Artist Event

シアトルに来て知り合った、アーティストご夫婦に誘われ、絵画やガラス細工等のアーティスト・イベントに行ってみた。

「芸術」のために流す汗は、

人類の平和と文化に直結した汗です。

Each drop of sweat shed for art expands

the river of culture and peace.

- Daisaku Ikeda

Peace-Building Exhibit by UW students / ワシントン大学学生による平和展示会

We stopped by the donuts shop, bought lots of various donuts, and then visited the peace-building exhibition held in University of Washington (UW) today. The host is the group of UW students.



今日は、まずドーナツ屋さんに立ち寄って、いろんなドーナツをたくさん買い（お店のおじさんに３つもおまけしてもらい）、ワシントン大学構内で開催された平和構築のための展示会を訪ねてきた。主催はワシントン大学の学生さん達。

From A Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace

Hosted by:
World Peace Buddhist Group

For a list of speakers, workshops,
and more information, please
contact wpb@u.washington.edu

Or visit webpage at
www.TransformSpirit.blogspot.com

We need to take actions now at where we are now

二十一世紀は”暴力”と”非暴力”の戦い / Violence vs. Nonviolence: The Struggle of the 21st Century

モスクワのある女学校で、宗教の試験があった。主教がやってきて、十誡（じっかい）について、なかんずく、『汝（なんじ）、殺すなかれ』について質問した。

There was a test on the subject of religion in a certain girl's school in Moscow. A bishop had come to the school and was quizzing the girls one by one about the Ten Commandments. When he came to the commandment "Thou shalt not kill," the bishop asked:

「殺すことは、どんな場合でも、神の掟（おきて）によって禁じられていますか？」

"Does God forbid us to kill under all circumstances?"

　　女の子たちは、教師に教えられていた通りに答えた。

The girls each answered as they had been taught.

「いいえ。『どんな場合でも』ではありません。戦争や死刑では『殺してもいい』のです」

"No," they said, "not under all circumstances. We may kill in war or as legal punishment."

「うん、よろしい！　正解！」

"Yes, that's right! You've answered correctly!" said the bishop.

　　ところが、一人の少女は、同じ質問をされて、答えた。興奮で顔を赤らめながら、はっきりと。

Then one of the girls, her face flushed with indignation, spoke up:

「どんな場合にも、だめです！」

"Killing is wrong under all cirmumstances!"

　　あわてた主教が、どんな詭弁（きべん）を弄（ろう）しても、少女は負けなかった。

The bishop was flustered and marshaled all his rhetorical skills to convince the girl that there were exceptions to the commandment against killing, but to no avail.

「いいえ。殺すことは、『どんな場合にも』禁じられています。ちゃんと旧約聖書にかいてあります。その上、イエス様は、殺すことを禁じられただけでなく、隣人に悪いことをしてもならないと教えられました」

"No," she declared. "Killing is a sin under all cirmumstances. It says so in the Old Testament. Moreover, Jesus not only forbade killing but taught that we must do no harm to our neighbors."

少女の正論の前には、主教の威厳も、弁説も、みすぼらしく、何の役にもたたなかった。主教は、ついに沈黙するしかなかった。

In the face of truth in the girl's assertion, the bishop's authority and verbal skills were of no use whatsoever. In the end, he could only fall silent.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

これは、トルストイが、ガンジーへ宛てた手紙に書いた感動のエピソードである。（1910年9月7日）

This moving episode was related in Tolstoy's letter addressed to Mahatma Gandhi. (September 7, 1910)

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

トルストイは誇らしげに書いた。

「女の子が、勝ったのです」

The young girl, Tolstoy wrote with evident satisfaction, had proven victorious.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) 池田大作名誉会長は訴える。

私も一緒に訴える。

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda declared.

I would also declare.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

二十一世紀の真の戦いは、文明と文明との戦いでも、宗教と宗教との戦いでもない。『暴力』に対する『非暴力』の戦いである。『野蛮』に対する『文明』の戦いである。

The real struggle of the 21st century will not be between civilizations, nor between religions. It will be between violence and nonviolence. It will be between barbarity and civilization in the truest sense of the word.

対話を！　対話を！　何があろうと対話を！

「力にものを言わせる」時代を終わらせなければ、二十一世紀もまた「戦争の世紀」になってしまう。

We must reach out to others through dialogue, repeatedly and regardless of the challenges involved. If we do not change the thinking that so easily turns to the use of force to settle disputes, the 21st century will become yet another century of war.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

イスラエルとアラブ諸国を仲介する努力をしておられたエジプトのムバラク大統領もまた、

池田ＳＧＩ名誉会長と中東平和について語り合われた祭、このように強く強く述べている。

During the discussion with SGI President Ikeda about the issue of peace in the Middle East, Egyptian President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, who had worked to mediate between the Israelis and Arab countries, repeatedly emphasized that:

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

「中東の未来は、あくまで粘り強く『対話』を続けるところにあります」

「もはや『力』による問題の解決は不可能な時代に入りました」

"The region's future peace hinged on the success of persistent efforts toward dialogue."

"It was no longer possible to resolve these issues by force."

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

池田ＳＧＩ名誉会長はさらに訴えている。

SGI President Ikeda further declared.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

文明の名にあたいする「非暴力の道」を本気で模索していくべきではないか。

We call for the earnest pursuit of nonviolence as a path worthy of civilized society.

侵略者やテロに対する、公正な国際的裁判のシステムを！

We urge that a fair and just international tribunal be established to try those responsible for acts of invasion and terror.

そして不信感を信頼に変える努力を！

We urge that all efforts be made to transform distrust into trust.

それこそが「テロ」という「暴力の崇拝」への根本的な治療策ではないだろうか。

For this is the most effective and fundamental antidote to terrorism and its repugnant worship of violence.

対話を！　対話を！　何があろうと対話を！

We must reach out to others through dialogue, repeatedly and regardless of the challenges involved.

「力」で他国の民衆の声を抑えこんでの平和とは、

Peace that is based on the forceful suppression of people's voices and concerns, whether it be in your own or other countries, is

「死の平和」である。

a "Dead Peace".

「墓場の平和」である。

--- "The Peace of the Grave".

冬は必ず春となる ~"Winter Always Turns to Spring"

ついに雪が舞い降りた　（12月13日夜）
It started to snow finally..... December 13th







シアトルで、二度目の冬
This is the second winter in Seattle

冬は大嫌いだが、冬が来ると思い起こす大好きな言葉がある
I do not like winter at all but I always remind one saying that I love in winter



「冬は必ず春となる」

"Winter Always Turns to Spring"






オーストリアにも「雨の後には必ず太陽が輝く」といった言葉があるそうだ。
Austria has similar sayings such as "After the rain comes sunshine"


共に勇気を鼓舞してくれる希望の哲学だ
Both of them are the philosophy of hope, a source of encouragement

12月10日は、世界人権宣言60周年であった

December 10th was the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

前文にはこうある：　「全人類一人一人の尊厳と、平等かつ奪うことのできない権利こそ、自由、正義、そして、世界平和を構築する上での基礎であり土台である！」

The preamble says: "Wereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, ....."



自由も、正義も、世界平和も、どれ一つとして与えられるものではない
だからこそ、勝ち取るために、勝ち続けるために、希望の哲学がいやまして光を放つ!
Freedom, justice, world peace, ..... none of them is provided to you automatically.
That's why the phylosophy of hope illuminates the humanity to win, keep winning!

Q&A: Nuclear Arms Are No Longer "Necessary Evils"

Inter Press Service (IPS) interviewed Dr.Daisaku Ikeda, President of Soka Gakkai International (SGI)...

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43416 … English

http://www.ips-j.org/2/ … Japanese

I really hope many people in the world, especially in Japan and in the five states recognised as nuclear weapons states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)...... the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia.

The responsibility for nuclear disarmament and abolition lies with us.

"World Peace" is expanding from where you are.

You can also learn about and get involved in 2020 vision (on nuclear disarmament: a proposal to end nuclear weapons by the year 2020) as a concerned Citizen!

Welcome, concerned citizen! ---> http://www.2020visioncampaign.org/

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.

思いがけずライト兄弟生誕の地で迎えた誕生日 4/19 (Japanese-English)

朝から地平線に綺麗な虹がでた
Beautiful rainbow arched on the horizon in the morning.

何も無いシンシナティ。。。しかし車で約1時間北上すると、デイトンという街にエア･フォース・ミュージアム。

Nothing in Cincinnati.......but there is an Air Force Museum in one hour drive toward the north (Dayton).

もうこれで4回目だ。。。。お客様を連れていざ出発！

This is the fourth time..... Now, let's depart taking customers!

おおおおおお！　うつくしいーー！

Wow! It's really beautiful !

こういう世界中にあるミュージアムも、ただ単に科学技術の歴史を伝えるだけでなく、子供達の心に戦争の悲惨さ・残酷さを刻み付ける平和の砦に早く生まれ変わってほしいと願ってやまない。

Really hope that this kind of museum in the world will be re-born as a fort of peace implanting the Misery and Horror of war in minds of children..... not only showing the history of technology.

この日は私の誕生日！　アメリカに来て二年目の誕生日！

Today is my birthday! The second birthday in America!

去年の誕生日はノース･カロライナ州で迎え、今年はオハイオ州。。。。妻はワシントン州・シアトル。。。。

I was in North Carolina on the last birthday.... This year, I'm in Ohio.... My wife is in Seattle, WA...

ワシントン州・シアトル、ノース･カロライナ州・ダーラム、カリフォルニア州・ヴィクトービル、そしてオハイオ州・シンシナティ、。。。。。旅は続く。。。。。

Seattle/WA, Durham/NC, Victorville/CA, and Cincinnati/OH, ...... Never ending tour ......

エア･フォース・ミュージアムで十分満喫し、「さー帰ろう」というところで一人のお客様が一枚の紙を取り出し、「ここにも行ってみたいのですが。。。」

It was time to leave after spending enough time to enjoy the museum..... then, one of them picked one paper from his bag and said...."I'd like to go to this place also".....

ん？　ライト兄弟の家？　え？　ライト兄弟の家ってデイトンにあったの？！？！
Hold on! The house of Wright Brothers? What? The Wright Brother's House was in Dayton?!?!

なんというめぐり合わせ。。。。

What a chance for me!

建て替えられていたが、確かにライト兄弟が生まれ、過ごした場所だった！

Although the building was reconstructed, it was surely the place where the Wright Brothers were born and spending their lives!

彼らの科学技術への貢献、彼らが飛行機を開発した理由は、決して戦争に役立てるためではなかった。。。。
原点を忘れないこと、恩を忘れないことがいかに大切か。。。。

Their contribution to Technology, the reason why they developed aircraft were definately not for War.....
How important it is not to forget the origin and its favor.....

Unexpectedly warmer Cincinnati.....only today?

From Seattle to Cincinnati.....


4 hours flight + 3 hours time difference
It takes one day just for the trip from WA to OH....


It is unexpectedly warmer than last year in Cincinnati! .... very fortunately!

Opened the book "CHOOSE HOPE" again in the hotel room......


"It is important to make concrete proposals toward the peace of humankind and to take the lead in seeing them realized."
"Concrete proposals - even if they are not immediately realized - become the sparks from which the light of peace will grow. Empty talk is futile. The concreteness of a proposal is the pillar of its realization, which supports the roof protecting humanity."

As mentioned in the book, Mr. Daisaku Ikeda-the author of this book has kept releasing the "Peace Proposal" on January 26th every year from 1983.

It was shocking for me to know about that the "Global Warming" possibly cause "Nuclear Weapon Spreading"......

I hope this proposal would be read by people.... as many people in the globe as possible...

not only the limitted people like UN workers but also individual global citizens.



One part of 2008 Peace Proposal was introduced in JAPAN TIMES (1.31.2008) :
"Say no to nukes in the Arctic"
DAISAKU IKEDA
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20080131a1.html

"Choose Hope" for Peace in the Nuclear Age

The question to myself in the last blog yesterday was.....
"Why we can not eliminate War?"

Conversely saying, especially in our current Nuclear age, "How can we eliminate Nuclear Weapon and create Peace?"

I realized again today that my wife is great after all, women is great after all....
She has the books to answer my questions already!



According to her, she strongly recommended me to read this book looooong time ago, but my reaction was not so positive enough to read at that time......

Although that is somewhere at my mind, ....... the past is the past..... anyway, I had a passion to read this book today! :-)



This is the Dialogue between Mr.David Krieger and Mr.Daisaku Ikeda.

Mr.Krieger is a founder of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation,


and, Mr.Ikeda is a president of the SGI (Soka Gakkai International).


Their Dialogue is started like this..........................

+++IKEDA+++
Today, we confront the need to turn human history away from its customary course of war and violence and toward peace and harmonious coexistence. One of the most important aspects of the task is the abolition of nuclear weapons.
The nuclear arsenals in the world today are many thousands of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nonetheless, political and military interests avert our eyes from this tremendous danger.
Author Jonathan Schell sounded an alarm some time ago in his now-classic bestseller The Fate of the Earth, in which he spoke of the "death of death." After a nuclear war, death would cease to exist because life would be no more.

+++KRIEGER+++
It is difficult to imagine a world without life, but nuclear weapons make such a world possible, at least for much of life that includes humans. Without humans, there can be no history. Without humans, there is no possibility to interpret and convery the past to the future. The end of human life would mean the end of human intelligence, creativity and, ironically, the application of technologies.
If other intelligent life exists in the universe, perhaps future space archaeologists coming to earth would descern that our species reached this critical juncture and failed to muster the will to control its own species-threatening technologies. I doubt they could ascertain why we failed. But if they visit earth within the first 240,000 years after our annihilation, traces of plutonium 239 in the environment would alert them to how we failed.



This book will give me the answer........, and give you the answer...........