CategoryTo My Friends

The Daishonin clearly believed that the darkest hour of night was but a prelude to a dawn of people’s awakening— an opportunity for change, a turning point. “Great evil portends the arrival of great good” (WND-1, 1122), he writes. He is saying in effect: “There’s no need for pessimism. I, Nichiren, possessing the sunlike wisdom of

In the course of life, you are bound to face all kinds of difficulties. At times, you may become stuck. That is when you need to strengthen your faith and chant daimoku in earnest. Difficult as it might be, once you surmount the steep mountain of your karma, a new horizon will open wide before

You must love, respect, and treasure yourself. You’ll be miserable if you allow yourself to be swayed by the prejudices, passing trends, and contradictions of society. Never forget to be who you are, to be true to yourself. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 344

The Gohonzon will never demand that you chant to it. Having appreciation for being able to chant to the Gohonzon is the heart of faith. The more you exert yourselves in faith—in doing gongyo and chanting daimoku—the more you stand to gain. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, p.

Scientific progress is important, as of course are business, politics, and education. But there is something more important still, and that is life itself. Inner transformation is the foundation for everything. Both Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin taught this. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 186-87

What really defined Mr. Toda? In the final analysis, it was utter dedication to kosen-rufu, and nothing else. It was his building and protecting the Soka Gakkai so that it could advance kosen-rufu. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 286

The time of youth, in particular, is fraught with problems and worries. But that’s how it should be. You can’t become great leaders without experiencing problems or making effort. Through effort and hard work, you strengthen yourself and grow. Nichiren Daishonin writes, “It is the heart that is important” (WND-1, 1000). From The Wisdom for

Faith in Nichiren Buddhism is not blind belief or superstition. It means being able to accept the teaching based on reason and to experience and demonstrate its truth amid the realities of daily living. When we thoroughly study the Daishonin’s writings, deepen our faith and confidence through the experiences we gain through this Buddhist practice,

President Toda did his utmost to encourage members who were struggling amid various difficulties. He said: “Nichiren Buddhism is a religion that enables those facing adversity to attain happiness. None is stronger than a person who has faced and triumphed over painful hardships. Such a person can become a real friend and ally to those

Perhaps someone you arranged to meet didn’t show up, but you continue to stay in touch and meet with them again and again. These may seem like small things, and you may sometimes feel you’re not getting anywhere. But when you look back later, you’ll see that none of your efforts were wasted. You’ll see

Perhaps someone you arranged to meet didn’t show up, but you continue to stay in touch and meet with them again and again. These may seem like small things, and you may sometimes feel you’re not getting anywhere. But when you look back later, you’ll see that none of your efforts were wasted. You’ll see

Worldwide kosen-rufu can be realized only by encouraging and fostering people who have the courage to stand alone and act on their own initiative. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 26

The most important thing is getting into the habit of challenging yourself to the limit in this way. In a sense, the results you get don’t matter all that much. The actual grades you receive in high school, for instance, won’t decide the rest of your life. But the habit of challenging yourself to the

It is through talking and interacting with others that we truly develop as human beings. Dialogue means learning from and respecting others, which makes heart-felt conversation possible. Learning from others enriches us. In such rich discussion, there is joy, happiness, and peace. Dialogue is itself a sign of human triumph. From The Wisdom for Creating

As practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism, we get up in the morning and do gongyo. Some perhaps may do so rather reluctantly! Nevertheless, doing gongyo is itself a truly great and noble thing. Gongyo is a solemn ceremony in which we are, in a manner of speaking, gazing out across the universe; it is a dialogue

In any situation, dialogue is positive. It builds solidarity and creates unity. To reject dialogue is wrong; it can be divisive and destructive. The point is to meet and to talk. It is only natural that our perspectives may differ from others. But discussion gives rise to trust, even among those who don’t see eye

As long as war and natural disasters afflict the land, people cannot attain personal happiness. It is not just a matter of striving for one’s own happiness. True happiness can be attained only by praying for a peaceful and prosperous society for all and working to make it a reality. From The Wisdom for Creating

In contrast, people who have worked hard and long to develop their own identities take delight in seeing others develop theirs to the fullest too. They support and encourage them in their efforts. They take joy in others’ successes. And they have the capacity to work for the happiness and welfare of others. I hope

Josei Toda urged young people to “strive constantly to improve themselves, to become more dignified and cultured, and to establish a better, greater self.” Develop yourself! This was his message to the youth. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 341-42

Our organization exists to mobilize the spirit of human goodness—people’s desire to help and benefit others—and use it to create great value. You might say that the Soka Gakkai is a body or organism that took form and came to life specifically to bring together the basic goodness of people’s hearts, to further develop that