News Release

Daisaku Ikeda, Honorary President of the Soka Gakkai and President of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), passed away from natural causes at his residence in Shinjuku, Tokyo, on the evening of November 15. He was ninety-five. A funeral has been held with members of his immediate family; the time and date of commemorative services will be announced shortly.

Ikeda was born in Tokyo on January 2, 1928. He was inaugurated as third President of the Soka Gakkai in 1960 and for almost two decades led the lay Buddhist movement in dynamic growth that also saw important international development. He became Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President in 1975 and Soka Gakkai Honorary President in 1979. He is survived by his wife Kaneko and his sons Hiromasa and Takahiro.

ニュースリリース

創価学会名誉会長、創価学会インタナショナル（SGI）会長である池田大作氏は、11月15日夜、新宿区の居宅で老衰のため、逝去いたしました。享年95歳。

近親者のみで家族葬を行いました。お別れの会を別途、日時を改めて開催いたします。

池田氏は1928年1月2日、東京生まれ。1960年、創価学会第三代会長に就任。約20年にわたる在任中に、在家仏教運動の飛躍的成長と国際的な大発展をもたらしました。1975年、創価学会インタナショナル（SGI）会長、1979年、創価学会名誉会長に就任。遺族は夫人の香峯子、子息の博正、尊弘。

Nichiren Buddhism & SGI

Soka Gakkai, literally translates as “value creation society”. Members of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) throughout the world strive to reveal the life state of Buddhahood or enlightenment and enact the creative and compassionate potential in life. In so doing, we challenge ourselves to create thriving and peaceful families, work places and communities. The ultimate goal is, through the process of inner reformation (often referred to as human revolution), to create peace and spiritual prosperity in society. This is usually referred to by the Japanese term kosen-rufu.

Soka Gakkai bases itself on the teaching and practice established by Nichiren Daishonin, a Buddhist priest and philosopher living in thirteenth century Japan. Nichiren revealed a direct means for all people to become happy through the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (the title of the Lotus Sutra, a teaching expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha of India). It is a universally accessible practice that activates the inherent Buddha nature or creative life-force existing in all life, and enables each person to positively transform their life and relationships.

SGI Australia supports each person in gaining benefit from this practical and humanistic way of living through offering personalised guidance as well as opportunities to train and take responsibility for personal growth and social contribution. Toward this end SGI Australia emphasises participation in group discussion meetings and promotes peace, cultural and educational activities; also collaborating with like-minded organisations and educational institutions.