CategoryDaily Life

Every year on February 27, the women of America celebrate SGI-USA Women’s Day and the birthday of SGI Honorary Women’s Leader Kaneko Ikeda. Together, they renew their vow to “become the happiest people in the world” (My Dear Friends in America, fourth edition, p. 95). This month, Living Buddhism carries the following excerpts from SGI

A prayer directed toward victory for ourselves and our communities.

New year, new me, new world

A look at the three main qualities of a “correct and good teacher.”

Beginning this Year of Fresh Departure for a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide, let’s study excerpts of Ikeda Sensei’s guidance from The Third Stage of Life on remaining ever-youthful throughout our life. True Victory Is Winning in the End My beloved mentor, Josei Toda, the second Soka Gakkai president, used to say that the last years

On the 2024 theme: The Year of Fresh Departure for a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide

Now is the time to strengthen the SGI’s peace movement and foster successors.

In the following essay, Ikeda Sensei draws vital lessons in conflict resolution from the exemplary life of Mahatma Gandhi. It was originally published in the Sept. 23, 2001, issue of the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper, Seikyo Shimbun. The essay is also available at daisakuikeda.org. “I don’t want toys or chocolate. All I want is peace

Insights on prayer based on the Gosho “King Rinda.”

The following excerpt is Ikeda Sensei’s guidance on bringing up children with humane brightness and cheer. It can be found in Happy Parents, Happy Kids, pp. 93–95 I cherish the boys and girls of the future division. I suppose that among you who have gathered here today, there are those who have many children. Children

How Sustaining Contribution builds the foundation for our happiness.

For two weeks in October 1962, at the height of the Cold War, the world teetered on the edge of nuclear war as the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in a direct and dangerous confrontation involving nuclear missile deployments. Amid the Cuban Missile Crisis, as it came to be known, Ikeda Sensei, appearing in

On July 16, 1945, the atomic age came into being when scientists detonated the first atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert. J. Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the Manhattan Project, would later recall in a magazine profile the reactions of those present: some laughed, some cried, most were silent. In his own mind ran

The following excerpts are from Ikeda Sensei’s guidance in The Third Stage of Life, where he speaks about how we can live our lives to the fullest.  Trials Enrich Our Life If we triumph at a crucial moment, then in accord with the Buddhist principle of consistency from beginning to end, we will enter a

How to achieve victory through an undefeated Buddhist practice.

The following excerpt is Ikeda Sensei’s guidance on becoming strong parents who are not swayed by anything they encounter. It can be found in Happy Parents, Happy Kids, pp. 22–23. I will never forget May 3, 1951. On this day, Josei Toda was inaugurated as the second Soka Gakkai president. At the end of the

Ikeda Sensei’s guidance on how parents can work together to create an atmosphere at home that colors their children’s hearts with peace, encouragement and happiness. This can be found in Happy Parents, Happy Kids, pp. 13-15. Many parents fight about their children’s problems, blaming each other and making matters worse. Children clearly see this, and

Two-and-a-half millennia ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that human beings by nature are social animals: “Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god.” And yet here we are, in an age

In volume 24 of  The New Human Revolution, “Vigilant Safeguarding” chapter, Ikeda Sensei encourages members of the Byakuren Group, one of the SGI’s youth training groups.  Many think that happiness is taking it easy, never working hard and enjoying wealth and social status, recognition and success, without any special effort. Some flatter and cozy up

That human beings possess philosophy and ideals distinguishes us from other animals. All people ask, at least once in their lives, why they were born in this world. But animals don’t ask themselves that question.  Another of our distinguishing features is our human yearning for principles that allow us to live honorably, peacefully, happily. It’s