SSA General Director’s New Year’s Message
A very Happy New Year to all our members and friends of SSA!
With heartfelt gratitude, we have welcomed the year 2020—the turning of a new decade—with our mentor President Ikeda and Mrs Ikeda in the best of health. My heartiest congratulations to all!
A new year always brings with it fresh hopes and new beginnings. As what the “New Year’s Gosho” reads, “A person who celebrates this day will accumulate virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes fully gradually, moving from west to east, and as the sun shines more brightly, travelling from east to west.” (WND-1,p. 1137)
The SGI theme for this year is “Year of Advancement and Capable People”. Who will determine the advancement of kosen-rufu? It is none other than all of us, the bodhisattvas of the earth who have vowed to fulfil our mission in this lifetime. Everyone is a key protagonist and can be that one lion-hearted capable disciple who will spearhead Singapore’s kosen-rufu, starting with our own human revolution. Human revolution is synonymous for attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.
This year, our main driving force for victory will be the districts and our focus is our discussion meetings— the oasis of hope and courage. In SGI President Ikeda’s message to the 44th Headquarters Leaders Meeting, he shared, “Today, Soka Gakkai discussion meetings are held all around the globe. They are gatherings where members joyfully share experiences of faith, helping many suffering and troubled friends form a connection to Nichiren Buddhism as a profound cause for their happiness. Those same friends later declare with bring, smiling faces how glad they are to have started practising and how happy they are to be Soka Gakkai members. Let us continue to spread our joy-filled gatherings even more widely in our communities and all throughout the world.”
2020 is also a year of profound significance. Firstly, we will commemorate the 45th anniversary of the SGI Day on January 26, the 60th anniversary of SGI President Ikeda’s inauguration as third president of the Soka Gakkai on May 3 and the 90th anniversary of the Soka Gakkai’s founding on November 18. It is certainly not a coincidence that we are all striving together at such auspicious time with our mentor.
Engraving in our hearts the guidance that President Ikeda gave at the launch of the SGI in Guam 45 years ago: “Rather than seeking after your own praise or glory, I hope that you will dedicate your noble lives to sowing the seeds of peace of the Mystic Law throughout the entire world. I shall do the same,” let us all make a fresh resolve and advance heartily to make this year one where we will enable one more person , one more youth to become the lionhearted disciple who will play a leading role for Singapore’s kosen-rufu movement.
Wishing everyone good health and happiness. I will continue to offer my sincere prayers for all of your good health, harmony and great victories this year!
