Daisaku Ikeda, who died on 15th November at the age of 95, was founder president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), which grew out of the Soka Gakkai in the 1970s. Both are part of the tradition founded by Nichiren Daishonin in 13th century Japan.

Soka gakkai means 'society for the creation of value'. Having been deeply affected by growing up in Japan during WW2 Mr Ikeda began to practise this type of Buddhism at the age of 19 and devoted the rest of his life to peace work and campaigning for nuclear disarmament.

SGI is perhaps best known for its meditative chanting practice of the title of the Lotus Sutra in Japanese: nam myoho renge kyo. It's said to be the world's largest lay Buddhist movement with 12 million members worldwide, including an estimated 1.5 million outside Japan.

Watch a video about the history of the Soka Gakkai.

"The ideal of Mahayana Buddhism is the realization of happiness for oneself and for others. Nowhere is this more completely set out than in the Lotus Sutra, which recognizes the Buddha-nature in all people—women and men, those with formal education and those without. It declares that all people, without regard to their class, origin, personal, cultural, or social background, can attain enlightenment. Our recitation of the title of the Lotus Sutra is a way of renewing our vow to live in accord with this ideal."

Daisaku Ikeda