That was then

                 ACTIVITES OF THE SOKA GAKKAI 

                 THE BASICS OF BUDDHIST STUDY
                 Soka Gakkai Seikyo Times
                 No. 218
                 Pages 16-17 

         

          The Lay Organization of Nichiren Shoshu 

           

         The entirety of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism
         was correctly inherited solely by Nikko Shonin.
         Since then up until the present day, for seven
         centuries, the pure lineage of true Buddhism has
         been maintained through the successive high
         priests of the Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple,
         Taiseki-ji, just as water from one glass is trans-
         ferred in its entirety into another.  The Soka
         Gakkai, which is the lay organization of Nichiren
         Shoshu, has promoted the movement for kosen-rufu
         which Nichiren Daishonin willed that his followers
         attain. 

           

           I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of
           harmony between the clergy and the laity. It
           is my firm belief that we can never achieve
           k6sen-rufi~ without it. Therefore, let us confirm
           that the Soka Gakkai's eternal guiding principle
           is to protect, support and advance hand in hand
           with the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood. Not only
           within our Buddhist circles, but in society as a
           whole, the greatest challenges lie in the ques-
           tions of how to harmonize forces of tradition
           and modernization, history and progress, as
           well as standards and social development.
           Development without norms, progress without
           respect for tradition are all rooted shallowly
           and cannot last.  Therefore, in promoting
           Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism with respect to
           our time, in our society and throughout the
           world, we must resolve to advance our activities
           with full consideration of the traditions of
           Nichiren Shoshu and the orthodoxy of its
           doctrine. 

           

          In order to realize this spirit of Nichiren Dai-
         shonin, the Soka Gakkai observes the doctrines
         of Nichiren Shoshu and carries on a religious
         movement for the salvation of mankind.  The
         essential meaning of Buddhism lies in solving
         fundamental human sufferings of birth, old age,
         sickness and death, which can never be dealt 

         with through such external approaches as 

         politics, economics or college education. 

[1979]