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February 2021

In This Issue

From SGM General Director

Everyone Is Responsible in Fighting the Pandemic
COVID-19 has been around for about a year. Not only has the pandemic not subsided, it is still raging all around the world, and Malaysia is no exception.

Setiap Orang Bertangggungjawab Memerangi Pandemik
COVID-19 telah wujud kira-kira satu tahun. Pandemik itu bukan sahaja tidak reda tetapi juga masih berleluasa di seluruh dunia, dan Malaysia juga tidak terkecuali daripada ini.

From SGI President

Creating a Symphony of Renewal and Harmony by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Feature

The Brilliant Path of Worldwide Kosen-rufu: Learning from The New Human Revolution Commentary on Volume 24 by SGI Vice-President Hiromasa Ikeda

Chapter Summary for Volume 24 of The New Human Revolution from the Seikyo Shimbun

“Unforgettable Scenes” – Key Episodes from Volume 24 from the Seikyo Shimbun

Excerpts from Nichiren’s Writings of Volume 24 from the Seikyo Shimbun

“New Human Revolution Generation” Morning Sharing by COSMIC Editorial Board

Let’s Cultivate a “Vast Heart” and Win Over All Obstacles by Dinesh Chandren

Green Fields (excerpt) by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Never Forgetting the Original Spirit of Our Vow for Kosen-rufu by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Write a “Wonderful Story” That Will Endure for All Time! by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Proudly Walk the Path of Self-Improvement by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Halaman Kanak-Kanak

Kanak-kanak yang Terminum Racun

Experience

Don’t Ever Lose Your Faith! Chin Hon Lim, Perak

Art

A Tribute To Motherhood 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.

COVID-19 has been around for about a year. Not only has the pandemic not subsided, it is still raging all around the world, and Malaysia is no exception. The soaring number of cases drove the government to enforce the Movement Control Order (MCO) once again.

What makes things more worrisome is that there are forecast scenarios stating that the pandemic will worsen, with some 8,000 new cases each day by mid-March, even exceeding 10,000.

There are also fears that the Thaipusam and Chinese New Year celebrations could cause even more infections – it’s truly worrying.

After a year’s hard battle, we have yet to win. This is because the measures implemented are not strict enough and people’s awareness on fighting this disease is insufficient. There are even those who are ignorant, selfish and do not follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs). They adopt a lackadaisical, even arrogant attitude towards this disease.

As a result, it is our medical personnel who are saving lives and protecting our health against this epidemic on the front lines who have suffered the most. Over the past year, they have become physically and mentally exhausted, and there is no end in sight in this long journey against this pandemic.

The people are suffering even more – many have lost their jobs or seen their careers collapse. Every field and industry have been hit. The government is even deeply worried that if this situation goes on for too long, people could starve to death and the country could go bankrupt.

After this one year, we cannot help but reflect on the painful lessons we have experienced, carefully examine our mistakes, fix the situation and formulate new strategies so that we can end this pandemic as soon as possible.

The people must have a new awareness about COVID-19. This disease is dangerous, all around us, and is constantly mutating. It does not discriminate – men or women, young or old, rich or poor. As long as you let down your guard for even a moment, you will be infected.

What scares us the most is that even if you have taken the necessary precautions, you are still at risk of getting infected, because you do not know if the people you come in contact with are infected or not.

In any case, each person must do everything they can, play their part and take all necessary precautions. We must not only take care of ourselves, but others as well, work closely with the government and authorities, and be united as one so that we can win over this pandemic.

On the global level, we hope that each country will cast aside all prejudice and regard all of humankind as one community that shares the same destiny, focusing on saving and protecting hundreds of millions of lives, making good health a priority, and work together in solid unity to come up with a strategy that can defeat this pandemic.

Though the times are dark, we cannot give up hope. As President Ikeda says, as long as we have hope, we can open up a path. Even an unending chain of suffering can become opportunities for a great leap forward.

We practise the Mystic Law, the fundamental force of the great universe and the eternal fundamental law. As long as we uphold faith to the very end and take action, we can transform all adversity, overcome all difficulties and build a beautiful world.

COVID-19 telah wujud kira-kira satu tahun. Pandemik itu bukan sahaja tidak reda tetapi juga masih berleluasa di seluruh dunia, dan Malaysia juga tidak terkecuali daripada ini. Bilangan kes yang melonjak tinggi memaksa kerajaan sekali lagi melaksanakan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP).

Perkara yang lebih membimbangkan ialah ada senario ramalan yang menyatakan bahawa pandemik ini akan menjadi semakin buruk dengan 8.000 kes setiap hari menjelang pertengahan bulan Mac, malah melebihi 10,000.

Ada juga kebimbangan bahawa sambutan Thaipusam dan Tahun Baharu Cina boleh menyebabkan lebih banyak jangkitan – keadaan ini benar- benar membimbangkan.

Setelah setahun bertungkus lumus menentang wabak itu, kita masih lagi belum menang. Ini adalah kerana langkah-langkah yang dilaksanakan belum cukup tegas dan kesedaran rakyat untuk menentang penyakit ini masih lagi tidak mencukupi. Ada juga orang ramai yang bersikap acuh tak acuh, mementingkan diri sendiri dan tidak mematuhi prosedur operasi standard (SOP). Mereka mengamalkan sikap endah tak endah, malah bersikap angkuh terhadap wabak ini.

Sebagai akibatnya, pegawai-pegawai perubatan kita yang menyelamatkan nyawa dan melindungi kesihatan kita daripada pandemik di barisan depan inilah yang paling menderita. Dalam masa setahun yang lepas, mereka menjadi sangat letih dari segi mental dan fizikal, dan tidak ada pengakhiran dalam perjalanan jauh menentang penyakit ini.

Rakyatlah yang lebih menderita – ramai yang kehilangan pekerjaan atau kerjaya mereka musnah. Setiap bidang dan industri menerima tamparan. Kerajaan lebih bimbang sekiranya situasi ini berterusan untuk jangka masa yang lama, rakyat mungkin mati kebuluran dan negara mungkin menjadi muflis.

Selepas satu tahun, kita tidak ada pilihan, kita perlu merenung semula pengajaran yang menyakitkan yang telah kita tempuhi, mengkaji kesilapan kita dengan teliti, memperbaiki keadaan dan merangka strategi baharu supaya kita mampu menamatkan pandemik ini dengan secepat mungkin.

Rakyat mestilah mempunyai kesedaran baharu mengenai COVID-19. Penyakit ini bahaya, berada di sekeliling kita dan sentiasa bermutasi. COVID 19 tidak membeza-bezakan – sama ada lelaki atau perempuan, tua atau muda, miskin atau kaya. Selagi anda lalai walaupun untuk seketika, selagi itulah anda akan dijangkiti.

Perkara yang paling menakutkan kita ialah walaupun anda telah mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga, anda masih lagi berisiko untuk dijangkiti, sebab anda tidak tahu bahawa orang yang anda dampingi itu dijangkiti atau tidak.

Walau bagaimana pun, setiap orang mestilah melakukan segala yang terdaya olehnya, memainkan peranannya dan mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga yang perlu. Kita janganlah hanya menjaga diri kita tetapi hendaklah menjaga orang lain juga, bekerjasama rapat dengan kerajaan dan pihak berkuasa, di samping bersatu padu supaya kita berupaya mengatasi pandemik ini.

Pada peringkat global, kita berharap agar setiap negara akan mengetepikan segala prasangka dan menganggap semua manusia sebagai satu komuniti ynag berkongsi nasib yang sama, tumpukanlah pada usaha menyelamat dan melindungi ratusan juta nyawa, berikanlah keutamataan kepada penjagaan kesihatan yang baik, sama-sama berganding bahu dalam perpaduan yang padu untuk menghasilkan strategi yang berupaya menewaskan pandemik ini.

Walaupun masa ini nampaknya gelap, janganlah kita berputus harapan. Seperti yang pernah dinyatakan oleh Presiden SGI, Encik Daisaku Ikeda bahawa selagi kita mempunyai harapan, selagi itulah kita mampu menerokai jalan. Malah, suatu rantaian penderitaan yang tiada berkesudahannya boleh menjadi peluang untuk melonjak maju ke hadapan.

Kita mempraktikkan amalan Hukim Mistik, daya penggerak asas alam semesta yang hebat dan hukum asas yang abadi. Selagi kita berpegang pada kepercayaan dalam agama sehingga akhir di samping mengambil tindakan, selagi itulah kita mampu mengubah semua keadaan yang tidak memihak kepada kita, mengatasi segala kesukaran dan membina dunia yang indah.

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