An Eternal and Wonderful Bond

Resources for the introduction of SGI-Spain’s discussion meetings

It must be ties of karma from the distant past that have destined you to become my disciple at a time like this. (…) The sutra’s statement, “Those persons who had heard the Law dwelled here and there in various Buddha lands, constantly reborn in company with their teachers” [LSOC7, 178], cannot be false in any way.

↳ WND-1, 217. This passage is from The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life, one of the main writings of Nichiren Daishonin. The letter, dated in 1272, was sent by Nichiren Daishonin to Sairen-bo, a priest who had converted to his teachings in that period, in which both were living in exile on Sado Island. The letter answers the question from the disciple regarding the meaning of the important Buddhist teaching of “the heritage of the ultimate law of life and death.”

The mentor-disciple relationship is a spiritual bond arising from the disciple’s resolve. It is a relationship that enriches and deepens people’s lives in every sense. This is something many of the leaders I have had discussions with over the years fully agreed with.
.
Mr. Toda commented: “The Daishonin says that mentor and disciples are always born together without fail. In light of these words, I feel tremendous gratitude to all of you. We were born together in this world because of a promise we made in the past.”
.
Following the path of mentor and disciple in Buddhism is solemn and profound, infinite and eternal.
.
To illustrate the karmic bond of mentor and disciple, the Daishonin quotes for his loyal disciple Sairen-bo a passage from the Lotus Sutra: “Those persons who had heard the Law dwelled here and there in various Buddha lands, constantly reborn in company with their teachers.”[1]
.
This passage highlights the sublime essence of the Lotus Sutra—that the mentor-disciple bond is not limited to this existence, that mentor and disciple are always born together, in lifetime after lifetime, and ceaselessly take action to guide people to happiness. Together, they strive to transform wherever they are into a Buddha land and help all people change their karma. This is their promise and their vow from the infinite past.
.
The bond of mentor and disciple based on the Mystic Law transcends the bounds of life and death and is eternal, enduring throughout past, present, and future.[2]

In the lecture from which the Gosho passage and commentary above have been taken from, Daisaku Ikeda also states the following:

To commemorate the occasion of his inauguration as second Soka Gakkai president on May 3, 1951, Mr. Toda presented me with the following poem: “Now and / in the future, too, / together / sharing joys and sufferings – / how wondrous our connection! (…)
.
Bodhisattvas of the Earth each choose the appropriate time to be born in order to demonstrate the greatness of the Mystic Law. (…)
.
My young friends, take your place boldly on that brilliant stage. Your rising to take action will contribute to our network of hope illuminating the future of humanity and expand it even further around the world. (…)
.
The hopeful movement of Soka will continue to enrich the 21^st century so that it truly becomes a century of life.[3]