Best Selling Books by Daisaku Ikeda

The book is in the form of a dialogue between an eminent astronomer (Wickramasinghe) and a leading Buddhist scholar (Ikeda) which probes some of the deepest aspects of our existence. As the dialogue unfolds both the astronomerb s view of the world and the Buddhist viewpoint are expounded, side by side, with interesting comparisons between the two sets of basic tenets.

“Wisdom and compassion are intimately linked and mutually reinforcing.Compassion in Buddhism does not involve the forcible suppression ofour natural emotions, our likes and dislikes. Rather, it is the realization thateven those whom we dislike have qualities that can contribute to our livesand can afford us opportunities to grow in our own humanity.”—Daisaku IkedaPeace lies along the path of humanity''s growth and inner transformation. With this as a major theme, Daisaku Ikeda offers fresh insights and new ways of thinking in each of his seven US university lectures collected in A New Way Forward.These explorations on the power of dialogue, the interdependence of all life, the importance of developing in one''s character the attributes of wisdom, courage, and compassion, and other topics, stir the heart and mind and lead to the inevitable conclusion that each individual holds the key to a lasting peace.

For Time magazine Toynbee was ’an international sage’ and certainly in the same bracket as ‘Einstein, Schweitzer or Bertrand Russell’. Daisaku Ikeda is a figure of global stature, the spiritual leader of a worldwide lay Buddhist organization devoted to the promotion of education, culture and peace. Between 1972 and 1974 Toynbee and Ikeda discussed many of the vital issues which confronted their societies in the early 1970s, all of which remain current and significant. Indeed, topics such as the problems of pollution, dwindling natural resources, conflict and war, the role of religion, and population growth, are even more pressing than they were thirty years ago. In this influential and inspiring volume, which records their wide-ranging conversations, the challenge issued by both men is framed as follows: will humankind choose to salvage its destiny by a revolution in thinking and morals? Or will disaster ensue if it pursues its present course towards self-destruction and the despoliation of the environment? While recognizing that our survival is threatened by the imbalance between human immaturity and technological achievement, the optimistic message of this classic dialogue is that man-made evils have a man-made cure.

À première vue, l''humanisme occidental, le bouddhisme japonais et la science moderne ont si peu en commun que l''idée même de rechercher un terrain d''entente par le dialogue semble trop idéaliste. Seul un homme du calibre de daisaku ikeda pourrait mener à bien un tel projet. Faisant fi du cliché et des réponses faciles, il aborde les grandes questions auxquelles la société d''aujourd''hui est confrontée: cancer, sida, mort dignement, fécondation in vitro, éthique biomédicale... Les réponses apportées par René Simard, biologiste moléculaire et généticien, et Guy Bourgeault, bioéthicien , sont perspicaces et convaincantes. Leurs discussions ont franchi les barrières linguistiques et culturelles pour présenter une vision du potentiel - et des défis inhérents - à l''être humain.

Nichiren Daishonin''s writings provide a practical formula for enabling all people to achieve victory in every aspect of their lives and attain an unshakable state of happiness.This volume of Learning from Nichiren''s Writings: The Teachings for Victory contains SGI President Daisaku Ikeda''s lectures on nine of Nichiren''s letters:“On the Real Aspect of the Gohonzon”“The Four Virtues and the Four Debts of Gratitude”“A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering”“Flowering and Bearing Grain”“General Stone Tiger”“Reply to Niiama”“The Workings of Brahma and Shakra”“Reply to Yasaburo”“The Three Obstacles and Four Devils”President Ikeda elucidates the importance of studying Nichiren''s writings as the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism as practiced by the Soka Gakkai International. His lectures bring Nichiren''s immense wisdom, compassion, and courage into focus for the present age. In reading and studying these lectures, we learn how to apply in daily life Nichiren''s profound philosophy for inner transformation and victory for both ourselves and others. The Teachings for Victory will empower you to develop the strength and wisdom to bring forth your inherent potential.

Prejudice linked to an event from the past threatens the friendship that Akiko and her brother have made with a boy on their new island home. Suggested level: junior.

Addressing questions such as What constitutes a meaningful life? and What is true happiness?, this guide to Nichiren Buddhism presents the spiritual practice as a teaching of hope that can answer these and other important questions of modern life. Buddhist teacher Daisaku Ikeda offers insights into The Opening of the Eyes, a longer treatise written by Nichiren that calls for individuals to base themselves on a spirit of compassion and to fight for the happiness of others, regardless of the circumstances. Ikeda’s simple and straightforward commentary brings this integral writing to life for a contemporary readership. Through the text and the accompanying commentary, readers will not will discover a philosophy of inner transformation that will help them find deep and lasting happiness for themselves and for others.

''The natural sympathy and understanding of people everywhere must be the soil in which the new humanism can thrive.'' For Daisaku Ikeda, whose words these are, education has long been one of the fundamental priorities of his work and teaching. And his emphasis on the intellectual legacy bequeathed to humanity by the great teachers of civilization is in this volume encapsulated by the notion of a ''new humanism'': a significant residue of wisdom that in the right circumstances may be passed on to future generations, expanding horizons, making connnctions between different cultures and encouraging fresh insights and new discoveries across the globe. These circumstances are perhaps most fully realised in the context of universities. And in promoting his core values of education and peace, the author has delivered speeches and lectures at more than twenty-five academies, colleges and research institutes worldwide. This stimulating collection, which includes the author''s most recent lectures, ranges widely across topics as diverse as art, religion, culture and time, and draws creatively on the sages of ancient India, China and Japan as well as on visionary thinkers from every nation, including Tolstoy, Victor Hugo and Gandhi.

What do Buddhism and Islam have in common? And what positive characteristics might Buddhist Japan and Muslim Indonesia be able to offer one another? In this thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion which draws on creative artists and thinkers as diverse as Beethoven, Goethe, Tolstoy, Thomas Jefferson and Akira Kurosawa distinguished representatives from each country demonstrate that meaningful dialogue between religions and cultures begins with a one-to-one conversation between individuals. Addressing the similarities of their nations as island peoples, with a shared history of trade and cultural exchange, Abdurrahman Wahid and Daisaku Ikeda agree that the aim of dialogue, like that of Buddhism and Islam alike, is fundamentally the goal of peace. A pivotal moment in the conversation comes when reference is made to the Indonesian story of the Bamboo Princess, from the Chronicle of the Kings of Pasai; this is seen to bear close resemblance to the Japanese Taketori Monogatari, or ''Tale of the Bamboo Cutter''. Such narrative interrelationship which can be discerned even in the midst of religious and cultural distinctiveness emerges as a powerful symbol of the common humanity not just of Indonesia and Japan but of all cultures. Both thinkers continue to draw on their respective traditions, on their personal experiences of war and adversity, and especially on the lives of the Buddha and the Prophet Mohammed, to show that harmony springs from an attitude of tolerance and nonviolence which is where true courage resides. Whether masterfully expounding the teachings of Nichiren, or indicating that a proper understanding of jihad is not about religious conflict but about communicating the truth of Allah, the discussants mutually transform our understandings of value, pluralism, and amity.

Unique behind-the-scenes account of the Camp David peace talks.

"Global Civilization" emerged from a series of conversations between two peace advocates of Japanese and Iranian origin. It covers the encounters between Buddhist and Islamic civilizations from the 7th century to the present. For all their cultural differences, Buddhism and Islam share a surprising number of intrinsic similarities. The topics discussed include such diverse subjects as the nature of religious faith today, global ideological terrorism, religious fanatacism and universal human rights. Ikeda and Tehranian, two important representatives of their respective faiths, propose dialogue as the most effective method of conflict resolution at interpersonal, intra-national and international levels. It is a call for tolerance, for dialogue and for peace.

Mikhail Gorbachev and Daisaku Ikeda are contemporaries raised in different cultures: Gorbachev is a statesman whose origins are the Marx-inspired world of communism while Ikeda is Buddhist inspired by the thirteenth century Japanese sage, Nichiren. Moral Lessons of the Twentieth Century emerged from a series of conversations between these two men. Together they explore their experiences of life amidst the turmoil of the twentieth century and together they search for a common ethical basis for future development. They conclude that values are born of culture and that peace, progress and social justice can only be achieved through sincere communication and cultural exchange. As the new century begins, they have sought to turn the spotlight on the challenges which face humanity. The book is a call for dialogue in pursuit of values that bridge culture and time.

A Lifelong Quest for Peace: A Dialogue will provided readers the opportunity to get to know Dr. Pauling and Mr. Ikeda, as they seek to provide pointers to help the young people of today solve the problems of the twenty-first century.

Whether through lyrical celebrations of the wonders of nature; paeans to the steadfastness of women; or salutations to the world leaders who have in their various ways provided inspiration to his lifelong devotion to the causes of peace, justice and education, Daisaku Ikeda in his poems expresses unwavering commitment to the development of a humanistic global culture. These translations, the first of a three-volume collection and based on the Japanese Complete Works of Daisaku Ikeda (Ikeda Daisaku zenshu), cover the years 1945-2007, and explore the many subjects to which the leader of the Soka Gakkai International has devoted his ''poetic heart and mind.'' The translators have sought to reproduce the rhythms and timbres of a voice, which- though influenced by the likes of Whitman, Defoe, Dumas, Ibsen, Emerson and Shelley- is yet distinctive and unique. Sometimes the poet adopts a simple vernacular note; at other times the compression associated with Japanese poeic forms haiku and waka. But at all times the poetry maintains a stately rhythm that reflects the dignity of ordinary language and expression. This collection will delight readers familiar with the prose writings of the author as well as those coming to his work for the first time. The poems within it speak, with freedom and feeling, of a world where genuine poetry reigns supreme- and of a world where poetic perception becomes a perception of interconnectedness; between friends. between humanity and nature, or between humanity and the cosmos.

Volume six of a series, this text presents the final installment in the story of the founding of Soka Gakkai, an association of followers of the teaching of the Japanese Buddhist leader, Nichiren Daishonin (1222-82).

Gleaned from more than sixty years of Daisaku Ikeda''s works, thisrevised edition adds new selections that further provide a windowinto the SGI president''s thought and philosophy. His words are aboundless source of inspiration, hope, and courage for a worldincreasingly beset with sorrow and suffering.Chapters in this volume:“What Is True Happiness?”“Developing a Life State of Happiness”“The Practice for Transforming Our State of Life”“&‘It Is the Heart That Is Important''”“Transforming Suffering Into Joy”“The Principle of Cherry, Plum, Peach, and Damson”“Happiness for Both Ourselves and Others”“Facing Illness”“Creating a Brilliant Final Chapter in Life”“Joy in Both Life and Death”

The leader of the SGI Nichiren Buddhist movement herein conveys to young people a rare message of optimism about our common future. This Japanese Buddhist leader and peacebuilder challenges readers to examine stereotypes, overcome prejudices and keep open minds to the possibility of a world without violence or war. In intimate essays, the author introduces his personal friends to the reader--friends who have demonstrated that sincerity and perseverance can achieve dreams of peace. These friends range from household names such as Gandhi to obscure Japanese scholars and priests from El Salvador. He challenges young people to dare to believe that, like these individuals, they can live their ideals. The DVD, ""Another Way of Seeing Things,"" is a film about our common humanity. With historical footage and recreated images, it demonstrates that the exotic, mysterious, threatening "other" whom we regard from afar is simply a human being.

Buddhist philosopher, peace activist and octogenarian Daisaku Ikeda has spent a lifetime studying and teaching about life''s universal sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death. His life exemplifies the health and happiness possible from a compassionate practice of Nichiren Buddhism. In The Third Stage of Life, a dialogue with two Japanese journalists, he shares his insights on how to make one''s golden years a “third youth.”What''s the secret to living long? What are the keys to a healthy life? Is aging a period of decline or an opportunity to bring one''s life to a satisfying conclusion? What example can we set for in others in our third stage of life?Drawing on the lives of many individuals down through the ages, Mr. Ikeda discusses these and many other questions that affect us as we grow older. From the practical to the spiritual to the personal—as when his wife of sixty years joins the discussion in later chapters—The Third Stage of Life will inspire you to keep challenging and lead a life that shines.

An intimate portrayal of one of history''s most important and obscure figures, the Buddha, this chronicle reveals him not as a mystic, but a warm and engaged human being that was very much the product of his turbulent times. This biographical account traces the path of Siddhartha Gautama as he walked away from the pleasure palace that had been his home and joined a growing force of wandering monks, ultimately making his way towards enlightenment beneath the bodhi tree, and spending the next 45 years sharing his insights along the banks of the Ganges. The Buddhist canon is expertly harvested to provide insight into the Buddha''s inner life and to grant a better understanding of how he came to play his pivotal role as founder of one of the world''s largest religions.

Nichiren Daishonin''s writings provide a practical formula for enabling all people to achieve victory in every aspect of their lives and attain an unshakable state of happiness.This volume of Learning from Nichiren''s Writings: The Teachings for Victory contains two commemorative lectures (November 18 and January 26) by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda in addition to lectures on nine of Nichiren''s letters:“Early Desires Are Enlightenment”“The Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra”“Letter to Horen”“Encouragement to a Sick Person”“The Two Kinds of Faith”“The Gift of Rice”“On Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins”“The Great Battle”“On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”President Ikeda elucidates the importance of studying Nichiren''s writings as the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism as practiced by the Soka Gakkai International. His lectures bring Nichiren''s immense wisdom, compassion, and courage into focus for the present age. In reading and studying these lectures, we learn how to apply in daily life Nichiren''s profound philosophy for inner transformation and victory for both ourselves and others.The Teachings for Victory will empower you to develop the strength and wisdom to bring forth your inherent potential.

In the nineteenth century, Nietzsche famously announced that God was dead. In the twentieth century, increasing reliance on science and technology led to a widespread rejection of belief on the grounds of its irrationality. Yet religion has not died. In fact, the opposite has occurred: it has persisted and proliferated. Despite the relentless pursuit of scientific advancement, in the twenty-first century we now see religious influence everywhere. In this wide-ranging dialogue, two leading commentators on religion address - from their different but complementary traditions of Christianity and Buddhism - the continuing appeal of spirituality to people eager to explore fundamental questions of meaning. The authors indicate that science, for all its benefits, has limits of explanation. It may be able to show how, but not necessarily why. Yet belief too must not go unchallenged, since, as Ikeda says, ''religion can become either a medicine or a poison''. What then is the proper role of religion in a world plagued by intolerance and extremism? The authors point to its place in dialogue, education and peacebuilding. They emphasise the centrality of non-violence, and the inspiring examples of Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. In so doing they recount formative experiences of involvement in the civil rights movement and protest against Vietnam (Cox) and personal exposure to the misery and destruction of war (Ikeda). Their joint vision of a just and true religious sensibility makes a vital contribution to the fields of religion, peace studies and ethics.

Daisaku Ikeda, who offers spiritual leadership to 12 million Soka Gakkai Buddhists throughout the world, responds to the complicated issues facing American young people in a straightforward question-and-answer format. He addresses topics that include building individual character, the purpose of hard work and perseverance, family and relationships, tolerance, and preservation of the environment. Written from a Buddhist perspective, this collection of answers to life''s questions offers timeless wisdom to people of all faiths.

''The seas do not separate us; rather, they bring us closer together.'' Daisaku Ikeda''s opening words to this consistently wide-ranging dialogue set the scene for what follows. For the theme of the book is that of the meeting of minds that follows interaction between peoples who might be geographically distant but who share much in common. Reflecting on his memories of standing on the shores of the Bosphorus, gazing at the adjacent coastlines of Europe and Asia, Ikeda explores the symbol of diversity represented by the cosmopolitan city of Istanbul. The city in which his interlocutor, distinguished social anthropologist Nur Yalman, grew up, remains an icon of ethnic plurality. This reflection leads the authors towards lively exploration of the customs and cultural mores shared by Japan and Turkey: two countries which historically stand at opposite ends of the great trading route that was the Silk Road, but which have old traditions of reciprocity and friendship.At the heart of this book lies these two men''s mutual commitment to what they characterise as ''soft peace'', or the attempt to resolve conflict through empathic engagement with those who hold alternative views. Touching on such vital themes as inter-religious dialogue, education, the environment and those common aspects of humanity which all persons share, "A Passage to Peace" represents an inspiring contribution to the modern discourse on ethics, peace studies and religion.

"The problem of illness," Buddhist philosopher and activist Daisaku Ikeda writes, "is not only physical symptoms but that it can rob people of the hope to live, destroy their livelihood and sense of well-being, and put their future on hold." Nichiren Buddhism has always fought against this negative energy and given people the spiritual strength and courage to go on living with dignity. These essays, based on the thirteenth-century Buddhist reformer Nichiren, delve into Buddhist wisdom that offers powerful insights to help us overcome the inevitable sufferings of illness and make this a century of health.

Daisaku Ikeda, president of the worldwide Soka Gakkai International, elucidates the importance of studying Nichiren''s writings as the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism as practiced by the Soka Gakkai International. His lectures bring Nichiren''s immense wisdom, compassion, and courage into focus for the present age. In reading and studying these lectures, we learn how to apply in daily life Nichiren''s profound philosophy for inner transformation and victory for both ourselves and others. The Hope-Filled Teachings of Nichiren will empower you to find hope and develop the strength and wisdom to bring forth your inherent potential.

This is a dialogue between Daisaku Ikeda, President of Soka Gakkai International, and Rene Huyghe, an art critic and member of the Academie Francaise.

In this wide-ranging and controversial series of conversations Daisaku Ikeda, Japanese leader of the world''s largest lay Buddhist organization, the Soka Gakkai, presses both science and mysticism into the service of the Human Revolution and the delineation of the way foreword. In animated discussion he explores the implication of recent astronomical and cosmological findings with the respected astronomer Masayoshi Kiguchi and journalist Eiichi Shimura, clarifying their meaning for the world in the light of Buddhist wisdom. Drawing on their pooled knowledge of philosophy, science and the history of mankind, the participants range over diverse topics as they explore how the external universe of matter mirrors the internal universe of spirit. This fascinating book provides much food for thought and a riveting, novel approach to the question of man''s place and function in the universe. -- From publisher''s description.

China now attracts global attention in direct proportion to its increasing economic and geopolitical power. But for millennia, the philosophy which has shaped the soul of China is not modern Communism, or even new forms of capitalism, but rather Confucianism. And one of the most striking phenomena relating to China''s ascendancy on the world stage is a burgeoning interest, throughout Asia and beyond, in the humanistic culture and values that underlie Chinese politics and finance: particularly the thought of Confucius passed on in the Analects. In this stimulating conversation, two leading thinkers from the Confucian and Buddhist traditions discuss the timely relevance of a rejuvenated Confucian ethics to some of the most urgent issues in the modern world: Sino/Japanese/US relations; the transformation of society through education and dialogue; and the role of world religions in promoting human flourishing. Exploring correspondences between the Confucian and Buddhist world-views, the interlocutors commit themselves to a view of spirituality and religion that, without blurring cultural difference, is focused above all on the ''universal heart'': on harmony between people and nature that leads to peace and to a hopeful future for all humanity.

Nichiren Daishonin''s writings provide a practical formula for enabling all people to achieve victory in every aspect of their lives and attain an unshakable state of happiness.This volume of Learning from Nichiren''s Writings: The Teachings for Victory contains two commemorative lectures (November 18 and May 3) by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda in addition to lectures on seven of Nichiren''s letters:“False Official Documents”“The Eight Winds”“The Wealthy Man Sudatta”“New Year''s Gosho”“The Difficulty of Sustaining Faith”“Letter to the Sage Nichimyo”“The One-eyed Turtle and the Floating Log”President Ikeda elucidates the importance of studying Nichiren''s writings as the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism as practiced by the Soka Gakkai International. His lectures bring Nichiren''s immense wisdom, compassion, and courage into focus for the present age. In reading and studying these lectures, we learn how to apply in daily life Nichiren''s profound philosophy for inner transformation and victory for both ourselves and others.The Teachings for Victory will empower you to develop the strength and wisdom to bring forth your inherent potential.

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda elucidates the importance of studying Nichiren''s writings as the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism as practiced by the Soka Gakkai International. His lectures bring Nichiren''s immense wisdom, compassion, and courage into focus for the present age. In reading and studying these lectures, we learn how to reply in daily life Nichirens profound philosophy for inner transformation and victory for both ourselves and others. This volume of Learning From Nichiren''s Writings contains SGI President Ikeda''s lectures on nine of Nichiren''s Writings:"Persecution by Sword and Staff""Reply to the Lay Priest Takahashi""The Embankments of Faith""Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain""The Bow and Arrow""The Pure and Far-Reaching Voice""The Treatment of Illness""Daimoku as the Seed of Buddhahood""Reply to the Mother of Ueno"

From the Japanese word meaning "to create value," this book presents a fresh perspective on the question of the ultimate purpose of education. Mixing American pragmatism and the Buddhist philosophy of respect for all life, the goal of Soka education is the lifelong happiness of the learner. Rather than offering practical classroom techniques, this book speaks to the emotional heart of both the teacher and the student. With input from philosophers and activists from several cultures, it advances the conviction that the true purpose of education is to create a peaceful world and to develop the individual character of each student in order to achieve that goal. This revised edition contains four new chapters that further elaborate on how to unlock self-motivated learning and how to empower the learner to make a difference in their communities and the world.