Ikeda Sensei sent the following message to the Soka Gakkai Ikeda Kayo-kai General Meeting commemorating Young Women’s Division Day on Nov. 12. The meeting, held on Nov. 11, was broadcast live online, connecting the participants in the main venue of the Soka Young Women’s Center in Tokyo with leaders around Japan. The message was originally published in the Nov. 14 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper.
Congratulations on this Kayo-kai General Meeting celebrating Young Women’s Division Day!
During this time of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, you are all looking ahead positively and spreading the light of hope. My wife, Kaneko, and I wholeheartedly applaud the noble, dedicated efforts you are making together in each region. Thank you for all your hard work!
In a letter of encouragement to his disciple Nichimyo, whose seeking spirit in faith continued to burn bright even amid great hardship, Nichiren Daishonin writes:
Strengthen your resolve [in faith] more than ever. … Blue dye comes from indigo, but when something is repeatedly dyed in it, the color is better than that of the indigo plant. The Lotus Sutra remains the same, but if you repeatedly strengthen your resolve, your color [the brilliance you radiate] will be better than that of others, and you will receive more blessings than they do. (“The Supremacy of the Law,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 615)
Our Buddhist faith and practice enable us to open the way to happiness, no matter what our circumstances. If we strengthen our faith more than ever, particularly when times are difficult, we can bring forth endless courage and wisdom.
The principles of the Daishonin’s Buddhism of the Sun that you are now studying contain the wisdom to illuminate our troubled society and build a brighter future.
The sincere dialogues you are now undertaking to support and encourage others are helping one person after another revitalize their lives and forging a growing solidarity for peace.
The Soka Gakkai activities that you are now earnestly carrying out are creating boundless and immeasurable good fortune and opening the path to a triumphant future for kosen-rufu and your lives.
Both my wife and I have pledged to do our utmost to ensure that every single young women’s division member becomes happy without fail. This is a vow and commitment we inherited from our mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda. Our young women throughout the world are united in bringing to bloom the flowers of absolute happiness for oneself and others and of lasting peace for all humanity. I hope that now more than ever before you’ll work together vibrantly, harmoniously and courageously to expand this precious and invaluable network.
My wife and I are praying for the success of the young women’s small-group general meetings [scheduled to be held online in Japan from December to January] to launch their activities for 2021, the Year of Hope and Victory.
May all of you, young women of “The New Human Revolution Generation,” perform a joyous dance of youth together with your Kayo sisters around the world!
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