The New Human Revolution, vol. 16

By Daisaku Ikeda

Through this novelized history of the Soka Gakkai—one of the most dynamic, diverse, and empowering movements in the world today—readers will discover the organization's goals and achievements even as they find inspiring and practical Buddhist wisdom for living happily and compassionately in today's world. The book recounts the stories of ordinary individuals who faced tremendous odds in transforming their lives through the practice of Nichiren Buddhism and in bringing Buddhism's humanistic teachings to the world. This inspiring narrative provides readers with the principles with which they can positively transform their own lives for the better and realize enduring happiness for themselves and others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Independent Publishers Group
• Release date: Oct 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781946635471

Book preview

Heart and Soul

THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY has come! The decisive moment is now! Our goal is near!

Shin’ichi Yamamoto greeted New Year’s Day of 1972 with a powerful fighting spirit burning in his heart. That morning, as he chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo together with his family before the Gohonzon in their home, he contemplated the opening passage of Nichiren Daishonin’s writing The Selection of the Time: When it comes to studying the teachings of Buddhism, one must first learn to understand the time (WND-1, 538).

If we allow the crucial moment to pass, we cannot accomplish anything, and all our earlier efforts and struggles will be for naught. As Nichiren says: "Now, when the true and the provisional teachings are utterly confused, it would be equally unnatural for one to seclude oneself in the mountain forests and carry out the peaceful practice of shoju¹ without refuting the enemies of the Lotus Sutra. One would lose the chance to practice the Lotus Sutra" (WND-1, 394).

The Daishonin declares that it is disgraceful for practitioners of the Lotus Sutra to lack the courage to correct people’s mistaken beliefs in an age when the teachings are completely confused. If we fail to stand up when we should and fail to fight when we need to fight, we sacrifice both our chance to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime and to achieve kosen-rufu. Shin’ichi keenly felt that the crucial moment for all Soka Gakkai members to rise up and take action had finally arrived.

The great Russian author Leo Tolstoy wrote that time is infinite progression without a moment’s pause.² Indeed, time passes with relentless speed.

The year 1972 was to be an extremely important year in determining the direction of the magnificent flow of kosen-rufu toward the future. In October of that year, the Grand Main Temple—representing the sanctuary of the essential teaching that Nichiren Daishonin had entrusted his disciples of later ages to build—was to be completed at the head temple, Taiseki-ji.

With the construction of the Grand Main Temple, the kosen-rufu movement would enter the stage of fully realizing the principle of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land in society and would embark on a new phase in its global development. Toward that end, it was vital that all members establish a pillar of sound and indestructible faith in their hearts.

Strongly aware that the period leading up to the completion of the Grand Main Temple would have a decisive impact on the future, Shin’ichi made a firm vow to give his entire being to ensuring victory.

THE SOKA GAKKAI had designated 1972 as the Year of the Community, and members were working hard to build a base for actualizing a peaceful society through the spread of Nichiren Buddhism on the local level.

The community is the foundation for peace and social prosperity as a whole. The success of our endeavor for kosen-rufu comes down to the extent that we can expand understanding and sympathy for the ideal of Buddhist humanism and create a network dedicated to human rights and peace in our neighborhoods, towns, and cities.

The Seikyo Shimbun, in the New Year’s Day edition, published To My Friends, a page featuring encouragement by Shin’ichi. This served as a great inspiration to members who were eager to cultivate community relations. Shin’ichi took every opportunity to inscribe brief messages in books and on special note cards, which he sent to members of the youth division and other divisions as well. This was part of his sincere and earnest struggle to foster capable people and enable each person to become happy.

At the strong request of the Seikyo Shimbun, from June of the previous year, some of these messages were occasionally printed under the heading To My Young Friends. Now, on the front page of the New Year’s Day edition, more than a dozen of them were featured under the title To My Friends.

A new spring

is upon us.

We will not be defeated.

We will not fear.

Like that snow-crowned champion

Mount Fuji,

we remain calm and steadfast,

resolutely

withstanding the cold, harsh winds.

An untouched wilderness

lies before us.

It is only natural that there will be

howling winds and swirling clouds of dust.

However, as eternal comrades,

let us brave the raging storms together,

aiming for the citadel of absolute reality,

always encouraging one another with utmost sincerity

as we ride gallantly onward, again from today.

Members attending New Year’s meetings at the headquarters and community centers around Japan read To My Friends aloud, renewing their commitment to kosen-rufu together. Each piece of encouragement was the distillation of Shin’ichi’s life force, wrung from his fervent wish to light the flame of courage in the hearts of his beloved fellow members and illuminate them with the light of hope. They touched the members deeply precisely because they were born of Shin’ichi’s powerful determination.

FROM TEN in the morning on New Year’s Day, Shin’ichi attended a meeting held at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters and then the New Year’s Day Festival at the adjoining Soka Culture Center. Everyone was filled with excitement to be ushering in a new age.

At the festival, members of the arts division performed dances brimming with hope and joy, while boys division members delighted the audience with a vigorous gymnastics presentation. Enthusiastic cheers and applause followed each performance.

On January 2, the day of his forty-fourth birthday, Shin’ichi went to Taiseki-ji to visit the graves of first and second Soka Gakkai presidents Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda. At Toda’s grave, Shin’ichi offered sincere prayers and announced his determinations for the enormously significant year ahead.

Mr. Toda, the Grand Main Temple, the construction of which you entrusted to me, will be finished in October of this year. Members will gather from around the world to celebrate its completion with grand ceremony. They are all disciples who have inherited your spirit, disciples who have emerged from the seeds you planted. With the establishment of the Grand Main Temple, the current of kosen-rufu will expand exponentially and we will shift into the period of fully realizing the peace of the land based on the correct teaching of Buddhism.

Whenever Shin’ichi thought of his mentor, he felt tremendous courage and energy well up within him, and he knew he could withstand any hardship.

No matter how determined we are to live according to the highest ideals, it is easy to be defeated by the fear or doubt, complacence or arrogance arising in our minds. That is why the Daishonin admonishes us, Become the master of your mind rather than let your mind master you (WND-1, 486). As long as we are able to keep the example of our mentor alive in our hearts, we can triumph over our personal weaknesses.

Toda’s voice always rang in Shin’ichi’s being. Sometimes it was filled with strict scolding, sometimes with boisterous laughter and warm encouragement. For Shin’ichi, Toda was an unwavering beacon, a lighthouse guiding him through the stormiest of nights, illuminating his course and watching over him. He keenly felt how fortunate he was to have Josei Toda as his mentor.

ON THE EVENING of January 2, the first university group general meeting was to be held in the Grand Reception Hall of the head temple, Taiseki-ji. The temple grounds were bustling with spirited university group members who had gathered from throughout Japan.

Hoping that every one of the young people would make a firm determination to pursue their faith throughout their lives, Shin’ichi took every opportunity he could to speak with them and offer them wholehearted encouragement. An earnest person never wastes a single encounter.

As he walked around the temple grounds, Shin’ichi came across a group of young men talking among themselves and called out to them, Thank you for coming! They responded energetically.

Shin’ichi noticed that one of the youth, wearing glasses with heavy black frames, didn’t meet his gaze. Aren’t you feeling well? he inquired.

No, I’m, uh, I’m fine, the young man stammered, his eyes cast downward.

One of the others spoke up for him: This is Mr. Yamaguchi. The fact is, for about the past two years, since he graduated from university, he hasn’t really been practicing. But we all wanted him to attend this general meeting, so we encouraged him and he agreed to come along.

Shin’ichi smiled warmly and said: That’s great. One of the reasons I inaugurated the university groups was so that you could cultivate lifelong friendships as comrades working together for kosen-rufu.

The English philosopher Francis Bacon³ once said, It is a mere and miserable solitude to want true friends; without which the world is but a wilderness.

Indeed, nothing is more gratifying than having friends in faith.

Shin’ichi then said to the dejected-looking young man: It’s Mr. Yamaguchi, right? The fact that you came here today is a sign of your triumph. I am certain that you will carry out the vow of the university groups to dedicate your life to the path of kosen-rufu. At any rate, you’ve probably become very busy with work since graduating.

Yamaguchi lifted his eyes seeming to relax under Shin’ichi’s kind gaze. Yes, he replied, "that’s part of it. But I’ve also let my weaknesses get the better of me. During my university days, I was always with other student division members, but when I started to work and went to live in the company dormitory, I was the only Soka Gakkai member. Before I knew it, I’d stopped practicing.

THE TWO YEARS that I didn’t participate in activities were not very fulfilling. I felt aimless and was nagged by a constant sense of guilt.

Nodding in understanding, Shin’ichi said: "Everything has a purpose, a mission. The mission of flowers is to bloom. The mission of the sun is to give off light and warmth. The mission of water is to flow, to purify, and to nourish life.

"You and I are Bodhisattvas of the Earth, born into this world to actualize the fundamental mission of kosenrufu. Failing to do so is like a flower that doesn’t bloom or a sun that doesn’t shine. In that case, we cannot know true joy or fulfillment.

It is of course important to do our best and become foremost employees at our places of work, but we also mustn’t forget why we are living—that is, to contribute to others and to society. In short, it is to realize kosenrufu, an undertaking to eliminate misery from the world and bring happiness and peace to all. Never forgetting our primary purpose, we need to become victors in our workplace, establish wonderful families, and develop ourselves into trusted members of the community and people who are genuinely happy and fulfilled. That is how we demonstrate the power of Buddhism.

Yamaguchi listened intently as Shin’ichi spoke. He seemed to be very pure hearted but also a little timid.

Without faith, Shin’ichi continued, one cannot savor real satisfaction or happiness. Without faith, no matter how much money you make or how famous and important you may become, you will end up feeling empty and overwhelmed by fear and anxiety of old age and death. Only Buddhism offers a solution to the fundamental sufferings of life—birth, aging, sickness, and death. Shin’ichi wanted Yamaguchi to truly understand the purpose of faith. I can’t help but notice, he added, that while you seem to be gentle natured, you are also somewhat fainthearted. Am I right?

Yes, he replied in a soft voice.

Shin’ichi then said: Unless we bring out the best sides of our character and inner tendencies, they can often become the cause of unhappiness. We can look at our personality as a manifestation of our karma, which can determine our state of mind and happiness in life.

SHIN’ICHI’S WORDS really grabbed the young men’s attention. They listened with great interest as he continued.

"People have many different character traits and personalities. Some are weak spirited and easily influenced by others, while some are quick to anger. Some always put themselves down, while others sulk all the time. And some are constantly carping and complaining.

Generally speaking, many factors contribute to the formation of our personalities—genetics and inherited characteristics, as well as family environment and other experiences while we are growing up. But all of them are strongly linked to our karma; that is, the accumulation of our actions, words, and thoughts over previous existences. As a result, some of us have the misfortune to have the kind of personality that attracts nothing but failure and ruin to our lives.

The young men hung on Shin’ichi’s every word.

For example, he continued, short-tempered people are likely to get into frequent arguments at work. Eventually, they will start to be avoided by others and to experience strained interpersonal relationships. They may even wind up being forced out of their job. But since their personality is the cause, they will find themselves in the same situation wherever they go.

Yamaguchi asked Shin’ichi, Can we change our personality through faith?

"Faith can enable us to counteract the negative aspects of our personality and bring out the positive aspects. Nichiren Daishonin writes, ‘Each thing—the cherry, the plum, the peach, the damson—in its own entity, without undergoing any change, possesses the eternally endowed three bodies’⁴ (OTT, 200).

"Buddhism teaches the way that each of us, just as we are—in the same way that the cherry is a cherry, the plum is a plum, the peach is a peach, and the damson is a damson—can realize happiness by bringing out the best of our innate disposition and potential. People who become angry quickly are passionate by nature, usually with a strong sense of truth and justice. If such people diligently strive in faith, they will no longer get angry about trivial things but be able to aim that emotion toward fighting against corruption and injustice.

Those who are easily influenced by people around them have an inherent tendency to be kind to and get along well with others. Faith will help such people tap that gift. The process of doing so is called human revolution. What matters are the practical steps we take in that direction.

The young men nodded earnestly.

SHIN’ICHI CONTINUED: "Fundamentally, it means to chant diligently and to give your all to polishing your life. It’s important to look at yourself and become aware of your issues and innate tendencies. Each of us has shortcomings, like blaming our unhappiness on others, lacking perseverance, or refusing to listen to others’ opinions. These are basic faults that obstruct our growth and happiness.

"The problem is, most people don’t realize their failings unless they are made aware of them. That’s why it’s crucial to have seniors and friends who care enough to strictly point out our weaknesses and to help us face and overcome them. And we need to pray sincerely in order to challenge them and truly be able to make the change.

"We can also strengthen and improve ourselves through Soka Gakkai activities. Nichiren Daishonin writes, ‘The flaws in iron come to the surface when it is forged’ (WND-1, 497). When we participate in Soka Gakkai activities, our karma is sometimes manifested in the form of such shortcomings as weakness, cowardice, and selfishness.

But as we push ourselves to successfully carry out one activity after another without being defeated, we forge our character and are able to win over our negative tendencies, thus doing our human revolution. Soka Gakkai activities are a kind of training ground on which to strengthen our being. It is by dedicating our lives to the mission of kosen-rufu and developing ourselves that we can transform our karma.

As Yamaguchi listened to Shin’ichi speak, his face brightened. A cold breeze enveloped them, but Shin’ichi kept talking, When did you become a member, Mr. Yamaguchi?

My whole family joined when I was in elementary school.

I see, Shin’ichi said. "You know, I once heard about a young man who was accepted into a highly competitive university in Tokyo. He was the first person from his high school to achieve this feat, and all of his neighbors were quite excited for him. As he eagerly prepared to head for the city, his mother took him aside and said: ‘What would make me even happier than your enrollment in that university would be for you to work for kosen-rufu throughout your life within the Soka Gakkai and carry out your faith until the very end. For that’s actually the only way to bring happiness to both yourself and others.’

This was the truth that his mother had devoted her own life to attaining. It was the heartfelt cry of a genuine Soka mother.

SHIN’ICHI’S VOICE grew more forceful: Too many young people today think of nothing other than their own personal success and glory, but ultimately their lives end up empty. The most important thing as a human being is to dedicate oneself to kosen-rufu. What matters is what we do for others and for society in order to achieve happiness for ourselves and those around us. I hope that you, too, Mr. Yamaguchi, will muster your courage and once again earnestly exert yourself in faith, for the sake of your true success and victory as a human being.

I will! Yamaguchi replied with resolve.

Once you decide to do something, it’s important to start working toward it right away. If you think you’ll get around to it someday, the opportunity will pass and you’ll end up like the ‘cold-suffering bird.’ Do know what that is?

Yes. It appears in Nichiren Daishonin’s writings. It’s a bird that lives in the Snow Mountains that, tortured by the cold every night, determines to build a nest in the morning. When the next day comes, however, it instead sleeps away the hours in the warm sunlight and forgets about building its nest.

That’s right. Today is crucial—what we do right now. If we don’t act today, we’ll regret it the rest of our lives. I don’t want any of you to experience that kind of regret. Let’s fight. Let’s work and apply ourselves diligently and create a magnificent drama of life.

I’ll do my best! I won’t be defeated again! Yamaguchi responded with fresh vigor.

Shin’ichi grasped his hand firmly. Tears of emotion rose in the eyes of both Yamaguchi and the young man standing next to him—the friend who had visited him on numerous occasions to encourage him to attend the university group general meeting.

When one person finally stands up in faith, those who rejoice the most and receive the greatest benefit are that person’s friends, the people who have cared, chanted, and done everything to support that person. Whatever we do for kosen-rufu, for our friends, and for others returns to us as our own happiness and good fortune. That is the Buddhist principle of cause and effect.

Nichiren Daishonin confirms this when he says, If one lights a fire for others, one will brighten one’s own way (WND-2, 1060).

THE FIRST NATIONWIDE university group general meeting began just before six in the evening in the Grand Reception Hall at the head temple, with twenty-three hundred members from 113 university groups in attendance. Shin’ichi was excited, for he counted on the members of the university groups to shoulder the future of kosen-rufu.

When the twenty-first century dawned, most of the participants would be in their fifties, the age when they would fully display their abilities as leaders of society. Shin’ichi thought: "The year 2001 will correspond with the fiftieth anniversary of President Toda’s inauguration as president and the start of his full-fledged efforts to initiate the pioneering endeavor of kosen-rufu. The beginning of the next century will be the period when we put the finishing touches on the enduring foundations of our movement.

How we shape kosen-rufu at that time, how we manifest in society the spirit of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land, will determine its future direction. It is the members of all the university groups, starting with those here today, who, having forged their abilities with their sights set on that crucial time, will enthusiastically take their place on the stage of the new century as leaders of the future.

This was the year that the Grand Main Temple, the sanctuary of the essential teaching, would be completed. Shin’ichi had proposed that the university group general meeting be held at this auspicious time to serve as a ceremony entrusting victory in the twenty-first century to these young people.

The Tokyo University Group was the first of its kind to be formed, in April 1968. The purpose of establishing these groups was to foster capable people who would carry on the work of kosen-rufu and be active in all realms of endeavor, based on the principle that Buddhism manifests itself in society. The number of such leaders raised would determine the success of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land. Shin’ichi had thus made every effort to attend the inaugural meeting of each new university group and encourage its members with all his might.

Even when he was the target of fierce attacks and criticism and in the worst physical condition, Shin’ichi continued to meet with these members and offer them words of encouragement. He knew that the university groups would produce an invaluable stream of talented successors who would create a new tide of victory