Within Soka Gakkai, expectations for members are articulated more as shared commitments than as a rigid legal code, yet they are quite concrete. Central to these commitments is the triad of faith, practice, and study: chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, performing daily gongyo, and engaging with Nichiren’s writings and Soka Gakkai publications. Members are encouraged to participate in discussion meetings and other local activities, where this rhythm of practice and study is reinforced in community. Through such patterns, the movement seeks to cultivate a consistent inner life grounded in Nichiren Buddhism while remaining fully lay and integrated into ordinary social roles.

Alongside these devotional and study practices stand ethical and communal guidelines that shape the character of a member’s life. Emphasis is placed on respect for life and human dignity, nonviolence, honesty, and a sense of social responsibility, including respect for laws and fulfillment of civic duties. Members are encouraged to avoid conduct that is abusive, self-destructive, or criminal, as such behavior is seen as incompatible with the spirit of the practice. At the same time, there is no formal renunciation of family life, and no exclusion on the basis of nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, or marital status, reflecting an inclusive lay orientation.

Organizationally, members are expected to support Soka Gakkai’s missions in peace, culture, and education, and to participate actively in meetings and initiatives. There is a strong encouragement to share the practice with others through personal dialogue and to foster a spirit of mutual support among fellow practitioners. Respect for the leadership structure and for organizational unity is emphasized, and actions that might seriously damage the reputation or cohesion of the community are discouraged. Financial contributions are encouraged but framed as voluntary offerings made within one’s means, rather than as a fixed obligation.

Taken together, these guidelines function less as external compulsion and more as a framework for shaping character and daily conduct in light of Nichiren’s teaching. The ideal that emerges is that of a responsible, compassionate lay Buddhist: diligent in chanting and study, committed to ethical living, supportive of the community’s activities, and engaged with society in a constructive way. Within this framework, freedom of conscience and the possibility of leaving the organization remain formally acknowledged, even as loyalty and active participation are held up as the natural expression of sincere faith.