The Buddhism of the Sun rises—a brilliant beacon piercing the darkness of our times.
The Buddhism of the Sun shines—casting warm rays of hope upon friends facing adversity.
The Buddhism of the Sun pulses with life—in the depths of our hearts, as we stride forward for the sake of kosen-rufu.
No matter the circumstances, Soka Gakkai members awaken within themselves the vibrant life state of Bodhisattvas of the Earth, filled with boundless joy, and take dynamic action on the stage of their mission. This sublime spirit embodies the essence of Nichiren Daishonin’s words “When Bodhisattva Superior Practices emerged from the earth, did he not emerge dancing?” (“Great Evil and Great Good,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 1119).
Ikeda Sensei’s life of unwavering dedication to his vow stands forever as our guiding model. On Jan. 6, 1951, at the dawn of a new year and in the midst of his most trying business struggles, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda entrusted all matters of succession—both public and private—to his beloved disciple. Sensei accepted without hesitation, declaring: “I have always been prepared to give my entire life to you without the slightest regret.” The driving force for victory in all things is born from the disciple’s vow, to rise up for the sake of the mentor and advance alongside them. Let us engrave that spirit deep within our lives.
Sixty-five years ago, on New Year’s Day, 1961, Sensei declared: “I am determined to create a hundred years’ worth of history in one year.” Then, on Jan. 28, he set out on his first guidance tour to countries and territories in Asia, his heart ablaze with his mentor’s fervent wish—to send the light of the sun to the people of Asia—marking a bold and historic first step.
With unwavering resolve to fulfill Nichiren Daishonin’s mandate of the westward transmission of Buddhism, he journeyed across Asia with the determination to infuse the land with daimoku. He wholeheartedly encouraged the small number of members striving there at that time, and during the visit he proposed initiatives that would later take shape as the Institute of Oriental Philosophy and the Min-On Concert Association. Sensei consistently envisioned a future in which the Soka Gakkai would flourish as a global religious movement grounded in humanism.
At the January 1991 Headquarters Leaders Meeting, Sensei spoke of the life philosophy of the renowned comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), emphasizing that the more challenges we encounter in the struggle for kosen-rufu, and the more bravely we confront them, the more “the greatest of all joys” (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, p. 212) of the Mystic Law will surge through every fiber of our being. With this mighty lion’s roar engraved in my heart, I am once again determined, this year, to give my all—for the attainment of Buddhahood by every member, for the establishment of the correct teaching for the peace of the land, and for the realization of lasting world peace.
We now stand at the midpoint on the path to completing the second series of Seven Bells.[1] Let us each earnestly seek our mentor’s guidance, filling our lives with vibrant energy, and press forward boldly along the noble path of human revolution!
New Year’s Day, 2026
Minoru Harada
Soka Gakkai President
January 1, 2026 World Tribune, p. 4
References
- Seven Bells: The first series of Seven Bells consisted of seven consecutive seven-year periods in the Soka Gakkai’s development from its founding in 1930 through 1979. On May 3, 1966, Ikeda Sensei spoke of a new series of Seven Bells that he envisaged unfolding in the 21st century. He later extended this to comprise a total of seven series of Seven Bells to the middle of the 23rd century. ↩︎
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