The following is from the June 2026 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai’s monthly study journal.
The verse section of the “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which we recite each day during gongyo, beautifully expresses the eternal nature of life through sublime poetry. In this sense, all members of the Soka Gakkai who carry out vibrant and resonant gongyo may truly be called “poets of life.”
Ikeda Sensei, a world-renowned poet laureate, often remarked, “Leaders must cultivate a poetic spirit.” A poetic spirit has the power to unite people and inspire a hopeful vision for the future. For this reason, he yearned for leaders overflowing with humanity and poetic sensibility to emerge in politics, economics and the realm of kosen-rufu.
From his youth, Sensei found joy in composing poetry and familiarized himself deeply with the works of poets from around the world. The Victor Hugo House of Literature, which he founded in Bievres, France, south of Paris, celebrates its 35th anniversary this month. Among its treasured collection is a handwritten manuscript by Victor Hugo, penned just three days before his death and designated a national treasure of France. Inscribed in it are the words “To love is to act”—a phrase that Sensei cherished.
Thirty years ago, on June 8, 1996, Sensei attended a graduation ceremony at the University of Denver where he was awarded an honorary doctor of education degree. Unexpectedly, he was called upon to offer a few remarks. Pointing toward the sky, the poet laureate declared: “The sun shines brightly. The moon also showers you with its radiant light. The sun represents passion, the moon intellect. Against this magnificent natural backdrop, the majestic Rocky Mountains warmly watch over you with steadfast conviction.” His graceful response and extemporized poem, born from his deep love for young people, left a profound impression on his listeners.
This month, the traditional Study Department Introductory Exam will be held in Japan. I sincerely hope that everyone involved—from the examinees themselves to the senior members supporting and teaching them, as well as the members of the Soka family cheering them on—will continue advancing along the path of becoming “experts in happiness.”
In December 1978, during a guidance tour of Kochi Prefecture, Sensei visited a venue where an introductory exam was taking place. Addressing the participants, he encouraged them by saying that their sincere efforts in studying Buddhism and challenging the exam would become a source of good fortune and benefit. There is no doubt that Soka Gakkai members who stride confidently along the two ways of practice and study will adorn their lives with abundant good fortune and benefit.
Our founding president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, whose 155th birth anniversary will be commemorated on June 6 this year, continued to study the writings of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant even while imprisoned by Japan’s wartime authorities. There is no stagnation or resignation in the lives of those who keep learning.
Let us likewise devote ourselves to studying at our noble “Ikeda University,” shining with the passion of the sun and the intellect of the moon, while building magnificent mountain ranges of friendship together!
June 19, 2026 World Tribune, p. 10
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