Renewing Our Vow on May 3rd

I first wrote about "The Spirit of May 3" in May 2014 and that version is still available, but this year I decided to update it with some more sources from the last ten years.  All of the following are President Ikeda's own words taken from his diary, speeches, newsletters and other publications.

SOKA GAKKAI DAY

May 3, Soka Gakkai Day, is the New Year’s Day of the Soka Gakkai. It is a day when we return to our vow from time without beginning and make a fresh commitment to work for kosen-rufu, our hearts blazing like the newborn sun.¹   [It] is the starting point for making our lives and those of others shine even more brightly.²    

May 3, 1951 … was the day that Mr. Toda became the second Soka Gakkai president and the Soka Gakkai cast off its transient aspect and revealed its true identity as a harmonious community of Bodhisattvas of the Earth. On that day, it launched a great struggle to realize kosen-rufu by compassionately spreading the Mystic Law.³

“At last, Mr. Toda has become president.  This was the long-awaited, common wish of all his disciples.  I will remember this day for the rest of my life.”⁴

May 3, 1960—I became the third Soka Gakkai president and, at the age of 32—one in spirit and action with my mentor—took leadership with the determination to advance our movement another step toward the substantive realization of kosen-rufu.³

[Sensei wrote in his diary that day] “Shall begin my lifetime battle to spread the Law…  Must take leadership for kosen-rufu in a way that befits a general, a human being and a youth.”⁵

May 3 is a day illuminated by the flame of the Soka Gakkai spirit.⁶

A General Meeting was held on May 3, 1957 [and] Mr. Toda called out to us: “To just chant daimoku ourselves is not practicing in accord with the time. Practicing in accord with the time means sharing the Daishonin’s Buddhism with others.”^7,8

Our goal is to actualize the vision of Nichiren Daishonin and bring about lasting peace and prosperity for all humanity.⁹

The practice most suitable for this age is to actively go out and meet with others and help them forge a connection with Buddhism based on a spirit of compassion and an earnest desire to share the Mystic Law with them.⁸

It is impossible for me to advance kosen-rufu without fellow members who struggle alongside me for this cause.  It is not me who is important, but the members.¹⁰ 

I therefore hope you will become champions of faith who never retreat a single step, and that you will continue to struggle valiantly together with me as we advance into the future.⁹

President Toda declared that the essence of the Soka Gakkai spirit is "to return to the time of the Daishonin."  What he meant by this, he said, is for each of us to take the Daishonin's spirit as his own and strive to help others embrace faith in the Mystic Law and realize genuine happiness.²

3 May is a day infused with commitment, action, unity, gratitude, hope, victory, fresh departure and new progress.⁸

We of the Soka Gakkai always greet this day by renewing our vow and resolve for kosen-rufu. Our lives, therefore, blaze with the same powerful life force as [Nichiren].¹¹

Whatever trials may descend upon us, we, the members of Soka, always embark anew toward victory from the starting point of May 3 [and] with our sights set on the next May 3, we forge ahead determined to raise a brilliant banner proclaiming our complete victory.¹²

Let us ensure that this vow of May 3 - embodying the Soka Gakkai spirit and directly connected to the spirit of the Daishonin - is transmitted to the future and endures for all eternity.²

 

Successors of Soka— powerfully ring in a new renaissance,

where all humanity can reveal the life state of Buddhahood!¹³

 

 SOKA GAKKAI MOTHER’S DAY

May 3 is also Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day.  The sincere daimoku of our women’s members, ‘the mothers of kosen-rufu’… paved the way for writing a history of indestructible glory for May 3.  It is vital that we always remember to have the deepest respect and gratitude for the power of faith and practice – the lofty prayers and efforts – of our great Soka women.⁶

Whenever I hear of the wonderful efforts of our women’s division and young women’s division members, I cannot help but think how delighted Nichiren Daishonin would be, how heartily he would praise and encourage them.¹⁴

The first Buddhist “women’s organization” can be traced back to the time of Shakyamuni. It began with women linked by the bonds of mentor and disciple, with a circle of good friends. They offered care and support to other women who were confronting the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and together forged hope-filled connections.

I am reminded of the vow that Queen Shrimala made in the presence of the Buddha in the Shrimala Sutra: “If I see lonely people, people who . . . have lost their freedom, people who are suffering from illness, disaster or poverty, I will not abandon them. I will bring them spiritual and material comfort.”  It was a pledge to leave no one behind.¹⁵

“I am grateful beyond measure particularly to our dedicated women of Soka, who show care and concern for each person with a Buddha-like compassion.¹⁶

A society filled with the smiles of women, mothers, and children living in happiness and peace is the vision at the heart of the ideal of ‘establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land.’¹⁷

The bright, confident voices of our women’s division members and the vibrant, unaffected actions of our young women’s division members have the power to revitalize and positively transform everything around them.¹⁴

 

“Women of Soka— shining suns of a century of life—

Open the gateway to peace, lighting the way to a brighter future!”¹⁸ 

Resources

I put this document together using President Ikeda’s words from his Youthful Diary (in 1951 & 1960), a New Human Revolution account of May 1967, articles from the Seikyo Shimbun (in 2004 & 2010) and Daibyakurenge (in 2023), and newsletters from 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023.

 1  Newsletter - NL10204SM (May 2019)

 2  Newsletter - NL8982SM (May 2014)

 3  Newsletter - NL11443XT (May 2023 Daibyakurenge)

 4  A Youthful Diary, p11

 5  Ibid, p502

 6  Seikyo Shimbun (2 May 2004):  https://www.worldtribune.org/2024/glorious-may-3/

 7  Translated from Japanese. Josei Toda, Toda Josei Zenshu (1989), vol. 4, p. 535.

 8  Newsletter - NL8538SG (June 2012)

 9  New Human Revolution – Vol. 12, p7 (events of 3 May 1967)

10 Kosen Rufu: Our Mission: Volume 2, p50 (2004 article about May 3^rd)

11 World Tribune – 24 Sept. 2004 (p3, Message from 3 May 2004)

12 Seikyo Shimbun (3 May 2010) https://www.worldtribune.org/2020/shine-on-brilliantly-our-may-3/

13 Newsletter - NL10476SW (May 2020)

14 Newsletter - NL9308SX (Oct. 2015)

15 Newsletter - NL10509SG  (June 2020)

16 Newsletter - NL11256SZ  (May 2023)

17 Newsletter - NL11257SB  (May 2023)

18 Newsletter - NL10787SW  (May 2021)

Previously... On Mentor-Disciple Day

Over the last few years I have written several posts on the significance of the SGI’s Mentor-Disciple Day and the mentor-disciple relationship.

Please click on the links below to go to previous posts:

Building Our Own Future - Spirit of 3rd July

Mentor-Disciple Day

Leaders of the Park (see Part IV)

The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple

Why a Mentor-Disciple Day?

“Only one person can make a breakthrough,

the second and a third will follow.

This is the formula for victory! 

Become a pioneer of the new era

and shine in your community.”

               Daisaku Ikeda, "To My Friends", 3 July 2014

Happy New Year 2015

While there are many special days throughout the year - religious, secular, birthdays and personal anniversaries – which we may attach significance to as new beginnings, most people have universally accepted that New Year’s Day is a day of fresh starts, renewals and making fresh determinations in their lives.  

In his New Year Gosho, Nichiren writes “New Year’s Day marks the first day, the first month, the beginning of the year, and the start of spring.”  (WND-1, p1137)  and we can see from this that New Year’s Day is actually a day of four beginnings – a new day, a new month, a new year, and, according to the old lunar calendar in Japan, a new season.

I’m sure an examination of Nichiren’s life would reveal a lifetime of new beginnings and fresh departures, but as a brief overview we can see four key firsts:

(i)       He may have claimed “I, Nichiren, am not the founder of any school” (WND-1. p669), but through his studies, teachings, treaties and letters, he did lead the way in re-focusing attention on the heart of Shakyamuni’s teachings and devotion to the Lotus Sutra - a journey which led to the start of Nichiren Buddhism in Japan.

(ii)     He introduced the practice of daimoku to Japan and wrote “In the entire country of Japan, I am the only one who has been chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo”  (WND-1, p672)

(iii)   He was the first to inscribe the Gohonzon, a mandala based on the “Ceremony in the Air” from the Lotus Sutra and writes “I was the first to reveal as the banner of propagation of the Lotus Sutra this great mandala that even those such as Nāgārjuna and Vasubandhu, T’ien-t’ai and Miao-lo were unable to express.”  (WND-1, p831)

(iv)  Finally, Nichiren led the way when it came to propagating the Lotus Sutra and ensuring that the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra would spread far and wide, writing “At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others.”  (WND-1, p385)

Later in the New Year Gosho, the Daishonin writes:

“The sincerity of making offerings to the Lotus Sutra at the beginning of the New Year is like cherry blossoms blooming from trees, a lotus unfolding in a pond, sandalwood leaves unfurling on the Snow Mountains, or the moon beginning to rise.” (WND-1, p1137)

So what new departures can we initiate on this day of new beginnings, and how can we make sincere offerings to the Lotus Sutra? 

In most things the greatest offering we can make is not necessarily financial, but the commitment of ourselves.  And, when it comes to the Lotus Sutra, I think the greatest offering we can make is the commitment of our time, our energy, our hearts and our lives.  

In his message for the 5^th Soka Gakkai HQ Leader’s Meeting in 2014, Daisaku Ikeda recalled a 1954 meeting saying “At that time, President Toda declared that the essence of the Soka Gakkai spirit is “to return to the time of the Daishonin”.  What he meant by this, he said, is for each of us to take the Daishonin’s spirit as our own and strive to help others embrace faith in the Mystic Law and realize genuine happiness.”  President Ikeda then went on to say that we should ensure that this vow – “embodying the Soka Gakkai spirit and directly connected to the spirit of the Daishonin is transmitted to the future and endures for all eternity” (Newsletter 8982)

Today – New Year’s Day 2015 - is an excellent opportunity for us to do just that and we can make sincere offerings to the Lotus Sutra by renewing our vow to “dedicate our lives to the great vow of kosen-rufu, just like the Daishonin” (Newsletter 8538), making a determination to commit time each day to study the Daishonin’s writings, and chanting with renewed energy to feel the power of our daimoku within our own lives and within our communities throughout 2015.  

See Also:

"The Same As Last Year" (from 1st January 2014)

"New Year Resolutions"  (from 1st January 2013)

"Ready, Willing & Able"  (from May 2012)

Master - Apprentice - Successor

BUILDING OUR OWN FUTURE

Do you know the name of this famous church?  It’s the Sagrada Família by Gaudi.  How long do you think it took to build?  Would you be surprised to know it’s still not finished! 

Initially it was someone else’s project and was started in 1882, but a year later Gaudi took over and improved the design.  When he died 45 years later it was still only 25% finished, and it isn’t expected to be completed until 2026!

Since his death, senior architects and project managers have overseen the continuation of this construction in accordance with Gaudi’s designs, and, even after a fire destroyed the plans during World War 2, his successors managed to redraw the designs from memory.

New and Old Construction

This cathedral is a very ambitious project which is one of the reasons it has taking so long, and without funding from the government, the speed of construction is dependent on the voluntary donations of visitors to the cathedral and private individuals.

But, whereas this cathedral could well have been left as an unfinished monument to Gaudi and remained 25% complete, the spirit of Gaudi’s apprentices, and their successors, to fulfil their mentor’s vision has maintained the momentum of construction.

THIS is the spirit of July 3^rd. 

MAKING A VOW

July 3^rd is not just about how great Mr. Makiguchi, Josei Toda or President Ikeda are as individuals, but it’s about recognizing their shared determination to see Buddhism spread throughout Japan and the world. 

July 3^rd 1944 was the day that Josei Toda, the second president of the Soka Gakkai, was released from prison and on his way home he saw the state of Tokyo at that time – a city that had been bombed with many people suffering.  That evening he sat before his Gohonzon and vowed:

“Gohonzon and Nichiren Daishonin!  I, Josei Toda, swear to work to achieve kosen-rufu”

But making a vow for kosen-rufu is not exclusive to the Soka Gakkai, it originates with, and is a continuation of, the vows of Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin.

In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni talks about why buddhas appear in the world:

“The buddhas, the world-honoured ones, wish to open the door of buddha wisdom to all living beings, to allow them to attain purity.  This is why they appear in the world.”  (LSOC2, 64)

He mentions his own vows:

“Shariputra, you should know that at the start I took a vow hoping to make all persons equal to me, without distinction between us.” (LSOC2, 70)

“At all times I think to myself: How can I cause living beings to gain entry into the unsurpassed way and quickly acquire the body of a buddha?”  (LSOC16, 273)

And he asks us to do the same:

“Now I entrust it to you.  You must single-mindedly propagate this Law abroad, causing its benefits to spread far and wide. … You must accept, uphold, read, recite, and broadly propagate this Law, causing all living beings everywhere to hear and understand it.”  (LSOC22, 319)

“After I have passed into extinction, who can guard and uphold, read and recite this sutra?  Now in the presence of the Buddha let him come forward and speak his vow” (LSOC11, 217)

Nichiren began his own spiritual journey of enlightenment by making a vow to become the wisest person in Japan, and later, after nearly being beheaded at Tatsunokuchi Beach, he declared his great vow in “The Opening of the Eyes”:

“This I will state.  Let the gods forsake me.  Let all persecutions assail me.  Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law”  (WND-1, p280)

“Here I will make a great vow.  Though I might be offered the rulership of Japan if I would abandon the Lotus Sutra, accept the teachings of the Meditation Sutra, and look forward to rebirth in the Pure Land, though I might be told that my father and mother will have their heads cut off if I do not recite the Nembutsu – whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never yield!  All other troubles are no more to me than dust before the wind.  I will be the pillar of Japan.  I will be the eyes of Japan.  I will be the great ship of Japan.  This is my vow, and I will never forsake it!”  (WND-1, p280)

In another letter he warns followers of Shakyamuni’s earlier teachings of the vow of a bodhisattva:

 “It is the nature of bodhisattvas to put off their own nirvana until they fulfil the vow to save all others.  If persons of the two vehicles cannot attain Buddhahood, then how can bodhisattvas fulfil their vow to save all people?  With this vow unfulfilled, they too cannot attain Buddhahood.” (WND-2, 278)

And in two other letters, he encourages his followers to make a great vow:

“Now you should make a great vow and pray for your next life”  (WND-1, p626)

“My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow” (WND-1, p1002)

BUILDING OUR OWN FUTURE

We are the architects of our own future - a future that shines with Shakyamuni and Nichiren’s vision of kosen-rufu and based on the foundation of a great vow to reveal our Buddhahood and to teach others to reveal their Buddhahood.

Shakyamuni had the vision of kosen-rufu when he awoke to the ultimate reality of life and all phenomena and explained that the Lotus Sutra should be taught far and wide, but many people couldn’t see his idea clearly.

Nichiren Daishonin grasped the meaning of the Lotus Sutra and, as well as ensuring he taught others how great it was, he created a blueprint for a daily practice that made The Lotus Sutra more accessible to everyday people.

Seven hundred years later, Mr. Makiguchi, Josei Toda and President Ikeda are the project managers of kosen-rufu within the Soka Gakkai.  Times may have changed, but the way to spread this Buddhism, one-to-one with our friends and by shining in our daily lives within our families, workplaces and communities is the same.

THE FOUNDATION OF THE S.G.I.

Mr. Makiguchi started the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai and established an organisation of 3000 members around the Tokyo area.

After the war, Josei Toda, stood alone, but tried to gather some of these former members together to share his great vow and his vision of kosen rufu.  And, through his encouragement, organisation and faith spread Nichiren Buddhism throughout Japan with a total of 800,000 households before he died.

President Ikeda has gone on to build upon this by continuing to inspire members in Japan and overseas to enable the SGI to be established and to expand through 193 countries.

THE SPIRIT OF JULY 3

We are now entrusted with the spread of Buddhism within our own countries and communities, and on July 3^rd – “Mentor-Disciple Day” - we are the ones that make a vow to stand up and share Nichiren Buddhism with others.  The great vow of a single individual committed to advancing kosen-rufu with the same passion, intention and spirit as Shakyamuni, Nichiren Daishonin and the three founding presidents of the SGI.

The Spirit of May 3

"May 3, Soka Gakkai Day, is the eternal starting point for making our lives and those of others shine even more brightly"

(President Ikeda, Newsletter 8982, 3 May 2014)

It is the day that Josei Toda became the second president of the Soka Gakkai in 1951 announcing his determination to achieve a membership of 750,000 households during his lifetime (which he achieved).  It is also the day that Daisaku Ikeda became the third president in 1960, and vowed to march boldly on a journey for worldwide kosen-rufu in which he would ensure Buddhism spread to the farthest reaches of the earth.


"3 May is a day infused with commitment, action, unity, gratitude, hope, victory, fresh departure and new progress.  Each 3 May is a day when we strengthen and deepen our commitment to kosen-rufu more than the year before."

  (President Ikeda, Newsletter 8538, 13 June 2012)

"[At] the Soka Gakkai General Meeting held on May 3, 1954, ... President Toda declared that the essence of the Soka Gakkai spirit is "to return to the time of the Daishonin."  What he meant by this, he said, is for each of us to take the Daishonin's spirit as his own and strive to help others embrace faith in the Mystic Law and realize genuine happiness."

(Daisaku Ikeda, Newsletter 8982, 3 May 2014)

"Our goal is to actualize the vision of Nichiren Daishonin and bring about lasting peace and prosperity for all humanity.  I therefore hope you will become champions of faith who never retreat a single step, and that you will continue to struggle valiantly together with me as we advance into the future."

(Daisaku Ikeda, NHR12, p7, 3 May 1967)

"Nichiren Daishonin constantly called out to his disciples:

You must summon up the great power of faith more than ever.  (WND-1, p1000)

Strengthen your resolve more than ever. (WND-1, 615)

You should therefore strive in faith more than ever to receive the blessings of the Lotus Sutra"  (WND-1, 33)

Our courage is limitless and our efforts know no bounds.  As long as we have that spirit and continue to press forward, cherishing the great ideal of kosen-rufu in our hearts, the path to victory will open up endlessly before us."

(Daisaku Ikeda, Newsletter 8759, 7 May 2013)

"To dedicate our lives to the great vow of kosen-rufu, just like the Daishonin - this is the very heart of 3 May."

(Daisaku Ikeda, Newsletter 8538, 13 June 2012)

"Let us ensure that this vow of May 3 - embodying the Soka Gakkai spirit and directly connected to the spirit of the Daishonin - is transmitted to the future and endures for all eternity."

 (Daisaku Ikeda, Newsletter 8982, 3 May 2014)

In April 1988 at the first national Soka Gakkai Women's Division meeting held in Tokyo, President Ikeda also proposed that in recognition of their sincere efforts and their contribution to the growth of the organisation, May 3 should also be celebrated as "Soka Gakkai's Mother's Day" in honour of the "mothers of kosen-rufu".

(See also:  "Renewing Our Vow on May 3rd" uploaded on 29 April 2025 and including more of President Ikeda's thoughts and guidance on the significance of this anniversary)

I

The Same As Last Year

NEW YEAR’S DAY 1948

[Toda]...finished gongyo, chanting daimoku three times.  With a beaming smile, he turned to look at the leaders’ faces.  Although they were shabbily dressed as usual, their faces were bright and ... every eye was ... shining.

Koichi Harayama saluted him formally, “A happy new year to you, sir.  Please continue to support us, just as last year.”

Toda responded with a smile, “A happy new year to everyone.  But not “just as last year”.  If we continue this year “just as last year”, kosen-rufu will not be achieved.  Mr. Hirayama, will you continue your inactivity “just as last year”?”

A roar of laughter greeted this observation.  “I will be greatly distressed if Mr. Mishima is always complaining, if Mr. Konishi sulks and Mr. Seki looks pale and worried, just as they did last year.

Even louder laughter greeted this comment.  ... “I hope every one of you will, with strong faith, make the most of your abilities and carry out splendid shakubuku activities. ... I hope you will change a great deal for the better this year.”                                   

                                    (Human Revolution: Vol. 3, p3-4)

As Toda says, each year shouldn’t be “just as last year”.  Each year through chanting, study and taking action based on wisdom, courage and compassion, we can grow in faith and introduce our friends, family, co-workers and neighbours to Nichiren Buddhism, as well as supporting and encouraging other members to deepen their understanding of our practice.

New Year’s resolutions are a great opportunity to give up addictions to alcohol, tobacco or chocolate, strive to become a better person and overcome some of your negative traits and tendancies, but the greatest resolution at New Year (or any time of the year) is to renew your vow as a Bodhisattva of the Earth and a Votary of the Lotus Sutra. 

The SGI has named 2014 as “The Year of Opening a New Era of Worldwide Kosen-Rufu” but this new era of kosen-rufu won’t open itself.   All of us as individual members and as districts need to take action and “at all times ... think to [ourselves] “How can I cause living beings to gain entry into the unsurpassed way and quickly acquire the body of a Buddha?”  (The Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16, p273)  

See also:

"Happy New Year 2015"  (from 1st January 2015)

"New Year Resolutions"  (from 1st January 2013)

"Ready, Willing & Able"  (from May 2012)

Guidelines For Propagation

In “Nembutsu Practitioners Destined For Hell”, Nichiren writes “… those who hope to spread the teachings of the Buddha must take into consideration certain factors, namely, the teaching to be spread, the capacity of the people, the time, the country, and the sequence in which the teachings are propagated.”  (WND-2, p297)

These five factors are also referred to as the five guides and explain the things we need to think about when telling others about Nichiren Buddhism and the Lotus Sutra.

The first consideration is the correctness of the teachings, and the fact that according to Shakyamuni himself, he waited until the people were ready to hear his complete and supreme understanding of the realities of life and death in the Lotus Sutra.  Even in the Lotus Sutra he explains that it is a difficult teaching to hear, but until that time he led people to approximate understandings of this wisdom in the best way he could based on their capabilities.

This brings us to the second guideline we need to consider which is people’s ability to understand the teachings and, like Shakyamuni, we need to think about how we can best lead people to understand the wisdom of The Lotus Sutra.  Fortunately, along with studying the Lotus Sutra and the Gosho, Nichiren revealed that the way to achieve happiness in this lifetime was to chant "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo".  This is often our starting point when introducing people to the practice, but some people may be more open to the logical aspect of Nichiren Buddhism, such as the concepts of cause and effect, the ten worlds, etc.

The third factor is the time and recognizing that what had been taught in the past (the provisional teachings) has been replaced, or updated, by the eternal (the true teachings).  i.e. the Lotus Sutra surpassed and replaced the earlier teachings.  The earlier teachings may still be of interest from a historic point of view which allows us to see the progression in the Shakyamuni's teachings, and it may still give comfort to the followers who still practice such a way, but it is the true teachings detailing the philosophy and practice of the Lotus Sutra, which we should be propagating today.

In “Nembutsu and the Hell of Incessant Suffering”, Nichiren mentions that “The four volumes that make up [the Pure Land’s] three sutras do not in any way represent the true intention of Shakyamuni Buddha, nor do they represent the true reason for which the Buddhas of the three existences of past, present, and future make their appearance in the world. … They are, for example, like the scaffold that one erects when one is building a tower.  The Nembutsu is the scaffold, while the Lotus Sutra is the treasure tower. … Those who persistently cling to the Nembutsu after the Lotus Sutra has been preached are thus like persons who, after the tower has been erected, cling to the scaffold and make no use of the tower.  How could they fail to be guilty of going against the builder’s wishes?”  (WND-2, p25)

The fourth factor recognizes the historical and cultural situation that exists in the country where you are propagating, such as freedom of religion laws and other legislation which may affect shakubuku. 

And the fifth is an understanding of the kind of things that have already been propagated within the country so far, i.e. what is the current state of religion in that country?  What schools of Buddhism are people familiar with?  Do we need to radically change people’s idea of Buddhism as a contemplative solitary pursuit for enlightenment and show them that it can be a relevant philosophy and practise for the 21^st century and beyond?  Do we need to logically correct people’s attachments to an earlier Buddhist teaching and lead them to the Lotus Sutra?  Do we live in a country that is typically cynical of religion or one that embraces any and all religions?

 
When we propagate Nichiren Buddhism, we are like doctors prescribing the best medicine to enable people to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime with the glorious side effect of ensuring the peace of the land (and the world).  Concerning this point, Nichiren writes, “It is the rule in propagating Buddhism that one must always learn the nature of the teachings that have already spread.  To illustrate, when giving medicine to a sick person, one should know what kind of medicine was administered before.”  (Encouragement To A Sick Person, WND-1, p80)

What is Kosen Rufu?

Now I Entrust It To You

I used to have a very vague idea of what kosen-rufu was and just had some image of world peace. During kosen-rufu gongyo (an hour of daimoku for “kosen rufu” on the first Sunday of the month in the UK) I would chant "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" and think about politicians hugging or people of all different nations holding hands in a circle and kids playing without a care in the world.

 

2011 was a terrible year for news and many people were being blown all over the place between Hell and Rapture in response to the news and events around the world on a nightly basis. The riots across London in August made people feel that life just didn’t seem worth living. They thought what the hell is going on. And at times, even I wondered if the SGI really could make a difference in people’s lives and deal with problems on this scale?

 

A few days later the broom brigade came out. People had gathered together through an internet campaign to clean up the streets. Life seemed much brighter and people started to feel more hopefully about the future. They realized, as did I. that people could make a difference within their communities. We can pick up a broom. We can volunteer to help with various causes. We can make donations to relief funds and charities. All of these activities can make a difference in our communities and make us feel better, but they are often short term fixes. We need long-term solutions to the problems in our communities and around the world. It was then that I really started thinking about the importance of kosen-rufu. I had a look online and found this quote by President Ikeda:

 

“For the members of the SGI, kosen-rufu means the ceaseless effort to enhance the value of human dignity, to awaken all people to a sense of their limitless worth and potential.”

I know it’s impossible for me to awaken ALL people to their limitless worth and potential, but I can influence the people around me.

We all know the phrase charity begins at home and the same is true of kosen-rufu. Kosen-rufu begins with us. It’s the example we set in our lives. The way we shine in our families, workplaces, schools and communities. It’s treating the people around us with respect and relating to them as individuals who possess the same potential to reveal their Buddhahood that we do. We smile warmly at the people we meet, and say a few words of greeting to a neighbour. This shared humanity creates value in our communities. Other people start to feel good about themselves and this good feeling will spread through the lives of the people they come into contact with as well.

People will pick up that we have something different about us. We seem to flow through life, riding the waves of the obstacles that come up. It doesn’t mean we don’t suffer at the break up of a relationship, the death of a loved one, being made redundant, etc. Everyone experiences loss in their lives, but it’s the positive way we deal with it and the growth in our personal development and faith that makes us shine.

 

In Chapter 22 of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni says “Now I entrust it to you. You must accept, uphold, recite and broadly propagate this Law”. Joining the SGI and receiving our Gohonzon is like getting married and it’s a lifetime, eternal commitment. By receiving our Gohonzon we are promising to accept, uphold, recite and broadly propagate the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra in accordance with the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin to fulfil our vows as Votaries of the Lotus Sutra. We are committing our lives to the Mystic Law, our individual human revolution, shakubuku and kosen rufu.

 

KOSEN RUFU = HUMAN REVOLUTION + SHAKUBUKU

Kosen rufu needs both of these. There’s no point improving ourselves if we don’t also tell other people how to tap into the unlimited potential in their own lives. It doesn’t matter how good the teaching is, if we decide to keep it to ourselves. Similarly, there’s no point in telling others about our faith if we all decide to accept our own fundamental darkness and flaws, settling for anything less than being the best we can be. We need to work on our own weaknesses to become outstanding members of society and teach people about Nichiren Buddhism while we are doing it.

Changing Society One Person At A Time

How do societies change? They change because people change. As people change they change the way they vote, the way they relate to others and the things that are important to them. John F Kennedy said, “Our problems are manmade – therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants.”

 

Our mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth is to rise up and help ourselves, and other people, to be as big as they want to be. To help them awaken their fundamental enlightenment, improving their lives and leading them to a state of absolute happiness. And then to join us in our mission to spread the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Buddhism far and wide.

You don’t need to be scared of talking to others. Just do your best to teach them about the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra and how to achieve happiness in their lives. If people are encouraged to embrace the faith straight away that’s great. But, even if they don’t, what’s important is that you have stirred up their life. You have spoken to their Buddha nature and planted a seed of compassionate wisdom and absolute joy in their lives. When they are ready for it to grow, it will be there waiting. They may not appreciate it at the time, but talking to them about Buddhism will be the greatest gift they will ever receive.

To be honest, we have no idea how far-reaching our words could be. President Ikeda was invited to his first meeting by an old school friend. I don’t know where that school friend is today, but we can clearly see the effects of his shakubuku on our organisation. All of President Ikeda’s achievements over the last 60 years came about because a friend invited him to a discussion meeting. When we talk to our friends and invite them to our meetings we have no idea how far this invitation could take them personally or to what extent it could benefit society.

2012 has had its share of positive news, such as the London Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee, but there has also been a fair share of negative news as well -floods, hurricanes, corporate tax evasion, predatory paedophiles, a new war bubbling under in the Middle East, etc. As depressing as these news stories can be, as Nichiren Buddhists we are filled with hope.

This practise is not about having no reaction to bad news and disasters, it’s about dealing with those emotions in the higher life states of learning, realization, bodhisattva and Buddhahood. It’s about focussing our emotions on taking action and bringing about real lasting results in society by changing one person at a time.

 

WE CAN DO THAT. WE CAN TALK TO ONE PERSON. AND THEN WE CAN TALK TO ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER …

 

We are not helpless. Kosen-rufu is about knowing we can do something. We can talk to people about our faith. We can change people’s attitudes, one by one. Together, we can change our communities. We can change our cities. We can change our country. We can change the world.

Kosen-rufu is going on right now. It’s not a state of world peace in a hundred years time. It’s not some fuzzy image of people all over the world holding hands or politicians hugging. It’s the clear, bright flow of Shakyamuni’s wisdom (as revealed in the Lotus Sutra) in our lives today. Kosen-rufu IS the life-force of Nichiren Buddhism.

 

“Kosen-rufu is not merely a campaign for expanding the membership of the Soka Gakkai. It is the process whereby people who have changed their own lives through human revolution, influence their families, their local community and ultimately the nation. … Soka Gakkai members who have revolutionised their own lives, will display their abilities in their daily activities creating great waves. The waves will gradually form a new tide surging towards the next century contributing greatly to the eventual change in the destiny of all humankind.”(The Human Revolution: Vol. 9, p120)