HARMONY - October 2013

Thu, 3rd Oct 2013  
Category: Harmony, News (All), Publication

harmony October 2013
Dear members and friends of SGI,

This month we look at what it means to make a vow.

When we hear the word vow, we often think of it as something religious, marital or even political. Simply put, a vow is a pledge, an oath, a promise or a commitment to do something. A vow is made first in thought but then it must be followed up by action, otherwise it is not a vow, it is just wishful thinking.

We can make vows many times a day and they can come in various degrees of intensity and altruism. A vow to get up on time, to be a nicer person at work, to lose weight, or to help a suffering friend become happy.

We may not consciously say to ourselves “I VOW to…” We may word it as “I determine to …” or “I’m going to …”. We reserve the word “vow” for important commitments. But when we set about on a course of action, and work hard not to deviate from it, that is what we are doing, making a vow. If we are not careful to continuously re-determine ourselves, our vows can start to lose their intensity and slip away, becoming empty, meaningless words.

In Buddhism, making a vow for kosen-rufu is the greatest commitment, and I completely changes the way our practice and life unfolds. When we make a vow to help other people become happy, we realize our own potential. We may feel like a house cat, but through making a vow for something as noble as kosen-rufu, we unleash the lion with. We overcome our lesser-self and reveal our greater-self; we become a lion king.

When we look at the lives of the three founding presidents of the Soka Gakkai, we can see first hand the power and transformative impact of what making a vow for kosen-rufu means; not only for the individual, but for society as a whole.

We are able to practice this Buddhism because of their vow to share this Buddhism and help people overcome their sufferings and become truly happy. They fully embraced the spirit of the oneness of mentor and disciple.

Never underestimate the power of a vow by one individual. All it takes is one person to stand side by side with their mentor and work for the happiness and benefit of others; to challenge their own personal situation, win in their life and show others how it is done through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

As we read this month’s issue of Harmony, let’s think about our own vow that what we can do to actualize it.

Skip Williams

Quotes of the Month

“One who refuses to seek the advice of others will eventually be led to a path of ruin. A mentor helps you to perceive your own weaknesses and confront them with courage. The bond between mentor and protege enables us to stay true to our chosen path until the very end.” (Daisaku Ikeda, www.ikedaquotes.org)