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The first question President Ikeda asked when he met President Toda was: "What is a true patriot?" In this question lies the prime point of his seeking spirit. In his heart he was seeking the way to save his country from suffering and attain a peaceful, harmonious and just existence for all. It is from this prime point that we can find the source for our focus in doing human revolution. It is within this realm that a wellspring of action emerges to initiate an unstoppable shakubuku campaign and the perfection of our daily lives because we are filled with an insatiable hunger to share this Gohonzon with our fellow citizens and finally make this the land of hopes and dreams for everyone. On November 19th, 1863 at the national cemetery on the battlefield of Gettysburg, Lincoln delivered his immortal address. He used it to rally the troops and give them a reason to stand up and fight against insurmountable odds and to define the purpose of our nation's existence: "Fourscore and seven years ago, our forefathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." He went on to say:
Because of the efforts and struggles of
the pioneering men and women of our movement, now is the time to make
the necessary changes to usher in the century of the people. Centering
on President Ikeda at the helm leading the charge and the Gohonzon as
our base we will finally bring this "unfinished work" to its
peaceful and glorious conclusion to realize the true age of
enlightenment. |