HARMONY-November 2013

Mon, 11th Nov 2013  
Category: Harmony, News (All), Publication

harmony Nov 2013

Dear members and friends of SGI,

Each year, on November 18th, we celebrate Soka Gakkai Founding Day. We recognize the unwavering commitment and accomplishments of our three founding presidents and the debt of gratitude we owe them.

I wonder if sometimes we don’t take for granted the struggles of these three courageous men, who stood up against all odds for the happiness of you and me.

If it were not for their unselfish dedication to bring hope and happiness to others by building an organization that allows for the sharing of this Buddhism, we would most likely not be practicing Nichiren Buddhism today.

Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism would have stayed within the confines of a small number of priests in Japan and would not be practiced today by millions of people around the world, enabling us to experience first hand the magnificent benefits of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. As a result of embracing this philosophy, we can transform our lives and our friends’ lives. When we change, the world will change. This is the formula for our human revolution.

This year, November 18th will be truly historic, as it marks the completion and opening of the new central Soka Gakkai Headquarters Building in Tokyo. Our cover image is an architectural rendering of this impressive structure.

As President Ikeda states: “The Soka Gakkai Headquarters is a ’fighting citadel’ from which we direct our efforts for kosen-rufu, while fending off the three powerful enemies and other negative forces. That’s why Mr. Toda insisted that the Headquarters building be functional, sturdy, and simple.”

As you will read in our special features, the foundation for our kosen-rufu movement has been laid. We are now building towards a new future, as evidenced by the realization of President Ikeda’s vow to his mentor, President Toda, to construct a magnificent new castle for kosen-rufu; thus, signifying the SGI’s advance as a world religion.

“Soka Gakkai buildings are golden citadels of mentor and disciple, symbols of our unshakable unity.”

With a renewed spirit, let us courageously, joyfully and wisely advance in all endeavors, as we share the life transforming philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin with those around us.

Skip Williams

Quotes of the Month:

The way to peace is to expand the ranks of capable people who possess a stand-alone spirit. When you encourage one person, you create hope. When you connect with one person, you spread peace.”

—Daisaku Ikeda, World tribune, 18 October 2013, p.7