SGI Canada Newsletter, No. 68 - December 23, 2022
SGI Canada Newsletter
Issue no. 68
December 23, 2022
Welcome to the 68th issue of the SGI Canada Newsletter, a bi-weekly summary of news, upcoming events and encouragement. If you are not subscribing to the SGI Canada Newsletter, you may do so by clicking on the button below. Subscriptions are free of charge, and the SGI Canada Newsletter will be emailed directly to you.
ENCOURAGEMENT
SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s speech excerpts: “Striving with Lionhearted Courage on the Noble Path of Mentor and Disciple”
The following passage is taken from President Ikeda’s speech at the 13th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting held at the Tokyo Makiguchi Memorial Hall in Tokyo, on July 9, 1997. Video footage of the speech was broadcast during the most recent Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting, on November 12, 2022.
… Mr. Makiguchi truly strove tirelessly for kosen-rufu, spreading the Mystic Law. Amid persecution by the authorities and while already at an advanced age, he conducted more than 240 discussion meetings (from May 1941 to June 1943, when he turned 72). He also travelled alone to different regions and personally introduced some 500 people to Nichiren Buddhism (from 1930, the year of the Soka Gakkai’s founding, to July 1943, when he was arrested).
Setting to work at the most difficult times and in the most difficult places is the way to achieve great things, to open a new page of history. We should deeply take to heart this Soka Gakkai spirit.
President Toda, too, stood up in the most challenging time of postwar Japan, with the resolve: “Now is the time for kosen-rufu.” When we face a tough situation, that’s the time we need to summon our courage.
Nichiren Daishonin writes: “When an evil ruler in consort with priests of erroneous teachings tries to destroy the correct teaching and do away with a man of wisdom, those with the heart of a lion king are sure to attain Buddhahood” (WND-1, 302). Cowards will not attain Buddhahood; only those who possess the heart of a lion king will do so, he teaches.
The more difficult the challenge, the more bravely we must tackle it. This is the essence of the Soka Gakkai spirit. When we personally go to the most challenging places, a way forward will open.
Excerpts from the entire speech will be published in the February edition of New Century.
NEWS
Going Paperless With Your Official Income Tax Receipt
You now have two options for obtaining the official income tax receipt for your donations to SGI Canada:
- SGI Canada can mail the receipt to you
- You can go paperless and download the receipt yourself from the SGI Canada website
Choosing to download the receipt yourself will allow SGI Canada to reduce its use of paper and devote more resources to activities for members. Once you choose to go paperless, you will no longer receive a receipt in the mail from SGI Canada.
In order to go paperless and download the receipt yourself:
- Sign in to your SGI Canada account at https://sgicinfo.org/portal/login. (If you do not have an SGI Canada account yet, please see the instructions below)
- On your personal information page, you will see a section titled Official Tax Receipt
- Click on the button in front of Your current option, and follow the instructions
You can change the way in which you receive your income tax receipt at any time between March 16 and December 30 each year.
Your tax receipt for 2022 will be available online by February 28, 2023.
Have you set up your online account yet?
SGI Canada members now have access to an online portal in which they can create their own personal SGI Canada accounts, subscribe to publications and make secure online donations.
Members can also use their online account to read the English and French-language publications to which they subscribe, and access their tax receipts and personal information.
How to set up your online account:
- Go to the SGI Canada website at sgicanada.org and click on the Online Portal button near the top right corner of your screen.
- Click on I have not created an online account and then Submit
- Fill out the personal information fields and click on Submit
- You will receive an email from accounting@sgicinfo.org . The email will confirm your username and password (which you can change once you log into the site the first time). For assistance with setting up your account, please contact support@sgicinfo.org.
- Once your username and password have been confirmed, you will be able to log into the online portal from the SGI Canada website at any time.
Many SGI Canada members have already registered. We hope you will also take advantage of this convenient method of making online donations, subscribing to SGI Canada publications, and reading them online.
Notice about Monthly Pre-Authorized Payment (PAP) by Visa Credit Card
Starting on January 1 2023, we will not be accepting any new PAP forms by Visa Credit Card. Those who are currently paying by Visa Credit Card can continue to use this payment method. However, if the monthly PAP payment is declined and we are unable to retrieve the declined payment, we will have to cancel the PAP and this option will not be available thereafter.
Those who wish to pay monthly by PAP can do so by debit from their chequing account. This option will still be available.
Upcoming events
Holiday schedule
Due to statutory holidays and staff vacations, there may be short delays this month in responding to email enquiries and requests for new SGI Canada online portal accounts. Thank you for your understanding.
New Year’s Gongyo on January 1
Nichiren Daishonin says: “New Year’s Day marks the first day, the first month, the beginning of the year, and the start of spring. A person who celebrates this day will accumulate virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes full gradually, moving from west to east, and as the sun shines more brightly, travelling from east to west.” (WND-1137)
SGI Canada members will be holding online New Year’s Gongyo meetings across the country on January 1. Please contact your local leaders to find out the details in your location.
On behalf of SGI Canada, we would like to wish you all happy holidays and a happy New Year!
We hope you found this newsletter beneficial. Please email your questions or comments to contact@sgicanada.org. Please note that the next SGI Canada Newsletter will appear on January 1, 2022. See you then!