DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

This month we celebrate May 3rd, Soka Gakkai Day. It was on this day that both Mr. Toda and Mr. Ikeda were inaugurated as the second and third presidents respectively of the Soka Gakkai. In light of the occasion, we look at the Mentor-Disciple relationship in this issue of Harmony.

As you will read in our Special Features, the Mentor-Disciple relationship is of great significance in Nichiren Buddhism. All of us today are able to change our lives through faith in this Buddhism because of the Mentor-Disciple relationship. It is something that dates back to the beginnings of Buddhism. As was so eloquently explained in The Human Revolution(p.1965): “It takes a human being to raise and foster another human being. The mentor and disciple relationship had been a core element of Buddhism from its earliest days. Buddhist practice has its origins in those who decided on their own accord to embrace the Buddha, Shakyamuni, as their mentor, following him and listening to him preach the Law. The mentor-disciple relationship of Buddhism is different from any societal system or contract. It is always based on the free and spontaneous will of the individual, and expression of that person’s seeking spirit. It has nothing to do with personal gain or self-interest. It is a spiritual bond of the purest kind, arising from a desire to pursue a life dedicated to the highest truth. Because of this, the bond of mentor and disciple is as strong and imperishable as a diamond.”

The Mentor-Disciple relationship in Buddhism is not one that is top-down, or even bottom-up. The mentor does not look down at the disciple, thinking they are superior and above everyone else. At the same time, the disciple does not put the mentor on a pedestal as someone who is blindly worshiped or idolized. It is an egalitarian relation, where both the mentor and the disciple are deeply committed to advance together in faith.

The disciple holds deep respect for whom the mentor is, for the merit of what has been achieved and what the mentor still wants to accomplish. The disciple embraces the mentor’s vow as his or her own, walking side-by-side, as the work together to achieve this shared commitment; the happiness of all people.

As you will read from President Ikeda’s quote in our Viewpoint; “The relationship between mentor and disciple can be likened to that between needle and thread. The mentor is the needle and the disciple is the thread. When sewing, the needle leads the was through the cloth, but in the end it is unnecessary and it is the thread that remains and holds everything together.”

We hope you enjoy this issue of Harmony.

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 protégé enables us to stay true to our chosen path until the very end.”–www.ikedaquotes.org