2026 

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"Taking Refuge in the Sangha:

 An Important Issue for Our Time"

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All Buddhists take refuge in the Three Treasures: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Of these three, Founder Niwano placed particular emphasis on the importance of the Sangha, often quoting Shakyamuni Buddha’s statement: “Having good spiritual friends is not a large part of the Buddhist path. It is the whole of the Buddhist path.”

What does it mean to take refuge in the Sangha? Why is taking refuge in the Sangha so important? And how can we cultivate a Sangha that embodies the idea that it is “the whole of the Buddhist path”?

As we commemorate Bodhi Day, let us reflect on how we can deepen our understanding of, and take greater refuge in, the Sangha. 

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Dominick Scarangello obtained his PhD from the University of Virginia 2012.  His interests include Lotus Sutra Buddhism in East Asia, Japanese religions, and religion and modernity.  Dr. Scarangello has taught at the University of Virginia and was the Postdoctoral Scholar in Japanese Buddhism at the University of California, Berkeley (2013-2014).  Presently he is the International Advisor to Rissho Kosei-kai, coordinator of the International Lotus Sutra Seminar, and also works with the international Buddhist Congregation, a Rissho Kosei-kai group for international residents of Japan.​