Chapter Summary
Illustration courtesy of Seikyo Press.
On June 6, 1971, Shin’ichi Yamamoto attended an unveiling of a bronze bust of first Soka Gakkai President Makiguchi at the Seikyo Shimbun building, marking 100 years since his birth. Paying homage to this founder of the “great river of Soka,” Shin’ichi vowed: “I will render powerless the devilish nature of authority that caused your death in prison. Forging a network of humanism and peace, I will bring down the arrogance of authority and build a society brimming with the people’s joy” (The New Human Revolution, vol. 15, p. 258).
On June 8, he traveled to Hokkaido. During a spare moment in Onuma, he captured with his camera a bright, beautiful full moon. After years of photographing landscapes amid his travels, Shin’ichi’s photos were eventually made into an exhibition titled “Rendezvous With Nature,” inspiring fresh waves of humanistic culture.
Based on his belief that the development of the Soka Gakkai had to be linked to the development of the local community, he proposed that the organization hold friendship gatherings in the community to encourage more interaction between Soka Gakkai members and local residents. Eventually, activities such as the Kamakura Festival and Misaki Carnival took root in communities throughout Japan, bringing wonderful flowers of humanistic culture to bloom.
During the 1971 annual summer training course, as a major typhoon was approaching Japan, a request came from the organizers of the World Boy Scout Jamboree, being held at a nearby campground, to evacuate to the site of the Soka Gakkai training course. Shin’ichi took the lead to ensure all preparations were made to accommodate the 6,000 scouts. An official of the Scout Association of Japan expressed his deep appreciation for the great care and consideration given to the evacuees.
Shin’ichi responded: “Friendship is proof of our humanity. Our goal is to create a growing network of friendship to bring people together, and to forge an alliance dedicated to the peace and happiness of all humanity” (NHR-15, 333).
Unforgettable Scene
Illustration courtesy of Seikyo Press.
Seize the Moment!
In June 1971, Shin’ichi visited Hokkaido to participate in the opening of the new Onuma Training Center (now the Hakodate Training Center). The night before the opening ceremony, he was taken on a drive to see the surrounding area. Looking beyond the mountains in the east, his eyes were drawn to a bright light.
Shin’ichi peered out the window again and gasped. Through a break in the clouds he saw a majestic full moon shining brightly …
It was a masterpiece created by the universe.
This is the moment! Shin’ichi thought. He asked the driver to pull the car over and reached for the camera on the seat next to him …
Opening the rear window of the car, Shin’ichi snapped the shutter, keenly aware of the importance of seizing the moment. Both in advancing kosen-rufu and in every other aspect of life, it was crucial to win at each juncture. Whether encouraging members or engaging in his work, Shin’ichi always strove to do his best, as if this moment was all he had.
Life itself is just a series of moments. That is why a victory in the present is inextricably linked to total victory …
Just then, a Seikyo Shimbun photographer in his early 20s, who had been riding in the car behind Shin’ichi’s, ran up. Asking the driver to stop the engine, he turned to Shin’ichi and said: “Sensei, place both your elbows on the window frame. That will keep your camera from shaking.” …
Looking through the viewfinder, Shin’ichi saw a golden band of moonlight cast across the lake’s surface. When the wind blew, ripples of gold danced and flickered. The sound of his snapping shutter echoed intermittently through the stillness.
Shin’ichi was driven to another part of the lake and continued to shoot until he had used up several rolls of film. If the pictures came out well, he planned to give them to members as gifts. He wanted to encourage those working so hard day and night for the sake of society and the happiness of others by sharing the ephemeral beauty of nature with them. (NHR-15, 259–61)
The chapter summaries were originally published in the January 7, 2020, Seikyo Shimbun, while the “Unforgettable Scenes” were originally published in the January 15, 2020, issue.
Key Passage
A friendly greeting is a knock on the door of another person’s heart. Genuine humanity is found in the warmth of a pleasant salutation. (NHR-15, 283)
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