Building a Strong and Expansive Self
Arjun Mehta grew up watching his parents fight despair with prayer.
In 1992, his father encountered Ikeda Sensei during the Bharat Soka Gakkai Grand Culture Festival.
At the time, the family was facing deep uncertainty as his father’s job was under threat despite years of sincere effort and dedication.
As children, Arjun and his sister Ambika watched their parents travel long distances for meetings, conduct home visits, and challenge every difficulty through determined daimoku.
Witnessing their struggle planted unshakable faith in Arjun’s heart.
Dreaming Beyond Personal Success
As a youth, Arjun developed a dream of pursuing an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
At that time, a senior leader shared Ikeda Sensei’s vision for the student division — to become trailblazers capable of reforming society and advancing kosen-rufu.
Something shifted deeply within him.
His personal dream stopped being only about career success.
It became a vow to bring victory to his mentor.
With renewed determination, Arjun immersed himself in prayer and study.
Eventually, he secured admission into IIM Ahmedabad — one of India’s most prestigious management institutes.
After completing his MBA, he joined one of India’s leading media groups.
Determined to live up to Toda Sensei’s guidance of “doing the work of three people,” he threw himself wholeheartedly into his responsibilities.
Before long, he was entrusted with leading the group’s Hindi newspaper division.
Applying the training and spirit he had learned through the Gakkai, Arjun introduced bold changes.
The newspaper eventually became the fastest-growing publication in India.
Outwardly, it seemed like a period of complete victory.
But internally, another battle continued.
Despite success, he still struggled with self-doubt and attachment to recognition.
A Personal Encounter That Changed Everything
In 2009, Arjun attended an SGI Training Course where he had a personal encounter with Ikeda Sensei.
Those few moments left a profound impact on him.
“I felt Sensei completely understood my life,” he recalls.
“His compassion and life force were overwhelming.”
After that encounter, Arjun made a fresh determination:
To fight freely, courageously, and without complaint.
At around the same time, he also took responsibility as the All India Student Division Chief and Deputy All India Young Men’s Division Chief.
But soon afterward, he faced failure at work for the first time.
Professional setbacks mounted.
Humiliation followed.
For someone accustomed to achievement, this period felt like a harsh winter.
Yet Arjun resolved not to escape the struggle.
Instead of protecting his ego, he began strengthening his weak areas.
During this difficult period, he wrote to Sensei with a determination to cultivate optimism, courage, and dignity in his life.
Ikeda Sensei responded warmly with encouragement.
At the same time, Arjun continued leading campaigns and supporting youth activities across India.
Gradually, the student division expanded across many cities.
Then came an unforgettable moment.
After nearly two years of struggle, the same boss who had once humiliated him handed him his promotion letter on July 3rd — the Day of Mentor and Disciple.
For Arjun, it felt like reporting victory directly to his mentor.
Responding to the Mentor’s Call
Challenges, however, only became bigger.
Arjun was assigned the responsibility of launching a business in an entirely new category with extremely ambitious targets.
Around that time, this guidance from Sensei deeply resonated with him:
“Through encountering a mentor in faith, responding to their call, struggling alongside them, and engraving their courage and wisdom in our own lives, we can break through the shell of our small self. This is the driving force for victory.”
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin and the Mentor-Disciple Relationship, p. 36)
Determined to respond to his mentor’s heart, Arjun challenged himself fully.
He attended every meeting, encouraged members consistently, and often drove over 100 kilometers daily between office work and activities.
The struggle was exhausting.
But something inside him was changing.
Through supporting others, he developed indestructible life force.
Many capable leaders emerged during this period.
In August 2015, Bharat Soka Gakkai achieved its historic goal of 100,000 trailblazers.
Around the same time, Arjun also experienced a decisive business breakthrough, bringing in business worth crores.
Building a Family Dedicated to Kosen-rufu
As he prepared to transition into the men’s division, Arjun prayed deeply to meet his kosen-rufu life partner.
He soon married Gitanjali, the former All India Young Women’s Division Chief.
Together, they made a shared vow to advance kosen-rufu as disciples of Ikeda Sensei.
Later, they decided to expand their family.
In their forties, they challenged themselves to demonstrate actual proof through faith.
After a difficult pregnancy, they were blessed with twins — a son, Anhad, and a daughter, Aadya.
But shortly after birth, their son developed a life-threatening infection.
It became one of the most painful moments of their lives.
During that difficult period, they received deep encouragement from Sensei and Mrs. Ikeda.
Their fellow members also stood beside them unwaveringly.
Eventually, their son recovered.
Today, both children are healthy and joyful.
Arjun still remembers a deeply emotional moment from recently.
Before leaving for a family visit to SBTG, both children independently opened the butsudan and chanted together.
For Arjun and Gitanjali, it felt like witnessing the true inheritance of faith.
Continuing the Journey of Human Revolution
Today, Arjun says he encounters Sensei daily through the study of The New Human Revolution and through continued training at Ikeda University.
Last year, he took responsibility for a newly formed region.
Through home visits, dialogue, and encouragement, he focused on helping people connect with the Gohonzon and Sensei’s heart.
In one district where he served as an Honorary District Chief, there were initially no active members.
Gradually, discussion meetings restarted and members began reconnecting.
Every activity — whether visible or behind the scenes — became part of polishing his life.
Alongside these efforts, Arjun also experienced victories in family health and professional growth.
His father’s vision improved significantly after surgery, and Arjun successfully completed his CFA qualification.
He realized that true growth means continuously expanding one’s capacity to encourage others.
A Line That Stayed With Me
“We can break through the shell of our small self. This is the driving force for victory.”
Reflection
Modern society often teaches us to measure success through titles, promotions, income, and recognition.
But many people discover that external achievement alone cannot eliminate inner insecurity.
True confidence emerges when we dedicate our lives to something larger than ourselves.
Arjun’s journey shows that Buddhism is not about escaping challenges.
It is about using every challenge to build a stronger, wiser, and more expansive self.
Sometimes, the greatest victories are the invisible transformations taking place within our hearts.
Key Takeaways
Personal goals become more powerful when connected to a larger purpose.
Challenges help reveal and strengthen our weak areas.
Encouraging others develops immense inner strength.
Faith transforms setbacks into opportunities for human revolution.
True victory lies in building a courageous and expansive life state.
Forward With Determination
Today, Arjun continues striving with a deep determination to pray and act with the same heart as Ikeda Sensei.
He remains committed to:
Raising capable youth
Supporting members wholeheartedly
Advancing kosen-rufu through dialogue and encouragement
Contributing toward the movement of one million Bodhisattvas of the Earth
Inspired by a published Buddhist experience and retold with commentary, reflection, and adapted storytelling.