A Youthful Diary

Wednesday - Snow

It is spring.
Spring, when youth are full of life and
their fighting spirit dances.
Spring!
Spring, when a warm and golden breeze
touches the icy snow of youth’
suffering.
Nature, vibrant with life.
The season heralds blessings.
A stage adorned with dreams of joys and
sorrows.
It is spring.
Green leaves, flowers and birds live to
their utmost.
The philosopher smiles, even gloomy
hearts are pierced by the sunlight.
Spring, spring of freedom.
The joy of life dances in the heart of
youth.
Spring is near. Spring of the earth.
Spring of humanity.

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Spring: This is a reference to the lunar calendar, which was followed in Nichiren Daishonin’s time According to the lunar calendar, spring arrices much closer to the beginning of the year.

Monday - Clear

You, why do you suffer so?
Why do you weep so much?
Why do you worry thus?
Suffer as you must,
   for the young shoots to break through
   the fragrant earth
   and shoot up straight.
Weep as you will,
   for you cannot help weeping,
   until the day that you behold the sun
   beyond the rainy season.
Worry as you must,
   for until the darkness of midnight
   passes,
   you cannot behold the solemn
   breaking of the dawn.

Home at 10:00. Read from Milton’s Paradise Lost.

Sunday - Cloudy

Spent the entire day at Mr. Toda’s house. My spirits soared doing gongyo with him. We continued yesterday’s task of organising various documents.

He is so perfectly composed. His life state is inconceivably great.

No matter what sufferings may await me, I will always count as my highest, greatest happiness the honour of having studied under this man.

Cold all day.

Home at 11:00. Opened the Gosho, but my brain utterly refuses to function.

Saturday - Cloudy

Went to Mr. Toda’s at 11:30. A slightly cold New Year’s season. Put the company’s business documents in order together with Mr. Toda.

Helped with various matters all evening at his house. He also gave me guidance and instruction. I keenly sense his extraordinary resolve.

Mr. Toda is like Masashige, while I am like Masatsura. His wife wept. Never throughout my life will I forget the emotion, solemnity, tears, sense of mission, of karmic bonds and of life’s worth that I have experienced today. It has been decided that I will be his successor.

A stormy year has dawned, and it advances moment by moment. Overcoming all sufferings, I will strive throughout this year as a man and as a youth.

Let this be the year of dawn for the Soka Gakkai and for our company.

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Masashige … Masatsura: Kusunoki Masashige (? - 1336) was a warrior chieftain of Kawachi province who supported the short-lived Kemmu Resortation (1333-1335) of Emperor Go-Daigo, following the collapse of the Kamakura regime. He is regarded as a personification of the virtues of courage and loyalty. Masatsura, his son, supported him in his committed struggle.

Sunday - Fine and clear

In the morning, went to clean up the office.

Returned in the evening. Straightened my room a bit. Went to the baths for the first time in a while. Ate alone at a sushi shop on the way home.

Next year, I want to go to night school again.

Next year, I want to study to my heart’s content.

I cannot foresee what turns my destiny will take next year.

Next year, too, my whole life will be to act as my teacher guides me.

The twenty-second year of my youth is ending, etching in my heart its history and memories in the working of cause and effects.

To bed at 12:50.