Chapter Summary
Illustration courtesy of Seikyo Press.
On June 2, Shin’ichi attended the Shikoku Head-quarters Leaders Meeting in Kagawa Prefecture. The day before, an anonymous caller threatened Shin’ichi’s safety if he attended this meeting. However, determined that he would protect the members—the precious children of the Buddha—Shin’ichi participated.
The next day in Okayama Prefecture, he gave a lecture to district leaders on Nichiren Daishonin’s writing “The Day Before Yesterday” (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 391). Regarding slander of the Soka Gakkai in Japanese society, he encouraged his listeners to be like lions dedicated to declaring the truth and justice of the organization.
In July, voting took place for the House of Councillors elections in which the Komei Political Federation gained enough seats to become the third largest party in the Upper House legislature. At the same time, Soka Gakkai members increasingly faced harassment for their activities to support these elections.
For instance, two miners’ unions in Osarizawa, Akita Prefecture, and in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, expunged Soka Gakkai members from their union rolls for supporting Komei Political Federation candidates rather than the union-backed candidates. Having been unjustly expelled from their unions, they continued to fight for their right to religious freedom. In Osarizawa, after the Soka Gakkai members took their fight to court, the union accepted a settlement and rescinded its expulsion.
In Sasebo’s Nakazato Mine, the legal battle continued even after the mine’s closure. The case went all the way to Japan’s Supreme Court, which officially upheld the decisions of the two prior courts, deeming the expulsion of the Soka Gakkai members illegal.
These incidents signified that the Soka Gakkai was making its way through the rough seas that accompany shaping a new era.
Unforgettable Scene
Illustration courtesy of Seikyo Press.
Compassionate Actions Make Us Strong
In June 1962, Shin’ichi traveled throughout Japan, throwing himself wholeheartedly into encouraging his fellow members.
[Shin’ichi] rushed from one place to another, day after day, literally without a moment’s rest. He would be in Nagoya one day, Osaka the next. And just when everyone thought he had returned to Tokyo, he was off again to Hokkaido. The other Soka Gakkai leaders were impressed by this hectic pace of activities—some wondered if there weren’t four or five Shin’ichis rushing around at the same time!
Another thing that amazed the leaders working closely with Shin’ichi was his endurance and energy. He had been weak of constitution, but the harder he drove himself, the stronger he seemed to become.
One day, a leader accompanying Shin’ichi asked, “How can you work so hard and still be so filled with energy?”
Shin’ichi smiled and responded: “That’s the wondrous thing about Soka Gakkai activities. There are many people I have to encourage. They are all waiting for me. When I think about them, I can’t rest. I find courage . . .
“Praising and encouraging the children of the Buddha who spread the Mystic Law—the act of speaking about Buddhism—causes joy to well forth from the depths of our lives and gives us strength. At such times, the strong life force of a bodhisattva or Buddha fills our entire beings.
“That’s why the harder I exert myself in Soka Gakkai activities, the more energetic I feel. Working for kosen-rufu is my secret to health.
“Of course, I am only human, and sometimes I get tired. Buddhism is a rational teaching.”
■ ■ ■
“To feel that energy, it’s important to boldly take initiative in your activities. Set concrete personal goals and then strive to realize them. When you exert your utmost toward a goal and then achieve it, you will experience great joy and pleasure. Also, the wonderful thing about doing Soka Gakkai activities is that they constitute compassionate action, which benefits others, members and nonmembers alike. Our involvement in such activities strengthens us. (The New Human Revolution, vol. 6, pp. 214–16)
Key Passage
True faith has nothing to do with beseeching someone else for help. Each of us creates our own happiness … The basic requirement for happiness is the determination not to be defeated, the ability to stand up and fight, no matter what the difficulty or odds. (NHR-6, 246)
You are reading {{ meterCount }} of {{ meterMax }} free premium articles