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Words of Encouragement From Ikeda Sensei

by Adin StraussSGI-USA General Director Greetings to everyone on May 3—Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day, and inauguration day for second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda and SGI President Daisaku Ikeda—a day of advancement and fresh starts. We have tremendous fortune to be alive at this significant juncture and fulfill our unique, irreplaceable missions in the eternal

In the brisk morning air on March 16, 1958, 6,000 youth gathered at the foot of Mount Fuji with second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda, who envisioned the occasion as a dress rehearsal for kosen-rufu. President Toda, though battling severe illness, spoke powerfully: “Today, I want to bequeath this mission to you young people. I

How taking action for the happiness of others helped me find meaning in my mother’s passing. by Kyler Nicholas Canton, Mich. The year after I graduated from high school, my maternal grandfather died tragically, leaving my grandmother alone on a large ranch in Arkansas. Out of sympathy for my grandmother, and as an excuse to

This essay by SGI President Ikeda was originally published in the Nov. 9, 2006, issue of The Japan Times, a leading English-language daily. The text can also be accessed by visiting daisakuikeda.org » “resources” » “written works” » “essays” » “opinion editorials,” as well as in President Ikeda’s book Hope Is a Decision, p. 31.

Based on the “2020 Roadmap to Victory,” in March, we will continue our propagation focus while gathering youth division members and guests for chapter-level March Youth Discussion Meetings, themed “One Youth. Infinite Hope.” (from March 7 to 15). Addressing the Challenges of American Youth The following topics are prevalent issues youth face today, accompanied by

This article is adapted from An Introduction to Buddhism, pp. 40–45, which serves as the study material for the upcoming SGI-USA Introductory Exam, to be held April 26 and 27 throughout the nation. Some of our problems and sufferings are caused by actions and decisions we have made in this life. But for others we

by Bethany Davis32 years oldCave Springs, Ark. One day in 2013, my brother was found unresponsive after overdosing. My dad and I chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for him, as if our own lives depended on it. No one thought he was going to make it, so we were amazed when he woke up to the call of

The following is an excerpt from SGI President Ikeda’s guidance in My Dear Friends in America, third edition, p. 72. Today, Brazil is famous as a leading center of coffee production. But long ago, Brazil had no coffee at all. How then was this great coffee nation born? It can be traced back to an

The following is an excerpt from Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada’s speech at the 45th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting, held on Jan. 11 in Tokyo. The original text appeared in the Jan. 17 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper. My heartfelt congratulations on the holding of this meeting! To celebrate

The following essay by SGI President Ikeda was originally published in the Feb. 7 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper. The voices of youth raised in song are a clarion bell of hope. It is the sound heralding the arrival of a new dawn, dispelling the turbulent darkness. In January, I

by Mitch BogenSpecial to the Tribune CAMBRIDGE, Mass.,—The Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue launched its 2020 Dialogue Nights series on Jan. 31 with “We Can Do It! Challenging Fear With Courage.” To open, Ikeda Center Program Manager Lillian I welcomed the 45 young Bostonians in attendance, saying that one quote in particular from

How my search for my mother led to genuine happiness. by Kwan Choi New York My parents divorced when I was just 1, and I had almost no contact with my mother after that. The last time I saw her was when I was 9. It was 1983, and she came to see me off

Criminals use clever schemes to defraud millions of people every year. They often combine new technology with old tricks to get people to send money or give out personal information. Here are some practical tips to help you stay a step ahead. 1. Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a

by Olivia Saito, Maya Gunaseharan and Ryo KurokiSGI-USA Youth Leaders Thank you all for your incredible efforts so far in this Year of Advancement and Capable People! In March, we will continue our shakubuku focus while gathering for our most important March Youth Discussion Meetings. Across the country from March 7–15, youth division members and

Youth representatives from across the country share their thoughts on the upcoming March Youth Discussion Meetings, themed “One Youth. Inifinite Hope.” as well as what they learned about the significance of dialogue and shakubuku from attending the July 2019 Youth Discussion Meetings. Chandler Spencer (young men’s division member, Long Beach, Calif.): After high school, I had drifted away

by Bryant Ríos-Niño23 years oldStamford, Conn. I fell in love with skateboarding, yet used it only to escape life during my lowest point at age 17. I was struggling in school and was surrounded by bad influences. I got into smoking and started rebelling against my parents. I had grown up in a family that practices

The following are excerpts from SGI President Ikeda’s speech at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting held on Sept. 5, 2001. These excerpts were featured in a video of the speech that was shown during the 45th Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting of the New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu, held on Jan. 11 in Tokyo.

Kicking off the Year of Advancement and Capable People, SGI Women’s Leader Yumiko Kasanuki and SGI Vice Women’s Leader Kayo Maeta traveled from Jan. 22–28 to the U.S., attending meetings in New York and Los Angeles, as well as a women’s conference at the Florida Nature and Culture Center in Weston, Florida (see pp. 5,

Buddhism teaches that as the forces of the Buddha increase to awaken more people to lasting happiness, powerful enemies will try to disrupt this noble effort. Rather than incite fear, this teaches that when we face opposition while spreading Buddhism, we can be confident that we are on the right path. The Lotus Sutra teaches