CategoryTo My Friends

Mr. Toda had lost a child, had experienced repeated crises with his businesses, and had been imprisoned for two years for his faith in the Lotus Sutra. He later reflected that these experiences of sorrow, grief, and hardship, and of surmounting countless daunting challenges, made him ideally qualified to be the Soka Gakkai’s president. The

The majority of the world’s people as yet know nothing of the teachings, or even the name, of Nichiren Buddhism. Our mission is to sow the seeds of the Mystic Law—in other words, the seeds for peace and happiness—in their lives. In most cases, by simply interacting with others as true friends and communicating sincerely

Accordingly, defeat for a practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism lies not in encountering difficulties but rather in not challenging them. Difficulties truly become our destiny only if we run away from them. We must fight as long as we live. We must live and struggle tenaciously to the end. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and

Even if it’s only a brief encounter, give your children a hug when you see them. Bond with them, talk with them, and try to make time to listen to what they have to say. As long as you have love and compassion, you will find the wisdom to make it work. From The Wisdom

Having such a great mission means that the challenges you face will also be great. But that is why you will be able to savor a truly rare and irreplaceable sense of fulfillment in your lives and accumulate indelible good fortune. Whatever the situation, decide that you will not be defeated and keep moving forward

The struggle to establish the correct teaching for the peace of the land that I embarked upon from that Aug. 24, when I was 19 years old, became the purpose of my youth and my entire life. August 6, 2022 World Tribune

Making continuous, dedicated efforts in propagation is the lifeblood of Buddhism. This is Shakyamuni’s teaching and the direct path to attaining Buddhahood that Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, taught his followers at the risk of his life. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition,

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

Striving in faith with the same spirit as the mentor is fundamental to attaining Buddhahood. It is also the great path for ensuring the eternal flow of kosen-rufu. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 220

Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda said: “If we were too perfect to begin with, others would find it hard to relate to us. That’s why we specifically chose to be born as ordinary people, experiencing sickness and poverty, so that we could widely spread Buddhism in society…Life is like playing a part in a

Sometimes advancing together with others is frustrating and difficult. Acting alone, just as one pleases, is undoubtedly much easier. But that can lead to becoming self-centered, which prevents us from practicing Buddhism properly. Before we know it, we’ll have strayed from the correct path. Ultimately, we’ll find ourselves in a lonely, sad, and miserable state

The way to happiness is not complicated. Those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo consistently in the realm of kosen-rufu triumph in the end. They are certain to attain a state of absolute happiness—in other words, the life state of Buddhahood. If you remember this single important point, your life will always be solid and secure. From The

His[Nichiren’s] message is that, though we all differ in our appearance and individual circumstances, each of us who embraces the Gohonzon, chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and works for kosen-rufu can—just as we are, in our present form— shine like the majestic treasure tower of life adorned with the seven kinds of treasures. From The Wisdom for Creating

When we cannot say thank you, our personal growth has stopped. When we are growing, we can see how wonderful others are too. When we stop growing, all we see are other people’s faults. At home, instead of trying to change your partner or your children to your liking, why not start with a simple

Our organization is a network of encouragement aimed at helping each member overcome suffering. It also seeks to rebuild the connections between human beings that have been severed in contemporary society. I believe that our efforts to guide and encourage others are important intangible assets not only for the Soka Gakkai but society in general.

I was nineteen when I attended that discussion meeting. Mr. Toda, my mentor, awaited me like a kindly father. Our encounter was a solemn, timeless moment in the eternal flow of past, present, and future. On that day, I vowed to become his disciple and dedicate my life to kosen-rufu. From The Wisdom for Creating

Buddhist practice is filled with difficult challenges, but it enables us to experience the great joy of human revolution, which would never be possible from a life of complete ease. That’s why the Daishonin sternly warns us not to forget at a crucial moment the promises we have made in faith. From The Wisdom for

Both introducing others and offering personal guidance constitute the work of cultivating the spirit through dialogue. Cultivation in general requires courage and perseverance to take on difficulty. But that challenging work develops and opens up the potential in people’s lives and enables them to enjoy the fruit of happiness. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness

Our destiny does not come from somewhere outside us; it is shaped within our own hearts, day by day. If we find life boring, it might be because we’ve let ourselves become boring. If life seems empty, it might be because we’ve allowed ourselves to grow empty and shallow. If we feel fed up with

Valuing each individual—this is the spirit of the Soka Gakkai. As long as we keep that tradition vibrantly alive, the Soka Gakkai will grow and develop forever. From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p. 96