As long as disciples remain focused solely on their limited personal desires and wishes, they cannot be fully united with their mentor in the lofty goal of kosen-rufu. They will always be confined to their small, narrow self. A great vow means making the same vow for kosen-rufu as the mentor. It means sharing the same purpose and acting in the same spirit as the mentor, the votary of the Lotus Sutra. When we do that, like a drop of dew flowing into the vast sea or a speck of dust mingling with the vast earth, we will attain an immeasurably vast and expansive state of being. I made the great vow to accomplish worldwide kosen-rufu my own, in the same spirit as President Toda, and I have triumphed in every endeavor along the way toward its attainment. I have lived the last five decades as a great, unfolding drama, renewing my pledge and making a fresh departure toward victory on each March 16.[1] Whenever March 16 arrives, I feel a great passion burning in my heart. Or rather, for me each day is March 16. I am engaged in dialogue with my mentor every day, I make a pledge to him every day, and I fight alongside him every day. Mine is a continual journey of repaying my debt of gratitude to my mentor, who is never apart from my life. (…) Today, our youth throughout Japan and around the world are reaching for the baton of the passionate Soka spirit and standing up enthusiastically (…), reverberating with pride and confidence.[2]

In the second part of volume 30 of The New Human Revolution where we find the “Vow” chapter which we are encourage by this magazine to read this month,[3] we find the following words from Shin’ichi Yamamoto addressed to the youth of Soka:

We must not be influenced by the words of the fickle-hearted. We must proceed calmly and steadily along the ‘shining regal road’ of our commitment to kosen-rufu. It is our supreme honour to walk the great path of mentor and disciple. We are writing a song of our vow as mentor and disciple.

Your presence, my young friends, gives me the greatest reassurance. My wish is that you will use me as a stepping stone, so that you may go on to surpass me and grow to be outstanding people who tower like mighty trees. I will gaze up at you with pride, and praise you with the deepest respect.

My young friends who are reaching high into the skies of the new century! For the sake of the future, polish and forge yourselves, work and study, and gladly take on difficult challenges. The ‘golden sweat of youth’ is a precious treasure that will adorn your lives forever. Above the luxuriant green canopy of trees growing into tomorrow, I can see it—a shining rainbow of brilliant achievement!

Youth, spread your wings! Emerge in surging waves on the distant horizon! Soar joyfully and freely into an age of myriad songs celebrating humanity, a magnificent new era of respect for the dignity of life! Raise the curtain of great victory in the 21st century through the passion and power of Soka youth! You hold in your hands the baton of successors![4]