CategoryIkeda Sensei

Ikeda Sensei gave the following guidance in The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 4, published in Japanese in December 1998. It can also be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 229–30. The bodhisattva way teaches that our happiness is inextricably linked with serving others. There are

Ikeda Sensei gave the following guidance in The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 5, published in Japanese in September 1999. It can also be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 227–29. Buddhism teaches that we should strive for the mutual happiness of ourselves and others, without

This section features Ikeda Sensei’s seminal guidance to the members of the United States. The following is an excerpt of his speech given at the World Peace Ikeda Auditorium, in Santa Monica, California, September 29, 1991. The full speech can be found in My Dear Friends in America, fourth edition, pp. 152–65. Winter Never Fails

Looking up I see sunlight glimmering through the leaves. The trees of Oirase stand like venerable, wise persons. Gazing upward from the streambed where I stand, I see deep-green leaves of August, filled with life, extending from treetops and branches toward small patches of blue sky. Nothing is more deserving of praise than a tree

The following is an excerpt from The New Human Revolution, vol. 16, “Heart and Soul” chapter. It can also be be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, chapter 6, installment 2, pp. 200–02. In The New Human Revolution, the novel’s protagonist Shin’ichi Yamamoto (whose character represents Ikeda Sensei), after attending

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech at a Yamagata Prefecture general meeting, Yamagata, Japan, April 18, 1983. It can also be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, chapter 6, installment 1, pp. 197–99. Buddhism teaches the principle of cherry, plum, peach and damson—that every being is beautiful and

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech on March 9, 1993, at an SGI-USA representatives conference in Miami. It can be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 165–69.

The following is an excerpt from The Human Revolution, “Determination” chapter.

This section features Ikeda Sensei’s seminal guidance to the members of the United States. The following is an excerpt of his speech given at the Boston Community Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, September 27, 1991. The full speech can be found in My Dear Friends in America, fourth edition, pp. 137–51. You Can See Eagle Peak

In June 1989, I flew from England to Sweden. The capital, Stockholm, is often called the “Venice of the North.” It is also known as the “City That Floats on the Water” and has a harbor that extends into its center. This city is built upon 14 islands linked by bridges and is crisscrossed by

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech on Feb. 25, 1988, at a divisional representatives conference in Tokyo. It can be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 135–37. Our inner transformation through revealing our inherent Buddhahood will transform not only our own lives but also our environment and

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech at a conference in Okinawa, Japan, March 3, 1998. It can be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 138–39. Rejecting negativity and practicing faith based on appreciation and joy is the way to elevate our life state. It is the heart

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech on Feb. 20, 1990, at an SGI-USA youth training meeting in Malibu, California. It can be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition,  pp. 53–57. Nichiren Buddhism teaches the importance of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with faith in the Gohonzon in order to transform our

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech at a meeting in Nagano, Japan, Aug. 6, 2005. It can be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 31–33. Happiness is a function of our state of mind. This is why the Soka Gakkai movement, which embraces the philosophy that “it

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech at an SGI-Canada general meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Oct. 1, 1993. It can be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 29–31. Nichiren Buddhism teaches that inherent in the lives of all people is the life state of Buddhahood, which

The following are excerpts from Ikeda Sensei’s speech at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting held at the Soka International Friendship Hall in Tokyo, on July 16, 2003. Video footage of the speech was broadcast during the Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting on April 12, 2025. The excerpts were translated from the April 28, 2025,

This section features Ikeda Sensei’s seminal guidance to the members of the United States. The following is an excerpt of his speech given at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, September 26, 1991. The full speech can be found in My Dear Friends in America, fourth edition, pp. 126–36. In the past, the driving force of

There is a pond that each spring turns into a flowered mirror. Cherry blossoms scatter petal by petal, wafting gently onto the water’s surface like delicately scented silk scarves. To the koi carp in the pond, the fluttering petals must look like clouds billowing across the sky. Such musings made me think the pink petals

Ikeda Sensei gave the following speech on Feb. 6, 1994, at a Soka Gakkai Thailand general meeting in Bangkok. It can be found in The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 1–5. Ikeda Sensei’s conception of happiness is an inspiring teaching for all, imparting courage to those overwhelmed by suffering

The following is an excerpt from a poem Ikeda Sensei composed in 2010 to commemorate Soka Gakkai Day, May 3, which also marked the 50th anniversary of his inauguration as third Soka Gakkai President. The original text appeared in the May 3, 2010, Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper.  Ah, our May 3!Unforgettable May