HARMONY - June 2013

Thu, 13th Jun 2013  
Category: Harmony, News (All), Publication

Harmony June 2013
Dear members and friends of SGI,

Thank you for reading this month’s harmony magazine. We have come a long way since our first issue on May 3, 1986, which started as a six-page photocopied newsletter. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who over the years have helped to make Harmony what it is today.
To serve our readers better, we have expanded to 48 pages and made a few changes and additions to the regular features. We have included a basic introduction and explanation of Nichiren Buddhism and the SGI to assist you when sharing this Buddhism and the benefits of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with your family and friends.
Also, we are delighted to feature a new cartoon series titled “Great Buddhist Stories”, courtesy of SGI-USA. They are illustrated by Rob Koo, SGI member and lead storyboard artist at an award-winning animation studio.
In this issue, we look at how each one of us can contribute to world peace.
When I did an Internet search on the phrase “what is world peace?”, it generated 867,000,000 results. No wonder it is easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected.
Sometimes when we hear people talk about world peace, it just doesn’t resonate. Maybe we feel powerless to do anything about it; it is something out of our control. World peace can mean different things to different people, depending on who you are or whom you are taking to.
There are many aspects that contribute to world peace. Basic human rights, economic and political stability, environmental concerns, personal safety, the ability to navigate life’s challenges, all these are components of world peace.
The desire for peace is a common thread in most world religions, and in Hong Kong, the Interfaith Community holds an annual Day of Peace. The purpose is to share among the various religious traditions what peace means, and how each respective faith goes about contributing to that cause.
One would think that as the world gets “smaller” due to the advancements of technology, more and more people would realize the commonality of their neighbors on the other side of the planet. Hopefully, this increase in awareness will help cure some of the ills of the world. But ultimately, world peace starts with us, not someone else. It is up to us to decide how we can contribute in our own way. As is mentioned in this month’s Special Feature and our Viewpoints, world peace starts with each of us.
The Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin allows us to start the process of peace from within to radiate outwards into our families, place of work and the community to create a peaceful and harmonious society.
We hope you enjoy this issue.

Skip Williams

Quote of the Month

“No matter what the state of society or the times, each of us can contribute to peace in our immediate environment. We can do this by encouraging even one young person and enabling them to tap into their potential.” (www.ikedaquotes.org)