Good afternoon all leaders and members,
I am Cheng Liang, and I am here to share my testimony after practising for 35 years (since 1983),
the great philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism,
and under the guidance of Ikeda Sensei
and the nurturing environment of SGI and SSA
the great philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism,
and under the guidance of Ikeda Sensei
and the nurturing environment of SGI and SSA
What kind of philosophy is ours?
Yes, it’s a philosophy that teaches that everyone has a buddha nature.
We have the buddha nature, and others as well.
This is kind of teaching is of utmost importance,
for it holds the key to the answers to the problems that modern society face!
Throughout my 35 years of practice,
I have seen many benefits, both conspicuous and inconspicuous.
Let me just share one recent victory at my workplace (in 2016).
I was nominated within the school the Caring Award for 2016.
Just to share a little background how I ended up being a teacher, and liking it.
After 12 years of electrical engineering background,
3 years in SP, 6 years in RSAF, 3 years in NTU doing electrical engineering,
I made a switch into teaching upon graduation from EEE,NTU in 1998.
Back then, job market was not so good.
As I flipped the papers, I see the advert, "Mould the future of the Nation"
... be a teacher.
I chanted to the Gohonzon about it, whether this job will suit me.
I also consulted my 2nd brother, who was then already in the profession for 3 years.
Furthermore, knowing that SGI first started as Soka Kyoiku Gakkai, and the emphasis on importance of education in a person's life --- The 3 main areas of SGI movement are none other than Peace, Culture and Education.
With all the factors influencing me to move into education, I plucked up the courage to give it a try by going for the all important interview.
The interviewing panel, made up of 6 principals, were very gruelling.
They really tried to shake my resolve of wanting to be a teacher.
One of them asked, "You had 12 years of electrical engineering background, are you seriously going to throw all of them away and join teaching?"
I reacted indignantly about this question as I felt I had what it takes to guide my students!
Still the question affected me quite badly and I thought, perhaps i wouldn't be accepted as a teacher. Nevertheless, I went home and chanted to the gohonzon about the best possible outcome.
Yes, as you all would have known, after a week or so, I accepted a letter of acceptance to be a teacher at a Primary school! After passing out from NIE, I started teaching in year 2000.
It had been 18 to 19 years since! -- first 3 years was in a school in Yishun, and the other 16 years in a school in Tampines.
Has it been a bed of roses? ... far from it.
Surely, as in any job, there will surely be ups and downs in the job.
Ups will be when you get a raise, or are appreciated by your colleagues, pupils and parents. --- but these are the small perks that brighten your day.
The downs are more...
- Our job doesn't just entail teaching.
- there are many deadlines to meet... whether lesson planning, CCA,
mandatory afternoon staff meetings / courses to attend, adhoc department assignments by middle management.
- all these are eating up time needed for marking.
- so it is not surprising that teachers will have to lug worksheets back to mark.
- while many professions are of the 8 to 5, ours goes into the evening,
- I sometimes (frequently) mark late into the night.
- and also there is workplace politics, colleagues trying to make you look bad so that they can look good. (not uncommon right?)
It is precisely in such environment that the practitioners of the lotus sutra must stand out!
The muddier the pond, the more brilliantly the lotus flower must bloom!
Indeed, over the years, there were more than 2 times (2005 & 2010) that I had contemplated quitting the profession altogether.
But I had held back, each time because of the bigger goal of the potential of fundamentally touching lives.
One of the encouragement that keeps echoing in my mind was from Mr Chan, our study department chief. He said, "For want of touching lives, you had signed up for teaching. Now that you are given the opportunity, what do you do with it?"
This guidance, coupled with chanting, never fails to hold me back from making a rash decision when the going gets tough.
Also a gosho passage that I liked very much:
"As I have often mentioned before, it is said that, where there is unseen virtue, there will be visible reward. Your fellow samurai all slandered you to your lord, and he also has wondered if it was true, but because you have for some years now honestly maintained a strong desire for your lord’s welfare in his next life, you received a blessing like this. This is just the beginning; be confident that the great reward also is sure to come."
https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/117
All along, I had made it clear to the management that I am not eyeing for any leadership role or other perks.
All I want is to be able to teach what I enjoy teaching and offer sincere help to those who need help.
In 2016, one of my middle management noticed my contribution in not just one area, but many others.
He made it a point to nominate me for this Caring Teacher Award, citing my contribution to my pupils, colleagues and school.
Voting was then carried out by the entire 120-strong staff and I was given the award.
In my acceptance write-up, I cited the guidance by sensei that says,
"Joy is not simply your personal, egoistic happiness. Nor is it making others happy at the expense of your own happiness. You and others delighting together, you and others becoming happy together..."
I really would like to take this opportunity to thank Sensei for his abundant encouragements that we receive every now and then.
Let us not take them for granted, but put them into action!
I'd like to conclude my sharing with one last sensei's guidance
Yes, it’s a philosophy that teaches that everyone has a buddha nature.
We have the buddha nature, and others as well.
This is kind of teaching is of utmost importance,
for it holds the key to the answers to the problems that modern society face!
Throughout my 35 years of practice,
I have seen many benefits, both conspicuous and inconspicuous.
Let me just share one recent victory at my workplace (in 2016).
I was nominated within the school the Caring Award for 2016.
Just to share a little background how I ended up being a teacher, and liking it.
After 12 years of electrical engineering background,
3 years in SP, 6 years in RSAF, 3 years in NTU doing electrical engineering,
I made a switch into teaching upon graduation from EEE,NTU in 1998.
Back then, job market was not so good.
As I flipped the papers, I see the advert, "Mould the future of the Nation"
... be a teacher.
I chanted to the Gohonzon about it, whether this job will suit me.
I also consulted my 2nd brother, who was then already in the profession for 3 years.
Furthermore, knowing that SGI first started as Soka Kyoiku Gakkai, and the emphasis on importance of education in a person's life --- The 3 main areas of SGI movement are none other than Peace, Culture and Education.
With all the factors influencing me to move into education, I plucked up the courage to give it a try by going for the all important interview.
The interviewing panel, made up of 6 principals, were very gruelling.
They really tried to shake my resolve of wanting to be a teacher.
One of them asked, "You had 12 years of electrical engineering background, are you seriously going to throw all of them away and join teaching?"
I reacted indignantly about this question as I felt I had what it takes to guide my students!
Still the question affected me quite badly and I thought, perhaps i wouldn't be accepted as a teacher. Nevertheless, I went home and chanted to the gohonzon about the best possible outcome.
Yes, as you all would have known, after a week or so, I accepted a letter of acceptance to be a teacher at a Primary school! After passing out from NIE, I started teaching in year 2000.
It had been 18 to 19 years since! -- first 3 years was in a school in Yishun, and the other 16 years in a school in Tampines.
Has it been a bed of roses? ... far from it.
Surely, as in any job, there will surely be ups and downs in the job.
Ups will be when you get a raise, or are appreciated by your colleagues, pupils and parents. --- but these are the small perks that brighten your day.
The downs are more...
- Our job doesn't just entail teaching.
- there are many deadlines to meet... whether lesson planning, CCA,
mandatory afternoon staff meetings / courses to attend, adhoc department assignments by middle management.
- all these are eating up time needed for marking.
- so it is not surprising that teachers will have to lug worksheets back to mark.
- while many professions are of the 8 to 5, ours goes into the evening,
- I sometimes (frequently) mark late into the night.
- and also there is workplace politics, colleagues trying to make you look bad so that they can look good. (not uncommon right?)
It is precisely in such environment that the practitioners of the lotus sutra must stand out!
The muddier the pond, the more brilliantly the lotus flower must bloom!
Indeed, over the years, there were more than 2 times (2005 & 2010) that I had contemplated quitting the profession altogether.
But I had held back, each time because of the bigger goal of the potential of fundamentally touching lives.
One of the encouragement that keeps echoing in my mind was from Mr Chan, our study department chief. He said, "For want of touching lives, you had signed up for teaching. Now that you are given the opportunity, what do you do with it?"
This guidance, coupled with chanting, never fails to hold me back from making a rash decision when the going gets tough.
Also a gosho passage that I liked very much:
"As I have often mentioned before, it is said that, where there is unseen virtue, there will be visible reward. Your fellow samurai all slandered you to your lord, and he also has wondered if it was true, but because you have for some years now honestly maintained a strong desire for your lord’s welfare in his next life, you received a blessing like this. This is just the beginning; be confident that the great reward also is sure to come."
https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/117
All along, I had made it clear to the management that I am not eyeing for any leadership role or other perks.
All I want is to be able to teach what I enjoy teaching and offer sincere help to those who need help.
In 2016, one of my middle management noticed my contribution in not just one area, but many others.
He made it a point to nominate me for this Caring Teacher Award, citing my contribution to my pupils, colleagues and school.
Voting was then carried out by the entire 120-strong staff and I was given the award.
In my acceptance write-up, I cited the guidance by sensei that says,
"Joy is not simply your personal, egoistic happiness. Nor is it making others happy at the expense of your own happiness. You and others delighting together, you and others becoming happy together..."
I really would like to take this opportunity to thank Sensei for his abundant encouragements that we receive every now and then.
Let us not take them for granted, but put them into action!
I'd like to conclude my sharing with one last sensei's guidance
Daily Encouragement
January 21
Humanity today lacks hope and vision for the future. It is for precisely this reason that the Bodhisattvas of the Earth have appeared. Without your presence, the future of humanity would be bleak and spiritual decline its destination. That is why you have been born in this age and are now playing an active role in society. This is the meaning of jiyu, or "emerging from the earth." Consequently, each of you will definitely become happy. Please be confident that you will lead lives overflowing with good fortune throughout the three existences of past, present and future.
Daisaku Ikeda, SGI President
____
As sensei aptly pointed out, we all are protagonists of this age of mappo (latter day of the law),
where it seems everywhere is "gloom and doom"
We, the comrades of bodhisattvas of the earth are born at this time,
not from coincidence,
but from our vow to reach out to others,
to lead them to the path of absolute happiness.
Let each one of us score great victories in our own arena in our lives,
through the practice of oneself and others,
under the guidance of Ikeda sensei.
Let our individual achievements collectively contribute
to this Year of Brilliant Achievement in the New Era of Worldwide Kosenrufu!
