Michiaki Yoshizawa, from Melbourne shares his thoughts and pearls of wisdom for the future generations of youth of Australia.
What is a passage from Nichiren Daishonin or the three presidents that encourage you through difficulty?
Michiaki: Although I have read many Goshos, for me this Gosho encourages me the most (Happiness in this World, WND 1-86, pp681-682):
There is no true happiness for human beings other than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The sutra reads, “... where living beings enjoy themselves at ease.” How could this passage mean anything but the boundless joy of the Law? Surely you are included among the “living beings.” “Where” means Jambudvipa, and Japan lies within Jambudvipa. Could “enjoy themselves at ease” mean anything but that both our bodies and minds, lives and environments, are entities of three thousand realms in a single moment of life and Buddhas of limitless joy? There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by “peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences.” Though worldly troubles may arise, never let them disturb you. No one can avoid problems, not even sages or worthies.
Drink sake only at home with your wife, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, no matter what happens. How could this be anything other than the boundless joy of the Law? Strengthen your power of faith more than ever.
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The twenty-seventh day of the sixth month in the second year of Kenji (1276), cyclical sign hinoe-ne
Reply to Shijo Kingo
Although this is a very short gosho, but I feel it is a very important one. As long as we are born in this world, we will definitely encounter the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death, and as the gosho passages says, no one can avoid problems, “not even sages or worthies”! But it is because of these problems that we are able to chant and we can use these sufferings as fuel for our chanting. As an SGI member, we are able to see our life in a different perspective. We are able to create value like this passage: There is no true happiness for human beings other than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
What is your prime point of faith, and how have you maintained your seeking spirit to continue to encourage members?
Michiaki: The eternal bond of the oneness of mentor and disciple relationship is the most important thing for me to maintain my seeking spirit. I am currently thoroughly reading the New Human Revolution again, as Sensei has already left all the important points and guidance for the next generations to come in the New Human Revolution. So because of that I want to read Sensei’s words deeply. Also through reading Sensei’s writings, we can directly connect to the mentor and there is no need for intermediaries to connect to the mentor (e.g. no need priests or other senior members)! So we are able to openly and directly receive encouragement from Sensei. This is very powerful!
Regarding the prime points of faith, there were two main ones. The first one was when I received my Permanent Residence (PR) visa in Australia in 1982 when I was still in Japan. At that time, it was a very difficult thing to get because my job and qualifications was not the preferred ones that would be chosen. But after I first came to Australia in 1980 for a short 10-day exchange trip, I remember meeting other pioneer members in Sydney and we chanted together, and at that time I had a sense that this (Australia) is the place for me. So when I went back to Japan after that, I chanted with deep determination that if my mission is in Australia, then the path will show itself. So while it wasn’t easy I kept making effort and eventually got my PR to move to Australia when I was still in Japan! So that was my first prime point in faith.
On the second prime point of my faith, it was an encounter with a Women’s Division member in her early 30s who had cancer, which started from the muscles. Because she was active physically the cancer very quickly spread to her lungs, but yet she was still in good spirits and travelling a lot to meet and encourage members. At the time she was living in Ballarat.
When her condition became worse, a few members and I visited her in the hospital. She was very weak and was asleep when we were there. We started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo next to her ear, and although she was not conscious she could hear the chanting. I could see that she was trying hard to chant too, eventually her breath was synchronised our chanting, despite being very weak. I felt she started to chant with her whole being. After chanting for a while, the moment she became quiet, I felt like I witnessed the person who had attained Buddhahood at the last moment of their life. Following from that moment, my life changed forever – I had such strong confidence that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is so powerful.
What would you like to share with the youth who are going to shoulder the future of kosen-rufu?
Michiaki: Please continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo – you can gain boundless power from chanting! Also the youth must have sincere appreciation – appreciation to Sensei (Daisaku Ikeda) for spreading this Buddhism so widely that we are able to practice in so many countries.
Please also continue to spread this Buddhism and further kosen-rufu in your communities, through your behaviour and attitude as a human being. Respect and listen closely to others. As youth, please build this character and good attitude of respect with members and extend that to the society as well, to spread kosen-rufu in Australia. So in that sense, we don’t have to rush, nor compare the kosen-rufu movement in Australia to other countries, but we can always learn from other countries.
The important thing to have is a deep sense of appreciation, because without appreciation, there will always be competition.
Although back in the early days, there were little resources and we didn’t have a kaikan (community centre) we were still able to share this Buddhism with more and more people and develop to what we are today. So now, with the foundation that we have today, from this moment on, how do we build and create more kosen-rufu in Australian society?
