The Stand Alone Spirit

THE STAND ALONE SPIRIT
The Lotus Sutra reads, “As the light of the sun and moon can banish all
obscurity and gloom, so this person as he advances through the world can
wipe out the darkness of living beings” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and
Closing Sutras, p. 318).
Nichiren Daishonin tells us to “consider carefully what this passage signifies”

(“Letter to Jakunichi-bo,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 993).
No matter how dismal the times may be, if you rise up courageously with a
stand-alone spirit and shine brightly as a “sun of jiyu” in the place where you
are now, a strong alliance of courage and hope is sure to spread. The mission
you all possess is more important than ever.
My mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda, once said: “Faith means
to carry things through to the end, one after another. Striving in this way
enables you to gain an expansive state of life and achieve tremendous victories
in kosen-rufu and in your lives.”
The mission you all possess is more important than ever.
Toward the 100th anniversary of the Soka Gakkai’s founding in 2030, I ask that
you, as youth, generate “new winds” of fresh ideas. And please joyfully
persevere in planting seeds of the Mystic Law, discussing Buddhism with your
friends inside and outside our Buddhist community and bringing fragrant
flowers of peace and happiness to bloom.
Furthermore, please exemplify what it means to create value based on the

principle of cherry, plum, peach and damson, appreciating the uniqueness and
diversity of each person as you triumph in your youth, in raising capable
people and in advancing kosen-rufu.
KOSEN RUFU BEGINS WITH ONE PERSON:
“At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three,
and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold
this way in the future as well. Does this not signify ‘emerging from the earth’?”
(“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.
1, p. 385)
Kosen-rufu—the spread and establishment of the ideals of Nichiren Buddhism
—begins with one person.
In his quest to understand the essential teaching of Buddhism and lead all
people to happiness, Nichiren Daishonin formed a concrete means for applying
in our daily lives the Buddhist philosophy espoused in the Lotus Sutra, the
Buddha’s highest teaching. He did so by establishing the practice of chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon and encouraging practitioners to
awaken others to this way of transforming each person’s life and bringing
about positive change in society.
He was the first to declare the teaching of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on

April 28, 1253, and “then two, three and a hundred” people joined him in
“chanting and teaching others” about the Lotus Sutra’s philosophy of respect
for the equality and dignity of all people.
Nichiren wrote the above passage in a letter titled “The True Aspect of All
Phenomena,” addressed to Sairen-bo in May 1273. And just as he predicted
when he said that “propagation will unfold this way in the future as well,”
today, millions of people throughout the world are chanting Nam-myoho-
renge-kyo and establishing lives of absolute happiness and fulfillment.
Our practice in the SGI involves reaching out to the person in front of us,
engaging with them, giving them hope and courage, and empowering them to
attain happiness through their own efforts.
While kosen-rufu is often thought of as a faraway destination that we are
striving to reach, it is more accurate to say that it is a process that is initiated
by individuals. Just as a stone thrown into a pond creates ripples, how we carry
out our day-to-day Buddhist practice, how we live each moment of our lives,
how we care for and help others greatly impacts those around us.
“Emerging From the Earth” Means Transforming Our Circumstances Based on

Faith
Because one person can generate tremendous change, our resolve is essential.
We must be firmly determined to show actual proof of the power of chanting
to the Gohonzon by winning over our own challenges and achieving our goals.
And by doing so, Buddhism teaches, we are opening the way for those around
us, and for all of humanity, to move toward the greatest happiness and peace.
Leading transformative and victorious lives amid difficulties could be one way
to express Nichiren’s words: “Does this not signify ‘emerging from the earth’?”
As we transform our problems and develop lives of happiness, we are able to
confidently share the power of our Buddhist practice and help others form
connections with Buddhism.
This phrase emerging from the earth is directly taken from the Lotus Sutra’s
15th chapter in which the Bodhisattvas of the Earth emerge from beneath the
earth and vow to widely spread the Lotus Sutra in the saha world, this world
that is full of suffering.
The sutra states that these innumerable bodhisattvas have the power to carry
out propagation in this saha world, because they have: 1) an unshakable vow;
2) the strength to endure hardships; and 3) the ability to effectively share
Buddhism with others (see The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life: SGI
President Ikeda’s Lecture Series, p. 17).
SGI President Ikeda says:

The spirit to stand up alone, to take personal initiative, is the core spirit and
essence of the SGI. My mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda,
called out to young people: “Youth, just one of you stand!
A second and then a third will definitely follow!” Our members around the
world have indeed demonstrated that when one pioneering individual takes
the lead, “two, three, and a hundred will follow” (see WND-1, 385). In many
localities and regions, kosen-rufu has started from a single individual, and from
there spread to another person and then another. Through such steady,
persevering efforts to share Buddhism with others, we have created the great
current of kosen-rufu we have today. (February 2014 Living Buddhism, p. 26)
Nichiren Buddhism began with the Daishonin’s resolve to establish a practice

that would enable everyone to achieve lasting happiness. Every time we speak
with our friends about Buddhism, share our breakthroughs at discussion
meetings or visit fellow members’ homes to encourage them, we are fulfilling
our mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, as ordinary people awakened to our
noble mission to create lasting change, happiness and peace in this world.

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THE STAND ALONE SPIRIT

Nichiren Daishonin tells us to “consider carefully what this passage signifies”

The mission you all possess is more important than ever.

Furthermore, please exemplify what it means to create value based on the

He was the first to declare the teaching of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on

“Emerging From the Earth” Means Transforming Our Circumstances Based on

SGI President Ikeda says:

Nichiren Buddhism began with the Daishonin’s resolve to establish a practice

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