In this section we offer resources for the SGEs discussion meetings; namely: a special part centred around the commemoration of the Day of Mentor and Disciple for Europe (“Towards 6th June”), the presentation of a discussion group (“Locally”), a passage from the writings of Nichiren Daishonin commented by Daisaku Ikeda (“Advancing with the Gosho”), a “Perspective”, some “Keywords” and –this month– the “Young Phoenixes” section.
TOWARDS 6TH JUNE
The details related to the 6th June European commemorative meeting are being set! One of them has to do with the time. The initial information received encouraged us to save the date –Sunday 6th June– and now we can be more precise and save the time—namely between 10.30 am and 12.15 pm CEST. Another detail is concerning the determination of singing together on that day the song Ode to Joy, for which materials to support the preparation will be available on the website from 2nd May. An Instagram account has also been created.
LOCALLY
This discussion group was created a few years ago in the young neighbourhood from Madrid called Ensanche de Vallecas, where ‘Ensanche’ has the meaning of ‘expansion or widening’. Not long after, the group expanded and gave rise to a new group called Valle de Luz. By seeing the picture of their April discussion meeting, one has the impression that this growth was a natural result of an attitude we can describe as ‘inner expansion’ of the people who participate in it and is related to the spirit of oneness that its name reflects. By the way, this group is also known for the active attendance of Future Division members in the discussion meetings, when these are in-person. We dare say that this month they will be another example of this, and in this case in online format…
(Mailbox: prensa@ediciones-civilizacionglobal.com)
ADVANCING WITH THE GOSHO
Even when . . . [Buddhist] priests set out from Japan to take some sutras [back] to China, no one was found there who could embrace these sutras and teach them to others. It was as though there were only wooden or stone statues garbed in priests’ robes and carrying begging bowls.
(On the Buddha’s Prophecy, WND-1, p. 401).
“The undeniable reality is that no group or organization will endure without people who ‘embrace and teach’ its ideals to others—in other words, without successors.
The simile [mentioned above] (…) underscores a unique characteristic of Buddhism—that without practitioners to carry on and spread it, the spirit of Buddhism will be lost, even though its teachings and images may survive. Buddhism only remains alive and vital through real living people carrying on the teachings in their actions.
From that perspective, our Future Division members have an incredibly important mission as people who will ‘embrace and teach’ the Mystic Law.
Fostering Future Division members is creating a bright tomorrow. Let us warmly nurture these emissaries of the future in the garden of the Soka Gakkai, a realm of unsurpassed humanism. Fostering and supporting successors who embrace Nichiren Buddhism and advancing kosen-rufu are key to realizing the Daishonin’s ideal of “establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land.” Doing so is the direct path to building a just society and actualizing world peace.”[1]
PERSPECTIVE
In Spain, just as in many countries throughout the world (Japan is just an example), the graph that is used to analyse the structure of a population and that is known as a ‘population pyramid’ due to the triangular shape it used to have, has currently a shape which is known as ‘regressive pyramid’ which is more similar to a pentagon. In other aspects, this reflects that the child population consists of around 15 % of the total, which is a percentage significantly lower than a few years ago (and lower than other countries at present). If children are as such a treasure, this reality encourages us to be even more aware of this. Also, it allows us to read in further depth the words of Daisaku Ikeda that state that “currently, there is an increasing focus on fostering the next generation, not just by the leaders of the future division, but throughout our organization. Members on the front lines, are praying for and encouraging our future division members, believing in their unlimited potential. Those sincere efforts are certain to plant seeds of hope, growth, and victory deep in the lives of our precious young people.”[2]
KEY WORDS
Embrace and teach · Successors · Chant and encourage the Future Division
YOUNG PHOENIXES · To SGEs Future Division members ·
Hi all! This month we are celebrating as it is our ‘month of successors’. Furthermore, this year we commemorate 45 years of the event which later gave rise to this tradition in SGEs. This event was the proposal of Daisaku Ikeda to name the 5th of May, which is Children’s Day in Japan, Successors’ Day in Soka Gakkai.
On that opportunity, Ikeda Sensei offered the guidelines for the Future Division, which we are sure many of you already know.[3] We would like to recall these seven guidelines which exist for the victory of each one of the Future Division members:
- Let’s take care of our health.
- Let’s read books.
- Let’s always use common sense.
- Let’s have patience.
- Let’s make lots of friends.
- Let’s accumulate good fortune.
- Let’s cherish our parents.
Maybe some of you might feel that these guidelines are not easy to fulfil or that you lack the capacity to accomplish some of them, but Sensei reassures us by saying that if this is the case, we should not worry. If we try to challenge ourselves in accomplishing even one of the guidelines, this will give us strength to fulfil our dreams. We can start by taking small actions, like reading a book, even if it is a short one, or just by saying “thank you” to mum or dad. These small steps, taken based on who each one of us truly is will allow us to eventually grow as tall and extraordinary trees.
Those who can follow these seven guidelines will gain seven treasures in the form of a healthy body, rich wisdom, a spirit of justice, the strength of a champion, good friends, the power not to be defeated, and limitless growth. Those who possess these seven treasures can become unrivalled lion kings.[4]
You might ask yourselves what is the most important thing to achieve these seven treasures. Ikeda Sensei states that it is courage. Getting up early in the morning takes courage; studying and making new friends also takes courage. Courage is the spirit to try something you haven’t done before.
It has been exactly a year since we released the song Un paso de coraje, which represents the determination of each one of us to strive with courage in our lives together with our fellows and Sensei. Let’s fill our homes and our discussion meetings with joy by singing this song, especially during the month of May, and keep advancing with courage like wonderful lion cubs. What do you say? You can read about the song and sing it here.
We want to make another suggestion as well to celebrate your month. This is that in your discussion meeting you can show a tree which you can download from here. This tree represents the lives of each one of you, all your growth and the dreams you will fulfil putting into practice the seven guidelines with courage. You can write down how you want to do it and share your goals in the discussion meetings this month.
[1] ↑ IKEDA, Daisaku: “The Future Division”, Civilización Global, number 181, May 2020, section “Monthly study.”
[2] ↑ IKEDA, Daisaku: “Building Humanity’s Future–The Noble Endevor of Fostering the Next Generation,” Daibyakurenge, July 2018.
[3] ↑ You can read more about these guidelines in Civilización Global numbers 153, 154, 155, 156, 158, 159, 162, and 164.
[4] ↑ IKEDA, Daisaku: “My Precious Friends in the Boys and Girls Division – Be Courageous!”, Boys and Girls Hope News, 1/4/2017.