One

--TO MY FRIENDS--
One earnest individual
prevails over ten million.
Let's build a magnificent citadel
of capable individuals in our
respective communities.

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Speed

September 28, 2007

--TO MY FRIENDS--
The new era is one of constant change.
Resolve to win, no matter what,
and take concrete steps.
The speed with which you
take action is the key to
winning.

-Daisaku Ikeda-

And in our Actions

"Faith means making a hundred percent effort ourselves-in our daimoku and in our actions. When we practice in this way, the Buddhist gods will lend us their protection. We mustn't have a complacent, dependent attitude in faith, chanting haphazardly without definite goals and making only halfhearted efforts in the belief that we'll automatically be protected. Depth of determination and unshakable character are vital. Those possessing these qualities are second to none in faith."

-Daisaku Ikeda-


("Daimoku" means chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo)

New Heights

September 27, 2007
--TO MY FRIENDS--
The greatest achievement we can aspire to
is winning over our own weaknesses.
Let's pray and pray with all our might
and ascend to new heights while
striving to create a fresh history in the
chronicle of kosen-rufu and our
own lives.


-Daisaku Ikdea-

To A Friend's Mother

Marilyn,
I wanted to tell you how you have, for many years, been an inspiration to me. Tom was always able to encourage me about my work as a singer because of you.
He told me a bit about your life and how you became a working singer after having already raised your children, and devoted so much time and effort to your family. Even without ever having met you, you've been more of an inspiration than you know.
I spent time gazing at the full moon last night (the night of Tom's funeral). I felt him smiling, I felt the inseparability of life and death, I felt his friendship and the eternity of his life.
Thank you for giving us Tom. He has become a wonderful teacher of life and a profound treasure of the heart.

With warmest regards,

Bethany

Life Force

September 26, 2007

--TO MY FRIENDS--
Leaders should encourage everyone
with a bright and passionate spirit.
A bouyant life force serves as
a driving force for development.

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Good Friends

September 25, 2007

--TO MY FRIENDS--
"[T]he best way to attain Buddhahood
is to encounter a good friend. (*)
To lead a correct life,
make sure to have good friends.
The SGI is a solidarity of good friends.

New Phase

--WORDS OF THE WEEK--

Youth should stand up, speak out
and pave the way.
Engage in an unprecedented struggle
to open the path of mentor and disciple
toward victory in the new phase [of kosen-rufu].





--TO MY FRIENDS--
Live out your lifetime
together with the Mystic Law
and with the SGI.
Therein lies exhilarating and
invigorating happiness.

-Daiskau Ikeda-

On The Recent Passing of My Friend

T-
Somehow
I feel I caught your time,
Even without
Knowing that you were ill.

This day, your day, Sept 21st -
Will from now on
Be
A fresh beginning.

A door opens,
Pains dissolve.

A deep and truer language is
Recovered.

Faith.


-Bethany Wild-

Causes

""What kinds of causes am I making right now?" "What actions am I taking?" The answers to these questions are what will determine our future-in this life and throughout the three existences. Herein lies the foundation of faith. True glory and victory in life lie in basing oneself on this fundamental principle."

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Transcendental Power

"True transcendental power is not along the lines of so-called supernatural abilities. It is actually the ability to help others become happy. Nichiren Daishonin says, "Aside from the attainment of Buddhahood, there is no 'secret' and no 'transcendental power'" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 753)."

"As the Daishonin indicates where he says, "It is from this single entity of life that the differences among lands arise," society and even the land change depending on the state of life of people living there. The power to change even the environment exists in the heart."

(Excerpted from 'Learning from the Gosho: The Eternal Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin' by Daisaku Ikeda, pg. 184)

Truly

"Winning in life is not a matter of form or appearances. It has nothing to do with vanity. Victory in life ultimately hinges on whether one has truly fought, whether one has truly advanced."

-SGI President Ikeda's Daily Encouragement for September 23-

Freely

"Often allowing a person to speak freely of their dissatisfaction and unhappiness resolves their problems and, in many cases, they feel much better just because they've been heard."

Daisaku Ikeda "World Tribune" Sept 21, 2007 pg. 3

Win or Lose

September 21, 2007

--TO MY FRIENDS--

Buddhism is a "win or lose" struggle.
Manifesting concrete results
where you happen to be right now
will ensure a life of great fulfillment
and value-creation.

-Daisaku Ikeda -

Words

" . . The mission of Buddhists is none other than to be physicians of life. Praising, encouraging or admonishing as the situation demands, they help heal and lighten others' hearts and impart hope and bravery. Truly, "the voice carries out the work of the Buddha" (OTT,4). What wonderful behavior and what a noble mission this is!

Our world today is a vortex of heartless, mean-spirited, malicious words - of lies, demagoguery, accusations and slanders. It shows all the symptoms of a terrible illness. In these circumstances, a truly healthy and sound society can only be created by spreading positive and inspiring words - words of truth, words of justice, words of hope, words that bring people together and enrich their hearts."

(Daisaku Ikeda, 'World Tribune', Sept 21, 2007, pg. 3)

Let's Stand Up

--TO MY FRIENDS--
"Let's stand up for justice and truth.
Then the driving force for advancement
will increase twofold.
Let's stand up with courage.
Then the driving force for victory
will increase a hundredfold."

-Daiskau Ikeda -

The Direction You Desire

"When your determination changes, everything else will begin to move in the direction you desire. The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fiber in your being will immediately orient itself toward your success. On the other hand, if you think "This is never going to work out," then at that instant every cell in your being will be deflated and give up the fight, and then everything really will move in the direction of failure."

Daisaku Ikeda,"For Today and Tomorrow", pg. 288

A Beautiful Heart

". . . But the most essential point is whether the hearts of the people living in a country are beautiful or not. Qualities that make a heart ugly are, for example, coldness, cruelty, intolerance, jealousy and slander. A beautiful heart, on the other hand, is characterized by compassion, caring and respect for others, a commitment to equality and peace, and a positive and constructive spirit. As Nichiren states: "It is the heart that is important." (WND-1, 1000). It is what's inside that counts, not external appearances. "

(Daisaku Ikeda, World Tribune Sept 7, 2007 pg. 2)

Fresh line-up

September 18, 2007

--TO MY FRIENDS--
"We have entered a new era
when a fresh line-up of capable individuals
must emerge.
Charge ahead with initiative,
into the community and society
at large."

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Chosen Road

"Pray earnestly and thoroughly
in any situation.
Continue to speak out
on behalf of truth and justice.
Those who remain true to their
own chosen road are the victors."

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Our Inner Life

"How aware are we of our own inner life, our spirituality—something so intangible yet so priceless? How much effort do we make to perceive that which is not obvious, which can neither be seen nor heard? I believe the exploration and enrichment of the human spirit is what determines our very humanity. Such enrichment provides an inner compass that can lead civilizations to greatness."


-Daisaku Ikeda-

Poetry (excerpt)

This rich fountain of the spirit I call the poetic heart
the poetic heart that is the source
of all human creativity
and power of imagination
It fashions the dreams
and daring and hopes of this earth
creates harmony and concord

It possesses a force no person whosoever can defy
It transforms the wasteland within us into a fertile plain

Great poems trenchantly capture the truth
of that human life force
that blends with and beats in rhythm
with nature and the universe
They overflow with compassion
and feeling for all beings
They rouse and call forth the poetic heart in others
They bring out the flower and fragrance
in human nature
This I believe: restitution of the poetic heart means
nothing less than transforming the coming age
into the century of the human being!

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Substance

"One's true worth as a human being is not a matter of outward appearance or title but derives rather from the breadth of one's spirit. Everything comes down to faith and conviction. It is what is in one's heart and the substance of one's actions that count."

-Daisaku Ikeda, "For Today and Tomorrow", pg 282 -

Vital

"It is vital that humankind develop a shared consciousness that nuclear weapons are an absolute evil whose existence can never be justified- for any reason or under any circumstance. . . "

"We must promote the understanding that it is impossible to construct one's own happiness and security on the fear and suffering of others; and this understanding must be coupled with the compassion, empathy and courage to resist all attempts to do so."

Excerpted from Daisaku Ikeda's message to the Civil Society Peace Forum ,Sept 8, 2007

Excel

--TO MY FRIENDS--
Excel and shine at something.
Aim to be the best at something.
A resolute determination makes all the
difference.
As long as you are going to live,
leave behind an impressive history.

-Daisaku Ikeda-

The People (excerpt)

"The people" --
it is a word I love

People!
Why do you believe
it is your fate
solely to still the storm of the heart
and be crushed beneath the stones of tyranny?

Why do you not
cast off your ancient chains?

Do not be silent!
You must not resign yourselves!
You must not grow weary!

In dancing waves of people,
for the sake of the people of the future
you must gain victory!

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Clear

"A society in which lies and falsehood run rampant is unfortunate indeed.

The truth of all things becomes clear when viewed through the eyes of Buddhism."

Daisaku Ikeda, 'World Tribune', Sept 7, 2007 pg. 3

Light of Peace

"Ignorance is a dangerous thing. Without factual knowledge, stereotypes and the imagery they spawn invariably assume a momentum of their own, proliferating out of control.

Just because the perpetrators of the appalling terrorist attacks are believed to be of Arab descent, I pray that people will not immediately jump to the conclusion that all Arabs are dangerous and that Islam encourages violence. It is in no way true that all 1.2 billion Muslims in the world are violent. Even the recent revival of Islam, which is sometimes confused with Islamic fundamentalism, is not a monolithic mass movement. The extremists constitute a very small minority; the vast majority are moderates.

Obviously, every act of terrorism is reprehensible and wrong, regardless of its motive. Yet we absolutely must not treat terrorism as an inevitable consequence of faith in the tenets of Islam.

The Middle East issue is one in which the Palestinian issue, the Gulf War and vested interests in the oil industry and military-industrial complexes have become entangled with other factors in a massive and complicated snarl. To view this as a conflict between good and evil is simplistic and dangerous.

Humankind will never see the light of peace as long as one party seeks to subjugate the other by force, both sides caught in a vicious cycle of reprisals that exacts an eye for an eye, a life for a life.

It is because we cherish and admire the values and ideals of Western civilization that we urge humanity to resolutely pursue the path of nonviolence which is truly worthy of the civilized world. We insist that a just and equitable international tribunal be established to try those responsible for acts of war and terrorism. We insist that every effort be rendered so as to transform distrust into trust. I believe this is the most effective and fundamental antidote against terrorism and its repugnant worship of violence.

The importance of dialogue cannot be overstated. Nothing must be allowed to impinge upon its free exchange. For unless we put an end to an era dictated by sheer force of arms, the 21st century will be no different from the 20th, and we will regress once more into a century of war. .

-Daisaku Ikeda-
Excerpted from the "Seikyo Shimbun", September 16, 2001

To Shine

"When we consider the prospects for global peace, nothing is more crucial than the awakened solidarity of the world's people, for only this can give rise to an irresistible current toward the renunciation of war. My own efforts over the decades, meeting people of all stations and walks of life, engaging in dialogue and promoting the ideals of humanistic education and exchange, have all been predicated on this belief in the solidarity of the human family.

The goal of the SGI's movement is to empower the world's citizens to rid this Earth of needless suffering while realizing lives of peace and happiness. We will continue to work alongside people of like mind in building a global culture of peace in the twenty-first century. We are committed to the vision of a "dialogical civilization"--fostering mutual understanding through dialogue and enabling the human dignity of all to shine."


Excerpted from "Restoring the Human Connection: The First Step to Global Peace"
(Peace Proposal, January 26, 2007)


by Daisaku Ikeda
President, Soka Gakkai International

Mount Fuji and the Poet (excerpt)

Here is a poet
a poet singing of the magnificent symmetry of Fuji

Fuji, forgive me tonight for no reason
tears keep coming as I gaze up at you

A poet weeping
gazing up at the loftiest of the earth with its light of perfection

Calm days,
like a dream in the empty sky,
clouds born from it,
Fuji the object of love --life burning deep within him,
in the flux of the Great Art,
here is a poet enamored of Fuji


-Daisaku Ikeda-

Moonlight (excerpt)

In the shining realm of the silver monarch
the serene light of a wonderland of peace

I want to become drunk with moonlight,
not out of tender sentimentality
but as a human being living in fullest harmony with nature,
determined never to lose sight of its primal being, as a natural man, unhurried,
I want to love the moonlight


-Daisaku Ikeda-

Your Heart

"Is it a dream or an illusion? Even though I cannot see you, I am certain that your heart is here. If you find that you miss me, always look at the sun that rises [in the morning] and the moon that rises in the evening. Whatever the time, I will be reflected in the sun and the moon. And in our next life, let us meet in the pure land of Eagle Peak. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nichiren "


('The Major Writings Of Nichiren Daishonin', pg 596)

Peace

"Peace is not simply the absence of war.
A truly peaceful society is one in which
all people can maximize their potential
and build fulfilling lives free from
threats to their dignity."

- Daisaku Ikeda -

Absolute Happiness

"My teacher used to talk about two kinds of happiness — "relative" and "absolute" happiness. Relative happiness is happiness that depends on things outside ourselves: friends and family, surroundings, the size of our home or family income.

This is what we feel when a desire is fulfilled, or something we have longed for is obtained. While the happiness such things bring us is certainly real, the fact is that none of this lasts forever. Things change. People change. This kind of happiness shatters easily when external conditions alter.

Relative happiness is also based on comparison with others. We may feel this kind of happiness at having a newer or bigger home than the neighbors. But that feeling turns to misery the moment they start making new additions to theirs!

Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is something we must find within. It means establishing a state of life in which we are never defeated by trials and where just being alive is a source of great joy. This persists no matter what we might be lacking, or what might happen around us. A deep sense of joy is something which can only exist in the innermost reaches of our life, and which cannot be destroyed by any external forces. It is eternal and inexhaustible.

This kind of satisfaction is to be found in consistent and repeated effort, so that we can say, "Today, again, I did my very best. Today, again, I have no regrets. Today, again, I won." The accumulated result of such efforts is a life of great victory."

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Be Bold

September 4, 2007

--TO MY FRIENDS--

In life, be bold!
With the Mystic Law,
based on [the Buddhist principle of]
"changing poison into medicine,"
every hardship one encounters can be transformed
into something positive and a source of growth.
Prayer contains "hope" and
is the dawning of life.

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Interlinked

In addition to "top-down" reforms, ... any lasting solution will require commensurate "bottom-up" reforms that build and strengthen solidarity at the people's level. These are the two interlinked prerequisites of change on a global scale.

- Daisaku Ikeda, "The Challenge of Global Empowerment" -

Relationship

"True character is only forged through hardship and suffering. Moreover, it is the mentor-disciple relationship, not organizational structures, that builds character. Many great scholars, pioneers and leaders of the world have come to note how crucial the mentor-disciple relationship is."

-Daisaku Ikeda-

To Struggle Against

"The struggle against aging is a struggle against cowardice, the propensity to shun new challenges. It is a struggle against our complacent belief that we have done enough, an egocentric unwillingness to help younger people develop, and an attachment to our past glory. Aging sneaks in through such chinks of our soul. The life of one who continues to challenge to the end remains youthful, ageless, and victorious."

-Daisaku Ikeda-

Irreplaceable Hope

"Children are our only future, our sole, irreplaceable hope. Children are urging us--literally at the risk and cost of their lives--to become aware of the distortions of the adult world. Our response to their silent cries holds the key to healing the desperate illness of our times. Only by turning to directly engage with children, their feelings and their needs, will we redeem our own humanity."


[SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's opinion editorial published in The Japan Times newspaper on February 8, 2007.]