May 2025 Living Buddhism

Gongyo—which includes reciting portions of the “Expedient Means” and “Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapters of the Lotus Sutra morning and evening—is part of daily practice for Nichiren Buddhists. This series carries Ikeda Sensei’s explanations of gongyo, section by section. The full text can be found in The Heart of the Lotus Sutra,

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 a U.S.-Japan Exchange Training Meeting, held at Soka University Los Angeles, Calabasas, California, September 23, 1991. The full speech can be found in My Dear Friends in America, fourth edition, pp.

Transforming skepticism into faith, I become a person who appreciates the heart of others. I am Gabrielle Tao from San Mateo, California.

Discussion meetings, a cornerstone of Nichiren Buddhist practice, serve as the very foundation for advancing our kosen-rufu movement. This year, the SGI-USA is spearheading a revolution in the way these meetings are conducted, emphasizing innovation while preserving the essential spirit of faith. Districts are encouraged to create dynamic and engaging meetings centered around three key

When he established his teaching in 1253, Nichiren Daishonin foresaw that great difficulties and obstacles would inevitably lie ahead of him. Nevertheless, he stood up as the votary of the Lotus Sutra, vowing to summon up “a powerful and unconquerable desire for the salvation of all beings and never to falter in [his] efforts” (“The

Please base your monthly discussion meeting study on one of the following: 1) Buddhist Concepts (pp. 40–41) 2) Writings for Discussion Meetings (pp. 42–43) 3) Material from any recent issue of the World Tribune or Living Buddhism Buddhist Concepts Our Karma Is Our Mission: Voluntarily Assuming the Appropriate Karma Have you ever turned down a

Ikeda Wisdom Academy members: • are group through national youth leaders and all student division members.• should have their own copy of The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 4. • are encouraged to read the assigned material before each meeting. May Syllabus: The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 4, pp. 55–87 • Part

In this excerpt from The New Human Revolution, vol. 28, Shin’ichiYamamoto, Ikeda Sensei’s character in the novel, speaks to student division members at a meeting commemorating the student division’s 21st anniversary. Congratulating the student division on its 21st anniversary, Shin’ichi Yamamoto began his speech recalling how his father, who had run a seaweed processing business,

This is a translation of an installment of a Soka Gakkai Study Department series, published in the May 2024 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai’s monthly study journal.  Installment 24: Shijo Kingo and the Ikegami Brothers On behalf of his loyal disciple Shijo Kingo who was experiencing great hardship following the Kuwagayatsu Debate in

Ikeda Sensei’s serialized novel The New Human Revolution chronicles the history of the Soka Gakkai following his inauguration in 1960 as its third president. It carries practical guidance on how to expand our movement for kosen-rufu and hundreds of experiences of inner transformation. Sensei appears in the novel as Shin’ichi Yamamoto. The following takes place

The day was June 17, 1992, the time, past 3 o’clock in the afternoon. We were 8 miles from Cairo, a city of 10 million. Driving through the city along the west bank of the Nile, one suddenly finds oneself in the desert. Ahead, atop a plateau, stand the three pyramids of Giza. It was