Securing The 21st Century

Expanding the “spiritual bridge to the new century.

Gwyneth Addo, CEO of Hair Senta who recently launched her new book titled ‘Direction.” Gathered are individuals from diverse fields and backgrounds who all have read the book DIRECTION. They sat to share their different viewpoints on the book.

Tsasi: I am also a Ghanaian, but after flipping through the book at the website, the book is meant to be a road map meaning: people need such a self-help book”, people need a cure. 

What I applaud most is Gwyneth’s courage and action for change between Ghanaians to open the way to peace for the 21st century Ghana.

Her shared belief in the power of dialogue through the discussion of her book on the topic of fear, and change, such topics are life philosophies and worldviews.

THE TRAVELLER WHO SPOKE THESE WORDS IN SORROW TO HIS HOST.

And it starts with a traveller who spoke these words in sorrow to his HOST…Famine and epidemics rage more fiercely than ever, beggars are everywhere in sight, and scenes of death fill our eyes.

Corpses pile up in mounds like observation platforms, and dead bodies lie side by side like planks on a bridge…Why is it that the world has already fallen into decline and that the laws of the state have come to an end? What is wrong? What error has been committed?

The HOST then spoke: I have been brooding alone upon this matter, Indignant in my heart, but now that you have come, we can lament together. Let us discuss this question at length…

I have pondered the matter carefully with what limited resources I possess, and have looked a little at the scriptures for an answer. 

The people of today all turn their backs upon what is right; to a person, they give their allegiance to evil. This is the reason that the benevolent deities have abandoned the nation and departed together, that sages leave and do not return. And in their stead devils and demons come, and disasters and calamities occur. I cannot keep silent upon this matter. I cannot suppress my fears (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 6-7).

I think the essay “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” is one of the most famous of Nichiren Daishonin’s writings. It was written while Daishonin was in his 30s and was the first major scholarly essay he wrote after he began to teach Nam-myoho-renge-kyo if I am right.?

Tsasi: Indeed you are right, in many ways, it marks the formal beginning of his effort to bring peace and happiness to society and the people through propagation of the true Law.

The entire essay is written in a question and answer format, with a “traveller” seeking to understand why his country, 13th century Japan-was suffering so much. 

At the time, Japan was in economic and political turmoil, and disease, famine and death were common. The dominant religion in Japan was Buddhism, and since the religion promises peace and prosperity, the traveller was wondering why the nation was in such difficulty. 

Gwyneth: It was such a sense of crisis that led Jesus to  criticise and issue warnings. Kwame Nkrumah, Yaa Asantewaa, Martin Luther, Nelson Mandela and myself also fall in this category.

Tsasi: Nichiren Daishonin too, began the same way as he represented, the “Host” Nichiren Daishonin, who explained to his Guest that although Japan seems to embrace Buddhism, actually the teachings that most of the people embraced were not Buddhist at all. 

Gwyneth: Our christianity, too as the same way, needs a religious reform, a movement aimed to revitalise a christianity that is turned into money collection, falsely prophesying people’s death. 

Tsasi: Exactly. That is why we need a reliable set of criteria to judge the authenticity of prophecies in the country.

What should be the criteria, then?

Tsasi: When you look at the report of the Deputy Minister of the National Cathedral foundation, Mr John Kumah. He said and I quote: “We imported ‘sacred Jerusalem stone’ for the National Cathedral foundation. 

He has revealed that the government imported a ‘sacred Jerusalem stone’ from Israel to lay the foundation for the National Cathedral.

Gwyneth: That is probably the reason why christianity in Ghana needs reformation because it rejects and disregards the suffering of the people of Ghana in order to bring distress to the land.

Tsasi: To return to our discussion, Nichiren Daishonin explained that the suffering that people were experiencing was the result of embracing an incorrect view of life. The point of this essay, then, is to show that by practising the correct teaching and upholding the correct view of life, a person can not only become happy themself, but can actually help to transform society.

But what lessons does this essay teach us, who live in Ghana in the 21st century? 

Tsasi: The format of this essay discussion between a sceptical “Guest” who is not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations and a confident “HOST” is the spirit of propagation through patient dialogue and is kind of an example or exercise to model. 

By the end of the dialogue, the Guest is fully convinced and embraces Daishonin’s teachings, accepting Nichiren as his teacher and mentor.

Gwyneth: ln the first question the traveller wonders:   (1)”What is wrong? 

(2) What error has been committed?

Tsasi: In general, the view of the traveller represents an erroneous view that the Daishonin will refute and correct, but in this first question, we see a spirit of honest and open seeking. 

Today of course, very few people would ask why disasters or tragedies occur. When we watch the news and hear of another killing of Ghanians in their homes or of some horror committed in some distant village, do many people ask why?  or do most people wince, shrug and say it’s “just life.”

Gwyneth:

In asking “What is wrong? What error has been committed?” a belief is expressed that things shouldn’t be that way; that if people are suffering and the world is in disarray, it’s not the natural state of affairs, it’s because something is wrong. 

More to the point, asking these questions expresses hope that there is some way to correct what is wrong, to fix the error and to find a way for us to create a better country where corruption, disrespect and disregard to citizens don’t happen. 

We need to return to this kind of attitude, to ask ourselves when we see the country we live in! “What is wrong? 

What error has been committed,” not to look for false answers, but to see the ways in which we are responsible and can take responsibility for the country in which we are born in and live.

Tsasi: What is the Motto for Ghana?

Gwyneth: Freedom and Justice.

Tsasi: When the scene is not fun, somebody will have to speak out, just as the Deputy finance Minister  John Kumah has revealed that the government imported a sacred Jerusalem stone from Israel to lay the foundation for the National Cathedral.

1. How is your conviction that stones bought from Israel, a country that is killing Palestinians and robbing them from their lives, land and everything bring prosperity and peace to Ghana?

2. What do most Ghanaians look at as the basis of their happiness, prosperity and security?

3. In your view, does Ghanaian society embrace a ” correct view”?

4. What are the misleading teachings of contemporary Ghana?

Let’s look for the next episode for answers to the four questions. Thank you Gwyneth.