Sensei's great poem on 3.16
Dear Friends,
I hope this finds you well.
This weekend, around the world, SGI members and especially the youth division are celebrating Kosen-rufu Day (16 th March) the anniversary of the date in 1958 when President Toda passed on the baton for kosen-rufu to the next generation, led by the young Daisaku Ikeda. This is the perfect opportunity to unite in our prayer for kosen-rufu with our fellow members around the world.
I am attaching recent guidance we have received: Newsletter 10437 which is President Ikeda's very recent essay 'Winter Always Turns to Spring'. It is not only an inspiring view of the experiences learned from the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 2011, but also has a passage (extracted below) about the current Coronavirus situation.
Also, in today's Seikyo Shimbun there is another encouragement from Sensei titled 'From Prayer, Hope will be Born' with a photograph that he took on 3 rd March. Attached are therefore the tentative translation of the encouragement, together with the front page (in Japanese) of the newspaper with the photograph. The encouragement ends:
'When determination and prayer,
And efforts and imagination come together,
There will be victory in life.'
Let's unite in our prayer in these days around Kosen-rufu Day, and determine more than ever that the Kosen-rufu Movement will continue to grow and develop far on throughout the Latter Day of the Law. Please share this encouragement with the members in your district.
Warm wishes,
Robert
Extract from SGI Newsletter 10437:
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.
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 harbour doubts in our hearts, we will as a matter of course attain Buddhahood" (WND-1, 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!
Robert Harrap
General Director
SGI-UK
Taplow Court, Taplow
Maidenhead SL6 0ER
Telephone: (01628) 773163
Website: www.sgi-uk.org
'Trust through friendship. Peace through trust.'
Sensei's poem
Tentative Translation
From Prayer, Hope will be born – Ikeda Sensei's poem "Encouragement of the Four Seasons" 15th March 2020
Prayer is
The most sublime evidence
That one is a human being.
Even those who say that they do not believe in a religion
To strongly desire for wanting
"To escape from a dilemma"
"To live their life in the best way"
"To protect one's family" and so on Is the heart and natural and way of thinking
As a human being.
Compassion,
As well as friendship
Begin with prayer.
Prayer indeed,
Is the power
That connects Human beings with each other.
Our prayer
Is the "Prayer of Human Revolution".
It is not about waiting
For people and one's environment to change.
With a strong and persistent ICHINEN
We ourselves will change
And this will have a ripple effect.
Our prayer is
The "Prayer for the shared happiness for oneself and others"
It is the driving force
That this friend and that friend
Can together access the Buddha's life-state
And grasp absolute happiness.
Sent from my iPhone
