Soka Gakkai (SGI)

[Ebichu_chan]

Last time I met a Japanese friend who is a truly SGI (Soka Gakkai).

As I have heard SGI is a part of Buddhist which established by Daisaku Ikeda-sensei. It's quite a wide-network around Japan also in the world.

Any friends who is Soka Gakkai here?

When I talked with a Soka Gakkai friends, I found out that they are a bit fanatic, very strong regarding their faith, and usually they'd prefer to have Soka Gakkai friends among them, and they will require their wives/husbands to be Soka Gakkai also. I'd like to know whether this is the faith of Soka Gakkai.

However, they are also very nice people. That's why I'd like to find out more about this.

This is Soka Gakkai website for you who probably have not heard about this :

(International website)

Soka Gakkai (global)
http://sokagakkai.info/

(Japanese)
http://www.sokagakkai.or.jp/index.html

Is there somebody here who's a Soka Gakkai person from Indonesia? :?

 

[Emoni]

A friend of mine (Japanese) is part of Soka Gakkai. She is probably one of the most compasionate friends I have, and really good person in my opinion. I have been personally to a Soka Gakkai gathering, and researched it to some degree myself.

I was also curious about the religion when I first found out that it was viewed as extreme, but honestly it isn't really that different than most religions. It reminds me in some ways to active Christian churches in the United States. They do have connections to the "Komeiko Party" (if I am remembering the name and spelling correctly) in Japan and will express their beliefs at times but I have never found them to be dangerous in any way, shape or form. I'm not Soka or even religious myself, but I don't really understand why there is such a Stygma against SGI. Yes, I've heard the mention of radical movements inside SGI, but I've never seen any actual actions taken place. They just recently opened a branch of their college in California, and run a university in Japan.

This is an interesting subject, feel free to post any information you might find Ebichu. I'm still curious and interested in other information regarding SGI.

 

[Ebichu_chan]

SGI USA website

Dear Emoni,

This is SGI website for your reference :

Soka Gakkai International - USA
Soka Spirit | The power of correct faith and practice of Nichiren Buddhism
http://www.sg-eye.com/

Actually I'm not a Soka Gakkai either, I don't have any specific religion either.

When I visited Japan, I met some truly Soka Gakkai persons, and I was quite suprised when he brought and introduced me to his friends and relations, even his families, all of them are Soka Gakkai either, hahaha, this's interesting, I think

Though in my ID card is mentioned as a Catholican, my father is Buddhist, so do my grandmother and some other family relations are Christian also, so I think we gonna learn how to accept and make good relations through each other, without paying too strict attention about the difference religion. Actually I had a bf who was a Soka Gakkai before, he insisted me to follow him to pray with this style and brought me to join this community ceremony in the hall (in Iwakuni), then he said if we get married, he require me to be a Soka Gakkai also

Well, I don't find any bad things to be a Soka Gakkai, though, I'd prefer to walk in my own way regarding religion, since this's a personal thing that anothers suppose not to change/influence/force to choose the religion/faith/something that I entrust to, is it correct?

Now we are only friends, but I still respect him since he's a very nice guy! Hahaha, and of course, I don't mind to make more friends with SGI!!

 

[atg]

Hi Ebichu,

I used to study in Singapore, I joined many Soka Gakkai activities in Singapore, mostly the community work, volunteering and etc.
I am now back in Indonesia and have only attended a couple of times Soka gakkai Indonesia activities so I could not make any comment on Soka gakkai indonesia.

However, my experiences with Singapore Soka gakkai is that there are some of the members who are married with non-members. They don't expect them to be SGI members too. I know one who married a Christian or Catholic and they both still live happily after quite a number of years of marriage.

To me, the experiences I got from joining their activities are plenty. I become more compassionate, patience. I have less earthly desire. Not sure if it is good, some may say not ambitious is not good, can never achieve anything great.

 

[Buntaro]

Hi everybody!

You many be interested in the Nichiren Buddhism Forum at the Buddhist Forum.

http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showforum=28

 

[Revenant]

Soka Gakkai is sort of an offshoot of Nichiren Buddhism, and the founder of Nichiren held convictions that his way was the only way, and all others were false. I would disagree of course, but that isn't to say that his way won't help anyone find a spiritual peace of sorts.

They describe their chants as prayer, and I have tried to understand the differerence between their prayer and meditation, as the prayer doesn't seem to be a petitioning type prayer, but more of a moving contemplative type. Perhaps I'll discover one day just why they label it prayer, and how it really is prayer and not the same as some meditative chant.

 

[Mars Man]

Yeah....I did it for a short while, while in Phoenix, AZ. nam myoho renge kyo....uhmmm...prayer? Chant? But if my memory serves me well, there was an element of some focus point of desire that was often enough used when doing that chant. Of course that could have just been that areas way? MM

 

[atg]

I would try to just give some famous example of Soka Gakkai members :
1. Roberto Baggio, Italian footballer. He missed the penalty in World Cup final in 1998. I think due to the strong faith, he demonstrated that penalty kicks are not a nightmare to him. In fact, after that miss, he scored many penalty kicks.
The point is that you may not achieve what you desire but you can always still be happy. I think this is one thing that I learnt.

2. Orlando Bloom. Nothing much that I know of him except talented movie stars and yet still quite humble.

I don't think all the Soka Gakkai members have the opinion that their way is the only correct way. Maybe only some of them. Human are not perfect. They do make mistakes from time to time.

 

[cursore]

Hi Ebichu Chan, I'm in SGI-UK for 4 years now, this kind of practise adapts itself to the culture of the country were it goes, here in UK but I think everywhere except Japan members have SGI and non SGI friends, or non SGI Partners. I never pressured any of my ex girlfriends to come to meetings, only one decided to join SGI and though we are not together now we still great friends.

 

[4795209]

Last time I met a Japanese friend who is a truly SGI (Soka Gakkai).

As I have heard SGI is a part of Buddhist which established by Daisaku Ikeda-sensei. It's quite a wide-network around Japan also in the world.

Any friends who is Soka Gakkai here?

When I talked with a Soka Gakkai friends, I found out that they are a bit fanatic, very strong regarding their faith, and usually they'd prefer to have Soka Gakkai friends among them, and they will require their wives/husbands to be Soka Gakkai also. I'd like to know whether this is the faith of Soka Gakkai.

However, they are also very nice people. That's why I'd like to find out more about this.

This is Soka Gakkai website for you who probably have not heard about this :

(International website)

Soka Gakkai International (SGI)
Soka Online Index

(Japanese)
創価学会

Is there somebody here who's a Soka Gakkai person from Indonesia? :?

I have been an SGI member off and on for many years. Perhaps I can help with any questions?