2023 Experience - Soka Gakkai International

A birthday present to my mentor

Greetings of the day!

I am a bodhisattva of the earth named Sarishma who was introduced to this life transforming philosophy in 2015 by a fellow ywd. I am still deeply indebted to her.

Our practice teaches that everyone can be a budha. This was hard to accept because I believed that I am different. People are different and they cannot be budhas. I was so sure that it is not possible that this very fact intrigued me to test it out. What was there to lose?

So I started. Chanting and studying and talking to people. The more I chanted, the more I felt thirsty to know about the concepts. As I kept on talking to people and looking at those who are walking the path of the mystic law, I too wanted to walk like that. But that demanded a lot of work and a lot of faith. Faith is the magic word here. Faith in the unknown. Faith in the law. So I started to work diligently. Now that I look back, I can say that I worked diligently because embracing people with and without their flaws is a big task. Today I stand here with a warm heart and compassion coupled with courage. I stand here like a lioness but back then, I was dwelling in a dark black hole.

Moving on, as the years kept on progressing – the demons kept attacking. For once, I stopped practicing altogether but the more I drifted away from the law, the worse I felt. I felt like a machine and not a human being. It was only when I chanted Daimoku, that I could feel like a budha and that feels like so amazing!

Last year in December 2022 – I gave up and resolved to end my life. That was the time I mystically received a call from a bodhisattva. The first question I asked was “What is the purpose of living a life?” The concerned person is also a strong practitioner and they could discern what was going on in my life. As a parent, they held my hand and taught me once again how to walk, how to talk and how to live. This time I resolved not to strategise but rather give it my all wherever I am, however I am. Slowly and steadily, I built myself up and the first victory came – I won the International Young Scientist Award. Then we organized the State’s Largest Climate Clock Assembly Event for which I was widely appreciated along with my students. Then came another and another event, totaling 7 big scale events. I was doing all of this on top of my regular responsibilities as an academician at the university. Fast forward to November, I applied for an esteemed award which I wanted to win. For last 2 years I have been applying but the secret mystic law was missing. This time, my application was backed by Daimoku and a total surrender to accept whatever may be. I also resolved to level up my practice and read gosho with a sincere dedication. It was a tough call because making time is a hard hard task but this time saved my life. It gave me hope and so many victories that I can’t count on my fingers. I am so very happy to report that I won the Young Women Science Excellence Award under the age of 30 years.

In the year of youth and triumph, I feel honored to report to sensei that despite struggling with my personal challenges, I left behind a trail of victories.

This entire process of working with the youth gave me the opportunity to nurture hundreds of students from all walks of life. Thanks to Gakkai, I don’t judge my students and I hold them in my heart like a budha so I talk like a budha and I nurture them with the same spirit. This spirit has resonated with so many students that it makes my heart warm even thinking about the kind of victories they are going to report in future.

In the year of youth and triumph, I resolved to understand the mystic law with my life. When the law works through you, you transcend the physical boundaries and start working in the unknown realm. I am so very grateful to stand here and report that I am dancing on the tune of the mystic law. The more

I discover it, the better I feel and there are miles to cover ahead of me. I am can feel the unspoken joy and gratitude. I can feel courage welling up inside me and I can see the darkness going away.

With the passing of our beloved mentor, it left an indelible mark and made me reflect deeply on my life. I could not talk or cry or laugh. I could just feel a serene energy that was talking to me, triggering me to awaken for my mission. I kept on asking this question to myself “what now?”

The more I reflected the better it was. Because today standing here recollecting everything, I cant put the mystic into words. It is to be experienced and not explained. But I can surely feel a lot of excitement and responsibility towards my future.

Nichiren Daishonin says “Summoning up the courage to take action is always the same regardless of how seemingly big or small the challenge. What may look like a small act of courage is courage nonetheless. The important thing is to be willing to take a step forward.”

With that, I determine to proudly stand tall for kosen rufu and contribute in a million ways possible. I determine to cherish every single individual that I meet. I determine to encourage and spread love, hope, joy and courage to every life that I touch. I determine to reunite with my family and become stronger than ever. I determine not to surrender and only resolve for what I can do today, right not, in this moment. Rest I will leave to the mystic law. I determine to work on myself inwardly to eliminate the three poisons. I determine to strengthen my faith and roar like a lioness for the rest of my life.

Because a lion’s cub will always grow up to become a lion. That is guaranteed.

Thank you very much.