CategoryQ&A

Amid the stay-at-home orders to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic, we may feel restricted by what we are unable to do. Buddhism, however, teaches that regardless of our circumstances, our hearts can remain free. When we offer hope to others, we break through the narrow confines of our personal concerns and expand our

In the following excerpt from The New Human Revolution, SGI President Ikeda, who appears in the novel as Shin’ichi Yamamoto, offers guidance to student division members about transforming personality traits through Buddhist practice. “Unless we bring out the best sides of our character and inner tendencies, they can often become the cause of unhappiness. We

A: We do certain things every day for our physical well-being, such as eating, sleeping and maintaining our personal hygiene. Similarly, we also need a daily practice for our spiritual well-being. Our twice daily practice of gongyo raises our life condition so that we can reveal our most positive qualities to effectively tackle life’s challenges,

During a question-and-answer session at the Nagano Training Center in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, on Aug. 7, 1992—the summer following the 1992 Los Angeles riots— SGI President Ikeda responded to this question from SGI-USA Culture Department members. This is from a report published in the Aug. 31, 1992, World Tribune, p.4. Your question is very important.

A: Developing courage can be compared to building muscles. If we constantly give in to our fears, our courage can fade and become dormant. However, while we may face difficulties each day that make us want to retreat—whether at work, in relationships or in trying to share Buddhism with our friends—no matter how big or

A: We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Yet, given that each person has differing priorities and time demands—as students, workers, parents, caregivers, retirees and so on—there isn’t just one way to balance our lives. Buddhism, however, teaches us how to bring forth the wisdom necessary to make the most of each

Your desire to share Buddhism with others is admirable. And taking action to help connect others to Buddhism is an essential part of our Buddhist practice. Many of us practice Buddhism because of the positive impact it has had on our lives, and, naturally, we also want others to experience similar benefits. Wanting to share

A: People may associate being capable with having special abilities or talents. From the perspective of Buddhism, everyone is capable. That is, our Buddhist practice enables anyone and everyone to bring forth and develop their inherent qualities to enhance their lives and to elevate those around them, as well as all of humanity. Capable individuals

A: The list of stressors may seem endless, from relationships and finances to the state of our world. However, Buddhism teaches us how to transform all our stressors into vital fuel for bringing forth our strength, wisdom and compassion to advance our lives and benefit those around us. While there are various ways to take

It’s wonderful that you would like to study more about Buddhism, and it’s very natural to want to learn as much as you can about something before deciding to incorporate it into your life. We approach many things in life in a similar way. For example, when scoping out a new restaurant, we might read

Combating stress starts by changing how we feel about our problems. SGI President Ikeda calls our inner resolve our “secret weapon.” He says: “Through the power of strong inner resolve, we can transform ourselves, those around us and the land where we live. Each of you has this tool, this ‘secret weapon.’ There is no

A: “What is the social raison d’être of religion apart from working for the happiness of humanity and making the world a better place?” “I want to banish the word misery from the face of the Earth.” These were the impassioned declarations of first and second Soka Gakkai presidents Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, and

Understanding the meaning of the words we recite during gongyo can, of course, help strengthen our confidence and appreciation for our basic Buddhist practice. But as SGI President Ikeda once said: “If you understand and yet fail to practice, it won’t get you anywhere. Moreover, you cannot understand all of the profound significance of the

The following is from Discussions on Youth, new edition, pp. 303–05, in which SGI President Ikeda discusses the significance of the quantity and quality of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. One student asks whether he has to chant [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] for a certain number of hours before his prayer will be answered. Or can he chant intensely for a

A: Mindfulness practices are being used more frequently—in schools, at work, as part of therapy and even in prison—to help people better recognize their thoughts and feelings as they grapple with the complex challenges of daily life. Mindfulness is also incorporated in the practice of Nichiren Buddhism, which focuses on unlocking the power to master

Singing songs rouses people’s spirits, bringing forth the hope and joy that reside in their hearts. Since the early days of the Soka Gakkai, members have created songs to give expression to their vow to widely spread the ideals of Nichiren Buddhism and lead their friends, family and those around them to happiness. SGI President

A: There are various ways to explain what is meant by “human revolution.” The word revolution points to a revolution in how we act and behave. In terms of our daily lives, proof of our human revolution could be simply stated as becoming a better person today than we were yesterday. And, from the perspective

The Lotus Sutra expounds the fundamental Law of the universe, the Mystic Law. And Nichiren Daishonin taught that everything in life unfolds in accord with the workings of this Mystic Law. We base our lives on this Law by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which helps us elevate our life force, bring forth Buddhahood from within our lives

A: The bodhisattva practice is the essence of Nichiren Buddhism, which teaches that happiness at the exclusion of others is not genuine happiness. To be sure, the original purpose of Buddhism is to help those who are suffering and to enable as many people as possible to become happy. Founding Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi

A: In these increasingly turbulent times, many people question how to live in the most meaningful way, and many are in search of a sound compass or philosophy to guide them. Buddhism teaches that happiness is not reliant on how much money we have, the academic degrees we obtain or any other external measures of