Sunday, August 3, 2008
Sharing SGI Atlanta Kofu MeetingKofu round the Clock & Globe - Atlanta Version
Here is some sharing on the learning points from Ikeda Sensei's speech at the
19th HQ Leaders Meeting screened at SGI Atlanta Centre on 3 Aug 2008.
My Learning Pointers
1) It Is the Heart That Is Important
This we heard about umpteen times.........
In his speech, Ikeda Sensei encourages those who parents are ill..........
"Everyone encounters illness at some time in their life. The important thing is
to use that experience to expand our life-state based on deep faith in the Mystic
Law."
"This is what enables us to attain a profound sense of happiness and savor the joy
of health on the eternal level of life—something that those who haven’t battled with
illness can never know. That’s what our Buddhist practice is for. Through faith, we
can ultimately move our lives in the most positive direction, no matter what the
situation."
2) The Power of Song
Ikeda Sensei cited Guo Moruo(1892 - 1978), a Chinese writer & colleague of Premier Zhou (1898 - 1976), “Nothing moves the human heart like song. Song instantly unites people’s hearts and minds, and spurs them to action. Songs inspire and energize us.
3) The Enchantment of Fireflies
When Sensei talked about the Fireflies, he praised yet another person who are determined
to realised Sensei vision in 1978 against all odds, the late Shigeyuki Matsuda, a teacher at the Kansai Soka school!
"The earnest struggles of disciples striving to respond to their mentor can achieve the impossible. And the following year, on May 21, 1979, the first three fireflies they had raised flew up into the skies." And in 1986, June 20, Sensei had this unforgettable experience to watch the wonderful scene of glimmering fireflies that led him to transport him back to the earlier Japan era where the viewing of fireflies was a favorite past time of the noble court!
Yes it real magnificent as you watch this glimmering fireflies! I myself saw this similar scene in China, one of the hill top of YangZuo when I was on a job assignment there!
4) Faith Is the Sole Criterion in the Realm of Faith
Ikeda Sensei said, "A person’s level of learning has nothing to do with their faith, and we must never discriminate against anyone on that basis."
The realm of faith transcend that of intellect, it solely through faith that one enter the encompassing wisdom of the Buddha! This is something those of intellectual inclination, (people like me) who have to work doubly hard to shake away this stoppage to advance
further into the realm of faith!
5) Youth! “Stand Up as My Direct Disciples!”
Sensei shared, "I vowed to myself: “I’ll do everything I possibly can to help Mr. Toda recover his health. I’m determined that he shall take the lead of the Gakkai as its president.” I then set out to make that happen, writing a history of brilliant victory. This is the path of mentor and disciple in the Soka Gakkai. I hope you will follow on along this path. I’d like our young people to understand the true spirit of mentor and disciple.
The era belongs to the youth division. It is time for our youth to come to the fore as leaders and shoulder full responsibility for the Gakkai. I am taking all the necessary steps to ensure that that occurs."
Yes, Youth! Let's rise to realise Ikeda Sensei's vision! The mentor's vision, the disciple's mission to realise it! Let's stand up & walk the same noble journey of eternal happiness &
world peace together with our dearest mentor! The path of the oneness of mentor & disciple!
Kampatte!
Spring @ Kennasaw, Georgia, on Sunday, 7pm, 3 August 2008