Saturday, June 7, 2008

What do you broaden the wisdom for? – 6.6 Tsunesaburo Makiguchi’s Birthday

Saturday morning ……

Woke up later than usual due to tiredness after the first week in Cincinnati…

Had a super quick breakfast…. Egg & Ham Sandwich with Coffee…
It is cloudy from the morning, unfortunately…

Enough foods are still remaining….. Laundry has been done yesterday…….
Let’s “Study” today…

After attended the entrance ceremony of Soka University (Correspondence Course) on April 2nd, I started from “Moral Education”….. Still now, not finished! ….

Although it is a 100 page long textbook, I’m still in the halfway point as of today.


What I read today was shocking. (Although I must already learned everything in school days, I realized again.)
”What kind of Education do you provide? What kind of Education do you take? How important these matters are”………….

The textbook shows the changes of the “Moral Education” after the beginning of Meiji Restoration (1868) in Japan.

1890 (Year Meiji 23): All schools in Japan turned to be the place to educate only for the Emperor dominated Japan State. This system had last until the end of the World War II in 1945 (Year Showa 20).

“Moral Education for the State”…………..
“Moral Education for satisfying the politics’ needs”………….
“Education abused as implements for the politics and execution of the war”………….

We can easily say “It is not the Moral”, “It is a Wrong Education” today….
However, in those days, it was not easy……… just almost 60+ years ago…

But, even in that situation, there was a person who struggled against the power for Nichiren Buddhisum and Education through his life….. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi who is the founder of Soka Education.
Yesterday, June 6th, was his birthday.
Not for the State, Not for execution of the war, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi appealed the education “for the happiness of children”, and he was supported by pupil and guardians. However, he was expelled from schools many times by authorities that begrudged him.
Not for the State, Not for execution of the war, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi who is the first president of Soka Gakkai established the sense of value “for one’s Happiness”. And because of that, he was arrested by the military authorities, and died in prison.

He is one of the great mentors of my life.
What is Education for?

It is for “Peace” and “one’s Happiness”.It should not be only for the felicity of a few powers……… Forever!

The 2nd Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, who was also an educator, was in prison together with Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, and liberated after Tsunesaburo’s death at the end of the war.

On September 8th, 1957, he announced the “Declaration Against Nuclear Weapons” at the festival of Soka Gakkai in Yokohama.
The torch in Hiroshima Peace Park will be quenched when whole nuclear weapons in the world are abolished.

The 3rd Soka Gakkai president Daisaku Ikeda, who is also an educator, founded Soka University at Hachioji, Tokyo in the year of 100th anniversary (1971) of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi’s birthday.
TO REALIZE THE EDUCATION FOR “PEACE” AND “ONE’S HAPPINESS” THAT FORMER PRESIDENTS MAKIGUCHI AND TODA ESTABLISHED.

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