The fundamental purpose of the SGI-USA is the happiness of people. Its goals are to contribute to peace, culture and education based on the philosophy and ideals of the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.

Members of the SGI-USA practice the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin for personal happiness, and for development of a peaceful society. One central aim of SGI-USA activities is to promote humanistic dialogue based on Buddhist principles.

The SGI organization in the United States was officially established in 1960. In less than 40 years the U.S. organization grew to a multi-ethnic membership of 330,000, with members in every state and with more than 271 community centers around the country. The Soka Gakkai International (SGI) was founded in 1975 to unite the efforts of members worldwide. All of the SGI's activities are devoted to the promotion of peace, culture and education, based on the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.

The Preamble to the Charter of the Soka Gakkai International states: . . ."We believe that Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, a humanistic philosophy of infinite respect for the sanctity of life and all-encompassing compassion, enables individuals to cultivate and bring forth their inherent wisdom and, nurturing the creativity of the human spirit, to surmount the difficulties and crises facing humankind and realize a society of peaceful and prosperous coexistence."

—Reprinted from the SGI-USA website: www.sgi-usa.org.