SGI
Although this practice was established some seven hundred years ago in Japan by Nichiren Daishonin, for most of that time its propagation was severely restricted.
The lay society of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, now called the Soka Gakkai ('Value Creating Society'), was first established by an educator, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, in 1930. His open criticism of the Japanese government's militarism and refusal to compromise his Buddhist practice at the outset of the Second World War led to his imprisonment, together with his closest follower, Josei Toda. Makiguchi died in prison, but Toda emerged at the end of the war fired with the determination that he would rebuild and develop the lay society. Since then, Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism has blossomed, not only throughout Japan, but in more than one hundred and eighty countries and territories around the world.
Under the leadership of Daisaku Ikeda who succeeded to the presidency in 1960 after Mr Toda's death, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) was founded in 1975. It is an NGO with consultative status with several UN agencies (UNESCO and UNHCR among others) and is taking on an active role in world affairs, building bridges through dialogue and cultural exchange.
Based on the humanistic principles of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, SGI President Ikeda has founded the Soka school system, which includes universities in Japan and the USA. He is also the founder of the Toda Peace Institute, the Boston Research Centre for the 21 st Century, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy whose European centre is based at SGI-UK's headquarters, Taplow Court. He is the author of numerous books that have been translated into many languages and has received worldwide recognition for his peace efforts.
