Resources for SGI Spain’s discussion meetings
When one lights a torch for someone at night, one brings light not only to another person but to oneself as well.
↳ We revisit a famous passage of On Clothing and Food, in WND-2, page 1066. Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter to a lay nun who embraced faith in his teachings and whose identity and address are unknown. It is believed that it was written after the Daishonin went to mount Minobu in May 1274, although the exact date cannot be specified either. After expressing his gratitude for the offering of coins this disciple had sent him, he describes that clothes and food are essential in order to sustain life and he explains the benefit that a person that offers these can have.
May 5 is Soka Gakkai Successors Day, the day we celebrate our precious members of the future division. My greatest hope is that all of you, my dear friends, will develop to your fullest, shining with a spirit as bright as the sunny skies of May.
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Exactly a week after Soka Gakkai Successors Day, May 12, is International Nurses Day. It is observed annually on the birthday of Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), the pioneer of modern nursing. (…)
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(When the Crimea war broke out in 1853,) Nightingale decided to take action. She volunteered to help at a hospital that was in very bad condition and located in a dangerous area that others avoided. Her mother and sister, who remained somewhat against her work until then, were deeply moved by her firm and noble determination, and began to support her efforts.
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(…) Even at night while everyone was asleep, she would make rounds carrying a lamp and offer words of comfort to patients who were suffering from pain. The soldiers (…) felt relieved just to see her walk by, and were able to go to sleep peacefully.
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The soldiers in the hospital began calling Nightingale “The Lady with the Lamp,” and appreciated her efforts. (…)
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When you do something to bring joy to others, your own heart is filled with joy. (…) As SGI members, we make the effort to reach out to others, even as we struggle with our own problems. Sometimes, people may not understand our sincerity and speak ill of us. But we don’t let that get us down. We continue to chant even more daimoku, become even more cheerful, and take action so that everyone can become happy. This is the way SGI members live.
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All of you, (…) (members of the Future Division), are our successors. That is why I would like you to continue developing the spirit of helping and caring for others. When you have such a spirit, the sun of victory will rise. And when the sun of victory shines in your heart, you can illuminate not only your own heart, but also the hearts of your parents, grandparents, friends, and people all over the world.
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Under clear May skies, let’s strive together in high spirits as each of you challenge your goals![1]
YOUNG PHOENIXES · TO THE FUTURE DIVISION MEMBERS
Hello friends!
Have you read Ikeda Sensei’s commentary described above? It states that 5th of May is Soka Gakkai’s Successors Day. This is due to a proposal that Ikeda Sensei himself did, and thanks to which this day, which in Japan is traditionally celebrated as Children’s Day, has taken a new dimension.
In SGI-Spain, this encourages us to celebrate May as “Successor’s month”. We do this especially in our discussion meetings. That’s why, this month our article for “Young Phoenixes” is included in the section “Para dialogar”, which is the section which is usually used to prepare these meetings.
Let’s celebrate successor’s month together in the discussion meetings!
Sensei believes in each one of us and all members of the Soka family are chanting for our development and happiness. How comforting it is to know that there are people who limitlessly treasure us and who support us so that we can develop as great human beings!
@PICASSOS
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You will surely remember that in “Young Phoenixes” of February we looked at subjects related to the Gosho passage and Sensei’s commentary mentioned in this “Para dialogar” section.
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We propose to dig deeper in the meaning of the passage “When one lights a torch for someone at night, one brings lights not only to another person but to oneself as well.” In this way, we will be able to bring forth even more the sun of victory in our lives.
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In order to do this, we encourage you to fill in and make shine the torch that you can access here in colour or in black and white: Which are the qualities that a “torch” (in other words, each one of us) should have to fulfil its role? Have you thought of any? Build and lighten your torch to give light to others and also illuminate your own way!
@CASALS
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Related to the Gosho passage mentioned in this “Para dialogar” section, Ikeda Sensei states that with this Nichiren Daishonin shows us an unsurpassable way of life in which personal benefit and other people’s benefit fuse together in an inseparable and natural way. In this way, on one hand, the Daishonin rejects the egotism of thinking only of oneself without taking into account other people. On the other hand, he also rejects the distorted emphasis in only helping others, as it can easily turn into condescension and self-sacrifice. Being aware and experimenting that acting for others brings us benefit generates gratitude and joy.
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Sensei also tells us that, for us, compassion is expressed as courage: everything always starts with the first courageous step.
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What do the words effort and courage make you think of? What are the images that they bring to your mind?
[1] ↑ IKEDA, Daisaku: “Rainbow of Hope – Great Figures off the World”, SGI Newsletter 9127.