DAY 1 - VICTORY!

From the bottom of my heart, I express my most humble gratitude for your dedicated efforts toward development of the kosen-rufu movement in SGI-USA this past year. Thank you so much!!

With your sincere care and support, in 2007, more than 7000 Bodhisattvas of the Earth have joined our struggle, for the happiness of our planet, and for the sake of humanity, from our very own soil of America. We have made joyful progress with our youth leading the way, of course, with the men, women and pioneers doing the hard work behind the scenes, supporting and encouraging the youth. We have been able to see so many new capable people emerge from this joint effort. What a great cause for our future!

Both Sensei and Mrs. Ikeda are extremely happy about what you have created with your determination, prayer, and action this past year. Congratulations!!

Also, because of your many unseen efforts, our mentor is being honored and congratulated in American society as we celebrate an important hallmark this January 2, President Ikeda's 80th birthday.

We have received messages from US President Bush, many governors, congressional representatives including the State of Texas, which, by the way, will have an American flag flown over their capital on January 2 in honor of President Ikeda. We have also received from the mayors of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tallahassee messages including invitations for Sensei and Mrs. Ikeda to visit the US. Many other mayors, university representatives and community leaders have also sent wonderful messages congratulating President Ikeda. How truly fortunate we are to have such a mentor!!

The SGI Theme for 2008, The Year of Capable People and Development, begins with each one of us starting with our own development as the first step. With this as the basis of our expansion, let's strengthen our hearts and prayer to welcome Sensei and Mrs. Ikeda to SUA!

President Ikeda writes in his New Year's message, "It is important that we strive for kosen-rufu with the strong and determined spirit to make even greater efforts with every passing year of our Buddhist practice. When we advance with faith based on this spirit of 'true cause' - the spirit of always moving forward from this moment on - capable people will appear and grow and kosen-rufu will develop exponentially."

Sensei is sharing with us how to advance in 2008. Let's respond to our mentor's call and grow exponentially!!! Congratulations once again & Happy New Year!!

Danny Nagashima
SGI-USA General Director

Day 2 - Today's Campaign

Saturday June 17. Cloudy

What was the result of today’s campaign?
I just did my best, as I always strive to.

Any regrets about today’s campaign?
Yes, in one sense. No, in another.

Nothing to be ashamed of in today’s campaign?
I am certain mine was not a coward’s battle.

Are you prepared for tomorrow’s advance?
I am prepared. On a thousand-mile journey, we must
forge on, or we will not reach our destination.

Have you the confidence for tomorrow’s ascent?
I have the confidence. Without climbing the mountain,
we cannot gaze out from the peak.

Have you conviction for tomorrow’s efforts?
Yes, that I do. Nothing is completed without day-by-day effort.

Are you faithful to life’s purpose?
I do my utmost. I can do no more.

You have not forgotten life’s ultimate mission?
I have not forgotten. Should I forget that, what else would remain?

Excerpt from Youthful Diary, pgs. 34-35

Day 3 - Victory or Defeat

"Shin'ichi was always aware of the importance of each moment. Victory or defeat in a battle hinges upon whether one seizes the initiative at a key moment. When it comes to encouraging friends, as well, there are crucial times when one must act. Shin'ichi was always quick to respond, taking prompt and timely action. His swiftness of response could perhaps be attributed in part to a keen sensitivity that had been honed by an intense determination to fulfill his responsibilities as Soka Gakkai president. He was driven by the thought that failing to seize the moment might result in a chance being lost forever. The importance of acting quickly was also something that he had engraved deeply in his life as a youth, when he had poured all of his energies into serving his mentor, Josei Toda, while undergoing strict training as a disciple who would shoulder the future."

The New Human Revolution, Vol. 1, pgs. 90-91

Day 4 - Sensei's Challenge to the American Youth

Good morning and good afternoon to the protagonists of our history-making 100-day campaign!

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for your efforts to respond to Sensei's challenge to the youth of America! As you recall, Sensei said last month in the 3rd Youth Division Headquarters Leaders Meeting that the youth of America were leading shakubuku and in fact, had already enabled 7,000 people to receive the Gohonzon.

As Sensei's American sons and daughters, we took this as our personal mission to prove our mentor's words true.

As of this morning, 6,841 Boddhisattvas have received their Gohonzon this year across the nation. And so far, in December, many new Bodhisattvas have emerged and begun their practice:

* 221 in East Territory
* 214 in Central Territory
* 294 in West Territory

Congratulations! Were it not for all of your efforts--making calls, doing home-visits, engaging in dialogue with guests and friends, chanting with unmoving conviction each day and uniting 4-divisionally--our victory would not be possible.

In his September message to the youth of America, Sensei wrote:

"There is an ultimate truth in the statement that Dr. Arnold Toynbee, a great historian, once made. He said, 'Each participant counts in a battle where it is not certain who will win.' What counts is not the number of people who are engaged in our challenge. Rather, what matters is if one earnest individual resolutely stands alone with absolute seriousness to create a groundswell of expansion. When one individual truly stands up, he or she can bring about victory for all people."

With this point in mind, lets create history these final three days of 2007 together with Sensei!

Kimmy, Nathan and Vinessa

Day 5 - The Bodhisattva Path

The SGI is truly an oasis of rejuvenation. When we look after and care for others - that is is, help others draw forth the strength to live - our own strength to live increases. When we help people expand their state of life, our lives also expand. This is the marvel of the bodhisattvas path; actions to benefit others cannot be separated from actions to benefit others cannot be separated from actions to benefit oneself. To merely talk about 'benefiting others' is arrogant. To only say the words 'saving people' is hypocritical. Only when we realize that our efforts on others' behalf are also for our own sake are we practicing with true humility. One's own life and the lives of others are ultimately inseparable. the bodhisattva path, therefore, is the correct path in life."

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. IV, p.181

Day 6 - Never Concede Defeat

"No matter what the circumstances, you should never concede defeat. Never conclude that you've reached a dead end, that everything is finished. You possess a glorious future. And precisely because of that, you must persevere and study. Life is eternal. We need to focus on the two existences of the present and the future and not get caught up in the past. We must always have the spirit to begin anew "from this moment," to initiate a new struggle each day. (Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow)

"Your own offerings were not made to me, Nichiren, but to the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, we must leave it to Shakyamuni Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha, and the Buddhas of the ten directions [to fathom the greatness of] the resulting benefits." (WND, 1103)

Day 7 - Daily Encouragement

"In addition, we live today in a time of trouble, when there I little that ordinary people can do. And yet, busy as you are, in your sincerity you have sent me thick-stemmed bamboo shoots of the moso variety as offerings to the Lotus Sutra here in the mountains. Surely you are sowing good seeds in a field of fortune. My tears never cease to flow when I think of it." (WND, 1134)

"Good health equals Buddhism. Daily life equals faith. Taking care to avoid traffic accidents and making efforts to stay in good health, therefore, are all part of our Buddhist practice. It is important that we live wisely, striving with the awareness each day that all the actions and activities we undertake for the sake of faith contribute to our good health and well-being." (Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow)

Day 8 - Daily Encouragement

"When the world make you feel downcast, you should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, remembering that, although the sufferings of this life are painful, those in the next life could be much worse. And when you are happy, you should remember that your happiness in this life i nothing but a dream within a dream, and that the only true happiness is that found in the pure land of Eagle Peak, and with that thought in mind, chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Continue your practice without backsliding until the final moment of your life, and when that time comes, behold!" (WND, 760)

"If a person is hungry, we should give them bread. When there is no bread, we can at least give worlds that nourish. To a person who looks ill or is physically frail, we can turn the conversation to some subject that will life their spirits and fill them with the hope a determination to get better. Let us give something to each person we meet: joy, courage, hope , assurance, philosophy, wisdom, a vision for the future. Let us always give something." (Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow)

Day 9 - The Ninth Wave

A tentative translation of the long poem that President Ikeda wrote after viewing Russian Painter Ivan Aivazovsky’s Painting titled “The Ninth Wave” that was displayed at the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. This poem was introduced in the Nov. 10 issue of the Seikyo Shinbun.

Viewing “The Ninth Wave”

I was touched.
I was moved by the infinity of human courage.

There I saw nature’s overwhelming power.
I saw human beings’ robust power to survive.

No picture I have ever seen
Depicts so symbolically
A scene of battle
Between life and nature
As this one.

I will never forget the way
These people fought out
To overcome this raging wave.

It is well known
That this painting titled “The Ninth Wave”
Was drawn by Aivazovsky,
Greatest artist of Russia in the 19th century.
In 1850, he poured his life
Into creating this masterpiece
He was 32.

He was a master painter of oceanic scenes.
He painted some 6,000 paints
In his sixty years of art life.

He was very quick
In producing his paintings.
Once he took a brush,
He spared nothing of his being
Into his art.

He stated,
“Patient efforts alone
Enables one to gain victory.
This applies to any field of endeavor.
Therefore, the important thing is
Never to spoil yourself,
And never to slacken.”

He improved himself ceaselessly.
When he was asked
Which picture he liked most.
He stated, “My favorite picture among all my pictures
Is the unfinished one
That I have begun to paint today.”

“The Ninth Wave”
Is most adored among all his paints.
It is regarded as
The apex of the Russian art.

In this picture
I saw his urge
To be courageous
As a human being.

I assume that
He must have wanted
Through painting this picture
To eternalize a desperate and relentless battle
In his heart
As a case of miraculous victory.

At one time
He jumped out of bed
To paint this picture.
At another time,
He must have given
All he had in him
To move on to finish this work.

Because he had his own belief,
He wanted to teach
Through this painting
That human beings have the mission and power
To overcome an impossible predicament
And unbearable sufferings.

Colorful fame did not gain his attention.
High positions did not attract him, either.

He wrote about the passion
That he put into this work:
“You can beat me
If you want to do so.
You can disparage me
If that is what you want to do.
Even if I get imprisoned
Due to my commitment to this work
I will take my imprisonment
As an honor.
And I will complete this work
Triumphantly.”

No fear can defeat the human heart.
No hardship can conquer human courage.

“Overcome every obstacle
That will stand in your way.
Make sure to surmount them all” –
This wholehearted message
Was contained in his work.

This painting measures
Two meters in height
And more than three meters in width.
The raging ocean
Occupies the entire space
Of this painting.

Six individuals are fighting
Against a raging wave
While holding onto the broken must
Of their wrecked boat.

Thrown out in the dark ocean,
They may have spent a long night there.
One of them seems to have almost given up
Ready to get lose in the raging sea.
What occupied his heart at that very moment,
I wonder.

In this picture
We also see a brave man
Giving his hand
To the falling man
While risking his own life
Amid the raging wave.

Another man is shouting,
Hanging on the broken must,
In the midst of the roaring wave
He is holding high a piece of red cloth.
Something is afloat
On the surface of the ocean
In the direction he looked to.

It was a human being!
He is one of their fellow crew.
Holding onto a piece of wood,
He was fighting against the stormy wave.

An art scholar asserts
That this courageous man,
Desperate to survive amid the raging wave,
Is the chief character of The Ninth Wave.

I could hear the shout
That a man continues to send
To his friend
While his shout is almost overshadowed
By the raging noises of the storm and waves

It was under this circumstance
That another wave,
The Ninth Wave,
Which might have been as high as twenty
meters,
Was about the roar over them,
Generating wild white splashes
Toward the Sky.

Grown into colossal one,
This ninth wave is relentless
And cruel in attacking them,

The Ninth Wave
Denotes the wave
That is the toughest and severest.

It has been said among boatmen
Since ancient times
That the stormy waves have their own cycle
And that the ninth one is most formidable.

However, because it marks the utmost hardship,
You will see a great path open up before you
When you have persevered to surmount it.

And now is the very moment
That you have to exert yourself utmost
To get over this most powerful wave.

Baratwinski, his contemporary and Russian poet,
Who sang about nature and humanity, declared:

“This big ocean!
I now seek a stormy ocean.
Enrage!
Pound your stormy waves on rocks.
My spirit soars
As I hear your vehement roars
I have been looking forward to
Your emergence.
To me, you signal the commencement
Of my battle with you.
My heart elates as I face
The hatred of my gigantic enemy.”
What a grand statement!
What a boundlessly courageous remark!
My life echoes with his fearless words.”

Only a hero
Who courageously fought out
While enjoying struggles
Without fear and cowardice
Can win over a storm.

I am all right even if I die.
But you must live.
You must live out.

This may be the last moment
Nay, I myself have to live on.

I have to swim on
To defeat this storm.

The huge wave is in fury
Attempting to kill us.
But I will never succumb
To this persecution!

I will have endless waves of regret
Throughout my life
If I quit swimming here.

Wild waves are getting even higher.
They won’t stop getting higher.
However, if I overcome this storm
I will shine as a great hero of life
Praising myself for my accomplishment,
Even if my victory may go unrecognized by
others.

No one may be witnessing my struggles.
No one may testify in my favor.
A cowardly person may say,
“His honor is groundless.”
Such a coward will surely deliver you
A storm of base hearsays

Jealous of our honorable existence,
These cowards will distort
The stories of our victory and justice,
Slandering us without any reservation.

Being disparaged is nothing!
Don’t ever lose your pride!
I will establish my happiness
Within my life, anyway.

Your must win in your own bout.
Crown your life with an eternal victory.
Engrave it in the annals of your own life.

The Lotus Sutra
Referring to the power and function of the
Mystic Law,
States that “Even if you are adrift in the open
sea,
Waves won’t be able to drown you,
Even in the midst of your encounter
With a devilish dragon fish…”

The person who is dedicated
To the justice of the True Law
Can definitely unleash the power
To crush any stormy obstacle.

We can promote kosen-rufu
Only when we can defiantly
Win over one wave of obstacle
After another.

Great Russian Writer Dostoevsky
Praised the art of The Ninth Wave
“There is joy in this stormy painting.”
In the attacking storm, there is an eternal beauty
That powerfully moves the hearts of its viewers.

Look!
Beyond the people
Who have exhausted their energies
In their fight against numerous hardships
Is rising the morning sun of hope,
Illuminating the great heavens
Causing them to shine.

He successfully swam through
Out of his vehement wave of persecution
Avoided his own death.

Warm tears of joy well up.
His eyes, which gaze at
Chains of sorrow in the wave,
Recognize an eternally changeless, green land
Afar.

The wave of hardship
That disparaged him
Became a little quiet
Admitting his victorious efforts.

He has won!
Indeed, he has won!
The glorious sun has arisen
In his young heart.

He did not run away from his ordeal.
He has doubtlessly surmounted the raging wave!

He has one over horrifying waves!
He has one over the wild ocean!
He has won over the ultimate wave!
He has nobly won!
He has won with his patience and efforts!

After viewing this painting,
My wife quietly saw my face
And said to me,
“It is the same as your life.”

When I was nineteen,
I wrote a poem:
“A young man will save Japan,
As he won’t waver
Before a raging wave.”

The morning of hope and peace awaits
Anybody, any human being
Who is courageous.

You,
Stand up with your new determination!
The great sun of victory
Will certainly wait for you,
Signaling your glory ahead.

Daisaku Ikeda
November 5, 2003

Day 10 - Breaking Through to Her True Mission

President Ikeda teaches, “In the Daishonin’s Buddhism, attaining enlightenment is not about embarking on some inconceivably long journey to become a resplendent godlike Buddha; it is about accomplishing a transformation in the depths of one’s being. This revolutionary view of realizing enlightenment fundamentally changed the whole meaning of Buddhist practice as it was traditionally viewed.” “In other words, it is not a matter of practicing in order to scale the highest summit of enlightenment at some point in the distant future. Rather, it is a constant, moment-to-moment, inner struggle between the opposing courses of revealing our innate Dharma nature or allowing ourselves to be ruled by our fundamental darkness and delusion. This unceasing effort to polish our lives is the heart and essence of Buddhist practice.” (Daisaku Ikeda, Lectures on: On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime, p. 12)

My journey to discover my own Buddhahood started when I was a young child growing up in the SGI-USA. I struggled to share Nichiren Buddhism with my friends, first out of fear of being teased and then out of fear that maybe chanting could not in fact, solve every problem. Over the years of my Buddhist practice, I saw the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and changed the impossible into possible over and over, but still I had doubt. I doubted my own Buddhahood, my own self-worth, and my ability to believe 100% in the Gohonzon. I was deadlocked. No one else was to blame, but the devilish functions in my life were winning and trying to stop me from being truly happy.

After I went to the Florida Nature & Culture Center (FNCC) this past December for the Behind the Scenes Conference, my life opened up and I was able to trust the Gohonzon 100%! I learned that when a problem or obstacle arises, “Don’t think. Just chant!” “Yes,” I thought, that was how I practiced Buddhism as a child. Why couldn’t I do that now as an adult? When I came home to Seattle from FNCC, I began to change my belief and prayer to the Gohonzon. I didn’t hesitate anymore to share Buddhism with anyone because I truly believed in the power of my own Buddhahood and the Gohonzon 100%!!!!

Before I went to FNCC I was able to bring my co-worker and new friend, Jeni, to a SGI District Meeting. I was so happy and I could tell that she was really happy to chant to the Gohonzon. In my heart, I knew that she would be my “first Shakabuku,” or person I would help become a member of the SGI and receive the Gohonzon. After I got back from FNCC, with my new prayer and attitude in faith, I encouraged my friend Jeni to receive the Gohonzon. I didn’t hesitate because I knew that by her receiving her own Gohonzon, she could become truly happy! I’m happy to share that Jeni received her Gohonzon on December 21st, 2007! I’m really enjoying helping her create a strong Buddhist practice and my life feels like a new beginning. Jeni is determined to establish a strong Buddhist practice in 2008 and become truly happy!

Together with Sensei, Jeni and I are going to work hard for Kosen-rufu and not hesitate to share this great philosophy of human life with the people of world!

Thank you Sensei! Thank you Jeni! Thank you to all of my SGI family!
Smiles, Angie Lead, Great Northwest Region Young Women’s Leader

Day 11 - Halfhearted Effort

"In life, of course, there are times when we are unable to win. There may also be times when it seems that we will be crushed by adversity. But even at such moments, we must never allow ourselves to be beaten in our hearts. We must resolve not to be defeated in the future. We practice Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism so that we can be victorious in life."

"Don't concern yourself with vanity or pretension. Just earnestly continue to chant daimoku. That will rose strong life-force, and brighten your face, too. Just like a jet taking off, your life-state will begin to rise rapidly, because daimoku revs up the engine of your life until it's running at full speed. Always aim for the top, win over yourself, and create a proud record of triumph for all the world to see. That's the way to enjoy an invigorating and fulfilling life."

"Halfhearted effort in faith, halfhearted effort in work will get your nowhere. Keep your sights set on your chose goals, exert yourself wholeheartedly in faith, throw yourself wholeheartedly into your work and into polishing your skills. That's the way to win in the end. Lets all win on the stage of our personal mission!"

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's Speech
1st Nationwide Youth Division Leaders Meeting

Day 12 - The True Poetic Spirit

"What is the essence of the true poetic spirit? It is none other than a love and concern for the welfare of humanity. It is a spirit of selflessness, of altruism that seeks not personal fame or fortune. It is a spirit to fight tenaciously for justice - denouncing evil, proclaiming the truth, and championing the cause of the people. This, too, is the Gakkai spirit.

Individuals ho lack this poetic sensitivity, this deep empathy for all around them, don't understand others' hearts. Countries that lack this spirit don't understand the heart of peace. youth without this spirit, this empathy, will lose the energy to advance and win in life. And a people that disdains this spirit will end up losing its very humanity and sense of fellowship with others.

Navoi's poetic spirit sings this ode to life:

The flowers blooming
in the garden of the universe
are magnificent.
And the most fragrant
of the all
is the flower of life.

Navoi once encouraged a young friend: "For a youth, is there any higher virtue than courage?"

SGI President Ikeda's Speech
1st Nationwide Youth Division Leaders Meeting, held at Makiguchi Memorial Hall in Hachioji, Tokyo, on September 22, 2007

Day 13 - Breaking the Barrier (National YD Leaders)

Good Evening Everyone ~

I just wanted to let you all know that, according to today's statistics, we have accomplished 6,500 shakabuku this year, meaning that we are 500 Boddhisattvas away from actualizing the words of our Mentor and helping 7000 people begin their practice.

I also wanted to share some key highlights from Sensei's speech at the 13th Soka Gakkai HQ Leaders meeting on Dec. 6. (January 11, 2008, World Tribune). He shared some very encouraging points regarding the month of December. He begin by saying that, “The month of December is traditionally known in Japan as shiwasu, consisting of the two Chinese characters shi, meaning “Mentor” or “teacher,” and hasu (wasu), from the verb meaning “to run…” What’s important for us is to make December a month in which we can proudly declare that we have won in every struggle, accomplished everything we needed to do and have done our best throughout the year.”

Sensei goes on to share that, “One year, while thanking his disciples, Mr. Toda said: “Shiwasu mean literally means “the teacher is running.” I know you’re all busy, but I myself am running at full speed. Please all do your best for kosen-rufu.” Mr. Toda really did run at full speed for the sake of kosen-rufu, just as he said. I know how he felt. I, too, am running full speed, 365 days a year….With exuberance and vigor, please join me in running at full speed for the great vow of kosen-rufu, and so put the finishing touches on this year.”

Finally, Sensei shared a quote from the German writer Goethe towards the end of his speech that seems highly relevant as we approach the end of our 100 day campaign:

“Goethe also wrote: ‘Difficulties increase the nearer we get to the goal.”

As we run full speed toward the January 2, 2008, let’s remember that Sensei is trusting us to prove his words true to the rest of the world!!!

Sincerely,

Nathan, Kim and Vinessa

Day 14 - Pray Until the End

Pray With Absolute Determination (p.139)
When my second son (Shirohisa) was very young, he caught a terrible cold. At that time, my husband asked me how I was praying. I replied that I was praying so that his cold will become less serious. My husband replied and said, “You should pray that they will never catch cold.” He thus taught me the attitude in praying. There is absolutely no waste in my husband’s daimoku. If I should say, “I am hoping to win,” he would say, “just hoping is not enough. You must absolutely win.” It is to this extent that he is strict about faith. I have also continued to pray so that my children will never be involved in any accident.

Pray Until the End (p.186)
President Ikeda says that he has always been supported by his wife --- I am neither strong nor wise but I have continued to pray with him firmly convinced in the power of faith and good fortune, which he always teaches me about. When we fervently and thoroughly pray until the end, we can always blaze a path.

Excerpts from the Book - “On Kaneko” (Kaneko-sho) - (Tentative translation)

Day 15 - Human Revolution

"Ikeda: Human revolution is a contemporary expression for the attainment of Buddahood for the individual, while an all-embracing revolution refers to kosen-rufu."

"The relationship between the two resembles that of the rotation and revolution of the Earth, which, while rotating on it own axis simultaneously orbit the sun. The Earth's rotation on its axis produces day and night, while its movement around the sun produces the four seasons."

"Bathed in the light of the Buddhist Law, we also experience night and day in the course of creating our own history and human revolution toward limitless improvement. We experience winter and spring as we continue to play out the exciting drama of kosen-rufu through the changing seasons, the Soak Gakkai begins an ends with the philosophy set forth by Mr. Toda; its essence lies in his realization that the Buddha is life itself."

(The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, Vol. 1, p. 27)

Day 16 - Fostering Capable Successors

On August 14, 1947, 60 years ago, I met Mr. Toda for the first time. He was 47 and I was 19. I still vividly remember that encounter even today. For more than 10 years after that, Mr. Toda rigorously trained and educated me. He staked the fate our our kosen-rufu movement on me, a youth 28 years his junior. He entrusted our entire furture to me. He placed me at the center of the young people of the Soka Gakkai, thereby tapping the power of the youth through allowing them to give full play to their potential. And that is why the Soka Gakkai has been able to grow into the organization it has today.

The choice of future leaders is vitally important. A mistake can have the direst consequences, and cause untold suffering to everyone. One of the most crucial duties of those holding leadership positions is to select and foster capable successors.

The commitment to Buddhism and kosen-rufu that Mr. Toda and I shared as mentor and disciple is what has led to the appearance of growing numbers of Bodhisattvas of the Earth.

And the driving force behind that tremendous growth was Mr. Toda's absolute belief in the importance of youth and his spirit to value them. Leaders must never scold young people out of emotion or treat them in a domineering or condescending manner. Of course, young people require training, but I hope you will foster the youth with the hearfelt prayer that they will develop their potential and go on to make positive contribution to the Soka Gakkai, their communities, and peace in Japan and throughout the world. We need to show them we care and warmly encourage them I'd like to reaffirm the importance of this approach today. Do I have your agreement on this point? [Affirmative applause].

And always remember that no matter how old you are, it is important to remain young at heart. When Mr. Makiguchi was over 70 years old he still used to say: "We young people," reflecting the spirit that the hearts of those who practice the Daishonin's Buddhism are eternally young. I hope all our members will advance with youthful hearts."

(Translated from the October 17, 2007, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper)

Day 17 - The Lotus Sutra

The following is an excerpt of SGI President Ikeda's message to the opening of the exhibition, The Lotus Sutra - A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence, at the University of Madras, India, on October 4, 2007)

"Through the Lotus Sutra, which is likened to the skill of a great physician who can rescue humanity from its sufferings, the three painful paths that beset human beings are transformed into the three virtues of a Buddha. In other words, the sutra has the wonderful power to change the circumstances in which a person is living into those marked by peace and tranquility, a veritable Land of Eternally Tranquil Light."

"The power spoken of in the analogy is the concept of the Buddha nature expounded in the Lotus Sutra. Human beings, though they struggle in the grip of violence, egoism, and ignorance, in face possess within them, and have always possessed, the Buddha nature, which is capable of creating boundless happiness. The sutra teaches how to bring that power to realization. The Lotus Sutra is thus, for human beings, a superbly good medicine, one that represents a method of resuscitating and bringing new meaning to life."

SGI President Ikeda's Message
(Translate from the October 19, 2007, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper)

Day 18 - The Power of the Gohonzon

"Let me share some guidance Mr. Toda gave at a summer training course in Shizuoka: "It is beyond the power of words to describe the benefit of the Gohonzon. But weak faith won't do. If you have lazy faith, where you just wish for things but don't take action, your prayers will remain unfulfilled," First chant daimoku, then resolutely take a step forward. By so doing, you can definitely create a future filled with good fortune and wisdom."

"Mr. Toda had high hopes for his successors. He said: "Those who can spend their entire lives with a youthful spirit, a youthful life-condition, are the most admirable of all." Youth are the treasure of teh coming era. The world is waiting for the growth of today's young people. I entrust everything to our youth division members!"

"Let me share with you these words of the Japanese thinker Chogyu Takayama (1871-1902), who works Mr. Toda also read: "A force built on yourth is the greatest force in the world." May the youth, through their vibrant efforts, build a new age of the Soka Gakkai, wielding the jeweled sword of compassion and courage!"

SGI President Ikeda's Speech
(Translated from the August 26, 2007, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soak Gakkai daily newspaper)

Day 19 - Outshining Stars

"Navoi also declared: "No matter how a tiny spark may gleam and crackle, it cannot outshine the stars above. The banner of a person of lofty ideals flies high in the sky."

"You, our young successors, who will create the new centruy, are incredibly precious. Mr. Toda fostered me with loving care and attention, so that I might carry on the work of kosen-rufu."

"Once in the past, when circumstances turned against me, many top leaders at the time deserted me. Some even conspired with tabloid jounalists to have negative articles written about the Gakkai, intentially seeking to discredit me. It was just as Mr. Toda had warned - "Our enemies are with our ranks." But no matter how they tried to cover their tracks, from the perspective of Buddhism all was clear. At that time I was solely concerned with winning and being able to report my victory to my mentor. And as Mr. Toda's disciple, I triumphed over every obstacle."

(President Ikeda, 1st Nationwide Youth Division Leaders Meeting)

Day 20 - Scaling Mountains

Just this month and last month, I have encountered many challenges. For example, encouraging my uncle to finally receive his Gohozon was a challenge. For another example, keeping all YMDs in my area in the loop and encouraging all of them to participate 100% is a challenge still. However, persistence is the key. I believe if I follow up with sincerity and show by example, I will overcome these challenges and many more obstacles yet to come. I found this following quote from the Blog to go with my determination.

"In any earnest struggle, there come crucial challenges - mountains that must be scaled and conquered if we are to win. In Buddhist practice, too, we face such crucial challenges. If we hope to advance kosen-rufu and attain Buddhahood, then we must prevail over these mountains." (For Today & Tomorrow, Daisaku Ikeda)

Sean Hsu, North Puget Sound Young Men's Leader

Day 21 - Sharing Buddhism

"We are now in the process of creating an unshakable foundation meant to last for 10,000 years. For that reason, we must not be impatient, nor is there any need to try to look impressive. It is important that, person by person, we increase the size and scope of our movement by developing friendships based on humanism. Making true, genuine friends and creating a core of capable individuals is crucial. No great development can be accomplished without painstaking effort"

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda
January 11, 2007

One year ago, I made the determination to change the course of my life. I was stuck and had reached a crossroads. I had been out of law school for over a year and was still not an attorney. I was so unhappy at work that I had quit my job, despite the fact that I had enormous bills and student loans to pay. I was feeling lost, confused, and struggled to make a strong determination. While attending the 2006 BSG FNCC Conference, I decided that I could no longer live my life this way. I began reading The Human Revolution, Sensei's guidance, and chanting vigorous daimoku. I was determined to be in rhythm with my Mentor, Daisaku Ikeda, to study, participate in activities, and to be dead serious about my life. Slowly but surely, I began to develop a strong sense of unshakeable confidence, that came from the depths of my life, that I could win over the challenges I was facing. I felt free.

After three pain-staking efforts, I was finally able to realize my goal of becoming a Washington State licensed attorney. Through the process, I learned humility, modesty, and appreciation. I was able to see the power of faith and the joy in having a mentor to overcome overwhelming odds to accomplish this goal. On May 5, 2007- I got the news: I had passed the Bar Examination.

I also am filled with appreciation because I was also able to land an amazing job where I feel challenged and appreciated, and now I can pay those enormous bills!

These are just two examples of benefits I received from practicing Buddhism. My life exploded with many benefits from practicing in the SGI this year. But even more, I was able to do, and continue to do, my human revolution. This has actually been the most crucial in developing a strong state of life and for me to become happy.

Because I struggled but was able to turn these struggles into a victory, I am very naturally able to share about how I overcame my struggles and adversity with my friends. My friends often ask me, Why are you so happy all of the time? And in turn, I ask myself, How can I help them so that they can unlock their potential? How can I empower my friends to feel the true joy of challenging problems and growing in life? Time and time again, the answer to these questions has been to share Buddhism with them.

I continue to have struggles, but I have the Gohonzon, Sensei, and the SGI- the catalysts for me to experience tremendous joy in my life.

I currently have four friends whom I am happily sharing Buddhism with. I am able to converse with them very naturally about Buddhism because I am able to share my joy and struggles honestly with them. The key has been sharing how I use this Buddhism to overcome adversity and create value. I am elated that my friends ask me about Buddhism, and it motivates me to deepen my understanding further.

I feel so much joy in sharing about Buddhism, my Mentor, and the SGI!

Irene Ishii, Pacific Northwest Zone Vice Young Women's Leader

Day 22 - Mrs. Ikeda's Support

When President Ikeda was inaugurated as the president of the Soka Gakkai:

"May 3rd 1960. This is the day that I will never forget in my life. My husband was appointed as the president of the Soka Gakkai. I thought to myself; as of today, our normal family life will end. From tomorrow, my husband will start working for everyone as a public figure. This is my husband’s mission and a role that only he can play. That is why I will do my best so that my husband can carry out his work wholeheartedly. I decided, ‘I am going to endure any stormy winds.’

"It was in the summer of 1969. My husband poured his entire energy in raising talented individuals through a summer lecture in which 100,000 people attended. In the winter of the same year, while he was traveling to Kansai and Chubu areas to encourage the members, his cold was aggravated due to accumulated fatigue and he ravaged pneumonia."

"I rushed from Tokyo to Osaka where my husband was suffering a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Although the doctor advised him to take a “complete rest,” my husband continued to travel to Wakayama, Nara and Mie prefectures saying, “several tens of thousands of friends are waiting for me.” I was desperate as well."

"Ever since then, the doctor strongly urged me to accompany my husband in his travels. Regarding his travels abroad, ever since he became sick during his trip to the US, the leaders requested me to start accompany him, which I did from the fall of 1964 when he visited South East Asia, Middle East and Europe."

Excerpts from the Book “On Kaneko” (Kaneko-sho) (Tentative translation)

Day 23 - Mentor & Disciple are Lions

The teaching of mentor and disciple is very strict.

"Mr. Makiguchi died in prison a year later, on Nov. 18, 1944. And his funeral, strangely enough, was also held Nov. 20. It was a small, forlorn funeral conducted with only a few people present."

"Mr. Toda was still in jail. Yet unaware of his mentor’s death, he prayed fervently that all the charges might be placed against him, Toda, alone — and that the elderly Mr. Makiguchi might be released as soon as possible. This is how a true disciple behaves. This is the Soka Gakkai spirit. If this spirit were to be lost, the Soka Gakkai would no longer be the Soka Gakkai."

"Later, whenever Mr. Toda recalled the sad nature of Mr. Makiguchi’s funeral, he wept bitter tears of rage and grief. His voice thundering with fury, he railed against “those despicable priests who were alarmed by Mr. Makiguchi’s persecution for the sake of the Law and spoke ill of him, those cowards who discarded Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings and deserted Mr. Makiguchi!”

"It has been the deep, passionate wish of both President Toda and myself to someday, without fail, gain international recognition for the true greatness of Mr. Makiguchi, a philosopher of rare stature whom the authorities of the day labeled a traitor and tried to consign to oblivion."

"Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda were true mentor and disciple. Mr. Toda and I were also true mentor and disciple. If the mentor is a lion, then the disciple must be a lion, too."

"Where today, I ask, are the true disciples to follow in my footsteps? The SGI has no need for cowards who just stand by and watch while their mentor is persecuted, who try to cleverly sidestep criticism and attack."

"Mr. Makiguchi died for his beliefs. Today marks the 55th anniversary of his funeral. On this highly significant day, distinguished guests from Brazil, a country celebrating spring on the other side of the world, have come to conduct a solemn, deeply meaningful ceremony. [At this meeting, President and Mrs. Ikeda were conferred the Grand Cross of Civic and Cultural Merit and the titles of Dom (Sir) and Dama (Madam) by the Brazilian Society of Heraldry, Medals, Culture and Education.] My wife and I humbly accept the honors that have been bestowed upon us today together with our fellow SGI members in 128 countries and territories around the globe who share our sufferings and joys. As a disciple who embraces his mentors’ vision as his own, I dedicate my medal to Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda."

"The teaching of mentor and disciple is very strict in the Daishonin’s Buddhism. The Daishonin writes: “If a teacher has a good disciple, both will gain the fruit of Buddhahood, but if a teacher fosters a bad disciple, both will fall into hell. If teacher and disciple are of different minds, they will never accomplish anything” (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 909). "

SGI President Ikeda's November 20th Speech (Excerpt: Title: If The Mentor Is A Lion, So Must Be The Disciple, World Tribune 12/10/99)

Day 24 - Mr. Toda's Enlightenment

"Ikeda: Very simply, Mr. Toda's enlightenment should be rememberd as the moment that clearly revealed the Soka Gakkai as the true heir to the Diashonin's Buddhism. Thta was the starting point of all our propagation activities and our development today, and I firmly believe it was an epoch-making event in the history of Buddhism. Mr. Toda revived Buddhism in contemporary times and made it accessible to all."

"When I was younger, Mr. Toda told me about his profound experience in prison. His words left me convinced that his realization formed the religious and philisophical core of the Soka Gakkai. The truth to which he became enlightened is identical to the ultimate teaching of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. I believe Mr. Toda's realization opened a path out of the deadlock facing humanity. Our mission as his disciples is to extend that path in all directions and on all planes."

(The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, Vol. 1, p. 21)

Day 25 - Youthful Diary (1950)

What was the result of today's campaign?
I just did my best, as I always strive to.
Any regrets about today's campaign?
Yes, in one sense. No, in another.
Nothing to be ashamed of in today's campaign?
I am certain mine was not a coward's battle.
Are you prepared for tomorrow's advance?
I am prepared. On a thousand-miles journey, we must
forge on, or we will not reach our destination.
Have you the confidence for tomorrow's ascent?
I have the confidence. Without climbing the mountain,
we cannot gaze out from the peak.
Have you conviction for tomorrow's efforts?
Yes, that I do. Nothing is completed without day-by-day effort.
Are you faithful to life's purpose?
I do my utmost. I can do no more.
You have not forgotten life's ultimate mission?
I have not forgotten. Should I forget that, what else would remain?

Saturday, June 17. Cloudy
A Youthful Diary, Daisaku Ikeda

Day 26 - 2 Aspects of Daimoku

"There are two aspects of daimoku in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism: the daimoku of faith and the daimoku of practice. The daimoku of faith refers to the spiritual aspect of our practice. This essentially consists of the struggle we wage in our hearts against our inner delusion or darkness: a battle against the negative and destructive forces within us. It means breakign through the darkness clouding our Buddha nature and bringing forth the life state of Buddhahood through the power of faith. The daimoku of practice, meanwhile, refers to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo ourselves and also teaching it to others. It means making efforts in word and deed for the happiness of ourselves and others as evidence of our spiritual struggle against inner negativity and illusion."

"When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we are both chanting to name of, and calling forth, the Buddha nature in our own lives and the lives of others. When our faith wins out over inner doubt and delusion, the power of our inherent Buddha nature is called forth by the sound of our daimoku and spontaneously manifests in our lives."

(Lectures on On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime, Daisaku Ikeda, p. 6)

Day 27 - Chubu/Kansai Poem

President Ikeda's Poem to Chubu Region

What was the cause of Chubu's defeat
at that time [December 1969]?

First -
There was no unity.
Not all were serious
About achieving victory.
Many had lost
the powerful conviction
that Buddhism is about winning.

Second -
The top leaders weren't in rhythm
they were out of step with each other.
They did not pray deeply nor take action
to win without fail
for the sake of the people.

Third -
They forgot to read the Gosho
and they only listened
to their mentor's guidance intellectually.
They lacked any spirit of responsibility
For waging an earnest, all-out struggle for victory.

Fourth -
The top leaders didn't challenge
themselves unceasingly,
nor did they reach out to others
and engage in dialogue with all their might.
They were lazy and complacent.
They failed to chant wholeheartedly
With a deep powerful resolve
to definitely triumph.

Fifth -
The top leaders failed to show
tireless, dedicated leadership.
They had no compassion
to truly treasure and care for the members.
They failed to impart confidence and conviction.
They failed to convey
the joy that comes from victory.
In other words, the top leaders
were arrogant and irresponsible
No one supported or followed them
wholeheartedly.

And sixth -

The top leaders did not battle courageously
against those who meant us ill.
Succumbing to cowardice,
they lost sight of the need
to have a fighting spirit.
They pretend to lead,
but their leadership was only a show.

(Translated from the June 3, 2007 issue of the Seikyo Shinbum)

President Ikeda's Poem to Kansai Region

There is always a clear reason
why those who continually
succeed and triumph to do so.
Our members in Kansai
have a surefire formula
for scoring absolute victory.

First -
They all share the same spirit
and commitment as their mentor.
When you unite your heart
with a great teacher of kosen-rufu,
strength will well forth
and a path will be opened
without fail.
When your heart, your resolve,
is in sync with that of your mentor,
you can manifest
your inherent power and potential
without limit.

Second -
They employ the "strategy
of the Lotus Sutra."
They have strong resolute faith
to pray powerfully
"as though to produce fire from damp wood,
or to obtain water from parched ground."
Basing themselves on the Gosho,
the eternal teachings for unceasing victory,
they achieve great triumphs
by bringing the wisdom of Buddhism,
which can respond to all circumstances,
to shine vibrantly in society.

Third -
They possess the strong and beautiful unity
of "many in body, one in mind."
In egalitarian Kansai,
no one is above or below.
All are equal based on
the shared bonds of mentor and disciple.
All are humble foot soldiers working
for the great desire of kosen-rufu.
Hence they are able to advance
dynamically toward victory.

They refuse to put up with
cunning leaders, arrogant leaders,
self-serving, irresponsible individuals,
who disrupt the harmonious community
of true, pure-hearted practitioners.

Fourth -
They have the courage
to "refute the erroneous
and reveal the true."
They actively take on
formidable adversaries
who seek to destroy Buddhism,
"raising their voices all the more
and admonishing [slander of the Law],
just as the Daishonin urges.
They speak out for what is right,
hitting back with ten words of truth
for every word of malicious falsehood.
"The voice does the Buddha's work" -
this is the essence of Buddhism.
The sound of voices of valor
are the exhilarating driving force
of undefeated victory.

Fifth -
They act with lightning speed.
They are incredibly swift
In their communication and reporting,
which are the organization's lifelines.
They coordinate seamlessly
with their voices and with their hearts.
Their ability to unite as one
is the hallmark of Might Kansai's agility
and its alert, ever-victorious organization.
They don't idle or dawdle,
but move with vibrant, responsible spirit.
This is because they always
share the clear sense of purpose
of fighting to win for the sake of good.

Sixth -
They all put action first.
They are all self-reliant lions
of practice over theory,
who take personal responsibility for victory.
There are no fainthearted
passive bystanders among them.
This is because they keenly recognize
that as members of Ever-victorious Kansai
they themselves must always be victorious.

Seventh -
They are firmly determined to win,
Proclaiming, "We can't afford to lose!"
Our friends in Kansai
know too well the bitter taste of defeat.
They have the pride
of the "Kansai spirit" -
a passionate challenging spirit
to fight and strive fiercely
to the very end.
This inner resolve,
Pervading three thousand realms,
Powerfully activates the workings
of the protective forces of the universe
characterized by Brahma and Shakra.

(Translated from the June 10, 2007, issue of the Seikyo Shinbum)

Day 28 - Genuine Dialogue

"Wherever he was, Shini'chi took pains to hold frank discussions with the members. From such dialogue, he would grasp what was in people's hearts, drawing out their hopes and wishes to spot any problem areas that might stand in the way of their advancement. Moreover, when a problem did exist, he acted quickly to resolve it."

"When presented with a particularly difficult problem, it was not at all unusual for him to ponder and agonize over it for days on end, going through many sleepless nights as a result."

"Genuine dialogue is characterized by empathy, joy and understanding. Leaders who neglect dialogue invariably become authoritarian and bureaucratic"

"Shin'ichi's thoughts were always with the members who were struggling valiantly on the forefront of the kosen-rufu movement. If anything, he wa a young general constantly moving from one site to another on the front lines."

From The Human Revolution, Volume 1 - "Golden Autumn" Chapter

Day 29 - Crucial Challenges

"In any earnest struggle, there come crucial challenges - mountains that must be scaled and conquered if we are to win. In Buddhist practice, too, we face such crucial challenges. If we hope to advance kosen-rufu and attain Buddhahood, then we must prevail over these mountains."

(For Today & Tomorrow, Daisaku Ikeda)

Are the headwinds blowing stronger in your daily life? It must mean that you are getting closer to the summit! Let's continue to encourage each other, keep fighting in our hearts and efforts for others!

On Behalf of the PNW Zone Youth Team,
Johnnie, David, Yoshi, Irene, Yumi & Shawn

Day 30 - Determination

"When Shin'ichi heard what Toda expected of him in the forthcoming Kansai campaign, the responded to his teacher's call without a moment's hesitation. However, even at the moment he was all too painfully aware of the wide gap that lay between reality and the goal."

"At first Shin'ichi san into despair. Although he told on one,he was in constant torment, day in and day out, with the baffling problem of how to unfold the campaign. In the midst of his painful search for a solution he was about to scream out in agony, when one after another, like rising clouds, passages of the Gosho appeared in his mind. These passages sharply pointed out to him how to turn the impossible into the possible. They told him that the key to victory did not necessarily lie in numerical strength but in the indestructible unity of even a few people and clearly revealed that the power of faith was unlimited. After all, wasn't he a believer of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism in the Latter Day? If the Daishonin's teachings were true, then there was no way that he could fail to prove them. Did not the Gosho state, "Employ the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other" (WND< 1001)? Shin'ichi now thoroughly realize that the only thing he could count on were the Gohonzon and the Gosho."

"Shin'ichi began by determining to win the victory and then traced the process backwards to decide on the first step to be taken in the campaign. To achieve the goal, it was essential to at least double the present membership. If this were realized, victory waited at the end of the road, no matter how severe it might be along the way. Very well, Shin'ichi thought. In order to double the current strength, the members would have to be participating happily in their movement to spread Budddhism. This, in turn, demanded that they be sufficiently inspired and encouraged to increase their power of faith and strengthen their prayers to the Gohonzon. They had been practicing for only a short time. They must first of all be deeply convinced of how truly great and valid Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism was. They must realized the righteousness of this teaching through documentary, theoretical and actual proof so that a whirlpool of joy - the joy of faith - would emerge."

(The Human Revolution, Volume 10 - Determination Chapter)

Day 31 - On Repaying Debts of Gratitude

"All these things I have done solely to repay the debt I owe to my parents, the debt I owe to my teacher, the debt I owe to the three treasures of Buddhism, and the debt I owe to my country. Fo their sake I have been willing to destroy my body and to give up my life, though as it turns out, I have not been put to death after all." (WND, 728)

I'll also never forget my third anniversary of practice, August 24, 1950. That night, it was suddenly announced that Mr. Toda would resign as general director of the Soka Gakkai. I was stunned. I later went to Mr. Toda and asked: "If you resign as general director, who will be my mentor?" He replied with a smile: "Though I cause you nothing but hardship, I am your mentor."

At the time, Mr. Toda's businesses were facing their greatest crisis. Some people cursed him, and many of his employees deserted him. But for me, he was my one and only mentor. No matter what the circumstances, a mentor remains a mentor. To me, Mr. Toda's greatness could never be diminished, and I fought tirelessly based on that firm conviction."

(SGI President Ikeda's speech at the fifth session of the Nationwide Executive Conference, held on August 8, 2007, attended by regional leaders as well as national divisional representatives)

Day 32 - Nichiren's Vow

"I vowed to summon up a powerful and unconquerable desire for the salvation of all beings and never to falter in my efforts." (WND, 240)

I have gloriously won
together with all of you;
still I press on to fulfill my vow,
my life a paean
to life's infinite potential.

The great French author Victor Hugo (1802-85) wrote: "Remember your proud and solemn [ideal]. Stay true to it. There lies liberty; there lies salvation." A noble life is one dedicated to a noble vow.

(Thoughts on My 60th Anniversary of Buddhist Practice, Daisaku Ikeda)

Day 33 - Oneness of Self & Environment

Oneness of Self and Environment

The Buddhist principle of the oneness of self and environment (esho funi) means that life (sho) and its environment (e) are inseparable (funi). Funi means "two but not two." This means that although we perceive things around us as separate from us, there is a dimension of our lives that is one with the universe. At the most fundamental level of life itself, there is no separation between ourselves and the environment.

Buddhism teaches that life manifests itself in both a living subject and an objective environment. Nichiren wrote, "Life at each moment encompasses...both self and environment of all sentient beings in every condition of life as well as insentient beings--plants, sky and earth, on down to the most minute particles of dust."

"Life" means the subjective self that experiences the effects of past actions and is capable of creating new causes for the future. The environment is the objective realm where the karmic effects of life take shape. Each living being has his or her own unique environment. For example, a person whose inner life is in a state of hell may perceive the environment of the inside of a crowded subway train as being hellish, while a person in the state known in Buddhism as bodhisattva (see January 1998 issue) might manage to feel compassion and a sense of camaraderie with the other people pressed around them.

People also create physical environments which reflect their inner reality. For instance, someone who is depressed is likely to neglect his home and personal appearance. On the other hand, someone who is secure and generous creates a warm and attractive environment around them.

According to Buddhism, everything around us, including work and family relationships, is the reflection of our inner lives. Everything is perceived through the self and alters according to the individual's inner state of life. Thus, if we change ourselves, our circumstances will inevitably change also.

This is a liberating concept as it means that there is no need to seek enlightenment outside ourselves or in a particular place. Wherever we are, in whatever circumstances, we can bring forth our innate Buddhahood, thus transforming our experience of our environment into "the Buddha's land"--the joy-filled place where we can create value for ourselves and for others.

As Nichiren wrote, "If the minds of the people are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure and impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds." ("Evil" means self-centered and shortsighted actions based on greed, arrogance, fear and aggression.)

This is simply illustrated by the state of the natural environment in different societies. In some rural environments, indigenous peoples show deep respect for their natural surroundings, not taking more than they need, and the riches of nature have been preserved, providing protection and sustenance in return. However, in developed areas where materialistic greed predominates, the environment has frequently been devoured and stripped, with catastrophic effects.

The single most positive action we can make for society and the land is to transform our own lives, so that they are no longer dominated by anger, greed and fear. When we manifest wisdom, generosity and integrity, we naturally make more valuable choices, and we will find that our surroundings are nurturing and supportive. Often, we cannot foresee the long-term results of our actions, and it is hard to believe that one individual's choices can really affect the state of the world, but Buddhism teaches that through the oneness of self and environment, everything is interconnected.

And the more we believe that our actions do make a difference, the greater the difference we find we can make.

[Courtesy April 1998 SGI Quarterly]

Day 34 - From Worrier to Warrior

“It is the lack of courage that prevents one from attaining Buddhahood, although one may have professed faith in the Lotus Sutra…” (The three obstacles and four devils, WND-1, pg637). This is one quote that is the answer whenever I find myself wondering why I am in a deadlock, even though I practice Nichiren Buddhism. If I was asked to sum up all my weak moments, reasons for all past failures, in one word, it would be ‘fear.’

During a discussion meeting I attended in January, everyone was asked to write down one of their goals for this year. The unique thing about this activity was that we also had to write down what the realities of our lives were, in relation to that goal. Holding that piece of blank paper, I realized everything inside of me was screaming- I want to rid my life of fear!! I cannot even count how many times in my life I have been afraid to do something because “what will other people think of me”, or afraid to start something new out of fear of ‘I’m not ready yet or not prepared enough’, or ‘what if this doesn’t work’ etc. etc. etc. In the “Youthful Diary”, President Ikeda says, “Courage is the hallmark of youth.” I would keep reading this, and think “not me”. I am quite the opposite in fact! It is very suffocating, all this time to live under constant fear. So, at this discussion meeting, I determined to start a personal campaign: Replace fear with trust. Trust in my daimoku! By worrying about whether or not I will be able to achieve my goals, even though I am chanting to achieve them, I realized, I am only diminishing the power of my daimoku.

What made the most difference though, is realizing that my victory over this fear is ensured when I base my practice on the oneness of mentor and disciple. The Summer Family Festival held at the Seattle Culture Center this past August, has helped me so much in understanding what it means to be a disciple of Sensei; true to the theme of the festival: Together with our Mentor, Expanding our Path of Eternal Victory. Throughout all the preparations for this festival, and then later attending the Soka Spirit conference, I have started to understand the need for me to continually strive to understand the oneness of mentor and disciple. Through these activities, I have come to understand Sensei’s words, “the mentor-disciple relationship is the heart of Buddhism; it is the key to limitless growth and self-improvement ….. I would be satisfied if I could set an example for future generations of how a true disciple of Mr. Toda, a mentor without parallel, should lead his or her life. My mentor poured his heart and soul into fostering me, and I responded by replying to his expectations with the whole of my being.” (Sept 3, 2004 WT, Special Pullout, p II). THIS IS OUR TIME TO RESPOND, TO SHOW HOW GENUINE DISCIPLES OF IKEDA SENSEI LEAD THEIR VICTORIOUS LIVES!!!!!!

Reeteka Sud, South King Area Young Women’s Leader

Day 35 - Practicing Selfless Compassion

My 100 Days with Sensei

A couple of nights before the Soka Spirit Conference I found out one of my best friends, Ansley, had just found out she had another tumor. This one was right next to a major artery, so she could die at any moment. The night before we left for Oregon we had a planning meeting for the study presentation we were going to put on. Right in the middle of the meeting someone called me. I didn’t answer the phone because we were in the middle of a meeting, but I did glance at the display long enough to see it was one of our other friends. I became petrified because the news of her tumor was so fresh in my mind. I thought she had died. After the meeting was over I anxiously checked my voicemail and was relieved to find out that she was just inviting me to a water polo game.

During the first day of the conference I was still in a bit of a panic, which soon dissipated due to all the daimoku and activities.

About a week later, in October, one of our other friends went to visit her in the hospital. One thing you should know about Ansley is that she is very optimistic. If you tell her something distressing she’ll always be able to find a bright side. When Katie went to visit her, she said something to the point of thinking she wasn’t going to live through this one. This scared everyone. A lot. I found all this out at her homecoming that Ansley couldn’t go to.

A week later her birthday came around and the night before I determined that she would be cancer free by New Year’s Eve. The week after that she was feeling much better and was at home, and, therefore, was planning to go to my school’s homecoming with some of our friends and me. As it turns out she couldn’t go to this one either because she was still restricted to a wheelchair outside of her house.

It’s been a month since then and she’s still mostly trapped in her house, but now she can walk around and she goes to school sometimes. She seems to be getting better. I’ve started doing Gongyo every night and chanting for her health. A couple weeks ago I went to visit her and invited her to come to a youth meeting. She said she’d really like to. She actually did come to our Chapter Youth Division Halloween Party the weekend before Halloween. That night we had seven guests and twenty-one youth come to the meeting.

There haven’t been any major break throughs with her health yet, but I’m sure that soon something great is going to happen.

Tasha Hobbs, Kent/Covington Young Women's District Leader

Day 36 - True Happiness

"Faith means to believe that our lives and the fundamental Law of the universe are essentially one. All people can manifest the Law of Myoho-renge-kyo and thereby attain Buddhahood. That is, faith is to believe we can become absolutely happy and wise in this lifetime through our practice of chanting to the Gohonzon."

"Also, genuine faith seeks outward expression in actions for the happiness of all people, for kosen-rufu. With such faith, our chanting encompasses both practice for oneself and for others."

"Sincere earnest prayer matters most in chanting. Merely repeating the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo may bring some benefit, but without faith it will not bring true benefit - the attainment of Buddhahood. Those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with correct faith and practice will dispel the fundamental darkness obscuring the Mystic Law in their lives. The Law will then function freely within them, expressing itself as the emergence of the life-condition of Buddhahood. This is what Nichiren means by true happiness." (November-December 2007, Living Buddhism)

On Behalf of the PNW Zone Youth Team,
Johnnie, David, Yoshi, Yumi, Irene & Shawn

Day 37 - Why Shakubuku?

"Why is shakubuku - the method of propagating Buddhism by refuting people's disbelief of the correct teaching and their slander of the Law - the way to attain Buddhahood in the Latter Day of the Law? In the Latter Day, which is characterized by widespread slander of the Law, there is no other way to protect the correct teaching of Buddhism."

"Furthermore, those attached to erroneous philosophies or to status and position will definitely react negatively and try to oppress those who practice shakubuku. If our commitment - our faith in the correct teaching of Buddhism - is strong, then we can transcend our concerns for self-preservation and bring forth the courage to practice as Nichiren instructed."

"When we courageously promote shakubuku in the Latter Day of the Law, obstacles will definitely occur. But if we maintain our commitment to the correct teaching despite obstacles, then through the strength of faith, courage and conviction, we can quash our on disbelief and eradicate our own slander of the Law. In this way, our innate Buddha nature will be activated, and the life of Buddhahood will emerge."

(Commentaries on Buddhahood - Lessons on The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Letter from Sado)

On Behalf of the PNW Zone Youth Team,
Johnnie, David, Yoshi, Irene, Yumi & Shawn

Day 38 - Daily Gosho & Encouragement

"Strive even harder in faith, and never give in to negligence. All the people appear to believe sincerely when they first embrace the Lotus Sutra, but as time passes, they ten to become less devout; they no longer revere or make offerings to the priest, giving themselves up to arrogance and forming distorted views. This is most frightening." (WND, 1027)

Please do not forget your mother's love or the hardships she has endured for you. I am convinced that while people keep the memory of their mothers loving faces alive in their minds, they will never go far astray. Similarly, as long we bear in mind the Daishonin's profound compassion and live in deep appreciation of it, our lives will be illuminated brightly by the light of Buddhahood. An enveloped in the Gohonzon's great compassion, we will walk along a path that is filled with tranquility and immeasurable joy. (For Today & Tomorrow, Daisaku Ikeda)

Day 39 - Daily Gosho & Encouragement

"A person of wisdom is one who, understanding the time, spreads the teachings of the Lotus Sutra accordingly, this is his most important task. If a person's throat is dry, what he needs is water; he has no use for bows and arrows, weapons and sticks. If a person is naked, he wants suit of clothes but has no need for water. From one or two examples you can guess the principle that applies in general. (WND, 518)

"Rosa Parks wrote in her book Quiet Strength: "I find that if I am thinking too much of my own problems and the fact that at times things are not just like I want them to be, I do not make any progress at all. But if I look around and see what I can do, and then I do it, I move on." Youth, and indeed life itself, flashes by in the link of an eye. That is why it is important for you young people to ask yourselves what you can do for those who are suffering, what you can do to resolve the contradictions that plague society and to boldly take on these great challenges." (For Today & Tomorrow, Daisaku Ikeda)

Day 40 - Questioning My Doubts

"There are two kinds of wisdom, correct and perverse. No matter how wise a person may appear, if his assertions are warped you should not listen to him. Nor should you follow priests merely because they are venerable or of high rank... If you do not question and resolve your doubts, you cannot dispell the dark clouds of illusion, any more than you could travel a thousand miles without legs."(WND, 1028, 1031)

Bringing happiness to people's daily lives was Nichiren's greatest wish.

Hello! My name is Art and I'm in the Youth Division in Anchorage, Alaska [age 13]. I've been chanting for a year and a half, with my mom, who is in the Women's Division. We heard about Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism many years ago in Thailand, through my aunt,who has been practicing for many, many years.

It seems like my life is different now that I have chanted. There are many obstacles that I've overcome through chanting. I used the quote above from one of Nichiren's writings because it really says that you can't succeed fully if you don't question your doubts... if you simply leave them alone then the dark clouds of illusion will hang over you! And rain will fall and sunshine will cease to exist, unless you strive to resolve those doubts.

Chanting also makes me feel better, every time. For example, if I am upset for whatever reason, and I go chant, I feel better. I also notice that when I chant vigorously for something, sometimes I don't necessarily get what I want, but I get something that is better than what I had chanted for originally. For instance, I was chanting for something incredible to happen at school. Within that week, my teachers told me I was picked to be a Student of the Month. Furthermore, I also won a prize drawing at the quarterly assembly (it was an iPod - 3rd generation, 8GB and a $50 gift card) and I was thrilled!

And, one of my favorite daily guidances from President Ikeda:

"Buddhism is wisdom. As long as we have wisdom, we can put all things to the best use; we can turn everything in the direction of happiness."

Art, Fireweed District

Day 41 - Daily Gosho & Encouragement

"But now you, born a woman in the evil world of the latter age, while being reviled, struck, and persecuted by the barbaric inhabitants of this island country who are unaware of these things, have endured and are propagating the Lotus Sutra. The Buddha at Eagle Peak surely perceives that you surpass the nun [Mahaprajapati] as greatly as clouds do mud. The name of that nun, the Buddha Gladly Seen by All Living Beings, is no unrelated matter; it is now the name of the lay nun Myoho." (WND, 1106)

"There is a Russion proverb that says: "Is it no use to blame the looking glass if your face is awry." Likewise, one's happiness or unhappiness is entirely the reflection of the balance of good and bad causes accumulated in one's life. No one can blame others for his misfortunes. In the world of faith, it is necessary to realize this all the more clearly." (From Today & Tomorrow, Daisaku Ikeda)

We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving with your families and loved ones!

On Behalf of the Pacific Northwest Zone Youth Team,
Johnnie, David, Yoshi, Irene, Yumi & Shawn

Day 42 - Something Extraordinary

"There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, the rising and setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter, and spring give way to each other. Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood. At such a time, the three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat." (WND, 637)

"If you practice faith while doubting its effects, you will get results that are at best unsatisfactory. This is the reflection of your own weak faith on the mirror of the cosmos. On the other hand, when you stand up with strong confidence, you will accrue limitless blessings." (For Today & Tomorrow, Daisaku Ikeda)

Day 43 - Flying into Orbit

When I was a YWD in San Francisco I experienced the magic of traveling in Sensei’s orbit. President Ikeda came to the United States in 1990. The old NSA became the new SGI-USA. We began laying the foundation of the new American kosen-rufu movement. Danny Nagashima was the San Francisco joint territory leader and Cliff Sawyer my youth division leader.

I engraved Sensei’s 1990 guidance into my life. This passage by Sensei defines my youth division days:

“I always place a high value on personal initiative. Spontaneity underlies the spirit of autonomy and independence; conversely, taking action because one is told to amounts to slavery of the spirit. Kosen-rufu will be advanced by brave people armed with the spirit of independence who voluntarily strive to fulfill the vow they made at the time of kuan ganjo.”

During the first Iraq war, I made a determination to work for world peace. I took concrete action based on President Ikeda’s 1990 peace proposal. He wrote about Norman Cousins, president of the World Federalist Association (WFA). I called up the local WFA chapter and attended a meeting that week. That was when I learned the United Nations would celebrate its 50th anniversary in June 1995. As the birthplace of the United Nations, San Francisco was going to be a world center for UN-50 activities.

As Sensei’s disciple, I worked tirelessly over the next few years to lay the foundation for SGI-USA’s involvement in UN-50 activities. (In the photograph above, I’m introducing the UN-50 president to Sensei during his March 1993 visit to San Francisco.) This is how I discovered the ultimate power source: the oneness of mentor and disciple.

Fast forward fifteen years . . . . Sensei is laying the foundation for the second act of world-wide kosen rufu . . . . Danny is general director . . . . Cliff is the West Territory leader . . . . Time for me to tap the power source, fly into orbit, and feel the magic all over again!

Patty Duggan, Seattle Metro Region Women’s Leader

Day 44 - Fighting Until the End

I am determined to be the best nurse. I will not for one moment doubt my ability or the gohonzon. I will be an inspiration for others, of the never give up spirit and the power of faith. I will break through my obstacles and win!

I wrote this determination on 12/13/2006 after three years of applying to nursing school. I knew this is what I wanted to do.

Many, many passeges of Nichiren's writing kept me encouraged and lots of Sensei's guidance, every week in the World Tribune directed my approch to this seemingly endless Human Revolution.

I started reciting outload everyday the passage from, "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime:"

"If you wish to free yourself from the suffings of birth and death you have endured since time without beginning and to attain without fail unsurpassed enlightenment in this life time, you must perceive the mystic truth that is originally inherent in all living beings. This truth is Myoho-renge-kyo. Chanting Myoho-renge-kyo will therefore enable you to grasp the mystic truth innate in all life." (WND, 3)

Everyday this passage kept me going and seemed to be more and more part of life everytime I sat down to read it. I totally started to believe in the gohonzon's power and I felt myself start to losening the grip of my controlling nature and leave it up to the power of faith, that I am myoho-renge-kyo.

I was accepted into nursing school this spring!

Marian Goodenough, Columbia River Area Young Women's Leader

Day 45 - November Message from Sensei

Happy November 18th!!

Message from Sensei:

"We send sincere congratulations on holding your district general meetings where you are sharing your ode to victory and joy.

To our friends, welcome to our meetings!

Please have a most enjoyable and bright gathering of the Soka family.

The district is a bastion of happiness. We are filled with praise and admiration for your vibrant advancement. Thank you very much for all your hard work and dedication.

We practice faith to become happy and to win in life. Buddhism enables one to change everything into a source of happiness and victory. Buddhism expounds the great principle that enhances one’s humanity and dignifies one’s life.

Nichiren Daishonin writes, “If a believer’s offense is slight, overlook it, and lead that person to obtain benefits. If it is serious, encourage him to strengthen his faith so that he can expiate the sin” (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 626). As taught in this passage, any poison can be changed into medicine through the power of the Mystic Law. There are no problems that cannot be solved in light of the Mystic Law. With faith in this great Law, every individual can advance with hope and confidence, without any hesitation.

We are all human. We cannot become anything greater than human beings, but we can shine with humanism just as we are. We can bond deeply, helping and encouraging one another. In this process, your family will prosper and your community will develop. This is the real picture of kosen-rufu that we pursue.

Our beloved comrades in America! Prosper together with us and help others to do the same, advancing along the path of happiness, peace and victory.

You are all so important to us. We will continue to pray earnestly for your good health, happiness and the great fortune of your family. Please take good care of yourselves!"

Daisaku and Kaneko Ikeda
November 2007