60 Years of Effort

Human Revolution Volume 3 Jiyu Chapter recounts that on the 14th of August 1947, Shin'ichi Yamamoto accompanied some friends to attend a Sokagakkai discussion meeting. He wasn't aware that it was a Buddhist religious affair but thought it was a meeting about philosophy.

He was a member of a group of young men who gathered periodically to discuss philosophy and, although poor, he had an extensive library.

The discussion meeting he attended was presided over by Josei Toda who was delivering a lecture on Rissho Ankoku Ron.

Although not well-versed in things Buddhist, he was profoundly affected by Mr. Toda. He became a Sokagakkai member on August 24th, receiving his gohonzon from Rev Taisei Horigome who would later become the 65th high priest of Nichiren Shoshu.

Shin'ichi became Mr. Toda's most trusted disciple. He saw the accomplishment of 750,000 members before Toda's death. He led Kansai to an amazing victory with over 11,000 new members in one month. He experienced prison, persecution, tabloid bad press.

Shin'ichi became the third president on May 3rd 1960. That same yesr he began worldwide propagation with the first overseas Sokagakkai visit. During this trip he formed districts in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Washington DC. He created the first chapter outside Japan in Brazil, then another chapter in Los Angeles.

He led the accomplishment of 3,000,000 members in the early 60s. He led the construction of the Grand Reception Hall and the Sho Hondo at Taisekiji.

We know, of course, that Shin'ichi is, in real life, Daisaku Ikeda, our mentor in life.

He has met with a number of world leaders and dignitaries, including Mikhail Gorbachov, Nelson Mendela, Margaret Thatcher, Linus Pauling, Fidel Castro and many others.Since 1998 he has submitted annual peace proposals to tte United Nstions. He has given speeches at variuos universities including Harvard, Columbia, Soka (which he founded).

Soka Gakkai International now has nearly 200 million members throughout the world.

President Ikeda has left no stone unturned in his quest for kosenrufu and to carry out the will of his mentor, Josei Toda.

The SGI-USA men's division has held a commemorative meeting each August to celebrate President Ikeda's great victory in life. This year, on the 60th anniversary of his practice, for the first time, the men's division in each district are determined to help plan and execute a four divisional discussion meeting.

Tariq Hassan, national men's division leader, has encouraged us to use material from the July/August LB around the theme "Creating Waves of Victory through our Human Revolution". In his address during the June 24th simulcast, he suggested using the 7 points of human revolution postulated by President Ikeda. These 7 points can be found in the Jul/Aug LB.

During the unprecedented growth of the Soka Gakkai in the 60s and 70s, the US saw the rise of the hippie generation and the increasing popularity of rock and roll. Many of those hippies joined the NSA, which later became SGI-USA, and are in the forefront of our kosenrufu movement.

Many parents and religious leaders opposed rock and roll music during the 60s. Many called it the devil's music that would destroy the youth of America. Yet it gave rise to a new generation of activists, some good, some bad. But it chsnged Amercan culture. we, the SGI-USA members can change culture for the ultimate good. Let's be activists. Please encourage your husbands, boyfriends, sons, next door neighbors to attend the August discussion meeting in your district. They'll benefit, you'll benefit. You wiil feel good! Michael Aiken feels good. Let's all feel good. Let's rock n roll!