First and foremost, I would like to wholeheartedly thank all of you for attending the April World Peace Commemorative Gongyo Meeting in spite of having to come very early in the morning and coming from far-away places, thank you so much again!
Now, I would like to share wonderful news: our General Director Niitsu,
who for a period of time, went to Japan to recuperate will be coming back
today to Manila at 22:05 on board JAL flight JL-745. Together with him,
let us maintain good health and cheerfully advance for the sake of Philippine
kosen-rufu.
Meanwhile, our admirable members of SGI Philippines' Women's Division will
be holding their "Women's Division Victorious Friendship General Meeting"
nationwide in about 1,100 places for almost about 2 months in April and
May. It will grandly be held aiming to gather about 26,000 members including
their friends.
I will be praying for the safety and great success of the Women's Division
general meeting. So, I'm calling upon the members of the Women's Division
to ensure the safety and great success of the meeting, ok?
Besides, I would like to call upon the members of the Men's Division as
well as the Young Men's and Young Women's Division members from the Youth
Division to give your all-out assistance and support to ensure the success
of the said meeting, ok?
Together with all of you, I have just prayed for world peace.
Concerning "peace", Sensei gave the following guidance: "There is no other way of realizing the peace of humanity other than basing everything on Buddhist philosophy." However much one stresses that "all people's life is respect-worthy", it must be grounded on a philosophy that can fully be understood
by all people.
Nichiren Daishonin has concretely expressed this in the form of the Gohonzon. In other words, Gohonzon = fundamental law of the universe = life of the true Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin = Buddha’s life that is manifested in our lives, who believe in the Gohonzon.
Sensei mentioned that, "In the realm of Buddhism, it is revealed that by believing in the
Gohonzon and through the practice of chanting daimoku, all people are Buddhas;
moreover, it is also explained that people are the entities of compassion.
This is the ultimate principle of the dignity of life."
Furthermore, Sensei stated that, "Once such an idea is established among the leaders of the world
as well as in the hearts of all humanity, there is no way for wars to break
out. Besides, there will be no reason for man not to be free from poverty,
starvation, sickness and the oppression of human rights." I completely agree with Sensei on this.
The SGI which aims for world peace – with Sensei in the center of its endeavor – is a movement to realize a society where man can live as human beings and where man can live a happy life.
In its concrete form, it is the daily activities towards the realization of kosen-rufu being conducted as a movement on a global scale.
In other words, all our activities such as our action and effort in the chanting of daimoku earnestly, holding of shakubuku meetings, discussion meetings, Gosho studies, conducting Buddhist dialogue with our friends, etc. in the district, group or individual level are all directly connected in actuality to kosen-rufu and to the realization of the peace of the world.
Let us all have great conviction on this point and unite together under
the leadership of our General Director Niitsu and Women's Division Chief
Shibata and aim to realize the great advancement and great victory of Philippine
kosen-rufu joyfully, cheerfully and in high spirits.
Photo on the top: Flowers in Nagano (Photo by Daisaku Ikeda)
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