The Daishonin
taught his disciples, who were determined to win out over this
unprecedented crisis, the importance of having the resolve of a
practitioner of the Lotus Sutra.
His words “I have already reported this to Brahma, Shakra,
the gods of the sun and moon, and other protective deities”
convey his spirit in praying that the protective functions of the
universe thoroughly safeguard his disciples. “Reported” here
implies a powerful prayer infused with the unshakable conviction
to rouse those deities to action so they will unfailingly lend their
protection. His wish for his disciple’s safety demonstrates his great
compassion. The next sentence, “They would never fail to pay
heed”, further stresses the Daishonin’s certainty of the heavenly
deities’ protection.

Both positive and negative functions are inherent in

our lives

It is important to realize that life’s positive and negative workings

— protective forces and devilish functions — both exist within
us. They are like the two sides of the same coin. The Daishonin
writes, “The fundamental nature of enlightenment20 manifests
itself as Brahma and Shakra [the protective gods of Buddhism],
whereas the fundamental darkness [or ignorance]21 manifests

24 Valuecreation
itself as the devil king of the sixth heaven”22 (‘The Treatment of
Illness’, WND-1, 1113).
If we do not believe in our own and others’ innate
Buddhahood, our lives become clouded by fundamental
ignorance. Our environment will then act as a negative or
devilish influence, which only the “sharp sword” of faith can
dispel. When we have steadfast faith in the Mystic Law and
dedicate our lives to kosen-rufu — the great vow of mentor and
disciple — our lives will manifest the life state of Buddhahood
from moment to moment, and all those around us will begin
to act as protective functions. We will be staunchly protected.
It is like “the Buddha entering our body” [in contrast to “evil
spirits entering our body”] and the principle of “the Buddha
nature manifesting itself from within and bringing forth
protection from without”23 (see ‘The Three Kinds of Treasure’,
WND-1, 848).
The strength of our faith ultimately determines the power
of the protective functions. That makes it crucial to recognize
devilish functions for what they are, defeat them, and move
the protective functions into action through resolute daimoku.
Mr Toda explained this in an easily accessible way:

Our life force is the source of happiness, of leading a

happy life.... If your life force is only strong enough to
handle problems in your family, for example, you’ll be
fine in that realm, but it won’t be strong enough to deal
with issues in your neighborhood or community. And
even if you can resolve problems in your neighborhood
or community, you’ll be at a loss if you lack the life force
to deal with such major issues as the sufferings of birth,
aging, sickness, and death, or natural disasters, and as a
result you’ll become unhappy.24

Mr Toda concluded that only by bringing forth a life force as

boundless as the universe can we remain unhindered in relation
to all phenomena in universe and confidently make our way
through life.25
Happiness is taking problems, adversity, and karma in stride
with a strong life force and overcoming them triumphantly —
turning them into fuel for growth, springboards for our human
revolution, and opportunities to transform our karma. That is the
way to enjoy a vibrant, dynamic, and genuinely fulfilling life.

July 2023 25
 Basing ourselves on faith, we can ‘create the time’ to expand our circle of support and
friendship, and forge ahead triumphantly (Delhi, May 17, 2023)

Faith for absolute victory

“Please regard your situations as the design of the heavens”

(GZ, new ed., 1936) — we should engrave these words in
our hearts.
In other writings, too, the Daishonin teaches us that even
when things don’t go as hoped, we should regard it as “the
design of the heavens” (‘The Reconstruction of Hachiman Shrine’,
WND-2, 950), “the workings of the ten demon daughters [guardian
deities of Buddhism]”26 (‘A Warning against Begrudging One’s
Fief’, WND-1, 824), or “the design of Shakyamuni Buddha” (ibid.).
When Mr Toda’s businesses were on the verge of collapse, he
and I regarded it as “the design of the heavens” and faced the
harsh winds of adversity head-on.
The heavenly deities are sure to protect us. Therefore, even if
the results at the time were not what we hoped for, we will win
in the end and be able to look back with gratitude, realizing we
were indeed protected and everything that happened had a
profound meaning.
That’s why it’s important to advance with great confidence,
“not harbor doubts in our hearts” (‘The Opening of the Eyes’,
WND-1, 283), and observe the Daishonin’s counsel to “not
have doubts simply because heaven does not lend you
protection” (ibid.). By resolutely basing ourselves on “faith

26 Valuecreation
for absolute victory”,27 “we will as a matter of course attain
Buddhahood” (ibid.).
No matter how adverse the circumstances, by chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and bringing forth abundant life force,
we can create the right time or opportunity, expand our circle of
support and friendship, and forge ahead triumphantly.
Human beings are not prisoners of destiny. We possess
the inherent life state of Buddhahood. Endowed with power
and potential as vast as the universe, it can change the four
sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death into the four noble
virtues of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity.28 We all possess
the unfathomable latent power of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.

Nichiren Daishonin’s lionlike pledge

In ‘The Opening of the Eyes’, the Daishonin declares, “I will

be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the
great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it!”
(WND-1, 280–81).
Referring to these words, Mr Toda said, “Misery! Where have
you come from, and where are you going? Look up, and how
many citizens do you see who care about the welfare of their
country and the people? Either none exist, or the country is filled
with selfish people. Out of my concern for this situation, I cannot
help but cry out with Nichiren Daishonin’s great lionlike pledge.”29

The pillar of hope, the eyes of the spirit, the great

ship of humanity

Continuing today to spread Nichiren Buddhism widely, the Soka

Gakkai is society’s pillar of hope, the eyes of the spirit illuminating
the world, and the great ship elevating the life state of humanity.
Let us step forward into a new age that shines with the bright
smiles of the people!
Let’s raise the sails of Soka and proceed courageously and
cheerfully on this sure course to happiness!
Let’s joyfully strive our hardest together, day after day and
month after month, in the “two ways of practice and study”
(‘The True Aspect of All Phenomena’, WND-1, 386)!

SGI Newsletter No. 11234 dated March 22, 2023. Translated from the August 2022 issue of
The Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai monthly study journal

July 2023 27
ENDNOTES
1. Lessening karmic retribution: This term, which
literally means, ‘transforming the heavy and
receiving it lightly’, appears in the Nirvana
Sutra. “Heavy” indicates negative karma
accumulated over countless lifetimes in the
past. As a benefit of protecting the correct
teaching of Buddhism, we can experience
relatively light karmic retribution in this
lifetime, thereby expiating heavy karma
that ordinarily would adversely affect us not
only in this lifetime, but over many lifetimes
to come.
2. Voluntarily assuming the appropriate karma:
This refers to bodhisattvas who, though
qualified to receive the pure rewards of
Buddhist practice, relinquish them and make
a vow to be reborn in an impure world in
order to save living beings. They spread
the Mystic Law, while undergoing the same
sufferings as those born in the evil world due
to karma. This term derives from Miao-lo’s
interpretation of relevant passages in ‘The
Teacher of the Law’ (10th) chapter of the Lotus
Sutra: “Medicine King, you should understand
that these people voluntarily relinquish the
reward due them for their pure deeds and, in
the time after I have passed into extinction,
because they pity living beings, they are
born in this evil world so they may broadly
expound this sutra” (LSOC10, 200).
3. Miao-lo (711–782): Also known as the Great
Teacher Ching-hsi, after his birthplace. A
patriarch of the T’ien-t’ai school in China.
He is revered as the school’s restorer. His
commentaries on T’ien-t’ai’s three major
works are titled The Annotations on ‘The
Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra’, The
Annotations on ‘The Words and Phrases of the
Lotus Sutra’, and The Annotations on ‘Great
Concentration and Insight’.
4. The “opposite shore” represents nirvana, or
enlightenment, while “this shore”, the realm
where we live out this existence, represents
illusion.
5. From The Annotations on ‘The Words and
Phrases of the Lotus Sutra’.
6. 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
28 Valuecreation
often uses Myoho-renge-kyo synonymously
with Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in his writings.
7. The Daishonin writes, “When I asked him
about what you told me the other day,
I found it to be exactly as you said. You
should therefore strive in faith more than ever
to receive the blessings of the Lotus Sutra”
(‘A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering’,
WND-1, 33).
8. The simile ‘From the indigo, an even deeper
blue’ derives from a writing of the Chinese
philosopher Hsün Tzu. The liquid extracted
from the indigo plant is not a deep blue
color, which is only obtained by repeatedly
dipping the cloth into the dye until it attains a
blue more intense than the color of the juice
from the plant itself. The simile expresses
the meaning of deepening one’s learning
and knowledge through study. It is cited in
T’ien-t’ai’s Great Concentration and Insight.
Nichiren Daishonin often employs this simile
of the indigo plant not only in the context of
deepening one’s Buddhist practice, but also
the growth of successors.  
9. In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni states, “This
sutra can save all living beings. This sutra can
cause all living beings to free themselves from
suffering and anguish. This sutra can bring
great benefits to all living beings and fulfill
their desires, as a clear cool pond can satisfy
all those who are thirsty. It is like a fire to one
who is cold, a robe to one who is naked, like
a band of merchants finding a leader, a child
finding its mother, someone finding a ship in
which to cross the water, a sick man finding a
doctor, someone in darkness finding a lamp,
the poor finding riches, the people finding
a ruler, a traveling merchant finding his way
to the sea. It is like a torch that banishes
darkness. Such is this Lotus Sutra. It can cause
living beings to cast off all distress, all sickness
and pain. It can unloose all the bonds of birth
and death” (LSOC23, 327–28).
10. The Daishonin writes, “The Lotus Sutra speaks
of ‘someone finding a ship in which to cross
the water.’ This ‘ship’ might be described
as follows: As a shipbuilder of infinitely
profound wisdom, the World-Honored One of
Great Enlightenment, the lord of teachings,
gathered the lumber of the four flavors
 and eight teachings, planed it by honestly
discarding the provisional teachings, cut and
assembled the planks, forming a perfect unity
of both right and wrong, and completed
the craft by driving home the spikes of the
one true teaching that is comparable to the
flavor of ghee” (‘A Ship to Cross the Sea of
Suffering’, WND-1, 33–34).
11. The Middle Way: The way that transcends
extremes. Thus, the term ‘Middle Way’
also indicates the true nature of all things,
which cannot be defined by the extremes of
permanence or impermanence, existence or
nonexistence.
12. Three thousand realms in a single moment
of life (Jpn ichinen sanzen): A philosophical
system established by the Great Teacher
T’ien-t’ai of China based on the Lotus Sutra.
The ‘three thousand realms’ indicates the
varying aspects and phases that life assumes
at each moment. At each moment, life
manifests one of the Ten Worlds — from
hell to Buddhahood. Each of these worlds
possesses the potential for all ten within itself,
thus making one hundred possible worlds.
Each of these hundred worlds possesses
the ten factors and operates within each of
the three realms of existence, thus making
three thousand realms. In other words, all
phenomena are contained within a single
moment of life, and a single moment of life
permeates the three thousand realms of
existence, or the entire phenomenal world.
13. True aspect of all phenomena: The ultimate
truth or reality that permeates all phenomena
and is in no way separate from them. Through
the explanation of the ten factors, the
‘Expedient Means’ (2nd) chapter of the Lotus
Sutra teaches that all people are inherently
endowed with the potential to become
Buddhas, and clarifies the truth that they can
tap and manifest this potential.
14. The four leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the
Earth described in the ‘Emerging from the
Earth’ (15th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra:
Superior Practices, Boundless Practices,
Pure Practices, and Firmly Established
Practices. The Bodhisattvas of the Earth are
the innumerable bodhisattvas who emerge
from beneath the earth and to whom
Shakyamuni Buddha entrusts the propagation
of the Mystic Law, or the essence of the Lotus
Sutra, in the Latter Day of the Law.
15. The Daishonin writes, “Thus he launched
the ship upon the sea of the sufferings
of birth and death. Unfurling its sails of
the three thousand realms on the mast of
the one true teaching of the Middle Way,
driven by the fair wind of ‘the true aspect
of all phenomena’, the vessel surges ahead,
carrying aboard all people who can ‘gain
entrance through faith alone’. The Thus
Come One Shakyamuni is at the helm, the
Thus Come One Many Treasures takes up the
mooring rope, and the four bodhisattvas led
by Superior Practices row quickly, matching
one another as perfectly as a box and its lid.
This is the ship in ‘a ship in which to cross the
water’ [LSOC23, 328]. Those who are able to
board it are the disciples and lay supporters
of Nichiren. Believe this wholeheartedly” (‘A
Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering’, WND-1, 34).
16. Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, Toda
Josei zenshu (Collected Writings of Josei
Toda), vol. 3 (Tokyo: Seikyo Shimbunsha,
1983), 28.
17. From an interview published in Japanese in
the Seikyo Shimbun on February 1, 2020.
The English is from the original interview
transcript.
18. Tentative translation.
19. Atsuhara Persecution: A series of threats and
acts of violence against followers of Nichiren
Daishonin in Atsuhara Village in Fuji District,
Suruga Province (present-day central Shizuoka
Prefecture), starting in around 1275 and
continuing until around 1283.
20. Fundamental nature of enlightenment: Also,
Dharma nature. The unchanging nature
inherent in all things and phenomena. It is
identified with the fundamental Law itself,
the essence of the Buddha’s enlightenment,
or ultimate truth, and the Buddha nature
inherent in life.
21. Fundamental ignorance: Also, fundamental
darkness. The most deeply rooted illusion
inherent in life, said to give rise to all other
illusions. The inability to see or recognize
the ultimate truth of the Mystic Law or the
negative impulses that arise from such
ignorance.
22. Devil king of the sixth heaven: Also, devil
king or heavenly devil. The king of devils,
who dwells in the highest or the sixth
heaven of the world of desire. He is also
named the heavenly devil Freely Enjoying
July 2023 29
SUBSCRIBE!
Things Conjured by Others, one who makes
free use of the fruits of others’ efforts for
his own pleasure. Served by innumerable
minions, he obstructs Buddhist practice and
delights in sapping the life force of other
beings, the manifestation of the fundamental
ignorance inherent in life. The devil king is a
personification of the negative tendency to
force others to one’s will at any cost.
23. This term derives from the Great Teacher
Miao-lo’s Annotations on ‘Great Concentration
and Insight’.
24. Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, Toda
Josei zenshu (Collected Writings of Josei
Toda), vol. 3 (Tokyo: Seikyo Shimbunsha,
1983), 39–40.
rakshasa daughters”. They vow to the Buddha
to guard and protect the sutra’s practitioners.
27. One of the five eternal guidelines of the Soka
Gakkai, which are: (1) Faith for a harmonious
family, (2) Faith for achieving happiness,
(3) Faith for overcoming obstacles, (4) Faith
for health and long life, and (5) Faith for
absolute victory.
28. Eternity, happiness, true self, and purity are
known as the four virtues. Describing the
noble qualities of the Buddha’s life, they
are explained as follows: ‘eternity’ means
unchanging and eternal; ‘happiness’ means
tranquility that transcends all suffering; ‘true
self’ means true and intrinsic nature; and
‘purity’ means free of illusion or mistaken
25. Ibid., 40. conduct.
26. Ten demon daughters: The ten female 29. Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, Toda
protective deities who appear in the ‘Dharani’ Josei zenshu (Collected Writings of Josei
(26th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra as the Toda), vol. 1 (Tokyo: Seikyo Shimbunsha,
“daughters of rakshasa demons” or the “ten 1981), 127.

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30 Valuecreation
!
  President Ikeda’s ENCOURAGEMENT

ASCENDING
A NEW SUMMIT OF
KOSEN-RUFU
TO G E T H E R
M y treasures are my inspiring fellow
members who devote themselves
with unwavering faith to realizing kosen-
rufu and the ideal of ‘establishing the
correct teaching for the peace of the land’.
Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the
Latter Day of the Law, praises a longtime
dedicated disciple for striving even harder
during a time of adversity [namely, the
Atsuhara Persecution]: “You demonstrated
remarkable resolve during the recent
incidents. Many people have mentioned
this” (‘Many in Body, One in Mind’, WND-1,
618). He goes on to say that he has reported
all of his disciple’s sincere efforts to the
heavenly deities, the protective functions
of the universe (see ibid.). I can’t help but
read these words as the Daishonin’s praise
for all the noble men and women of Soka
who are creating waves of courage through
taking initiative and leading
ADVANCING WITH OUR
INSPIRING FELLOW
MEMBERS
of progress! If we fight our hardest,
devilish functions will disperse. Uniting
in the determination to win without
fail, let’s joyfully and cheerfully expand
our movement!” And they responded
with new confidence, fostering capable
people and rapidly developing Bunkyo
into one of the Soka Gakkai’s top-ranking
chapters, their lives radiant with benefit.
With gratitude for those members
who strove alongside me, I wrote in my
diary, “Those faces, those people and
their accomplishments will forever be
illuminated by the light of the Mystic Law.”2
In the seven decades since then, the
members of our main bastion, Tokyo,
have set wonderful examples of not only
transforming their own lives through
human revolution, but also of positively
transforming their external environments
seikyo press

by example.


In April 1953, the

700th anniversary of the
Daishonin first proclaiming
his teaching,1 I called out to
members as acting chapter
leader of Tokyo’s Bunkyo
Chapter, “Demonstrate
excellent character and
burn with a resolute spirit The Osaka Rally, welcoming Daisaku Ikeda’s release (Jul 17, 1957)

July 2023 31
and communities. Their triumphs shine
ever brighter as a source of hope for Japan
and the world.
 their unremitting efforts to put Buddhism
Three years after our great success in
Bunkyo Chapter and right after our
victory in the uphill struggle of the Osaka
Campaign, 3 Mr Toda composed a poem
envisaging the challenges ahead:
As you begin the ascent
of a still
steeper mountain,
continue the journey of kosen-rufu
with firm resolve.
I assured Mr Toda, “You have nothing to
worry about. I am here! I will fight!”
He replied with a smile, “Yes. That’s
right. I can put my mind at ease because
you are here, Daisaku. Thank you!”
And now, I have beloved disciples
who share my commitment. They are
undertaking the journey of kosen-rufu
with the same spirit as me, undaunted by
SGI Newsletter No. 11257 dated May 2, 2023. Translated from the April 14, 2023 issue of Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka
Gakkai daily newspaper
ENDNOTES
1. On April 28, 1253, at Seicho-ji, Nichiren
Daishonin first proclaimed Nam-myoho-
renge-kyo to be the sole correct Buddhist
teaching for leading all people in the Latter
Day of the Law to enlightenment. April 2023
marks the 770th anniversary of that occasion.
2. Daisaku Ikeda, A Youthful Diary: One Man’s
Journey from the Beginning of Faith to
Worldwide Leadership for Peace (New Delhi,
India: Eternal Ganges Press Private Limited,
2021), 116.
32 Valuecreation
steep mountains. Every day I watch over
our young successors growing into ever-
victorious ‘Heroes of the World’4 amid
into action in society and to win based
on Buddhism. Nothing gives me greater
reassurance.

The Daishonin lamented the turmoil of
Japanese society in his day and the untold
suffering it caused women and children
(see ‘On Filial and Unfilial Conduct’,
WND-1, 1034).
A society filled with the smiles of
women, mothers, and children living in
happiness and peace is the vision at the
heart of the ideal of ‘establishing the
correct teaching for the peace of the land’.
Let’s forge ahead energetically to
May 3rd, Soka Gakkai Day — which this
year also marks the 35th anniversary of
the inauguration of Soka Gakkai Mother’s
Day — alongside our inspiring fellow
members, brimming with the boundless
life force of time without beginning!
3. 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.
4. The Hero of the World is another name for
the Buddha, so called because he valiantly
confronts all sufferings and leads all people to
enlightenment.
  President Ikeda’s WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
TOWARD A
HOPE-FILLED
FUTURE WITH
THE DAISHONIN’S
WRITINGS
Let’s chant with unwavering
conviction
If there are a sun and a moon in
the sky, if there are plants and
trees on the earth, if there are day
and night in this country of ours,
then so long as the earth fails to
turn upside down and the tides
of the ocean continue to ebb and
flow, there can be no doubt that
the prayers of those who put faith
in the Lotus Sutra [Nam-myoho-
renge-kyo] will be answered in
this world, and that they will enjoy
good circumstances in their next
existence.
‘On Prayer’,
WND-1, 346
T he prayers of practitioners of the
Lotus Sutra will be answered
without fail. This is the Daishonin’s
assurance. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-
kyo is a source of life force. It is the
path to absolute victory, enabling us to
lead happy and triumphant lives. We
will always find a way forward. All our
hardships will become good fortune
and benefit as we transform our karma
into mission.
Chanting with a vow for the betterment
of society based on the life-affirming
principles of Nichiren Buddhism aligns our
lives with the compassionate rhythm of the
universe and enfolds the entire land where
we dwell. Let’s chant even more strongly
with unwavering conviction that all our
desires will be fulfilled!
Be wise young people who respect
and treasure others
The four virtues are (1) filial piety
toward one’s father and mother;
(2) loyalty to one’s lord;
(3) courtesy toward one’s friends;
and (4) pity and kindness toward
those less fortunate than oneself.
‘The Four Virtues and the Four
Debts of Gratitude’, WND-2, 636
A fter these words, Nichiren Daishonin
offers his young disciple Nanjo
Tokimitsu a number of concrete examples
for practicing these four virtues. Their
essence perhaps could be summarized
today as (1) remembering to smile at
your parents, (2) gaining trust at your
workplace, (3) never taking your friends
for granted, and (4) being kind and
considerate to the people you encounter.
Nichiren Buddhism is an unsurpassed
teaching for victory in life.
To all our fresh graduates who are
newly joining the workforce this year,1
forge ahead vibrantly in rhythm with the
Mystic Law, shining like the morning sun.
As young people of wisdom, bring a breath
of fresh air to those around you with your
July 2023 33
courteous and respectful behavior. Even
when your days don’t go as planned, win
with the bright, invincible Soka Gakkai
spirit of “Still I am not discouraged” (‘The
Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood’,
WND-1, 748).
Spreading far and wide the bright,
warm light of Nichiren Buddhism
My disciples and followers in
particular ... should set everything
else aside and give their attention
to this single doctrine [of attaining
Buddhahood in one’s present
form]. The teachings I have spoken
of in various places over a period
of twenty-seven years, from the
fifth year of Kencho [1253, when
I first proclaimed my teaching]
to the present, the third year of
Koan [1280], are numerous, but
fundamentally my purpose has
been this one alone.
‘The Attainment of Buddhahood in Principle
and in Its Actual Aspect’, WND-2, 890
T riumphing over life-threatening
persecutions, Nichiren Daishonin left
behind a teaching that opens the way to
enlightenment for all people.
This April marks the 770th anniversary
of the Daishonin publicly proclaiming his
teaching for the first time [on April 28,
1253]. How admirable are the champions
of Soka who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
for their own and others’ happiness, teach
others to do the same, and contribute
to the betterment of society! All of our
dedicated efforts for kosen-rufu become
good fortune for attaining Buddhahood
in this lifetime.
Let’s strive even harder to demonstrate
the courage and wisdom of the Bodhisattvas
34 Valuecreation
of the Earth we have learned directly from
the Daishonin and spread far and wide the
bright, warm light of the Buddhism of the
people!
Let’s proudly make our way toward
a triumphant May 3rd!
In this chapter [the ‘Encourage­
ments of the Bodhisattva Universal
Worthy’ chapter of the Lotus Sutra]
Shakyamuni Buddha revealed the
foremost point he wished to convey
to us. The Buddha preached the
Lotus Sutra over a period of eight
years, and eight characters sum up
the message that he has left behind
for living beings in this later age,
the Latter Day of the Law. It is [the
eight characters that make up the
passage which reads:] “... you should
rise and greet him [a practitioner of
the Lotus Sutra] from afar, showing
him the same respect you would a
Buddha” [see LSOC28, 365].
The Record of the Orally Transmitted
Teachings: SG 192; EG 295
T he foremost message of the Lotus
Sutra is embodied by the Soka
Gakkai. Because our members have
advanced with deep bonds forged
through respecting one another as
Buddhas, we have overcome all manner
of opposition and attack to realize the
unprecedented achievement of spreading
our movement for kosen-rufu all over the
world.
I am grateful beyond measure
particularly to our dedicated women of
Soka, who show care and concern for each
person with a Buddha-like compassion.
Let’s proudly make our way toward a
triumphant May 3rd!2
Advancing each day with the
writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Exert yourself in the two ways
of practice and study. Without
practice and study, there can be
no Buddhism. You must not only
persevere yourself; you must also
teach others. Both practice and
study arise from faith. Teach others
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
Practicing in exact accord with these
words is the great pride of Soka mentors
and disciples.
We of the Soka Gakkai will forever
exert ourselves in the “two ways of
practice and study”, our hearts one with
the Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter
Day of the Law. Therefore, we can always
find a way forward.
In these troubled times, the world
longs for the Buddhist principles of
respect for the dignity of life, human
revolution, and creating a peaceful
world based on humane values. Today
again, let’s study, practice, and share

N ichiren Daishonin wrote this passage

during a time of great adversity.
the Daishonin’s teachings with renewed
energy!

SGI Newsletter Nos. 11248, 11254, 11255, 11256, and 11260 dated April 21 to May 11, 2023. Translated from
the April 4 to May 6, 2023 issues of Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper

ENDNOTES

1. In Japan, April marks the start of the new graduates join the workforce.
school year and fiscal year, and is also 2. May 3rd is Soka Gakkai Day and Soka Gakkai
when many new high school and university Mother’s Day.

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July 2023 35
   President Ikeda’s ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE DIVISION

TOWARD 2030 [37] SOAR FREELY INTO THE SKIES OF

TO OUR BRIGHT
BEACONS OF HOPE LEARNING AND
A series of encouragement from President Ikeda
for the members of the boys and girls division PERSONAL CHALLENGE
seikyo press

Is it lured by the
cherry blossoms
that have
bloomed early?
A Japanese
white-eye
suddenly appears
out of nowhere
and rests its
wings on a tree
branch. President
Ikeda took this
photo in Shizuoka
in February 2002,
praying that hope
will bloom in the
hearts of each
and every one of
the boys and girls
division members

C ongratulations on the start of a new

school year!1 Spring has arrived,
with flowers blooming and birds
singing.
In one of his writings, Nichiren
Daishonin likens the power of chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the singing
of a bird. He explains that when a caged
bird sings, birds flying in the sky come
to gather around it. Seeing this, the bird
in the cage tries to get out to join them
(see ‘Conversation between a Sage and an
Unenlightened Man’, WND-1, 131). In the
same way, when you chant Nam-myoho-
renge-kyo, you can call forth your positive
potential. You can also draw forth the
positive potential in your friends, family,
and others around you.
I am praying that all of you will soar
freely into the skies of learning and
personal challenge, and share your bright,
inspiring smiles with many.
I hope you’ll try to go to bed early,
wake up early, and eat breakfast each day!

SGI Newsletter No. 11251 dated April 25, 2023. Translated from the April 1, 2023 issue of Boys and Girls Hope
News, the Soka Gakkai monthly newspaper for the boys and girls division

ENDNOTE

1. In Japan, the new school year starts in April.

36 Valuecreation
   President Ikeda’s ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE DIVISION

TOWARD 2030
TO MY YOUNG SUCCESSORS,
[37] BASING OUR LIVES
THE TORCHBEARERS
OF JUSTICE
ON FAITH —
A series of encouragement from President Ikeda for the
members of the junior high and high school divisions
THE COMPASS FOR VICTORY
compass. It will enable you to sail to
seikyo press

the shore of happiness.”

Practicing this great Buddhism
of the Sun will give you the strength
to weather the storms of hardship
and the rough waves of struggles
in your youth. It will enable you to
triumphantly steer the course to fulfill
your mission and realize brilliant
achievements in life without regret.
The Daishonin writes, “Only
The plane departed from Hokkaido, and after a brief air trip,
lowered its altitude toward Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The ocean the ship of Myoho-renge-kyo
3

could be seen below, where a ship and the shadow of the airplane enables one to cross the sea of
were about to intersect. President Ikeda pressed the shutter of
his camera from the plane, wishing victory to his young friends the sufferings of birth and death”
traveling their own sea routes of youth (Aug 1991) (‘A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering’,
WND-1, 33). The Soka Gakkai, whose

S pring is a time of new beginnings!

Congratulations on embarking on a
new school year! 1
members chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, is
the great ship that helps people overcome
the fundamental sufferings of birth, aging,
The great French writer Victor Hugo sickness, and death, and guides humanity
(1802–85) declared, “Life is a voyage!”2 toward happiness and peace.
To successfully navigate the sea, a reliable I hope that you, the proud young
and accurate compass is indispensable. My captains of that ship, will forge ahead
mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei with optimism and resilience on the vast
Toda, insisted, “We also need a compass ocean of learning and personal challenge,
in our life. Nichiren Buddhism is that powered by invigorating daimoku.

SGI Newsletter No. 11253 dated April 28, 2023. Translated from the April 1, 2023 issue of the Mirai [Future] Journal,
the Soka Gakkai monthly newspaper for the junior high and high school divisions

ENDNOTES

1. In Japan, the new school year starts in April. 3. Nichiren Daishonin often uses Myoho-renge-
2. Victor Hugo, Toilers of the Sea, translated kyo synonymously with Nam-myoho-renge-
by W. Moy Thomas (London: Sampson Low, kyo in his writings.
Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1877), 316.

July 2023 37
   President Ikeda’s Essay OUR BRILLIANT HUMAN REVOLUTION

SPREADING THE T he power to create history is born

of deep life-to-life connections. In
LIGHT OF particular, the courageous efforts of

RESPECT FOR successors who respond to the trust

placed in them by their predecessors
THE DIGNITY OF LIFE open a new age.

THROUGH DIALOGUE
In the year 223, as Liu Bei, the founder
of the Shu Han kingdom of China, was
nearing the end of his life, he entrusted
the realm’s future to his
seikyo press

prime minister Zhuge

Liang, a great hero of the
Three Kingdoms period
(220–280). Liu Bei had
made three personal
visits [in 207] to Zhuge
Liang, 20 years his junior,
to ask for his support.
The two men went on
to accomplish great
things together. Zhuge
Liang vowed to the dying
ruler to devote himself
with utmost energy and
loyalty to protecting the
kingdom.
The relationship of
Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang
is extolled as being like
that of fish and the water
in which they swim.
The drama of Zhuge
Liang carrying on the
baton entrusted to him
by Liu Bei shines with
a devotion undimmed
to this day, 18 centuries
later.
Let's dauntlessly advance together! Let's live the most fulfilling life in a way
In ‘The Heritage
that is true to ourselves! President Ikeda and Mrs Ikeda wish for the glory and
happiness of each comrade in faith (April 2005, at the Makiguchi Memorial Hall of the Ultimate Law
in Hachioji, Tokyo)
of Life’, Nichiren

38 Valuecreation
Daishonin alludes to this relationship to
stress the importance of unity, stating
that his disciples should “transcend all
differences among themselves to become
as inseparable as fish and the water in
which they swim” (see WND-1, 217). Today,
we of the Soka Gakkai, united by the bonds
of mentor and disciple, are advancing
together in one heart and mind to fulfill
the great vow for kosen-rufu, just as the
Daishonin instructs.
Sixty-five years ago, on March 16,
1958, second Soka Gakkai president Josei
Toda held a ceremony1 that proclaimed his
victory in this lifetime. He wanted to show
the country’s leaders and the public the
admirable young people of Soka he had
personally fostered. “The Soka Gakkai is the
king of the religious world!” he declared
that day. It was in this ceremony that he
passed the baton of kosen-rufu to the youth.
That baton has continued to be handed
down from one generation to the next.
Now, our youth, who are destined to grow
‘bluer than the indigo’, are leading the way
in expanding our movement to put the
teachings of Nichiren Buddhism into action
in society, filled with pride as champions of
humanity. Our youthful Bodhisattvas of the
Earth are striding ahead from March 16th
(Kosen-rufu Day) to the next milestones
of April 2nd (the anniversary of Mr Toda’s
death) and May 3rd (Soka Gakkai Day),
powerfully gathering momentum for
victory. Striving on the front lines of our
movement, the young men and women
of Soka are a dynamic force creating an
ever-growing network committed to the
people’s triumph.
Our men’s division members, who
celebrate the anniversary of their division’s
founding this month [on March 5th], also
refuse to be outdone, exerting themselves
to the fullest! When these golden pillars
of kosen-rufu rise to action, they impart
tremendous reassurance and courage to
everyone. This is because the courageous
efforts of our men’s division members —
Heroes of the World with the bearing of
monarchs — are decisive to the success of
our activities in our local communities.

After the March 16th ceremony,
Mr Toda spent many days resting on the
second floor of the building that served
as the control center for various ongoing
events. During that time, members of the
youth division event staff and I would
frequently gather on the first floor and
sing the First Higher School Dormitory
Song2 over and over again. Mr Toda was
fond of this song. It had a melody that
would be gentle on our ailing mentor’s
ear, sure to delight and reassure him.
“Ah, a flower petal floats in my cup .../
Once I stand, I will accomplish something,/
a great achievement in life....” The lyrics
resounded deeply in our hearts and our
spirits soared. As we sang, we vowed to
our mentor, “Sensei, the youth division is
filled with lofty aspiration. We will achieve
kosen-rufu without fail!”
When Mr Toda discussed the Chinese
classic Records of the Three Kingdoms, he
would sometimes remark regretfully that
for all Zhuge Liang’s extraordinary talents,
he didn’t have the time or good fortune to
raise sufficient successors.
In contrast, we the Soka Gakkai youth
of that time had the fortune of being
trained by Mr Toda, his warm compassion
nurturing us like the sun, and working
alongside him to build an indestructible
July 2023 39
castle of capable people. The debt we owe
him is truly profound.
I made a deep vow and commitment
that I had been born in this world to
ensure that the youthful Bodhisattvas of
the Earth Mr Toda had called forth would
all grow splendidly and become happy,
and to create an unending stream of
outstanding capable people who would
contribute to kosen-rufu and society.
 my sincerest prayers once again for all
Youth are trained through actually
working for kosen-rufu. The key is to dive
among the people and actively take on
challenges — for the sake of Buddhism,
people’s happiness, and the welfare of
society as a whole. This is how young
people can make great strides in their
human revolution.
The Daishonin highly praises his
youthful disciple Nanjo Tokimitsu, who
offered support and protection to many
fellow practitioners while himself facing
hardship and harassment during the
Atsuhara Persecution.3 He writes, “You
so earnestly protected my followers in
Atsuhara.... This is solely because you have
devoted your life to the Lotus Sutra” (‘The
Wealthy Man Sudatta’, WND-1, 1087). He
also assured Tokimitsu that he was certain
to receive great blessings in this lifetime
(see ‘Good Fortune in This Life’, WND-1,
655). And just as the Daishonin asserted,
Tokimitsu lived a victorious life dedicated
to kosen-rufu.
The Daishonin is sure to whole­
heartedly applaud our Soka youth, who
are today courageously encouraging and
supporting their fellow members while
striving selflessly for the security and
prosperity of the people. Without a doubt,
40 Valuecreation
these precious, noble disciples, who are
accumulating great unseen virtue in their
youth, will reap boundless visible reward
and go on to enjoy the great benefit of
being hailed as a beacon of hope by people
throughout Japan and the entire world.

This March marks the 12th anniversary
of the devastating March 2011 Tohoku
earthquake and tsunami. I wish to offer
who lost their lives in the disaster.
Our youth in Tohoku are energetically
taking the lead in ongoing efforts to
rebuild and restore the region. Noteworthy
are the various seminars they are holding
to communicate lessons from the disaster
to the next generation.4
Those who were first graders at the
time of the disaster are now young adults.
How inspiring it is to see the growth
and accomplishments of these bright-
eyed youth. I am profoundly grateful to
their parents and seniors in faith for the
unimaginable care and effort they have
put into nurturing and watching over their
growth.
Dr Sarah Wider, former president
of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Society in
the United States, has been a steadfast
friend and supporter of our Tohoku
Soka family in the aftermath of the
earthquake and tsunami. This year, she
sent them another heartfelt message.
The strength of friendships forged during
the greatest difficulties, she said, gives
courage and hope to a world in need of
deep attention, connection, and care.
She also said she was deeply inspired by
the Tohoku members’ determination to
turn poison into medicine, their efforts

The cherry blossoms, now in full bloom after winter, are like wings soaring in the blue sky, as if dancing with the joy of
spring (photo taken by President Ikeda in March 2023, Tokyo)
showing the world that the worst can be
transformed.
Our prayers and actions constitute
a pioneering effort to cultivate the earth
of the people’s spirit, and a revolution to
make the jeweled trees of peace, culture,
and education flourish bountifully on that
rich foundation.
The educator Nitobe Inazo (1862–
1933), who hailed from Tohoku and
was an acquaintance of Tsunesaburo
Makiguchi, wrote in the spring month of
March, “Plants with strong roots produce
beautiful flowers and bounteous fruit.”5
The roots of friendship that our noble
members, sharing joys and hardships, have
laid down in their communities are now
producing the flowers of trust and the fruit
of connection and solidarity.
 probably two arm spans in circumference,
seikyo press
The cherry blossoms appeared early in
Japan this year, in time for the graduation
ceremonies at the Soka schools, Soka
University, and Soka Women’s College.6
Our young friends in the future
division and the student division, as well
as new graduates entering the workforce
for the first time have all patiently
weathered the challenges of the COVID-19
pandemic over the past few years. My wife
and I are praying each day that they will
continue to grow resiliently like young
cherry trees as they embark on new
beginnings.
Just outside the Hall of the Great Vow
for Kosen-rufu in Shinanomachi, Tokyo,
proudly stands the Youth Cherry Tree,
which is almost the same age as the Soka
Gakkai. The trunk near the tree’s base is
July 2023 41
its timeworn furrows and grooves
resembling smile wrinkles. Carefully
tended by sincere ‘cherry tree guardians’,
it still blooms with eternal youth and
watches over our visitors like a loving
mother.
The Youth Cherry Tree could also be
called the Mother Cherry Tree or the Many
Treasures Cherry Tree. This is because it
reminds me of the women of Soka as well
as our wonderful Many Treasures Group
members throughout Japan and the world
who deftly engage in dialogue for peace
and human happiness, bringing flowers
of encouragement, hope, benefit, and
triumph to bloom.
 in the mirror likewise makes a bow of
Soka Gakkai founding president
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi lived with the
vibrant life force of the Youth Cherry
Tree in full bloom. He cherished the
words “If you renew yourself for one
day, you can renew yourself daily, and
continue to do so.”7
Inspired by these favorite words
of Mr Makiguchi, I embarked on a new
challenge when I turned 70. In addition
to my serialized novel The New Human
Revolution, I began writing an essay series
titled ‘Thoughts on The New Human
Revolution’ (starting in January 1998).
In the past quarter century since
then, I have written a number of essay
series under various titles. This is the
800th essay I have written to date. I am
profoundly grateful for the support of my
readers over these many years.
That number was reached by steadily
continuing to write one essay after
another. Nichiren Daishonin notes, “One
added to one becomes two, two becomes
42 Valuecreation
three, and so on to make ten, a hundred,
a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred
thousand, or an asamkhya.8 Yet ‘one’ is the
mother of all” (‘The Blessings of the Lotus
Sutra’, WND-1, 667).
These words also remind me in
particular of the tireless efforts of our
members, Bodhisattvas Never Disparaging
of Soka, who engage in sincere and
openhearted dialogue day after day, with
one person after another, in the spirit
of showing the deepest respect for the
Buddha nature of each individual.
In The Record of the Orally Transmitted
Teachings, the Daishonin says, “It is like
the situation when one faces a mirror
and makes a bow of obeisance: the image
obeisance to oneself” (OTT: SG 165; EG 251).
The tireless grassroots efforts in
dialogue by our Soka family are, like a
bright mirror, sending the great light of
respect for the dignity of life and all people
out into society and the world.
With this 800th essay as a new starting
point, I am determined to continue writing
— guided by the occasion and where my
pen takes me — earnestly praying that all
our members around the world will enjoy
a glorious future.

Incidentally, the number 800 appears
in this passage from the Daishonin’s
writing ‘Many in Body, One in Mind’:
“King Chou of Yin led seven hundred
thousand soldiers into battle against
King Wu of Chou and his eight hundred
men. Yet King Chou’s army lost because
of disunity [lit. one in body, many in
mind] while King Wu’s men defeated him
because of perfect unity [lit. many in
body, one in mind]” (WND-1, 618). During
the Osaka Campaign,9 the members and
I engraved these words in our hearts
as we strove to make the impossible
possible.
No matter how steep and difficult
the path forward, we have the “strategy
of the Lotus Sutra” (‘The Strategy of the
Lotus Sutra’, WND-1, 1001) with which to
accomplish all our goals. We have fellow
members, comrades in our shared struggle
for truth and justice in whom we can
place our absolute trust. In challenging
times especially, we encourage one
another, bring forth the courage of a lion
SGI Newsletter No. 11252 dated April 27, 2023. Translated from the March 27, 2023 issue of Seikyo Shimbun,
the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper
ENDNOTES
1. On March 16, 1958, second Soka Gakkai
president Josei Toda gathered 6000 young
men and women for a ceremony in which
he passed the baton of kosen-rufu to the
youth division, led by a young Daisaku Ikeda.
March 16th has since come to be known as
Kosen-rufu Day.
2. The song expresses the vibrant spirit of
students resolving to stand up and take
responsibility for their country and the world.
3. Atsuhara Persecution: A series of threats and
acts of violence against followers of Nichiren
Daishonin in Atsuhara Village in Fuji District,
Suruga Province (present-day central Shizuoka
Prefecture), starting in around 1275 and
continuing until around 1283.
4. These seminars are part of the Soka Global
Action 2030 peace initiative created by the
youth division in Japan. A seminar held in
Sendai on March 20, 2023 featured a session
titled ‘Thinking about Peace from Tohoku’.
king, and demonstrate the power of our
unbreakable unity.
Making the most of our own unique
qualities, let us continue to expand our
network of like-minded friends and
achieve resounding victories for a better
world by working together harmoniously,
positively, and joyfully in the spirit
of ‘many in body, one in mind’. Let us
cause the cherry trees of Soka to bloom
triumphantly in the places where we have
chosen to fulfill our mission, as symbols of
hope for a brilliant future where respect
for the dignity of life prevails and all
humanity lives in harmony and peace.
5. Translated from Japanese. Nitobe Inazo,
Nitobe Inazo zenshu (The Collected Works
of Nitobe Inazo), edited by the Nitobe Inazo
Collected Works Editorial Committee, vol. 8
(Tokyo: Kyobun-kan, 1970), 437.
6. In Japan, school graduations take place in
March and the new school year begins in
April.
7. Confucius, The Great Learning, translated by
A. Charles Muller, <http://www.acmuller.net/
con-dao/greatlearning.html> (accessed on
April 27, 2023).
8. Asamkhya: A numerical unit of ancient India
used to indicate an exceedingly large number.
9. 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, increased their chapter’s
membership by 11,111 households in a
single month.
July 2023 43
  President Ikeda’s ESSAY
THE STUDENT DIVISION,
CHAMPIONS OF THE INTELLECT
(Extracted from Kosen-rufu: Our Mission, vol. 1, 226–31)
A Japanese chief justice once famously
said, “It is a shame to be ignorant.”
How true this is! Restated, “It is a shame
to be unwilling to learn.” I have been fond
of these words since my youth.
For those who eagerly study and learn,
a bright future, hope, and shining victory
lie ahead. Those who are unwilling to
learn, however, will lose their spiritual
vibrancy and will face a future shrouded
by darkness. Eagerness to learn is one of
the deciding factors for a life of victory and
happiness.
Ours is an age of rapid changes.
Nations, businesses, and all types of
organizations and groups are engaged in
a fierce struggle for survival. At the same
time, an endless series of politicians,
bureaucrats, and business leaders, who
ought to be exemplars guiding others,
are involved in scandals, crime, and
corruption. What is the purpose, then, in
having leaders? Are there no leaders who
set aside self-interest and carry out their
responsibilities?
Nichiren Daishonin writes, “In this
country, there may be many wise people,
but they cannot utilize their wisdom
because they are governed by foolish
leaders” (‘The Supremacy of the Law’,
WND-1, 614). These words are an eternal
mirror of the Buddhist Law; they perfectly
reflect today’s circumstances as well.
44 Valuecreation
The quality of leadership has perhaps
never been more vital than it is today. As
the poet Walt Whitman (1819–92) wrote,
“Is reform needed? is it through you?/ The
greater the reform needed, the greater the
Personality you need to accomplish it.”1
How true his words are! Today’s political
leaders should pay heed to them.
The people of Japan are earnestly
longing for new, humanistic leaders of
upright character and integrity. Herein lies
one of the reasons for which the student
division was founded.
All people seek to possess something.
Some may wish for social status. Others
may seek wealth. Human desires are
complex and varied. Each person is
of course free to make choices for
themselves. However, the Daishonin states,
“Since the Law is wonderful, the person
is worthy of respect” (‘The Person and
the Law’, WND-1, 1097). Therefore, the most
important thing is to embrace the Mystic
Law, the supreme Law that leads us to
absolute happiness that is eternal and
indestructible. This was the conclusion of
both Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren
Daishonin. Let us never forget that it is
only the Mystic Law that will forever guide
us and our families along the great path of
justice and happiness.

The student division was established
45 years ago, on June 30, 1957. On that
day, some 500 bright-eyed students
gathered at the Azabu Civic Hall in
Tokyo. President Toda was like a proud
and happy father and encouraged them
wholeheartedly, sharing his highest
expectations. He called on half of those
present to become outstanding scholars
and the other half to become great
leaders in their respective fields.
The student division was the last
organization President Toda founded. His
health had already seriously deteriorated
and the guidance he gave that day became
his final instructions to the student
division.
I was in Hokkaido at the time and
sent a lengthy telegram to be read at
the inaugural meeting. I had rushed to
Hokkaido to protect Gakkai members
from injustice at the hands of the
local miners union in what came to be
known as the Yubari Coal Miners Union
Incident. Part of my telegram read,
“Congratulations on the inaugural meeting
of the student division, a gathering of
talented youth who will shoulder the
next century! Under President Toda’s
leadership, please embark on your
journey in high spirits.”
Soon after that, on July 3rd, due to the
insidious machinations of the authorities,
I was arrested and detained on trumped-
up charges of violating the election law.
This was the famous Osaka Incident. The
forces of truth and justice always incur
the hatred and jealousy of the arrogant,
unscrupulous forces of authoritarianism;
this is an unchanging pattern of human
society. Since persecution is certain
to occur in the course of propagating
Buddhism, we should rejoice rather than
lament when it happens.
The student division, with its
mission to spearhead the way to future
victory, was founded right in the midst
of such persecution. Born in the midst
of persecution, and making its first
appearance in the midst of oppression —
what a wonderful starting point for the
student division!

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato
(428–347 BCE) lauded those “who always
issued from the test pure and intact,
like gold tried in the fire”.2 Mr Toda
and I often discussed Plato and other
great thinkers, and our talks are among
my fondest memories. And we were in
complete accord over the truth of these
particular words of Plato.
Oftentimes, intellectuals are cowardly.
Many who possess fine-sounding academic
credentials are cowards. In contrast, the
so-called ordinary people are usually bold
and brave.
Therefore, Mr Toda and I reached
the conclusion that only after securing
a firm foundation built on the courage
of ordinary people would we set about
forming specific departments or divisions
for intellectuals and scholars within
the organization. In our discussions, we
agreed that this would enable everyone to
move in the most mutually beneficial and
positive direction.
The well-known American educator
who came to Japan, William Clark
(1826–86), encouraged his students with
the famous phrase, “Boys, be ambitious!”
In a similar spirit, I would like to offer this
encouragement to our student division
July 2023 45
members: “Youth, rise above the raging
waves and be victorious!”
 seeking spirit will also evaporate. Please
I once heard an unforgettable experience
given by a leader who is currently
striving valiantly for kosen-rufu in
Hokkaido.
The young man had moved from
Hokkaido to study at a college in Chiba
Prefecture, which lies next to Tokyo. His
father had left the family many years
before. His mother worked hard to
support her four children, despite a weak
constitution and a persistent bloody
cough. There were even days when the
family of five had to share a single serving
of noodles as their sole daily meal. But the
young man wouldn’t give up his dream
to continue his schooling, and through
incredible effort over many years he finally
managed to get into college.
On the day he was to leave for school,
his mother handed him a letter. In it was
the following poem:
Thoroughly polish
Your heart and mind,
And become a shining example
For society,
A person loved by others.
The earnest wish of this sincere,
hardworking mother was for her son to
contribute to society and the welfare of
others.
It is noble mothers such as this who
built the great Soka Gakkai that exists
today. It is vital that you, the student
division members, appreciate the depth
of that spirit and devotion. All study and
learning exist for the sake of people like
46 Valuecreation
these valiant mothers. I hope you will be
awake to the fact that if you forget to have
gratitude for this human realm, your lofty
never allow yourselves to degenerate into
weak, vain, foolish, and shallow-minded
individuals.
Learning and education exist to build
and elevate your character.
Founding Soka Gakkai President
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi used to say,
“When the day arrives that education is
based on this sense of purpose, all the lies
and miseries of society will be brought to
an end.”
On the first anniversary of the student
division, on June 30, 1958, I was appointed
general administrator of the Soka Gakkai,
in which position I alone took on the full
responsibility for kosen-rufu.
June 30th is the day when the disciple
stands up alone to realize the mentor’s
ideals.
The year 2030 will mark the Soka
Gakkai’s 100th anniversary. At that time,
those of you who are currently student
division members will be around 50,
an age by which you will have become
important and valuable leaders in both
the Soka Gakkai and society at large. My
heart leaps with joy when I envisage the
heroic sight of all of you vibrantly active
as people of outstanding ability in every
sphere of endeavor and every nation in the H
world.
The realm of Soka does not need
losers.
Members of the student division,
great standard-bearers of the new
century! Stand up with energy and joy,
proudly waving your own individual
banners! Advance victoriously, filled with
 exuberance and courage! Live each day of accumulation, must advance the
your youth fully, without regrets! That is knowledge and well-being of
the way to forge your own victory, as well mankind, not infinitely, as some
as that of your friends. have said, but indefinitely, and to
Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the a term which no one can fix and
father of American democracy, declared: foresee.3

It cannot be but that each I offer these inspiring words as my

generation succeeding to the message to you, the leaders of the new
knowledge acquired by all those century.
who preceded it, adding to it their — In commemoration of the
own acquisitions and discoveries, 45th anniversary of the student division
and handing the mass down on June 30, 2002.
for successive and constant July 2, 2002

ENDNOTES

1. Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, edited by Shorey (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard

Sculley Bradley and Harold W. Blodgett (New University Press, 1994), 79
York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1973), 390 3. Thomas Jefferson, Writings (New York: The
2. Plato, The Republic, translated by Paul Library of America, 1984), 461

In the Year of
Coura
Youth and Triumph
ge
-rufu
Kose
n
discover essential
ani s
m guidance for
H um Hu
Rev man
olu
t io
n
YOUTH and those of
e
gu
D ial
o
` YOUTHFUL SPIRIT!
160

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July 2023 47
  THE NEW HUMAN REVOLUTION —
­ VOLUME 28: CHAPTER 3
By Ho Goku
‘INNER CHANGE’
[1–5]
Inner Change 1
History moves. Times change. The
determination and actions of human
beings make this happen.
On August 12, 1978, the Japan-China
peace and friendship treaty was signed,
setting in motion a new age of Japan-
China relations.
At 12:30 p.m. on September 11th,
a 22-member Soka Gakkai delegation
50 Valuecreation
NE W
C HAP TER
led by Shin’ichi Yamamoto, the fourth of
its kind, arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao
International Airport at the invitation of
the China-Japan Friendship Association.
Almost three and a half years had passed
since Shin’ichi’s last visit [in April 1975].
As he stood on the steps leading down
from the airplane, a refreshing breeze
that hinted of autumn caressed his face.
The trees in the distance shone a deep
lustrous green.
The smiles of the
friendship association
secretary general Sun
Pinghua and others
greeted Shin’ichi as he
descended the steps.
“President Yamamoto!
Welcome! Thank you for
coming!”
Firmly shaking Sun’s
outstretched hand,
Shin’ichi said, “Thank you
for the invitation and for
taking the time to meet us
at the airport.”
 “I just arrived from Beijing 30 minutes
ago myself,” Sun replied.
The secretary general was already
an old friend, having forged a bond with
Shin’ichi during his first visit to the
country [in May 1974]. Given the rapidly
warming mood of friendship between
China and Japan, Sun must have been
extremely busy. Nevertheless, he had
traveled all the way to Shanghai to meet
them. In part to repay this sincerity,
Shin’ichi felt he had to make this visit to
China a fruitful one for both nations.
The Japanese delegation divided
among the 16 cars their Chinese hosts
had arranged and headed for their
accommodations at the Jin Jiang Hotel. As
Shin’ichi took in the busy streets along the
way, he thought, “Ten years have passed
since I proposed normalizing diplomatic
relations between Japan and China. The
wheels of history have begun to turn
significantly. Our political systems differ,
but we are all human beings who wish
for peace. We must build an enduring
friendship!”
Inner Change 2
Shin’ichi reflected on the
past decade.
On September 8,
1968, at the 11th Soka
Gakkai Student Division
General Meeting held
at the Nihon University
Auditorium in Ryogoku,
Tokyo, he had discussed
the issues between
Japan and China and
advocated three points
11th Soka Gakkai Student Division General Meeting (Sept 1968)
to resolve them:
(1) Japan’s recognition of the People’s
Republic of China and the normalization
of diplomatic relations with that
country; (2) the restoration of China’s
status in the United Nations, and (3) the
promotion of bilateral economic and
cultural exchange.
He said, “I hope that, when you
become society’s leaders, the youth of
Japan and China will be able to work
together in harmony and friendship to
build a bright new world. When all the
peoples of Asia, with Japan and China
leading the way, begin to assist and
support one another, it will mark the start
of an age when the dark clouds of poverty
and the brutality of war now enveloping
much of the region will lift and the sun of
hope and happiness will at last shine its
rays upon all of Asia.”
The proposal drew a huge reaction.
Those who supported closer ties with
China wholeheartedly applauded it,
but an overwhelming majority fiercely
condemned and attacked Shin’ichi.
Even at the Japan-US Security
Consultative Committee three days later,
July 2023 51
a high-ranking Japanese foreign ministry
official voiced his strong disapproval of
Shin’ichi’s proposal.
Shin’ichi had been prepared for all this,
however. He was determined to pierce
the Cold War’s bedrock of mistrust and
hatred and open the way to a better future
for Asia and the world. Threats to his life
were only to be expected. One cannot
remain true to one’s beliefs without being
prepared to risk one’s life.
In June 1969, Shin’ichi made a further
appeal in the fifth volume of The Human
Revolution being serialized in the Seikyo
Shimbun: Japan should take the initiative
to sign peace and friendship treaties
with countries around the globe, placing
priority on one with the People’s Republic
of China.
Inner Change 3
Shin’ichi’s call for the normalization of
diplomatic relations and the conclusion of
a treaty of peace and friendship between
Japan and China caught the attention of
Chinese premier Zhou Enlai.
In addition, the
respected Japanese
political leader and
Diet member Kenzo
Matsumura, who had
dedicated his life to
improving Japan-China
relations, urged Shin’ichi
to visit China and meet
with the premier, hoping
his proposal would be
actualized.
But Shin’ichi felt
that restoring bilateral
ties was fundamentally
52 Valuecreation
a political issue and that it would be
inappropriate for him, a religious figure,
to visit at that time. He suggested that
representatives of the Komeito political
party, which he had founded, do so instead.
When Matsumura visited China in the
spring of 1970 to supervise negotiations
for a Japan-China Memorandum Trade
Agreement, he informed Premier Zhou
about Shin’ichi and Komeito.
In June 1971, a Komeito delegation
visited China and met with Premier Zhou,
who laid out the necessary conditions for
the normalization of bilateral relations.
The Komeito delegation and the China-
Japan Friendship Association drafted
a joint statement incorporating those
points and signed it on July 2nd. This
opened the way for the normalization of
relations. That joint statement, known as
‘Five Principles for Restoring Diplomatic
Relations’, served as a guideline for later
negotiations between both governments.
A short time later, in mid-July, US
President Richard Nixon announced in
a televised broadcast that he planned to
visit the People’s Republic of China by
May 1972. He also revealed that Henry
Kissinger, his national security advisor,
had already visited China and met with
Premier Zhou. The course of history had
begun a major shift.
Negotiations between Japan
and China continued. Finally, on
September 29, 1972, a joint Japan-China
communiqué was signed in Beijing by
Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka
and Minister of Foreign Affairs Masayoshi
Ohira and their Chinese counterparts,
Premier Zhou Enlai and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ji Pengfei.
In addition to confirming the
two countries’ desire to normalize
relations, the communiqué included
China’s renunciation of its demands for
war reparations from Japan and both
countries’ commitment to solidifying
and developing friendly relations on the
basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence.1
Shin’ichi’s proposal had become a
reality.
Speak out! Take action! From there, the
wheels of change begin to turn.
Inner Change 4
The Japan-China
Joint Communiqué
also said that both
countries would enter
into negotiations
toward concluding a
peace and friendship
treaty to solidify and
develop peaceful,
friendly relations. Once
concluded, the treaty
would be legally binding.
Preliminary negotiations began in
November 1974.
Shin’ichi met with Premier Zhou
the following month, on December 5th.
Though seriously ill, the premier
insisted on meeting Shin’ichi despite his
physician’s objections.
“China-Japan friendship is our shared
wish. Let’s work for this together,” the
premier said. He added with vigor, “I hope
that a peace and friendship treaty between
our two countries can be signed as soon
as possible.” His words touched Shin’ichi
as if they were his last will. He felt the
premier was entrusting him with his wish
for long-lasting friendship between their
nations. Shin’ichi vowed deeply, firmly, and
powerfully to do everything he could as
a private citizen to realize a Japan-China
peace and friendship treaty.
In January 1975, during a visit to the
US, Shin’ichi met with Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger. He asked the secretary
what he thought about the proposed
treaty and confirmed Kissinger’s support.
Shin’ichi then communicated Kissinger’s
thoughts to Japanese finance minister
July 2023 53
Masayoshi Ohira, who was also in the US
at the time, when he met with him at the
Japanese embassy.
Shin’ichi visited China a third time in
April, meeting with Vice Premier Deng
Xiaoping. They, too, exchanged views on
the peace and friendship treaty.
The Japan-China Joint Communiqué
stated that both nations would oppose
efforts by any other country to establish
hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region.
However, some in Japan felt this
provision, which was clearly directed
against the Soviet Union, should be
excluded from the treaty. They were
concerned that it would antagonize the
Soviet Union and thus harm Japan-Soviet
relations.
Negotiations continued to face
difficulties over the antihegemony issue. In
fact, the Soviet Union had demanded that
such a clause not be included.
During their meeting, Shin’ichi frankly
asked Deng Xiaoping about China’s
position on the antihegemony clause.
No matter how complicated a problem
seems, we can find a solution if we have
the courage to engage in
candid and open dialogue.
Inner Change 5
During China’s Cultural
Revolution, Deng Xiaoping
had been attacked as
a ‘capitalist roader’
(someone attempting to
move the country in a
capitalist direction) and
removed from his post.
He was even placed under
Meeting with Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping (3rd visit to China)
house arrest. But Premier
54 Valuecreation
Zhou supported him behind the scenes
and restored him to a central role
in the government when the time
was ripe.
Shin’ichi first met Deng, now vice
premier, during his visit to China in
December 1974, and met him again in
April 1975. The head of the Japanese
Foreign Ministry’s Asian Affairs Bureau
was also present for the latter encounter.
Responding to Shin’ichi’s question
about China’s position on the
antihegemony clause, the vice premier
noted that it was already included in the
Japan-China Joint Communiqué. It was
not directed only at the Soviet Union,
he observed, but also at China, Japan,
and any other nation or group seeking
hegemony in the region.
When asked about relations between
China and the Soviet Union, Deng
said that the two nations’ peoples are
maintaining good relations and that
China was not worried about a Soviet
invasion.
Shin’ichi asked forthright questions
from various perspectives about the
outstanding issues regarding the peace
and friendship treaty, thus allowing him to
confirm China’s position.
The following January, news of
Premier Zhou’s death sent a shock wave
around the world. Subsequently, the so-
called Gang of Four, a group of Communist
Party leaders led by Jiang Qing, attacked
Deng Xiaoping and once again ousted him.
But that September, after the death
of the party’s chairman, Mao Zedong, the
Gang of Four were arrested, effectively
marking the end of the Cultural Revolution.
The Cultural Revolution began in the
mid-1960s as a class struggle in China.
But it was also a power struggle that
aimed to unseat key government figures
such as Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping by
denouncing them as capitalist roaders.
The Red Guards, groups of militant
youth, spearheaded the Cultural
Revolution. Seeking to eradicate old
ways of thought, cultural traditions,
and local customs, they focused their
attacks on intellectuals and other
‘bourgeois elements’, and many people
were killed.
Dogmatism and power struggles
combined to create a calamitous period of
strife and destruction.

SGI Newsletter Nos. 11261, 11262, 11263, 11268, and 11269 dated May 12–22, 2023. All illustrations are from
Seikyo Press

ENDNOTE

1. Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are: principles continue to serve as fundamental

(1) mutual respect for territorial integrity
and sovereignty, (2) mutual nonaggression,
(3) mutual noninterference in internal affairs,
(4) equality and mutual benefit, and
(5) peaceful coexistence. These five
guidelines for China in fostering and
developing friendly relations with other
nations. They were also enumerated in
Article 6 of the 1972 Japan-China Joint
Communiqué.

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Inside!
12 Gosho lectures by President Ikeda from the series, ‘Buddhism
of the Sun — Illuminating the World: A Religion of Human
Revolution’, tell us how the correct practice of Nichiren Buddhism
brings transformation in the very depths of our lives, and how
this leads to happiness, social prosperity, and world peace

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July 2023 55

  Advancing with THE NEW HUMAN REVOLUTION
ESTABLISHING THE CORRECT TEACHING
IN OUR LIVES TO REALIZE A PEACEFUL LAND
Ikeda Sensei writes, “The goal of
Nichiren’s Buddhism is to create
peace and prosperity in society
by equipping individuals — the
prime movers of that society and
shapers of the times — with the
inner requisites to triumph in all
endeavors. ‘On Establishing the
Correct Teaching’ reveals the
underlying principle for achieving
this” (‘Rissho Ankoku’, NHR-4, 259). He
further adds, “The Soka Gakkai’s goal
How does establishing the correct
teaching in our lives bring about peace
in our land?
WHAT DOES ESTABLISHING THE
CORRECT TEACHING MEAN?
[Shin’ichi:] “What is the correct teaching?
In his treatise ‘On Establishing the
Correct Teaching for the Peace of the
Land’ [Rissho Ankoku Ron], the Daishonin
urges us to take faith in … the Lotus
Sutra. The Lotus Sutra is a teaching about
the fundamental law of life permeating
the entire universe; it expounds the
philosophy of respect for life and the
principle of compassion.
“The Daishonin declares that by
making the correct teaching the
basis of our lives and transforming
56 Valuecreation
IN OUR LIVES TO REALIZE
is to realize the peaceful society
described in ‘On Establishing the
Correct Teaching’. Our mission is
to rid this world of every human
affliction — war, poverty, starvation,
disease, and discrimination”
(ibid., 268–69).
The following excerpts from
The New Human Revolution establish
that peace of the land is entirely
dependent on establishing the
correct teaching
our minds and our life tendency,
we are able to change our
external circumstances and
build indestructible happiness.
This is possible because the self and the
surrounding environment are essentially
interconnected….
[A]ll phenomenon in the universe
are encompassed within one’s own life
and, at the same time, one’s life pervades
the entire universe. That is why we can
change any situation with our
faith and earnest efforts. This is a
fundamental tenet of Buddhism.”
‘Community Spirit’, NHR-12, 130
ALIZE A PEACEFUL LAND
[Shin’ichi:] “The cause of the social
disorder and many tragic events … lies in
people being caught in a way of thinking
that forgets to accord prime importance
to the human being….
“‘Let us return to humanism!’
— this, in contemporary terms, is what
Nichiren Daishonin advocated in ‘On
Establishing the Correct Teaching’. His
message is that every field of human
endeavor — government, economics,
science, education, and art — must all be
put to the purpose of bringing happiness
to humanity. This is the principle of
creating a peaceful society based on the
True Law.”
‘Rissho Ankoku’, NHR-4, 266–67
HOW DOES THE CORRECT
TEACHING TRANSFORM THE LAND?
Nichiren stresses … that
it begins with one person
“establishing the truth” in
his or her heart.... When each
individual awakens to and
reveal his or her inherent
Buddhahood in accord with
this Mystic Law, the place that
person lives in becomes a
shimmering Buddha land.
‘Rissho Ankoku’, NHR-4, 259
The Lotus Sutra teaches that all
human beings are infinitely precious,
possessing within them the noble Buddha
nature, and presents a compassionate,
altruistic way of life. Only when this
philosophy is firmly established
in people’s hearts will it be
possible to transform the all-
too-common tendency of modern
society to devalue life, and
thereby put a stop to the tragedy
of war....
Furthermore, the Buddhist concept of
dependent origination — which teaches
that we do not exist in isolation, but
rather are joined together in a profound
web of relationships with everything else
around us, supporting and aiding one
another — can positively contribute to
bringing together people long separated
and divided by differences.
‘Justice’, NHR-27, 111–12
ESTABLISHING THE CORRECT
TEACHING BEGINS AT THE
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
… with prayers
[Shin’ichi:] “[E]stablishing the
correct teaching belongs to
the realm of faith, securing the
peace of the land takes place on
the level of society.”
‘Mighty River’, NHR-14, 279
[Shin’ichi:] “… if you are concerned at
all for your personal security, you must
first pray for stability and peace of
all society. This clearly expresses the
attitude and posture we should have
as Buddhists.… To be truly human
means working and praying to solve
the problems that plague all
people and achieve peace and
prosperity for society. There is
no Buddhism apart from human
society….
July 2023 57
 “A person who prays for a peaceful and
secure society and is considerate of others
will naturally become aware of the need to
contribute to society, and will act on that
awareness.”
‘Rissho Ankoku’, NHR-4, 268
We have reached out to
the sick, some of whom
have been abandoned
even by their doctors and
have lost all hope or will
to live; we have reached
out to people so deeply
depressed and frustrated
as to have contemplated
suicide. And through
tenacious dialogue and
encouragement, we have
helped them find hope
and strength to go on
living. We have worked
day and night for the
happiness of suffering
individuals, and of all
people
58 Valuecreation
… involves inner transformation
Nichiren Daishonin writes, “There
are not two lands, pure or impure in
themselves. The difference lies solely
in the good or evil of our minds” (‘On
Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime’,
WND-1, 4). He is declaring that one land is
not essentially different from another;
we can change the place where
we live into the best possible
environment through our own
inner resolve and outlook.
The inner transformation
of human beings, who are
themselves the agents of all
change, is key to actualizing
a peaceful and prosperous society.
‘Vow’, NHR-30 [Part 2], 370
At the individual level,
[establishing the correct
teaching] means embarking on an
inner human revolution, tapping
and cultivating the compassion
within our lives, and firmly
establishing humanism as our
guiding principle.
‘Vanguard’, NHR-2, 42
… is a daily process
[Shin’ichi:] “[Devoting ourselves to the
Lotus Sutra] is … the direct path to
leading all people to happiness….
“The point is to strive to win each
day, always asking ourselves if we
did our best, if we compromised
our beliefs, if we have any regrets.
One who does so is ‘devoting one’s life’.”
‘Revitalization’, NHR-15, 61–62
 SOKA GAKKAI ACTIVITIES ARE A DIRECT PATH FROM THE CORRECT
TEACHING TO PEACE AND HAPPINESS
BSG’s Seeds of Hope and Action (SOHA) Exhibitions
inspire visitors to embrace a sustainable way of life, which
is in accord with the Buddhist principles of humanism,
human revolution, and respect for all life (BSG Sustainability
Conclave, Delhi, Apr 26, 2023)
The UNESCO Constitution states that
to achieve peace we must construct
‘defenses of peace’ in people’s minds. An
indispensable ingredient for achieving
this lies in our human revolution, in each
individual building a state of life that
rises above all negative impulses such as
greed and hatred.
The Soka Gakkai has built
countless networks of friendship
around the globe while
constructing the defenses of
peace in people’s hearts.
‘Awaiting the Time’, NHR-30 [Part 1], 221
In order to establish the correct teaching
for the peace of the land, Shin’ichi had
taken steps under the banner
of Buddhist humanism to found
The purpose of the Soka Gakkai is
to achieve kosen-rufu and realize
the vision articulated by Nichiren
Daishonin.... “Establishing the correct
teaching” means to inspire others to
embrace the ideals of Buddhist
humanism as represented in the
principles of human revolution
and respect for the sanctity of
life. And the effort to bring this about
is kosen-rufu, the ultimate objective of
which is “the peace of the land”, or in
other words, the realization of a peaceful
and prosperous society.
‘Resonance’, NHR-21, 206
institutions in a wide range of fields,
including education, culture, and
politics.
‘Resonance’, NHR-21, 206
[Shin’ichi:] “We have reached out to the
sick, some of whom have been abandoned
even by their doctors and have lost all
hope or will to live; we have reached
out to people so deeply depressed and
frustrated as to have contemplated
suicide. And through tenacious
dialogue and encouragement , we
have helped them find hope and strength
to go on living. We have worked day
and night for the happiness of suffering
individuals, and of all people.”
‘The Flower of Culture’, NHR-7, 48–49
July 2023 59
 of the month
seikyo press

Soka Gakkai members greet Ikeda Sensei after his release from the Osaka Detention
House on July 17, 1957

JULY 3rd JULY 11th JULY 16th JULY 19th

The Day of Mentor Founding Day Nichiren Founding Day
and Disciple of the Young Daishonin submits of the Young
Men’s Division his treatise Rissho Women’s Division
(1951) Ankoku Ron (1951)
(1260)

60 Valuecreation
 MENTORS AND DISCIPLES OF
SOKA … ETERNALIZING
KOSEN-RUFU
SIGNIFICANCE AT A GLANCE
(FOR DISCUSSION MEETINGS)
We commemorate July 3rd as the
Day of Mentor and Disciple in the
Soka Gakkai — the day that Josei
Toda was released from prison in
1945, and 12 years later in 1957, the
day that his disciple, Daisaku Ikeda,
was arrested on false charges. The
two separate yet mystic events signify
the shared struggle of mentor and
disciple to protect the happiness of
all people.
The Oneness of Mentor and
Disciple
J uly 3rd — the Day of Mentor and
Disciple — is a day that represents
the strong bond of oneness of mentor
and disciple and their shared, selfless
struggle against the devilish nature of
authority for the sake of kosen-rufu.
On July 3, 1945, Toda Sensei emerged
from Toyotama Prison Tokyo, as the sole
spiritual successor of Makiguchi Sensei.
He was arrested alongside his mentor,
first Soka Gakkai president Tsunesaburo
Makiguchi, for defying the Japanese
government’s order to forsake Nichiren
Buddhism, and imprisoned for two years.
Makiguchi Sensei died in Sugamo Prison
We also commemorate July 16,
1260, when Nichiren Daishonin, moved
by the suffering of the people of Japan,
submitted his treatise, ‘On Establishing
the Correct Teaching for the Peace of
the Land’, to the ruling authorities.
Furthermore, on July 11, 1951
and July 19, 1951, Toda Sensei formed
the young men’s and young women’s
divisions respectively, to ensure the
eternal perpetuation of kosen-rufu.
eight months before Toda Sensei’s release.
Toda Sensei determined to ‘avenge’ his
mentor by rebuilding the Soka Gakkai and
launching an unprecedented struggle for
kosen-rufu based on respect for all.
Twelve years later to the day, his
foremost disciple, Daisaku Ikeda,
was arrested for alleged election law
violations. Now known as the Osaka
Incident, to protect his mentor and
the Gakkai, Ikeda Sensei presented
himself at the Osaka Detention Center
for questioning. He was released on the
evening of July 17th, after being subjected
to repeated verbal abuse. That day, Ikeda
Sensei addressed a gathering of 20,000
Gakkai members who had assembled at
Nakanoshima Civic Hall, despite pouring
July 2023 61
 rain, to support him: “Let us rise to this
challenge with the conviction that the
correct teaching and those who strive
tenaciously in faith, steadfastly upholding
the Gohonzon, will definitely emerge
victorious!” (VC, Apr 2017, 26).
True to his conviction, the court
unequivocally acquitted him of all charges
on January 25, 1962. Ikeda Sensei writes,
“What is the greatest pride of the first
three presidents of the Soka Gakkai? It is
seikyo press
that we have fought our hardest against
the devilish nature of authority in order
to protect the freedom and happiness
of the people, and that we have won”
(VC, Nov 2010, 54).
Establishing the Correct Teaching
and Ensuring Its Perpetuation
The treatise, Rissho Ankoku Ron (‘On
Establishing the Correct Teaching for

President Ikeda first visits Okinawa on July 16th, the same day Nichiren Daishonin (1222–82) submitted his treatise ‘On
Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land’ to the country’s ruler 700 years before (Jul 1960)

62 Valuecreation
the Peace of the

seikyo press
Land’), that Nichiren
Daishonin submitted
to the authorities on
July 16, 1260, is the
basis of Soka Gakkai’s
movement for kosen-
rufu — that spreading
the teachings of
Buddhism can
awaken each
person to a positive
transformation in
themselves and
therefore in society.
Ikeda Sensei
writes that the
Daishonin “promoted
the belief that
inherent in each
individual is a robust
power and potential;
that each individual
can become the
protagonist and
initiator of societal
transformation”
(VC, Oct 2006, 49).
July is also the
month Toda Sensei
formed the young
President Ikeda performs for young men’s division members from Shinetsu at the
women and young Tachikawa Culture Center (Tokyo, Feb 1978)
men’s divisions. Ikeda
Sensei was among the 180 young men profound significance as the starting
attending the inaugural meeting at the old point of the successors of the Soka
Soka Gakkai Headquarters in Nishi-kanda, movement — taking Toda’s thought,
Tokyo, on July 11, 1951. Eight days later, actions, and life as their guideline —
on July 19th, 74 young women gathered and as the opening of the way for the
at the same venue for the founding of the eternal perpetuation of the Mystic
young women’s division. Law, ensuring that the effort for kosen-
Ikeda Sensei writes, “The establish­ rufu will continue forever” (cf. ‘A New
ment of the youth division had the most Century’, NHR-22, 26).

July 2023 63
  Buddhist Concepts FOR DISCUSSION MEETINGS
JOYFULLY MAKING
FINANCIAL
CONTRIBUTION
FOR KOSEN-RUFU
I keda Sensei writes, “Offerings made
[to accomplish the Daishonin’s mandate
to widely propagate the Mystic Law]
are equivalent to offerings made to
the original Buddha” (‘Triumph’,
NHR-4, 126). In the Soka Gakkai, financial
contributions made by members are
“offerings for [advancement of] kosen-
rufu based on faith” (cf. ibid., 118).
In the early years of the Soka
Gakkai, Toda Sensei personally took
responsibility of the expenses of the
organization. Given members’ insistence
and the pace at which kosen-rufu
was developing, he gradually opened
the opportunity for all members to
contribute. This was the mentor’s
compassion, as “the benefit of
making offerings for Buddhism is
immeasurable” (ibid., 119).
Nevertheless, Toda Sensei emphasized
that financial contributions be made
based on pure faith (cf. ibid., 118).
Members’ willingness to contribute
financially had to spring from their
gratitude to the Gohonzon and deep
appreciation for the Soka Gakkai, which
* Sudatta and his wife were disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Sudatta, later known as Wealthy Man Sudatta, built the
Jetavana Monastery for Shakyamuni.
64 Valuecreation
teaches us about the Gohonzon (cf. ‘Bold
Advance’, NHR-26, 370–71) and helps us
transform our lives.
The true spirit of contribution
is to offer what is important in our
lives unhesitatingly and with great
joy (cf. ‘Triumph’, NHR-4, 121). We can
understand this spirit through the story of
Sudatta’s* wife who selflessly offered the
little rice she had as alms to Shakyamuni
and his disciples. When her husband
returned home, though famished himself,
he was delighted to know this and said
that he would have done the same. Ikeda
Sensei writes, “Such joy is the true spirit of
offering; it is the wellspring of abundant
good fortune” (ibid., 121).
Ultimately, it is the heart that is
important, not the size of the offering.
As a young man, Ikeda Sensei gladly cut
down his already modest living expenses
to save money for kosen-rufu activities
(cf. ibid., 127). He acted not at someone’s
behest but with the sincere resolve to
support his mentor and dedicate his life
to kosen-rufu.
Good fortune inevitably accompanies
financial contributions made with great
joy and pure faith. Ikeda Sensei writes,
“The spirit of joyful offering elevates one’s
state of life and produces immeasurable
benefits. This, in turn, deepens one’s
conviction in faith. It is an unchanging
equation for consolidating the
foundation of happiness in one’s life”
(ibid., 123).
  President Ikeda’s GUIDANCE FOR THE YOUTH
THE ONENESS OF
MENTOR & DISCIPLE
… IS THE KEY TO VICTORY IN LIFE
To mark 2023, the Year of Youth
and Triumph, as we march toward
2030 and the centennial of the Soka
Gakkai, Value Creation presents
the fourth of a 10-part series — the
oneness of mentor and disciple —
excerpted from President Ikeda’s
eternal guidance for youth
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MENTOR-
DISCIPLE RELATIONSHIP IN THE
SOKA GAKKAI
A teacher or mentor in Buddhism is one
who leads and connects people to the
Law, teaching them that the Law on which
they should depend exists within their
own lives. The disciples in turn seek the
mentor, who embodies and is one with the
Law. Looking to the mentor as a model,
they exert themselves in their Buddhist
practice. In this way, they lead a life that
allows them to master their minds.
In other words, the existence of a
mentor — one who embodies and lives in
accord with the Law and teaches people
about their vast inner potential — is
indispensable for attaining Buddhahood in
this lifetime.
I am who I am today because of my
mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei
Toda, who practiced in accord with the
Buddha’s teachings and dedicated his life
to widely propagating Nichiren Buddhism
in the modern age. Mr Toda is always with
me as my spiritual mentor. I still carry on
a dialogue with my mentor in my heart,
every moment, every day. This is the spirit
of oneness of mentor and disciple.
(WCHP-1, Happiness, 159)
The shared vow of mentor and disciple
is to keep practicing Nichiren Buddhism
together with the Soka Gakkai throughout
one’s life, no matter what happens.
(WCHP-2, Human Revolution, 144)
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A
MENTOR IN ONE’S LIFE
In Buddhism and in life, having a teacher
or a mentor can be a wonderful cause
for growth. Through encountering a
mentor in faith, responding to their call,
struggling alongside them, and engraving
their courage and wisdom in our own
lives, we can break through the shell of
our small self. This is the driving force for
victory, enabling us to build a strong and
expansive future self.
(WNDMDR, 36)
[Shin’ichi:] “In general, without construc­
tive interactions with others, human beings
tend to take the easiest path and drift in
a negative direction, ceasing to challenge
themselves. To break through these
tendencies, we need to maintain an active
seeking spirit and learn from a mentor.
Mentors provide the inspiration we need to
resist stagnation and elevate ourselves.”
(‘Resonance’, NHR-21, 223–24)
In that respect, encountering a good
teacher, a great mentor, is the key to
July 2023 65
leading the best possible life. In addition,
a lofty ideal can only be achieved when
it is shared by a mentor and disciple, the
disciple carrying on and realizing the
vision articulated by the mentor.
(VC, Nov 2017, 54)
A GREAT MENTOR INSPIRES TRUST
IN THE DISCIPLE
Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda
spent two years in prison during World
War II, standing firm against Japanese
militarism. This is what inspired me to join
the Soka Gakkai. It made me decide that
I could trust him. I didn’t know anything
about Buddhism. I had faith in Mr Toda as
a human being. And walking the path of
oneness of mentor and disciple with him
has been my path of human revolution.…
I am President Toda’s disciple; this is
my greatest source of pride.
(WCHP-2, Human Revolution, 10–11, 19)
The moment that the sun of the shared
commitment of mentor and disciple rises
in our hearts, a great transformation
begins. There is no karma that we cannot
surmount, no struggle that we cannot win.
The mentor-disciple relationship
is, for all practical purposes, an
indispensable component in the
causality for achieving the fundamental
transformation of life state as taught in
Buddhism. The causality of the Mystic
Law, in a sense, is the causality of mentor
and disciple. The disciple embodies the
cause and a mentor embodies the effect.
Actually, the inner awareness or sense of
responsibility of the disciple is the cause
that sets everything in motion.
(WNDMDR, 42–43)
66 Valuecreation
THE DISCIPLE'S TRIUMPH IS THE
MENTOR'S TRIUMPH
How do we actualize our mentor’s
vision? To constantly ponder and chant
about this question and to keep seeking
to understand what that vision is; to
strive in faith with the same spirit as our
mentor — this is where true oneness of
mentor and disciple can be found.
(WNDMDR, 145)
The mentor's challenge is the disciple's
challenge. The disciple's victory is
the mentor's victory. The brilliant
achievements of mentor and disciple
endure for all time.
The way of mentor and disciple — in
particular, prayer based on the spirit of
oneness of mentor and disciple — is the
heart of Nichiren Buddhism.
(VC, Mar 2018, 68)
Shin’ichi thought of his mentor Josei Toda
and spoke to him in his heart: “Sensei!
I have just received an honorary doctorate
from Moscow State University, one of the
world’s eminent institutions of higher
learning. This is entirely the result of
the training I received from you. As your
disciple, I dedicate this honor to you. I
also wish to share this honor with all Soka
Gakkai members, who have supported my
efforts for education and peace.”
Motivated solely by his wish to realize
his mentor’s vision, Shin’ichi had striven
arduously for world peace, in line with
Toda’s guidance. As a result, he had now
been awarded an honorary doctorate from
Moscow State University. Shin’ichi keenly
felt the wondrousness of the mentor and
disciple path of Soka. He was also overjoyed
that through receiving this honor he could
show tangible proof of the greatness of his
mentor. A Mongolian proverb says, ‘As the
brightness of the lamp derives from the oil,
the wisdom of the student derives from the
teacher.’ The triumph of the disciple is also
the mentor’s triumph. Shin’ichi pledged
to make the entire world aware of the
greatness of his mentor Toda.
(‘Jeweled Crown’, NHR-21, 333)
[Shin’ichi:] “The relationship between
mentor and disciple can be likened to
that between a needle and thread. The
mentor is the needle and the disciple
is the thread. When sewing, the needle
leads the way through the cloth, but
in the end it is unnecessary and it is
the thread that remains and holds
everything together. I am the needle.
You are the ones who will remain on the
stage of kosen-rufu after I am gone.
“I firmly believe that my most
important activity in this essential phase
of our movement is to complete the
groundwork for you.”
(‘Young Phoenixes’, NHR-9, 143)
Shin’ichi said softly, looking into the
distance, “… Mr Toda said to me, ‘… I
will entrust kosen-rufu to the youth. In
concrete terms, this means that the youth
must take full responsibility for achieving
the goal of 750,000 member households
that I announced at my inauguration as
president. Can you do it, Shin’ichi?’
“I looked intently at Mr Toda’s face.
I was ready to rise to the challenge....
“[Toda:] ‘No matter how much the
membership of the Soka Gakkai increases
in the future, if the pride of walking the
path of Soka mentor and disciple and the
determination to devote one’s life to kosen-
rufu weaken, the Soka Gakkai will have no
future. If that happens, members will lose
the awareness that they are Bodhisattvas
of the Earth and lose sight of the path to
true happiness. It is the youth who must
stand up to prevent that from happening.
“‘Shin’ichi! Please become the actual
driving force for the youth division.
Become an eternal role model! Start your
struggle as a group leader on the front
lines, and lead our organization toward the
realization of kosen-rufu! All right? Can
you do that?’
“‘Yes!’ said Shin’ichi, in a determined
voice.
“Toda looked sharply at Shin’ichi.
When he saw his disciple’s expression of
unshakable commitment, Toda smiled.”
(‘Atsuta’, NHR-26, 38, 40)
[Shin’ichi:] “It is vital, therefore, that the
disciples who remain to carry on the
mentor’s work triumph over all obstacles.
They must win over their own negativity,
over their destiny and over every setback,
and become outstanding victors in life.
Their magnificent triumph will ensure
that Buddhism and kosen-rufu endure
for all time. And the great joy of faith is
embodied in such triumph.”
(‘Joy’, NHR-5, 155)
It is my sincere hope that Soka Gakkai
members will make the completion
of The New Human Revolution a fresh
starting point and stand up as ‘Shin’ichi
Yamamotos’ to work for the happiness of
others. I pray that, through their tireless,
tenacious efforts, they will create their
own brilliant history of human revolution.
(WCHP-2, Human Revolution, 67)
July 2023 67