President Ikeda's Editorial
People Who Embrace and Transmit the Teachings Are the Hope of the Universe
In a crucial passage from "On the Buddha's Prophecy", in which he boldly proclaimed his vision of worldwide kosen-rufu, Nichiren Daishonin stresses the importance of people who embrace and transmit the teachings (see WND-1, p. 401).
My mentor, Josei Toda, sternly instructed me: "Without people to embrace and transmit the teachings, the lifeblood of Buddhism will perish.
Continuing to foster such people is vital for kosen-rufu and the eternal transmission of the Law. Never forget this!"
Our Future Division members are just such successors. By embracing and transmitting the teachings, they will contribute to making the Buddha's prophecy a reality.
In a letter to the 18-year-old' Nanio
Tokimitsu, the Daishonin writes:
Referring to the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha himself declares there,
"The World-Honored One [has long expounded his doctrines and] now must reveal the truth" [LSOC2,
p. 59], and furthermore, it was expounded at the assembly where Many Treasures Buddha and the Buddhas of the ten directions had gathered as if the sun, the moon, and countless stars were ranged side by side. (WND-1, p. 654)
The Mystic Law, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, is the ultimate truth that we will never regret having faith in. It enables us to fuse our lives with the world of Buddhahood of the universe, a wellspring of supreme good. We can make allies of everyone and everything in our environment - even the sun, moon, and stars - to create many wonderful, inspiring assemblies of happiness and peace in the real world.
The Daishonin offered a magnificent path for young people to follow. Nanjo Tokimitsu is a model of someone who embraces and transmits the teachings and a forerunner of our Future Division members. His example shows how, by practising Nichiren Buddhism, we can overcome life's sufferings - including the death of loved ones, economic hardship, and illness - and repay our debt of gratitude to our parents in the best possible way while bringing harmony and happiness to our families.
The Daishonin also assures us that even if we may encounter hardships and obstacles because of our faith in the correct teaching, we can absolutely develop the undefeated life state of spiritual champions who
declare, "Though we may suffer for a while, ultimately delight awaits us."
(WND-2, p. 882)
Future
Division
members
and graduates are proud Soka
"torchbearers of justice" who embrace and transmit the Daishonin's
Buddhism of the Sun. By forging networks dedicated to promoting peace, culture, and education, they are brightly illuminating the global family of humankind.
In another letter to Tokimitsu, the Daishonin writes: "In the course of all the many lifetimes and existences you have lived through, you have come to owe a debt of gratitude to all living beings. And since this is so, you should help all of them to attain Buddhahood." (WND-2, p. 637) These words perfectly describe our Soka family, a miraculous realm of trust and encouragement whose members share the most profound life-to-life ties enduring throughout past, present, and future.
From the Soka Gakkai's nurturing earth of compassion, under the smiling
gaze of the Daishonin, let us warmly foster one treasure of the universe after another who embraces and transmits the teachings!
At the upcoming
"Discussion
Meetings for the Future" [that will be held throughout Japan this summer], let us join together and shine with the great light of hope and growth!
We are all family linked by a vow from time without beginning to bring happy harmony to the world and give courage to future generations.
(This monthly editorial was originally published in the July 2023 issue of Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai monthly study journal)
Footnotes:
- According to the traditional Japanese way of counting.
- Discussion meetings in Japan scheduled to be held in July or August, depending on the area, under the banner "Discussion Meetings for the Future", will shine a spotlight on Future Division members and the future development of kosen-rufu.
66位持我法的人"（和书文自非3李
1,13页），这句含意深远的金
言是出自本佛发出一阎浮提广宣流布此
狮子吼的《显佛未来记》
师匠户田城圣先生曾严肃地对我说：
"如果没有出现'传持佛法的人'，佛法的命脉就会断绝。所以不断培育传持佛法的人，那就是广宣流布、令法久住的根千。绝不能忘记这一点。"
而实现本佛未来记所言，"传持佛法的人"正是末来部。
日莲大圣人曾对虚岁18岁的南条
时光说：
"何况是在讲说《法华经》时，佛自己断言：'一定会说出真实教义'（方便品），这是在多宝佛、十方世界聚集而来的所有佛陀面前，像日、月及众星一样辉耀之会座上所说的话。"（御
书文白并列本 1,292页）
妙法才是值得信仰而绝不后悔的最真实法理。也是一股和全宇宙至善的佛界一致，甚至与太阳、月亮、星星为友，要将幸福与和平宝座扩散到现实社会的力量。
本佛为我们明示出如此壮阔的青春轨道。而正如佛法传持人的榜样，也是末来部先贤的南条时光所证明，这信心能够
让人克服与家人的死别，以及生活苦和
病苦等艰难，而且竭尽最大的孝道，实现一家和乐。
就因为是拥有正义的信念，遇到任何困难也不会屈服，"虽然暂时受苦，但最后却有快乐在等待着我们。"(御书文白
并列本V1，16页)如圣训所言，必能敞开
这种生命王者的境界。
现在正要进入由传承受持"大阳佛法"的创价正义接棒人，构筑和平、文化、教育网络，普照地球民族的时代。
"都是在生生世世对自己有过恩的众生，必须祈求他们都能成佛。"（御书文白
并列本V，199页）—一正妇这句对时光
所说的圣训，以三世永远的深邃生命纽带结成的、讲求互信互勉的奇迹世界，就是我们创价家族。
让我们从这片本佛也在微笑地凝视着的慈悲大地，透过温馨的鼓励，一一培育
宇宙之宝、"传持佛法的人"！
希望透过新企划的"末来座谈会"，共同绽放出希望与成长的大光芒！
我们告昃曾千
久远立誓的家族
要地和矢谝布世界
芳给夫来勇气。
(此每月的卷首语的原文刊千日本创价学会教学月刊《大白莲华)2023年7月号。）
