Clark Strand, former Zen monk, journalist and American writer, guides us in discovering the Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Buddhism from a unique perspective: that of an "unconverted" sympathizer.
Strand emphasizes that the strength of the Soka Gakkai, which in a few decades has become a global movement, lies in the fundamental tool of discussion meetings, based on sharing experiences and mutual encouragement.
In his journey into a movement and teaching that have often generated misunderstandings and incomprehension in other Buddhist schools, Strand starts with Makiguchi, the educator who opposed militarism, then portrays his disciple Toda and his intuition of who or what the Buddha truly was, and arrives at Ikeda's global vision and his redefinition of the role of religion.
The resulting picture reveals qualities and strengths that even members of the association are often unaware of, and indicates the Soka Gakkai as an example of a modern movement dedicated to the good of humankind.
