SGI Canada Newsletter, No. 84 - July 28, 2023
SGI Canada Newsletter
Issue no. 84
July 28, 2023
Welcome to the 84th 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 Ikeda’s message: “My Young Friends, Perform a Joyous Dance of Youth on the Stage of Your Mission!”
President Ikeda sent the following message to the 14th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting toward Centennial 2030, held in conjunction with the Student Division and Future Division general meetings, at the Toda Memorial Auditorium in Sugamo, Tokyo, on July 9, 2023. Twenty-three representatives from Soka Gakkai Côte d’Ivoire also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, President Ikeda shared four calligraphic works that he had written. In this excerpt, he talks about the third:
The next calligraphy is “The People.”
Nichiren Buddhism teaches that all people on our planet inherently possess the life state of Buddhahood. It is the Buddhism of the people, all-illuminating like the sun, that enables each individual to shine their brightest. The Soka Gakkai is a truly miraculous community of ordinary people worldwide who stand up on their own and support and inspire one another to become stronger, better, and wiser, just as the Daishonin wished.
Today, we are joined by representatives from Côte d’Ivoire, noble champions of the people. In the face of many hardships and challenges, they have spoken out with a powerful lion’s roar of truth for kosen-rufu in Africa. They are a true gathering of Bodhisattvas of the Earth embodying the Daishonin’s words: “You should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. . . . Nichiren’s followers are like roaring lions” (WND-1, 997).
Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, is surely aware of all your efforts. Let us show our praise and appreciation with our resounding applause!
As Soka Gakkai members, united by the bonds of mentor and disciple—striving forever with the heart of a lion king, together with the people and for the people—let us harmoniously and cheerfully continue to expand our great movement for the eternal victory of the people!
The complete message will be available in the September 2023 New Century.
Upcoming events
Men’s Group General Meetings
Happy and united Men’s Group members at the SGI Canada centre in Quebec City. From left to right — Front row : Bernard Larue, Guy Aurélien Taty, Guillaume Fortin, Vincent Fauque. Back row : Lucien Koffi, Jasmin Fortin, Daniel Déry, Aristide Kouo Dibongue.Men’s Group General Meetings will be held throughout August and September with the theme of “Building peace through dialogue”.
The August edition of New Century features guidance from President Ikeda specifically for Men’s Group members. Here is an excerpt:
Your descendants
for generations to come
will enjoy benefits
based on the causes
made by you, their forefathers.
The citadels of our lives, built through our fierce struggles against daunting odds, are unassailable and indestructible.
The Daishonin describes the vicissitudes experienced by Shakyamuni’s trusted disciple Sudatta: “Seven times he became poor, and seven times he became a wealthy man” (WND-1, 1086). Rising and falling fortunes are an inescapable part of the real world. Sudatta’s seventh period of poverty was especially severe, but even then, in the worst of times, he and his wife continued to follow the Buddhist teaching of striving to create good causes by assisting others. The benefits the couple reaped from such acts ensured that they rose again from the depths, becoming the richest people in the land and attaining an expansive life-state that enabled them to donate Jetavana Monastery to Shakyamuni and his followers. In praising Sudatta and his wife for the victory they achieved by striving in faith with the same spirit as Shakyamuni, the Daishonin states: “From this, you should understand all things” (WND-1, 1086).
Buddhism teaches the law of cause and effect that allows us to accumulate inexhaustible benefits. The Buddhist scriptures also describe the Buddha as one who is “supreme in the spiritual realm,” having the power to “vanquish demons” (cf. GZ, 818). Summon forth this power of the Buddha! Vanquish all devilish, negative influences, and win in all areas of your life. And, while supporting the women’s and young women’s divisions, do your best, inspire others through your dauntless courage, and win the trust of those in your workplace and community.
(“The Wise Members of the Men’s Division, Champions of Kosen-rufu”, New Century, August 2023, p.11)
SGI CANADA INTRODUCTORY EXAM 2023
The SGI Canada Introductory Study Exam will be held on Sunday, October 29. The exam is intended for new members or those who have not yet taken an SGI Canada exam; youth and Future Division members; and interested friends. Please note that some young children may find the study material difficult to read. You do not have to be an SGI Canada member in order to take the exam.
To register for the exam, simply complete the short form at:
https://www.sgicanada.org/activities/sgi-canada-introductory-exam-2023
The exam will focus on topics from “Basics of Nichiren Buddhism in the New Era for Worldwide Kosen-rufu”. If you have not yet received the study material in a pdf document, you can obtain it from your district leaders.
A printed booklet of the study material will be available (in English, French and Chinese) through the online bookstore at https://sgicanada.myshopify.com
More details on the exam will be available in the coming months in NEW CENTURY, Ère nouvelle, Chinese New Century and in your district.
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 August 11, 2023. See you then!