On November 23, 2023, a Soka Gakkai Memorial Service for Daisaku Ikeda, Honorary President of Soka Gakkai and President of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), was conducted from 1:30 p.m. at the Toda Memorial Auditorium in Sugamo, Tokyo. The service was broadcast live to 1,000 venues throughout the 47 prefectures of Japan.
Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada, General Director Shigeo Hasegawa and national Women’s Division Leader Kimiko Nagaishi attended the service with other divisional and regional representatives from around the country.
President Harada led the recitation of portions of the Lotus Sutra and the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to honor President Ikeda’s extraordinary contributions as a mentor and an eternal example of a life dedicated to kosen-rufu—creating a peaceful world and promoting understanding of the humanistic philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism.
Senior Vice President Hiromasa Ikeda then expressed his heartfelt gratitude as a representative of the Ikeda family for the messages of condolence received from throughout Japan and the world, and for the Soka Gakkai Memorial Service held for his father, the first of its kind since that held for second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda in 1958.
Ms. Nagaishi expressed her profound gratitude to President Ikeda and her determination to fulfill his wish for gardens of peace to flourish in every corner of the world.
President Harada noted that the date of printing of first president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi’s Soka Kyoikugaku Taikei (The System of Value-Creating Pedagogy) was given as November 15, 1930, and the book was subsequently published on November 18, Soka Gakkai Founding Day. He expressed deep emotion, reflecting on the passing of President Ikeda on such a significant date. He pledged to repay his debt of gratitude by working to build a world of peace and human dignity together with fellow members around the globe.
The memorial service concluded with a showing of a commemorative video featuring scenes from President Ikeda’s remarkable life of 95 years.
Memorial services in the United States will take place on Sunday. Please contact your local organization for more information.
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