When it comes to Buddhism, you will find that it teaches you love, compassion and peace. The religion respects everyone and believes in the dignity of humanity. When it comes to teaching the principles of this loving religion, you will find there are several organizations and educational institutions across the world. They propagate the fundamentals of Buddhism so that people from all walks of life can come together and experience the joys of peace, love and compassion.
Soka Gakkai International- an insight into this unique center of Buddhism
Soka Gakkai International is in the USA and it is one of the most diverse communities that propagate Buddhism in the world today. This community has over 500 chapters in around 100 centers across the nation. The USA segment of SGI is part of the worldwide community that currently has over 12 million people in approximately 192 nations in the world today. The members of this community practice The Lotus Sutra along with Nichiren Buddhism that preaches that everyone has the courage, compassion and the wisdom to combat challenges that life throws at them. The major mission of SGI is to promote peace and love. They engage in different activities that promote peace across the world and they lay emphasis on the inter-connectivity of nature and man. They also have the focus and the objective to remove nuclear weapons from the world and promote development that is consistent and sustainable in all nations.
Discussion groups both at the center and at home
The SGI in the USA has about 3000 discussion groups spread out in neighborhoods across the nation. In these discussion meetings people share their views with one another on how they apply the principles and the practices of Buddhism in their lives. Here, the onus is to hear and listen to every voice that speaks. The meetings are democratic in nature and they all focus on the way Buddhism can contribute to the peace and the happiness of the person and the whole community. This in turn will lead to and create a very happy society.
Daily practice in life and society
As mentioned earlier the SGI focuses on the Nichiren Buddhism principles. It was introduced to the world and the members of the SGI by its founding Presidents. People in about 192 nations are using these principles of Buddhism to change and improve the quality of life. The basics of Buddhism is to make everyone happy without any kind of exception. The Lotus Sutra according to Shakyamuni or Siddhartha reveals that everyone possesses the nature of the Buddha and is worthy of respect. There are no exceptions to this rule!
The members of the SGI also contribute to the community with these principles of Buddhism. The network does not have temples or priests. They perform their daily practice at discussion centers and meetings that are conducted at home as well. The members of Soka Gakkai International Japan and across the world integrate the principles and the practices of Buddhism into their daily routine of life.