Message from SSA General Director for all SSA Leaders Let's Persevere with our Courageous 1-2-3 Actions!
Dear cherished SSA Leaders,
My sincere greetings to everyone! I hope you and your family are all keeping safe and in good health.
The World Health Organisation has declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic and the daily situation remains dyanamic. To ensure everyone's well-being and to fulfil our social responsibility of keeping everyone safe, we have further reviewed April's activities.
Though we are still unable to resume our regular activities in April, we will be introducing new online activities for everyone. Please be assured that these are interim measures and are not meant to replace our usual activities.
For the traditional Qing Ming Festival in April, we will also be exercising extra caution and will not be holding our Memorial Prayer Service. Our Columbarium will be closed from March 25 to April 30 (including Sat, Sun & Public Holidays), and we will instead be holding a Nationwide Alliance Daimokukai on 4 April (Sat), from 2-3pm, to offer sincere prayers for our deceased family members and relatives.
SGI President Ikeda in his guidance explained:
"The bonds between parent and child, the ties connecting loved ones, are very profound. Of course the faith of the deceased when they were still alive is most important, but sincere daimoku chanted by their children or surviving family members can lead them to attain Buddhahood.
(NHR Vol 25, "Gentle Breeze" chapter)
Some of the activities in April include:
Nationwide Alliance Daimokukai for Deceased Loved One(s)
4 April (Sat), 2-3pm at individual home
Nationwide GD Address & Gosho Study for All Members via Online Streaming
4 April (Sat), 8pm Both English and Chinese 5 April (Sun), 2pm Both English and Chinese
Even after a person passes away, [because our lives are interconnected in both life and death,] our prayers for the deceased to attain Buddhahood will definitely reach them. That's why it's so important for family members and loved ones to chant daimoku and continue to exert themselves in their Buddhist faith and practice for those who have passed away."
District Online Discussion Meeting
3rd & 4th week of April
Leaders to furnish details to the members.
In his recent essay, Ikeda Sensei shared his thoughts in relation to COVID-19,
"The medical profession and society as a whole in Japan and around the world are making great efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). I have deepest gratitude for the countless individuals who are working tirelessly day and night on various fronts in this challenge. I am also chanting wholeheartedly with a fervent prayer for the quickest possible end to this threat and a return to normality and safety."
In these challenging times, let us pray earnestly in one heart with our mentor and together with fellow members around the world for the early resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every one of us should also exercise wisdom to ensure safety first by taking good care of ourselves, to live each day creating value and advancing cheerfully in high spirits.
Please stay well and take good care of yourselves and your families. With my sincere regards,
Tay Eng Kiat General Director !
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Notes:
1) Attached Annex 1 - Details of the April activities.
2) Attached Annex 2 - Revised April 2020 Activity Schedule.
3) Attached sample letter sent to niche licensee of An-le Memorial Hall which is
expected to reach them by Tue 24 Mar.
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Annex 1 (For Leaders Only)
Revised Organisational Activities for April 2020
(B) The following activities will take place for April 2020:
1. Nationwide Address to All Members via Online Streaming (4 & 5 April)
• First broadcast 4 April: 8.00 pm both English & Chinese
• Repeat broadcast 5 April: 2.00 pm both English & Chinese
• The unlisted YouTube link will be sent out to all by 1 April 2020.
• Let's chant 15 mins daimoku before starting the on-line meeting.
2. Arrangements for Annual Qing Ming Festival (From 25 March to 30 April)
• Special Memorial Gongyo Prayer Service will not be conducted this year; and
• The Columbarium will be closed from 25 March to 30 April, including weekends and Public
Holidays.
• Nationwide Alliance Daimokukai from 2-3 pm on 4 April at individual home.
3. CD Leaders Meeting via "Zoom" Video Conferencing (1st & 2nd week of April)
• Chapter leader to arrange for a suitable date and time with a suggested agenda (details will be advised by 4 Chiefs).
4. NDP 2020 Audition (11 & 12 April)
• Members who have registered via the BOE portal will be contacted for the scheduled Auditions. 5. District Leaders Basic Training Course (DLBTC)
• There will be no centralised trainings for DLBTC. SR leaders will conduct the session with individuals for their respective regions.
SSA's%Advisory%No.%9% ! 22%March%2020%
!
!
(A) The following activities for April 2020 will be CANCELLED:
1. Daily chanting at all centres;
2. Sunday Morning Gongyo;
3. IR Memorial Gongyo Prayer Meeting;
4. Special Memorial Gongyo Prayer Service;
5. Public Lecture;
6. SGI Training Course Sharing (Live Stream to SJSC)
7. All Individual Division activities;
8. Advisors Meeting, Hoju Group Meetings, Evergreen Group Meeting and Lily Group Meeting;
9. All Successors Groups activities;
10. Japanese Language Discussion Meeting; and
11. All Arts & Culture Groups activities and practices.
6. Gohonzon Conferment (April)
• 2 assigned leaders will enshrine the Gohonzon and offer encouragement at the recipient's home;
• The Gohonzon recipient and family members must agree to the arrangement prior to the visit;
• SSA Headquarters will make the necessary arrangements
7. District Online Discussion Meeting (3rd & 4th week of April)
• Duration: 40 mins
• Suggested Agenda (details will be advised by 4 Chiefs)
• Districts to use the February 2020 Creative Life's Gosho as the material for the meeting.
Please also note that the Hall of Great Vow will be closed till 6 May to safeguard everyone's well- being.
Please refer to the Annex 2 revised April 2020 Activity Schedule. Thank you for your support.
!
!
!
!
ISSUED BY SSA HEADQUARTERS
Sent from my iPhone
"Become Pioneers of a Better Age"
Photo by Deberarr/Getty Images
SGI President sent the following encouragement as part the essay, "Winter Always Turns to Spring," published in the March 11, 2020, Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai's daily newspaper.
The medical profession and society as a whole in Japan and around the world are making great efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). I have deepest gratitude for the countless individuals who are working tirelessly day and night on various fronts in this challenge. I am also chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo wholeheartedly with a fervent prayer for the quickest possible end to this threat and a return to normality and safety.
The eminent British historian Arnold J. Toynbee (1889–1975) said that those living in an age of crisis must become pioneers of a better age, striving to find positive solutions and thereby turning the age into one of achievement.
I am confident that our valiant young Bodhisattvas of the Earth will join hands with friends the world over and work together with strength, wisdom, and optimism to create a better age.
Let us once again engrave in our hearts the famous passage from "The Opening of the Eyes," which I have shared so many times with our members in Tohoku, Hokkaido and all around the globe: "Although I and my disciples may encounter various difficulties, if we do not harbor doubts in our hearts, we will as a matter of course attain Buddhahood" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 283).
Facing "various difficulties" time and again, the mentors and disciples of Soka have never forgotten these words at crucial moments and have steadfastly pressed on. That is why we have been able, quite naturally, to manifest our Buddhahood.
As we continue to triumphantly overcome each difficulty arising in our path, let us extend throughout the world an ever-growing movement to unlock the life state of Buddhahood, the highest life state of all humankind!