«Actual experience speaks more eloquently than a million words of theory».[1]

Countless Soka Gakkai members have been able to direct their lives towards happiness thanks to Nichiren Daishonin’s determination and to the fact that the three founding presidents of Soka Gakkai have made it a reality, especially Daisaku Ikeda from the 2nd October 1960. The meetings with which we are going to celebrate the 65th anniversary of this day are extraordinary opportunities to express our gratitude. And what is the best way of doing so than to share the actual proof of the transformative power of faith that we have lived, in other words, by sharing our experiences of human revolution. And by sharing our determination to soar «even higher»—»soaring courageously and victoriously for peace»—, with the awareness that this flight is going to be created through our actions, which, most of the time, take place in our immediate surroundings and are important and discreet.

(A little before he passed away, Josei) Toda gazed steadily at Shin’ichi’s face, and then spoke with all the energy he could muster. «Shin’ichi, you must live! You must live as long as you can, and travel the globe!» Toda’s eyes glistened brilliantly. Shin’ichi had engraved these words in his heart as Toda’s will for the future. On behalf of his departed mentor, the disciple was now taking his first step toward world kosen-rufu. When he thought of this, Shin’ichi felt a surge of passionate emotion rise within him. (…) Toda’s words to Shin’ichi had been nothing but an urgent appeal for the happiness of humanity by a Buddhist leader who keenly discerned the state of the world. Happiness is life’s goal. Peace is what all people desire. The course of human history must move toward peace and happiness. It is the nature of the human being to search for a firm guiding principle that will lead in this direction. Science, politics, society and religion, too, must focus on this crucial point.

Happiness is life’s goal. Peace is what all people desire. The course of human history must move toward peace and happiness. It is the nature of the human being to search for a firm guiding principle that will lead in this direction.

Shin’ichi thought to himself, «Nichiren Daishonin regarded the sufferings of humankind as his own, and held aloft the banner of rissho ankoku—the desire to establish a peaceful society based upon true Buddhism. He clearly revealed the guiding principle that leads humanity to peace and happiness. (…) The Daishonin predicted the worldwide spread of his Buddhism and entrusted his disciples of future generations with the realization of this goal.» Thirty-two years after his birth into this world, Shin’ichi had now taken on the accomplishment of global kosen-rufu as his lifetime mission and was about to open the door to this great task which lay before him. The thought of this made his heart leap with excitement. Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism reveals that all human beings are endowed equally with the Buddha nature and that each individual is an entity of ichinen sanzen. It also elucidates the means by which human beings can cast off the shackles that bind them. The Daishonin’s Buddhism, which espouses the dignity, equality and freedom of human beings, is truly a world religion dedicated to the realization of peace for all humanity. Illuminating the way toward the 21^st century, it casts a great universal light of happiness over the world.[2]

The Daishonin’s Buddhism, which espouses the dignity, equality and freedom of human beings, is truly a world religion dedicated to the realization of peace for all humanity.