 The Soka Gakkai International is a worldwide association of 76 constituent organizations with membership in 190 countries and territories. It was established on January 26, 1975 with the aim of promoting international goodwill via activities rooted in a commitment to the values of peace, culture and education and based on the philosophy and teachings of Nichiren Buddhism as the spiritual underpinnings.
The Nichiren School of Buddhism was founded in 13th-century Japan by the sage Nichiren. The School flourished in its country of origin through the efforts of the lay organization Soka Gakkai (established 1930), the forerunner of the present international movement, the Soka Gakkai International (SGI).
"Soka" translated to mean "value-creation", describes the core spirit of the Buddhist philosophy; that is, Buddhism is a religion of self-empowerment. The Buddhist practitioner cultivates innate potential and power, expressed in one's enhanced wisdom and spirituality to change life and environment towards positive growth. This principle of value-creation is the principle of action upheld by SGI members worldwide.
The SGI Charter expresses these core values in the beliefs in the ideal of world citizenship, the spirit of tolerance, and the safeguarding of fundamental human rights.
SGI has non-governmental organization (NGO) status with the United Nations. In that capacity, the SGI president Daisaku Ikeda submits a Peace Proposal to the United Nations annually on the anniversary of the SGI's founding -- January 26, 1975. Daisaku Ikeda has written extensively on topics ranging from issues concerning human rights and dignity to conflict resolution. In his annual peace proposals over the past 16 years, he reviews the state of the world and contributes suggestions of practical initiatives as viable responses grounded in the Buddhist philosophy.
The SGI Charter consists of 10 principles that confirm the ideals of world citizenship, freedom of religion, and tolerance and respect for other religions. Members of SGI embrace the fundamental aim and mission of contributing to peace, culture and education based on Buddhist respect for the sanctity of life. The activities held are in tandem to the culture and needs of the respective countries and the members contribute as responsible citizens cherishing the global vision of a peaceful world.
We, the constituent organizations and members of the Soka Gakkai International (hereinafter called SGI), embrace the fundamental aim and mission of contributing to peace, culture and education based on the philosophy and ideals of the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.
We recognize that at no other time in history has human experienced such an intense juxtaposition of war and peace, discrimination and equality, poverty and abundance as in the 20th century; that the development of increasingly sophisticated military technology, exemplified by nuclear weapons, has created a situation where the survival of the human species hangs in the balance; that the reality of violent ethnic and religious discrimination presents an unending cycle of conflict; that humanity 's egoism and intemperance have endangered global problems, including degradation of the natural environment and widening economic chasms between developed and developing nations, with serious repercussions for humankind's collective future.
We believe that Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, a humanistic philosophy of infinite respect for the sanctity of life and all-encompassing compassion, enables individuals to cultivate and bring forth their inherent wisdom and nurturing the creativity of the human spirit, to surmount the difficulties and crises facing humankind and realize a society of peaceful and prosperous coexistence.
We, the constituent organizations and members of SGI, therefore, being determined to raise high the banner of world citizenship, the spirit of tolerance, and respect for human rights based on the humanistic spirit of Buddhism, and to challenge the global issues that face humankind through dialogue and practical efforts based on a steadfast commitment to nonviolence, hereby adopt this charter, affirming the following purposes and principles:
- SGI shall contribute to peace, culture and education for the happiness and welfare of all humanity based on Buddhist respect for the sanctity of life.
- SGI, based on the ideal of world citizenship, shall safeguard fundamental human rights and not discriminate against any individual on any grounds.
- SGI shall respect and protect the freedom of religion and religious expression.
- SGI shall promote an understanding of Nichiren Buddhism through grassroots exchange, thereby contributing to individual happiness.
- SGI shall, through its constituent organizations, encourage its members to contribute towards the prosperity of their respective societies as good citizens.
- SGI shall respect the independence and autonomy of its constituent organizations in accordance with the conditions prevailing in each country.
- SGI shall, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religions, engage in dialogue and work together with them towards the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.
- SGI shall respect cultural diversity and promote cultural exchange, thereby creating an international society of mutual understanding and harmony.
- SGI shall promote, based on the Buddhist ideal of symbiosis, the protection of nature and the environment.
- SGI shall contribute to the promotion of education, in pursuit of truth as well as the development of scholarship, to enable all people to cultivate their individual character and enjoy fulfilling and happy lives.
Mr. Daisaku Ikeda, President of SGI, had traveled to more than fifty countries - meeting with political and intellectual leaders - in the promotion of education, cultural exchanges and the establishment of lasting world peace. He had received more than sixty awards, honorary professorships and doctorates. He was also awarded the UN Peace Medal in 1983.
The concept of peace the SGI adopts is not merely the absence of armed conflict. The peace process is dynamic, interactive process where deep-rooted, self-destructive tendencies are channelled towards creative and constructive ends.
Underlying this is how people across nations and cultures could coexist based on mutual trust and respect and their awareness as citizens of a global community.
In achieving this, the SGI promotes educational and cultural exchanges. SGI President Daisaku Ikeda engages himself in a worldwide goodwill exchange, meeting with world leaders, scholars and the academia to deliberate on issues of great concern to peace and humanity.
Institutions founded by the SGI President dedicated to peace and intercultural dialogue include the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research and Boston Research Centre for the 21st Century. Cultural institutions he founded include the Min-On Concert Association and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. Mr Ikeda also initiated the Soka school system comprising pre-school to post-graduate institutions.
Soka University founded by Daisaku Ikeda in 1971, has exchange programme with more than 50 institutions of higher learning worldwide, including National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University.
The lay association of believers of Nichiren Buddhism in Japan was established in 1930 by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, an educator and author who was passionately dedicated to education reform in his country. Makiguchi propounded the theory of value, a view that value creation is uniquely human activity and constitutes the essence of being human. He found in Nichiren's philosophy the spiritual underpinnings for his philosophy of value-creating education, and together with young teacher Josei Toda, they committed themselves to the Buddhist practice.
The founding organizations named Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (Value Creating Education Society) was established as a society for educators. Members focused on the interface between Buddhist principles and Makiguchi's theory of value.
During Second World War, Makiguchi and Toda, together with leaders of the Society, were arrested as "thought criminals" in 1943. Despite intense brutality and interrogation, the two did not compromise with State Shintoism though the rest abandoned their faith. The Society disintegrated under the militarist government's pressure, and Makiguchi died in imprisonment at the age of 73 on November 18, 1944.
Weeks before Japan's surrender, Toda was released on July 3, 1945. He immediately set about the task of rebuilding the organization and renamed it the Soka Gakkai (Value Creating Society) with the belief that its mission should not be confined to the field of education but to the betterment of society.
Toda established a solid foundation of more than 750,000 membership households for the Soka Gakkai and inspired it with a vision of a peaceful world achieved through the abolition of nuclear weapons. He was succeeded by Daisaku Ikeda who assumed third presidency on May 3, 1960 and has since dedicated himself to fulfilling Toda's vision of a peaceful world.
On May 3, 1960, Daisaku Ikeda was inaugurated Third President of Soka Gakkai and immediately set about his plans for worldwide propagation. In October that year, President Ikeda took his first overseas guidance trip, to North and South America. Following year, he visited Asia in January and Europe in October.
On January 26, 1975, the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) was established, with Daisaku Ikeda as president. SGI is now a worldwide association of members who pursue the common goal of world peace with the commitment for peace, culture and education, based on the Buddhist principle of respect for dignity of life.
The Soka Gakkai and the SGI have created a widespread propagation movement of unprecedented scale. In the 45 years since Nichiren Buddhism was propagated outside of Japan by the laity under the leadership of President Ikeda, Nichiren Buddhism has now taken roots in 190 counties and territories throughout the world where there is SGI-consituent organisation. This is no simple achievement in view of the diverse cultures, customs and traditions of these many places.
In recognition of his efforts and his leadership in the promotion of the peace, culture and education movement based on the humanistic teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, President Ikeda has been conferred over 300 honorary citizenships from various countries and 150 honorary doctorates from various institutions around the world.
In addition, many awards and commendations have also been conferred on SGI organizations in various countries for outstanding contribution to their country and the people. These awards and recognition reflect the great trust and respect that members of the SGI organizations and President Ikeda had gained in numerous countries throughout the world
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