Let's show actual proof in 2013! - SGI-UK E-Bulletin and Podcast

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Let’s set big
goals for the
year ahead!
Spread hope and
encouragement
in 2013!
Young women:
shine
brilliantly!
Young men:
let’s make 2013
a year of victory!
Symposium on
President Ikeda’s
Peace Proposal
Inspiration for
graduating Men’s
Division members
Trust through friendship. Peace through trust.
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SGI-UK online news bulletin Issue 86 19.12.2012
The deadline for items to be considered
for the next issue is Sunday, December 30
Let’s show actual proof in 2013!
SGI-UK Women’s Division leader
Justine Marchant writes:
Dearest, most precious women
of Sgi-uk – thank you for your
extraordinary efforts throughout 2012
to further polish your lives, open your
hearts and cherish each person in your
environment every single day.
It is the most beautiful privilege to
work alongside you as we fight to keep
our hearts bursting with hope, joy and
the constant ambition, determination
and action to construct a peaceful world
together with President Ikeda.
i have been deeply moved throughout
2012 – the Year of Developing a Youthful
sgi – by your individual experiences
filled with the heart to treasure and
enable others, whilst drawing out
immense courage to win through huge
personal difficulties based in faith,
practice and study.
i have also been moved by the
creativity and care I encountered in
the ways and times you found to hold
meetings to include everyone –
including for example: children, people
who work nights and parents for whom
it can be a real struggle to attend
evening meetings.
Although it might seem a simple act
this effort to include everyone is vital
in building and sustaining a dynamic
discussion meeting movement where
everyone feels valued and can make
their unique contribution.
And now we have entered 2013 –
the Year of Victory for a Youthful Sgi
– where we can again build further on
these efforts.
The Five Guidelines for the Women’s
Division that President Ikeda gave us
are:
1. Everything begins with prayer.
2. Advancing harmoniously with our
families.
3. Fostering young successors.
4. Cherishing our communities and
societies.
5. Joyfully sharing our experiences
in faith.
Again in 2013 let’s use these as our
starting point and guide in faith.
Later this year, focusing around
October we will see Youth/Family
‘Festivals’ take place the length and
breadth of the land, through our efforts
with the men and youth to create them.
Aspiring to the third guideline for the
Women’s Division let’s use these festivals
Ravi Juneja
as a way to deepen our awareness
that to constantly seek to foster young
successors is the way to keep the flow of
kosen-rufu strong and solid for eternity.
We can begin this process with our
prayer first!
As we move towards November 18
2013 as ‘foundation’ members of SGI,
let’s continue to make each moment a
step in laying the eternal foundation for
the happiness of every person (including
ourselves) and the peace and security of
the land filled with hope, joy and pride
to be working together with President
Ikeda at this crucial time.
Taking the spirit that everything that
happens is ‘training’ to further polish
our lives, open our hearts and cherish
each person we encounter, let’s create
wave upon wave of actual proof for
ourselves and others and make it the
most extraordinary year we’ve ever lived
(so far)!
Thank you again for your
extraordinary efforts. Let’s together see
what we can do in 2013.
From the bottom of my heart I wish
you the most incredible and happy new
year!
Justine Marchant
TO MY FRIENDS
Shouts of triumph for justice and
the truth are now resounding!
The sun has risen on a glorious new
era of kosen-rufu.
Our solidarity is indeed the pillar of
hope for society.
– Daisaku Ikeda, December 17, 2012

Ravi Juneja
Simon Addinsell
SGI-UK online news bulletin Issue 86 19.12.2012 Page 2
Let’s set big goals for the year ahead!
SGI-UK Men’s
Division leader
Robert Harrap
writes:
A happy new
year to all the
readers of the
e-bulletin and
especially to my
comrades in the
Men’s Division!
The world we are living in continues
to be a challenging place on all sorts
of levels. In reality it shows the signs
of being the ‘age of conflict’ that was
anticipated by Buddhist thinkers
over the last couple of thousand
years. Whether as individuals we face
economic difficulties, or challenges of
conflict (be it on a local or global scale),
or other challenges such as health
issues, loneliness or other sufferings,
the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin
promises us that we can transform them
and emerge from winter into spring.
Over the last couple of years I
have really seen the benefit of being
personally involved in one campaign
or another: having a target gives me
the focus to use my faith, practice and
study to move things on in one or more
areas of my life. In the coming months
Spread hope and encouragement in 2013!
SGI-UK Youth
Division leader
Manny Fernandez
writes:
Very best wishes
to you all for a
wonderful year
of victory ahead!
Thanks so much
for all your great support for our Youth and
Future Division members this last year.
Together with you I am determined to make
even more efforts next year to nurture our
precious young successors in our wonderful
Soka family! Our vision for vibrant local
culture festivals in October will be a great
way for us to engage and inspire more and
more youth to emerge dancing from the
earth!
Also I am praying that with our Actual
Proof Campaign we can support every single
one of our precious members of SGI-UK
to experience great actual proof of our
Buddhahood this year.
As Sensei encourages us: “Daimoku is
like light. As the Daishonin says, ‘A candle
can light up a place that has been dark for
billions of years’. Similarly, the moment
we offer prayers based on daimoku, the
members of the Men’s Division are
studying the Lotus Sutra in a weekly
study campaign, based on President
Ikeda’s dialogues ‘The Wisdom of the
Lotus Sutra’, and we also have the Actual
Proof Campaign initiated by our Youth
Division to support us in our goals
up to November 2013. Let’s use these
opportunities to see a change in the
situations which currently concern us.
Something I have learned in previous
campaigns is the importance of making
sure that a particular goal or target
is a broad one that encompasses the
happiness of not just myself but others
as well. Ideally it is for the great goal of
kosen-rufu. This is what really draws
my wisdom and life force out of my
life. So whatever your goal, express
it as a concrete determination, and
chant confident daimoku that you will
definitely achieve it.
With our focus on the Actual Proof
Campaign that will take us to November
2013, I am confident that the coming
year will be a wonderfully memorable
one, as we study together and encourage
each other on the path to transforming
our sufferings into sources of joy. I look
forward to hearing your experiences!
With very best wishes for 2013,
Robert Harrap
darkness in our lives vanishes. This is the
principle of the simultaneity of cause and
effect. At that very instant, in the depths of
our lives, our prayer has been answered.
“The inherent cause (nyo ze in) of a deep
prayer simultaneously produces a latent
effect (nyo ze ka). While it takes time for
this effect to become manifest, in the depths
of our lives, our prayers are immediately
realised. So, at that moment light shines
forth. The lotus flower (Renge), in blooming
and seeding at the same time, illustrates this
principle of simultaneity of cause and effect.
“Therefore it is important that we offer
prayers with great confidence. The powers
of the Buddha and the Law are activated
in direct proportion to the strength of our
faith and practice. Strong faith is like a high
voltage – it turns on a brilliant light in our
lives. Prayers are invisible, but if we pray
steadfastly they will definitely effect clear
results in our lives and surroundings in
time.” (Daisaku Ikeda, Learning from the
Gosho – the Eternal Teachings of Nichiren
Daishonin p90)
Taking this great guidance to heart let’s
keep spreading hope and encouragement to
all those around us and achieve total victory
together with Sensei by November 18!
World News
Tokyo, Japan: President Ikeda and
Mrs Ikeda visited the newly constructed
Soka Culture Centre in Shinanomachi on
December 8 and prayed for the health,
happiness and victory of SGI members
around the world.
Peru: Throughout November, in
celebration of the 50th anniversary
of the formation of SGI-Peru, youth
festivals were held at a total of 40 venues
nationwide, including 21 in Lima, the
country’s capital.
São Paulo, Brazil: The Ikeda
Humanism Brazilian Philharmonic
Orchestra held a concert at the BSGI
Peace Auditorium to commemorate the
82nd anniversary of the founding of Soka
Gakkai on November 18. Prominent
Brazilian composer and concert pianist
Amaral Vieira also participated.
Córdoba, Argentina: In recognition
of his lifelong commitment and
contributions to peace, culture and
education, the city of Villa Allende in
Córdoba Province conferred a ‘Person of
Outstanding Stature’ award on President
Ikeda. The conferral ceremony took
place on November 16 and was attended
by some 400 people. SGI representatives
received the award on his behalf.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The city
of Belford Roxo named Mrs Ikeda
an honorary citizen for her efforts
in promoting peace, culture and
education at the BSGI Rio de Janeiro
Culture Centre on November 18. BSGI
representatives accepted the award on
Mrs Ikeda’s behalf.
Maringá, Brazil: The Makiguchi
Environmental Education Park opened
in Maringá on November 23. The park
features a bust of Soka Gakkai founding
president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, and
three trees planted to represent the first
three presidents of Soka Gakkai.
San Cristóbal, Venezuela: The
National Experimental University of
Táchira conferred an honorary doctorate
and medal on President Ikeda for his
promotion of education and cultural
exchange and his devotion to world
peace at the university’s auditorium on
November 28. SGI Vice President Kunio
Shima accepted the award on President
Ikeda’s behalf and read a message from
him.
Osaka, Japan: Students from the
Kansai Soka schools participating in
NASA’s MoonKam project presented
their findings at the Osaka Earth Science
Club on November 25. Using two NASA
satellites, the Grail A and Grail B, the
students undertook research on new
craters and mapping the moon’s surface.

Simon Addinsell
Ravi Juneja
SGI-UK online news bulletin Issue 86 19.12.2012 Page 3
Young women: let’s shine brilliantly!
A message from
SGI-UK Young
Women’s Division
leader Lisa Cowan
and the YW
national team –
Emily Pike, Shoko
Fukuhara, Ashley
Clouder and
Tomoko Ozawa:
Wow! 2012 has been quite a challenge
hasn’t it? Has anyone experienced any
kind of ‘life shaking’ challenges? The YW
national team certainly have! Thank you to
each and every young woman in SGI-UK
for your incredible efforts to become happy
and support those around you to become
happy. We are so inspired by how amazing
you are – even if you don’t always feel it.
It’s not always the easiest path, but it is a
path which will create ultimate change in
our society. As we use our challenges to
deepen our faith, we create the cause for
absolute happiness, building truly strong
and unshakeable lives:
“Every person has their own karma
and their own tribulations, such as
business failures or illness, to face in
life. When these troubles afflict us, we
may feel unable to deal with them and
become despairing and desperate. This is
a trap that can lead to creating a negative
cycle toward unhappiness, which is a
very frightening development. Buddhism
enables us to break free of this negative
cycle of misfortune and provides us with
Young men: let’s make 2013 a year of victory!
A message from
SGI-UK Young Men’s
Division leader
Masashi Inoue and
the YMD national
team – Antonio Di
Muro, Gary Driver,
Kwame Yempew,
Jason Steele and
Joe Dempsey:
Dear Comrades of SGI-UK YMD and all
SGI-UK members! Happy New Year 2013!
We hope you have had a wonderful 2012.
First of all, we, the YMD national team
would like to convey this message to you,
Comrades of kosen-rufu, from the bottom of
our hearts: “Thank you so much for all your
continued efforts and support of every single
SGI-UK and non SGI-UK activity that you do
in order to share the incredible power of this
Buddhism with others, thereby supporting
those around you to become happy!”
Without your support and united spirit
of “Many in Body, One in Mind”, SGI-UK
YMD could not have achieved incredible
the indomitable strength to rise to every
challenge. Remember, the purpose of
this Buddhism is to rouse the courage to
bravely face every challenge life presents,
to say to yourself, ‘I won’t let this beat me!’
‘This is an opportunity to transform my
karma!’”[1]
Throughout 2013 each of us has the
opportunity to create our own Actual Proof
Campaign. Nichiren Daishonin urges us to
“test the truth of Buddhism today” (WND-1
p584) with the utter conviction that any life
can create positive inner transformation
through living based on Nam-myoho-rengekyo.
In our daily life it can be challenging
to remember we have this option; our SGI
activities exist to help us remember this as
much as possible.
To support each of us and our local area
to create really wonderful transformation,
there are two concrete things we’d like to
encourage the Young Women’s Division to
commit to in 2013.
The first is the planning meeting and
discussion meeting in the local district each
month. If we set determinations around
this monthly rhythm we will be able to
continuously support the process of inner
transformation in our lives AND ensure
that the discussion meetings are lively and
joyful as we will always have an example of
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo operating through
our lives! Our determination is that in
March 2013 and then November 2013 the
highest number of YWD members ever will
victory in 2012. Thank you so much
everyone! The theme for 2013 is Year of
Victory for a Youthful SGI. It is a wonderful
theme, isn’t it? Victory for a Youthful SGI!
Maybe some of you feel that you did
not achieve a victory in 2012. How can you
achieve a victory in 2013? How can you
make this an unforgettable year? One of
the key activities for 2013 to make our year
victorious is ‘My Actual Proof Campaign’!
Certainly most of us have already set a
personal target or challenge and have
already started working towards it.
President Ikeda says: “Nothing is more
eloquent than actual proof. That’s why
it is important that we strive to steadily
demonstrate actual proof of our victory in
society. Relating such experiences to others
is one of the most powerful ways to advance
kosen-rufu.”(NL8406)
The ‘My Actual Proof Campaign’ ends
on November 18 2013. If you haven’t set
your goals, you still have ample time to
achieve your own actual proof.
As Nichiren Daishonin urges us to “test
attend their local discussion meetings. And
so the highest number of YWD members
ever will be making a deep cause for
happiness in their lives.
The second is to subscribe to the Art
of Living. This will give us study support
and great encouragement to remind us
how to use this Buddhism to transform the
challenges in our lives.
Sensei has high hopes for the young
women of the UK. In his message to us in
April 2012 he said: “The harmonious and
cheerful advance of the SGI-UK Young
Women’s Division is a model for Kayo
sisters around the world. While striving
to make your life ever more bright and
cheerful like the sun and pure like the lotus
flower, please continue to shine brilliantly,
giving hope and courage to your friends
and expanding the network of peace and
happiness.”[2]
Let’s make 2013 a year to remember.
Let’s be great older sisters to the Future
Division members in our local areas. No
matter what trials and tribulations we may
face, let’s use our SGI activities to make our
lives ever more bright and cheerful and be
ready to report the victories we experience
to our mentor as we head towards
November 18.
Wishing you the happiest,
most phenomenal year!
[1] New Human Revolution, Volume 25, Chapter two – Shared Struggle, no.45
[2] The Vow of The Ikeda Kayo Kai, A Collection of SGI President Daisaku
Ikeda’s Speeches & Guidance for the Young Women’s Division, Published by
SGI-UK, p.4
the truth of Buddhism now” (WND-1 p584),
we should use this wonderful practice
fully and gain more conviction. Without
conviction in this practice it is difficult to
share with others. Let’s commit to the ‘My
Actual Proof Campaign’ 100 per cent. We
would also like to encourage you to support
and take the lead in district level activity.
President Ikeda says: “In the Soka
Gakkai (SGI), with its mission of world
peace, the stage has now been set for
the Youth Division to shoulder full
responsibility for our movement” (NL5391)
and “I want you to be aware that each and
every day, each and every struggle provides
training to polish and forge yourselves
so that you may grow into outstanding
leaders.” (NL5391)
Let’s make 2013 a year of victory! Let’s
make it the year that we become true
successors of Sensei, and grow into leaders
of kosen-rufu by supporting each other, by
taking full responsibility for district level
activity, and by transforming society.
Wishing you a wonderful year ahead!

A Buddhist magazine
January 2013
Price £3
Issue no. 139
Yoichi Masumoto
SGI-UK online news bulletin Issue 86 19.12.2012 Page 4
January AoL: Year of
Victory for a Youthful SGI
Symposium on President Ikeda’s Peace Proposal
15 people gathered at Taplow Court
on December 5 to discuss issues
arising from President Ikeda’s 2012
Peace Proposal, entitled ‘Human
Security and Sustainability; Sharing
Reverence for the Dignity of Life’.
This is the 30th Peace Proposal, the
first being issued on January 26 1983. Two
talks were given to stimulate discussion.
In the morning Keith Popple, Professor
of Social Work at London South Bank
University gave a talk entitled ‘Class,
inequality and discrimination: cause
for concern, reasons for change’. Prof
Popple has attended all four of the Peace
Proposal symposiums that SGI-UK has
held.
In the afternoon Dr Anne Mette
Fisker-Nielsen, who is a Senior
Teaching Fellow in the Department of
Anthropology and Sociology, School of
20 London Men’s Division members
who had recently graduated from the
Young Men’s division met at London
Ikeda Peace Centre for a morning of
inspiration on December 8, writes
Jonny Gilbert.
Men’s Division leader for London,
David Woodger clarified that Shijo Kingo
was in his 40s during the Tastsunokuchi
persecution and his challenges with his
lord.
Like Shijo Kingo, when men stand up
they give tremendous courage to others.
David emphasised the central role Men’s
Division members can play as leaders in
society. Moving from the Youth Division
to the Men’s Division can make us want
to ‘take a break’ but we were encouraged
to keep challenging ourselves and not
regress in faith.
David ended with Sensei’s famous
quote to the Men’s Division ‘If you don’t
stand up now, when will you?’
Munish Mehta, Men’s Division
General Secretary, reiterated the need
to deepen our faith once joining the
Men’s Division and how the secret to
Denzal Cummings
Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), in
the University of London, and is also a
member of SGI-UK, gave a talk entitled:
‘40 years of grassroots diplomacy and the
fostering of an internationalist mindset’.
This year for the first time two
professors from Italian universities
travelled to the UK to attend the
symposium. As ever it was difficult to
stop the lively discussion that took place
in small groups as well as in plenary
sessions. The participants enjoyed an
excellent lunch prepared by members
of the Marronnier (professional chefs)
group.
Participation is by invitation and
is largely for academics teaching in
universities. If you know an academic
you think would like to be invited next
year please inform Robert Samuels at
Taplow Court.
Inspiration for newly graduated MD members
any victory is fervent prayer and action
whilst maintaining hope.
We were privileged to hear two great
experiences from Brett Findlay who had
spent the last year forging his resolve
under challenging circumstances, and
Chris Nembhard who had won in his
family life and career through taking
responsibility for kosen-rufu and
maintaining a fighting spirit. And we
received refreshments from Sensei for
the meeting.
We ended with some lively discussion
groups and confirmed our desire to fully
participate in the Actual Proof Campaign
leading up to November 18 2013.
In the coming
Year of Victory
for a Youthful
SGI, let’s resolve
together to raise
high the banner
of victory in both
our lives and in
our endeavours
for kosen-rufu as
Year of Victory for
a Youthful SGI
we continue to forge ahead bravely and
vigorously with ever-youthful hearts!*
Filled with encouragement for
SGI-UK members to create new
beginnings and seize countless brilliant
opportunities! January Art of Living
looks forward to a 2013 filled with
youthful vigour and brilliant actual proof
so that by November 18 we will indeed
have constructed an ‘unshakeable castle
of kosen-rufu within our hearts’.
*President Ikeda’s New Year message
Great spirit in Gloucestershire
Rita Paterson
• Glevum chapter and district leaders
met in Gloucestershire on December 2 to
reflect on our victories in 2012 and to plan
our vision for 2013, write Rita Paterson
and Stuart Barton. It was a vibrant
meeting displaying unity and great spirit!
MD district leaders course
SGI-UK Men’s Division leader Robert
Harrap writes: There will be a
residential training course for
SGI-UK Men’s Division district
leaders on the weekend of January
19-20 2013 at the De Vere hotel at
Staverton Park in Northamptonshire.
The cost of the course is £105 for all
accommodation and meals. The course
will include lectures, discussion and
inspiration about being a district leader.
Application forms are available from
your HQ leaders and the deadline for
applications is December 31 2012.
Can you help in the canteen?
Can you help once a month or at a
moment’s notice to serve lunch in the
canteen at weekends at SGI-UK National
Centre, Taplow Court? If so, please call
Annemarie Smith on 0118 9455412 for
more details or email annemarie28@
hotmail.com with your details.