Launching Year of Dynamic Development in the New Era - SGI-UK

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Japan
course
feedback
Ikeda
Kayo-Kai
report
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Future
Division
plans
5
Youth
Division
experience
New Youth
Peace
Committee
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Great growth
of East Anglia
South HQ
Trust through friendship. Peace through trust.
e-bulletin
Issue 130
16.10.2014
The deadline
for items to be
considered for the
next issue is Sunday,
November 2
Yoichi Masumoto
SGI-UK online news bulletin
Please send
your news and
pictures to our
email address:
roystone55news
@yahoo.co.uk
Launching Year of Dynamic Development
in the New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu
Some 180 national and Area leaders gathered in high
spirits at Taplow Court from October 11-12 for the final
SGI-UK Kosen-rufu Summit of 2014, writes Roy Stone.
The weekend served as a powerful launch for 2015, the
Year of Dynamic Development in the New Era of Worldwide
Kosen-rufu, with the main theme being encouragement for
each member of SGI-UK to develop strong conviction in their
mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth and to awaken many
more people to their great potential.
President Ikeda sent a message: “Thank you so much for
your fantastic efforts. Please give my best regards to everyone
and provide a snack.”
We also held a commemorative gongyo for three important
anniversaries: the inscription of the Dai-Gohonzon on October
12, 1279; the death of Nichiren Daishonin on October 13, 1282;
and SGI-UK Day, which marks Sensei’s first visit to the UK on
October 13, 1961.
SGI-UK vice General Director Sanda McWilliam announced
a number of appointments, including: Gary Driver and Shoko
Fukuhara as vice national Youth Division leaders; Yeter Aydemir,
vice national Young Women’s Division leader; Ed Parsons Brown,
vice national Young Men’s Division leader; Neil O’Doherty,
national Keibi leader; and Tony Phillips, General Keibi leader.
turn to page 2
WORDS OF THE WEEK
It is actually when our schedule is so hectic that we can
find great opportunities to elevate our life condition.
Let’s always remember to chant daimoku so that we can
boldly endeavour to achieve our human revolution!
– Daisaku Ikeda, October 13-19, 2014
SGI-UK online news bulletin from page 1
‘I am a Bodhisattva of
the Earth’
SGI-UK General Director Robert
Harrap gave a talk entitled ‘I am a
Bodhisattva of the Earth’. He quoted
comments by Mr Harada at the 7th
HQ Leaders Meeting of the New Era:
“Sensei once mentioned in an essay, The
Japanese character for ‘advancing’ can
also be read as ‘dancing’. So ‘advancing’
means to advance with your body and
heart dancing, and that conveys an
image of dynamic advance. Therefore
advancing exists within yourself and
right at this moment. Each one of us is
a protagonist to actualise the dynamic
advance of the New Era of Worldwide
Kosen-rufu. Each and every day is the
dynamic advance of the New Era of
Worldwide Kosen-rufu.
“Next year we would like to strive
for the dynamic advancement of
‘shakubuku, spreading the Law’ and
‘expansion of friendship’, focusing on
making ten true friends, encouragement
through home visits, and nurturing
capable people.
“Let’s strive for an historic, great
advance which will determine the
victory of the Soka Gakkai for eternity.”
(tentative translation)
Robert emphasised that our
movement will grow to the extent that
we can join the dynamic dance of the
Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
He encouraged us to determine to
dance in the year ahead, so that 2015
will be an extraordinary year of dynamic
development.
‘Leaping forth with joy!’
Robert also gave a talk entitled
‘Leaping forth with joy!’ in which he
spoke about a lecture given by Mr
Hidetoshi Fukuda, General Chief of the
Young Men’s Division Study Department,
in Milan on the Bodhisattvas of the
Earth.
Robert said that as Bodhisattvas of
the Earth we are able to manifest great
energy because we chant Nam-myohorenge-kyo, have made a vow for kosenrufu and are determined to see society
transformed.
But we would not have this energy if
our practice was only for ourselves, not
for ourselves and others.
Robert said that we have flaws, but
our flaws are our greatest strength. He
explained that if we had no challenges
or difficulties, other people would not be
able to identify with us and we would not
be able to lead them to happiness.
The arena for us to manifest our
Buddhahood is faith, practice, study,
Issue 130
16.10.2014 Page 2
‘Next year we would like to strive
for the dynamic advancement of
shakubuku, spreading the Law
and expansion of friendship’
shakubuku, home visits and experiences
of actual proof.
Our role is to encourage others to
realise that they are Bodhisattvas of the
Earth.
In order to do so, we need to realise
that we ourselves are Bodhisattvas of the
Earth and leap for joy over that.
‘It takes a Bodhisattva
of the Earth to wake a
Bodhisattva of the
Earth’
SGI-UK Women’s Division leader
Justine Marchant gave a talk entitled
‘It takes a Bodhisattva of the Earth to
wake a Bodhisattva of the Earth’. She
spoke about the enormous problems in
the world today, which are leaving many
people frightened and are leading to
divisions between people.
She encouraged us to see the
common humanity that we all share,
to look more deeply at things and see
them with fresh eyes, with the eyes of a
Buddha. She also urged us to strengthen
ourselves to be good friends, both to
ourselves and to others.
Justine reminded us that when
Professor Pauline Murphy, Emerita
Professor, University of Ulster, and
friend of President Ikeda and the SGI,
spoke to a meeting of 1,000 Women’s
Division members in April, she had
encouraged us to continue doing what
we are doing, to do more of it and with
more people.
Justine added that we are fighting
to make our districts the centre of our
movement, and for every single member
not to be defeated. She urged us to see
with fresh eyes the greatness of our
discussion meeting movement.
She also encouraged us to put 80
per cent of our efforts into one-to-one
encouragement and 20 per cent into
meetings, adding that our role is to
encourage everyone to believe that they
are Bodishattvas of the Earth with the
mission to encourage others to believe
the same.
Leaders’ experiences
Jacqueline Kington, Women’s
Division leader for Northern Area, gave a
powerful and moving experience of how
a relative had been shot and killed in
Manchester. This tragedy has deepened
her resolve to strengthen her bonds of
unity with the other members of her Area
team and to work for a change in society
so that no mother would have to lose
their son in such a way again.
Lily Lowe Myers, Young Women’s
Division leader for East London Area,
spoke about a campaign of home visits
that she had carried out. She explained
how as young women share their
challenges with each other they learn to
listen, and are able to take this into other
relationships, making them better able to
do shakubuku.
Nobuo Shinozuka, Young Men’s
Division leader for South West England
Area, spoke about his efforts to make
home visits and to make ten true
friends. He revealed how he had been
able to encourage one young man from
Thailand, which has suffered great
problems recently, by telling him about
the efforts that SGI members are making
in that country.
Pascal Coyne, vice Men’s Division
leader for North London Area, spoke
about the successful efforts he has been
making to encourage men who had
drifted away from the SGI to come back.
Neil O’Doherty, vice Men’s Division
leader for South West England Area, gave
his experience of overcoming financial
challenges through devoting himself
wholeheartedly to SGI activities.
Youth Summit
Youth Division leaders staged a Youth
Summit with the theme ‘True Friends –
Actual Proof Together’ on the Sunday.
It included the showing of a video
entitled ‘Bonds of Encouragement’; and
a short film about Sensei’s guidance on
discussion meetings, put together by SGIUK members.
Youth Division leaders shared that
to celebrate Kosen-rufu Day, March
16, next year the YD members will be
concentrating their efforts on increasing
discussion meeting attendances in
March.
SGI-UK Youth Division leader Lisa
Cowan also encouraged members
to send pictures of their discussion
meetings to the members’ website.
http://www.sgi-uk.org/members/welcome-e-bulletin-page
turn to page 3
SGI-UK online news bulletin Issue 130
16.10.2014 Page 3
from page 2
Japan course
feedback
Wansu Kim, young men’s
headquarters leader for East Anglia
North and vice national Soka group
leader, shared that President Ikeda has
spoken and written tirelessly to bring
courage and hope to those weighed
down by suffering and sorrow, and now
Sensei’s collective writings have reached
150 volumes. Now is the time for us to
make the same efforts as our mentor to
expand dialogues to bring courage and
hope to the people around us.
Wansu also shared his notes of a
message from Sensei which was read by
Mr Hasegawa, Vice General Director of
Soka Gakkai. He expressed that Sensei
is sending daimoku for each of us to
overcome the biggest challenge that we
are suffering from and open up a life of
great victory.
Takako Yeung, Young Women’s
Division leader for West London and
Rising Phoenix leader, focused on a
study session with Mr Morinaka, Senior
Vice Study Department Chief. Some key
points were:
• Kosen-rufu exists with one
individual spreading this teaching to
another. It is only through personal
life-to-life dialogue that kosen-rufu will
happen.
• The meaning of our life will change
when we awaken to our mission. We
need to summon forth self-motivated
strength from within our own life. It’s not
something you can be told to do or be
reliant on others for. Nothing is stronger
than our prayer to fulfil our mission as
Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
Takako shared her personal
determination since the course for her
heart to be the same as her mentor
and for her to believe in her mission
as a Bodhisattva of the Earth. Many
challenges have appeared, but she is
totally confident that overcoming these
transformation will create happiness for
her and everyone around her.
Ed Parsons Brown, newly appointed
Young Men’s Division vice national
leader, emphasised the message Sensei
sent to the 7th HQ leaders meeting –
“Change the world with the true inherent
power of the Bodhisattva of the Earth”
and transmitted that now really is the
time to have confidence in this great
power.
He also shared some encouragement
from President Harada about
continuously polishing our mirror of
faith so we can clearly see the workings
of life around us.
SGI-UK leaders at the Youth Division Training Course in Japan in September
Ikeda Kayo-Kai report
Ashley Clouder, SGI-UK Young
Women’s Division leader, said: “Inspired
by a YWD General Meeting that was held
in Japan in 1961, the national team felt
that this year was also the perfect time
to create an unprecedented gathering of
young women like never before.
“We are now planning a joint WD/
YWD in May 2015 where our two
divisions can come together, learn
and inspire each other and pledge that
women will open the gateway and
continue to be the driving force for
growth within SGI-UK – our solidarity
enabling even more young women to
realise the greatness of their own life and
liv out their mission as a Bodhisattva of
the Earth.
“Finally, we are aiming to hold our
next IKK General Meeting in 2016 – to
mark the 40th anniversary of the first
ever YW meeting, where just 75 young
women gathered.
“We are determined that we will
achieve our 1,000 target and the ripple
effect from this meeting with be the
cause for absolute happiness in the lives
of each YW.”
Young Men’s Division
National General
Meeting
Andy Huxley, vice national Young
Men’s Division leader, reported that
the YMD of SGI-UK will be holding a
National General Meeting at Friend’s
house in Euston from 1pm-3.30pm on
January 24, 2015.
“With the theme ‘True Friends –
Actual Proof Together’, our general
meeting will be open to all Young Men’s
Division members and naitoku and
their young men guests and friends. We
are determined to gather 1,000 young
men at this meeting. Based on the
current Young Men’s monthly discussion
meeting attendance and Gohonzon
receiving statistics this target may seem
impossible. However we would like to
report that the Young Men’s Division,
Soka, Seven Seas, and Student Division
national teams have strong conviction
that we will achieve our target of 1,000
young men. The reason we can say
this is because we have the Gosho, the
Gohonzon, and Sensei’s guidance.
“In Sensei’s message to the Young
Men’s General Meeting in 2009 he quoted
the English poet Byron, saying ‘Courage
achieves anything’. Following Sensei’s
words, we will take action with courage
towards this General Meeting to achieve
our target of 1,000 young men.
“We would like to say in advance
to the three other divisions, thank you
very much for all your daily support
towards the Young Men’s Division and for
your support towards our Young Men’s
Division General Meeting.”
Future Division
feedback
Before announcing dates for 2015,
Naruo Yoshikawa and Louise Devine gave
feedback from this year’s Future Division
activities and presented a slideshow
of pictures from this year’s summer
courses. They expressed gratitude to
everyone for supporting the activities
and the precious Future Division
members. They encouraged everyone to
keep the Future Division central to our
vision for the whole organisation. This is
important because the continued solid
growth of the SGI will only come from
turn to page 4
SGI-UK online news bulletin Issue 130
16.10.2014 Page 4
This year’s Future Division summer course
from page 3
having a strong Future Division which
feels a connection to President Ikeda.
Announcing activities in 2015 they
shared the following dates:
The Indigo Group will have their
national kick off on January 10 at
Taplow Court in A2 from 10.30am to
5pm.
The Mimosa, Young Eagles and
Rising Phoenix groups will have two
one-day summer courses on July 11 and
12 at Taplow Court.
The young women’s and young men’s
Indigo courses will happen separately
and will take place during weekdays
at Taplow Court. The date is yet to be
confirmed but will be sometime between
July 27 and August 7 to accommodate
the different regional summer holidays.
More information about these events
will be passed on in due course.
Youth Division
experience
Mauricio Foubert, Young Men’s
Division leader for South East London
HQ, gave an experience about the
growth of the YM in his HQ.
“When I was asked to be YMHQ
leader, I was concerned about taking
this responsibility, because my son
had been born just a few days ago, it
was the end of December 2011. I wrote
to Sensei, saying I had accepted this
responsibility and promised him a
growth of 40 YM in my HQ.”
He said 2012 was hard. “With a
new-born baby it was difficult for me to
manage my time, working 7 days a week,
not making enough money, learning how
to be a parent. 3 of my district leaders
moved away, leaving only one active YM
in the HQ apart from me.
At the end of the year I felt
frustrated because I didn’t see any
growth in the YMD. I was feeling
responsible for this and angry with
myself because I felt I was not fulfilling
my responsibility, and I had broken my
promise to Sensei.”
He had guidance with a YMD national
leader. “I shared my suffering about
not knowing how to support the young
men. I was told I wasn’t their father and
that was not my responsibility, rather
I needed to focus in becoming strong
myself, in having conviction: in my
mission, in the Gohonzon and in Sensei’s
guidance. He continued: ‘When you take
all action based on Sensei’s guidance
you will win and all your prayers will be
answered. You will see a natural growth
of the young men’.”
He determined to stand alone for
kosen-rufu as a disciple of Sensei. “I will
rely on no one. I will use this year to
grow closer to Sensei. I need to grow!”
“At that time, I determined to be the
most courageous young man I could
be. This was my main determination for
2013. Due to the large challenges I set
out to do sometimes I would experience
failure and embarrassment. But I kept
persevering and as the months passed
by something began changing within
me; what I felt was: when I seek Sensei
I could see positive change, I became
stronger fighting for Sensei.
“I encouraged YM to create a weekly
rhythm of home visits so that we can
chant together and overcome our
challenges. By doing this together we
can become true friends as I believe
friendship is the key for HQ growth and
kosen-rufu.
“I would like to share result of my
last 3 years of responsibility so far: 1st
year 0 Gohonzon receiving with 2 active
YM. 2nd year 2 Gohonzon receivings, 6
YM. This year we have achieved a growth
of 32 YM with 6 Gohonzon receivings and
we are closely approaching to our target
for end of year 40 YM and 10 Gohonzon
receivings.
“After this experience I can say what
kind of friendship we need for kosenrufu. Friendship based on seeking the
correct teaching, which means seeking
Sensei together.”
Akari Nakanishi, vice Young
Women’s leader for Northern Area
supporting Newcastle Central district,
said: “My district is determined to make
each district discussion meeting full of
inspiration, and as one of the ways to
achieve that, we have ‘mini-experiences’
in discussion meetings. Each participant
shares his/her little short experiences
before we start discussion on a theme
for the month.
“My focus now is on making
planning meetings fruitful; my vision
is to have a great discussion among
members in planning meetings as if it
is the discussion meeting so that we
can warmly welcome, embrace and
inspire guests in the actual discussion
meetings.”
Emma Deakin, Young Women’s
Division leader for Camberwell Green
district, said her determination is for
every single person in her district to be
happy alongside Sensei. She added that
she is striving with every ounce of her
being to make the young women in her
district realise how great they are.
Vice national Soka leader Nick
Spencer, who supports Redbridge
District, said he is fighting to bring more
young men into the district. When he
arrived there was only one but at the last
meeting there were four.
Callum Arthur said that after
starting a new job he has joined
Kirkcaldy district in Fife. He said he
wanted to foster Youth Divison members
to ensure the future of the district. As
he arrived knowing no one, he speaks to
someone new every day to try to become
part of the community.
Ryo Ashida
Hideo Kato
My district
Mauricio giving his experience
SGI-UK online news bulletin Issue 130
News round-up
16.10.2014 Page 5
World news
India: Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG)
organised symposiums on President Ikeda’s
2014 Peace Proposal in Kolkata on August
30 and in New Delhi on September 9.
Manila, Philippines: On September 30, the
University of the East awarded President
Ikeda an honorary Doctorate of Humanities
in recognition of his contributions to peace,
culture and education.
Employment opportunity
with SGI-UK
On September 27, SGI-UK Youth
Peace Committee members of 2012-14
graduated with pride and joy, leaving
a legacy for the new intake, who also
attended the meeting, to build upon for
the next two years, writes Gabrielle
Westhead.
The meeting began with a roaring
gongyo, led by General Director Robert
Harrap. During his welcome talk, Robert
encouraged the graduating committee
members to feel proud of their pioneering
efforts and urged the new members to “be
louder, be bolder and be persistent”.
Tania Porqueddu, chair of the YPC, took
the group through the history, purpose and
aim of the committee. With the aid of a very
informative SGI-UK produced video, this
exercise refreshed the graduating members’
spirits and provided fresh thoughts for
the new members. Still in its infancy, this
Youth Peace Committee will be the third
for SGI-UK. This year saw the YPC split
into three sub-groups to pioneer three
initiatives designed to inform members and
non-members alike about SGI’s movement,
SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s vision of
a world free of nuclear weapons and the
importance of heart-to-heart dialogue: these
being, a lecture series based on Daisaku
Ikeda’s 2014 Peace Proposal delivered by
Robert Harrap nationwide; an exhibition
about peace, culture and education; and an
interfaith dialogue event. With the lecture
series already taking place, the exhibition
and interfaith event will be supported by
the new intake. Each sub-group provided
feedback to the group, giving the new
members inspiration for future efforts.
After an update from each sub-group,
SGI-UK Youth Division leader Lisa Cowan
gave us a short lecture on ‘The Time in
Buddhism’. Directed to the graduating
group, Lisa reminded us to “engrave the fight
for peace in our hearts” as sustainable peace
is a lifelong challenge. One YPC member
asked how it is possible to discern what
is an obstacle in life or whether it is just
the ‘wrong’ time. In answer, Lisa prompted
us to base ourselves on the Gohonzon, to
be in rhythm with what is required at the
time, in the environment we’re in, and to
not be afraid to make mistakes for the sake
of peace. Echoing what Robert said to the
group, the new YPC members have joined
at an “extraordinarily important time” in
the world’s affairs, giving them an equally
important mission in the committee.
l East Anglia
South HQ
received a letter of
encouragement from
President Ikeda at
a kick-off meeting
in February 2004, in
which he asked us
to build the model
organisation for the
rest of the world, writes Pauline Baker. We engraved these words in our hearts, and the HQ
grew so rapidly that it became two HQs in 2012. The reformed smaller East Anglia South
HQ, which covers Suffolk including a small part of Essex, is again growing in leaps and
bounds, and we held two inspiration day meetings on September 7 and 27 based on Sensei’s
guidance, ‘A Fresh Departure into a New Era – Every Member a President, Every Member
a Foot Soldier’ where every single member is encouraged to take responsibility for the
spread of kosen-rufu within their immediate neighbourhood. Each day began with passages
being read from President Ikeda’s amazing poem ‘Ode to District Leaders’. Guidance
was shared at the first meeting by SGI-UK vice national Young Women’s Division leader
Shoko Fukuhara, with East of England Area vice Men’s Division leader Manny Fernandez
delivering wonderful words at the second. The joy emanating at the end of the day from
those attending these meetings showed how successful they had been.
There is the opportunity to join SGIUK as an employee in the position
of SGI-UK Centres Facility Support
Employee; this will particularly
support the maintenance of SGI-UK’s
three London centres.
For further information, job
description and application form for this
position please contact either: Sanda
McWilliam: [email protected]
or on 01628 591208 or Mike Yeadon:
[email protected] or on 01628
591209.
Completed application forms need to
be received by 30 November 2014.
Emerging from the Earth
We have chosen
the theme
‘Emerging from
the earth’ to
explore the
core theme
of the study
lecture this
month which is
‘Our mission as
Bodhisattvas
of the Earth and the dynamic
development of the SGI toward a
humanistic century of peace’.
Working parties
An invitation is extended to all members to
help maintain the grounds at Taplow Court.
The work consists of various tasks in the
woods and parkland. The next dates are:
25 October; 8, 22 November. Please call
the estate office to book lunch and confirm
your attendance on 01628 591219. Daimoku
starts at 10am in the Victory Room, lunch
12.30 to 2pm and evening gongyo at 5pm.
We look forward to seeing you.
Can you help in the canteen?
Can you help once a month or at a moment’s
notice to serve lunch in the canteen at
weekends at SGI-UK National Centre, Taplow
Court? If so, please call Annemarie Smith
on 0118 9455412 for more details or email
[email protected] with your details.