Excerpts of General Director Goh Kim Hua’s Speech at the SGS “1.26 SGI Day” Leaders Commemorative Meeting
It is with the deepest humility and sense of responsibility that I accept the mission as General Director in this new departure of Soka Gakkai Singapore.
From the bottom of my heart, I would like to express my profoundest gratitude to Ikeda Sensei and Mrs Ikeda for fostering me, watching over my growth all these years and now entrusting me with the responsibility as General Director of SGS.
I vow to fulfil my mission with the deepest sincerity and utmost dedication, and to chant abundant daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) to create golden pages of SGS’s history, bringing SGS to greater heights, one brimming with Sensei’s spirit and living up to Sensei’s expectation as “SGS — The Indomitable Fortress, Model of Worldwide Kosen-rufu”.
For the last 56 years, our three most respectable former General Directors have dedicated their lives to building SGS to what it is today.
Our first General Director, the late Mr Koh Kian Boon, pioneered Singapore kosen-rufu, and overcame tough challenges of resentment towards the Soka Gakkai for being a Japanese religion. Sensei had documented this in The New Human Revolution.
Our second General Director, Mr Ong Bon Chai, established then-SSA as an active and valued contributor to the nation as we further sank our roots into society, fulfilling Sensei’s call for SGS members to be good citizens contributing to society.
And, in his tenure during the new era of worldwide kosen-rufu, our third General Director, Mr Tay Eng Kiat, further consolidated our kosen-rufu movement by establishing our religiosity, enacting the statement of lineage of faith of the Soka Gakkai in Nichiren Buddhism in Singapore and we proudly changed our name to Soka Gakkai Singapore.
He has also led us through the most difficult times in the last four years with unprecedented challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring the happiness of members and the continuous advancement of Singapore kosen-rufu.
I definitely have very big shoes to fill with all the great work achieved by our three former General Directors. However, I am resolved to work on this legacy with the never-defeated spirit.
I grew up in this beautiful garden of Soka since my family started practising Nichiren Buddhism more than 55 years ago when faced with financial difficulties. Since then, we have totally transformed our karma and the entire family, spanning three generations, is joyously striving for kosen-rufu.
In this transformative journey of faith, the Gohonzon, my mentor Ikeda Sensei and the organisation have become the three greatest treasures of my life.
I am deeply grateful to be involved in our mentor’s three visits to Singapore. During Sensei’s first visit in February 1988, I was seeking direction in my life and had an unforgettable encounter with Sensei at the dinner reception. Sensei warmly spoke to me and urged me to dedicate my life to kosen-rufu no matter what.
That became the first of my many prime points in my mentor and disciple relationship with Sensei. From then on, there has been no looking back and I have absolutely no regrets.
All the prime points that I have with Ikeda Sensei will be the driving force for me to fulfil my mission to advance Singapore kosen-rufu, protect SGS and work for the happiness of the members with my entire life, no matter what happens.
As General Director, I vow:
- To further build SGS into an organisation where members truly experience the great benefit of practising Nichiren Buddhism and achieving human revolution in their lives, fulfilling their mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. This is the only way to live a life of happiness and value creation.
- To build SGS into a beautiful garden for youth to grow freely and manifest their potential to the fullest under the warm care and concern of the adult division. Seeking the foremost philosophy of life in Nichiren Buddhism, youth can fulfil the great mission to change the destiny of humankind.
- To build an SGS filled with the spirit of the three founding presidents, one where members strive to contribute to the well- being of society and the progress of our country, overflowing with humanism and compassion. Together, let us fulfil the decree of Nichiren Daishonin to establish the correct teaching for the peace of the land.
Since these are endeavours for kosen-rufu, challenges from the devilish function of three obstacles and four devils are expected to arise.
However, by applying the strategy of the Lotus Sutra and striving as a lion-hearted disciple, we can overcome anything and everything to write the golden pages of SGS’ history.
Every one of us is SGS, each having our unique mission to advance Singapore kosen-rufu that only we can fulfil.
I really look forward to working with every one of you to set forth on this fresh departure of SGS towards 2030, the centennial of Soka Gakkai’s founding, with Sensei in our hearts!
Since my youth division days, I have engraved in my heart Sensei’s profound words in the poem “A Blue Deeper Than Indigo Itself”:
Do not ask
whether the mighty flow of kosen-rufu
is an inevitable consequence of history.
Rather, always ask yourself whether you have the passion to make kosen-rufu inevitable through your own sweat and effort.
These words of Sensei will be the impetus for me to fulfil my mission, to strive together with every one of you to begin the seven-year transformational journey towards 2030 by first achieving great growth and development in 2024, the Year of Fresh Departure for a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide.
Let us work in itai-doshin (many in body, one in mind) to connect even more people to Nichiren Buddhism, welcoming 500 Bodhisattvas of the Earth to SGS this year.
Let us also strive to achieve discussion meeting revolution, raising participation at these Buddhas’ gatherings, the oases of happiness, to 12,000, bringing back all members and welcoming new members and friends.
Let us advance based on Toda Sensei’s guidance that Ikeda Sensei dedicated to us in his message for SGS’ new departure that reads, “In carrying out our Buddhist practice in the Latter Day of the Law, we must advance hand in hand, while encouraging one another as we sweat and toil together, achieving one victory after another.”
On this significant occasion and with profound gratitude, I wish to share that our request to designate January 2, the birth date of our beloved mentor, as “SGS Shared Struggle of Mentor and Disciple Day” has been endorsed by President Harada and Sensei’s family.
With this, January 2, “SGS Shared Struggle of Mentor and Disciple Day”, shall be a day where all disciples in Singapore reaffirm our profound gratitude to Sensei and renew our vow to engage in the shared struggle of mentor and disciple. This will be an eternal prime point of SGS.
