CategoryBuddhist Study

This series highlights how Buddhism can enhance daily living. As Nichiren Daishonin says: “When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs.” What is the key to leading strong, free and happy lives? Developing resilience, self-reliance and hope. “We should

This series highlights how Buddhism can enhance daily living. As Nichiren Daishonin says: “When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs.” The greater the resistance waves meet, the stronger they grow”—Ikeda Sensei has long cherished these words, having written

The following excerpts are from Ikeda Sensei’s first of four lectures on Nichiren Daishonin’s treatise “The Selection of the Time.” See the January–February 2011 Living Buddhism for the full lecture, starting on p. 72. Introduction My mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda, stood up alone amid the confusion of postwar Japan to rebuild the

This series highlights how Buddhism can enhance daily living. As Nichiren Daishonin says: “When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs.” This summer, the movie Barbie broke box office records. Released the same day as another blockbuster, Oppenheimer, the

This new series highlights how Buddhism can enhance daily living. As Nichiren Daishonin says: “When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs.” Helen Keller (1880–1968) didn’t let being blind, deaf and speech-impaired hinder her from leading a full life.

This new series highlights how Buddhism can enhance daily living. As Nichiren Daishonin says: “When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs.” People commonly believe that memory and other cognitive faculties deteriorate with age. But growing research suggests that,

The following excerpts are from Ikeda Sensei’s lecture on Nichiren Daishonin’s writing “The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” originally published in the November 2013 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai’s monthly study magazine, to commemorate the opening of the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu in Tokyo. It can be found in Teachings

This new series highlights how Buddhism can enhance daily living, as Nichiren Daishonin says: “When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs.” A mother’s love and care can profoundly impact her children.  In the new book Rainbow of Hope,

The following excerpt is from part 3 of Ikeda Sensei’s three-part lecture on Nichiren Daishonin’s “Letter from Sado.” It can be found in Teachings for Victory, vol. 1, pp. 54–56. There is very little writing paper here in the province of Sado, and to write to you individually would take too long. Nevertheless, if even

The following excerpts are from Ikeda Sensei’s lecture on “The Dragon Gate,” which can be found in Learning From the Writings: The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 113–29. The youth are the “pillar” that will shoulder world peace. The youth are the “eyes” that will open the future of humanity. The youth are the

The following commentary is from Ikeda Sensei’s lecture “The Spirit of ‘Many in Body, One in Mind’ Is the Path to Victory.” The full lecture can be found in The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 203–11. Two Wheels of a Cart The oneness of mentor and disciple and the spirit of many in body,

Nichiren Daishonin envisioned a society of respect, equality and happiness enjoyed by all. This was a far cry from the feudal, class-based society of 13th-century Japan in which he lived. Yet he tirelessly worked to fulfill his vision based on the Lotus Sutra’s teaching that all people inherently and equally possess Buddhahood.  This tenacious pursuit

The following commentary is from Ikeda Sensei’s lecture on harmony in his subseries “A Religion of Human Revolution,” part of the “Buddhism of the Sun—Illuminating the World.” It can be found in A Religion of Human Revolution, pp. 59–60. Myo [meaning mystic, of myoho, the Mystic Law] means to revive, that is, to return to

“Thank you!”—such a short but powerful phrase. Research has shown that living with gratitude has positive, lasting effects on our overall well-being and relationships with those around us. Expressing gratitude is vital to leading a happy, fulfilling life.  Ikeda Sensei says: Solar systems follow their own defined orbits. Galaxies also travel through space in harmonious

The following text is excerpted from Ikeda Sensei’s lecture on “The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon,” which can be found in Learning From Nichiren’s Writings: The Teachings for Victory, vol. 4, pp. 4–8. The Gohonzon Exists for the Enlightenment of All People “To begin with, this Gohonzon was revealed in the last eight years of

The following text is excerpted from Ikeda Sensei’s lecture on “The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra,” which can be found in Learning from the Writings: The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 143–44. In its original sense, the term strategy refers to battle tactics, the science of warfare or martial arts. Considered more broadly, it

The following excerpt is from Ikeda Sensei’s lecture on “On Repaying Debts of Gratitude” in his lecture series Learning from the Writings: The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 222–27. To repay one’s debts of gratitude is the highest virtue. Neglecting gratitude is a reflection of a life controlled by innate negativity. As we each

The following was published in the December 2021 Living Buddhism, pp. 26–27. The Three Great Secret Laws represent core principles of Nichiren Daishonin’s teaching. They are: 1) the object of devotion of the essential teaching, 2) the daimoku of the essential teaching and 3) the sanctuary of the essential teaching. Here, “essential teaching” refers to

Buddhism’s ultimate goal has always been to enable people to attain Buddhahood, or enlightenment. Early Buddhists believed, however, that achieving this highest state of life required carrying out incredible efforts over countless lifetimes. The Lotus Sutra expounds a radically different perspective, teaching that rather than a destination to be reached sometime in the future, Buddhahood

The following excerpts are from the introduction to Ikeda Sensei’s series SGI President Ikeda’s Lecture Series: The Opening of the Eyes, pp. 3–9. The central theme of Nichiren Daishonin’s lengthy two-part treatise, “The Opening of the Eyes,” can indeed be summed up in the short phrase opening the eyes. While the Daishonin’s original text of