Rooted directly in the 13th-century reformer Nichiren’s vision, this movement brings his core teaching—chanting Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō—to the heart of modern life. Rather than cloistered monastics, it’s a lay network built on the conviction that everyone, no matter their walk of life, can tap into Buddhism’s transformative power.

Starting in 1930s Japan, educators Tsunesaburō Makiguchi and his disciple Jōsei Toda translated Nichiren’s sometimes stern, polemical writings into a practice focused on personal dignity and social contribution. By framing chanting as both spiritual devotion and a tool for inner awakening, they lit a fire under the idea that Buddhism could tackle 21st-century challenges—from bullying in schools to global climate anxiety.

Fast-forward to today, and the organization—often called Soka Gakkai International (SGI) when viewed on the world stage—acts as Nichiren Buddhism’s most widespread lay expression. Global youth peace conferences, dialogues at the United Nations, and local volunteer brigades all flow from Nichiren’s insistence that faith without action is like a lamp without oil. The SGI’s enthusiastic crowds chanting in Portuguese, Spanish or Swahili testify to how Nichiren’s Japanese scriptural roots have blossomed into a truly universal living tradition.

At events such as COP30 in 2025, young SGI members have been spotted advocating for climate justice, echoing Nichiren’s own call to “uphold the correct Dharma” in times of crisis. Meanwhile, workshops on AI ethics—spearheaded by SGI scholars—draw on Nichiren’s emphasis on human agency, refusing to let technology slip into a lawless frontier.

By keeping Nichiren’s core—faith, practice and study—center stage, this lay movement turns ancient aspen roots into a sturdy oak that shades efforts for peace, education and environmental stewardship. It’s proof that chanting a mantra can become a springboard for real-world change.