2011 the Year of the Capable People and Dynamic Development
The Birthplace of SGI-USA Celebrating March 16th with Joy
It was evident that this would be a memorable Kosen Rufu Day Celebration as soon as you turned into the East LA Buddhist Center parking lot, as there was Dennis McGonagle our resident artisan working with his team of excited volunteers painting a 40 foot mural depicting several themes ranging from Victory over Violence, the Mentor and Disciple, and a history of our very own city of La Puente the home of our community center. Throughout the day youth and adult alike came over to add their unique touch to this powerful work of art as it expanded upon the original 40 foot mural painted during last year’s celebration. It all came together beautifully and adds color and a sense of history to our community.
The meeting portion of the event got off to a lively start with words of welcome by LA 4 Region Young Men’s Division leader, Jason Baquero and with LA 4 Region Young Women’s Division leader, Bettina Torres sharing how each youth was able to construct a “road to building friendships” and reminded us of just how hard each participant as well as the Byakuren, Soka Group, and Gajokai worked to make this a truly memorable event.
President Ikeda’s March 16th Kosen-Rufu Day Message was then read which included the following most encouraging passage dedicated to the youth, “The spiritual baton of kosen -rufu has already been firmly placed in your hands. My successors, this era belongs to you. Now is the time for each of you to freely and fully manifest your inherent Buddha nature and create a dazzling history of your personal human revolution for all to see.”
The underlying theme and direction of the meeting revolved around a skit between a grandmother and her granddaughter covering a wide variety of topics which included: Why is there war? The significance of March 16, 1958, the mentor and disciple concept and President Toda’s determination toward world peace as well as a call for all of us to refresh our determination to fight for peace by taking action, just to mention a few. Intertwined with the dialogue were several stirring musical and dance performances by both youth and adult division members which really encouraged and uplifted all in attendance.
Next came the Elementary School Division (ESD) Fan Dance Presentation which included 18 performers, and as they always do brought joy and hope for the future to all of us. We also got to see the ESD once again during the “Lion’s Roar Production- Puppet Show” with the theme being the”Oneness of Mentor and Disciple” and how each ESD participant prepared for the show. As one guest mentioned after the meeting, she found the ESD presentation to be very encouraging as “they took it so seriously and did a wonderful job”.
Steven Garcia’s experience was truly remarkable and clearly demonstrated for all of us the power of our prayers to the Gohonzon and the tremendous protection our practice affords us.
After closing words by Ashley Pak, Young Women’s Division Vice Territory Leader it was time for a Commemorative Group photo of all the participants in great unity and joy in having been a part of this historic event. (This photo is currently on display at the notice board opposite the vending machine in the community center.)
As Chuck Alvarez mentioned,” the joy on the faces of the members of LA 4 was more than enough to assure us all that the march toward the 100th anniversary of the SGI is secure here at the East Los Angeles Community Center”.
The youth look forward to seeing everyone again at next year’s event, and in what new ideas Dennis has in mind for adding to the now 80 foot long mural.
LA 4 Region Website Correspondent
Pete Gilheany
Lunch Lecture by Dr. David Krieger (Leadership for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons)
“I strongly agree with Daisaku Ikeda about leadership: in the ‘absence of international political leadership, civil society should step in to fill the gap, providing the energy and vision needed to move the world in a new and better direction,’” states Dr. David Krieger, President of The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation on his website http://www.wagingpeace.org/
Comments with a similar focus among Dr. Krieger’s essays on the website motivated Takako Mino, leader of the 7Cs Buddhist Club at the Claremont Colleges to invite Dr. Krieger to speak, March 30, 2011 at their ‘Lunch and Lecture’ Series. The event drew nearly 70 guests and SGI members to the Marian Minor Cook Athenaeum at Claremont McKenna College eager to interact with the speaker about the presentational theme of Leadership for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons.
Dr. Krieger began by describing the life-changing experience he had while visiting Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in Japan for the audience, most of whom had not been born in 1945; the year the atomic bombs were dropped on those cities. He imagined with horror the deaths of 200,000 people and the agony of those who survived the blasts and fires only to suffer the poisoning by the radiation to follow.
He related the post-war search for inexpensive electrical power; phrases like ‘Atoms for Peace’ attracted a large commercial interest. He warned that nuclear waste from the proliferation of these power plants can become dangerous through an enrichment process, for example Plutonium 239 which can be used in bomb-making. Also waste products themselves have a half-life of thousands of years which makes their guardianship an impact on the planet and civilization for generations to come who have no voice in accepting the burden.
Several features among the activism encouraged by the NAPF respond to the needs on college campuses for peace leadership training. Dr. Krieger explained that his foundation has paid summer internships for students, presents free peace leadership training seminars and sponsors a poetry contest in April which anyone can enter.
Asked about his vision for the future, Dr. Krieger responded with 5 Cs he hoped those present would use throughout their lives: Compassion, demonstrating love and empathy for other people and places: Courage to speak-out for what we believe and doing what is right: Commitment, you can’t do everything, so target areas for action and persevere (perseverance is among the many things he admires about President Ikeda): And to have a Conscience. Complacency, he feels is the greatest evil in breaking the bonds linking us to nuclear warfare.
He concluded by saying that laws can change things from below; young people can do this. As an example, the people of Norway decided to divest their retirement fund contributions from companies which are involved in making bombs. He continued we are living in a culture of war; art is a way of shifting to a peace culture. Dr. Krieger read one of his poems for the students: Poetry enables him to express emotions he cannot express through other forms of writing. It also can reach people at different levels of consciousness; if we can awaken them, we can engage them, he said.
The 7Cs of the Claremont Colleges complement Dr. Krieger’s points by adding ‘Community, Creativity and Conviction’. The student group is co-sponsoring a panel exhibit “Transforming the Human Spirit” from a culture of violence to a culture of peace, with Pomona College’s ‘Students of Color Alliance’. The exhibit will be located at the Smith Campus Center from 9:00-8:00p.m., April 12, 2011, and is free to all. “Bring as many guests as you can,” urged Ms. Mino.
Calendar
All listed meetings and events are hosted at East LA Community Center unless otherwise specified. Dates and times of scheduled events may be updated or changed, please contact your local leaders for the most up-to-date information.
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Each Buddhist group had the opportunity to introduce themselves in the form of cultural performances, talks and presentations.
Dr. Becke
Professor Dr. Wolf Singer, a renowned neurophysiologist gave a lecture on the positive effects of meditation on the human brain. An SGI-Germany representative explained the history of Nichiren Buddhism and its development from the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. They
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[Adapted from an article in the May 2012 issue of the SGI-Canada Online News; photo courtesy of SGI-Canada]
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SGI-USA youth members in Denver planting cherry trees
The tree planting in
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SGI-NZ members celebrate the anniversary
Over 400 people attended the concert, including Wellington Mayor Celia Wade Brown and Councilor Helen Ritchie, who moved Wellington's Nuclear-Weapon-Free Declaration on April 14, 1982.
In conjunction with the concert, SGI's anti-nuclear weapons exhibition "From a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace" was on display in the Civic Square.
Sir Geoffrey Palmer speaks
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To My Friends (Wagatomo)
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