Some think of Buddhist practice as retreating to a quiet place and leading a life of calm and contemplation, but you should know that from its earliest origins Buddhism was a philosophy of practice, of living and energetically engaging with others in dialogue.
Buddhism is a teaching for helping all living beings, and especially the people who are suffering the most. Therefore, study needs to be rooted in daily life and serve as a guide for action. Study becomes a revitalizing force when it provides assurance and self-confidence in the power to overcome life’s difficulties and tribulations. The Soka Gakkai’s emphasis on study has achieved just this in the real world.
(Daisaku Ikeda, The New Human Revolution, Volume 24, Chapter 2, ‘Vigilant Safeguarding 38’, SGI Newsletter No. 8208, 12 April 2011)
