Dr Martin Luther King

Dr Martin Luther King, JR, a tireless crusader for human rights, said: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' "Do not say you will do it "someday", now is the time. Do not say "someone" will do it. you are the one. Now is the time for youth to take full responsibility and courageously pave the way for the people's triumph.

Always speak boldly

Always speak the truth boldly, saying what needs to be said no matter whom you are addressing. When it comes to championing a just cause, you must never be cowardly, never fawn, never try to curry favor.

Respect

Buddhas respect people's individuality and desire that they may freely manifest their unique qualities. They are neither partial nor adverse toward people on account of their individual proclivities. Buddha love, rejoice at and try to bring out each person's uniqueness, this is their compassion and their wisdom.

Strength is happiness

Strength is happiness. strength is itself victory. In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. When you wage a struggle, you might win or you might lose. but regardless of the short-term outcome, the very fact of your continuing to struggle is proof of your victory as a human being. A strong spirit, strong faith and strong prayer - developing these is victory and the world of Buddhahood.

Tragedy of our times

One tragedy of our times is the willingness of realists, in spite of impending crises, to criticize and obstruct people who expend their energy toward finding solutions. Their judgement, however, are superficial and conventional, and their attitude distances them from the essential quality of reality - change. Often the wisest realist cannot escape this trap. The challenge, then is to create a new kind of reality that offers hope for changing the world.

The twenty-first century

The twentieth century was a century of war and peace, a century of politics and economics. The twenty-first century holds promise, however to be a century of humanity and culture, a century of science and religion. Advance on this wonderful new path of humanism with pride and confidence, as gallant philosophers of action.

Peace and happiness

The peace we seek cannot be brought about through a struggle for dominance in military or economic power. It can be won only through peaceful means. Peace built on the unhappiness and sacrifice of others is a meaningless sham. What's needed is to create a world in which people of all races and nations can enjoy peace and happiness.

What is wisdom?

Wisdom, in the Lotus Sutra, does not simply mean being smart, it is far more profound. Essentially, it is to have an excellent "heart". Wisdom signifies humanity and force of character borne of strength, breath and profundity of spirit. Nichiren says, " The wise may be called human. " He also explains that one who preserves in the correct way of life, unswayed by praise and censure, is truly wise.

Aim of buddhist practice

Hand in hand with (and inseparable from) our personal awakening, the aim of Buddhist practice is to establish a truly peaceful society based on the empowerment of all individuals, a true state of equality and justice grounded in respect for the Buddha nature inherent in everyone.

Enlightenment

You must never think that any of the eighty thousands sacred teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha's lifetime or any of the Buddhas and Bodhisattva of the ten directions and three existence are outside yourself. Your practice of the Buddhist teachings will not relieve you of the sufferings of birth and death in the least unless you perceive the true nature of your life. If you seek enlightenment outside yourself, then your performing even ten thousand practices and ten thousand good deeds will be in vain. It is like the case of a poor man who spends night and day counting his neighbour's wealth but gain not even half a coin.

- Nichiren

Hero of the World

One of the epithets of a Buddha is "Hero of the World." A Buddha is a valiant and noble champion who has conquered the suffering of life in the real world. Nichiren writes: "Buddhism is like the body, and society like the shadow. When the body bends, so does the shadow." People cannot live apart from the society. But to be constantly at the mercy of society's up and downs is a miserable existence. It is crucial for us to be strong and wise. The "body" Nichiren refers to is, on the personal level, our faith.

Where is Buddha?

The essential teaching of Buddhism is that the life of Buddha resides in every plant and tree, even in the smallest dust mote. It's a philosophy founded on a profound reverence for life.

Meditation and actions of Buddhas

There simply are no Buddhas who spend all their time sitting in meditation. Buddhas are Buddhas precisely because they continually ponder and take action to help others resolve their worries.

Buddhism Wisdom

In Nichiren Buddhism, attaining enlightenment is not about embarking on some inconceivably long journey to become a resplendent, godlike Buddha, it is about accomplishing a transformation in the depths of one's being. In other words, it is not a matter of practicing in order to scale the highest summit of enlightenment at some point in the distant future. Rather, it is a constant moment-to-moment, inner struggle between revealing our innate Dharma mature or allowing ourselves to be ruled by our fundamental darkness and delusion.

Every Day Buddhism

If the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land.

There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves.

The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds.

It is the same with a Buddha and an ordinary being.

While delude, one is called an ordinary being, but when enlightened, one is called a Buddha.

This similar to a tarnished mirror that will shine like a jewel when polished.


- Nichiren

Happiness for Myself and Others

Happiness for Myself and Others
By Janaí­a Cristina Bandettini, Brazil

My parents divorced when I was 14 years old and, when my mother remarried, I went to live with my grandparents. It was during this time, in 1985, that my grandmother's neighbor introduced my mother and me to Nichiren Buddhism, assuring us that we could transform our situation and conquer our hopelessness and unhappiness.

Chanting infused me with enthusiasm and energy. I had always had lots of dreams and learned that it was up to me to make them happen.

From an early age I had to learn what it means to be responsible for others. I started my first job when I was 14. Just before I turned 16, I was hired by one of the largest insurance companies in Brazil with an excellent salary and benefits. Now, as the only provider for my family, I was able to offer my grandparents the comfort that they deserved. I also took on various responsibilities within SGI-Brazil (BSGI), particularly taking care of younger members.
In 2000, I ended a turbulent romantic relationship that I had been suffering in for over 10 years. I determined that I would become truly happy.

The following year, I participated in an SGI youth training course in Japan. This was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I was deeply moved by the care and warmth I experienced from everyone there, particularly from SGI President Ikeda. From his words and his actions, I felt his deep concern for each of us to lead happy lives, his desire for us to develop the strength and wisdom to be able to confront whatever difficulties we might encounter in our lives.

Nevertheless, back in Brazil, the accumulating stress of my various responsibilities and the ending of my long-term relationship was beginning to cause me emotional instability, which spiraled into serious depression. My responsible attitude had always made me appear strong, always with a smile on my face, but now I felt and looked fatigued and hopeless. I lost weight and my health worsened. I felt I had lost my grip on life.

On top of this I felt ashamed to be in such despair; I thought that as a leader within BSGI I should not be experiencing this. Not long thereafter, I endured three major crises and needed to be taken to a psychiatric first-aid clinic. I could no longer do my work as an independent insurance broker and began accumulating debt.

I was still trying to maintain my responsibilities in BSGI's young women's division. Around that time we determined that we would each exert ourselves in talking to others about Buddhist philosophy. I, however, felt at the end of my tether and was even questioning my faith.

Through the encouragement of a fellow member, I decided not to give up and to pursue this goal. The purpose, she reminded me, was to help other people who were suffering.

As I began to talk with others about my Buddhist practice and the innate potential we each possess to transform our lives, a change started to occur. By encouraging others and giving them hope, I began to feel hopeful and energetic myself. The more effort I made for other people's happiness, the happier I felt.

In a very natural way, my depression became a thing of the past. I was able to return to work and began to relate to people as I had in the past. I completed a postgraduate business degree and, in 2006, opened my own company.

I feel now that the suffering that I endured has given me a deeper understanding of life. Because of these difficulties, I can more effectively help young people to overcome their own problems. I want to help raise young people who radiate the splendor of life, able to transform adversities into happiness. Because of my sufferings, I can appreciate that much more the sweet taste of victory in my life.

[Adapted from SGI Quarterly, October 2007]

I Chose life

I Chose life
By Christopher Larkin, USA


I grew up on a farm on the outskirts of London. As a kid, I took every opportunity to disobey my parents. They sent me to boarding school a few miles away in High Wycombe. By age 12, I had been kicked out of that boarding school, and then another.

I spent the next couple of years out of school, lost in a whirlwind of drugs, crime and self-harm. I stole money from my parents to buy drugs and sometimes fought so violently with them that they had to call the police.

It was then that I encountered Nichiren Buddhism for the first time. A friend told me that if I chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, I could change my life. I chanted for a few minutes, but that was it.

When I turned 15, my parents kicked me out of the house for good. I spent several months living in a tent under a bridge, selling drugs for food. The cycle of drug use, homelessness and crime continued, and I spent eight months in a juvenile prison.

Just before my 17th birthday, I had a psychotic breakdown from drug use and was placed in a psychiatric hospital for three months. The same friend visited me and encouraged me to chant, giving me a sutra book and prayer beads. We chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo together, and read The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin and SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's guidance.

Within a month, I was released. I had a choice: I could either return to a life of drugs and crime—a path of death—or I could do something with my life. This time, I chose life. I returned to High Wycombe, where I built a strong Buddhist practice and attended as many SGI activities as I could. The warmth and compassion I felt from the local SGI-UK members were incredible. For the first time in my life, I had hope.

In summer 2006, I met someone from the UK who was studying at Soka University of America (SUA). When she told me that SUA was founded on the principles of peace and the sanctity of life, I dreamed of studying there. I began to take remedial classes in math and English for exams that would allow me to enter a community college without a high school diploma. I also studied the writings of Mr. Ikeda and did my best to apply them to my life. Soon, I reconnected with my parents and began healing the damage I had done.

In September 2008, I enrolled at Aylesbury College, a vocational school in the UK with courses designed to help older students enter four-year universities after long periods without formal education. Through my activities as a student governor at Aylesbury, I was selected as one of 20 students in the UK to participate in the National Learner Panel, a government initiative to include student voices in shaping educational policy.

As a vice chairperson, I worked with many people in government, including the Minister for Education, to whom I gave a copy of Mr. Ikeda's book Soka Education. During this time, I applied to SUA and several universities in England. Despite my piecemeal education, I gained acceptance from four of England's top universities.

On March 12, 2009, SUA accepted me as a member of the class of 2013. I was ecstatic, but first I had to get a US visa. I spent three months collecting references from employers, teachers and even the Minister for Education. On June 19, my interview at the US embassy was short and cold. My visa was denied.

I walked out of the embassy and got halfway down the street before I broke down in tears outside a cafe. I went straight to the SGI-UK members who had been supporting me and they encouraged me not to give up, and we sat down to chant together.

While chanting for a solution, I read and reread these words of Nichiren Daishonin: "You must be firmly resolved . . . do not depend on others. You must simply make up your mind. Look at the world this year as a mirror . . . This will determine whether you win honor or disgrace your name. This is what is meant when it is said that it is difficult to be born as a human being, and that it is difficult to believe in the Lotus Sutra." (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 829).

I realized that I needed more resolve. I chanted to be able to wholeheartedly determine to contribute to a more peaceful world by studying at the university founded by my mentor. Through my prayer and actions, I found an immigration lawyer willing to help me. The day after meeting with her to discuss my case, I was given a second interview at the embassy on August 3—the day I was supposed to arrive at SUA.

The interviewer asked me about SUA and how I had changed my life since 2004, when I last committed a crime. After I told her my story, she smiled. "Good luck at Soka University," she said. "You can have your visa today." I began my studies on August 27. The American poet Walt Whitman wrote, "My real self has yet to come forth." With this spirit, I will pursue my studies at SUA so that I can indeed contribute to peace.

[Adapted from an article in the March 5, 2010 issue of the World Tribune, SGI-USA; photo courtesy of Mitsu Kimura]

Learning How To Expand My Capacity

Learning How To Expand My Capacity
By Wing Lee, USA

Wing Lee transforms his introverted nature into self-confidence and opens the door to a successful career.

I lost my father to kidney disease when I was seven. He was a loving parent, a devoted husband and a sincere, genuine man.

My father ran a small print shop business for my grandfather in Hong Kong. During the last three years of his life, my father's condition worsened until he was bedridden. My grandparents, however, offered no assistance, and two days after my father died, they disowned my mother and me. We were left with nothing, not even a place to stay.

While looking for work, my mother ran into a friend. When she learned about our situation, she immediately introduced my mother to the SGI. My mother had pretty much given up on religion after trying many while my father was ill. With nothing left to lose, she decided to give Nichiren Buddhism a try.

Soon after my mother started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, my father's business associates contacted her. They had learned what my grandparents had done and wanted to help my mother open her own printing business. My father's clients also called and said they would support her.

This was a bold venture for a single woman to undertake in Hong Kong in the early 1970s. But with confidence and wisdom gained from her prayers, she opened her own business. My mother worked countless hours, often doing hard manual labor, to reestablish our lives.

With my mother's hectic work schedule, I was usually at home alone. I took up hobbies I could do alone--photography, reading and computer programming. I got so used to being by myself, though, that I became an introvert. I shied away from social activities and had problems expressing myself to others.

I did, however, attend SGI youth activities in Hong Kong and received tremendous support from the local members. Even so, by my late teens, I still had not established my own Buddhist practice and lived a rather sheltered life.

My mother, becoming aware of my self-centered nature and my dependence on her, decided to send me to the United States to pursue my college education. While I'm sure was difficult to send her only child thousands of miles away to a foreign land, I know now that she did it out of deep compassion for my growth and happiness.

I attended two semesters at the University of Oklahoma and later transferred to the University of Texas in Austin to study computer science. In both cities, I was immediately embraced by the SGI-USA members and invited to district meetings. I began learning more about the practice and faith of Nichiren Buddhism as I listened to people from all walks of life share their experiences.

I was given many opportunities to participate in district activities. Initially, I wasn't comfortable speaking in front of others, but because my leaders were so sincere and supportive, I felt I should at least try. The first time I read aloud from the World Tribune at a meeting, I held the newspaper in front of my face to avoid eye contact with others. But as I repeatedly challenged my shyness and continued to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, I became more comfortable speaking at meetings. I eventually assumed responsibility as a young men's leader in the district.
My young men's leader in Austin was also a fellow student at the university. He had a strong sense of mission to work galongsideh SGI President Daisaku Ikeda to create peace. He inspired me to study President Ikeda's writings as well as the fundamentals of Nichiren Buddhism. He patiently took time to explain various Buddhist topics in ways that I could relate to. I began to apply what I was learning to my daily life.

As I became more active in SGI-USA, I found that the activities in which I supported "from behind the scenes" furthered my growth to a greater degree. Like other youth members of the activity support groups, I stood in the parking lot greeting members as they arrived for meetings and as they returned home. Through my efforts, I gained a deeper understanding of President Ikeda's behavior--how he ceaselessly shows his deepest appreciation for others' efforts--and I was able to expand my own capacity to care for the people around me.

These activities constantly offered me new challenges. I planned monthly world peace prayer meetings and coordinated logistics for numerous major events. With each new responsibility, I gained more confidence in myself and learned how to work cooperatively with others--skills one cannot learn in the world of academia alone.

My Buddhist practice propelled me to complete a double degree in Information Systems and Management at the University of Texas in Austin in 1990 and then land a great job. Even though the U.S. was in an economic recession, I secured more than 20 interviews and was offered jobs from four highly regarded companies. Meanwhile, many of my classmates from other countries couldn't find jobs and had to return to their homelands.

I have been with a leading telecommunications company for close to 14 years and have enjoyed a trailblazing career. I led the development of the software infrastructure for the company's core network and played a key role in the launch of the nation's first high-speed wireless data network in 2001. I now oversee the company's technology innovation activities.

I've been invited to speak at nearly 40 industry conferences across four continents and serve on advisory boards at numerous high-tech companies. I was also awarded six U.S. patents for my inventions in communications technology and have 20 more pending applications at the U.S. Patent Office. As a result of the value I've created for the company, I am the unique recipient of both the company's highest technical achievement and business leadership awards.

One of my most gratifying professional recognitions was being named Asian American Engineer of the Year at the 2002 National Engineers Week, along with Nobel Laureate Leo Esaki and former Chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley, Chang-Lin Tein.

I'm confident that the wisdom and fortune I have gained through supporting and protecting my local SGI organization and taking care of members directed my life toward developing a momentous career. The values I learned from President Ikeda, likewise, have enabled me to be a humanistic, yet effective leader in the role I play at work. Most importantly, I have learned how to overcome obstacles through the power of prayer and taking action. I learned how to be victorious in my daily life, using my Buddhist practice to bring out the limitless capability inherent in my life.

Not only has my career blossomed, the previous shy introvert is now married to a caring and beautiful woman, Carol, and we have two darling daughters, Vanessa and Serena. We are very grateful to our mentor in life, President Ikeda, for providing us with the most wonderful organization in which to practice Nichiren Buddhism--the global family of the SGI. And I am so appreciative for the wisdom and compassion that my mother had for me at such a critical time in my life.

[Adapted from an article in the March 21, 2008 issue of the World Tribune, SGI-USA; photo courtesy of the World Tribune]

Transforming Suffering into Mission

Transforming Suffering into Mission
by Ana Bran, Australia

When in the world of anger, we are always engaged in invidious comparison with others, always seeking to excel over them. The resulting distortions prevent us from perceiving the world accurately; we fall easily into conflict, locking horns with others at the slightest provocation. Under the sway of such anger, people can commit unimaginable acts of violence and bloodshed. -Daisaku Ikeda

Personally and professionally, I have experienced and witnessed the catastrophic and immeasurably painful consequences of war--they reverberate throughout a lifetime and are passed on to generations. The impact of war affects every member of a family, the entire community and the nation. After a war, buildings can be rebuilt but lives are shattered forever. My experience is just one but you should know that there are millions of people who have been affected by war. Most of them are not able to talk about their pain and many others didn't survive to tell their story. Those stories are full of atrocities and indescribable inhumane behavior. People inflict all this pain on other people.

Beginning in 1977 in El Salvador, there was constant persecution of religious leaders, journalists and teachers. Sometimes people would be taken from their homes and never seen again. Teachers who identified with social justice issues were the primary targets. During 12 years of war, 200 teachers, 14 priests, four nuns, one bishop and 14 journalists were killed, including University of El Salvador Rector Félix Antonio Ulloa and Central America University Rector Ignacio Ellacuría. All told, 70,000 were killed during the civil war.

My first direct experience of the war was at the end of 1979. I was driving home in my car. My youngest brother and my two sons were with me. Several bullets were fired at the car--the gunmen were just meters from us. In the morning we discovered the bullet holes.

On July 4, 1980, the routine of my life was abruptly broken. I worked at two schools--one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It was midday, and I was traveling between the two schools. My two sons, ages six and eight, were with me. As I parked the car on the street in front of the school where I teach in the afternoon, five men with guns in their hands walked directly towards me. This tactic was well known as the "Death Squad" style. There were several witnesses. Many of my first year students were waiting for my arrival at the school. The presence of the children did not stop the men from using violence. I was worried that their killing me in front of the children would forever cause the children trauma. So I gently touched the face of one of the men and asked him, "Please do not kill me here in front of the children, they will suffer too much if they see it. I ask you for the love that you have for your mother."

They put a bag on my head, put my hands behind my back and placed them in very tight handcuffs. My wrists were twisted into a painful position. I was then pushed into the cabin of a utility car. As the car drove away with me in it, I could hear the cries of my oldest son, asking the men to take him with me or leave me there with him. It pained me greatly to imagine what he was going through at that moment. We drove for a while and arrived at a place where I was made to walk down several stairs and a long narrow corridor. I suffered endless abuse, assault and humiliation at the hands of my captors. The torture took many forms.

Because of the fast and effective intervention of several international humanitarian organizations--they exerted enough pressure--I was released within 24 hours. However, I was forced to sign blank documents that presumably could have any statement written on them. Before leaving, I was told many times that I would be followed every second of my life. The faces of the men, their uniforms, their voices and their smell were seared into my memory.

At that time, the only choice left was to live in self-exile. We first took refuge in Nicaragua. Although it was a new country, new people and new environment, the memories were still very real and vivid. I suffered from post -traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hallucinations and voices in my head were constant, as well as nightmares. Nine months after our arrival at our new home, my younger son died in very tragic circumstances. My suffering was excruciating. It was a daily struggle for me to keep going.

At this most distressing and painful time in my life, I met Joyce, a compassionate woman who was a member of SGI-Nicaragua. She patiently started talking to me about Nichiren Buddhism and how I could help myself and rebuild my life again. I could barely focus on anything for even half a minute. Dr. Navarro, another SGI-Nicaragua member, used to travel several hours every Saturday afternoon to meet with me. He would sit beside me and help me chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. He shared encouraging words with me and offered me sincere support. Their love and compassion was the turning point in beginning my own Buddhist practice. I felt welcomed and embraced. They showed genuine concern and respect for my well-being. A few weeks later I started chanting together with them. Because of my emotional condition, I was unable to participate in large meetings. But their concern was that first and foremost, I could feel well. I always think about them with deepest gratitude for their selfless and compassionate dedication.
We eventually moved to Guatemala. There we faced multiple challenges, most them related to serious immigration problems. My practice was becoming consistent and my faith was becoming stronger. My determination to overcome every difficulty was constantly tested in many different ways.

Living through these experiences helped me to truly understand the consequences of war and the resulting personal trauma--the divisiveness and the pain that families suffer. I have seen children lose their entire family. I have spoken with parents unable to find their missing child. I have witnessed the most despicable behavior--the dehumanization of individuals and the devastating and destructive power of the world of anger.

Then we had the opportunity to relocate to Australia. That was the greatest benefit I received. We had chanted for many years to find refuge in a safe and peaceful country as far as possible from our homeland. Coming to Australia gave me the wonderful opportunity to repay my debt of gratitude for all the benefits that I had received in my years of practice in the SGI.

I resolved to use my life experience to help families who also had suffered through traumatic wartime experiences. In 1989 I began working with refugees arriving in Australia from Spanish-speaking countries. In 1992, I received a most rewarding opportunity to begin working in an assistance program for survivors of torture, war and trauma and their families. These families arriving from various war torn countries were from diverse ethnic backgrounds and had differing religious beliefs. Working for and with these families has been an extraordinary and inspiring educational experience for me. They share stories of the most horrific, cruel and unimaginable situations. It is my privilege to be there when they arrive here in Australia and begin their journey of rebuilding a new life.

Through my practice and study of Nichiren Buddhism here in Australia with my fellow SGI-Australia members, I have been able to understand the profound meaning of my past experiences. I have transformed my suffering into my mission--to help other human beings overcome their pain and restore their lost trust in humanity. Chanting consistently day and night gives me the wisdom and strength to replace despair with hope in the hearts of these people. Walking the path together to recover their human dignity and reconstruct their lives brings immense joy to my existence. Faith, practice and study of Buddhism are at the center of my life. I live every day with profound appreciation and eternal gratitude, while fulfilling my mission.

Without the qualitative elevation of individual human beings, neither social transformation nor the creation of a more positive society is possible.-Daisaku Ikeda

In October 2007, Ana Bran was appointed as the national women's leader for SGI-Australia. This article is based on an experience presented during an exchange meeting with local Japanese Soka Gakkai members during a November 2007 SGI leaders' training session in Tokyo.


[Adapted from an article in the November 9, 2007 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan]

Making a Difference

Making a Difference
By Lulu McLennan, U.K.

I am 28 years old and have the good fortune to have been born into a family that practices Nichiren Buddhism. However, I have had an ongoing struggle with actually practicing this Buddhism, in other words I had an abundance of doubt, asked a lot of questions and had a lot of encouragement from other people. For most of my life, I have had a practice "like fire," which means that when I felt inspired or had a big problem, I would chant. The rest of the time a couple of minutes' chanting a day was more than enough. I really believed Nichiren Buddhism worked for other people--just not for me.

In 2006, I decided to join the group of young women who support the smooth running of activities from behind the scenes at the SGI-UK national center, Taplow Court. I really enjoy this activity and I think it was a last-ditch attempt to develop a solid Buddhist practice. Everyone told me it would change my life but I didn't want my life to change. I already had a great job, a great family and a great boyfriend!

As part of our activity we were encouraged to study the first two volumes of The New Human Revolution, written by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda. This is an account of how Nichiren Buddhism spread across the world. I found the books very inspiring but I was initially uncomfortable with so much of the books being about Mr. Ikeda's activities.

I work as a pediatric nurse in the children's emergency department at a South London Hospital, which is on the border of Lambeth and Southwark, two of the more deprived London boroughs. There are many children whose lives are affected by violence and other problems associated
with such deprivation. We often deal with unpleasant situations, which I found I started getting used to. I seldom felt sad about the things I saw. My colleagues also seemed to be unaffected too. And they felt bored and unappreciated. On the whole we were quite an unhappy bunch.

At the beginning of this year my mum was part of a group who went to Japan for a Buddhist study course. I was surprised by how her trip affected me--I found that I wanted to chant more. I also felt that I really should begin to understand the mentor-disciple relationship, an important concept in Buddhism.

It became clear to me that I had very little faith in my ability to make a difference. And I began to see why President Ikeda writes so confidently. He has done amazing things, met great people and works hard to create a peaceful world. He has done all of this because he had a great mentor in Josei Toda. Why wouldn't somebody write proudly of those experiences? Also, he achieved these things as an ordinary human being, with lots of problems and struggles along the way. So he is in a sense saying, "If I can do these things, so could any of us!"

Soon after this realization, I very quickly had an overwhelming sense that something needed to change at work. How could I make a difference? I found myself writing a proposal, which I called "A Vision of Peace," for the children's area in the emergency department.

This proposal came directly from my chanting and from my heart. It began with a quotation from President Ikeda: "If we seem to be weathering an endless winter, we must not abandon hope, as long as we have hope, spring will come without fail."

One of my ideas was to create a "dream tree" where all the children, parents and staff could write a hope or dream on a leaf and put it on the tree. I decided to give the proposal to the Accident and Emergency consultant, the matron, the nursing manager and all the people I work with.

I chanted, then went to work the next day, armed with my vision of peace and a trembling hand. I walked in to find that there had been a terrible death overnight. So I had a moment of doubt, which I overcame and then began giving out my vision.

Later in the day the matron came down to tell me how inspiring he found my ideas and asked when I could get started. The consultant was pleased that somebody was thinking outside of the box.

A young woman in my local SGI-UK district painted a beautiful tree, which I attached to the wall in the middle of the night in February, along with the quote from President Ikeda that had originally inspired me. The staff on the night shift were so excited and they wrote amazing dreams for the future.

The tree is now literally full of children's, parents' and staff's dreams and we are planning to paint a dream sea.

I want to make even more of a difference with my life from this moment onwards. I will not accept that children are born wanting to kill as some seem to think--it must be learned behavior. I'm determined to use my life to ensure that somehow the children of Southwark and Lambeth learn a different way, as after all prevention is better than cure. If we are able to change just one person's day or give one child the ability to believe in their dreams, then we have been able to do so much more than just treat an illness or fix a wound. At the end of the day, health is much more than just the absence of illness.

Now I can see that even the small amount of chanting I did, along with the continuous support of my family and many SGI members has not been wasted. With a growing appreciation for the mentor-disciple relationship, I now have the kind of commitment to my Buddhist practice that I have always wanted and this is my greatest benefit. I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Adapted from an article in the January 2008 issue of the Art of Living, SGI-UK]