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SGI Canada Newsletter, No. 127 - March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

SGI Canada Newsletter

Issue no. 127

March 28, 2025

 

Welcome to the 127th issue of the SGI Canada Newsletter, a bi-weekly summary of news, upcoming events and encouragement. If you are not subscribing to the SGI Canada Newsletter, you may do so by clicking on the button below. Subscriptions are free of charge, and the SGI Canada Newsletter will be emailed directly to you.

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Encouragement 

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s study article - “The Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapter Part 1 of 3 

September 8, 2002, marked 45 years since Mr. Toda made his Declaration Calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons[1] and entrusted the fulfillment of this goal to young people. That day, I attended a world peace gongyo meeting with youth training course participants from 50 countries and territories. In the question-and-answer session that followed, a young woman from Australia asked me about the best way to share Nichiren Buddhism with people her own age. 

Praying for her happiness and that of her friends, I replied that it was important to be sincere, cheerful and confident when she spoke about how wonderful Nichiren Buddhism is: 

Tell them about living a life of conviction. Explain to them how you have forged a life of value while enjoying proof of the power of your Buddhist practice and how you are advancing with courage and boundless hope for the future. 

Ultimately, it all comes down to you proudly sharing your conviction and experience in faith. Doing so plants the seeds of happiness and hope in your friends’ lives. These seeds will undoubtedly take root, bud, and eventually flower. Until then, it is enough that you continue chanting and wait for that time to come.[2]  

The method for spreading Nichiren Buddhism is sowing the seeds of Buddhahood. Sincere dialogue with others based on continued prayer will reach them on the deepest level of their lives. It will enable them to forge a profound connection to Nichiren Buddhism that will be a cause for their happiness. 

[1] Declaration Calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons: In this declaration, delivered on September 8, 1957, at a youth division sports meet held at Yokohama’s Mitsuzawa Stadium, Mr. Toda called for an end to the testing and deployment of nuclear weapons. It is regarded as the starting point of the Soka Gakkai’s activities for peace.

[2] From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, 18.10.

The complete study article is available in the March issue of NEW CENTURY. 

News 

Men’s Group focus

SGI Canada Men’s Leader Ian Mattinson sets out the focus for Men’s group activities in 2025 in this excerpt from his article in NEW CENTURY: 

With the 60th anniversary of the Men's Division Founding Day on March 5, 2025, the regional men’s group leaders in Canada have agreed that we’d like to reinvigorate our activities toward 2030 with the following three initiatives. 

Firstly, we’d like to revisit and reconfirm the target of having five active men members in every district throughout the country. This goal, first proposed in 2015, was enthusiastically adopted. It represents for many districts a challenging and meaningful target. 

…Secondly, we’d like to initiate a campaign simply titled the Everyday Campaign. The idea is that each and every one of us initiates at least one meaningful conversation every day with a fellow member, friend, family member or someone new to us. Though seemingly easy, mindfully making connections can be an exhilarating challenge. Efforts to engage in dialogue bring joy and energy—fuelling our growth both individually and in our various groups. 

Thirdly, it was agreed that we replace the annual Men’s Group General Meetings with a simpler and more relatable focus on August 24, Men's Division Day. Men’s Division Day will now become a celebration of our hard work and effort throughout the year. The timing, size and scope of these meetings can be determined according to the needs and capacity of each region or area.  

You will find Ian’s complete article in the April issue of NEW CENTURY. 

Have you set up your online account yet?

SGI Canada members now have access to an online portal in which they can create their own personal SGI Canada accounts, subscribe to publications and make secure online donations.

Members can also use their online account to read the English and French-language publications to which they subscribe, and access their tax receipts and personal information.

How to set up your online account:

Many SGI Canada members have already registered. We hope you will also take advantage of this convenient method of making online donations, subscribing to SGI Canada publications, and reading them online.

 

Upcoming events

Women’s Group General Meetings - “Illuminating the Future with Hope”

Women’s Group General Meetings will be held throughout April and May. The meetings will be held by district and in small groups. This will encourage heart-to-heart dialogue for the purpose of introducing our Buddhist practice, and for mutual encouragement. 

In her message to the General Meetings, SGI Canada Women’s Leader Helen Izumi-Choi quotes Ikeda Sensei: 

The hearts of those who dedicate themselves to kosen-rufu are alight with a joy that even the harshest winds of adversity cannot extinguish.  In fact, the stronger the winds blow, the more luminous that joy becomes, bringing hope to shine even more brightly.  As long as we have faith, we have hope.[3]  

 

[3] The New Human Revolution, Vol. 26, p. 75.

For more information, please see the April issue of NEW CENTURY.

  

We hope you found this newsletter beneficial. Please email your questions or comments to contact@sgicanada.org. Please note that the next SGI Canada Newsletter will appear on April 11, 2025. See you then!

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