SEIKYO PRESS
S P E C I A L
Emerge—The young Daisaku Ikeda recitesan impromptu poem on Aug. 14, 1947, dur-ing his first discussion meeting, where heencountered his mentor, Josei Toda (thirdfrom left). He took faith 10 days later.Today, Aug. 24 is celebrated as SGI-USAMen’s Division Day.
CourageousSuccessors
advancing toward the august men’s and young men’s general meetings
by Tariq HasanSGI-USA Men’s Leader
As we enterthe final half of 2012 andadvancetoward the sig-nificant date ofNov. 18, 2013,now is a good
opportunity as men and youngmen to refresh our understand-ing of and determination towardthis significant date.Certainly, Nov. 18 marks the
completion of the new SokaGakkai Headquarters, whichwill become a focal point of faithfor both members in Japan andacross the world for propagatingNichiren Daishonin’s humanis-tic teachings. It also serves as animportant milestone in solidify-ing the worldwide foundation ofour kosen-rufu movement.For us in the United States,
I believe that the most crucialfoundation we can build towardthat milestone is a great castle of capable people. What thenconstitutes a capable person? Ibelieve a capable person is onewho not only shows great actualproof in society as a result of hisor her Buddhist practice, butalso engraves the mentor’s guid-ance in his or her life, practices itand, thus, ensures that it will bepassed on to future generations.For us, as men, it is important
that we challenge ourselves tobecome more capable in societyand in our SGI-USA activitiesby becoming golden pillars ofkosen-rufu who can also helpfoster young men.In this Year of Developing a
Youthful SGI, we can do so byhelping at least one young manfrom each district attend theAugust Men’s and Young Men’sGeneral Meetings, whether as amember or a guest.In his essay “Young Lions,
Be Victorious,” SGI PresidentIkeda speaks about the impor-tance of men and young menuniting their efforts:
“Now is the time for the members
of the men’s and young men’s divi-
sions to unite their efforts and
open a new page of kosen-rufu—
combining the rich experience and
conviction of the former, and the
passion and initiative of the latter.
If the two divisions work closely
together, their strength will not
merely double, but multiply expo-
nentially. This will provide even
greater momentum to kosen-rufu
and, without a doubt, play a deci-
sive role in building a youthful Soka
Gakkai” (Sept. 2, 2011, World
Tribune, p. 5).
This is a tradition that startedwith the Daishonin, who madepainstaking efforts to raise hisyouthful successors, especiallythe young Nanjo Tokimitsu,
whom he taught how to be a filialson, how to view friendship, howto stand up in adversity, and ulti-mately, how to dedicate his lifeto the great vow for kosen-rufu.In his study lecture on “The
Four Virtues and the Four Debtsof Gratitude,” President Ikedawrites:
“The mentor making wholehearted
efforts to foster the youth, and the
youth shouldering full responsibility
for kosen-rufu—this solemn united
spirit of mentor and disciple is the
starting point of a youthful SGI.
“During Nichiren Daishonin’s
lifetime, it was youthful followers
such as Nikko Shonin and Nanjo
Tokimitsu who, sharing his spirit,
rose into action alongside him in
his great struggle and opened the
way for a new age.
“When we read the Daishonin’s
writings to Nanjo Tokimitsu . . .
we can see how painstakingly the
Daishonin devoted himself to fos-
tering the young man, and how sin-
cerely Tokimitsu responded to his
teacher’s earnest encouragement”
(to be printed in the October 2012
Living Buddhism).
President Ikeda likewise dis-cusses his relationship with hismentor, second Soka Gakkaipresident Josei Toda, saying:
“I was 19, and my mentor, Josei Toda,
was 47 when I decided on Aug. 24,
1947, to follow his lead and embark
on the struggle to propagate
Nichiren Buddhism and realize peace
for all humankind. Mr. Toda was in
his prime at the time—a courageous
man at the height of his powers.
“Our shared struggle as mentor
and disciple could also be seen in
today’s terms as a shared struggle
by a men’s division member and
a young men’s division member”
(Oct. 21, 2011, World Tribune, p. 4).
This principle of one man andone young man striving togetheras equals is very important. It’snot simply a matter of what we,as men, can teach the youngmen. We can learn a great dealfrom the young men about the
spirit to fight alongside ourmentor.In his study lecture on
“The Dragon Gate,” a letter theDaishonin had written to theyoung Tokimitsu, President Ikedadescribes the great mission thepresent youth have for the future:
“The youth are the ‘pillar’ that will
shoulder world peace. The youth are
the ‘eyes’ that will open the future
of humanity. The youth are the
‘great ship’ that will lead all people
to happiness. Now more than ever,
the times call for an alliance of
courageous youth who will stand up
for truth and justice. Young people
are the hope of tomorrow. A soci-
ety’s future is bright when its youth
are filled with passion and enthusi-
asm, and cherish lofty ideals. Young
people shape the times. That is why
it is our mission and responsibility
as Buddhists to foster youth who
are able to take on that task.
“It is also especially crucial for us
in the SGI to ensure a steady flow of
youthful successors who can keenly
perceive the pain and suffering of
the times, and pioneer a new age.
This is the only way we will be able
to accomplish the noble endeavor
of kosen-rufu. Consequently, gen-
uine leaders of kosen-rufu foster
young people and entrust every-
thing to them.
“We need to maintain a youthful
spirit ourselves and strive together
with the youth; we need to nurture
young people and confidently
bequeath the future to them. Those
who consistently work together
with the youth to realize noble
shared goals are victors who pos-
sess a lofty spirit. In contrast,
those who use or exploit young
people demonstrate the behavior
of arrogant, high-handed dictators
or lazy, incompetent cowards”
(Learning from the Writings: The
Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren
Daishonin, p. 115).
As President Ikeda mentions,it is important that the menstrive to become great examplesfor the youth by maintaining ayouthful spirit, and not merelytry to exercise authority by rest-ing on our laurels. In order toinspire the young men, our liveshave to be inspiring.President Ikeda concludes:
“The main theme of the Lotus Sutra
centers around Shakyamuni trans-
mitting the Law to his true succes-
sors and entrusting them with the
mission to widely propagate it after
his passing. Similarly, in Nichiren
Daishonin’s writings, we see him
praying unceasingly for ‘[those] who
can inherit the soul of the Lotus
Sutra’ (The Writings of Nichiren
Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 839), earnestly
wishing for his followers’ health and
victory, safety and longevity, and
success and growth. His letters
abound with instructive and encour-
aging words for the disciples who
will succeed him” (p. 115).
It is quite clear that we arenow living in an age where thedisciples need to “inherit thesoul,” inherit the heart, of theDaishonin’s teachings, neverforgetting the great fortune wehave to be practicing at this timewith a great teacher.Let’s celebrate our August
general meetings by makingthem a decisive turning point in building a youthful SGI.There’s no better way to startthan by reaching out to andencouraging the young manright in front us. WT
B | July 13, 2012 | WORLD TRIBUNE SPECIAL
A Decisive Turning Point in Building a Youthful SGI
> The men’s and youngmen’s general meet-ings will be held fromFriday, Aug. 24, toSunday, Aug. 26.
> These meetings willbe on the region levelat SGI-USA centers,wherever possible.
> The men and youngmen should takeequal responsibilityfor the planning andexecution of thesemeetings.
> The main focus ofpreparing for thesemeetings is for menand young men to team up to visittheir members andencourage them infaith.
> As men, let’s help at least one youngman from each district attend thegeneral meetings,whether as a mem-ber or a guest.
August Men’sand Young
Men’s GeneralMeetingsGuidelines
by DavidWitkowskiSGI-USA Young
Men’s Leader
Hello, everyone!On behalf ofthe young men’s division mem-bers, let me express my deepestappreciation to all the membersof the men’s division who havebeen tirelessly supporting our
growth and victory.Toward Nov. 18, 2013, we are
determined to establish in eachdistrict a solid core of youngmen, who can develop strongbonds of friendship rooted intheir vow to fight for kosen-rufutogether with our eternal men-tor, SGI President Ikeda.We envision young men in
each district throughout
America enjoying their Bud-dhist practice, developing con-viction in faith through studyand supporting one another inintroducing friends to NichirenBuddhism and the SGI-USA.In order to create such a
groundswell of young menemerging from the districts, thefirst step is for the young men’s
Fostering Young Men of Faith
—Please see Witkowski, p. G
www.sgi-usa.org July 13, 2012 | WORLD TRIBUNE SPECIAL | C
A compassionate teacher fosters youth.
There is no teacher as wonderful asNichiren Daishonin. Reading betweenthe lines of this letter [“On the Offering of a Mud Pie”], we can sense his compas-sionate spirit to warmly watch over NanjoTokimitsu in his father’s stead.Indeed, in the many subsequent letters
that he wrote to his young disciple, the
Daishonin not only teaches him aboutBuddhist principles but also offersdetailed advice to guide him in his life andself-development. In “The Four Virtuesand the Four Debts of Gratitude,” forinstance, seeking to teach Tokimitsu theproper conduct for a person of wisdom,he outlines the four virtues of ancientChina—namely, (1) filial piety towardone’s father and mother; (2) loyalty toone’s lord; (3) courtesy toward one’s
friends; and (4) pity and kindness towardthose less fortunate than oneself (see TheWritings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p.636). The Daishonin remarks that evenwhen one cannot do anything concrete forone’s parents’ benefit, one can at the veryleast offer them a smile two or three timesa day. This is an example of the kind of advice, brimming with the spirit ofhumanistic education, that the Daishoninfrequently gave Tokimitsu to help him
become a person of outstanding character.My mentor, Second Soka Gakkai
president Josei Toda, also regularlyemphasized the importance of being goodsons and daughters, and this has been aconstant focus of my guidance, as well. Ihave consistently called on young peopleto bring joy to their parents who care forthem and to express their heartfelt appre-ciation to them. I have always believed
Nichiren Daishonin went to great lengths to foster his young disciple Nanjo Tokimitsu, who
had lost his father at a young age.
The Daishonin first met Tokimitsu when he was just 7, and the two reunited nine years later
when Tokimitsu, at 16, visited Nichiren at Mt. Minobu in July 1274.
In his more than 30 letters to Tokimitsu—the largest number among those addressed to any of
his followers—the Daishonin taught his young disciple important life lessons, including, ultimately,
how to dedicate his life to the great vow for kosen-rufu.
In celebration of SGI-USA Men’s Division Day on Aug. 24, and as SGI President Ikeda continually
expresses his great expectations for young people and his desire that his disciples create a
youthful SGI, the following excerpted study material centers on the relationship between the
Daishonin and Tokimitsu.
President Ikeda writes: “The Daishonin’s guidance to Tokimitsu can also be seen as guidance
for all young people in the Latter Day of the Law. Even though youth today are unable to meet
the Daishonin in person, by studying his writings and exerting themselves for kosen-rufu just as
he teaches, they can grow into people who live with the same spirit as he did” (December 2011
Living Buddhism, p. 28).
SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s Essay
Fostering Young‘Tokimitsus’
of a New Era
—Please see Guidance, p. D
this to be crucial to the process of youthgrowing into fine adults.Later in his youth, Tokimitsu would
face great adversity—his home provinceof Suruga becoming the stage for theAtsuhara Persecution. Throughout, theDaishonin did his utmost to train and fos-ter Tokimitsu, praying for the spiritual andpersonal growth of his young disciple.When harassment of the Daishonin’s
followers in the Suruga area began tointensify, there were evidently people whotried to convince Tokimitsu with seeminglyjustifiable arguments to abandon his faith. In response, the Daishonin gaveTokimitsu detailed advice on the course of action he should take, instructing himto remain true to his beliefs. At the sametime, he instilled a broader vision in hisdisciple’s heart, telling him that someday“the entire Japanese nation will simultane-ously take faith in the Lotus Sutra”(WND-1, 800)—a declaration that thetime of kosen-rufu would definitely come.On another occasion during the
Atsuhara Persecution, the Daishoninlauded Tokimitsu as “Ueno the Worthy”for his unflagging efforts and urged him to dedicate his life to the “great vow” ofkosen-rufu. And later, when the lingeringeffects of that persecution were still being
felt, the Daishonin reassured Tokimitsuwith words of hope for the future, writing,“Though we may suffer for a while, ulti-mately delight awaits us” (WND-2, 882).When a son was born to Tokimitsu, the
Daishonin proposed that he be named“Hiwaka Gozen” (see WND-2, 884).Tokimitsu’s happiness, however, wasshort-lived; tragedy struck soon afterwhen his younger brother Shichiro Gorodied suddenly (see WND-2, 887). Thegovernment authorities in Kamakura alsoimposed heavy additional obligations onTokimitsu (such as punitive taxes on hisestate and demands to supply men forunpaid labor for public works), resultingin great economic hardship for him andhis family.In addition, Tokimitsu faced numerous
personal challenges, including serious illness. However, with the Daishonin’swholehearted encouragement each time,he was able to surmount every obstacle.We could say that at each crucial junc-
ture in his turbulent youth, Tokimitsureceived guidance from the Daishonin onvital points of faith for prevailing over theparticular difficulty confronting him—whether it was persecution arising fromhis efforts for kosen-rufu or some personalkarmic challenge in his own life.Amid a relentless storm of obstacles and
persecution, Tokimitsu staunchly protectedhis fellow practitioners in Atsuhara. Inpraise of his efforts, Nichiren declared,“You already resemble the votary of theLotus Sutra” (WND-1, 1087). Tokimitsuhad grown into a fine young leader, forg-ing ahead on the path of kosen-rufu withthe same dedicated commitment in faithas the Daishonin.The Daishonin’s guidance to Tokimitsu
can also be seen as guidance for all youngpeople in the Latter Day of the Law. Eventhough youth today are unable to meetthe Daishonin in person, by studying his writings and exerting themselves forkosen-rufu just as he teaches, they cangrow into people who live with the samespirit that he did.Mr. Toda once asked me which of the
Daishonin’s disciples I liked best. WhenI answered Nanjo Tokimitsu, Mr. Todasmiled and nodded—a moment I count as one of the fond memories of my youth.Now, in the 21st century, taking to
heart the Daishonin’s words, “My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow”WND-1, 1003), the young men andwomen of the SGI in Japan and aroundthe globe are striving energetically toshare Nichiren Buddhism with others.They are taking wonderful leadership inour movement, and new youth continueto joyfully join their ranks in growingnumbers. I receive countless reports fromthe youth of their victories and triumphsin their efforts to fulfill the great vow forkosen-rufu. I can imagine how delightedMr. Toda would surely be to see the brilliant efforts and achievements of somany young “Tokimitsus” throughoutthe world (December 2011 LivingBuddhism, p. 28).
Buddhahood is attained throughsurmounting difficulties.
Tokimitsu stood up valiantly to con-front the harsh oppression directedtoward the Daishonin’s followers duringthe Atsuhara Persecution. “The Dragon
Gate” is the title of a letter that Nichiren,then 58, wrote to his disciple on Nov. 6,1279.Tokimitsu was a youthful successor who
had started practicing Nichiren Buddhismas a child. From his teens, he looked up tothe Daishonin’s leading disciple, NikkoShonin, as an elder brother, seeking him outfor guidance and instruction. Throughouthis life, Tokimitsu continued to work tirelessly to propagate the Mystic Law.This letter was written at the very
height of the Atsuhara Persecution. Atgreat personal risk, the 21-year-oldTokimitsu bravely protected his fellowpractitioners, offering a number of themshelter in his own home. This led to hisbeing targeted by the authorities in vari-ous ways. A short time later, they unjustlylevied heavy taxes against him.Eventually, he found himself in a
situation where he could not even afford a horse for himself, and had difficulty adequately clothing his wife and children.In this letter, Nichiren refers to
Tokimitsu [who was also known as Uenoafter the village where he lived]—as“Ueno the Worthy” in praise of his daunt-less struggle for justice in the face of allobstacles.In the postscript to this letter, Nichiren
speaks of his gratitude or wonderment. Theoriginal Japanese is vague, and it thus isdifficult to interpret the true meaning. Oneway the sentence can be read is, “I writethis letter in deep gratitude for your dedica-tion throughout the events at Atsuhara”(WND-1, 1003). That is, as words prais-ing Tokimitsu for his efforts during theAtsuhara Persecution and thanking him forhis devotion. However, it can also be readas, “I write this letter in profound wonder-ment at the events at Atsuhara.”That would be an expression of awe and
wonder at the fact that ordinary farmerbelievers in Atsuhara were now actuallydemonstrating their willingness to laydown their lives for their faith in the sameselfless spirit that he himself possessed. In that sense, this letter could be regarded
D | July 13, 2012 | WORLD TRIBUNE SPECIAL
( Guidance, continued from p. C )
Golden ties—(Left) South Zone Men joinmembers of the Gajokai Academy for a jointtraining meeting at the SGI-USA AtlantaCenter, June 16. (Right) East Territory YoungMen’s Leader Josh Joffee expresses hisappreciation to the men, who helped visitand encourage young men to join thebehind-the-scenes training and supportgroup. The men presented each academymember with a red tie to symbolize theirshared commitment to kosen-rufu. Theyoung men responded in kind by presentingthe men with gold ties, representing theirrole as the ‘golden pillars’ of the SGI-USA.
Upcoming Men’s ConferencesThese conferences are open to all members of the men’s division, and will focus on providing every man who attends with a clearunderstanding of how to create victory in every aspect of his life through practicing Nichiren Buddhism based on the
oneness of mentor and disciple.
Men’s #1: Aug. 17–20Men’s #2: Oct. 12–15Men’s #3: Dec. 7–10
For more information, contact your local zone office or visit www.sgi-usa.org/fncc.
{ }
PHOTOS BY LUCY ESTEPHANOS
www.sgi-usa.org July 13, 2012 | WORLD TRIBUNE SPECIAL | E
as the Daishonin’s response to all theAtsuhara followers who had aroused suchdeep faith, and that he addressed it toTokimitsu as their representative.In either case, this writing praises the
selfless efforts of successors and teachesthat the great vow or shared commitmentof mentor and disciple pulses in this wayof practice.In this letter, the Daishonin emphasizes
that attaining Buddhahood entails over-coming many hurdles and difficulties. To make his point, he draws analogiesfrom the ancient Chinese tale of theDragon Gate waterfall and the history ofthe Taira clan in Japan. He also gives anexample from the Buddhist scriptures onthe difficulty of attaining Buddhahood,citing the story of how Shariputra, one of Shakyamuni’s 10 major disciples,regressed in his Buddhist practice in apast existence.Some sources place the legendary
Dragon Gate on the upper or middlereaches of the Yellow River. It was heldthat carp that managed to climb the fallswould become dragons. In this letter, the Daishonin describes the Dragon Gateas 100 feet high and 0.6 miles wide. Insome of his other writings [see “Letter to Akimoto” (WND-1, 1021) and“Climbing Up Dragon Gate” (WND-2,673)], he describes it as being 1,000 feethigh and located on Mount T’ien-t’ai.Given these divergences, it is difficult forus to come up with a definitive picture of the falls. Be that as it may, however, the story goes that the force of the currentis so intense that most of the carp areunsuccessful in their attempts to climbthe falls, no matter how many times theytry. Moreover, birds of prey and fisher-men lie in wait to catch them. Only a carpthat can overcome all these challengesand reach the top of the waterfall canbecome a dragon with the power to con-trol the rain and thunderclouds.Thisstory is related in the Chinese historicaltext The Book of the Later Han. In manycountries in the East to this day, theexpression “climbing the Dragon Gate”is used to indicate surmounting difficulthurdles or high barriers to gain success in society or one’s profession.Through this example, Nichiren high-
lights for Tokimitsu that remainingsteadfast in one’s Buddhist practice tothe very end is an undertaking fraughtwith as many difficulties as a carp facesin climbing the Dragon Gate and turninginto a dragon. The strong currents of the waterfall that drive the fish back canbe likened to the conditions of an evilage defiled by the five impurities as
described in the Lotus Sutra; while thebirds of prey and fishermen can belikened to the three obstacles and fourdevils and the three powerful enemiesthat hinder one’s efforts to attainBuddhahood.Persevering in faith in the evil age of the
Latter Day of the Law is like swimmingupstream against a powerful current. It ishard enough just to resist the insidiousforces exerted by our own earthly desires
and fundamental darkness. Shakyamunicompared these forces to a strong currentor flood.Nichiren explains that this is even
more true in the Latter Day, when evenseemingly remarkable human wisdomand ingenuity can be inundated by aninexorable tide of deluded impulsesfueled by the three poisons of greed,anger and foolishness—an ever-growingtide that wreaks havoc as a force of evil
(see WND-1, 1121).Precisely because it is so difficult to
carry out faith in the Mystic Law in suchan age, the bond of mentor and disciple inBuddhism takes on decisive importance.Likewise, a harmonious community offellow practitioners solidly united in pur-pose—in what Nichiren terms “the spiritof many in body, one in mind”—is alsoindispensable.The Soka Gakkai possesses the bond of
mentor and disciple that is strong enoughto withstand any adversity.And its members—noble ordinary
people who are polishing their lives bystriving in faith with the same commit-ment as their mentor—are allied togetherin solid unity. Moreover, countless members, like magnificent dragons bornthrough the triumphant ascent of thewaterfall, are leading lives of profounddignity and confidence forged throughcontinually challenging themselves in their faith and self-development(Learning from the Writings: The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin,pp. 117–120). WT
Solid allies—Men and young men’s division members renew their pledge tosupport one another at kickoff meetingsacross the country, including (above)Phoenix and New York.
Precisely because it is so difficult to carry out faith in the Mystic Lawin such an age, the bond of mentor and disciple in Buddhism takes on decisive importance. Likewise, a harmonious community of fellowpractitioners solidly united in purpose—in what Nichiren terms ‘thespirit of many in body, one in mind’—is also indispensable.
GEORGE NAKAMURA
KAZUE UZAWA
F | July 13, 2012 | WORLD TRIBUNE SPECIAL
by Gregg WolpertNew York
In 1973, I enrolled in college but dropped out my first year. I was almost 18 and bought a one-way ticket to Alaska,convinced that New York was my problem. If I got far enough from home, I reasoned, I would be very happy.My plan was short-lived, and I returned
home to the Bronx, where in the summerof 1975, I frequented a bar called the OldStone Jug. These “Buddhists” wouldcome in the bar and introduce people tothe practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. After hearing about it everyday for an entire summer, I went to a dis-cussion meeting and decided to receivethe Gohonzon.By then, I had enrolled in college in
Boulder, Colo., which is where I doveinto my Buddhist practice. While attend-ing school, I would hitchhike the 40-plusmiles from Boulder to Lakewood to doGajokai and Soka Group shifts at the localSGI-USA center. These young men’sbehind-the-scenes activities were thecauses that forged my faith and enabledme to build remarkable fortune in my life,even though I didn’t see it at the time.In the early 1980s, I began my profes-
sional career at a large commercial realestate company in New York. As one ofthe early users of computers, I designed asoftware program that analyzed sophisti-cated commercial leases and building
acquisitions, enabling the company tobetter manage its property portfolio.Within six months, I was promoted tovice president.At the same time, I participated whole-
heartedly in young men’s activities, whichwas no easy task. I remember driving allover the Bronx and Westchester to pickup young men for activities, supportingmany large-scale movements behind thescenes and, at one point, being the soleperson who could operate the boiler at theNew York Culture Center.I worked seven days a
week, would leave to attendSGI-USA activities and thenreturn to work afterward,sometimes working all night,to help my company acquireoffice buildings. I made the company and its clients a lot of money, and theyrewarded me by simply giv-ing me more work.Truthfully, I didn’t under-
stand at the time how muchgood fortune I was building throughyoung men’s activities. When asked toparticipate, my first thought was, Whycan’t you ask someone without a job? Itdidn’t stop my leaders, though, from giving me responsibilities to grow as ahuman being.In the end, it was my Buddhist practice
that gave me the confidence to pursue a new path. In 1989, I resigned from a
promising career to work for a startup.That same day, my former employer’slargest client, the billionaire real estateinvestor Stanley Stahl, called me and saidthat he had wanted to hire me for a longtime, but felt it unethical because of histies to that firm. Now that I resigned,however, he wanted me to work for him.This is how I came to work for the StahlOrganization, a private company with a multibillion dollar real estate and banking portfolio.
I am convinced that whathe saw in me was the spirit Ilearned in the young men’sdivision to fight behind the scenes, always do my bestand never give up—a spiritthat SGI President Ikedadescribes in Volume One ofThe New Human Revolution,when addressing a Brazilianfarmer whose crops havefailed:“People who are deadly
serious about what they aredoing are always studying and exertingtheir ingenuity to solve problems. Youwill not be successful if you neglect suchthings. You will be greatly mistaken if you think that just because you practicefaith, your fields will yield abundant cropswithout any effort on your part.“Buddhism is a teaching of unsur-
passed reason. Therefore, the strength ofyour faith must manifest itself in the form
of studying, exercising your ingenuityand making twice as much effort as any-one else. Earnest daimoku [chantingNam-myoho-renge-kyo] is the wellspringfor the energy to challenge these things”(p. 244).While continuing to exert myself in
faith activities, I trained under Mr. Stahlfor 10 years, until his death in 1999. Mybusiness partner and I were then namedco-presidents of the firm, where we now own more than 5 million square feet of office space and 3,000 apartments.Virtually all our commercial and resi-dential real estate interests are first-classassets, including our new real estatedevelopments and seven New York landmarks. The company also ownsCauldwell Wingate, a 100-year-old con-struction firm, the 50-branch Apple Bankand the Manhattan Athletic Club—allleaders in their respective industries inNew York City.In 2006, I had the great fortune to
attend an SGI Leaders Training Coursein Japan. As an expression of my deepappreciation for having President Ikedaas my mentor, I put together a small bookcontaining notes, or paper money, fromthe American Revolution. Since it waseasy to counterfeit money back then—and the British forces did so in an attemptto render them worthless—the notes car-ried the phrase, “To counterfeit is death.”During the headquarters leaders meet-
ing, President Ikeda mentioned that hehad received this gift from me, and thenotes were on his desk. I was stunned as he read from the notes, “To counterfeitis death.”For me, I realized that the most impor-
tant thing is to not have a counterfeitpractice. I realized that spiritual deathmeans not having a true practice that isdirectly connected to the mentor.This meant appreciating on a deeper
level that we create fortune not by whatwe do when others are watching, but by what we do when all alone, motivatedsolely by our vow for kosen-rufu. I deter-mined to develop the same pure practiceas my mentor, who is a model for howmuch one human being can care for others, and what kind of effort and valueone can create as a world citizen.This influenced my decision to con-
tribute financially to Soka University ofAmerica, so that I can support my men-tor’s dream of raising capable leaders fromthe ranks of ordinary citizens, who with-out wealth or political connections cangrow into great global citizens and futureambassadors with a deep commitment to peace.Today, when young men come to me
for advice, I try to impart to them thatthey’re in the right organization, they havethe right mentor, and they have the great-est religious practice in the world. I tellthem to treasure their time in the youngmen’s division; it’s a special time like no other when they are given countlessopportunities to build unbelievable for-tune, to accumulate boundless treasuresof the heart and to learn to live with thespirit of youth. It’s a spirit that I will striveto embody for the rest of my life. WT
YVONNE NG
Eternal youth—Gregg Wolpert shares how through exerting himself wholeheartedly in young men’s activities, he developed thedepth of faith and fortune to build a career running a multibillion dollar real estate portfolio, while remaining forever youthful at heart.
‘I determinedto develop thesame purepractice as mymentor, who is a model forhow much one humanbeing can carefor others.’
Experience
Embodying the Spirit of Youth
www.sgi-usa.org July 13, 2012 | WORLD TRIBUNE SPECIAL | G
by Isamu YoshiokaAllentown, Penn.
After graduating from Soka Universityof America in 2005, I began taking pre-medical classes at Columbia University toapply to medical school.As my journey toward my long-held
dream commenced, I started experienc-ing severe weight gain and swelling in mylegs. In spring 2006, doctors diagnosedme with focal segmental glomerulosclero-sis, an incurable, sometimes fatal, kidneydisease. Seemingly overnight, I began a regimen of endless hospital visits andheavy doses of medication, includingsteroids, which caused more physical discomfort than the disease itself.I had vowed to my mentor, SGI
President Ikeda, that I would pursue med-icine as a means to create value in theworld. I was now overcome by doubt andfear that I could no longer pursue this path.I chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo vig-
orously in front of the Gohonzon, angryat times at what was happening to me.When I wrote to President Ikeda aboutmy situation, he immediately responded,telling me that he was praying for myhealth and the victory of my family.I was so grateful for his kindness and felt
that I couldn’t let him or my family down. Ialso realized that my being a patient for thefirst time gave me a newfound awarenessthat would help me become a more com-passionate doctor. I began chanting withdeep appreciation for my kidney diseaseand resolved to absolutely beat it so that I could continue my schooling.After nearly a year of therapy, my
illness went into remission. In fall 2008, I entered Jefferson Medical College inPhiladelphia. It was then that my real battle began to unfold.Medical school became the most chal-
lenging time of my life, both academicallyand emotionally. I had always excelled at school without exerting much effort.But I found myself studying alongsidesome of the smartest people I had evermet, and I constantly questioned whetherI belonged there.Deep down, I couldn’t bear the thought
of disappointing my mentor, my familyand my friends. How could I encourageanyone if I failed? I thought. These feel-ings quadrupled in my last year as resi-dency interview season approached.Residency matching is perhaps the mostimportant part of medical school, and Iwasn’t getting nearly as many interviewinvites as my classmates. I was also
applying for positions in emergency medicine—a competitive specialty.I shared my concern with a fellow
young men’s division member, who was also struggling in school. Heencouraged me to join him in a dailychanting campaign toward March 16,Kosen-rufu Day, which also fell onMatch Day, when residency matcheswere to be announced nationwide.So began my campaign of waking up
at 5 a.m. to chant and join our regionyoung men’s encouragement calls, wherewe studied Nichiren Daishonin’s writ-ings and President Ikeda’s guidance,sharing both our personal struggles andvictories.As soon as I finished class, I would
go straight to the Gohonzon to continuechanting. Although there never seemedto be enough hours in the day, this senseof shared struggle and determination towin not only for myself, but also for theother young men, gave me tremendousconfidence I never knew I had. In allareas of my life, I began taking actionmore swiftly, making bolder decisionsand not feeling as overwhelmed by mycircumstances.Weeks into my campaign, however, my
deeply ingrained fear of failure still lin-gered. In fact, I felt that even a moment’srelaxation would plunge me right backinto the abyss. Around this time, a seniorin faith visited me and shared excerptsfrom Sensei’s guidance on Nichiren’s let-ter “On Attaining Buddhahood in ThisLifetime”: “As long as we seek the path to enlightenment outside our own lives,whatever practices and good deeds wecarry out will deviate from the true essenceof Buddhism” (September–October 2011Living Buddhism, p. 32). Instead of takingfull responsibility for my own happiness,I was seeking help from the Gohonzon as an outer entity; I was seeking the Lawoutside myself.Sensei also says: “The essence of our
practice is to perceive the true nature ofour lives. To do this we must wage aninner struggle” (p. 32). Even in front ofthe Gohonzon, my fundamental attitudewas to fear failure, to worry about disap-pointing others and, most importantly, to doubt my Buddhist practice. I had towage war on my insecurities, and trans-form my doubts and fears into absolutecourage and resolve.In addition to chanting, I knew I
needed to take concrete steps toward mygoal. This was especially important tome, since I used SGI-USA activities attimes as a means to hide from my otherresponsibilities. So I began makingphone calls and writing letters to resi-dency programs.This is, in fact, how I found out that my
school’s registrar had forgotten to sendout a required document for my applica-tion to residency programs. I immediatelygot in touch with my dean, who explainedthe situation to the programs, and the very next day, I was getting contacted for interviews. However, I was alreadyseveral weeks behind my classmates and
was at serious risk of not matching into aresidency at all. Despite this, I was sur-prisingly unfazed.During this time, I applied for a one-
month visiting student rotation at theprestigious Keio University Hospital inTokyo. When I received my acceptanceletter, I learned that my trip was inFebruary—my most crucial month lead-ing up to March 16—Match Day. Idetermined to make it a month of valuecreation.When I wasn’t at the hospital in Tokyo,
I was meeting local members and attend-ing Soka Gakkai meetings, including alecture by a doctor’s division member on heart disease and Buddhism. I alsospent my last weekend traveling to IwatePrefecture to volunteer for relief efforts inan area devastated by the March 11, 2011,earthquake and tsunami.All my efforts paid off on March 16,
when I was matched into an emergencymedicine residency program at LehighValley Hospital in Allentown, Penn. My victories continued to pour in. Twomonths later, my doctor informed methat I was “completely cured” of my kidney disease—words I never expectedher to say. Then, one week after that, on May 21, I graduated from medicalschool. And on June 13, I began my residency.I know I didn’t accomplish these
achievements due to smarts or luck; it wasbecause I never yielded in my vow to mymentor to become a doctor for kosen-rufu. I also couldn’t have come this farwithout the endless support of my family,my friends and my fellow SGI members.For that, I am eternally grateful and amdetermined to spend the rest of my liferepaying my debts of gratitude by strivingin my field of mission as a doctor of theMystic Law. WT
Experience
Becoming a Doctor of the Mystic Law
Winning—Isamu Yoshioka uses hisBuddhist practice to transform hisdoubts into courage, and win over anincurable illness while in medical school.Today, he is living his vow to his mentorto become a ‘doctor of the Mystic Law.’
KAZUE UZAWA
division members to join their strong sen-iors in faith, the men’s division, in visitingand encouraging one young man afteranother to stand up in faith with theirmentor toward the August Men’s andYoung Men’s General Meetings.Let’s strive for at least one young man
from each district, whether a member orguest, to attend these general meetingsand learn about our mentor’s struggles asa young man to illuminate the correct
path in life.Following these meetings, let’s aim by
February 2013 to have at least one youngman from each district join the thirdclass of the Gajokai Academy or SokaGroup Academy, which both serve as the driving force to foster young men of solid faith.I offer my deepest thanks once again
to all the members of the SGI-USA for supporting the development of eachyoung man. Thank you! WT
(Witkowski, continued from p. B )
“Now is the time for the members of the men’s and young men’s divisionsto unite their efforts and open a new page of kosen-rufu—combining the rich experience and conviction of the former, and the passion and initiative of the latter. If the two divisions work closely together, theirstrength will not merely double, but multiply exponentially. This will
provide even greater momentum to kosen-rufu and, without a doubt, play a decisive role in building a youthful Soka Gakkai.”
—SGI President Ikeda, from the Sept. 2, 2011, World Tribune, p. 5
Toward the August Men’s and Young Men’s General Meetings, each men’s leader is pairing up with one young man to visit members and encourage them in faith, making this significant month a decisive turning point in building
a youthful SGI. See SGI President Ikeda's encouragement on fostering youth on p. C.
Men’s Division Young Men’s Division
G O A L S
CourageousSuccessors
each one, reach one
