TagCreating Hope Amid COVID-19

SGI Vice President Hiromasa Ikeda and Soka Gakkai future division leaders held a roundtable discussion on various topics related to raising our treasured future division members, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following are highlights of their discussion, which originally appeared in the July 29 and July 30, 2021, issues of the Soka Gakkai’s daily

During the COVID-19 pandemic, SGI-USA members have been courageously sharing their Buddhist practice. And while in-person meetings have not occurred since early March, many friends of members have been joining our virtual gatherings, subscribing to SGI-USA publications and beginning to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo consistently. The following are interviews with individuals who have recently started their journey

Looking at what’s happening in our society today may stir up a vast spectrum of emotions—from pain, anger, disgust and confusion to righteousness, compassion, optimism and determination. Nichiren Buddhism teaches that rather than being swayed by the ups and downs of life, we can become strong, resilient individuals driven by the desire to improve our

by Lylette Primell RussellGrenada District Unit Women’s LeaderNonpareil, Grenada I run a 13-acre farm on the island of Grenada, making organic cocoa together with my husband, Kim. Living in the Caribbean, we are used to natural disasters, so when we heard about COVID-19, we started preparing right away. We had to practice self-sufficiency to ensure the future of

In light of the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the following are Ikeda Sensei’s excerpted quotes emphasizing the importance of never giving up and upholding a fighting spirit. If you win in the end, you will have won in everything! Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda would often say to me: “An impasse

This Is a Teachable Moment by NaKia MorganFresh Meadows District Young Women’s LeaderHospital Care InvestigatorNew York As a hospital care investigator, I ensure that each person who comes to our hospital can be admitted without hindrances due to insurance or payment issues. The hospital climate, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, is mixed. Some days people operate

by Vernard Sharif FennellNew Orleans “As long as we look at our situation with only ordinary reason, there won’t be the slightest chance for us to win. But [Nichiren] Daishonin tells us plainly that the Gohonzon has infinite power. The only question is whether or not we believe him. If we think that we are really

Amid the stay-at-home orders to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic, we may feel restricted by what we are unable to do. Buddhism, however, teaches that regardless of our circumstances, our hearts can remain free. When we offer hope to others, we break through the narrow confines of our personal concerns and expand our

by Larry SingerHudson Heights District Men’s Leader New York When I was a youth, I heard so much encouragement from SGI President Ikeda about Nichiren Daishonin’s treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”—a key point being that it’s not the land that is impure but rather the hearts and minds of the

by Joey ToroTreasured Islands Region Men’s Leader Maui, Hawaii About a month ago, we suspended operations at our family reupholstery business in Maui, Hawaii, due to the spread of COVID-19. In light of the situation, my mom, sisters and co-workers decided to use our equipment to make face masks for our family and neighbors. My

A Buddhist perspective on financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a 2013 TV interview, Fred Rogers, the creator and host of the iconic preschool television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, shared that when he was a boy and a tragic event occurred, his mother would say, “Look for the helpers.” It’s important to do so, he said, “because if you look for the helpers, you’ll

The World Tribune spoke with SGI-USA members who are medical professionals involved in the front-line response to the COVID-19 crisis to learn about their work and how they’re using their Buddhist practice to navigate through this critical time. Awakening the Bodhisattva Life Condition by Victoria Smith SGI-USA Doctors’ Division Women’s Leader Associate Medical DirectorKenner, La.

Traducción del artículo publicado el 11 de marzo de 2020 en el Seikyo Shimbun, diario de la Soka Gakkai. En el Japón y en el mundo, la profesión médica y la sociedad en general están dedicando ingentes esfuerzos a detener la expansión del coronavirus (COVID-19). Estoy infinitamente agradecido a los incontables individuos que trabajan sin

SGI President sent the following encouragement as part the essay, “Winter Always Turns to Spring,” published in the March 11, 2020, Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper. Leer en Español The medical profession and society as a whole in Japan and around the world are making great efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus