General Director’s New Year’s Message 2024
Happy New Year!
Thanks to everyone’s efforts, we have been able to complete 2023 — the Year of Youth and Triumph with great victories, thereby bringing hope and happiness and casting the light of the Mystic Law to revitalise the lives of people around us.
Last November, the SGI celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the completion of the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen- rufu with the attainment of 3 million membership outside Japan. This was a phenomenal achievement by members worldwide striving in one united mind and shared prayer for the expansion of kosen-rufu.
The theme for 2024 is the Year of Fresh Departure for a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide. We are going to make bold advances to forge ahead with prayers and actions to further advance kosen-rufu, thereby expanding the network of Bodhisattvas of the Earth, and to establish global peace and the happiness of humanity.
2024 is the first of the seven years leading towards 2030 — the 100th Anniversary of the Soka Gakkai, and it opens the glorious pathway to 2025, the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the Soka Gakkai International.
In the South Asia Leaders’ Conference in early November 2023, Ikeda Sensei in his message encouraged us saying,
“Now is the time to succeed in the challenge of transforming the destiny of humanity as we embark on the final seven years until the Soka Gakkai’s centennial. Led by our youth who will go on to become ‘bluer than indigo’, let us all set forth on the march of hope and courage, our lives beaming with the great life force of time without beginning as we do so.”
To the Soka Gakkai, the concept of a seven-year cycle of change as mentioned by Ikeda Sensei, is the struggle of both the mentor and disciples’ shared vow to make resounding victories for kosen-rufu every seven years.
We have an important mission entrusted to us by our late mentor, Ikeda Sensei — to secure victories for kosen-rufu in the next seven years and help change the destiny of the world. No matter what, let us persevere on with faith to “change poison into medicine” and “transform karma into mission.”
At the same South Asia Leaders’ Conference, SGI Woman Leader Mrs Kasanuki shared,
“The mentor and disciples of Soka have advanced kosen-rufu in the rhythm of striking bells of victory every seven years. Even if you may be fighting an illness or your karma now, without being defeated or ever giving up, let us all envision and set a goal of how we want our lives to be seven years from now when the Soka Gakkai celebrates its centennial and advance towards that goal.”
Through each of our great actual proofs, always advancing undefeated with faith, we can attest to the greatness of our beloved mentor and Nichiren Buddhism.
Nichiren Daishonin in the Gosho says,
“New Year’s Day marks the first day, the first month, the beginning of the year and the start of spring. A person who celebrates this day will accumulate virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes full gradually, moving from west to east, and as the sun shines more brightly, travelling from east to west.” (WND, p. 1137)
Let us make a great start towards 2030 on this New Year’s Day with fresh determination to achieve our goals this year. Through chanting the lion’s roar daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with ever greater vigour, we can definitely manifest our inherent Buddhahood to lead the most fulfilling lives while overcoming all adversities through our human revolution and connecting people around us to Buddhism.
Let us create our own history of kosen-rufu in 2024.
Wishing everyone and your families, good health, happiness, and a year of brilliant achievements!
SGS General Director
Tay Eng Kiat
January 1, 2024
