SGI ORGANIZATION & COMMUNITY
Soka Gakkai International
What is SGI?
This Sanskrit word meaning "reverence" or "devotion" is combined with "Myoho-renge-kyo" in SGI practice.
What is Nam?
This Japanese Buddhist sage discovered the practice of chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" in 1253.
Who was Nichiren Daishonin?
This foundational text contains Shakyamuni's teaching that all people equally possess Buddha nature.
What is the Lotus Sutra?
SGI was founded on this date in 1975 as a worldwide network of socially engaged Buddhists.
What is January 26?
Value Creation Society
What does Soka Gakkai mean? Soka means Value Creation.
SGI members chant this phrase and recite portions of the Lotus Sutra as their basic daily practice.
What is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?
The Soka Gakkai was founded in 1930 by this reformist educator and author.
Who was Tsunesaburo Makiguchi?
This concept teaches that people and their surroundings are interconnected. We are the lead actors of our lives
What is "Oneness of Life and Environment"?
Based on Buddhist principles, SGI engages in activities for these three areas of human development.
What do peace, culture, and education mean for the SGI?
This is how many countries and territories have SGI members, making it a truly global network.
What is 192?
Chanting is the way to awaken to this inner quality that contains courage, wisdom, and compassion.
What is Buddha nature (or Buddhahood)?
After Makiguchi's death in prison, this closest disciple continued promoting socially engaged Buddhism all over Japan.
Who is Josei Toda?
Josei Toda used this two-word term to express the idea that all people can attain enlightenment in this lifetime.
What is "human revolution"?
SGI promotes sustainable development and education about these rights that all humans possess.
What is the connection between SGI and human rights?
These monthly gatherings happen in neighborhoods where members study Buddhist principles and share life experiences.
What are discussion meetings?
Rather than being a magic formula, chanting serves as this type of tool to combat negativity and self-doubt.
What is a tool to fight against negativity and lack of belief in ourselves?
This SGI president succeeded Toda in 1960 and led the global expansion of the movement. We regard him as our mentor for the SGI.
Who is Daisaku Ikeda?
According to SGI philosophy, individual happiness and the realization of this global condition are inextricably linked.
What is peace? or What is kosen-rufu?
Among SGI's peace activities is this movement to eliminate a particular type of devastating weapon.
What is the movement to abolish nuclear weapons?
Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, responded to his disciple Ananda: “This way of thinking is not correct. Having good friends is not half the Buddha way but all the Buddha way.”
Ananda asked: “It seems to me that by having good friends … one has already halfway attained the Buddha way. Is this way of thinking correct?”
We each have within the power to overcome any problem that comes our way. All people equally possess the Buddha nature and are worthy of respect.
What are some convictions at the heart of our Buddhist practice?
Makiguchi and Toda were imprisoned in 1943 by Japan's militarist government and labeled with this type of criminal designation.
Who were imprisoned as "thought criminals" and by whom?
This individual process of taking responsibility for transforming our own lives is the first step toward creating a human society based on compassion and respect for the dignity of all people’s lives.
What is human revolution?
(1) Respect for human dignity and (2) the interconnectedness between the self and the environment.
What are two core Buddhist Principles behind SGI's approach to social engagement?