Become ‘Victors in Happiness’

Ikeda Sensei offers encouragement to SGI-USA members taking the study department examinations in Los Angeles in 1963. This episode takes place in The New Human Revolution, vol. 7. Sensei appears in the novel as Shin’ichi Yamamoto.

“Thank you very much for taking the trouble to come here and challenge this exam,” [Shin’ichi Yamamoto] said. “Some of you must be wondering why we have to study such difficult Buddhist theory, when surely it’s simply enough to chant and receive benefit. Please bear in mind, however, that while correct faith does bring tremendous benefit, it is also fraught with obstacles and difficulties. Unless you have a solid grounding in study, you’ll start to have doubts when problems arise.

“When oppression by the military authorities led to the arrests of [first and second Soka Gakkai presidents Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda] during World War II, all of their fellow Soka Gakkai leaders abandoned their faith. The reason was that those leaders had not studied and did not understand the principles of this Buddhism.

“But when we study Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings thoroughly, we know why obstacles and persecution accompany correct faith and understand how we can attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. Similarly, when talking to others about Buddhism, we can explain why the Daishonin’s teaching is great and elucidate what constitutes a correct religion in a clear, logical and convincing manner. That is why Nichiren stresses that practice must go hand in hand with study. He urges: ‘Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism’ (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 386). …

“The exams we have in the Soka Gakkai are to encourage you in your study of Buddhism. The main point is that you not only strengthen your determination to continue studying the Daishonin’s teachings throughout your life but strive to put into practice what you have learned through these exams, even if just a word or a phrase. Your goal is not simply to pass a test but to become winners in faith, victors in happiness.” (NHR-7, 128–29)