Good morning everyone!
I would like to sincerely thank all of you for participating in the March World Peace Commemorative Gongyo Meeting in spite of having to come very early in the morning from far distant places, thank you so much again!
Together with all of you, I have prayed for world peace and the advancement
of Philippine Kosen-rufu. Moreover, I have also prayed for everyone's continued
good health, happiness and prosperity.
Well, our Gongyo Meeting today is also being held with the significance
of celebrating tomorrow's "Menfs Division Formation Commemorative
Day" on March 5. Are there Men's Division members here with us today?
Congratulations to all of you!
As all of you know, 41 years ago this day on March 5, 1966, the formation
ceremony of the Men's Division was solemnly conducted in the Soka Gakkai
Headquarters under Ikeda-Sensei with 750 Men's Division representatives.
At that time, Sensei gave the following guidance,
(1) The Men's Division members must become the pillars of the chapter.
(2) Please protect and guide the youth who are growing.
(3) Please put the finishing touches of kosen-rufu.
(4) In the realm of faith, please wage a battle with the two words
of courage and
bravery brimming in your hearts.
(5) Please advance with the conviction that as long as the Men's
Division is firm and
growing, the Soka Gakkai will forever be solid.
Fellow members of the Men's Division, together let us wage a battle for
kosen-rufu with the awareness that each one of us is a "golden pillar"
in response to this guidance of Sensei. Furthermore, let us all protect
the happiness of the Women's Division, the Young Men's and Young Women's
Division members.
Please join me in doing our utmost in fulfilling this!
Changing the topic a little, our bodies as humans is made up of about 60
trillion cells. And in the nucleus of each one of those cell are chromosomes
that commands inheritance. And within those chromosomes, there are genes
called "MHC" which are like tags of bar codes that distinguish
ourselves from others.
According to the latest research, through life to life interaction, the compatibility of each other is considered to change.
Through the function of those MHCs, it is considered that life has a tendency
to seek a life that has a different MHC with one's self.
In other words, our life has a nature of unconsciously trying to seek something
that does not exist in one's self as much as possible. Concretely speaking,
a person with big set of eyes is attracted to people with narrow set of
eyes and vice versa. Or tall people finding shorter people attractive and
vice versa.
Life in its primary form is trying to expand its own potential by seeking variety. In other words, it can be said that life possesses great diversity and that it is seeking the life of the Buddha that improves things. There may be people who are poor in holding dialogue with others. But that is merely the resistance of the life of the devil ? opposing the Buddha ? being dominant. And the reality is that the life of the Buddha is joyful in holding dialogue. We are Bodhisattvas of the Earth possessing a noble mission for kosen-rufu wherein the life of the Buddha is inherent within each of us.
According to Sensei, there is no Bodhisattva that escapes from holding dialogue and there is no Buddha that begrudges his voice. There is no such thing as a Buddhist practice without meeting people, holding Buddhist dialogue with them and doing shakubuku.
Holding Buddhist dialogue is the work and function of the Buddha wherein discussion with other people is made by believing in their inherent Buddha nature.
We who believe in the Gohonzon and chant daimoku, have the "Thus come
one's secret and his transcendental powers" hidden in our lives. Such
transcendental powers enable us to save miserable people and lead them
to happiness.
This March, with enriched life force, let us advance Philippine kosen-rufu
by striving to hold Buddhist dialogue and in doing shakubuku joyfully and
cheerfully together with our General Director Niitsu and Women's Division
Chief, Mrs. Shibata.
Thank you very much again for today!
Photo on the top: Flowers in Nagano (Photo by Daisaku Ikeda)
Copyright (c) 2006-2007, Soka Gakkai International of the Philippines,
All rights reserved.
