by Adin Strauss
SGI-USA General Director
I am convinced that 2023 will be a very special year for kosen-rufu in America, and I am certain that Many Treasures members will be a crucial part of that.
Dare I say it—thank you so very much in advance for all you will be doing!
But before we talk about 2023, please allow me to thank everyone for all you’ve done during these past few very trying years.
All over SGI-USA, Many Treasures Group members sprang into action immediately after the onset of the pandemic, pioneering the use of Zoom and conference calls as a means to draw people closer and provide warm encouragement to many who were understandably reluctant to meet face-to-face.
I have heard about one group, in Washington, D.C., that will be celebrating its 100th Zoom meeting on Dec. 14, 2022. This is an amazing history of persevering encouragement—one that will endure for the ages. As Nichiren Daishonin says, “Could there ever be a more wonderful story than your own?” (“Letter to the Brothers,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 499)
In 2023, I am sure that you, Many Treasures Group members throughout SGI-USA, will build on your accomplishments and create bonds that will be still more warm and more profound.
‘Triumphant Song’
The SGI global theme for 2023 is “The Year of Youth and Triumph.” Actually, the two characters used for the word triumph in Japanese could also be read, “Triumphant Song.”
Perhaps one way to interpret that phrase is as symbolic of the thunderous daimoku that the Many Treasures Group have been chanting, reverberating across the decades and throughout the world.
Ikeda Sensei comments on this as follows:
The “Wonderful Sound” chapter [of the Lotus Sutra] has as its core this great life force of hope. …
The universe performs all “wonderful sounds.” … It is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Therefore, reciting the sutra is … like reading a poem. And chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like singing a musical masterpiece.” (The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 6, pp. 42–44)
So please—keep it up!
‘Moving Kosen-rufu Forward’
With this profound prayer as a jumping-off point, let’s move shoulder-to-shoulder with our youth.
Concretely, let’s:
• Share experiences in faith with the youth in our districts—demonstrating based on our lives how any obstacle can be overcome.
• Support the youth in our district in Buddhist dialogue whenever called upon, sharing Buddhism in a natural and confident way, brimming with conviction.
• Share the wonderful experiences with Ikeda Sensei that Many Treasures Group members in the U.S. had the great fortune to experience first-hand during his 27 visits here.
My personal determination: 2023 will be the year when we rebound from the pandemic—well, not just rebound but move far beyond and take a giant step in our personal human revolution, which will surely create waves of peace and unity that will permeate our land.
Many Treasures Group members—let’s do this! Thank you!
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