Worldwide Flow of Good

The Justice Chronicle, provided by Soka Gakkai International-USA, is a free monthly e-mail in support of the Soka Spirit movement. Soka Spirit is the SGI's educational effort to create value and deepen our understanding of Nichiren Buddhism through increased awareness of issues surrounding the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and the spiritual foundation of the SGI movement.

1) FROM THE WISDOM OF THE LOTUS SUTRA

This excerpt is from SGI President Ikeda's collection of dialogues with Katsuji Saito, Takanori Endo and Haruo Suda entitled, The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra. The following excerpt is from volume 3, part 2, on the Devadatta chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Devadatta was a follower of Shakyamuni, thought to be his half-brother, who started his own Buddhist order.

A WORLDWIDE FLOW OF GOOD

Suda: Throughout the world, I believe, there is a great deal of vagueness and ambiguity surrounding the question of just what good and evil are. I think that under such circumstances the Buddhist ideal of actively creating good is like a beacon in the fog.

Ikeda: Exactly. We must be careful lest this age, which is largely devoid of philosophy and ideology, give way to a dangerous era in which egoism is allowed to run amok. We must not allow nihilism to prevail. We have to show people a sure path to follow and bring about the ascendance of a sun of hope.

Many philosophical arguments have been made about good and evil in both past and present, East and West. Without going into these various perspectives, the point that life is the objective and the end and must not be turned into a means is key; this is the major premise. To enrich this supremely noble life and make it shine is good; to turn life into a means and cause it to contract is evil.

Also, unity is good while fragmentation is evil. The highest good, therefore, is to help people open up the world of Buddhahood in their lives and to forge a global solidarity of good will.

The movement for peace, culture and education based on Buddhism, that is to say, our movement of kosen-rufu, accords entirely with this objective. Carrying out these activities means putting the principle of the oneness of good and evil, in which evil is embraced and transformed by good, into dynamic practice.

The point is to advance while intently reflecting on and grappling to master the self; to defeat one's inner weaknesses and advance. When we do so, we are truly reading the Devadatta chapter. Ultimately, the bitter struggle between Shakyamuni and Devadatta exists within each of our lives. When we understand the sutra in this light we are reading it from the standpoint of Nichiren Buddhism.

The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore compares the function of evil to the banks of a river. The river banks are obstructions, but they are necessary for keeping the river on track and flowing steadily forward. Without banks, the river would overflow, causing destruction instead of creating value.

Like the river, let us use every obstruction to our benefit as we continue our endless struggle against evil. Let us strive to further increase the volume of water in our
iver of good and extend its flow worldwide.

This concludes this series.

2) THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT IS STRICT

This is an excerpt from a speech by SGI President Ikeda, given at the 25th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting, held at the Tokyo Makiguchi Memorial Hall in Hachioji, Tokyo, on Aug. 27, 1998. It originally appeared in the Sept. 25, 1998, issue of the World Tribune.

IMMEASURABLE BENEFIT

Buddhism is about winning, about showing actual proof. First Soka Gakkai president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi declared that this is the very life, or essence, of religion. He knew that clarifying right and wrong, good and evil, would upset attachments and arouse doubts and provide an opportunity to awaken people to the truth. Undertaking such efforts represents genuine courage and compassion.

Mr. Makiguchi said, The harder we fight and the stronger we become, the more swiftly actual proof of victory in our Buddhist practice appears. I certainly feel that, recently, proof of the success of our efforts is beginning to appear much more quickly. What do you think? All of you, the great members of the Soka Gakkai, have worked incredibly hard again this year, chanting and striving wholeheartedly for kosen-rufu, activating the protective forces of the universe and scoring momentous triumphs. Thank you for your unflagging efforts.

In the Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, the Daishonin says of the significance of benefit: The element ku [in the word kudoku, or benefit] means eliminating evil, while the element doku refers to the virtue one acquires by bringing about good (Gosho Zenshu, p. 762). Benefit arises from erasing suffering (wrong) and creating happiness (right). Immeasurable benefit accrues to those who fight injustice and defeat negative forces that seek to undermine Buddhism. That is why the Daishonin consistently urges his followers to refute the erroneous, reveal the true and teach others the Mystic Law, and to stand firm against malign forces.

My impression of Mr. Makiguchi's life is that, like the Daishonin, he deliberately hunted out negative forces and called forth persecution upon himself. That is because kosen-rufu goes hand in hand with fighting and triumphing over injustice and evil.

In another writing, the Daishonin declares, If we surmise the degree of benefit according to the degree of punishment, then there can be no doubt that my followers will enjoy 'good fortune surpassing the ten honorable titles [of the Buddha]' (Gosho Zenshu, p. 342).

When we realize how strict the retribution based on the causal workings of the Mystic Law really is, we can appreciate all the more the greatness of the Mystic Law and the immense benefit that results from fighting against negative forces that seek to destroy Buddhism.

The nation of Japan suffered severe retribution for persecuting the Daishonin; it persecuted President Makiguchi and second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda and was subsequently destroyed.

In contrast, we of the Soka Gakkai, who are carrying out the Buddha's will and decree, lead lives that shine with ever-increasing benefit and good fortune. That is the Daishonin's promise. So let us all work even harder.

The Daishonin writes, When the people's despair grows, the nation declines (Gosho Zenshu, p. 1004). Today Japan is a nation where despair is rampant. Many people have lost hope, direction and meaning. All these signs portend the nation's decline.

In such dark times, who are the ones striving to infuse people's hearts with hope, courage and energy? It is us, the members of the Soka Gakkai. This beautiful body of human harmony that is the Soka Gakkai is the sole hope for Japan; it is a bright beacon for the entire world. Let us advance with this pride.

This concludes this series.