roots

							The Winning Life
 An Introduction to Buddhist Practice



                      The Roots
The Roots
    Buddhism is one of the world’s oldest
    religions. At its core are the quests to
      understand life and to help people
        overcome their basic suffering.
Shakyamuni

During the final
Shakyamuni, or eight
years of his life, he
Siddhartha Guatama,
expounded his
was the founder of
Buddhism. He lived
ultimate teachings,
which were later
some 2500 years ago
compiled in India.
as royaltyas the Lotus
Sutra.
Shakyamuni


The Lotus Shakyamuni's
Following Sutra is unique
among the teachings of of
passing, various schools
Buddhism because it affirms
Buddhism spread throughout
that the attainment of gained
Asia. The Lotus Sutra
Buddhism, as is possible in
particular prominence as for
enlightenment epitomized it
all people Sutra,Central Asia
the Lotus without distinction
spread through is a powerful,
of race, gender, social and
life-affirming, egalitarian
into China, the Korean
standing or teaching.
Peninsula education.
humanisticand Japan.
                            Nichiren
 He brought it out of the
It was Nichiren
 realm of theoretical
 He thereby Japan,
Daishonin inenabled
 contemplation into an
 ordinary who took
however, people to the
 actual experiential
final all-important step
 reveal their highest
 practice when he first
 state of life profound
to transformin the
 chanted Nam-myoho-
 midst into a simple
theory of day-to-day
 renge-kyo (Devotion to
practice.
 realities.
 the Mystic Law)
                             Nichiren
 By declaring that
 embracing six
For the nextthis law had
  He subsequently
 Nonetheless, he all
centuries, the allowto
 the power to life
  dedicated his
  sharing loyal following
 gained ahisBuddhism
Daishonin's to attain
 individuals realization,
 of believers. Heby
was maintained thea
 enlightenment,
  despite facing
 especially embraced
relatively small
 Daishonin disturbed
  numerous persecutions
  for ruling class from
 ordinary people of was
 the preaching until
religious group what the
 all walks and
early part of life.priests
 politicians the
  considered a
twentieth century.
 who adhered to other
  subversive doctrine.
 forms of Buddhism.
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi

Early in the 1900s, an
After studying Nichiren
educator in Japan,
Daishonin’s teachings, he
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi
realized that they dedicated
was passionately could
provide the philosophical
to the reform of the
underpinnings for the value-
Japanese educational
creating which emphasized
system, education that had
been his lifetime goal.
rote learning over critical
independent thinking.
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi


In 1930 Makiguchi, along with a
young teacher Josei Toda,
founded the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai,
or “Value Creation Education
Society’” as a laypersons’
organization.
Soka Gakkai




        After the post-World War II
        constitution brought freedom of
        religion to Japan, his followers
        were able to disseminate
        Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism
        freely.
Soka Gakkai

Under Mr. Toda’s
leadership, the Soka
Gakkai rapidly grew
to more than
750,000 households
by the time of his
death in 1958.
    Daisaku Ikeda


Succeeded by his disciple,
Daisaku Ikeda, Nichiren
Buddhism has spread to
more than 190 countries,
becoming a world religion.
 Daisaku Ikeda

Personally, Mr. Ikeda
…exchanging ideas on
has engaged in
how to create world
dialogues with
peace and better
international
understandings among
academics and
people, and many
intellectuals…
other topics.
 Daisaku Ikeda

He has received
numerous awards and
recognition from
universities and
nations around the
world for his efforts to
promote peace.
 Daisaku Ikeda

Applying the spirit of
Buddhism to modern
times, he has also
founded several
institutions dedicated
to peace and
intercultural dialogue.
Soka Education

 From preschool to
 Many ideas set forth
 post-graduate, the
 Education has been
 by Mr. Makiguchi
 Soka system
 of central concern to
 and Mr. Toda have
 undertakes
 the Soka Gakkai
 been brought to
 education designed
 since its inception.
 fruition through the
 to stimulate wisdom
 Soka School
 and engagement
 System.
 within society.
                      Soka Education




On May 3, 2001, Soka
University of America
opened as a full-fledged
liberal arts college in
Southern California.
SGI-USA




The SGI believes that the
development of peace, culture
and education are essential to
building a better world.
SGI-USA




            SGI has sponsored public
            Taking up this (Soka Gakkai
      TheToday, the SGI challenge, the
      information programsBuddhismthe
      For International) people influence
       Forone happyperson's influence
       TheSGI,Daishonin's thatto live is
      Nichiren happy for believes aim to
            one under person's that
             only way Mr. Ikeda's
      promote awarenesspeace,will
      on his or herpeace isbeen issues
       together in environment will
       on hisreligionenvironment culture
            leadership, ofcrosses all
            a or her that for many
      trulydevelopmenthas of the working
      of war aprofound createessential to
      havetirelessly awakenlastingeffect.
       individualspeaceaand thethe need
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                profound diversity
      boundaries, to to and lastingrarely
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      seenconditions for a world. world.
             in other better alternatives.
      feasibility of a institutions.
       for building peacefulpeaceful
           an inner revolution.
    To find this presentation and
much more information about SGI-USA,
        visit www.sgi-usa.org