The following is from the December 2025 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai’s monthly study journal.
The Soka Gakkai’s greatest pride is its unbroken lineage all the way back to Nichiren Daishonin.
The three founding presidents, bound by the deep and unshakable bond of mentor and disciple, have boldly actualized Nichiren Daishonin’s lion’s roar—his desire to lead all people to happiness—steadily advancing kosen-rufu throughout the world. Walking in their footsteps, each of us, as fellow members of the Soka Gakkai striving together with our mentor, are none other than Bodhisattvas of the Earth, sharing a profound mission.
The true nobility of Soka Gakkai members lies in our sincere efforts to embody Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings in our daily lives. A powerful expression of this spirit appears in the passage: “‘Joy’ means that oneself and others together experience joy” (OTT, 146).
This is from The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, in which Nichiren encapsulates the essence of mentor and disciple.
For the sake of the genuine happiness of others, our fellow members spare neither time nor effort. We understand that such selfless actions form the very foundation of our own human revolution and the transformation of karma. Without calculation or thought of reward, we simply reach out with heartfelt sincerity to support and encourage those around us.
The record of achievement we have created over the past year—forging ahead tirelessly while engaging in a continuous inner dialogue with our mentor—is indestructible. Please be assured that the good fortune we have accumulated is absolute and will shine on brilliantly into the eternal future.
Thirty-five years ago, in December 1990, the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood unilaterally revised its governing rules and dismissed Ikeda Sensei from his position as chief representative of all lay organizations. Just one month prior, during a headquarters leaders meeting, he had shared guidance inspired by the life of the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven, urging members to transform suffering into a springboard for joy. He suggested that members sing Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” from the Ninth Symphony in the original German. This act was met with harsh criticism from the priesthood, who condemned it as praising non-Buddhist teachings—an accusation that exposed their inability to appreciate the role of culture in uniting and uplifting humanity.
The following year, the Soka Gakkai declared its spiritual independence from the priesthood. Having cast off the shackles of oppressive authority, we began our ascent as a global religious movement. This transformation demonstrates that throughout the world there is a deep longing for a religion that exists for the happiness and dignity of all people—a religion that serves as the essence of Sensei’s philosophy.
Sensei continually called on us to advance in unity with Nichiren Daishonin’s unwavering dedication to truth and justice. Even when I was in the youth division, he instilled in us, at the Kansai Training Center, the spirit to stand up against corrupt priests who were inhumane and ungrateful. Our mentor’s heart blazed with a steadfast commitment to humanism.
The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings also affirms: “Great joy [is what] one experiences when one understands for the first time that one’s mind from the very beginning has been a Buddha” (211–12). How truly noble are those who share and spread the Mystic Law, an ode to the triumph of humanity.
Now, with the great teachings of Nichiren Buddhism as our foundation, let the songs of joy arising from the depths of our hearts resound far and wide, as we dedicate our glorious symphony of happiness and victory to our great mentor of worldwide kosen-rufu!
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