by Sakshi Khurana
Anchorage, Alaska
I was diagnosed with epilepsy in eighth grade and used to feel helpless each time I had seizures. I was seeking a philosophy of life that could explain why this was happening to me. When my friend introduced me to Buddhism, I was skeptical that chanting would work, but I began anyway. Nichiren Buddhism was the only philosophy that helped me believe in my potential, and it taught me that, instead of limiting myself, I could have big dreams and fulfill all of them.
I received the Gohonzon in 2012 when I was 19 years old, and I began my Buddhist practice as a student in India. Every day as a new member I thought to myself, How can I respond to Ikeda Sensei’s vision for peace? Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I realized I wanted to contribute to others’ well-being through mental health care, so I enrolled in a clinical psychology program at one of the top universities in India.
After completing the program in 2017, I worked as an elementary school counselor. In 2019, I took action to fulfill my grand dream of moving to America with a single mission in my heart—to contribute to Sensei’s vision for world peace in my own unique way. Soon after, I was accepted to the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE).
When I arrived, I learned that there wasn’t an SGI campus club. I wanted the young people around me to feel empowered and believe in their lives, so I decided to start one. HGSE requires that you have 10 people who show interest in a new club, so somehow, I managed to gather 10 names. Within six months, two of them became SGI members. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders, we continued to have Zoom calls to study Buddhism. My partner, a friend at the time, whom I met at HGSE, received the Gohonzon right after the stay-at-home orders lifted in 2021.
After I graduated into the women’s division, my partner and I moved to his home state of Alaska to start a new life together. Every day I chant for youth to emerge in Alaska and learn from the pioneer members here who have a strong fighting spirit. I have a photo of Sensei next to my altar. It reminds me of the vow I made to become absolutely happy, and to fulfill my mission in Alaska by contributing to the well-being and happiness of the people here.
I’m currently a mental health clinician studying psychology in a doctoral program at Alaska Pacific University and have introduced Buddhism to three of my friends. Two of them have started chanting consistently. This year, I’m determined that at least one of them will join the SGI and receive the Gohonzon.
As a clinician at the Alaska Behavioral Health Child and Family Clinic, I cannot share Buddhism directly with my patients, but I design my sessions based on the values of Soka—valuing each person’s life and centering on their happiness. I use strategies that help them believe in themselves and imbue my therapy with the spirit of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda once said, “I want to eliminate all misery and suffering from the face of the earth.”[1] I feel this at my core, and I will stand up to wipe away all misery in this world by sharing Buddhism. I never hesitate to share because I want people to become happy, to feel empowered, just as I did through my faith.
June 19, 2026 World Tribune, p. 8
References
- Oct. 16, 2009, World Tribune, p. 4. ↩︎
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