What is the purpose of religion? To enable human beings to become happy… That is the goal of
Buddhism as practiced in the Sokkai Gakkai, “To enable every single person to become happy without
exception.”
The essence of Buddhism is the conviction that we each have within us the ability to overcome
any problem or difficulty that we may encounter in life. This inherent potential is what we refer to as the
Buddha nature, a state of life characterized by limitless courage, wisdom and compassion.
The founder of Buddhism, Shakyamuni expressed this law of life in The Lotus Sutra where he
revealed that all people, without exception, possess this Buddha nature and are inherently worthy of
respect.
In the 13th Century, a Japanese Buddhist reformer named Nichiren identified that the practice of
chanting the Lotus Sutra’s title, “Myoho Renge Kyo” together with the Sanskrit word “Nam” (which
means “to devote oneself”) is itself the way to bring forth from within our Buddha nature.
In Nichiren’s letter “On the Four Stages of Faith” (WND Vol. 1 p. 788) he writes, “When for the
sake of brevity one mentions only the daimoku (chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) or title, the entire
sutra is by implication included therein.” To put it simply, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is the name of this
potential, or Buddha nature within our life. SGI President, Daisaku Ikeda wrote, “Daimoku is a universal
language instantly understood by Buddhas.”
The Society for Value Creation, or Sokkai Gakkai, was founded in 1930 by reformist, educator
and author Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. He initially started it as a study group for educators. However, due
to his faith in Nichiren Buddhism, this group quickly developed into a broader-based movement focused
on the ideals and practice of Buddhism. Makiguchi believed Nichiren Buddhism to be the greatest means
for people to tap their hidden potential and that spreading the Buddhist ideals of equality and respect
for all life was the best way to realize his original goal of reforming Japanese education and society.
Mr. Makiguchi and his closest disciple, Josei Toda, were arrested and imprisoned in 1943 by the
Japanese Government as “thought criminals. Sadly, Mr. Makiguchi died while in prison in 1944. When he
was released, Josei Toda continued to promote Nichiren Buddhism as a means of self-empowerment – a
way to overcome obstacles in life and tap inner hope, confidence, courage and wisdom. He used the
term “Human Revolution” to express the central idea of Nichiren Buddhism; that all people are capable
of attaining enlightenment in this lifetime. With Mr. Toda as president, the SGI began to flourish in
Japan. Mr. Toda passed away in 1958 and was succeeded by Daisaku Ikeda, who further developed the
movement in Japan, as well as on a global scale.
The SGI (Sokkai Gakkai International) was founded on January 26, 1975 as a worldwide network
of Buddhists dedicated to a common vision of a better world through the empowerment of the
individual and the promotion of peace, culture and education. Under Daisaku Ikeda’s leadership, the SGI
has developed into one of the most significant Buddhist movements in the world. Currently, there are
94 independent affiliated SGI organizations with 12 million members in 192 countries and territories
worldwide.
The SGI does not have priests and temples – daily practice is carried out at home and discussion
meetings are usually held in a member’s home. Sharing our experiences at meetings is a proud tradition
in the SGI. In his book The New Human Revolution President Ikeda talks about the significance of sharing
experiences, “One might say that giving an experience in faith involves an airing of past humiliations.
The willingness of SGI members to so readily and happily share their experiences, however, comes from
their immense joy at having triumphed over suffering. This overrides any embarrassment they may feel.
Sharing an experience is also an expression of compassion, stemming from the hope that others with
similar problems can overcome them and become happy as quickly as possible…In these triumphant
chronicles of ordinary people’s lives, we can find proof of the validity of Nichiren Buddhism and a true
picture of the Sokkai Gakkai.”