Thank you everyone for this opportunity
to share my experience. When Shirley asked me if I could tell my
experience I told her I am always ready, always eager to talk about
how great the philosophy of Nichiren is, how great is our objective
of kosen-rufu and how great is our mentor, Ikeda Sensei.
My experience is long and a bit
strange. It is the story of the unlikely meeting of a lonely sickly
boy and the greatest philosopher of our time, in the world's most
beautiful city. If you've heard it before, if it does not interest
you, or if you fall asleep I will not be offended.
I began my practice when I was 13 years
old. My oldest brother introduced me when we lived in Los Angeles.
This was the pioneering time of our movement in North America. Most
of the members were young but none as young as me.
I do not remember exactly how Peter
started. But he came home one night with some others and they
enshrined his gohonzon. He began to tell me about chanting and about
the philosophy of peace of Daisaku Ikeda. Pete told me that Ikeda had
an idea that world peace could be achieved through individuals
transforming their lives.
I was interested in peace, possibly
because I did not know peace. My family was not happy. My parents
fought constantly. It was not a home of love or trust or nurturing.
In fact our friends told us that some of the worst times of their
lives were when they visited us. I longed to live in a place of
happiness but had no idea what that looked like.
My family moved a lot, always because
of my father's career. We followed him wherever his career took him.
I went to five different grade schools, two junior highs and two high
schools.
Also I had no peace internally. I was
sick constantly. My body was at war with itself. At the time I did
not know the name but I have Crohn's disease. My body is allergic to
my own digestive tract and tries to expel my intestine.
Pete and his new Buddhist friends
taught me about Ikeda's ideas. And so I started my own practice.
Unlike today there were no activities for children so I tried to go
to the regular meetings, often hitch-hiking for hours across Los
Angeles, even at night. My parents, of course, were vaguely
concerned, but too preoccupied by their own troubles to pay much
attention.
In those days the members would go to
Japan for pilgrimage to the head temple. But when they came back they
mostly talked about Ikeda. They would talk about how happy Ikeda was;
they even said he glowed. I tried to learn from them more about
Ikeda's ideas, but I had my doubts about the glowing bit.
I wanted to go with them to Japan and
meet Ikeda, but they always said I was too young or I was too sick.
Also it cost a huge amount of money and, of course, I had no money.
Now the bizarre part of the story
begins. I heard that Ikeda-Sensei was coming to America. I was
over-joyed. Finally I would meet him. Then my father told me he was
going on sabbatical. My parents were going to the Middle East and
Europe for a year and I had to go with them.
My joy was immediately crushed. I
thought I must be the most unfortunate person alive. Ikeda was coming
to Los Angeles and I would have to leave. Of course, most young
people would be very happy at the idea of travelling around the world
for one year. Today that would be a dream for me. But at that time,
for me, it was my worst nightmare come true.
I phoned a guy I knew who worked at the
organization's headquarters. He said Keith, you have to go to Europe.
You can not live on your own in L.A. He said, next April, go to
Paris. He gave me an address, 64 rue du Lycee, Sceaux, France.
So I received my own gohonzon and I
graduated from high school early and I flew to meet my parents in
Israel. In a tiny shop in Jerusaleum, once a Crusader's horse stall,
Arabs sewed me a container to protect my Gohonzon. I travelled all
over north Africa and Europe with my quarrelling parents. I was
lonely and sick and scared.
Then in April 1972 I left my parents in
Geneva and got on a train to Paris. I spoke no french, did not know
anyone and only had my gohonzon and few American dollars. And I had
this address my friend had given me. It was the headquarters of Soka
Gakai in France. I went there and a man met me. He naturally asked
what was I doing there. I said I have come from America to meet
Ikeda-Sensei. He said, “Sensei is not coming.” I said, “that is
ok, I will wait for him.”
So I found a tiny place to stay. Most
every day I went to this place in Sceaux. I had very little money and
the place where I stayed took most of what I had and so survived on
one loaf of Baguette a day.
I was hungry, lonely and sickly. When I
wasn't at Sceaux I either chanted or slept or wandered the streets of
Paris. I saw many beautiful things. I loved the museums, parks,
monuments, libraries, streets, everything. I am a bit odd, as you
probably know, but although weak I had a passion inside. Something
burned in me, despite me.
I met another man at the place in
Sceaux. He was a doctor and the leader of the French organization. He
spoke English very well and asked me why I was there. I told him I
wanted to meet Ikeda-Sensei. Unlike the first man, the doctor said,
“great, please help us!” I liked the doctor better.
And so, in my own stumbling, clumsy
way, I tried to help the French members prepare for Sensei's arrival.
Likely I caused more problems then help.
Finally Sensei and his wife were
coming. The French put me in a room where I could chant. There was a
big room upstairs that Sensei would have a meeting. They put me in a
small room downstairs that Sensei would not go.
After the big meeting Sensei and Mrs I
came into the small room where I was. He walked up to me and shook my
hand. He was so happy. He glowed, just like the members said. I'd
never seen anyone so happy to be where he was, in the moment. He
moved with his wife with incredible grace and beauty, like a
beautiful dance.
Now I will tell you why he was there.
As you know Sensei has conducted dialogues with the greatest thinkers
of our time. Together with dozens of great scholars and philosophers
he has written many books. The dialogues are all about how to create
a peaceful world. Through these dialogues Sensei and those great
thinkers have identified the necessary steps out of the crises our
planet faces. Over 1600 dialogues have created a kind of
philosophical and practical structure for transforming humanity's
destiny. Our bookstore has many of those books. If you are interested
in the future of our society and our planet I heartily recommend you
visit our bookstore and talk with Bokin and Sachiko and start
learning.
The first of those dialogues was with
the great British historian Arnold Toynbee. All the dialogues and
collaborations and public work for peace that SGI engages in today
grew out of that first dialogue with Toynbee. Their discussions have
been translated into 28 languages. Ikeda-Sensei first met Arnold
Toynbee in May of 1972 in London, england. Before going to London to
meet Toynbee, Sensei and Mrs I came to Paris for one week to
prepare, to celebrate May 3 and to celebrate their anniversary. It
was his first May 3rd outside Japan.
At the time I knew none of this. All I
knew was he and I were together in this amazing city of light. I
spent a week with Ikeda and his wife. We did gongyo together every
day. In my own stumbling, clumsy way I fought with all my might for
that week to help him. His secretary, a man named Harada who is now
president of Soka Gakkai, assigned me various tasks. People came from
all over Europe and Africa to meet him. He and Mrs I tirelessly
encouraged members and non-members, children and VIPs. Mrs I put on a
simple, beautiful kimono and they visited the Louvre. One morning
after gongyo Sensei patiently taught two hundred people how to
perform the Japanese tea ceremony. And all the while he quietly
prepared for Toynbee. During that week I made a pledge. I decided
that whatever else I did with my life I would try to help him in his
work and protect him from his enemies. I was seventeen years old.
After that experience I returned to Los
Angeles. I thought my life would soar, but actually my life declined
in every respect from that time. My health deteriorated severely.
Finally I had surgery and they removed a huge portion of my
intestine. I was in the hospital for over six months. I lost my job
and dropped out of university. I lost my girl friend. I lost my car.
I started stealing things to sell. I was thrown into jail twice.
I thought I was so smart, seen so much,
done so much. But just like John Snow in Game of Thrones, I knew
nothing. I was a mess.
Eventually I came to Calgary and met my
one true love.
Now life is long and has many twists
and turns and many ups and downs. I have done many stupid things and
met many wonderful, interesting people and had many amazing
experiences. I have seen great beauty and witnessed tremendous
ugliness.
But not for one day, no matter how low
or how high I've been, not for one day have I forgotten the pledge I
made that spring in Paris. And in my own stumbling, clumsy way I have
tried to be true to that decision. Hemingway was absolutely right –
the feast has moved with me.
And very slowly, slower perhaps than
necessary, I have built peace inside me. Together with the love of my
life, my dearest Yoshiko, we have built a family and a home where
people can come and be refreshed, be encouraged and find hope.
Last Tuesday, we celebrated Canada Day.
Yoshiko and I had guests from Saskatchewan, a wonderful family. A
beautiful man, his wife and three lovely bright children stayed at
our place for a holiday. They are not members, never heard of SGI.
But on Tuesday, Canada day, something happened. The man's mother
passed away in Saskatoon. His celebration turned to anguish. His
holiday in Alberta turned to regrets for not being with his mother.
So we took him to our prayer room and together chanted and prayed and
grieved and found hope.
Thank you for listening.
