Seeking to Build a Community of Life through Humanistic Education
This Fall Forum was dedicated to RUMIKO EYLATH, Soka Educator Community Member in Israel.
The Buddhist Principle of Creating the Correct Relationship between Religion and Politics in Education; Helping Nurture Social Consciousness in Our Communities using the 2008 Peace Proposal was the theme for the 2008 Fall Forum. Why has it been so hard for the world to create the correct relationship between religion and politics, or Obutsu Myogo in Japanese. We will use (OM) to refer to this principle. What action should we take? How do we help our students create a world more in harmony than the present? How can the Peace Proposals guide us?
Ultimately, young people hold the keys to the future. What we teach, then, creates the future. Sensei presents a model of engaged Buddhist humanism in his peace proposals. He is a model of OM and he wants us to take action in the areas of human rights education, particularly developing human dignity, ecological integrity, and the infrastructures of peace. How do we help others use the proposals as well?
Obutsu Myogo or the Correct Relationship between Religion and Politics
As Nichiren says, "The nation achieves prosperity through the Buddhist Law, and the Law is proven worthy of reverence by the people who embrace it." (WND p.18). Our human revolution impacts our society. Our deeper level of compassion and joy changes the environment (esho funi or life and environment are one). One participant said that as she developed her teaching skills according to Soka education values, she found her external environment also became more humanistic and the children valued her more. As Sensei says, "never deviate from the human scale"!
There are many different kinds of secular/religious relationships and many have been been problematic. Sensei believes that an institution should not try and influence another overtly but create change through the transformation of the human being who practices a particular philosophy of life. The inconsiderate blending of religion and politics can lead to confusion, disregard and lack of compassion but the perfect blending of spiritualism and politics can heighten the awareness of all peoples. As a Komeito Party member said, it doesn't matter whether you are in politics or any other field -- the principle is the same and has the same effect- you change for the better and the country will change for the better. This is how change manifests in our collective consciousness.
Teaching to nurture social consciousness is an example. One participant models "A blue more blue than the indigo" and encourages her students to play an important part in the world wide stage of peace. Youth must feel loved, feel free to express themselves and be honored by being listened to. Once, the youth feel this energy around them or for them then they will feel compelled to move forward in their lives, education and careers. The youth will then be the "models of engaged humanism" as well.
Makiguchi, Gandhi and OM Special Report
Dr. Namrata Sharma, a SGI member, held a Seminar on her book "Makiguchi and Gandhi, Their Educational Relevance for the 21st Century” in London. Also a SEIN participant, Dr. Sharma discussed the issues of citizenship and political education. Students should develop their own sense of self within the community. Gandhi, a great citizen, put his own religion at the centre of his thought correctly This helped him create the change needed in his society and the world. Soka educators can be the site of resistance and renaissance. Then we can help others see the important role, character and compassion of the teacher.
Obutsu Myogo & the 2008 Peace Proposal
"The Buddha's admonition to his followers, 'Live as islands unto yourselves, being your own refuge, with no one else as your refuge, with the Dharma as an island, with the Dharma as your refuge, with no other refuge.'" teaches us to be the site of resistance and renaissance. That is why Makiguchi felt the relationship between the teacher and the student is paramount. The whole world is moving towards dialogue and global citizenship. The application of OM also goes beyond the state and can guide us.
We discussed the difference between self mastery and self discipline and becoming a great teacher. Self mastery is finding the wisdom to find the right way to help a student and self discipline is the support we give to the individual's own efforts to learn what he or she needs to learn. Self mastery is also to perceive what problems are temporary and are the path to our human revolution or growth. Compassion enables the self mastery and the self discipline. Concentration on self mastery and self-discipline creates the vortex that enables you to be that great teacher.
Human Rights Education Framework: Human Dignity, Ecological Integrity and Infrastructures of Peace
To make human dignity our highest value we need to apply dialogue to our daily lives. Teachers have the power to enhance children's appreciation of human dignity or to cloud it with authoritarianism. A good teacher can be a wonderful mentor helping us reveal our seeds of Buddhahood and a bad one can make us cynical or hostile. The conscious role of the teacher as human dignifier is important.
Makiguchi stressed that individuals should be aware of three levels of citizenship: local, national and global. We are all citizens of the world and need the wisdom to balance our quality of life with the needs of the natural world. We need to take action in our homes and communities, engage as citizens and connect globally. We need a global dialogue on sustainable living to be a global "healing village."
Sensei patiently submits a peace proposal each year with profound suggestions on how to build infrastructures of peace. Wouldn't it be great if the world read and discuss these proposals? Eventually the value of them would sink in. We can start by drawing the best out of each student.
Accessing the Peace Proposal
The final week we discussed how best to help others use the peace proposals, both in education and in the SGI and our communities. We can bring a global perspective to local issues; create a "healing community" in school; and look for ways to cohere the issues in the peace proposals to curricula. To help other SGI members and the greater community we suggest choosing topics of interest to them and having a great discussion or sharing experiences on how we have personally affected the environment around us. We also talked through the issue that some people do not respect the people Sensei praises. We agreed that we can help by first grasping Sensei's perspective ourselves and gradually enabling others to examine our perspective that everyone has a Buddha nature and is therefore respect worthy.
The SOKA EDUCATORS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK is a volunteer project created to inspire educators who are implementing Soka Education in different ways. Our blog is http://www.sein2008.blogspot.com. The Newsletter's new goal is to create a robust network of Soka educators to support the growing development of humanistic education. To be added to the mailing list or removed from it, or to receive back issues, please contact Stephanie Tansey at Tansey@usa.net.
This Fall Forum was dedicated to RUMIKO EYLATH, Soka Educator Community Member in Israel.
The Buddhist Principle of Creating the Correct Relationship between Religion and Politics in Education; Helping Nurture Social Consciousness in Our Communities using the 2008 Peace Proposal was the theme for the 2008 Fall Forum. Why has it been so hard for the world to create the correct relationship between religion and politics, or Obutsu Myogo in Japanese. We will use (OM) to refer to this principle. What action should we take? How do we help our students create a world more in harmony than the present? How can the Peace Proposals guide us?
Ultimately, young people hold the keys to the future. What we teach, then, creates the future. Sensei presents a model of engaged Buddhist humanism in his peace proposals. He is a model of OM and he wants us to take action in the areas of human rights education, particularly developing human dignity, ecological integrity, and the infrastructures of peace. How do we help others use the proposals as well?
Obutsu Myogo or the Correct Relationship between Religion and Politics
As Nichiren says, "The nation achieves prosperity through the Buddhist Law, and the Law is proven worthy of reverence by the people who embrace it." (WND p.18). Our human revolution impacts our society. Our deeper level of compassion and joy changes the environment (esho funi or life and environment are one). One participant said that as she developed her teaching skills according to Soka education values, she found her external environment also became more humanistic and the children valued her more. As Sensei says, "never deviate from the human scale"!
There are many different kinds of secular/religious relationships and many have been been problematic. Sensei believes that an institution should not try and influence another overtly but create change through the transformation of the human being who practices a particular philosophy of life. The inconsiderate blending of religion and politics can lead to confusion, disregard and lack of compassion but the perfect blending of spiritualism and politics can heighten the awareness of all peoples. As a Komeito Party member said, it doesn't matter whether you are in politics or any other field -- the principle is the same and has the same effect- you change for the better and the country will change for the better. This is how change manifests in our collective consciousness.
Teaching to nurture social consciousness is an example. One participant models "A blue more blue than the indigo" and encourages her students to play an important part in the world wide stage of peace. Youth must feel loved, feel free to express themselves and be honored by being listened to. Once, the youth feel this energy around them or for them then they will feel compelled to move forward in their lives, education and careers. The youth will then be the "models of engaged humanism" as well.
Makiguchi, Gandhi and OM Special Report
Dr. Namrata Sharma, a SGI member, held a Seminar on her book "Makiguchi and Gandhi, Their Educational Relevance for the 21st Century” in London. Also a SEIN participant, Dr. Sharma discussed the issues of citizenship and political education. Students should develop their own sense of self within the community. Gandhi, a great citizen, put his own religion at the centre of his thought correctly This helped him create the change needed in his society and the world. Soka educators can be the site of resistance and renaissance. Then we can help others see the important role, character and compassion of the teacher.
Obutsu Myogo & the 2008 Peace Proposal
"The Buddha's admonition to his followers, 'Live as islands unto yourselves, being your own refuge, with no one else as your refuge, with the Dharma as an island, with the Dharma as your refuge, with no other refuge.'" teaches us to be the site of resistance and renaissance. That is why Makiguchi felt the relationship between the teacher and the student is paramount. The whole world is moving towards dialogue and global citizenship. The application of OM also goes beyond the state and can guide us.
We discussed the difference between self mastery and self discipline and becoming a great teacher. Self mastery is finding the wisdom to find the right way to help a student and self discipline is the support we give to the individual's own efforts to learn what he or she needs to learn. Self mastery is also to perceive what problems are temporary and are the path to our human revolution or growth. Compassion enables the self mastery and the self discipline. Concentration on self mastery and self-discipline creates the vortex that enables you to be that great teacher.
Human Rights Education Framework: Human Dignity, Ecological Integrity and Infrastructures of Peace
To make human dignity our highest value we need to apply dialogue to our daily lives. Teachers have the power to enhance children's appreciation of human dignity or to cloud it with authoritarianism. A good teacher can be a wonderful mentor helping us reveal our seeds of Buddhahood and a bad one can make us cynical or hostile. The conscious role of the teacher as human dignifier is important.
Makiguchi stressed that individuals should be aware of three levels of citizenship: local, national and global. We are all citizens of the world and need the wisdom to balance our quality of life with the needs of the natural world. We need to take action in our homes and communities, engage as citizens and connect globally. We need a global dialogue on sustainable living to be a global "healing village."
Sensei patiently submits a peace proposal each year with profound suggestions on how to build infrastructures of peace. Wouldn't it be great if the world read and discuss these proposals? Eventually the value of them would sink in. We can start by drawing the best out of each student.
Accessing the Peace Proposal
The final week we discussed how best to help others use the peace proposals, both in education and in the SGI and our communities. We can bring a global perspective to local issues; create a "healing community" in school; and look for ways to cohere the issues in the peace proposals to curricula. To help other SGI members and the greater community we suggest choosing topics of interest to them and having a great discussion or sharing experiences on how we have personally affected the environment around us. We also talked through the issue that some people do not respect the people Sensei praises. We agreed that we can help by first grasping Sensei's perspective ourselves and gradually enabling others to examine our perspective that everyone has a Buddha nature and is therefore respect worthy.
The SOKA EDUCATORS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK is a volunteer project created to inspire educators who are implementing Soka Education in different ways. Our blog is http://www.sein2008.blogspot.com. The Newsletter's new goal is to create a robust network of Soka educators to support the growing development of humanistic education. To be added to the mailing list or removed from it, or to receive back issues, please contact Stephanie Tansey at Tansey@usa.net.
