Just recently in February, the Government has announced that Singapore has adjusted its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) from Yellow to Green. This is such great news for all of us after a three-year battle with the Covid-19 pandemic. With this, we shall be resuming more physical activities at our Soka centres, including home-based activities such as the discussion meetings starting this May.
Our mentor Ikeda Sensei has reminded us and had said, “We must also always show consideration to those who open their homes for Soka Gakkai activities. And since large numbers of members gather for meetings, we should be considerate of the neighbours too.”
On another occasion, Sensei also wrote, “Courtesies matter, even between close friends, as a well-known Japanese saying goes.” Therefore, when we use members’ homes, let’s always show care and consideration in every way possible, clean up after the meeting, and sincerely thank the hosts for allowing us to use their homes. Buddhism finds expression not only in conspicuous activities, but also in small courtesies and gestures such as these. As Nichiren Daishonin says, ‘It is the heart that is important.’ (WND-1, p. 1000) Never do anything that may cause trouble or extra work for those who open their homes for kosen-rufu activities. I hope leaders will set an example by always acting with consideration and common sense and treating those homes with the same — no, even greater — care and respect than their own.”
This year is the 65th Anniversary of March 16 Kosen- rufu Day. On that day in 1958, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, at the gathering of some 6,000 youth at a ceremony, passed the baton of kosen-rufu to his youthful disciples. (Please refer to March 2023 issue of Creative Life on March 16)
In commemorating this day, we do not just remember it as a historic event but to renew our shared vow for kosen-rufu with our mentor. Kosen-rufu is the path to attaining universal peace and prosperity, which is in essence, the process of spreading the principles of Nichiren Buddhism throughout society for the lasting peace and happiness of all people.
Kosen-rufu means developing a wonderful network of good citizens — people of good character and integrity who shine with compassion and courage as suns illuminating all around them.
The goal of kosen-rufu is for us to achieve our human revolution and to contribute as good citizens to advancement of the society. It is in our behaviour as human beings that the teachings of Buddhism come alive and actual proof of our Buddhist practice is revealed.
In this month of March, the Youth Division of SGS, will be holding their training course to learn and inherit this pioneering spirit of the youth for kosen-rufu.
Let us all advance joyously with the spirit of the youth to achieve great progress in this Year of Youth and Triumph.
