TagGood to Know

A: Many dictionaries define prayer as a request or petition to a higher power. Based on this common understanding, prayer can seem passive. Nichiren Daishonin redefined prayer as a rigorous effort to reveal our innate enlightement— and to help others do the same. For instance, he states that his “determination has perhaps acted as a

A: The straight and simple answer is, Yes! Ikeda Sensei asserts, “A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.” Human revolution is another way to express bringing forth our Buddhahood. It

A: While there are many reasons to study Buddhism, Ikeda Sensei in an essay points to three. (see February 2020 Living Buddhism, p. 60). Someone diagnosed with a terminal illness, may think: I’m sincerely practicing Buddhism. Why did this happen to me? In such critical times, studying Buddhism helps us quickly transform our doubts and

A: Humanity today faces a whirlwind of complex issues and divisiveness for which there may not be quick or clear solutions. Buddhism teaches valuable principles for broadening our perspectives and creating the greatest value and results amid complicated challenges and hardships. For instance, in his writings, Nichiren Daishonin teaches the foundational concepts of the “three

A: Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the primary practice of Nichiren Buddhism. It activates the power inherent in ourselves and all phenomena. Gongyo is the secondary practice, which consists of reciting portions of the Lotus Sutra’s “Expedient Means” and “Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapters, coupled with chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Doing gongyo is our declaration to

A: The concise answer to this question is: No. This is because our efforts to establish happiness and peace throughout the world come down to an ongoing struggle to transform the hearts and minds of all people, to help them win over their negative tendencies and to bring forth their inherent goodness. Nichiren Daishonin outlined the

A: People everywhere facing similar challenges with the coronavirus pandemic make the ideal of “global citizenship” all the more relevant. It is often easier to focus on differences of race, nationality, ethnicity, culture, gender and the like. However, the Buddhist perspective on global citizenship underscores our shared commonalities, with the happiness of all people as

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

A: Despite our best efforts, it can be difficult to convey to our closest family members and friends the great value we derive from practicing Nichiren Buddhism. Countless SGI members, including SGI President Ikeda, have grappled with this problem. During his first U.S. visit in 1960, a woman asked at a meeting in Washington, D.C.,

A: Let’s start with the second part of the question, regarding the vow for kosen-rufu. As SGI members, we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the happiness of ourselves and others, participate in and support SGI activities, and strive to share this Buddhism with our friends. Such efforts are themselves expressions of our vow for kosen-rufu. This vow

A: We begin to transform our karma when we earnestly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, squarely face our problems and do our utmost to take courageous action for kosen-rufu. This requires overcoming, at each turn, our self-doubt, fear, anger and the many negative tendencies that keep us from moving forward in our lives. And we can win over