Resources for the introduction of the Spain Soka Gakkai general meetings
Muster your faith, and pray to this Gohonzon. Then what is there that cannot be achieved? There can be no doubt about the [Lotus] sutra passages that say, “This sutra can fulfill their desires, as a clear cool pond can satisfy all those who are thirsty,” and “They will enjoy peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences.”
↳ Passage from Reply to Kyo’o, in WND-1 page 412. The couple Shijo Kingo and Nichigen-nyo received this letter in 1273 from their mentor, Nichiren Daishonin, for their daughter Kyo’o, who at that time was only one year old.
To celebrate the 3rd and 5th of May (the meaning of what these dates represent for the Soka Gakkai can be read in the section «Este mes») in every discussion meeting, in Spain Soka Gakkai we propose reaffirming the conviction in the capacity we have to create hope and to generate hope both individually and collectively in order to face personal challenges as well as those which humanity in its whole faces.
According to Nichiren Buddhism, we are able to «light a torch of hope»1 through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. In words by Daisaku Ikeda:
Prayer is (…) the act of impressing in the very depths of our being the conviction that we can change the situation without fail. (…) [It] is the effort to align the gears of our life with the movement of the universe. Our lives that have been passively embraced by the universe, now embrace the universe in turn, make the entire universe our ally, and fundamentally redirect our state of life in the direction of happiness.2
During the first few months of this year, in Spain Soka Gakkai we have made the proposal of overcoming our own limitations.3 As nothing is as valuable as «the proof of actual fact,»4 and to keep expanding inspiration and hope greatly, let’s share personal experiences of personal growth!
Looking at the world today, it is easy to feel despair. A kind of powerlessness seems to be the prevailing mood in the world today. Decisions about important issues all seem to be made somewhere beyond our reach. What can one person accomplish in the face of the vast forces that run our world? The current of the times can seem so fast flowing and complex as to be overwhelming.
I do not believe that people are powerless. The philosophical tradition I embrace teaches on the most fundamental level – that of life itself – that each human life partakes of the limitless life-force of the cosmos. The same power that moves the universe exists within our lives. Each individual has immense potential and a great change in the inner dimension of one individual’s life has the power to touch others’ lives and transform society. Everything begins with us…
The term my mentor, Josei Toda used for this process of inner transformation that also transforms our surroundings was human revolution. And I believe it is the most fundamental, most vital of all revolutions. It can create changes that are more lasting and valuable than political, economic or technological revolutions. For, no matter how external factors change, the world will never get better as long as people remain selfish and apathetic.
An inner change for the better in a single person – one person becoming wiser, stronger, more compassionate – is the essential first turn of the wheel towards realising peaceful coexistence and fulfilment for the whole human race. I firmly believe that a great human revolution in just one person can be the start of a transformation in the destiny of whole societies and all humankind. And for the individual, everything starts in the inner reaches of life itself. When we change our inner determination, everything begins to move in a new direction. The moment we make a powerful resolve, every nerve and fibre of our being will immediately orient itself towards the fulfilment of this goal or desire. On the other hand, if we think, ‘This is never going to work out’, then every cell in our body will be deflated and give up the fight.
Hope, in this sense, is a decision. It is the most important decision we can make. Hope changes everything, starting with our lives. Hope is the force that enables us to take action to make our dreams come true. It has the power to change winter into summer, barrenness to creativity, agony to joy. As long as we have hope, there is nothing we cannot achieve. When we possess the treasure of hope, we can draw forth our inner potential and strength. A person of hope can always advance.5
Mailbox: prensa@ediciones-civilizacionglobal.com