Encountering the Dharma: Daisaku Ikeda, Soka Gakkai, and the Globalization of Buddhist Humanism

I loved reading Richard Hughes Seager's book, he has a beautiful writing style, he gives lots of insight into himself as well as the subject matter, in this case Daisaku Ikeda and The Soka Gakkai. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone. As a Soka Gakkai member I found Seager's work factual, thought provoking and he gave me a glimpse of Soka Gakkai that I haven't yet been able to explore myself, reading his book was like being in Japan with him. In my view this book would satisfy an academic as well as anyone interested in Buddhism and the truth. Read and enjoy!

As a Soka Gakkai member, after reading this book I was very inspired. It challenged me to look at my practice and feel proud to belong to such an amazing organization. I recommend this book to Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.

Believe it or not, this is a book you might not want to put down --they don't come much better than this. It's a very engaging combination of scholarly inquiry and Mr. Seager's personal experience as he traveled to several countries and interviewed SG members at every level, including Daisaku Ikeda. Satisfying, moving, and highly recommended.

I found the style of this book to be unconventional and thereby uniquely engaging. This was not just Seager teaching you about Nichiren buddhism, soka gakkai, and Ikeda..but rather him taking you along as he leared about them more deeply himself. Having the opportunity to join a knowledgeable person as he himself derives conclusions and impressions from his experiences makes the book, or the story really, much more interesting and enjoyable to read.

Professor Seager is maybe more Buddhist than many Buddhists. This book documents his journey into understanding Nichiren Buddhism. It is delightfully full of introspective and yet critical thoughts. I strongly recommend this to anybody interested in global humanism or Buddhism.