Steep Path
The police try to disrupt the Soka Gakkai’s campaign in Osaka by arresting six members. Shinichi reminds the leaders about the three powerful enemies and the persecutions of the past. Toda senses the campaign in Tokyo is failing. Osaka Chapter converts 11,111 families in May, an unprecedented result.
Notes publication will be:
29 Sep - Shirota Goes to Jail (62 – midcol 1 64)(1421 – 1427)
5 Oct - Sokagakkai Under Attack (midcol 1 64 – 66)1427 – 1432)
10 Oct - Agony in Osaka (67 – midcol 1 69)(1432 – 1436)
15 Oct - Shirota’s Campaign (midcol 1 69 – midcol 1 71)(1436 – 1441)
20 Oct - Shirota’s Struggle (midcol1 71 – 72)(1441 – 1444)
25 Oct - Freedom (73 – near end 74)(1444 – 1447)
30 Oct - Deadlock (near end 74 – midcol 2 76)(1447 – 1450)
4 Nov - Political Pressure (midcol 2 76 – 78)(1450 – 1455)
9 Nov - About Ittetsu Okada (79 – near end col 1 81)( 1455 - 1459)
14 Nov - Election (near end col 1 81 – 86)(1459 – 1469)
19 Nov – Wrap-up
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Leap Forward Wrapup
Leap Forward Wrap-up
Singin’ in the Rain (pp 41-43)
On April 8,1956, the Osaka-Sakai General Meeting was held outdoors in steadily falling rain. An intense shakubuku campaign, led by Shinichi Yamamoto, preceded the meeting and the members were in high spirits.
Osaka-Sakai General Meting (pp 44-midcol1 46)
1pm, 8 April 1956. The members are in high spirits, singing one gakkai song after another. The Osaka-Sakai general meeting opens in the pelting rain.
Shinichi stated that the predominant religion or philosophy of a nation forms the foundation for the happiness of the people.
Josei Toda declared that he wished to dispel poverty from all the members in the area. He went on to discuss the evils of false religion in light of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
The Joy of Victory (pp midcol1 46-47)
The Kansai members could hardly believe their great success. They were filled with the joy of victory. The shakubuku result thus far in April (and it’s only the 9th) was reported to be well over 4000. Discussion meetings were being held in every corner of the land.
Devil Defeated (pp 48-49)
The Osaka members, buoyed by their recent success, began to resent receiving direction from the Tokyo leaders. The Tokyo leaders thought the Osaka leaders were becoming arrogant. Shinichi Yamamoto took them al to task, stressing unity as the a key to kosenrufu.
Kansai Campaign (pp 50-midcol2 52)
Ceremonies commemorating the High Priest Nichijun inauguration were held with 700,000 Sokagakkai members making the pilgrimage to Taisekiji.
Osaka chapter reported a 9,002 shakubuku result for April; Sakai chapter – 1,111. Shinichi was certain that 10,000 converts by the Osaka chapter would be possible in the May campaign.
The Osaka Chapter leader’s meeting was held as scheduled amid boundless enthusiasm. Shinichi strongly encouraged the members to achieve victory in May.
Victorious Kansai (midcol2 52-midcol2 54)
The amazing accomplishment of Kansai profoundly affected leaders from other areas. A senior leader chastised the Tokyo leaders for their lukewarm practice. Another called for more emphasis on discussion meetings instead of planning and organizational meetings. President Toda talked at length on the conduct of shakubuku.
The Sleeping Lion (midcol2 54-55)
District Chief Kazuyuki Sagawa proclaimed, ‘The sleeping lion has now arisen!’as he began his remarks at the Abeno district rally held in the Nakanoshima public hall on May 2nd and attended by close to 3,000 people. Their amazing success was a tribute to Shinichi’s leadership.
Young Lions (pp 56-58)
The 14th general meeting took place on May 3rd attended by over 30,000 leaders from across the country. Several speakers addressed the attendees, jubilant over the amazing growth of the Sokagakkai.
Kansai Digs In (pp 59-61)
Shinichi’s actions kept Osaka buzzing. He continued to do gongyo with the top leaders and give them a gosho lecture every morning. Discussion meetings were taking place all over the country every day.
Singin’ in the Rain (pp 41-43)
On April 8,1956, the Osaka-Sakai General Meeting was held outdoors in steadily falling rain. An intense shakubuku campaign, led by Shinichi Yamamoto, preceded the meeting and the members were in high spirits.
Osaka-Sakai General Meting (pp 44-midcol1 46)
1pm, 8 April 1956. The members are in high spirits, singing one gakkai song after another. The Osaka-Sakai general meeting opens in the pelting rain.
Shinichi stated that the predominant religion or philosophy of a nation forms the foundation for the happiness of the people.
Josei Toda declared that he wished to dispel poverty from all the members in the area. He went on to discuss the evils of false religion in light of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
The Joy of Victory (pp midcol1 46-47)
The Kansai members could hardly believe their great success. They were filled with the joy of victory. The shakubuku result thus far in April (and it’s only the 9th) was reported to be well over 4000. Discussion meetings were being held in every corner of the land.
Devil Defeated (pp 48-49)
The Osaka members, buoyed by their recent success, began to resent receiving direction from the Tokyo leaders. The Tokyo leaders thought the Osaka leaders were becoming arrogant. Shinichi Yamamoto took them al to task, stressing unity as the a key to kosenrufu.
Kansai Campaign (pp 50-midcol2 52)
Ceremonies commemorating the High Priest Nichijun inauguration were held with 700,000 Sokagakkai members making the pilgrimage to Taisekiji.
Osaka chapter reported a 9,002 shakubuku result for April; Sakai chapter – 1,111. Shinichi was certain that 10,000 converts by the Osaka chapter would be possible in the May campaign.
The Osaka Chapter leader’s meeting was held as scheduled amid boundless enthusiasm. Shinichi strongly encouraged the members to achieve victory in May.
Victorious Kansai (midcol2 52-midcol2 54)
The amazing accomplishment of Kansai profoundly affected leaders from other areas. A senior leader chastised the Tokyo leaders for their lukewarm practice. Another called for more emphasis on discussion meetings instead of planning and organizational meetings. President Toda talked at length on the conduct of shakubuku.
The Sleeping Lion (midcol2 54-55)
District Chief Kazuyuki Sagawa proclaimed, ‘The sleeping lion has now arisen!’as he began his remarks at the Abeno district rally held in the Nakanoshima public hall on May 2nd and attended by close to 3,000 people. Their amazing success was a tribute to Shinichi’s leadership.
Young Lions (pp 56-58)
The 14th general meeting took place on May 3rd attended by over 30,000 leaders from across the country. Several speakers addressed the attendees, jubilant over the amazing growth of the Sokagakkai.
Kansai Digs In (pp 59-61)
Shinichi’s actions kept Osaka buzzing. He continued to do gongyo with the top leaders and give them a gosho lecture every morning. Discussion meetings were taking place all over the country every day.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Kansai Digs In
Kansai Digs In (pp 59-61)
‘Wherever Shin’ichi went, he created a mighty whirlpool of propagation. He was bold at times, prudent at others. If there were many participants but the meeting lacked vigor, he would encourage them by dancing to the song, “Kuroda Bushi.” If it was a quiet gathering of a small number of people, he would do gongyo together with them and give each one of them detailed and elaborate guidance. He sometimes went out to suburban cities, places in which he was a total stranger. On such occasions he would continue chanting daimoku in a low voice in the car all the way to his destination and back. No one noticed this, but it was as if he were challenging the vast area of Osaka yet unknown to him and planting the seeds of daimoku as he went.’
Shinichi was in Osaka for an extended stay. At the Sakai chapter leaders meeting he said, in part, “We are about to engage in the greatest campaign we have ever faced. Let each of us summon up the courage of a lion, as the Daishonin urges, and fight with all our might, never ceasing to advance.” The chapter members were determined to achieve a record result in May.
The Osaka chapter districts were competing with each other to achieve the highest shakubuku result But some districts were falling behind and those members were becoming impatient. The leader of one such district, Motoe Asada, called the leaders to attend a two hour daimoku toso. The result was remarkable. All the district members moved in unity, inviting many guests to the meeting. All the guests were willing to try chanting. Everyone was jubilant!
Some leaders seemed to be overwhelmed by the pace of activities. At times they neglected their work, spending all their time on religious practice, hoping for a release from their predicament. Shinichi would give stern guidance when he encountered this condition. His passionate guidance encouraged these leaders to reflect on their attitude and begin to challenge their difficult lives with renewed courage.
At a YWD meeting, Shinichi answered a number of questions. Among them was a question about why some girls were born with good looks and others were not. To which Shinichi talked about karmic retribution, When he discovered that one of the young women sneaked away from her job to attend the afternoon meeting, he harshly told her to return to work immediately. Later he called her employer to apologize for the young woman. The employer, who wasn’t friendly toward the Sokagakkai, accepted Shinichi’s apology. The employer would later become more cooperative to that employee.
Shinichi’s actions kept Osaka buzzing. He continued to do gongyo with the top leaders and give them a gosho lecture every morning. Discussion meetings were taking place all over the country every day.
On May 13th a festival to celebrate the completion of the waterworks at Taisekiji was held with 1,100 leaders attending at the invitation of former High Priest Nissho Mizutani. Taisekiji had suffered from a shortage of water since its founding 700 years earlier. Finally, after many attempts to drill a well, a district chief was successful in bringing it in. He had been ready to give up but President Toda encouraged him on. A great time was had by all!
Points to ponder
Contrast these highly focused activities with today’s divergent slate.
Shinichi Yamamoto, the driving force behind the Osaka campaign, enables many Osaka district leaders to stand up. What lessons can be learned from this?
‘Wherever Shin’ichi went, he created a mighty whirlpool of propagation. He was bold at times, prudent at others. If there were many participants but the meeting lacked vigor, he would encourage them by dancing to the song, “Kuroda Bushi.” If it was a quiet gathering of a small number of people, he would do gongyo together with them and give each one of them detailed and elaborate guidance. He sometimes went out to suburban cities, places in which he was a total stranger. On such occasions he would continue chanting daimoku in a low voice in the car all the way to his destination and back. No one noticed this, but it was as if he were challenging the vast area of Osaka yet unknown to him and planting the seeds of daimoku as he went.’
Shinichi was in Osaka for an extended stay. At the Sakai chapter leaders meeting he said, in part, “We are about to engage in the greatest campaign we have ever faced. Let each of us summon up the courage of a lion, as the Daishonin urges, and fight with all our might, never ceasing to advance.” The chapter members were determined to achieve a record result in May.
The Osaka chapter districts were competing with each other to achieve the highest shakubuku result But some districts were falling behind and those members were becoming impatient. The leader of one such district, Motoe Asada, called the leaders to attend a two hour daimoku toso. The result was remarkable. All the district members moved in unity, inviting many guests to the meeting. All the guests were willing to try chanting. Everyone was jubilant!
Some leaders seemed to be overwhelmed by the pace of activities. At times they neglected their work, spending all their time on religious practice, hoping for a release from their predicament. Shinichi would give stern guidance when he encountered this condition. His passionate guidance encouraged these leaders to reflect on their attitude and begin to challenge their difficult lives with renewed courage.
At a YWD meeting, Shinichi answered a number of questions. Among them was a question about why some girls were born with good looks and others were not. To which Shinichi talked about karmic retribution, When he discovered that one of the young women sneaked away from her job to attend the afternoon meeting, he harshly told her to return to work immediately. Later he called her employer to apologize for the young woman. The employer, who wasn’t friendly toward the Sokagakkai, accepted Shinichi’s apology. The employer would later become more cooperative to that employee.
Shinichi’s actions kept Osaka buzzing. He continued to do gongyo with the top leaders and give them a gosho lecture every morning. Discussion meetings were taking place all over the country every day.
On May 13th a festival to celebrate the completion of the waterworks at Taisekiji was held with 1,100 leaders attending at the invitation of former High Priest Nissho Mizutani. Taisekiji had suffered from a shortage of water since its founding 700 years earlier. Finally, after many attempts to drill a well, a district chief was successful in bringing it in. He had been ready to give up but President Toda encouraged him on. A great time was had by all!
Points to ponder
Contrast these highly focused activities with today’s divergent slate.
Shinichi Yamamoto, the driving force behind the Osaka campaign, enables many Osaka district leaders to stand up. What lessons can be learned from this?