Ikeda Sensei: I would like to ask the men’s and women’s division members to support the members of the young men’s, young women’s and student divisions, so that they can carry out their activities freely and joyfully. No matter how the organization seems to be developing now, if youth aren’t being fostered … we cannot expect the organization to continue flourishing in the future.
Youth division members are the Soka Gakkai’s successors. They shoulder the mission as successors to make the Soka Gakkai grow and flourish more than it is today.
To carry out that mission, it is my hope that the youth will develop complete conviction in faith. To do so, it’s vital that they have numerous experiences in faith.
Youth need to gain many experiences of earnestly chanting and taking action to overcome their problems and transform their lives.
They also need to study Buddhism. It’s vital to learn about why Nichiren Buddhism is the supreme teaching and how one should live in the light of the teachings of Buddhism.
Furthermore, it’s crucial that they deepen their ties of mentor and disciple and strengthen their bonds of friendship with their fellow members. The more I learned of the selfless spirit and dedication of Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda and the greatness of their characters, the deeper my convictions concerning Buddhism and the Soka Gakkai became.
Listening to the experiences in faith of senior leaders and other members will increase one’s conviction. The beautiful circle of good friends that is the Soka Gakkai is a source of such conviction.
I’m counting on the youth. The future is in your hands. (The New Human Revolution, vol. 25, pp. 32–33)
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