In this excerpt from volume 6 of The New Human Revolution, Ikeda Sensei writes about an editorial he penned for the April 1962 issue of the Daibyakurenge, titled “To the Student Division,” in which he offers guidelines to the student division members. Sensei appears in the novel as Shin’ichi Yamamoto.
Revealing his high hopes for them, Shin’ichi [Yamamoto] had written: “The direction for all young people in the Soka Gakkai is clearly expressed in Josei Toda’s ‘Precepts for Youth’ and ‘Youth, Be Patriotic.’ But among all our young people, it is the student division members in particular who must have a sense of responsibility and an awareness of their role as trailblazers.”
Right at the outset, Shin’ichi declared that it was their mission to lead the way in the kosen-rufu movement. From then on, trailblazing became a byword and a proud tradition of the student division.
Shin’ichi went on to express his belief that the student division was the future’s only hope. The trend of the times, he said, shows the ideals of students in society at large degenerating into self-interest and pleasure-seeking. Students were losing their sense of mission to build a new world, their desire to work for the happiness of humanity, among the people. Only the growth of the student division, whose members based themselves on the humanistic philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism, could counteract this trend, he asserted.
Shin’ichi quoted a lecture by Josei Toda affirming that Buddhism is a supreme philosophy that can give positive direction to all human activities, including science, government, and commerce. Shin’ichi then outlined where he felt the students should put their energies now:
Please be confident that all of your earnest daily efforts to build a solid basis for your future—based on a clear awareness of your mission, a strong Buddhist practice, and the recognition that your studies are your key priority right now—constitute an important contribution to kosen-rufu.
Learning is the accumulation of knowledge and a crucial part of the process of acquiring wisdom. Buddhism is wisdom; it’s a philosophy that we actually can apply in our daily lives. It is important to realize that Buddhist wisdom makes it possible for us to put all the knowledge we accumulate to the best use for society.
Shin’ichi concluded by voicing his joy at the bright future he foresaw for the talented Soka Gakkai youth: “All youth division members are Bodhisattvas of the Earth who have a mission to shape a new age. But you, the student division members, who will have undergone academic training before setting out into society, have an especially important role to play as leaders of the intellectual world. I hope you will become the new backbone of the Soka Gakkai, great leaders in every field in Japan, men and women of outstanding ability who will make lasting contributions to the world.” (NHR-6, pp. 257–58)
Student Division Leaders Appointed
In January, Dee Gopi and Koichi Onogi were appointed as the new SGI-USA student division leaders. In an interview in the January 1, 2025, World Tribune, they spoke about the mission of the student division, how they solidified their faith in the student division and the purpose of campus clubs.
Dee Gopi
SGI-USA Student Division young women’s leader
Koichi Onogi
SGI-USA Student Division young men’s leader
Making a Difference
Name: Krish Marwah
City: Laguna Hills, Calif.
School: Saddleback College
Living Buddhism: We heard you are in charge of the student club at Saddleback College. What are your campus club activities like?
Krish Marwah: We center the meetings and discussion around things that youth are struggling with on a daily basis. Family relationships and the difficulty of developing lasting friendships were among some of the topics that were discussed last semester. We integrate a lot from Discussions on Youth and think about how to implement the points that Ikeda Sensei talks about into our own lives.
Sensei often talks about the importance of discussion and dialogue, so I chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo before our meetings to make sure that we can have meaningful discussions. By creating a warm atmosphere for dialogue, we have created bonds of friendships as campus club members. Now, several of our campus club members have come to SGI district meetings and are learning how to chant!
Why do you feel it’s important to have an SGI club for students on campus?
Krish: There are many uncertainties at our age. After high school, I’ve been as uncertain as I’ve ever been. It’s a weird period in our lives because we are thinking about many things—what classes to take, whether we are on the right path. We are transitioning into adulthood and many of us aren’t prepared for that.
In my experience, Buddhism grounds you. It helps you focus on what you can do in the present moment. It’s an empowering practice that allows us to transform our lives right now.
What has been your personal experience with Buddhism?
Krish: I started chanting at a time when my life needed it most. Long story short, I’d been born with severe full body eczema. At around 8, it got so bad that my suffering consumed my entire life. However, my mom was introduced to Buddhism by her brother and, after a week of chanting, she found an Eastern medicine doctor that really helped with my skin condition.
I wasn’t cured, but I’d finally started to get some sleep. That was a huge benefit. But every time my health plummeted, I would feel absolutely miserable and grow more hopeless.
I began chanting through my mom’s encouragement. Chanting brought back a glimmer of hope. In my early teens, I also started attending introduction-to-Buddhism meetings every week. That helped me a lot, because I was surrounded by people who had applied the practice and won.
Early last year, I was given this opportunity to support the Saddleback Campus Club. I was overjoyed to take the lead and support to show the power of the practice.
Wow. You had a profound experience at such a young age. What is your determination for the future?
Krish: My goal for the campus club is to bring joy to all members and to set up a club that is strong enough to continue into the future. I’m also chanting to raise a successor who can take the lead and help the club grow exponentially. My hope is that the campus club members can make a difference at Saddleback and in the world based on what we are learning from Sensei.
My personal determination is to continue to develop a spirit of learning and challenge, and to work for the happiness of others. Career-wise, I’m looking to venture into finance, so I look forward to learning more every day. Peace!
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