Mr. Gamboa played the piano
representing the
new set of members.
Good morning everyone!
We have just welcomed our new set of members into the SGI family. Nothing
gives me more delight and honor than to warmly welcome you all to SGI.
A warm welcome again to all of you! And as an expression of joy in becoming
an SGI member and as a representative of the new set of members, Mr. Roberto
Gamboa would like to play us a piano piece entitled “Some Good Things Never
Last”.
Thank you very much for a wonderful rendition!
I would like to express my wholehearted thanks to all of you for participating in the August World Peace Gongyo Meeting coming early in the morning and traveling from long distances to attend, thank you very much!
I heard that there were also members today who rode the bus very early in the morning and traveled for 5 hours just to attend. Thank you very much for your tremendous efforts!
Earlier, I have prayed together with all of you for the realization of world peace and the happiness of all mankind.
In particular, I have earnestly prayed for the greater health, happiness, harmony of the whole family as well as the prosperity of all the participants in today’s meeting.
Now, August is a truly important month in the history of the Soka Gakkai’s
kosen-rufu movement.
As you all very well know, on August 24, 1947 ? 59 years ago Sensei took faith and joined the Soka Gakkai. From that day on to the present, Sensei has single-mindedly continued to struggle for the sake of kosen-rufu and for the sake of the happiness of us, the members. Owing to that, we have achieved and are enjoying a happy life at the present. It is in this light, that I would like to thank Sensei from the bottom of my heart. And in order to repay my debt of gratitude, I would like to pledge my determination towards realizing Philippine kosen-rufu and exert my utmost in that endeavor.
Changing the topic a little bit, I would like to discuss about life condition this morning.
Sensei gave the following guidance:
“If your life-condition changes for the better, so will the way you view and respond to things. You’ll find yourself surmounting every adversity and hardship with composure and thoroughly enjoying the drama of life.”
In other words, Sensei has taught us how we can overcome and win over the various hardships in our daily life. That is to say, we should not rely on others; that there is no way of achieving this other than revolutionizing one’s own life condition.
Now, how can one change one’s own life condition? To this, Sensei gave the following guidance:
“Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo earnestly, with strong determination, provides the impetus to fundamentally transform our state of life. By breaking through our limits and obstacles with chanting and courageous action, we gain access to a higher state of life.”
Why then can chanting daimoku enable one to break through our own wall? This is the most crucial point and Sensei gave the following guidance concerning this:
“If we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the sun of Buddhahood residing in our hearts will rise. The thick clouds of (fundamental) darkness/ illusion shrouding the sun (that is the life of Buddhahood) will be dispelled. Once the sun of Buddhahood in one’s heart rises, the darkness of illusion will go away. Although unworthy, the sunny life of Buddhahood similar to Nichiren Daishonin will rise in our life.”
As people who chant daimoku, do shakubuku and strive for kosen-rufu activities, let us have courage and cheerfully advance together with General Director Niitsu and Women’s Division Chief, Mrs. Shibata in dispelling the darkness in people’s heart throughout the Philippines and in a wider context, to the entire human race in our activities of kosen-rufu while loudly extolling the “sun of hope”.
