CategoryDaily Life

The eternal formula for achieving personal victory and transforming our land.

Feb. 16 will mark 800 years since Nichiren Daishonin’s birth. In his nearly 61 years of life, the founder of Nichiren Buddhism established a Buddhist practice accessible to all people that, centuries later, has spread and is practiced by people throughout the world. After two years of uncertainties and challenges brought on by the coronavirus

New Year’s resolutions have existed, in some form, for around 4,000 years. (Think ancient Babylonians making promises to the gods to return borrowed objects and pay off debts.) And while these resolutions have decidedly religious origins, today, they are largely promises we make to ourselves. Perhaps being the only one to hold ourselves accountable is

On Nov. 18, the Soka Gakkai announced its 2022 theme: the Year of Youth and Dynamic Progress. As we reflect on the past year and approach a new one, we may wonder how to make “dynamic progress” amid incredible uncertainty. However, when we look at the Soka Gakkai’s long history, it is our proud tradition

In a recent “To My Friends” guidance in the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper, Seikyo Shimbun, there was a reminder to stay vigilant against phone scams. Be ever vigilant to keep from being deceived by scams. If you suddenly receive a phone call or visit by strangers with requests or solicitations, don’t respond immediately but consult

Ikeda Sensei assures us that the secret to a long and happy life is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and keep advancing in high spirits, with a sense of mission toward a grand objective.  It is generally said that mental attitude has a vital influence on longevity. In that respect, I would like to share some attributes

The oldest surviving love poem was recorded 4,000 years ago on a cuneiform tablet titled “The Love Song of Shu-Sin” (recited by a bride to her Sumerian king). Today, some of the most relatable love poems are conveyed through song. By one estimate, 100 million songs have been recorded about love, capturing from every angle

1) Prayer Based On a Vow Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo based on a vow enables us to bring forth Buddhahood. Ikeda Sensei writes of this great vow: “The heart of the great vow for kosen-rufu and the life state of Buddhahood are one and the same. Therefore, when we dedicate our lives to this vow, we can

Courage is the way to lead a more profound and meaningful existence.

It’s 6 a.m. Your alarm goes off. Your first thought is a fleeting hope that you accidentally set your alarm for 3 and still have more time to sleep. Wishful thinking. It’s time to rise and shine! You have your district study meeting at 7 p.m., but not before you pick up your child from

SGI Vice President Hiromasa Ikeda and Soka Gakkai future division leaders held a roundtable discussion on various topics related to raising our treasured future division members, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following are highlights of their discussion, which originally appeared in the July 29 and July 30, 2021, issues of the Soka Gakkai’s daily

Few things are harder than parting with loved ones; and yet, in life, nothing is more certain than death.

What Buddhism has to say about what drives us and how to truly enjoy our lives.

A Conversation With Kaneko Ikeda

A parenting meme had this recipe for iced coffee: have kids, make coffee, forget you made coffee, drink it cold. Parenting is hard enough. Add to that the COVID-19 pandemic, which has essentially turned our home into our office (or unemployment office), classroom, restaurant and gym, and even Maria von Trapp would be nonplussed. Kidding

What's holding you back? Buddhism's take on establishing absolute freedom.

J.R. Ewing. C. Montgomery Burns. Lucious Lyon. Pick your favorite ultrawealthy avatar. Society’s modern fascination with money has spawned TV shows, movies and lyrics that are embedded in our collective consciousness. (Is it really all about the Benjamins?) Perhaps we’ve even daydreamed a time or two about what we’d do if we received an unexpected

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on in the United States and around the world, SGI-USA members are “planting seeds of Buddhahood” by helping those around them form a connection to Nichiren Buddhism, a philosophy and practice of hope and self-empowerment. Ikeda Sensei says: Nichiren Daishonin writes, “Even one seed, when planted, multiplies” (“Cloth for a

The following points were adapted from Ikeda’s Sensei’s essay “Be Healthy in Body and Mind,” originally published in the Oct. 12, 2012, World Tribune, pp. 5 and 8. 1) Do An Invigorating Gongyo Morning and evening gongyo create the victorious rhythm for living each day in harmony with the fundamental Law of the universe. 2)

The American author Pearl S. Buck said that finding joy in work “is to discover the fountain of youth.” To be sure, we spend the majority of our waking day—and waking life—at work. According to one study, that adds up to an average of 90,000 hours, or a third of our lives, at work. Even