My name is Rev. Kazumasa Yoshinaga.

It is a great pleasure and honor to introduce myself on my second assignment to the role of serving the community of the International Buddhist Congregation (IBC) of Rissho Kosei-kai.

I served at the IBC previously from 2014 to 2017 and I am very excited to once again study the Buddha's teachings and practice them together with all the members of the IBC, especially through learning and applying the teachings of the Lotus Sutra in everyday life.

In 2021 we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the International Buddhist Congregation of Rissho Kosei-kai.

As you know, three years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and it has had a major effect on our daily lives. In order to fully adopt preventive measures, Rissho Kosei-kai has closed the Great Sacred Hall and its major facilities in Tokyo as well as all its Dharma Centers in Japan. At the IBC we have also suspended most of our in-person activities. The IBC has fortunately been able to continue many religious activities on Zoom.

Although we are still coping with the pandemic, we are grateful to gradually restart our normal activities.

In December 2020, I was assigned as the Minister of the International Buddhist Congregation. Upon receiving this responsibility, I deeply felt that it was the most opportune time to, together with the IBC core members, re-examine all the IBC programs.

Since February 2021, we have reviewed the IBC history and discussed ways how to learn and practice the Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives. As a result of these meetings, we reached a shared conclusion on the future ideal image for the IBC.

Our future ideal image of the IBC is as follows.

1.　We form a Global Sangha

The first image of the IBC is to promote a Global Sangha. The IBC can be a promising model of a Global Sangha.

2.　We can develop groups for each language-speaking community

The second image of the IBC is a Global Sangha of groups able to meet the members’ language needs. We form language-based groups in the IBC as components of our Global Sangha.

In order to realize the above-mentioned future image of the IBC, we are holding many activities.

With our own awareness that everything including us is caused to live by the Great Life of the Universe, that is, the Eternal Buddha, and that we are living the same life as the Eternal Buddha, we are looking forward to learning and practicing the Buddha’s teachings together with you in everyday life to become cheerful, kind, and warmhearted Buddhists.

With palms placed together.

Rev. Kazumasa Yoshinaga

Minister

International Buddhist Congregation (IBC)