Editing Soka Gakkai (section)

===Faith, practice, and study===
The primary practice of the Soka Gakkai, like that of most Nichiren sects, is chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is the title of the Lotus Sutra, and simultaneously considered the Buddha nature inherent in life<ref>{{cite book|last1=Seager|first1=Richard|title=Encountering the Dharma|date=2006|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-24577-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/encounteringdhar0000seag/page/17 17]|quote="They could, in Anasekei's words, 'restore a primeval connection with the eternal Buddha'"|url=https://archive.org/details/encounteringdhar0000seag}}</ref> and the ultimate reality of existence.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Melton and Baumann|title=Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices|date=2010|isbn=978-1-59884-203-6|page=2658|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |edition= 2nd|quote=By chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo one forms a connection with the ultimate reality that pervades the universe}}</ref> The supplemental practice is the daily recitation of parts of the 2nd and 16th chapters of the Lotus Sutra. Unlike other Nichiren sects, the Soka Gakkai stresses that practice for enlightenment entails actual "engagement in the realities of daily life", while including the happiness of others in one's own practice.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Shimazono|first1=Susumu|editor1-first=Yoshinori|editor1-last=Takeuchi|chapter=Soka Gakkai and the Modern Reformation of Buddhism |title=Buddhist Spirituality: Later China, Korea, Japan and the Modern world i|date=1999|publisher=Crossroad Publishing|isbn=978-0-8245-1595-9|page=451}}</ref>

Believers claim that the Lotus Sutra contains principles or teachings that are not readily apparent. Furthermore, the Soka Gakkai claims that Nichiren revealed these teachings as The "Three Great Secret Laws" namely the following:.<ref>{{Citation |last=Murata |first=Kiyoaki |year=1969 |title=Japan's New Buddhism |publisher=Weatherhill, Inc. |location=New York |page=51 }}</ref>
# The "Object of Devotion" ([[Gohonzon]] mandala) used and designated by the Soka Gakkai
# The incantation (of [[Nam-myoho-renge-kyo]]) by united Soka Gakkai believers
# The sanctuary or place where Buddhism is practiced.<ref>{{Citation |last=Seager |first=Richard |year=2006 |title=Encountering the Dharma |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |pages=32–33 }}</ref>

Soka Gakkai practices Nichiren Buddhism as it has been expounded by its three founding presidents, and so also studies their speeches and writings, especially those of third President Daisaku Ikeda. His novelized histories of the movement, ''The Human Revolution'' (and its sequel ''The New Human Revolution'') have been said to have "canonical status" as it "functions as a source of inspiration and guidance for members".<ref name=canon>{{cite book|title=Canonization and decanonization: papers presented to the international conference of the Leiden Institute for the Study of Religions (LISOR), held at Leiden 9–10 January 1997|year=1998|publisher=Brill|location=Leiden|isbn=978-90-04-11246-9|pages=283–287|first=C.|last=Cornille|chapter=Canon formation in new religious movements: the case of the Japanese New Religions|editor-last=van der Kooij|editor-first=A.}}</ref> Study meetings are held monthly. "The tenor of the meetings is one of open discussion rather than didactic teaching..." Discussions on Nichiren's teachings are welcomed, "dictatorial edicts on moral behavior are not."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fowler |first=Jeaneane and Merv |year=2009|title=Chanting in the Hillsides |publisher=Sussex Academic Press |location=Great Britain |page=155}}</ref>

The Soka Gakkai practice also includes activities beyond the ritualistic, such as meetings, social engagement, and improving one's circumstances; these also have significance as religious activities in the Soka Gakkai.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Strand|first1=Clark|title=Waking the Buddha|date=2014|publisher=Middleway Press|isbn=978-0-9779245-6-1|pages=58–59|quote=Middleway Press is a division of SGI-USA}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Dobbelaere|first1=Karel|title=Soka Gakkai|page=59}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=McLaughlin|first1=Levi|title=Faith and Practice: Bringing Religion, Music and Beethoven to Life in Soka Gakkai|journal=Social Science Japan Journal|date=2003|volume=6|issue=2|pages=6–7|doi=10.1093/ssjj/6.2.161}}</ref>