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April 2021

In This Issue

From SGM General Director

Building a Fresh Youthful SGM
The first milestone in SGM’s ten-year plan is building a youthful Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM).

Membina SGM yang Muda dan Segar
Peristiwa penting yang pertama dalam rancangan sepuluh tahun SGM ialah membina Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) yang muda.

From SGI President

Seikyo Shimbun – Banner of Joy and Inspiration by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Feature

The Brilliant Path of Worldwide Kosen-rufu: Special Edition Learning from The New Human Revolution from the Seikyo Shimbun

Special Feature

Value Creation in a Time of Crisis (2021 Peace Propsal – part 1) from SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Halaman Kanak-Kanak

Kanak-kanak yang Memberi Sumbangan dalam Bentuk Pai Lumpur

Experience

Thank You, My Son Chris Liang Kwei Heong, Kuala Lumpur

Art

Making Art from Memories II by Leong Tuck Yee

News

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Editor’s Note

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In his 39th Peace Proposal issued on January 26, Value Creation in a Time of Crisis, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda addressed major issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, building a global culture of harmony and human rights, the need to get rid of nuclear weapons and the climate crisis. He proposed solutions for overcoming these challenges and called on the global community to together build a society realising “happiness for both oneself and others through bringing into full play the human capacity to create value.” [1]

When we look at the world today, people are only concerned about their own interests. Most people only care about themselves and their own families, placing their personal concerns above all else. People even resort to unethical methods, even damaging and sacrificing the needs of others in order to fulfil their own interests.

Looking at our pandemic-stricken society as an example, we can see that many people have had their spirits crushed and livelihoods destroyed – they are in dire straits. But the cruel reality is that they are ignored or discriminated against, – even excluded – leaving them isolated and helpless.

Even where the supply of vaccines is concerned, we see that countries only take care of their own needs and turn a blind eye to the needs of other countries.

On this, President Ikeda stressed that we must have the determination to never leave behind those struggling in the depths of adversity, lending them a helping hand, and shine the warm glow of concern in their lives. We must enable them to bring forth the strength to live with dignity and strive to build the foundations for a society where the word “misery” is eradicated.

In “The Three Virtues of Food,” Nichiren Daishonin writes: “If one gives food to others, one will improve one’s own lot, just as, for example, if one lights a fire for others, one will brighten one’s own way.” (WND-2, pg 1060) This teaches us that when we contribute to the wellbeing of others, we ourselves will receive benefit too.

The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings states: “‘Joy’ means that oneself and others together experience joy.” (OTT, pg 146) True joy is when we and others enjoy happiness.

On this, President Ikeda says: “Happiness is something that we must each achieve for ourselves and experience in our own lives. But at the same time, one’s own happiness to the exclusion of others is not true happiness. Just being content with one’s own welfare with no concern for others is selfish. By the same token, brushing aside one’s own happiness and caring only about the happiness of others is not sufficient either. True happiness is a condition when both we ourselves and others are happy.” [2]

He also points out: “We cannot steal happiness from someone or attain it by sacrificing others for our own gain. It is something that must be shared – which is why I have always insisted that our happiness must not be built upon the misfortune of others.” [3]

We cannot live alone and isolated. Humankind has always been a community where we share joy and sorrow together. The thinking that helping others will only hurt our interests is the main reason for the terrible state that society is in today.

There is no life more noble than one dedicated to caring for and helping others, and enabling people to become happy.

Let us learn from this pandemic and transform this crisis into opportunity, and together build a society that realises happiness for both oneself and others!

[1] Pg 42 of this issue.
[2] FLOW No. 661 (01.10.2017), pg13–14.
[3] Ibid., pg 14.

The first milestone in SGM’s ten-year plan is building a youthful Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM).

This means by 2022, a youthful organisation will emerge, in which 60% of its members are aged 13 to 49.

Presently among the over 60,000 members of SGM, there are 31,169 youth, making up 40% of the membership. We must add another 18,000 youth to this number by the end of 2022 to achieve our youthful SGM goal.

The three founding presidents of the Soka Gakkai cherish and value the youth more than anyone. SGI President Daisaku Ikeda pointed out that, “Since its founding, the Soka Gakkai has cared for, believed in, and fostered the youth, offering wonderful opportunities for them to realise their potential. I can say with confidence that no other organisation compares.”(1) This is truly the pride of the Soka Gakkai.

Since his time, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda has allowed youth to give play to their full potential – in fact, he allowed the youth to take full responsibility for the Soka Gakkai. He told people around him “to make the Soka Gakkai an organisation where young people could thrive and grow.”(2)

President Ikeda also cherishes the same wish and has boundless expectations towards the youth. He once said, “Embracing the Mystic Law, which is the source of perennial youth and an eternally vibrant life force, the Soka Gakkai will forever brim with youthful vigour and forge ahead energetically. The vitality of our organisation hinges on its youthfulness.”(3)

Any organisation must have the active participation of youth, where they serve as the driving force – only then can the organisation develop. Otherwise, the organisation may age or even stagnate. The youth are full of vigour, enthusiasm and vitality. Their young lives have unlimited potential. They are hope embodied, they are the key to whether an organisation rises or fall, and decide an organisation’s future.

Our world today is not only reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic; it also faces environmental and climate change, conflicts, poverty, famines and other pressing issues. To solve these complicated, intertwined issues, we must call upon the power of youth. President Ikeda has said that humankind is awaiting the solidarity of strength among youth which will open up new avenues of value creation and change the times.

We believe in the true ability of youth. The power of youth will be the main engine for transforming the era. We can definitely open up a new age for our world through the spirit, ideals and creative power of youth.

In order to build a youthful SGM, we must increase the ranks of youth members, which means we have to focus on the youth, share Buddhism with even more youth so that they become part of our organisation.

Let us, the members of the men’s and women’s divisions, together with the youth, exert ourselves in promoting dialogue, making sharing Buddhism with and fostering the youth our goals. Let us strive as one in building a fresh, youthful SGM brimming with vitality!

(1) FLOW 720 (15.03.2020), pg 8.
(2) SGI Newsletter No. 9520 dated 27.12.2016.
(3) SGI Newsletter No. 8115 dated 03.12.2010 / FLOW 498 (15.12.2010) pg 23.

Peristiwa penting yang pertama dalam rancangan sepuluh tahun SGM ialah membina Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) yang muda.

Ini bermakna bahawa menjelang tahun 2022, sebuah organisasi muda akan muncul, dengan 60% daripada ahlinya berusia di antara 13 hingga 49 tahun.

Pada masa ini, daripada bilangan ahli SGM yang melebihi 60,000 orang, sebanyak 31,169 orang adalah belia, membentuk 40% daripada keanggotaan SGM. Kita mesti menambah sebanyak 18,000 orang belia lagi kepada bilangan ini menjelang penghujung tahun 2022 untuk mencapai matlamat kita, SGM yang muda.

Ketiga-tiga orang presiden pengasas Soka Gakkai menghargai dan mementingkan belia lebih daripada segalanya. Presiden SGI, Encik Daisaku Ikeda berkata bahawa: “Sejak penubuhannya, Soka Gakkai telah mengambil berat, mempercayai dan memupuk belia, memberi peluang-peluang yang hebat untuk membolehkan mereka menyerlahkan potensi mereka. Saya dapat berkata dengan yakin tidak ada pertubuhan lain yang dapat dibandingkan dengan Soka Gakkai”(1)

Perkara ini benar-benar menjadi kebanggaan Soka Gakkai. Semenjak zaman beliau, presiden kedua Soka Gakkai, Encik Josei Toda telah membenarkan belia menggunakan potensi mereka dengan sepenuhnya – pada hakikatnya, beliau membenarkan belia memikul tanggungjawab sepenuhnya terhadap Soka Gakkai. Beliau memberitahu orang di sekelilingnya untuk “jadikanlah Soka Gakkai sebuah organisasi yang membolehkan orang muda berusaha dan berkembang maju.”(2)

Presiden Ikeda juga turut mengharapkan hasrat yang sama dan mempunyai harapan yang tidak terhingga terhadap belia. Beliau pernah berkata bahawa, “Menganuti Hukum Mistik menjadi sumber kemudaan yang abadi dan daya hidup yang kekal bersemangat, Soka Gakkai akan selamanya penuh dengan semangat muda dan terus maju dengan bertenaga. Kecergasan organisasi kita bergantung pada kemudaannya”(3)

Mana-mana organisasi hendaklah mempunyai penglibatan aktif belia, mereka memainkan peranan sebagai daya penggerak – barulah organisasi dapat berkembang. Jika tidak, organisasi tersebut akan menjadi tua atau terbantut. Belia penuh bersemangat, ghairah dan bertenaga. Kehidupan muda mempunyai potensi yang tidak berbatas. Belia sumber harapan, merekalah kunci yang menentukan sama ada sesebuah organisasi itu jatuh atau bangun, dan menjadi penentu masa hadapan organisasi.

Dunia kita hari ini bukan sahaja terancam dengan pandemik COVID-19 tetapi juga berdepan dengan perubahan persekitaran dan cuaca, konflik, kemiskinan, kebuluran dan isu-isu lain yang terdesak. Untuk menyelesaikan isu-isu yang rumit dan saling berkaitan ini, kita harus menggunakan kekuatan belia. Presiden Ikeda pernah berkata bahawa manusia sedang menunggu gabungan kekuatan dalam kalangan belia yang akan membuka jalan baharu untuk penciptaan nilai dan mengubah zaman.

Kita percaya pada kemampuan sebenar belia. Kuasa belia akan menjadi enjin utama yang mengubah zaman. Kita pasti boleh membuka satu zaman baharu untuk dunia kita melalui semangat, cita-cita dan kuasa kreatif belia.

Untuk membina SGM yang muda, kita hendaklah meningkatkan barisan anggota belia, ini bermakna bahawa kita haruslah memberi tumpuan pada belia, berkongsi Buddhisme dengan lebih banyak belia agar mereka menjadi sebahagian daripada organisasi kita.

Marilah kita, ahli-ahli Bahagian Lelaki dan Bahagian Wanita, bersama-sama dengan belia berusaha dengan bersungguh-sungguh untuk mengadakan dialog, menjadikan usaha berkongsi Buddhisme dengan belia di samping memupuk mereka sebagai matlamat kita. Marilah kita berusaha gigih dan bersatu hati untuk membina sebuah organisasi SGM yang segar, muda dan penuh bertenaga!

(1) FLOW 720 (15.03.2020), hlm 8.
(2) SGI Newsletter No. 9520 bertarikh 27.12.2016.
(3) SGI Newsletter No. 8115 bertarikh 03.12.2010 / FLOW 498 (15.12.2010), hlm. 23.

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