Respecting Humanity

I often wondered why I blog. Many did so just as a form of an electronic diary. There is nothing wrong with that except that a blog is accessible to everyone. It is more than that. Might be an irresistible urge to share our thoughts with the world. But since thoughts have to be shared responsibly, then too must blogging be done responsibly.

A responsible blog can be boring for the masses though. Most people take blogs only as entertainment.

I tend to believe that beyond just sharing my random thoughts, I really wished to share my mentor’s greatness with the world.

On his 80th birthday on 2 January, the President S R Nathan of Singapore wrote a congratulatory letter to him. This news feels me with pride. The highest leader of my country had endorsed my mentor in life. This encourages me greatly that my chosen path is noble indeed. I will forge on.

As we continue to advance towards a more peaceful world, my mentor offered the following guidelines for the sake of humanity to start the new year:

1. Respecting the human rights of others and tenaciously seeking peaceful solutions to problems
   
2. Upholding the sanctity and dignity of all life and never ignoring the suffering of others or larger social problems
   
3. Respecting each other’s difference and being willing to learn from each other’s cultures
   
4. Promoting communication and exchange and pooling our wisdom for the benefit of allhumankind and the planet on which we live
   
5. Always having faith in others’ humanity, based on our common identity as human and living beings, and striving especially to foster the positive development of youth

Onwards!

放心

She was unwanted. Not the father. Not the mother. She did not know the love of her parents. Orphaned and lonely, she struggled to find love to sustain her young heart. But her foster mother was not one to give love easily. She had only profit on her mind and used her adopted child in many ways to achieve her objectives.

It took courage. But when the child finally leaves the cold embrace of her foster mother to the embrace of her new husband, she thought she found salvation.

She was wrong. The man was not one to endure the hardships of reality and turn to abusing his wife. Silently, she endured for the sake of her children. But eventually, her heart hardens and she became increasing bitter and when her children grew to adulthood, she realized that she can no longer accept the loves of her children.

But that was when she found hope. A kindly friend inspired her with teachings from Buddhism. Renewed, she struggled day and night to provide hope to others who are suffering. Daily, she seeks to help the poor, the sick and the distressed. And slowly, her life revolved. From an uneducated and unfortunate child, she learned to quote many teachings and could even explain many of life’s concepts. She had become a lady respected by thousands.

She developed compassion. It was an impressive achievement for a heart which was closed for so many years. But much emotional baggage continued to plague her. But her passion to help others never wavered.

She had declared after learning that there are plans for a new headquarter for the Singapore Soka Association in ten years time that she would be too old to enjoy the facilities, so she plans to pass from this world and be reincarnated quickly to witness the event. A few weeks ago, her schedule became increasingly hectic. She had told a friend that she would be busy until the 6 Jan 2008. And true to her words, 6 Jan was to be the day she was cremated at the veteran age of 80.

A few days before her passing, she entered into depression, telling her children that she was suffering from heart pain. She also mentioned that she was remembering more and more things from her past. Many doctors she consulted all told her to放心. She did not understand immediately.

Then a day just before her passing, her mood picked up and she was so cheerful that everyone was amazed. She declared that she understood everything now. She had 放心 discarded all her emotional baggage. She knew that her children love her and she accepted all the loves around her. She was happy. She was enlightened.

The day she passed away, she was making her way to the Singapore Soka Association Headquarters to encourage her fellow members. To her last moments, all she could think of was to help another person to find hope. It was the perfect ending.

That was the story of Mdm Wong as I heard from her eulogy. It was one of the most touching eulogy I heard. I did not know her personally though the GF did. I wished I did

But I did learn a valuable lesson. That no matter how hard life is, it is important to learn how to 放心.

Osaka – 28

Many will come
Many will leave
But I will remain
Planting my staff
I will hold my faith

The years will pass
The tides will flow
But I will paddle
Swinging my axe
I will fight my evil

Determination aroused
Perseverance awaken
And I will forge on
Striking my hammers
I will win my battle

The kindly father
The kingly teacher
And I will come forth
Raising my sword
I will honor my mentor

~ Ra
Dedicated to my mentor on his 80th Birthday on 2 January 2008

立正安国论 2008

Another threshold is crossed and 2008 arrived. This year is themed as the Year of Capable People and Development for the SGI. It should be an interesting year. I am also 28 years of age now. This is the same age which my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda scored an overwhelming victory in the Osaka Campaign in 1956. I wonder what sort of challenges awaits me and whether I would have the wisdom, courage and compassion to overcome each one of them. I must win for my mentor.

It is also my mentor’s 80th Birthday today. Happy Birthday Sensei!!

The New Year is also a time for resolution. On this significant day, I should make the following vows towards 2010.

1. I vow to become a first-rate disciple for my mentor
   
2. I vow to become a first-rate Buddhist for my loved ones
   
3. I vow to become a first-rate educator for my students
   
4. I vow to become a first-rate leader for my comrades in faith

As the journey for kosen-rufu is said to begin and end with the Rissho Ankoku Ron, I decide to take this opportunity to share a little about this treatise written by Nichiren Daishonin years ago.

I should focus on this particular passage:

If you care anything about your personal security, you should first pray for order and tranquility throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?

On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land (立正安国论) was submitted to Hojo Tokiyori via a government official, Yadoya Mitsunori who acted as his intermediary on the 16th day of the 7th month in the year 1260.

The passage above is an excerpt from the original treatise. The full text for this treatise come be found here for those interested.

Why Hojo Tokiyori?

• Retired Regent
• Lived in temple called Saimyo-ji
• Thirty years old
• Wielded the actual power behind the government

Why do we say Nichiren Daishonin’s lifetime teachings begin and end with On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land?

He formally began his propagation effort by submitting this treatise.

The inscribing of the Dai-Gohonzon for the sake of Kosen-rufu in 1279 was Nichiren Daishonin’s ultimate purpose in this world.

The Dai-Gohonzon was established to achieve the ideal of On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land which is to establish peace by propagating the teachings of Buddhism.

What does On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land mean?

Establishing the Correct Teaching means to establish righteousness or to establish the True Law of Buddhism. It also implies refuting erroneous teachings. Hence, Establishing the Correct Teaching can also mean propagation.

Peace of the Land means security of the land. Land implies both society and nature. Hence, Peace of the Land means both to bring order to society and harmony to nature.

Establishing the Correct Teaching is a religious activity while Peace of the Land is a secular activity. Therefore, Establishing the Correct Teaching Peace of the Land is also the act of Human Revolution where we contribute to the secular world through religious efforts.

What is the writings of the On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land like?

The On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land is written in the form of a dialogue with questions and answers between a host and a guest.

The host represents Nichiren Daishonin. The guest represents Hojo Tokiyori specifically. But in generally, it reflected the attitude of the general population during that time.

Therefore, it must be noted that what the guest says is not a reflection of the Daishonin’s teaching.

The format of a dialogue also represents the Daishonin’s conviction that one-to-one dialogue is the only way to achieve the objective of Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.

Why did Nichiren Daishonin write the On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land?

The three calamities of high grain prices, warfare and pestilence are rampant despite people’s devotion to Buddhism. The Daishonin identified that the problem lies in the incorrect interpretation of Buddhism.

The three poisons of Greed, Anger and Foolishness is said to affect the people of the Latter Day of the Law.

High Grain Prices is caused by the poison of greed which resulted from man’s conflict with the natural environment.

Warfare is caused by the poison of anger which resulted from man’s conflict with other man.

Pestilence is caused by the poison of foolishness which resulted from man’s conflict with themselves.

The On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land is born from Daishonin’s compassion to solve the problem of these calamities as well as other disasters predicted in the Sutras when people turned their backs to the Lotus Sutra.

Compassion included both aspects of removing suffering and to give happiness. Since turning against the Lotus Sutra has been identified as the cause for suffering, On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land was written as a harsh denunciation of the distorted teachings.

Because of the harshness of this treatise, he knew that he will incur the wrath of numerous powerful people in the government who supported the distorted teachings which the Daishonin is refuting.

But the Daishonin was fully prepared and courageously speak out for truth and justice.

He did encounter many persecutions since submitting the On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land but he never wavered in the least.

What can we learn from the above passage excerpts from the On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land?

The religiousness of Establishing the Correct Teaching and the secularity of Peace of the Land have an intimate relationship. Religion is related to the individual and the Secular is related to the society. We cannot be safe or happy as an individual if the society is disordered and the people around us are miserable.

SGI President Ikeda once wrote that one can never enjoy genuine personal happiness selfishly for oneself alone. He asserted that true happiness can only be savored when one becomes happy together with others and that in order to achieve this, it is important for the lives of each individual to be firmly rooted in the humanistic philosophy of Buddhism.

The three poisons mentioned earlier cause people today to live in a world where the spirit of altruism is scarce and where people are generally indifferent to the sufferings of others. Some people even attempt to pursue their happiness at the expense of others, or building their happiness on other’s suffering. This attitude is exactly what the Lotus Sutra is against and is the one great evil that destroys peace and creates conflict.

Based on the Lotus Sutra, Ikeda Sensei teaches us to always uphold the spirit of cherishing others as fellow human beings and to treasure our social network in our community.

That is why we often say that our practice have to be a practice for oneself and others. While we practice for our enlightenment, we have to strive for Kosen-rufu by sharing this life philosophy with people around us. And that is the meaning of Attaining Happiness for Oneself and Others.