TagTransforming Society

What we might consider a conversation and a dialogue are poles apart.

Nelson Mandela (1918–2013)Anti-apartheid activist and first democratically elected president of South Africa President Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to securing the freedom of the people of South Africa by confronting the apartheid regime, which violently oppressed Black South Africans. Starting in 1652, Dutch and British colonists slowly annexed trade ports and other strategic areas of

Brian Angulo •  New York Reading Choose Life was my first deep dive into Ikeda Sensei’s dialogues. In reading this dialogue, I learned how I can relate Buddhist philosophy to global issues. I was impressed by how Arnold J. Toynbee and Sensei came from different cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds but were able to find

“To have faith in the promise of dialogue is to believe in the promise of humanity.”

The members of the SGI-USA have cultivated the qualities of wisdom, courage and compassion as global citizens dedicated to transforming the world around them through their practice of Nichiren Buddhism. We share examples of individuals who are embodying the practice of global citizenship in their lives. Learning How to Live Fully Danielle Foster-SmithDes Moines, Iowa I

While I am alive I can lay the foundation for the movement in Japan. But it is up to you to bring Buddhist ideals to the world at large. —Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda In June 1996, Daisaku Ikeda visited the U.S. for the 27th time, giving, at Columbia University’s College in New York, a

Buddhism is a religion of dialogue. Buddhism teaches that peace can be found not in lofty ideals, but in developing understanding and empathy between ordinary people. This understanding is generated through dialogue, which Ikeda Sensei defines as the “most potent weapon in the arsenal of the gradualist.” Although technology and modes of communication have advanced

The World Tribune spoke with SGI-USA General Director Adin Strauss, addressing the current climate of our country and, from the Buddhist perspective, what actions we can take as individuals. World Tribune: Thank you for taking the time to speak to us about this most important matter. As you’ve been engaging in dialogue with members across the country about

The German poet Johann Peter Eckermann once confessed to his longtime friend Johann Wolfgang von Goethe that, although he sought to harmonize with those like him, he had nothing to do with others beyond his circle. Goethe wrote in response: It is in conflict with natures opposed to his own that a man must collect his

Society today is rife with racial conflict, political divisiveness and uncertainty about the future, among a growing multitude of complex issues. Ikeda Sensei addressed, the ever-changing challenges of the world in his September 1993 Harvard University address, titled “Mahayana Buddhism and 21st Century Civilization.” In this lecture, he discusses the root cause of division and conflict

The fundamental Buddhist concept of dependent origination teaches that, at the most profound level, all life is interconnected, that nothing exists in isolation. Simply put, it means that the real nature of individuals or events can only be correctly understood in the context of their connections with all others. In his 1993 Harvard University lecture,

The World Tribune held a roundtable discussion with the SGI-USA youth leaders to address the recent incidents of racial violence and civil unrest that followed. Olivia Saito, Ryo Kuroki and Maya Gunaseharan respond to some of the questions that have been top of mind for many SGI-USA members. World Tribune: Thank you for speaking with

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” —The Universal Declaration of Human Rights On June 13, 1996, Ikeda Sensei spoke at Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York on the ideal of

The following essay from Ikeda Sensei is adapted from David Krieger’s book Hope in a Dark Time–Reflections on Humanity’s Future, which was published in 2003. Mr. Krieger, with whom Sensei has held dialogues, is the founder and president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. The text can be found at daisakuikeda.org >> “Resources” >> “Written

Buddhism emerged from Shakyamuni Buddha’s commitment to solving the problems that stem from the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death. While these sufferings are inevitable, he taught people how to approach them with wisdom, tenacity and dignity, thereby developing lives of meaning and fulfillment. Connected to the suffering of “sickness,” epidemics have ravaged

This month, we celebrate the founding of the high school division in 1964. Ikeda Sensei, who is deeply committed to the development of youth, often shares his hopes and dreams with the future division, which is composed of the elementary school, junior high and high school divisions. Living Buddhism interviewed six junior high and high school

This essay by SGI President Ikeda was originally published in the April 12, 2007, issue of The Japan Times, a leading English-language daily published in Japan. The text can also be accessed in Hope Is a Decision, pp. 139–42 and daisakuikeda.org » “resources” » “written works” » “essays” » “opinion editorials.” This year, the Doomsday

One Youth. Infinite Hope.

The holiday season is a great opportunity for self-reflection, appreciation and growth.

On how the popular practice corresponds to the Buddhist ideal of the greater self.