TagSGI Tradition

Ikeda Sensei: When we do gongyo and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we conduct a ceremony in which we praise the Gohonzon and the great pure Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. On one level, it could be said that our daily chanting is like a paean for the Buddha and for Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the fundamental Law of the universe. At the

The SGI-USA will mark one year since Ikeda Sensei’s passing by bringing together 50,000 members and friends at our November district general meetings.

The following is an essay from the “Our Brilliant Path to Victory” series, published in the November 21, 2010, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper. In this essay, Ikeda Sensei reviews by decade the 80-year history of the Soka Gakkai under the leadership of the three founding presidents and looks ahead

Ikeda Sensei offers encouragement to SGI-USA members taking the study department examinations in Los Angeles in 1963. This episode takes place in The New Human Revolution, vol. 7. Sensei appears in the novel as Shin’ichi Yamamoto. “Thank you very much for taking the trouble to come here and challenge this exam,” [Shin’ichi Yamamoto] said. “Some

Ikeda Sensei: Nichiren Buddhism exists so that everyone can become happy, and the purpose of discussion meetings is to inspire each person in faith. The main focus of the discussion meeting should be on every single one of the participants. Therefore, the determination and commitment of the central figures and attending leaders are crucial. In

Ikeda Sensei: “The purpose of faith is to attain Buddhahood, to become happy. … The only way to do so is to have faith in the Gohonzon, which is the essence of Buddhism and the purpose of Nichiren Daishonin’s appearance in the world. The Soka Gakkai has been introducing people to the Gohonzon and contributing

Ikeda Sensei: I would like to ask the men’s and women’s division members to support the members of the young men’s, young women’s and student divisions, so that they can carry out their activities freely and joyfully. No matter how the organization seems to be developing now, if youth aren’t being fostered … we cannot

Ikeda Sensei: All our future division members are Bodhisattvas of the Earth with “great good fortune from past existences” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 356). They have the power to help others awaken to their Buddhahood. “Former Affairs of King Wonderful Adornment,” the 27th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, relates

Ikeda Sensei: Each person’s life is precious and irreplaceable. All human beings experience the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death. We are all fellow inhabitants of planet Earth at this particular moment in time. In the dimension of life, everyone is equal; there are no economic or social distinctions.   When we view everything

Ikeda Sensei: Offering personal guidance is of course easier said than done. The Soka Gakkai is made up of all kinds of people. Some may refuse to meet or speak with other members, while others perhaps joined as children along with their parents but do not consider themselves believers. We may even come across members

Ikeda Sensei: The Soka Gakkai has always been committed to encouraging the honest, hardworking ordinary people of the world. That’s the very heart of our discussion meetings. In the eyes of society, our discussion meetings may seem very simple, modest gatherings, involving a small number of individuals and not particularly noteworthy. But these meetings are

Discussion meetings are the heart of the SGI’s kosen-rufu movement. At these gatherings, we study Buddhist philosophy and share our struggles and victories. We inspire fellow members and guests by showing that we can overcome obstacles through faith. Whether the number of people who attend a meeting is large or small, the important thing is