Up to Me: Why I Share Buddhism With Youth

When the class ended, a friend encouraged me to join his private class. There, I saw the Gohonzon for the first time and heard about Buddhism. The teacher could see that I was suffering and gently encouraged me to chant. I resisted for a long time, but his sincerity moved me. He told me there was no harm in trying—no cost, no pressure—just the opportunity to experience change. Eventually, I began chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and little by little, my life began to transform. Even the things I never chanted for directly started improving. I found myself in the right places at the right times, as if guided by unseen causes.

By 2008, I had moved to the United States, received the Gohonzon in Seattle, and soon after, relocated to Atlanta where I’ve continued my practice ever since. Over the years, I developed the desire to share this Buddhism with others, especially young people. In the beginning, I was extremely shy and introverted. I didn’t have many friends outside the organization, and I didn’t know how to explain the practice well. But my SGI seniors encouraged me to keep challenging myself—to talk to people at libraries, social events or anywhere I could. With time, I learned to listen carefully to others’ doubts and the difficulties they were experiencing in life and strengthened my understanding so I could respond with confidence.

A few years ago, I met a young man at a friend’s birthday party. He had big goals but he seemed a little lost, trying to find his way in life. I invited him to a youth meeting. At first, he wasn’t interested and often didn’t respond. But after the “Summer of Shakubuku” campaign two years ago, my own determination deepened. During a lecture on Nichiren Daishonin’s writings that summer, I realized something profound—the reason I felt that I had known that teacher for lifetimes was because the eternal life state of Buddhahood inherent in my life was responding to his daimoku, even before I understood what that meant. I decided to chant with the same conviction for this young man.

Gradually, he began replying to my messages, attending meetings and opening up about his goals. Our friendship grew. He even introduced me to Snapchat so we could stay in touch! He also began connecting and building friendships with the young men in the SGI. This year, he received the Gohonzon, filled with joy and purpose. Seeing his transformation reminded me of my own beginning and how one person’s sincerity can awaken another’s Buddha nature.

Looking ahead, my goal is to continue chanting with that same heart for many others, especially youth—to respond to Ikeda Sensei by helping them experience the power of this practice just as someone once did for me.

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Building Genuine Friendships One Person at a Time

by Jay Lutsky
Los Angeles

Nearly four decades ago, my life was at a crossroads. I was newly separated, on the path to divorce and searching for something deeper to hold on to. I had heard about chanting twice before, but it wasn’t until two women stopped me on the street and invited me to a meeting four houses away that I finally decided to see what it was all about. I walked into an apartment where nine women were chanting, and the energy in that room changed my life. The next day, I received the Gohonzon.

In the beginning, I didn’t fully understand what I had stepped into. But I started chanting, and small changes began to appear—subtle shifts that helped me rebuild my life. I even remember being asked to chant for my ex-wife’s happiness and thinking, “You’ve got to be crazy!” Yet when I did, I saw doors open. I got everything I needed to start a new chapter in life. That experience taught me the real power of chanting for others. It expands your own life.

I found my rhythm quickly, joining behind-the-scenes activities, making connections with other young men and discovering that sense of camaraderie I had been missing. My first young men’s leader would take me all over the city, introducing me to members from every walk of life. His constant reminder—“Others, others, others”—stayed with me.

In 1990, I was fortunate to meet Ikeda Sensei in Malibu, California, and that experience solidified my faith. His guidance on helping others and fostering capable individuals became my compass. Over time, I realized that my practice was not just about my personal happiness but about paying forward the compassion I had received.

Last year, that spirit led me to engage a young man at an acting retreat in Minnesota. Though he now lived several miles from me, he had grown up just minutes from my home. We shared our love for acting and his growing interest in Buddhism. We chanted together during the retreat and kept in touch afterward, meeting weekly to talk, chant or just share a meal. I never pressured him; friendship came first. Eventually, I introduced him to local discussion meetings, where he met other young men who inspired him. Step by step, his interest deepened, and this August, he joyfully received the Gohonzon. Watching him embrace this practice and find community was deeply fulfilling. It reminded me of how I first began—seeking meaning and discovering it through others’ encouragement.

Now, as I prepare to retire from dentistry after more than 30 years and pursue a new chapter in acting, my goal is clear: to continue introducing young people to this practice. My mission is to create value wherever I go and to live each day as a disciple of Sensei, advancing kosen-rufu through genuine friendships, one person at a time.

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Awakening Youth to Their Potential

by Lorraine Leiser
Chicago

I began my Buddhist practice in 1972 in New York. At the time, my boyfriend, Freddy, who later became my husband, introduced me. He told me, “This is the Gohonzon, and there are no falsehoods [in Buddhism].” I was curious and decided to test it for myself. I chanted sincerely to find a job, and within a short time, I got an undeniable result. That was the moment I knew this practice was real. From then on, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo became my foundation for every aspect of my life.

My husband and I practiced together for many years, living on three continents and sharing Buddhism wherever we went. When he passed away three years ago, I felt deeply lost. We had shared everything, including our mission for kosen-rufu. But as I continued to chant, I realized that my own mission was far from over. I determined that from that point forward, I would dedicate myself to reaching out to young people, to believe in them and help them overcome their suffering through this practice.

This year has been especially joyful because three young people I’ve introduced to Buddhism received the Gohonzon. Each experience was unique and profound.  

The first was a young woman I had been encouraging for six years. I chanted with her, listened to her struggles and slowly watched her transform her life. With the warm support of our young women’s leader, she received the Gohonzon this year. Seeing her joy and the support she received from others in our practice reminded me that it truly takes a community to nurture faith and growth.  

The second was a young boy, the grandson of a dear friend. I first met him when he was 11 years old. Even though his parents didn’t practice, his grandmother chanted from time to time. Over the years, I continued to chant for him and support him. Now 14, he proudly received the Gohonzon this year as well. His determination to lead a great life gives me much hope for the future.  

The third was a man I met through work who was struggling with anxiety. Initially, we chanted together for just minutes at a time, and each time, he immediately said he felt lighter and more at peace. After nine months of support and friendship, he too received the Gohonzon this year.

Recently, I read the phrase “One is the mother of ten thousand.”^[1] For me, this means we are all deeply connected—your suffering is my suffering, and your happiness becomes my happiness.  

When Ikeda Sensei passed away in November of 2023, I renewed my vow. I asked myself, “If not me, then who?” I decided that, for as long as I live, I will continue to share this Buddhist practice and help one person after another awaken to their own potential. 

So far this year, I’ve shared Buddhism with more than 280 people. My goal for the future is to double that number. Each person I meet is a chance to contribute to world peace—one conversation, one life and one joyful transformation at a time.

December 5, 2025 World Tribune, pp. 6–7