Wednesday 5 June 2013

Daily Practice - SGI-UK e-bulletin out now!

Sorry everyone, I'm late in posting this up - issue 96 of e-bulletin can be found here!


Friday 31 May 2013

Message to the European Women’s Division General Meeting

Many congratulations on holding this European Women’s Division General Meeting in high spirits! My wife and I are chanting for the great success of the meeting and watching over you. We are imagining all of your cheerful smiles, as you gather together from your respective areas in Europe.
Amid the harsh realities of an ever changing world, I am well aware of how much you are exerting yourselves, day in and day out, in your Buddhist activities in order to construct a peaceful society, for the prosperity of your local community and to establish happiness for yourselves and others. Thank you so much for your great efforts. There is no doubt that the heavenly deities will surely protect every one of you, who are tirelessly dedicating yourselves for kosen-rufu.
Referring to the Buddhist parable of King Rinda, whose power and vitality increased when he heard the sound of white horses neighing, Nichiren Daishonin states as follows: “The neighing of the white horses is the sound of our voices chanting Nam-myoho-rengekyo. When Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four heavenly kings, and the others hear this sound, how could they fail to take on a healthy colour and shine with a brilliant light? How could they fail to guard and protect us? We should be firmly convinced of this!”(WND-1, pp. 989-990)
How immense is the power of the Mystic Law!
The Daishonin asserts that through continuing to chant resonant daimoku our lives will be polished and come to shine with brilliance, our environment will be transformed and we ourselves will be protected.
My mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda said:
“Whatever the problems you may have, you must turn them into prayers and deepen your faith. Everything, without fail, will be transformed into great benefit. The Mystic Law has the power to transform everything. A person who resolutely forges ahead based on faith will be a great victor in the end, without fail.”
Therefore, I sincerely hope that you will steadfastly walk on the correct path of faith, practice and study while encouraging one another. Shine as brilliantly as the sun in your family and steadily climb the slope of happiness everyday, one step after another. Putting your health first, please brightly and wisely demonstrate “actual proof of victory” in your local communities and your workplaces, and continue to expand the circle of trust in your environment. It is the cheerful advance towards happiness by the members of the Women’s Division that symbolises the hope-filled advance of the SGI.
It is my fervent wish that all of you, without exception, will live an unsurpassed life where all your prayers and dreams come true.
I conclude my message by expressing my heartfelt prayers for my beloved fellow members of the Women’s Division of SGI Europe. I am praying for your great health and success and the increasing happiness and prosperity of your families.
Three cheers for the Women’s Division of Europe! Please stay well forever!

May 31st, 2013
Daisaku and Kaneko Ikeda

Wednesday 29 May 2013

"Composing Hope" featuring Verbal Ase of SGI-USA

Wonderful episode of Composing Hope here featuring beat-boxer Verbal Ase. Thank you SGI-USA for sharing!