(Photo Taken from: http://www.camnet.com.kh/cambodia.daily/Land_Mine/sgi.gif)
The SGI, Soka Gakkai International, is not a religion, but is an organization in which its members practice the same religion, Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. There are members of the SGI in about 190 different countries and territories. The origins of the practice come from a Japanese monk, by the name of Nichiren Daishonin, who read the texts of the Lotus Sutra (The teachings of the Buddha himself, Sidhartha Guatama). The leader, whom is living in Japan, is Daisaku Ikeda.
(Picture taken from: http://sgi-houston.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/daisakuikeda.jpg)
Daisaku Ikeda is "an honorable man that has received over 250 honorary doctorates from universities around the world, (1)." Through the leadership of Mr. Ikeda, the Soka Gakkai was able to spread around the globe(2). "The core philosophy of the SGI can be summed up by the concept of "Human revolution." This is the idea that the self-motivated inner change of a single individual positively affects the larger web of life and results in the rejuvenation of human society, (3)."
However, in Japan, some may see it as a cult. Because of its rapid growth and many slanders in the media, some Japanese people have become weary of the SGI (4, 5). It has become reality that "some people in Japan will not marry a person if they are in the SGI. My friend quit because she wanted to marry and have kids, (6)."
Though there is controversy surrounding the SGI, many in Japan still practice Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism with the SGI. "I practice because I know that this Buddhism works for me. I know there is a lot of controversy about the SGI here in Japan, but it is libel. Time and time again, the people who circulate the libel end up to be proven Libelists in court, (7)." When asked why they decide to practice this Buddhism, most answered that they felt that this practice, with the SGI, works for them.
(Picture Taken By Rochelle R. at a Children's SGI Meeting in Hirakata City)
What exactly works for them? Who knows? The only way to find out is to ask the lay-practioners themselves, and not only believe what the media tells you.
Footnotes: (Sites to Visit about the SGI)
1. SGI member in Kansai, Hirakata City, Japan
2. http://sgi.org/president.html
3. http://sgi.org/philosophy.html
4. http://buddhism.about.com/od/nichirenbuddhism/a/sokagakkai.htm
5. http://www.sokaissues.info/home/media.html
6. SGI member in Kansai, Katano City, Japan
7. SGI member in Kansai, Kuzuha City, Japan
8. Japanese SGI members at Kansai Gaidai
