BUDDHISM IN
ACTION FOR PEACE
Empowering individuals
toward positive global change

SOKA GAKKAIAT A GLANCEThe Soka Gakkai is a global
community-based Buddhist
organization that promotes peace,culture and education centeredon respect for the dignity of life.
Its members in 192 countries andterritories around the world study
and put into practice the humanistic
philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism.
Soka Gakkai members strive toactualize their inherent potential
while contributing to their localcommunities and responding to
the shared issues facing humankind.

2“A great humanrevolution in justa single individual
will help achievea change inthe destiny ofa nation and,further, will
enable a change
in the destiny ofall humankind.”

The conviction that individual
happiness and the realization of peace
are inextricably linked is central tothe Soka Gakkai, as is a commitment
to dialogue and nonviolence.

3Daisaku Ikeda© Sarah Woollard© Debra Williams

BUDDHIST LINEAGE
Lotus Sutra, an important teaching

the essence of the Lotus Sutra

Gakkai belong to the tradition ofof Mahayana Buddhism, which holds

as “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.”

Buddhist humanism that originatedthat Buddhahood—characterized byHe taught the practice of chanting

with Shakyamuni on the Indiancompassion, wisdom and courage—

this phrase as a means for all

subcontinent some 2,500 years

is inherent within every person.

people to overcome suffering andago. A core value is respect for the4The Soka Gakkai’s activities to promoteindividual happiness and the cultureof peace develop worldwide throughdialogue, encouragement and collaboration
with international organizations

1957

1980s

19301960

2013

The Soka Gakkai is foundedby Tsunesaburo Makiguchi
and Josei Toda

Daisaku Ikeda becomes thirdpresident of the Soka Gakkai
and makes his first visit tomembers outside JapanThe Hall of the Great Vow
for Kosen-rufu where Soka
Gakkai members renew theircommitment to work forpeace, opens in Tokyo

Looking toward Kamakura, Japan,
where Nichiren lived and taught

The teachings upheld by the Soka

dignity of life and all human beings.

Josei Toda makes a declaration
calling for the abolition of
nuclear weapons, seen as thestarting point of the Soka
Gakkai’s peace movement

HISTORY

lead happy and fulfilled lives.
The teachings of the Lotus Sutra

The Soka Gakkai’s roots date backRefusing to adhere to the State

Gakkai’s growth internationally.

were transmitted and developed byA grassroots movement with 12

to 1930 in Japan, when Tsunesaburo

Shinto religion used by the militarist

After awakening to the true nature

Buddhist scholars and teachers inmillion members in 192 countries

Makiguchi and Josei Toda founded

government to exert ideological

The Soka Gakkai International (SGI)of life, Shakyamuni traveled widely,India, China and Japan, most notably

and territories worldwide, thethe Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (Societycontrol over the population at thewas formed in 1975 as a global

sharing his wisdom with others.

Zhiyi (the Great Teacher Tiantai) inSoka Gakkai is dedicated tofor Value-Creating Education),time, Makiguchi and Toda wereassociation to link independent Soka

His teachings were compiled by

China and Nichiren (1222–82) in Japan.

sharing the empowering message

the forerunner of the Soka Gakkai

imprisoned as “thought criminals”

Gakkai organizations around the world,of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren(Society for the Creation of Value).

in 1943. Makiguchi died in prison,and Ikeda became its president.

his disciples in the centuries thatfollowed. Among them was theIn the 13th century, Nichiren defined© IOM RAS

© IP_Wei/Getty Images© Katsuhisa Yamada

The Great Stupa at Sanchi, India,
started by the Buddhist emperor
Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE

A Lotus Sutra manuscript dating fromthe 9th or 10th century CE

and Toda emerged in 1945 toBuddhism in today’s world.

Dunhuang, in Western China, a key point on
the Silk Road, home to hundreds of cavesfeaturing early Buddhist art and statues

With Makiguchi as its first president,

rebuild the Soka Gakkai, later

Since 1983, the SGI has been

the organization began as a group

becoming the second president.

accredited as a nongovernmentalorganization with the Unitedof teachers focused on educational
reform but later developed into

Amidst the chaos of postwar Japan,

Nations Economic and Sociala movement dedicated to thein 1947 Daisaku Ikeda encountered

Council (ECOSOC). Soka Gakkai

betterment of society throughJosei Toda, who became his mentor,

members strive for a peacefulindividual inner transformationand joined the Soka Gakkai. In 1960,world, contributing to peace,based on Nichiren Buddhism.

Ikeda became the third president,

culture and education based onmarking the beginning of the Soka

respect for the dignity of life.

5© SGI-USA“Life is theforemost of alltreasures.
It is expoundedthat even thetreasures of theentire major
world systemcannot equal
the value of one’s
body and life.”

Italy

Nichiren

UKDAILY PRACTICE© SGI-UKJapanUSA

The basic daily Buddhist practice ofIndia

Soka Gakkai members, carried outPeruin their own homes, is chanting thephrase “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” andreciting excerpts of the Lotus Sutra.
Members also gather for regularsmall-scale local discussion meetings

Thailand

where they study Buddhist principles
and their application to everyday life.
6

Participants in these meetings share

Australia

experiences of applying Buddhist
practice to the challenges of life.

Kenya

7

© Ludhiana/BSG© SGIPACTION ON
GLOBAL ISSUESThe Soka Gakkai and the SGI
engage in activities to promotea culture of peace. Each local

PEACE ANDDISARMAMENTEDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE HUMAN RIGHTSEDUCATION
DEVELOPMENT AND
CLIMATE ACTION

The Yo Creo La Paz (I Create Peace)

The “Seeds of Hope” exhibition,walk, a five-kilometer walk held in threeorganized by Soka Gakkai Ghana

cities, was organized by SGI-Panama

youth, was viewed by many local

to celebrate and promote peace.

elementary school students at the(Panama, 2019)

National University. (Ghana, 2017)

organization develops activities in

The SGI Europe Buddhist Associationand other partner organizations coorganized a human rights education
exhibition and symposium on thetheme “Transforming Lives: The
Power of Human Rights Education” at
UNESCO House, Paris. (France, 2019)line with its unique cultural context.
Awareness-raising activities arecarried out in five main areas: peaceand disarmament; education forsustainability and climate action;
human rights education; humanitarianrelief and disaster risk reduction;and gender equality and women’sempowerment. The range of activities
includes exhibitions, symposiums,interfaith dialogue, cultural events andsupport of United Nations initiatives.
Every year since 1983, Daisaku Ikeda
8has authored peace proposals directed

GENDER EQUALITY AND
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

suggesting solutions and responses

HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
AND DISASTER RISKREDUCTION

grounded in Buddhist philosophy.

In response to a natural disaster, Soka

Speakers shared powerful stories

Gakkai members in Japan formedof young women leaders working

These proposals give impetus“volunteer support crews” to assist

in education, peace and security,and direction to the organization’s

affected residents in activities such asfilm and digital media during an SGI

grassroots efforts to tackle

cleaning up houses damaged by heavy

cosponsored event at the 63rd session

global problems and build arains and flooding. (Japan, 2018)of the Commission on the Status of

toward the international communitythat address issues facing humanity,lasting culture of peace.

Women in New York. (USA, 2019)“Education must
inspire the faiththat each of us
has both thepower and theresponsibility toeffect positivechange on aglobal scale.”
Daisaku Ikeda

9FOUNDINGPRESIDENTS:
BUDDHISM
IN ACTION
FOR PEACE

Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871–1944)
founded the Soka Gakkai on
November 18, 1930, together withhis disciple Josei Toda, and served
as the organization’s first president.*
An educator and philosopher, heFirst President

TSUNESABURO MAKIGUCHI
www.tmakiguchi.org

The Soka Gakkai upholds a spiritual

was imprisoned during World War IIfor opposing the policies of Japan’s
militarist government and died in prison.

lineage that originated some 2,500
cofounded the Soka Gakkai and wasyears ago with Shakyamuni and has

imprisoned together with his mentor

been continued by Buddhist teachers

during the war. On his release fromin India, China and Japan, reachingprison, he reestablished the Soka

its most profound expression in theGakkai and developed a membershipteachings of Nichiren (1222–82).

of some 750,000 households

The first three presidents of the Soka

Second President

JOSEI TODA

Gakkai, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi,www.joseitoda.org

Josei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda,
revived Nichiren Buddhism in themodern age and created the basis
for its development as a globally

throughout Japan by the time of hisdeath. Toda was ardently opposed towar, and his 1957 Declaration Calling
for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons

Josei Toda (1900–58), Makiguchi’s

is seen as the starting point of thedisciple and a fellow educator,organization’s peace movement.

accessible philosophy. Their sharedcommitment to this effort exemplifies

president in 1960. In 1975, the Soka

the mentor-disciple relationship

Gakkai International (SGI) was formed asin Buddhism. They are respected

a global association to link independent

as the founding presidents andSoka Gakkai organizations around thementors of the organization.

world, and Ikeda became its president.
Championing dialogue as the basis
Third President

DAISAKU IKEDA

www.daisakuikeda.org

Daisaku Ikeda (1928–) joined theSoka Gakkai at the age of 19 after an10

*The Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (Societyfor Value-Creating Education) was
the forerunner of the Soka Gakkai(Society for the Creation of Value).

encounter with Josei Toda. Taking
Toda as his lifelong mentor, heworked closely with him to develop
the organization, becoming its thirdof peace, he has held discussions
with leaders and cultural figures fromaround the world, collaborating withmany to publish dialogues. He has
established institutions promoting
dialogue, peace research and culturalexchange. He remains active in efforts
to develop the Soka Gakkai as amultifaceted international network
for peace, culture and education.

Current President

MINORU HARADA
Graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1964 with a degree in economics. After serving
in numerous leadership positions throughout the organization, he became presidentof the Soka Gakkai in 2006 and continues the organization’s commitment to peace.

“The purpose ofthe appearance
in this worldof Shakyamuni
Buddha, the lordof teachings,
lies in hisbehavior as ahuman being.”

11Nichiren

Unless otherwise indicated,
all photos © Seikyo Shimbun

Soka Gakkai
32 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8583, Japan
Tel: +81-3-5360-9830

www.sokaglobal.org