by the Southern California Zone team
What is your zone motto? Cheers of Victory!
Tell us briefly about your zone’s history. Southern California (SoCal) Zone was established in January 2023 with a name change from the former SoCal West Zone. We embarked on our fresh departure embracing the following guidance from Nichiren Daishonin: “I entrust you with the propagation of Buddhism in your province” (“The Properties of Rice,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 1117). SoCal Zone encompasses Orange and San Diego counties, with members joyfully and actively engaged in activities with pride—rooted in our prime point with Ikeda Sensei in our hearts and grounded in the spirit of the oneness of mentor and disciple.
Do you have a Buddhist center in your zone? We currently have three centers: Santa Ana Buddhist Center in North Orange County Region; Orange County Buddhist Center in South Orange County Region; and San Marcos Buddhist Center in San Diego North Region.
Does your zone have a particular point of pride? Yes, our zone is home to Soka University of America (SUA) in Aliso Viejo, California. With a deep sense of responsibility to respond to Ikeda Sensei who founded the university, we take great pride in welcoming and fostering youth from around the world.
At the same time, we are proud of the development of our amazing youth members in all regions—particularly in San Diego North Region, where passionate youth and student division members are driving the momentum.
We are also excited about our precious future division members—treasures of kosen-rufu! Our monthly Soka Family Day activities are always filled with joy and cheer, supported wholeheartedly by dedicated Future Division and Parents Group leaders.
Furthermore, our youthful Many Treasures Group members continue to energize our movement with lion’s roar daimoku and joyful propagation efforts!
What is your prime point with Sensei as a zone? We have multiple prime points with Sensei. In 1974, he attended the grand opening of the San Diego Community Center, an event recorded in volume 19 of The New Human Revolution. On that occasion, Sensei gave the following guidance, which has since become an enduring prime point for countless members in San Diego and throughout our zone: “Buddhism teaches that all people possess the Buddha nature within. If you manifest that life state yourself, you will never be defeated by even the harshest trial or difficulty. Please live your life with courage. I will be praying for and looking forward to seeing your victory in the future” (NHR-19, 199). That same year, Sensei opened the Santa Ana Community Center—another cherished memory with our mentor. Sensei visited San Diego for a second time in 1984.
Additionally, members in SoCal Zone, especially those in the Orange County regions, embrace the founding of SUA on May 3, 2001, as a profound and enduring prime point with our mentor. With this deep sense of mission, we advance with determination to eternally protect and uphold the university that our mentor built.
Do you have something that is unique to your zone? Geographically, Southern California Zone lies between Los Angeles County to the north and west, Riverside County to the east and stretches south to the Mexican border. We also have two mighty districts in Yuma, Arizona, which are part of Mount Miguel Chapter in San Diego South Region.
What is your zone’s vision toward 2030? Toward 2030, we are determined to establish student division campus clubs at every university in the zone, open a center in San Diego South and Central regions, make youth shakubuku the steady driving force of our kosen-rufu movement and ensure strong youth participation and leadership at every level of our organization.
Anything else you’d like to add? We’d also like to share that both Soka University of America and Orange County are mentioned in Sensei’s poem “Soar Into the Vast Skies of Freedom! Into the New Century!” This continues to inspire our zone as we strive to advance kosen-rufu with the same pioneering spirit and boundless determination.
June 20, 2025 World Tribune, p. 11
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