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“Faith is a source of unfathomable good fortune and wisdom. When just one woman stands up with faith, a pure and refreshing realm of happiness and peace will emerge and expand from wherever she is. When the sun of truth and justice rises, the night of unhappiness and iniquity will be dispelled without fail” - Kaneko Ikeda

The January-February issue of Living Buddhism is focusing on The Women of the SGI-USA.  The Sokka Gakkai is a Buddhist lay organization dedicated to world peace and the practice of Nichiren Buddhism.

The Lotus Sutra preached by Shakyamuni is a great teaching of gender equality. Nichiren states..

“There should be no discrimination among those who propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo in the Latter Day of the Law, be they men or women” (WND-1, 385)

and while praising a female disciple of particularly strong faith…

“Only in the Lotus Sutra do we read that a woman who embraces this sutra not only excels all other women, but also surpasses all men” (WND-1, 464)

The equality of this practice is one of the key aspects that has led to my embracing of it.  There is no discrimination what so ever between the sexes or races.  We are simply all human beings.