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Robyn Lebron ore than simply carrying out a particular religious practice, members see the mission of the SGI as one of bringing Buddhist wisdom to bear on the task of resolving the problems confronting the world, and of building solidarity for social justice and peace Such activism may be at odds with a popular image of Buddhism as a practice of placid withdrawal from the complexities of society The thrust of the organization’s social engagement philosophy is distilled in the reply given by Ikeda, during a trip to the Soviet Union in 1974, when he was challenged by Soviet Premier Kosygin to define the ideology of his Buddhist movement Ikeda’s answer was “‡ƒ…‡ǡ …—Ž–—”‡ƒ†‡†—…ƒ–‹‘ǡ–Š‡—†‡”Ž›‹‰„ƒ•‹•‘ˆ™Š‹…Š‹•Š—ƒ‹•.”15 Under the leadership of Ikeda, the SGI experienced enormous growth It has now spread to over 190 countries and has 12 million members outside Japan, including 330,000 in the United States Today, the SGI has developed into one of the largest and most dynamic movements of socially engaged Buddhism in the world God or Gods In the worldview of Nichiren Buddhism, a universal law (†Šƒ”ƒ ) underlies everything in the universe Nichiren Buddhism is neither monotheistic norƒ –Š”‘’‘…‡–”‹… (considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe); instead, it teaches that the macrocosm and microcosm are one and inseparable, a cosmic humanism Christ Not applicable Basic Doctrine The core philosophy of the SGI can be summed up by the concept of “human revolution.” This is the idea that the self-motivated inner change of a single individual positively affects the larger web of life and results in the rejuvenation of human society Given that every individual possesses this boundless capacity for virtue and betterment, it thus