Courageous Propagation for the Peace of the Land

“By joyfully chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and sharing Buddhism with others, we connect our lives with that of the Buddha, function as the Buddha’s emissaries and live as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. In other words, through this practice of faith for the sake of self and others alike, the power of the Buddha wells up within us and the life state of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth beats in our hearts. We are filled with great joy and a burning desire to help other living beings, and our lives are transformed.”^[1]

—Ikeda Sensei

Sharing the life-affirming teachings of Nichiren Buddhism with others is not only an act of great compassion, but also an essential requirement for attaining enlightenment ourselves.

Why do we spread the Law? Ikeda Sensei explains: “Shakyamuni called on his disciples: ‘Go forth for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many.’ Our practice doesn’t end with our own enlightenment; its purpose is to realize happiness for both ourselves and others. This is what makes Buddhism a truly humanistic religion.”^[2]

On August 14, 1947, the 19-year-old Daisaku Ikeda attended his first Soka Gakkai discussion meeting at the invitation of a friend. It was there that he encountered his lifelong mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda. Moved by Mr. Toda’s candid and honest responses to his questions about life, Daisaku Ikeda decided to join the Soka Gakkai 10 days later, on August 24, thus setting into motion the spread of Buddhism around the world. Every August, SGI members reaffirm their vow to propagate this Buddhism for the peace of the land.

This summer, SGI-USA released a new, compelling Introduction to Buddhism video that chronicles the lineage of Buddhism from Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin to the present-day Soka Gakkai. This video serves as a great tool to use in our courageous efforts to share Buddhism with our friends and family. Let’s continue planting the seeds of Buddhahood, grounded in the conviction that each life is irreplaceable and all are worthy of respect.