Part 2: Human Revolution
Chapter 13: “Faith for a Harmonious Family” [13.1]

President Ikeda has set forth five eternal guidelines for the Soka Gakkai: (1) Faith for a harmonious family, (2) Faith for achieving happiness, (3) Faith for overcoming obstacles, (4) Faith for health and long life, and (5) Faith for absolute victory. (An excerpt from the 2003 speech in which he presented these guidelines appears in the Supplementary Reading section at the end of this chapter.)

This chapter focuses on the first of these five guidelines, “Faith for a harmonious family.”

Striving to create a harmonious family starts with our own inner transformation, our human revolution. Those around us are indeed the mirror in which our human revolution is reflected. When we change, others change, our environment changes, and the world changes. One of the most important and fundamental arenas where this drama of human revolution takes place is our family.

In this selection, President Ikeda discusses the importance of striving in faith with the goal of creating happy and harmonious families. He states that one person’s human revolution is certain to lead to a positive transformation in their family.

“Faith for a harmonious family” is an eternal guideline articulated by second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda.

A bright, positive family joined by ties of trust and affection is a reflection of a pure and rich spirit. It is also both the first step and ultimate goal in our efforts to build a world of peace and happiness.

Over the years, countless Soka Gakkai members have transformed bleak, negative family situations into bright, happy ones. This is the proud personal history of human revolution achieved by each individual, which constitutes the strong, deep foundation of the Soka Gakkai’s history.

The example of Soka Gakkai members creating harmonious families is both a living model for all people and, I believe, a shining symbol of the future of Japan and the world.

Our aim is to actualize an ideal society where personal happiness and social prosperity go hand in hand, which of course includes harmonious families. The key to building a sound and healthy family life is for each person, based on the Mystic Law, to make efforts to establish a strong and secure life for themselves while also contributing to the prosperity of society and world peace.

Not all who take faith in Nichiren Buddhism have their whole families start practicing with them. Sometimes, people encounter intense opposition from family members. But such opposition is just a test of faith, and is certain to be resolved once one has carried out one’s human revolution and developed into a truly fine member of society and of one’s family.

The “Former Affairs of King Wonderful Adornment” (27th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra relates the story of the past lives of Bodhisattva Medicine King and Bodhisattva Medicine Superior as the two brothers Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye. These brothers worked together with their mother, Pure Virtue, to persuade their father, King Wonderful Adornment, to take faith in Buddhism. To achieve this, Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye displayed various supernatural powers. This is a metaphor for demonstrating the power of the Buddha and the power of the Law—which, expressed in modern terms, is nothing other than showing proof of one’s human revolution.

I believe that any revolution that is genuine—that truly serves the needs of the people—will also clearly manifest itself in the family. Such a family-based revolution is the most fundamental and lasting kind of revolution; it will create an enduring groundswell and become the tide of the times that no one can hold back.

From an editorial titled “Faith for a Harmonious Family,” published in Japanese in the Daibyakurenge, April 1968.