In October, the SGI-USA women and young women launched the dialogue initiative “Peace in Miniature: One Is the Mother of Ten-Thousand,” which invites each of us to engage in heartfelt one-to-one dialogues with our friends, neighbors and one another, with the conviction that each dialogue represents peace itself.
At your monthly America Victory Daimoku Group and Sophia Group meetings, please feel free to use the following guidance by Ikeda Sensei about the role dialogue plays in propagating Buddhism.
Propagation is the lifeblood of religion. A religion without propagation efforts has abandoned the basic function of religion—to reach out to people and help them. Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda declared that the Soka Gakkai is an organization for propagating Buddhism. In doing so, he was declaring the Soka Gakkai’s mission: to spread the principles of true humanism and to realize happiness for all humankind and peace on earth.
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Kilauea, Hawaii
Propagation must always take place in the context of deepening friendship and earning the trust of others. Today we live in an age in which there are superficial discussions, but true dialogue is lacking. Propagating Nichiren Buddhism, however, is a true dialogue: a stimulating exchange, based on consideration and concern for our friends, as we invite them to walk with us on the path of true and complete happiness.
Genuine Buddhist dialogue is discussing such crucial matters as the true value of life and what is right and wrong, based on our daily lives and personal experiences.
This is the ultimate practice of humanism, and this is propagating Buddhism. At the same time, propagating Nichiren Buddhism, which involves teaching others the most fundamental solution to sufferings, is the ultimate act of altruism, as well as the fastest way for us to do our human revolution and break out of the shell of our own ego.
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Los Angeles
Marlborough, Mass.
Those who propagate Buddhism are the true disciples of Nichiren Daishonin, those who have inherited his spirit. Nikko Shonin praised all who courageously propagated Nichiren’s teachings, declaring: “You should revere a teacher of the Law who engages in its propagation as a sacred priest, even though he may be your junior” (“Twenty-six Admonitions,” Gosho zenshu, p. 1618). And the benefits attained by those who propagate the Law are boundless and immeasurable.
Out of our single-minded concern for the happiness of others and our ardent desire to attain world peace, we have held high the banner of kosen-rufu and continued to shed the compassionate light of Buddhism throughout the world, undeterred by slander or abuse. This is the proud and noble history of the Soka Gakkai. (August 2016 Living Buddhism, pp. 16–17)
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