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Iron, when heated in the flames and pounded, becomes a fine sword. Worthies and sages are tested by abuse. “Letter from Sado,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 303 Nichiren Daishonin wrote this passage in a letter addressed to his disciples in March 1272, five months after surviving an execution attempt and being

A: When we study Buddhism, we find that Shakyamuni’s teachings begin with conquering the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death. Rather than seeking to evade suffering, which is impossible, Shakyamuni pioneered the means to overcome it through practicing Buddhism. In life, we encounter many forms of hardship, but the four sufferings list what

There was once a king who received a gift, an elephant, from a friend in a faraway land. The king’s people had never encountered such a beast. He instructed six wise men, all blind, to inspect the elephant and describe it to him. The first of the wise men touched the elephant’s trunk, describing it

A: Your practice of reciting the sutra morning and evening and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is not an obligation—it is a right.The Gohonzon will never demand that you chant to it. An attitude of appreciation in being able to chant to the Gohonzon is the heart of faith. The more you exert yourselves in faith—in reciting the

El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Located in northeastern Puerto Rico, the forest covers over 28,000 acres and receives more than 200 inches of rain per year. It is one of the most biologically diverse forests, home to species including the coquí, a tree frog native to the

On Aug. 28, Hawaii’s Honolulu Little League won the Little League World Series championship with a 13-3 win against Curaçao. This was the the fourth time in 17 years a team from Hawaii has won the youth baseball tournament and the second championship for Honolulu, who won the title in 2018. Gerald Oda, head coach

The Soka Gakkai recently launched “Transforming Human History,” a campaign to encourage engagement and inspire confidence that change is possible. It covers three areas that will determine the future of life on our planet: nuclear weapons abolition, education for all and climate action. These issues are the focus of Ikeda Sensei’s 2022 peace proposal. The

The following essay by Ikeda Sensei was translated from the Aug. 4, 2022, issue of the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper, Seikyo Shimbun. A statue depicting the French author Victor Hugo (1802–85) striding forward as he holds a book stands in the lobby of the main auditorium of Soka University, “a fortress for the peace of

9/8 65th Anniversary of Josei Toda’s Declaration for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons In 1957, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda made this declaration at the Mitsuzawa Stadium in Yokohama, Japan. He entrusted his successors in the youth division to spread throughout the world the belief that nuclear weapons are an absolute evil. This declaration

Ikeda Sensei composed the following poems to commemorate Aug. 24, the 75th anniversary of the start of his Buddhist practice. They were translated from the Aug. 24, 2022, issue of the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper, Seikyo Shimbun. On my 75th anniversary of embracing faith, I dedicate to my mentor the honor of making the Mystic Law resound throughout the

Elizabeth Merrick, of New York, talks about anxiety, therapy, Buddhism and how they all connect. She offers unique insights based on her experience in counseling young adults, training mental health professionals and being in therapy herself, all while practicing Buddhism.  Click here to listen.

In honoring my sister’s life, I begin, for the first time, to honor my own.

The World Tribune held a roundtable discussion with SGI-USA national leaders to discuss the importance of studying the Gosho, the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. SGI-USA General Director Adin Strauss, Women’s Leader Naoko Leslie, Men’s Leader Kevin Moncrief, Young Women’s Leader Maya Gunaseharan and Young Men’s Leader Ryo Kuroki share their thoughts and experiences.  World Tribune:

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, Aug. 7—Members and guests entered the new SGI-USA San Juan Buddhist Center in amazement as pioneer members leaped with joy to welcome them home. In their first in-person SGI-USA activity in over two years, Puerto Rico Region hosted a hybrid kosen-rufu gongyo meeting at the new center. With 60 attendees joining

by SGI-USA Future Division and Parents Group Leaders On Aug. 14, 400 elementary school, junior high and high school division and parents group members gathered at reopened SGI-USA centers for the first in-person Soka Family Day meetings since 2020. Several hundred more joined virtually. It was a lively and joyful reunion for all—an opportunity to

Though one might point at the earth and miss it, though one might bind up the sky, though the tides might cease to ebb and flow and the sun rise in the west, it could never come about that the prayers of the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra would go unanswered. “On Prayer,” The Writings

Known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Waimea Canyon State Park is located on the southwest side of the island of Kaua’i in Waimea, Hawaii. Stretching 14 miles wide and more than 3,600 feet deep, the canyon was formed through the erosive force of the Waimea river and the collapse of the volcano that

On July 22, 1951, right after the establishment of the young men’s and young women’s divisions, a profoundly significant special general meeting was held with the Soka Gakkai Kosen-rufu Gohonzon for the first time. Before this Gohonzon dedicated to the “Fulfillment of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu through the Compassionate Propagation of the Great Law,”

Words Of Encouragement From Ikeda Sensei

Need a little motivation? Listen to Shawn Lewis, of New Orleans, tell his story of how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped him rediscover his childhood dream to work in the video game industry. He talks about how he built and sold a social media channel and created his dream career.  Click here to listen.