I am very pleased that we have been able to publish a revised edition

of NSA Seminars. This book represents one small aspect of our

ongoing efforts to introduce the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin to

people everywhere who are seeking peace, happiness and a more

meaningful way of life.

I am also pleased that we have been able to publish this revise~

edition to coincide with the auspicious occasion of the thirtiem

anniversary of the Kosen-rufu Day Ceremony held in Japan on March

16, 1958. On that occasion, some 6,000 youthful believers gathered

at the Nichiren Shoshu head temple, Taiseki-ji, with Josei Toda,

second president of the Soka Gakkai. Only days away from his own

demise and thus the completion of his mission, President Toda passed

on the baton of the lay Buddhist movement to his youthful followers,

led by Daisaku Ikeda. Mr. Ikeda later became the third Soka Gakkai

President, and in 1975, the first Soka Gakkai International President,

in recognition of the worldwide spread of the movement.

In recent years, the number of Americans who have come to

embrace the Daishonin s Buddhism has risen sharply, as more and

more people have discovered the truth of this teaching. But what is

this truth?

SGI President Ikeda himself once explained that the fundamental

solution to all of life s problems--economic, social, political, etduca-

tional, and of course, personal--can be found within the individual.

He stated, as an overview of the purpose of Buddhism:

Buddhism elucidates the two basic aspects inherent in human life as

fundamental darkness and ultimate enlightenment. Fundamental darkness

activates one s evil nature and unhappiness in life, while ultimate enlightenment

does the same for the power of good and happiness. Buddhism terms the roots

of human distrust, hatred and fear as fundamental darkness. I would like to

emphasize that, ultimately speaking, we are now facing an age which requires a

revolution of life; this implies that we cannot discuss peace or culture in their

true sense if we neglect the necessity of the assiduous practice of faith in the

higher teachings of Buddhism to awaken the wisdom within each individual to

live humanistically in peace and happiness. In other words, I would like to