SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL
DR. DAISAKU IKEDA
SOKA GAKKAI DAY
A very important day in my life too thanks to the great friendship that was handed over to me more than a decade ago by the then President of the International Poetry Society- Dr. Krishna Srinivas of Chennai who presented Dr. Sethukumanan, a poet, a great educationist, devotee of Japanese stalwart poet DR. Daisaku Ikeda . That in fact prompted this week’s Sunday Story on 1924th day of Envius Thoughts. In fact two posts are already there in this connection in the Blog.
Peaceful world, harmonious society
Sure heaven on earth invoking piety
Peace and joy, values and morals its crown
Saints, seers and prophets to us handed down!
Where is peace and where is harmony smart
Gifted boon from the God, where do they start?
Where there is no nasty hatred and greed
Where the mind is free from fear and weed
Where there is no malaise and violence
Where there is no ego and arrogance
Where there is no anger and jealousy
Sure there is peace and poise, fine harmony!
Religions teach me to spread love and peace
Little I care for what they teach with ease!
Who can bring this here and now, pure and sure?
What can bring this nectar to more and more?
Noble poets with wisdom and passion
Poetry with vision and devotion!
Krishna and Buddha, Jesus and Prophet
Gave message of love and peace to trumpet!
Lincoln, Gandhi, Mandela and many
Did trumpet to follow with dignity!
Through the noble wings of poetry pure
Tagore and (Dr.) Krishna won our hearts sure!
Daisaku, great apostle of world peace
Five decades and more, efforts not to cease
To serve the Poetry World with deep ease
God bless him with hundred years with grace!
(Poem presented by me at the Poets Meet organized by the World Poetry Society Intercontinental on the occasion of felicitating Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, for his fifty years of successful completion as President of the Soka Gakkai International.
Dr. Daisaku Ikeda is a Buddhist Philosopher, Peace builder and Educator.)
This occasion made my friendship with Dr. Sethukumanan become stronger and long lasting. Dr. Kumanan published my translation of Dr. Ikeda’s Japanese poems into Tamil through English. It was titled THANNEER ISAI”.
One of Dr. Sethukumanan’s educational institutions is SOKA GAKKAI IKEDA’S COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCINCE FOR WOMEN. A delegation of Spanish Poets visited this college and on that occasion I also enjoyed the hospitality of the students and staff of the college under the leadership of the President Dr. Sethukumanan.
Let us have a peep into the life and services of the great Japanese giant Dr. Ikeda.
May 3 is known as “Soka Gakkai Day.” It was on May 3, 1951, that Josei Toda was inaugurated as the second president of the Soka Gakkai, and on May 3, 1960, that Daisaku Ikeda became the third president. May 3 is also “Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day,” symbolizing the vital role that women play within the organization.
Josei Toda became second president at a time when there were only around 3,000 Soka Gakkai members in Japan, seven years after the passing of first president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, who died in prison for his beliefs during World War II.
Ikeda recalls that on that day, Toda announced his goal of achieving a membership of 750,000 households during his lifetime. He comments, “This was a soaring pledge to accomplish kosen-rufu (world peace through the spread of Nichiren Buddhism). The goal he announced was truly staggering. But I was overjoyed. Courage surged through me. My mentor, incomparable leader of kosen-rufu, had finally resolved to stand at the helm as president.”
The Significance of March 16
March 16 is a symbolic day for Soka Gakkai members, commemorating the occasion on March 16, 1958, when Josei Toda, second president of the Soka Gakkai, then in fra…Toda’s passionate efforts to realize this vision inspired hundreds of thousands of people throughout Japan to join Soka Gakkai over the next few years and eventually laid the path for Nichiren Buddhism to gain a following around the world.
In May 1960, two years after Toda’s death, Ikeda, only 32 years old, was inaugurated as the third president of the Soka Gakkai. Under his leadership, the movement began an era of innovation and expansion, becoming actively engaged in cultural and educational endeavors worldwide. Ikeda has continued to dedicate himself to fulfilling Toda’s dreams by developing initiatives in the areas of peace, culture and education. He has described May 3 as “a day to embark afresh on our struggle for world peace and the happiness of humanity.”
Toda had always emphasized the importance of the role of women in spearheading the organization’s development, and Ikeda also recognized that Soka Gakkai’s growth was largely due to the efforts of the women members—the “mothers of kosen-rufu.”
On April 27, 1988, at the first national Soka Gakkai Women’s Division meeting held in Tokyo, Ikeda therefore proposed that May 3 also be designated “Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day” in the spirit of appreciation for the sincere efforts of the women members.
Rightly Dr. Sethukumanan has chosen to provide education to teen ageds at the school and college levels.
Soka Ikeda College of Arts and Science for Women is named after a renowned Japanese poet and Buddhist philosopher Dr. Daisaku Ikeda and Soka Education System, which stresses on moral building. Dr. Daisaku Ikeda is the Honorary Founder and Mrs. Kaneko Ikeda is the Honorary Principal of the college.
Soka Ikeda College of Arts and Science for Women has gloriously embarked the twentieth year with many accolades and achievements since its inception in the year 2000. Having emerged as a pioneer institution, in its neighborhood, the college offers humanistic education. “The Institution of Excellence” award given by the Indian Council of Gandhian Studies, New Delhi adds glory to the success saga of the institution. The college is affiliated to the University of Madras and recognized by the Government of Tamilnadu (G.O.281). The college offers 13 courses at the U.G. level, 4 courses at P.G Level and M.Phil course in Commerce in Shift-I and 3 U.G. Courses, 3 P.G. courses in Shift-II.
So this much is for this week’s Sunday Story and till we meet tomorrow STAY SAFE AT HOME. Good bye!
Fourth from left Dr. Krishna Srinivas on the right is Dr. Sethukumanan
Blogger with the Mexican Poets in SGC of Arts and Science for Women in Chennai
Soka Gakkai College of arts and Science for Women, Chennai
Envius Thoughts 