Monday, April 03, 2006
April Fools and The Passing of Time
To be praised by fools is the greatest shame of all!
I wrote the following essay in the year 2003 to demonstrate my stand with the destruction of Sho-Hondo. Recent dialogues I had with various individuals brought my attention to the existance of the NS propagation centre which represents the spread of a corrupted teaching that will result in the manifestation of all human negativities. This centre is the counter example of everything Sho-Hondo stands for. I am determined to never be defeated by this "thorn" in humanity.
Time shallows everything that lies in its path. The world had seen the Hanging Garden of Babylon, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Great Wall of China and many other magnificent structures. Time WILL shallow them all. The world had witnessed many great empires, from Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar, from Genghis Khan to Napoleon. Time had shallow them as well.
What can last? Only ideas! Great philosophers and thinkers had passed from the world since ancient time. But their ideas survive the tide of time because people made them so. There is nothing more valuable then a system of thoughts that can inspire people and bring hope and courage.
Everything has their value. I can appreciate that. Physical items like a healthy economy, magnificent architectures, a powerful work of art and many others all have their unique way of contributing to humanity when utilized in a proper way. For example, we can always build better and nicer community centers. They are good for people to conduct dialogue and strengthen their faith. The buildings may last for a couple of centuries when they are well cared for, but will they be there 10,000 years later? If so, how about 1,000,000 years later? I doubt it. But what have a chance of surviving? It is none other than the spirit behind the buildings. The Sho-Hondo was an excellence castle of kosen rufu. Yet, the corrupted Nikken Sect can easily tear it down. But the spirit of the castle survived in Soka Gakkai.
Why did Sensei found the Min-On Concert Association? It is simply not possible for every musical talent to showcase their music and achieve the noble purpose of cultural exchange. But culture exchange must go on with or without the Min-On Concert Association. Besides all the efforts of Min-On, what Min-On really represents is even more important. Min-On is a beacon for the rest of the world, illuminating the true spirit of Culture.
Similarly, why did Sensei found the Soka school system including the Soka University and the Soka University of America? Despite the continuing efforts, including SSA, to build more Soka schools for our local community, it is just not realistic for everyone to be educated under the Soka school system. Education for the young is a powerful tool. When not managed properly, it can be the weapon of devils to bring evil to our world. When Sensei found the Soka school system, what was achieved was to give the world a hope. It is the hope that value-creating education can bring to humanity that is important. Thus, if this same humanistic education can be implemented in other non-Soka schools, the spirit will live on. Having just Soka schools was never Sensei's intention. But having the Soka spirit in every school is.
On a more personal level, we will all die. Every one of us must without exception. What will remain then? Is it our material accomplishment? We can build the best buildings. We can produce the best business empire. We can manufacture the best machineries. We can code the most powerful software. All these contributions count. They do. But they pale in comparison to the effect of spreading the best ideas and philosophy to other lives. This is because only ideas can survive the ebb and flow of civilizations. Only a strong sound philosophy can allow humanity to flourish.
When Nichiren Daishonin states, "If Nichiren's compassion is truly great, this Law will spread for ten thousands and more." He is not just concern about the current situation or even the next century or so. His compassion goes so far into the future of humanity that it is really difficult for us to fathom. In a future that distant, nothing will survive, except the true Law.
Countless times had Sensei lamented in his novel, The Human Revolution and The New Human Revolution that he was unable to find someone who can really share his vision. Sensei's thoughts go way beyond the 21st century. His efforts for peace, culture and education can be witness by all the activities he had pioneered. But what makes him really noble is not just all these, but the fact that his greatest contribution to humanity is the spread of many magnificent ideas that will survive in his true disciples. It is his efforts to ensure that this wonderful philosophy, that can give hope and courage to anyone, reaches everyone.
That is precisely why he treasures those that work hardest for kosen rufu. There are many ways for us human being to contribute to humanity. But the harsh truth is that nothing we do can be really eternal, except for kosen rufu. Kosen rufu is the only efforts that can last for eternity. That is hence, the noblest way to live our life. And it is we, as Sensei's disciple to make sure that kosen rufu happens, from live to live, generations to generations.
Ra
28th August 2003
I wrote the following essay in the year 2003 to demonstrate my stand with the destruction of Sho-Hondo. Recent dialogues I had with various individuals brought my attention to the existance of the NS propagation centre which represents the spread of a corrupted teaching that will result in the manifestation of all human negativities. This centre is the counter example of everything Sho-Hondo stands for. I am determined to never be defeated by this "thorn" in humanity.
Essay: The Passing of Time
Time shallows everything that lies in its path. The world had seen the Hanging Garden of Babylon, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Great Wall of China and many other magnificent structures. Time WILL shallow them all. The world had witnessed many great empires, from Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar, from Genghis Khan to Napoleon. Time had shallow them as well.
What can last? Only ideas! Great philosophers and thinkers had passed from the world since ancient time. But their ideas survive the tide of time because people made them so. There is nothing more valuable then a system of thoughts that can inspire people and bring hope and courage.
Everything has their value. I can appreciate that. Physical items like a healthy economy, magnificent architectures, a powerful work of art and many others all have their unique way of contributing to humanity when utilized in a proper way. For example, we can always build better and nicer community centers. They are good for people to conduct dialogue and strengthen their faith. The buildings may last for a couple of centuries when they are well cared for, but will they be there 10,000 years later? If so, how about 1,000,000 years later? I doubt it. But what have a chance of surviving? It is none other than the spirit behind the buildings. The Sho-Hondo was an excellence castle of kosen rufu. Yet, the corrupted Nikken Sect can easily tear it down. But the spirit of the castle survived in Soka Gakkai.
Why did Sensei found the Min-On Concert Association? It is simply not possible for every musical talent to showcase their music and achieve the noble purpose of cultural exchange. But culture exchange must go on with or without the Min-On Concert Association. Besides all the efforts of Min-On, what Min-On really represents is even more important. Min-On is a beacon for the rest of the world, illuminating the true spirit of Culture.
Similarly, why did Sensei found the Soka school system including the Soka University and the Soka University of America? Despite the continuing efforts, including SSA, to build more Soka schools for our local community, it is just not realistic for everyone to be educated under the Soka school system. Education for the young is a powerful tool. When not managed properly, it can be the weapon of devils to bring evil to our world. When Sensei found the Soka school system, what was achieved was to give the world a hope. It is the hope that value-creating education can bring to humanity that is important. Thus, if this same humanistic education can be implemented in other non-Soka schools, the spirit will live on. Having just Soka schools was never Sensei's intention. But having the Soka spirit in every school is.
On a more personal level, we will all die. Every one of us must without exception. What will remain then? Is it our material accomplishment? We can build the best buildings. We can produce the best business empire. We can manufacture the best machineries. We can code the most powerful software. All these contributions count. They do. But they pale in comparison to the effect of spreading the best ideas and philosophy to other lives. This is because only ideas can survive the ebb and flow of civilizations. Only a strong sound philosophy can allow humanity to flourish.
When Nichiren Daishonin states, "If Nichiren's compassion is truly great, this Law will spread for ten thousands and more." He is not just concern about the current situation or even the next century or so. His compassion goes so far into the future of humanity that it is really difficult for us to fathom. In a future that distant, nothing will survive, except the true Law.
Countless times had Sensei lamented in his novel, The Human Revolution and The New Human Revolution that he was unable to find someone who can really share his vision. Sensei's thoughts go way beyond the 21st century. His efforts for peace, culture and education can be witness by all the activities he had pioneered. But what makes him really noble is not just all these, but the fact that his greatest contribution to humanity is the spread of many magnificent ideas that will survive in his true disciples. It is his efforts to ensure that this wonderful philosophy, that can give hope and courage to anyone, reaches everyone.
That is precisely why he treasures those that work hardest for kosen rufu. There are many ways for us human being to contribute to humanity. But the harsh truth is that nothing we do can be really eternal, except for kosen rufu. Kosen rufu is the only efforts that can last for eternity. That is hence, the noblest way to live our life. And it is we, as Sensei's disciple to make sure that kosen rufu happens, from live to live, generations to generations.
Ra
28th August 2003
# posted by Raymond Chng @ 11:18 PM 
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hi Mr Chng! I'm liang yi... probably u may have forgotten me.. u used to teach me maths in Bartley Seclast year.. =) and ya.. I'm here to say that I'm actually a member of Nichiren Shoshu.. I've been practising Nichiren Daishonin's Buddishsm for almost 14 years.. and i'm quite disappointed on what u have wrote on ur blog about my propagation centre.. well.. I can say.. may Gohonzon Bless You! =) cheers! and all the best in Soka. =)Nam-myo-ho- ren-ge-kyo!
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