SGI Canada Newsletter, No. 146 - January 1, 2026
SGI Canada Newsletter
Issue no. 146
January 1, 2026
Welcome to the 146th issue of the SGI Canada Newsletter, a bi-weekly summary of news, upcoming events and encouragement. If you are not subscribing to the SGI Canada Newsletter, you may do so by clicking on the button below. Subscriptions are free of charge, and the SGI Canada Newsletter will be emailed directly to you.
Encouragement
Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada’s New Year’s Message - “Strive Energetically for Kosen-rufu, Brimming with Vibrant Life Force!”
(Photo by Kai | Pixabay)
The Buddhism of the Sun rises—a brilliant beacon piercing the darkness of our times.
The Buddhism of the Sun shines—casting warm rays of hope upon friends facing adversity.
The Buddhism of the Sun pulses with life—in the depths of our hearts, as we stride forward for the sake of kosen-rufu.
No matter the circumstances, Soka Gakkai members awaken the vibrant life of a Bodhisattva of the Earth, filled with boundless joy, and take dynamic action on the stage of their mission. This sublime spirit embodies the essence of Nichiren Daishonin’s words: “When Bodhisattva Superior Practices emerged from the earth, did he not emerge dancing?” (WND-1, 1119).
President Ikeda’s life of unwavering dedication to his vow stands forever as our guiding model. On January 6, 1951, at the dawn of a new year and in the midst of his most trying business struggles, Josei Toda entrusted all matters of succession—both public and private—to his beloved disciple. President Ikeda accepted without hesitation, declaring: “I have always been prepared to give my entire life to you without the slightest regret.” The driving force for victory in all things is born from the disciple’s vow, to rise up for the sake of the mentor and advance alongside them. Let us engrave that spirit deep within our lives.
Sixty-five years ago, on New Year’s Day, 1961, President Ikeda declared: “I am determined to create a hundred years’ worth of history in one year.” Then, on January 28, he set out on his first guidance tour to countries and territories in Asia, his heart ablaze with his mentor’s fervent wish—to send the light of the sun to the people of Asia—marking a bold and historic first step.
With unwavering resolve to fulfill the Daishonin’s mandate of the westward transmission of Buddhism, he journeyed across Asia with the determination to infuse the land with daimoku. He wholeheartedly encouraged the small number of members striving there at that time, and during the visit he proposed initiatives that would later take shape as the Institute of Oriental Philosophy and the Min-On Concert Association. President Ikeda consistently envisioned a future in which the Soka Gakkai would flourish as a global religious movement grounded in humanism.
At the January 1991 Headquarters Leaders Meeting, President Ikeda spoke of the life philosophy of the renowned comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), emphasizing that the more challenges we encounter in the struggle for kosen-rufu, and the more bravely we confront them, the more “the greatest of all joys” (OTT, 212) of the Mystic Law will surge through every fiber of our being. With this mighty lion’s roar engraved in my heart, I am once again determined, this year, to give my all—for the attainment of Buddhahood by every member, for the establishment of the correct teaching for the peace of the land, and for the realization of lasting world peace.
We now stand at the midpoint on the path to completing the second series of Seven Bells.[1] Let us each earnestly seek our mentor’s guidance, filling our lives with vibrant energy, and press forward boldly along the noble path of human revolution!
January 1, 2026
Minoru Harada
President, Soka Gakkai
[1] Seven Bells: The first series of Seven Bells consisted of seven consecutive seven-year periods in the Soka Gakkai’s development from its founding in 1930 through 1979. On May 3, 1966, President Ikeda spoke of a new series of Seven Bells that he envisaged unfolding in the 21st century. He later extended this to comprise a total of seven series of Seven Bells to the middle of the 23rd century.
News
Announcement from SGI Canada
Happy New Year, everyone! 2026 is the Year of Vibrant Growth for a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide. In SGI Canada this year, we want to grow as individuals and to expand our Canadian SGI organization in the way that Ikeda Sensei has taught and shown us. Following his example, we will put Buddhist dialogues, daimoku, and life-to-life connections at the centre of everything we do.
We have set three goals for this year. Together, we aim to:
- Have Buddhist dialogues with 20,000 people
- Chant two billion daimoku
- Create life-to-life connections with the people around us, every day
President Ikeda writes:
The act of telling someone about Nichiren Buddhism is supremely noble; it creates the necessary condition for that person to attain enlightenment. That’s why the benefit of doing so is immense.[1]
[1] The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace Part 2: Human Revolution, Chapter 18.6 “The Key to Sharing Nichiren Buddhism”.
To help keep us focused on introducing people throughout the year, we are launching a Dialogue and Daimoku Campaign, which will begin today, January 1st.
This is how it will work. Whenever you talk about Buddhism or about SGI with someone who is not an SGI member, you can register that dialogue online. In the same way, whenever you have completed an hour or more of daimoku, you can record the number of hours online.
You can easily record your dialogues and daimoku by clicking on this link:
https://forms.gle/uLRsk5EnCSH2aTycA
You can also find the link on the SGI Canada website at sgicanada.org.
If you are having trouble logging in, you can ask someone else in your district to enter the information for you.
SGI Canada will keep track of the total number of dialogues and hours of daimoku. You will be able to see on the website how many dialogues and how much chanting has been done so far, across the entire country. We will continue to provide more information about the campaign over the next few weeks.
We hope you will join us in this exciting campaign for our growth and for the happiness of everyone around us.
January 1, 2026
SGI Canada National leaders
We hope you found this newsletter beneficial. Please email your questions or comments to contact@sgicanada.org. Please note that the next SGI Canada Newsletter will appear on January 16, 2026. See you then!