The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, Part 3: Kosen-rufu and World Peace, Rev. Ed.

By Daisaku Ikeda

Gleaned from more than fifty years of Daisaku Ikeda' s works, thisrevised edition adds new selections that further provide a windowinto the SGI president' s thought and philosophy. His words are aboundless source of inspiration, hope, and courage for a worldincreasingly beset with sorrow and suffering.Chapters in this volume:“ A Life Dedicated to Kosen-rufu” “ The Mission and Vow of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth” “ Valuing Each Individual” “ The Organization for Kosen-rufu” “ The Unity of 'Many in Body, One in Mind'” “ Leaders Who Guide Others to Happiness” “ The Mentor-Disciple Relationship Is the Heart of the Soka Gakkai” “ The Three Founding Presidents and the Path of Mentor and Disciple” “ A Religion That Exists for People's Happiness” “ The Future Division— The Treasure of the Soka Gakkai” "The Great Path to World Peace" "Conclusion: Toward the Future"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Independent Publishers Group
• Release date: Jan 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781946635921

Book preview

A LIFE DEDICATED TO KOSEN-RUFU

21.1 The Aim of Nichiren Buddhism Is Kosen-rufu

Do not ask

whether the mighty flow of kosen-rufu

is an inevitable consequence of history.

Rather, always ask yourself

whether you have the passion

to make kosen-rufu inevitable

through your own sweat and effort.

This is a well-known passage from President Ikeda’s poem From the Indigo, an Even Deeper Blue. The realization of kosen-rufu and ultimately world peace is the lofty ideal to which he has dedicated his entire life, and it is the aim and purpose of Nichiren Buddhism.

Part 3 of this series of selected excerpts is titled Kosen-rufu and World Peace and introduces President Ikeda’s profound philosophy of peace based on Nichiren Buddhism.

This opening chapter, A Life Dedicated to Kosen-rufu, features selections from his guidance on the essence of kosen-rufu and our mission as Buddhists.

Happiness is life’s goal. Peace is what all people desire. History must move in the direction of happiness and peace.

It is human nature to seek a firm guiding principle leading toward those aims. Science, government, society, and religion must also be focused on human happiness and peace.

Regarding the suffering of humanity as his own, Nichiren Daishonin rose to action, holding high the banner of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land. He clearly set forth a guiding principle leading to happiness and peace.

The Daishonin writes, Can there be any doubt that … the great pure Law of the Lotus Sutra [Nam-myoho-rengekyo] will be spread far and wide [kosen-rufu] throughout Japan and all the other countries of Jambudvipa [the entire world]? (WND-1, 550). He predicted worldwide kosen-rufu and entrusted its realization to his disciples of future generations.

Nichiren Buddhism teaches that all living beings equally possess the Buddha nature and embody the principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life. It also reveals the means by which we can break free of all the chains that bind us. Affirming human dignity, equality, and freedom, Nichiren Buddhism is a world religion committed to bringing peace to humanity. It will illuminate the twenty-first century and impart the great light of universal happiness to the world.

From The New Human Revolution, volume 1, Sunrise chapter.

The most distinguishing characteristic of Nichiren Buddhism is its emphasis on kosen-rufu—the widespread propagation of the Mystic Law.

It is a teaching that urges us to dedicate ourselves to spreading this universal Law of life throughout the world and realizing happiness and peace for all humanity, because this is the mission for which we were born into this world and the path to our own happiness as well.

In Nichiren Buddhism, therefore, we practice for both ourselves and others. We strive in our Buddhist practice not just to gain the benefits of the Law ourselves but to share the teachings with others and introduce them to the practice so that they, too, can gain the same benefits.

The Daishonin states: You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others…. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase (WND-1, 386). Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and sharing the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism with others are the two wheels of our Buddhist practice.

Nichiren Buddhism also stresses the importance of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land.

Throughout his lifetime, the Daishonin asserted the need to spread the correct teaching and firmly establish the philosophical principles of Buddhism in the heart of each individual, thereby creating a peaceful and prosperous society for all.

From one perspective, it can be said that establishing the correct teaching, or widely spreading the Mystic Law, represents our religious mission as practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism, and that realizing the peace of the land represents our social mission.

Nichiren Daishonin writes, If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not? (WND-1, 24). Order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land refers to peace in society. We are fulfilling our mission as Nichiren Buddhists when we strive to actualize a peaceful land by changing society for the better and bringing peace and prosperity to all people.

From The New Human Revolution, volume 15, Flowering chapter.

21.2 May Young Successors Follow on the Path of Kosen-rufu in Ever-Growing Numbers

President Ikeda explains that the presence of disciples who carry on the mentor’s work to open the way to happiness and peace for humanity is the lifeblood of the movement for worldwide kosen-rufu.

Worldwide kosen-rufu is the wish and intent of Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. The Daishonin entrusted this colossal mission to his disciples who would follow in his footsteps.

In The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra, he calls out: My disciples, form your ranks and follow me, and surpass even Mahakashyapa or Ananda, T’ien-t’ai or Dengyo! (WND-1, 765).

The Daishonin addressed these words of encouragement to his disciples at a time of high tension, just before the Tatsunokuchi Persecution. From the very beginning, his hopes for his disciples and successors had a global scale. He urged them to surpass the ten leading disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha in India, the great teachers Nan-yüeh and T’ien-t’ai of China, and the great teacher Dengyo of Japan—all figures whose names shine in the annals of Buddhism and the history of humankind. Though the names of only teachers from India, China, and Japan are mentioned here, there is no doubt that the Daishonin’s vision always encompassed the entire world.

In the passage right before the one I have just cited, the Daishonin points out that, in all the time since Shakyamuni’s passing, no one had propagated the Mystic Law. He then boldly declares, Now, at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, I, Nichiren, am the first to embark on propagating, throughout Jambudvipa [the entire world], the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo (WND-1, 764–65).

Thus, by follow me, he means for his disciples to follow his lead in propagating the Mystic Law around the world. He calls on them to leave behind an achievement that will endure for all time.

It is the Soka Gakkai alone that has done just that—your seniors in faith who have striven together with me. There is no greater honor. I hope that our youth division members around the globe will form their ranks and follow on this path of kosen-rufu in ever-growing numbers.

The Former Affairs of the Bodhisattva Medicine King chapter of the Lotus Sutra states, You must spread it [the Lotus Sutra] abroad widely [kosen-rufu] throughout Jambudvipa [the entire world] and never allow it to be cut off, nor must you allow evil devils, the devils’ people, heavenly beings [such as the devil king of the sixth heaven], dragons, yakshas, kumbhanda demons [that sap people’s vitality], or others to seize the advantage! (LSOC, 330).

The Lotus Sutra instructs that we must never allow the spread of its teaching to be cut off nor let devilish functions seize the advantage to obstruct it. Such negative influences are always trying to disrupt, block, or sever the path of mentor and disciple, the path of successors. They also try to exploit any disruption or division that may occur.

When the Daishonin says form your ranks and follow me, the emphasis above all is on follow me—that is, to carry on his work. That shared commitment, that continuity of spirit and effort, is the life and essence of worldwide kosen-rufu. This is what the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin teach.

After urging his disciples to surpass even the great teachers T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo, he writes: "If you quail before the threats of the ruler of this little island country [and abandon your faith], how will you face the even more terrible anger of Yama, the lord of hell?¹ If, while calling yourselves the Buddha’s messengers, you give way to fear, you will be the most despicable of persons!" (WND-1, 765).

He spurred and encouraged his disciples with great compassion. Regarding Japan’s leader as no more than the ruler of this little island country, he led the way forward and called on his disciples to press ahead and follow him.

This dauntlessness is an eternal model for all humanity. We of the SGI, with a profound appreciation of the Daishonin’s lofty state of life, are spreading the Mystic Law throughout the world and opening the way for the peace and happiness of humankind.

I hope that you, our SGI youth division members, will walk this path of eternal honor together with me and carry on my work as my successors.

From a speech at an SGI youth division leaders meeting, Tokyo, Japan, July 10, 1991.

21.3 Transforming the Destiny of Humanity

Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda cherished the wish to rid the world of misery and believed that elevating the character of humankind was the key to doing so. President Ikeda says that the Soka Gakkai, inheriting Mr. Toda’s profound resolve, has the mission to realize the great objective of transforming the destiny of humanity.

Nichiren Buddhism exists to help each person become happy and attain Buddhahood. The only way to demonstrate the greatness and validity of the Daishonin’s teachings is through the inner transformations of those who embrace them.

My mentor, Josei Toda, said: One of the fundamentals of Buddhism is to not inflict harm on anyone and to help free all people from suffering. Another is to bring joy to all people. This is the heart of the Buddha’s compassion.² When these essential aims are forgotten, Buddhism loses its purpose and substance.

Mr. Toda also stated:

[The mission of Soka Gakkai members as emissaries of the Buddha] is to elevate all people to the life state of Buddhahood—in other words, elevate the character of humankind to the highest level. How can we accomplish this? That is a very difficult question. But unless we can find the answer, there will be no hope for true happiness on our planet. If all people were elevated to the life state of Buddhahood, revealing their highest character, war and famine would disappear, and epidemics and poverty would be eradicated. Helping all human beings become Buddhas—that is, express their highest character—is to carry out the Thus Come One’s work (LSOC, 200).³

Mr. Toda’s profound insight was that elevating the character of all humankind is the key to solving every problem humanity faces. His vision extended to our world today.

As long as the collective character of humankind remains at a low level and continues to be ruled by the base animal instincts of the six paths [the lower of the Ten Worlds], any policy or plan can end up leading in the wrong direction.

My mentor’s heartfelt wish was to eradicate misery and suffering from the world. The way to do that, he believed, is to help everyone bring forth their Buddhahood and reveal their highest humanity. This is our mission as Soka Gakkai members, he said.

Let us continue to base ourselves on Mr. Toda’s conviction and, while steadily strengthening our foundation, move together toward the fundamental goal of guiding humankind to enlightenment.

From a speech at an SGI-Germany general meeting commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the kosen-rufu movement in Germany, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, June 8, 1991.

21.4 Working to Realize a Peaceful and Prosperous Society Is the Hallmark of a Living Religion

Lamenting the people’s endless suffering as a result of natural disasters, famines, and epidemics in his day, Nichiren Daishonin presented his treatise On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land to the country’s ruler. In it, he declared that the only way to alleviate that suffering was to embrace a solid philosophy of respect for the dignity of life. President Ikeda explains that the spirit of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land is the heart of Nichiren Buddhism and a central pillar of the Soka Gakkai.

Nichiren Daishonin’s lifetime teachings are said to begin and end with his treatise On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.

This writing pulses with the Daishonin’s profound compassion and fervent wish to realize the happiness of the people and the peace of society based on the correct teaching of Buddhism.

In perfect accord with the spirit of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land, we of the Soka Gakkai have advanced kosen-rufu while overcoming every storm of persecution. I have absolute confidence that the Daishonin is applauding our efforts.

As he states in this treatise, If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not? (WND-1, 24). If we desire personal happiness, he is saying, we must first pray for the security and prosperity of society and for world peace.

As long as war and natural disasters afflict the land, people cannot attain personal happiness. It is not just a matter of striving for one’s own happiness. True happiness can be attained only by praying for a peaceful and prosperous society for all and working to make it a reality.

In addition, by living this way, we can break free from the small shell of our lesser selves and achieve truly worthwhile and fulfilling lives.

Mr. Toda said to youth division members: Think about how to change society and what you need to do to build an ideal society! I want you to base all your actions on that larger perspective.

I’d like you, the youth, to lead the way in building an ideal society. I hope you will actively engage in society and do your utmost to help others and contribute to your community. This is the heart of Nichiren Buddhism.

People are the foundation of societies and nations, and people’s actions are shaped by ideas, philosophies, and religions.

The state of a society depends in large part on the guiding principles and goals that direct people’s lives. That’s why it is vital for each person to have a solid life philosophy. Our movement for kosen-rufu is, therefore, a struggle to realize the ideal of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land.

In another writing, the Daishonin declares, In the final analysis, unless we succeed in demonstrating that this teaching [of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] is supreme, these disasters will continue unabated (WND-1, 1114).

Buddhism focuses on winning. True peace and prosperity can be realized only when what is right and just prevails and the correct principles flourish.

Life is a struggle. We can attain a victorious result only by praying earnestly, striving hard, and following through in our actions. Let’s be people who can win in all spheres through committed effort and sincere dialogue.

The Daishonin suffered harsh persecution because he remonstrated with the ruler. Why did he write On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land even though he knew he would be persecuted as a result? In The Rationale for Writing ‘On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,’ he clarifies his motivation: I say all this solely for the sake of the nation, for the sake of the Law, for the sake of others, not for my own sake (WND-1, 164).

Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, was prepared to boldly proclaim the truth, for the sake of Buddhism, for peace, and for the people.

Mr. Toda said: Even when he was about to be beheaded, even when freezing in the bitter cold of snowbound Sado, didn’t the Daishonin declare himself to be the pillar, eyes, and great ship of Japan and fight on selflessly for people’s happiness? Let us return to our inherent strong selves and fight with everything we have!

The Soka Gakkai has spread throughout the world a network of peace, education, and culture based on Nichiren Buddhism. While striving to realize happiness for all through the philosophy of human revolution, it has promoted dialogue among civilizations on a global scale, motivated by the desire to build a society of coexistence and harmony.

The Daishonin writes, A person of wisdom is not one who practices Buddhism apart from worldly affairs but, rather, one who thoroughly understands the principles by which the world is governed (WND-1, 1121).

We are committed to making a positive contribution to the world by demonstrating the wisdom of Buddhism within society. That is the way to make Buddhism shine as a truly living religion.

Leaders and thinkers around the globe praise our movement for its contributions to humanity. Practicing in accord with the Daishonin’s teachings and inheriting his spirit, we of the Soka Gakkai today are the pillar of peace for the world, the eyes of education for the youth, and the great ship of culture for humankind.

With this profound pride and conviction in our hearts, let’s continue to forge ahead boldly.

From a speech at an SGI Day commemorative conference, Tokyo, Japan, January 26, 2010.

21.5 Kosen-rufu Is an Unending Flow

President Ikeda explains that kosen-rufu is not the end point of a process; it is the process itself. The mission of the Soka Gakkai, he says, is to contribute to people’s happiness, the welfare of society, and world peace by helping revitalize the human spirit and to promote respect for the dignity of life based on the principles of Nichiren Buddhism.

In The True Aspect of All Phenomena, Nichiren Daishonin writes:

There should be no discrimination among those who propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo in the Latter Day of the Law, be they men or women. Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo]. At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well. Does this not signify emerging from the earth? At the time when the Law has spread far and wide [kosen-rufu], the entire Japanese nation will chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as surely as an arrow aimed at the earth cannot miss the target. (WND-1, 385)

And Nikko Shonin [Nichiren Daishonin’s direct disciple and successor] urges in his Twenty-Six Admonitions, Until kosen-rufu is achieved, propagate the Law to the full extent of your ability without begrudging your life (GZ, new ed., 2196 [GZ, 1618]).

Countless passages in the Daishonin’s writings call for the realization of kosen-rufu. If we consider ourselves disciples of Nichiren Daishonin, then we must devote ourselves with a selfless and energetic spirit to spreading the Mystic Law and achieving kosen-rufu. We must never forget that the Soka Gakkai’s fundamental aim is to widely propagate Nichiren Buddhism, the Buddhism of the Three Great Secret Laws. We must take to heart the above admonition of Nikko Shonin as an eternal and unchanging cornerstone of the Soka Gakkai spirit.

Here, I want to clarify that kosen-rufu doesn’t necessarily refer to a particular fixed goal.

The Daishonin writes, If Nichiren’s compassion is truly great and encompassing, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread for ten thousand years and more, for all eternity (WND-1, 736). He is indicating that the flow of kosen-rufu—of widespread propagation—goes on endlessly, never ceasing. Kosen-rufu is not the end point of the flow; it is the flow itself, the vibrant coursing of this living Buddhism throughout society and the world.

Our activities for kosen-rufu are aimed at spreading the Buddhism of the Three Great Secret Laws in today’s world and nourishing everyone with its refreshing wellspring of life. They are to enable each individual to realize indestructible happiness in life and, as a consequence, to build an ideal society of peace and prosperity.

In other words, our activities for kosen-rufu, our efforts to transmit the Mystic Law, constitute a most fundamental struggle to revitalize human beings and firmly establish within society a spirit of respect for the dignity of life.

In On Practicing the Buddha’s Teachings, Nichiren Daishonin writes:

The Lotus Sutra is the teaching of shakubuku, the refutation of the provisional doctrines.⁴ True to the letter of this golden saying, in the end, every last one of the believers of the provisional teachings and schools [of Buddhism] will be defeated and join the retinue of the Dharma King [the Buddha]. The time will come when all people will abandon the various kinds of vehicles [the provisional pre–Lotus Sutra teachings] and take up the single vehicle of Buddhahood [the Lotus Sutra], and the Mystic Law alone will flourish throughout the land. When the people all chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the wind will no longer buffet the branches, and the rain will no longer break the clods of soil. The world will become as it was in the ages of [the legendary rulers] Fu Hsi and Shen Nung. In their present existence the people will be freed from misfortune and disasters and learn the art of living long. Realize that the time will come when the truth will be revealed that both the person and the Law are unaging and eternal. There cannot be the slightest doubt about the sutra’s promise of peace and security in their present existence (WND-1, 392)

It is also important to recognize that actualizing the peace of the land, that is, building an ideal society, isn’t limited to the flourishing of the single country of Japan. In On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, the Daishonin writes:

Now if all the four kinds of Buddhists [monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen] within the four seas and the ten thousand lands would only cease giving alms to wicked priests and instead all come over to the side of the good, then how could any more troubles rise to plague us, or disasters come to confront us? (WND-1, 23)

You must quickly reform the tenets that you hold in your heart and embrace the one true vehicle, the single good doctrine [of the Lotus Sutra]. If you do so, then the threefold world [where we dwell] will become the Buddha land, and how could a Buddha land ever decline? The regions in the ten directions will all become treasure realms, and how could a treasure realm ever suffer harm? (WND-1, 25)

And in On the Receiving of the Three Great Secret Laws, he refers to the people of the three countries … and all the inhabitants of Jambudvipa (WND-2, 987).

The three countries are India, China, and Japan, while Jambudvipa means the entire world. The threefold world refers to the six paths, the saha world, or the entire world. The four seas and the ten thousand lands, too, indicates the whole planet.

I would like to stress the importance of making the coming twenty-first century a century of life and that humanity must take the initiative to create the conditions for such a new age.

A century of life, simply put, refers to an age, a society, a civilization based on respect for the dignity of life. Respect for the dignity of life means that people’s lives, their dignity, and their personal happiness must never on any account be exploited or sacrificed as a means to some end. I am speaking of a society and civilization grounded on a firm commitment that all endeavors serve to support people’s lives, their dignity, and their happiness, and that these must never be used as means to any other purpose or goal.

Without tenacious efforts today to make respect for the dignity of life the guiding principle for creating tomorrow’s world, the twenty-first century is in grave danger of becoming a century of destruction. The activities of the Soka Gakkai constitute a great movement of ordinary people uniting in the struggle to make peace and culture flourish so that we can bring about this century of life.

From Lecture on On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, published in Japanese in July 1977.

21.6 The Formula for Worldwide Kosen-rufu

Nichiren Daishonin set forth the five guides for propagation as guidelines for carrying out kosen-rufu. Through examining the Buddhist teachings prevalent in his day, the people’s capacity for understanding, the nature of the time, and society’s religious and philosophical foundations, he clarified that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the teaching to be propagated in Japan and the entire world during the Latter Day of the Law. Explaining the five guides, President Ikeda offers insights for developing the movement for kosen-rufu around the world in modern times to realize happiness and peace for all humanity.

I’d like to talk a little about the five guides for propagation. It goes without saying that Nichiren Buddhism is a world religion. It is destined to spread around the globe and lead all people to enlightenment, as the Daishonin plainly declares.

For example, he says, Can there be any doubt that [in the Latter Day of the Law], after this period described in the Great Collection Sutra when ‘the pure Law [of Shakyamuni Buddha] will become obscured and lost,’ the great pure Law of the Lotus Sutra [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] will be spread far and wide [kosen-rufu] throughout Japan and all the other countries of Jambudvipa [the entire world]? (WND-1, 550).

The Daishonin then offers five guides or specific criteria to bear in mind in propagating the Mystic Law throughout the world: the teaching, the people’s capacity, the time, the country, and the sequence of propagation. When those who seek to spread the Mystic Law understand these five guides, they will succeed in that endeavor.

The first guide is knowing the teaching—that is, recognizing that the teaching of Nichiren Daishonin is the correct teaching that will eternally lead people to enlightenment in the present and future.

Invaluable to that end is having a clear understanding of Nichiren Buddhism and why it is superior to other Buddhist teachings from the standpoint of doctrine and in terms of one’s personal experience of practicing it.

Faith in Nichiren Buddhism is not blind belief or superstition. It means being able to accept the teaching based on reason and to experience and demonstrate its truth amid the realities of daily living. When we thoroughly study the Daishonin’s writings, deepen our faith and confidence through the experiences we gain through this Buddhist practice, and teach others about its validity, we can succeed in propagating the correct teaching in any environment.

The second guide is knowing the people’s capacity.

We need to understand the people’s capacity, or inner ability, to accept the correct teaching. This means recognizing that those living in the Latter Day of the Law have the capacity to attain Buddhahood through the Daishonin’s teaching of the Mystic Law.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that everyone will start practicing the teaching as soon as they hear it. In fact, they may even vehemently reject or criticize it. But the benefit we gain through sowing the seeds of enlightenment by letting people hear the teaching—that is, just by speaking to them about Buddhism—is equal to the benefit we gain through sowing the seeds and inspiring someone to start practicing right away.

Be assured that the seeds for attaining Buddhahood that we sow in the hearts of others are certain to sprout eventually as faith in the Mystic Law. I therefore hope you will pray steadily for the happiness of many people with a relaxed, confident, and broad-minded spirit.

Third is knowing the time—that is, understanding what age the present time corresponds to and what teaching can lead people to enlightenment in such an age.

Buddhism teaches that we are living in the age of the Latter Day of the Law. Though the Buddhist teachings of past ages may have been right for those times, they are now as useless as an out-of-date calendar. Of the five guides for propagation, knowing the time is especially important.

The fourth is knowing the country.

The Daishonin states:

One must never fail to take into account the kind of country in which one is spreading the Buddhist teachings. There are cold countries, hot countries, poor countries, rich countries, central countries, and peripheral countries, large countries and small countries, countries wholly given over to thieving, countries wholly given over to the killing of living things, and countries known for their utter lack of filial piety. In addition, there are countries wholly devoted to the Hinayana teachings, countries wholly devoted to the Mahayana teachings, and countries in which both Hinayana and Mahayana are pursued. (WND-1, 50)

In this passage, the Daishonin speaks of the differences between countries from a number of perspectives. People’s lifestyles and attitudes will vary based on a country’s climate, economy, culture, international relations, and ethics. This will naturally require different approaches to propagating Buddhism in each land.

Nichiren Buddhism is a very practical and realistic teaching. It is important that we treasure the people in each country and locality. We must never force the customs and attitudes of just a single country on others. To do so runs counter to Nichiren Buddhism.

Soka Gakkai members around the globe—all upholding faith in the Daishonin’s teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the correct teaching of the Latter Day of the Law—have spread trust and understanding toward our movement. They have done so by exercising their ingenuity and wisdom to engage positively and creatively with the specific circumstances and character of their countries and by contributing to their local communities and society. This is the meaning of knowing the country, and this is why we have succeeded in spreading Nichiren Buddhism in so many places. It is not an easy task. Real efforts by real people are decisive.

The fifth guideline is knowing the sequence of propagation.

The Daishonin states, One must first learn what kind of Buddhist doctrines have already spread in a particular country before attempting to propagate Buddhism there (WND-1, 50). To successfully propagate Buddhism, one must know what teachings and philosophies have prevailed in each place. One will not succeed in helping the people there unless the teaching one propagates is superior to those that already exist there.

Nichiren Buddhism is based on the ultimate, supreme Law, so no teaching that has prevailed in a place beforehand could ever surpass it. One who propagates it, therefore, can never err in the sequence of propagation.

Nichikan Shonin [a great restorer of Nichiren Buddhism who began the task of systematizing the Daishonin’s teachings] writes: Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, only the essential Law [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] should be propagated. Knowing this is knowing the sequence of propagation.⁵

In this respect, too, it is naturally important to understand the religious history of each country and community.

When the proper conditions outlined in the five guides prevail in every part of the world, Nichiren Buddhism is certain to spread widely.

The Daishonin states, The Law does not spread by itself: because people propagate it, both the people and the Law are worthy of respect (GZ, new ed., 2200 [GZ, 856]).⁶

The Soka Gakkai is spreading Nichiren Buddhism just as he envisioned. Today, in well more than a hundred countries [192 countries and territories as of 2023], a steady stream of Soka Gakkai members, Bodhisattvas of the Earth, is emerging. They are promoting kosen-rufu while enjoying the benefits of faith and making positive contributions to their communities. This itself proves that the Soka Gakkai is advancing on the right path in accord with the five guides for propagation, just as the Daishonin taught.

From a speech at a Bharat [India] Soka Gakkai general meeting commemorating the thirty-first anniversary of the kosen-rufu movement in India, New Delhi, India, February 9, 1992.

21.7 Kosen-rufu Begins With One Person

Looking back on his first step for worldwide kosen-rufu in 1960, President Ikeda asserts that the essence of kosen-rufu lies in one person’s struggle to achieve human revolution and transform their karma.

For the sake of future generations, I would once again like to write of the original spirit underlying worldwide kosen-rufu.

October 2, 1960, was a bright and clear Sunday. Departing from Tokyo International Airport in Haneda, I flew to Hawaii. As I looked down from the airplane just after takeoff, I saw the sea off Omori [in Ota Ward], where I was born and raised, glittering below.

Hawaii was the place where the Pacific War between Japan and the United States broke out. I had decided to make Hawaii my first overseas destination, following my visit to Okinawa [in July 1960, which at the time was still under American occupation].

Our practice of Nichiren Buddhism enables us to transform our karma into our mission. Those who have suffered the most have the right to enjoy the greatest happiness.

Many of our members living in Hawaii and other parts of the United States at the time were war brides, women who had married US servicemen and come to live in the United States with them. Having gone to their new country with visions of happiness, they often found the cultural and linguistic barriers difficult and longed to return to Japan.

I encouraged them wholeheartedly, wanting to dispel the clouds of anguish from their hearts and awaken the Buddha nature within them.

In a letter from his place of exile on Sado Island, the Daishonin writes, Wherever we dwell and practice the single vehicle [of the Lotus Sutra], that place will be the Capital of Eternally Tranquil Light (WND-1, 313).

Everywhere I went during that first trip to the United States, I urged members to transform where they were into a Land of Eternally Tranquil Light, and I assured them that as long as they upheld faith in the Mystic Law, which enables us to change poison into medicine, they were certain to become happy. With tears shining in their eyes, many of them proclaimed: I won’t be defeated! I’ll keep challenging myself! I held discussion meetings wherever I went and engaged in frank heart-to-heart dialogues.

Promoting kosen-rufu isn’t merely about spreading Buddhist ideas and terminology. It means each of us rising to action wherever we are in the world and bravely striving to transform our karma through our practice of Nichiren Buddhism. It is awakening to our noble mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth and spreading understanding, trust, and joy around us.

Worldwide kosen-rufu can be realized only by encouraging and fostering people who have the courage to stand alone and act on their own initiative.

Our great Soka network, dedicated to realizing happiness for people everywhere, has now grown to encompass 192 countries and territories. I have the greatest admiration and gratitude for all our pioneer members who worked so hard to open the way forward in the face of immense challenges in the early days of our movement. I am also delighted that a steady stream of capable successors is emerging to create a bright and hopeful future.

From an essay series Our Brilliant Path to Victory, published in Japanese in the Seikyo Shimbun, November 12, 2010.

21.8 The Soka Gakkai Is a Magnificent Realm of Inspiration and Empowerment

Looking to the future of kosen-rufu one or two hundred years hence, President Ikeda stresses the importance of fostering individuals who possess a profound philosophy and deep compassion and who can contribute to the happiness of humankind.

In one of his writings, Nichiren Daishonin observes, Even one seed, when planted, multiplies (WND-2, 602). An effort begun by one person, though many may not yet notice it, can eventually yield impressive results.

I am always taking action in every way I can for the sake of kosen-rufu, looking toward the distant future, a hundred or two hundred years from now.

We are planting seeds in every field of human activity that will someday grow like mighty trees and produce beautiful flowers. That’s why there’s no need to be swayed by the ever-changing events and circumstances of the present.

The Daishonin writes, Just as all the different kinds of plants and trees come forth from the earth, so all the various teachings of the Buddha are spread by persons (WND-1, 61). Read in the context of our movement, this passage means that everything depends on people. Not possessions, not buildings. Education, peace, and culture all ultimately hinge on how many people we can foster who will play an active role in promoting them.

My mentor, Josei Toda, always stressed that raising capable people was essential. He and I often discussed the future of kosen-rufu, sharing the vision that the Soka Gakkai would become a magnificent realm of inspiration and empowerment.

The SGI movement is indeed an unprecedented great endeavor to develop and foster people based on the supreme philosophy and compassionate spirit of Nichiren Buddhism. Not just the organization is important. Fostering people is what matters most.

The progress of the Mystic Law’s spread throughout the world depends on our success in fostering individuals who will take the lead in that effort. I would like to state clearly that each of you is such an individual, a noble pioneer of our movement.

We are engaged in an undertaking of a truly grand scale that will unfold over the ten thousand years and more of the Latter Day of the Law. It is a monumental enterprise to open wide the path to peace and happiness for all humanity based on the supreme principle of the Mystic Law.

So many in the world today still know nothing of this great teaching. No amount