3 MORE DAYS! ARE YOU READY??
Polish our life day by day! 

Seafair Byakuren In charge, Nayab (font) , Yumiko (left) and Yukari (right)

(from NHR vol. 24 "Vigilant Safeguading") 
Many think that happiness is taking it easy, never working hard, and enjoying wealth and social status, recognition and success without any special effort. Some flatter and cozy up to the rich and powerful in hopes of achieving these things. Others adapt a policy of expedience and will do anything to get ahead. Still others envy and resent those who have established themselves in the world and scheme to bring about the downfall of those whom they perceive to be more successful than they are. All of these patterns of behavior are based on the delusion that happiness resides in the external world, outside of us. 

Nichiren Daishonin states: "If you seek enlightenment outside yourself, then your performing even then 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 neighbor's wealth but gains not even half a coin." (WND) 
The path to happiness and attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime lies, fundamentally, in polishing one's character and manifesting the life-condition of the Buddha and bodhisattva from within. It's vital to build a strong, stalwart, unshakable self, like a towering mountain. 

Marching Simulation at Foster High School, Yukari (Oregon Region)

The Daishonin also writes: " Arouse deep faith, and diligently polish your mirror day and night. How should you polish it? Only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (WND) Chanting daimoku is the path to attaining Buddhahood in this life time. it is attained by practicing for oneself and others based on daimoku. This means not only chanting for ourselves, but also dedicating ourselves to Kosen-rufu. Whether we can establish a truly indestructible life-state of happiness depends upon how earnestly we chant daimoku and exert ourselves for the sake of Kosen-rufu. 

Byakuren Study Day 6

Our Mission is so profound! Let's all refresh our mission and Byakuren Spirit! 

The Byakuren Pledge

As Byakuren, we pledge to uphold the principles of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism and fulfill our mission for kosen- rufu through selfless devotion to our fellow members.Based on unwavering faith and stalwart practice, we pledge to take quick action with a bright smile, protect the members from behind the scenes, and become the core of the Young Women’s Division.
Toward this goal, we pledge to joyfully and diligently chant sincere daimoku to deepen our faith day by day, challenge ourselves to master the gosho, keep abreast of the SGI’s kosen-rufu activities, and become shining example of “never begrudging one’s life.”With this as our foundation, we pledge to provide for all members: security and our presence, comfort through our actions, joy through our life conditions, and unity with our strength.

Yumiko Hayakawa (Sunrise Puget Sound) 

Mission of Byakuren 

The mission of the Byakuren is to be pioneering Buddhist Practitioners, to protect our precious fellow members who embrace the Gohonzon, and to safeguard our community centers - the strongholds of kosen-rufu. 

The members of the SGI are all noble children of the Buddha who embrace the Gohonzon, and magnificent Bodhisattvas of the Earth. While grappling the all manner of obstacles as we strive for the sake of people's happiness and for the betterment of our local communities, we endeavor to promote kosen-rufu. We are fellow members, and in light of Buddhism, we are all brothers and sisters. 

The community and culture centers of teh SGI are fortresses where we, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, gather to pure-heartedly seek Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. It is natural that a Buddhist should wish to protect and support such citadels of Buddhism. 

I would like you, who have been selected as members of the Byakuren, to display clear proof of through your life, as queens of good fortune who shoulder the future of the kosen-rufu movement, and s pioneers who lead the way toward the great fortune of the SGI. 

Daisaku Ikeda 

(from a speech at the first Byakuren General Meeting, April 3rd. 1977) 

Byakuren Study Day 5

"Byakuren" means "white lotus flower." 

   - Just as the beautiful white lotus blossoms from a muddy pond, the   Bodhisattvas of the Earth, though they live in the corrupt and polluted world of the Latter Day of the Law, remain pure and unsullied by their surroundings.

Study From New Human Revolution, Vigilant  Safeguarding 

Shin'ichi continued: "The members of the Byakuren Group are the 'faces' of the Gakkai and the 'flowers' of Soka."

  "Young women dedicating themselves to Kosen-rufu and their fellow members are incredibly admirable and noble. All of your efforts and hard work will adorn your lives in the form of great benefits and good fortune. This accords with the workings of the rigorous Buddhist law of cause and effect."

"The only pathway to true happiness is to act based on your own convictions, deriving from the teachings of Buddhism, and not worry about how others may judge you." 

"Shin'ichi wanted to assure each of them that although their sincere efforts may seem to go unnoticed by others, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the universe observe all."

 

Buddhism teaches about the workings of karma. Bad causes produce negative effect, and good causes produce positive effects. Moreover, this law applies throughout past, present, and future. One's thoughts, words, and deeds in the past are causes that produce effects in one's present, and one's conducts in the present will result in effects in the future." 

As Nichiren Daishonin write: "One who slights another will in turn be despised" (WND-1 p.305). Everything is up to the individual. Both positive and negative effects in one's life are the results of one's own actions. The way to transform the negative karma one has formed and create the most positive effects possible is through practicing the true teachings of Buddhism and dedicating oneself to Kosen-rufu. This is the great pathway to certain and unshakable happiness. Buddhist practitioners should strive to live out their lives with an understanding that Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the universe are aware of their actions, based on the causality of life. 

"The Buddhas is watching over all our efforts. The courageous actions engraved in our lives will become the power to open a brilliant future. The difficult road of adversity will become a golden path leading to the summit of victory." 

Byakuren Study Day 4

The Honor of Making Unseen Efforts for Kosen- Rufu 

Part 1 of 2 (World Tribune October, 21, 2011) 

The 17th installment in SGI President's youth study series "Youth and The Writing of Nichiren Daishonin" 

(President Ikeda)
"These are difficult economic times, and social ties in our communities in Japan have also grown strained and distant. Many people have their hands full just dealing with their own problems and situation. Nevertheless, our members are exerting themselves selflessly for the welfare of kosen-rufu even when their own situations may be challenging.There is no more noble work of the Buddha than this. " 

"The record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings states: "The Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra over a period of eight years, and eight characters sum up the message that he has left behind for living beings in this later age, the Latter Day of the Law. It is [the eight characters that make up the passage, which reads] you should rise and greet [others] form afar, showing [them] the same respect you would a Buddha. "

"There are days when the cold winter winds blow. when the hot summer sun is beating fown, when it's poring rain or what challenges our young men and women of the Soka Group, Gajokai, and Byakuren face, they always greet those arriving at our facilities with the respect befitting Buddhas, just as the passage from the Lotus Sutra states. They are carrying out their duties with a spirit of venerating and serving everyone as Buddhas. There is nothing more praiseworthy. Through their behavior, they are putting into practice the passage." 

"By devoting yourself for the sake of your fellow members, you are all accumulating immeasurable and boundless benefit and good fortune. Your unseen efforts for kosen-rufu will surely activate the positive forces throughout the universe to reward and protect you in accord with the workings of cause and effect. "

"The Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the universe are aware of all the noble unseen efforts you are making to chant for others and support your fellow members, and of hw much thought and care you are putting into fulfilling your responsibilities. By the token, they also know when you are neglecting your duties, thinking that no one will notice. This is merely another way of expressing the law of cause and effect, the workings of which are inescapable. " 

"How seriously we pray and exert ourselves are all engraved in our lives. Those who practice sincerely and earnestly will definitely win in the end. They will accrue immense benefit and good fortune without fail. "

"In any general meeting, or any important campaign, I am always striving behind the scenes, unknown to anyone, without worrying whether anyone appreciate me.. there I pour my entire life into leading the struggle and ensuring the success of the events. I smile happily at this destiny. I firmly believe that everything is revealed under the light of the Mystic Law." (Youthful Diary P.315) 

(President Ikeda) 'Even if no one appreciate or praised me, or if they instead criticized or spoke ill of me, I was still determined to carry out my mission with a smile. All I cared for was to respond to my mentor and strive for kosen-rufu. That was how I spent my youth. 

"Because I strove tirelessly in my youth, I fully understand the feelings of the youth division members and everyone else making efforts behind the scenes. I can relate to their problems and difficulties as if they were my own. This is also why I've continuously focused on encouraging those working out of the limelight. And they have responded to my encouragement. Because of this the Soka Gakkai has grown into the global organization it is today. 

Byakuren Study Day 3

No matter how busy you are at work, it's vital that you challenge yourselves to participate in Gakkai activities. 

From Vigilant Safeguarding 

Message to Soka Group which is Young Men's division behind the scene group. How can we, Byakuren take his message seriously into our heart and apply to our attitude in our daily life and Gakkai activities? 

Shin'ichi continued speaking with the young men of the Soka Group after their commemorative photograph was taken: " to grow as youth, it is vital to overcome the tendency to feel dependent toward others. if you think for even a moment that you might pass your responsibilities on to the men's division, or that it's okay to neglect Gakkai activities by telling yourselves that you are too busy at work, you won't be able to train yourselves." 

Byakuren in Oregon

"Young people should be enterprising the wholehearted, voluntarily shouldering full responsibilities and ready to take on any task. No matter how busy you are at work, it's vital that you challenge yourselves to participate in Gakkai activities. If you ignore this or give up trying, saying you just can't find the time, you are passing up an opportunity to do your human revolution and fully develop your lives. "

"in your youth, you're often called upon to do the grunt work at your job and you frequently bear the  brunt of the burden. You probably have very little free time for yourselves. But it's important to exercise your ingenuity and create time, make a genuine effort, and apply yourselves fully in your Buddhist faith and practice." 

"Over time, those experiences will train you and foster the strength that is the underlying toughness you need to face all of life's challenges. This will eventually become your good fortune. That's why struggles are actually lie's great treasure. "

"If you become accustomed to trying to avoid effort and difficulty, you will end up unhappy." 

Byakuren Study Day 2

We shoulder the mission to lead members toward fulfilling the great vow of kosen-rufu! 

Happy July 4th!!Let's study New Human Revolution, Chapter 'Vigilant Safeguarding' together! 

*TCG- Traffic Control Group created by Daisaku Ikeda (In this novel, it is Shin'ichi Yamamoto) 

            This group was later renamed "Soka Group" 

The guidance praised the TCG, for caring for each member and conducting their duties with accuracy, speed, commitment and sincerity. 

“Taking to heart the concept that though unnoticed by others, everything is observed by the Buddas and bodhisattvas throughout the universe, it is my earnest wish that you will carry out the Buddhist practice of your youth through engaging in TCG activities, applying what you learn there to your efforts within the youth division and at your places of work.”  

The concepts that the attitudes and actions of all living beings are clearly perceived by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the universe is another way of saying that the impartial low of the causality of life applies to all. Through the guidance, the young men of the TCG deepened their sense of mission, and they made this concept their basic spirit.

During the May 1954 pilgrimage, a traffic accident occurred that led to a shortage of buses, creating an emergency situation in which transportation had to be shifted from bus to train. As a result, members arrived extremely late, and the ceremonies were delayed by four-and-a-half hours. 

But Shin’ichi responded coolly and steadily to each development, and surmounted every obstacle. It turned out to be a most valuable experience for him.”

He was made keenly aware of the heavy responsibility entailed in organizing a large event and the importance of checking and rechecking every last detail. He came to understand the difference between plans on paper and the way they actually unfold. He was also able to learn how to respond in the best way to unanticipated developments. These experiences proved incalculable in preparing him to later take the helm of the kosen-rufu movement.

“The path of Soka is the path of kosen-rufu. It is the path of unity of mentor and disciple. It is the path of human revolution, of creating hope, of transforming one’s karma, of building peace and of ensuring the prosperity of society. It is the noble path of Bodhisattvas of the Earth forging a life state of absolute happiness that brings innumerable flowers of benefit into bloom.”

We Are Vibrant Byakuren

We Are Vibrant Byakuren!!

Happy July!! We have only 26 days towards Seafair 2013!!
Our responsibility as a Byakuren is so crucial. It is up to us to protect all participants for Seafair.
From today, let's chant together, study together and unit solidly to have a successful Seafair torchlight parade!!

Today, let's study our attitudes how to pay attention to the smallest things to prevent accidents. 

New Human Revolution - Vigilant Safeguarding

"Some people tend to take things for granted. They assume that the present situation will continue unchanged, and since nothing bad has happened so far, they don’t have to worry about what might happen next, even though in actuality some danger may be growing in their midst."

"Nichiren Daishonin writes, 'A Wise person, while dwelling in security, anticipates danger' (WND 621)

Astute people will always be prepared for an emergency, even when the situation seems safe."

“You are giving your all amid trying circumstances, and for that, I am grateful. But remember that all your efforts for kosen-rufu and to support the members will return to you as great good fortune. As Buddhists, we strive based on that conviction. And those efforts will also ensure your final victory.”

“The ability to pay careful attention starts with your attitude. It then needs to be backed up by prayer filled with a sense of responsibility and the determination not to overlook anything that could lead to an accident. Through that prayer, the protective forces of the universe will be activated, augmenting your wisdom and focus.”

“NIchiren wrote to Shijo Kingo, 'Determine to take every possible precaution” And “Be millions of times more careful than ever' (WND P.839)

He warned him to pay attention to the smallest details and be more careful than ever. Being cautious is essential if you are to protect yourselves and be victorious in this harsh world”