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CategoryQ&A

Category: Q&A

Q: When I try introducing my friends to Buddhism, they usually say that organized religion isn’t for them. Why do we practice in an organization?

A: The word organization probably conjures certain images for some people, but the fact is, everything in this world involves some sort of organization. The human body itself is made up of more than sixty trillion cells, all working in concert. That’s an amazingly efficient organization. … It’s the same with human society, as well.

Category: Q&A

Q: What is the Buddhist approach to asking people to chant for me?

Our fundamental Buddhist practice consists of developing oneself while supporting others. Practicing for oneself indicates chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, studying Buddhism and participating in and supporting our SGI activities.  Practicing for others includes sharing Buddhism with those around us and supporting our fellow members.  SGI-USA members find great joy in extending their care, support and encouragement to

Category: Q&A

Q: As time passes and my contemporaries and loved ones pass away, I feel the weight of my own mortality. How can I live with hope and purpose?

A: When we study Buddhism, we find that Shakyamuni’s teachings begin with conquering the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death. Rather than seeking to evade suffering, which is impossible, Shakyamuni pioneered the means to overcome it through practicing Buddhism. In life, we encounter many forms of hardship, but the four sufferings list what

Category: Q&A

Q: Recently retired on a fixed income, I’m more cautious with finances than I once was. How can I partake in SGI-USA contributions with a youthful, lionlike spirit in this new chapter of my life?

A: This is a courageous question. Matters of financial security and faith are ones that Ikeda Sensei himself has given painstaking thought.  At the headquarters in May 1961, deeply pondering the future of kosen-rufu, Sensei’s thoughts turned to the question of funding. Numerous construction projects were underway and even more were on the horizon, all