CategoryQ&A

A: The bodhisattva practice is the essence of Nichiren Buddhism, which teaches that happiness at the exclusion of others is not genuine happiness. To be sure, the original purpose of Buddhism is to help those who are suffering and to enable as many people as possible to become happy. Founding Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi

A: In these increasingly turbulent times, many people question how to live in the most meaningful way, and many are in search of a sound compass or philosophy to guide them. Buddhism teaches that happiness is not reliant on how much money we have, the academic degrees we obtain or any other external measures of

A: Despite our best efforts, it can be difficult to convey to our closest family members and friends the great value we derive from practicing Nichiren Buddhism. Countless SGI members, including SGI President Ikeda, have grappled with this problem. During his first U.S. visit in 1960, a woman asked at a meeting in Washington, D.C.,

A: Let’s start with the second part of the question, regarding the vow for kosen-rufu. As SGI members, we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the happiness of ourselves and others, participate in and support SGI activities, and strive to share this Buddhism with our friends. Such efforts are themselves expressions of our vow for kosen-rufu. This vow

The quick answer is, “No.” Simply put, dialogue and one-to-one exchanges are the unchanging method by which we can most effectively spread Buddhism. With the rise of cell phones, social media and instantaneous digital communications, we may think that there must be a quicker way to spread Nichiren Buddhism and realize peace in the world.

A: We begin to transform our karma when we earnestly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, squarely face our problems and do our utmost to take courageous action for kosen-rufu. This requires overcoming, at each turn, our self-doubt, fear, anger and the many negative tendencies that keep us from moving forward in our lives. And we can win over

A: In Mahayana Buddhism, having a seeking spirit is the starting point of Buddhist practice. The mind to seek enlightenment, Buddhahood or Buddha wisdom is called the “aspiration for enlightenment.” No matter how long we have engaged in our Buddhist practice, our efforts to keep seeking out the correct way to practice and refresh our

A: We should never feel that we need to have all the answers. And if we get caught up in worrying about sounding clever or making a good impression, we can easily lose sight of the purpose of encouragement in Buddhism. SGI President Ikeda says: “The source of all development in the realm of kosen-rufu

A: Usually when one scores a “victory,” we can clearly measure it. In sports, for instance, the team that scores the most points wins, and on an exam, a score of 90 or above earns one an A. In the realm of faith, Nichiren Daishonin teaches, “Buddhism primarily concerns itself with victory or defeat” (“The