New Releases by Daisaku Ikeda

''I have a dream'' declared Martin Luther King in 1967. Those words, which echoed round the world, soon became immortal. King gave his life in the cause of eradicating racism, eliminating poverty and resolutely opposing all forms of war and violence. This dialogue brings together two figures who likewise have striven in all their activities to promote peace and fight discrimination: one a Christian theologian, historian and nonviolent activist who knew King personally and who moved in 1958 from Chicago to the American South to participate in the nascent struggle for civil rights; the other a foremost Buddhist leader who has been inspired in his own thinking by King''s example. Vincent Harding and Daisaku Ikeda here bring the wisdom of their respective traditions and experiences to reflect on the personal cost of fighting for justice, and the courage that that entails. Their conversations range widely, across issues which include war and violence, the continuing blight in America of institutionalized racism, the need to overcome global disparities of wealth and the consequent dangers of materialism and consumerism

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.

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.

Through this novelized history of the Soka Gakkai—one of the most dynamic, diverse, and empowering Buddhist movements in the world today—readers will discover the organization''s goals and achievements even as they find inspiring and practical Buddhist wisdom for living happily and compassionately in today''s world. The book recounts the stories of ordinary individuals who faced tremendous odds in transforming their lives through the practice of Nichiren Buddhism and in bringing Buddhism''s humanistic teachings to the world. This 24th volume looks at events that occurred between 1976 and 1988, including the progress of several Soka Gakkai groups designed to help people develop their potential and contribute positively to their communities and workplaces. This inspiring narrative provides readers with the principles with which they can positively transform their own lives for the better and realize enduring happiness for themselves and others.

Through this novelized history of the Soka Gakkai—one of the most dynamic, diverse, and empowering Buddhist movements in the world today—readers will discover the organization''s goals and achievements even as they find inspiring and practical Buddhist wisdom for living happily and compassionately in today''s world. The book recounts the stories of ordinary individuals who faced tremendous odds in transforming their lives through the practice of Nichiren Buddhism and in bringing Buddhism''s humanistic teachings to the world. This 23rd volume looks at events that occurred in 1976, including the founding of a new Soka kindergarten and the Division of Correspondence Education at Soka University, as well as many of the heart-warming stories of correspondence students from all walks of life. This inspiring narrative provides readers with the principles with which they can positively transform their own lives for the better and realize enduring happiness for themselves and others.

Once called ''the wellspring of the revolution'' by Fidel Castro, Jose Marti (1853-1895) is revered as one of the greatest figures in the history of Cuba. Not only was he instrumental in the late nineteenth-century cause of securing Cuban independence from Spain. He is also considered one of Cuba''s most brilliant writers, orators and formative intellectuals, who provided inspiration to the young Fidel, Che and their fellow revolutionaries by dedicating his whole life to the goal of national political emancipation. Jose Marti suffered persecution and early imprisonment for his convictions, and in consequence is often referred to as the ''Cuban Apostle''. In this wide-ranging discussion of Marti''s life, work and influence, distinguished Cuban poet Cintio Vitier and prominent Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda explore their subject''s understanding of non-violence; his nationalism that was also a profound openness to difference and dialogue; his spirituality; his poetical writings; and most of all his fundamental dignity, humanity and self-mastery. The book explores above all the nature of sacrifice, and the cost of relinquishing personal happiness for the sake of a great cause. The discussants examine Marti''s family life, including his difficult relationships with his wife - Carmen Zayas Bazan - and his parents, who distanced themselves from his revolutionary fervour. Comparisons are drawn between Marti''s ideals and Nichiren Buddhism as a source of unfailing hope and courage. As Daisaku Ikeda, follower of Nichiren, says at one point in the dialogue: ''Self-mastery is the hardest thing of all. But to have a spiritual nature worthy of the name, a person must overcome himself, a task that only a true optimist can accomplish. Marti''s perspicacity is revealed in his conviction that final victory in life is assured by such optimists.'' Marti, like Nichiren, had the unerring ability to turn enemies into friends. And as Cintio Vitier and Daisaku Ikeda reveal, what set Marti apart was not his thought or ideas alone but what emanated from his words and found embodiment in his actions. It was thus that a follower at the time could say of him: we don''t understand him, but we are ready to die for him.

''Life is a drama of encounters'', writes Daisaku Ikeda at the beginning of this dialogue: ''Beautiful encounters. Momentary encounters. Each person''s drama is unique.'' This particular encounter, between a celebrated Chinese novelist and prominent Japanese religious leader, illustrates the truth of that reflection. For in the discussion that stemmed from their meetings, Jin Yong (who is sometimes called ''the Asian Dumas'') and Daisaku Ikeda were able to find remarkable common ground - what they refer to as a ''karmic bond'' - resulting from the particularity of their experiences in wartime and mutual resistance to adversity. Ranging across a variety of engaging themes, the interlocutors explore such topics as the nature of friendship; theories of civilization; world literatures that have inspired them; the importance of free speech; Buddhist perspectives on life and death; and the spiritual search for truth. There is sustained reflection on the horrors of war, and a plea for the importance of memory: Daisaku Ikeda emphasises that ''peace is a battle against forgetfulness'', while Jin Yong echoes this in his observation that ''most important is to strive to avoid war, whether it is between countries and whether it be domestic, and thus to enable people to build and improve their lives in a peaceful environment.'' Cultural differences between the peoples of China and Japan are explored, sometimes amusingly, with the Japanese propensity for discipline and rules contrasted with the Chinese spirit of creative individualism. But the authors are focused above all on serious issues of meaning and identity, and they reveal the mutual solace both have found - in the face of personal loss and bereavement - in the Buddhist scriptures, especially the Lotus Sutra. Demonstrating a remarkable capacity for empathy throughout, they incarnate in their lives and work an intelligent and sympathetic compassion that represents a beacon of hope to the future direction of Sino-Japanese relations.

Where have we come from and where do we go? Why are human beings born? Are our lives just random events or do they have some greater purpose? What is the meaning of death? Nichiren Buddhism, based on the Lotus Sutra, is a teaching of hope that provides answers to these and other important questions for modern life. Ranked among the most important works in Mahayana Buddhism, Nichiren’s 13th-century writings were revolutionary. They sought to give people a deep sense of confidence and self-reliance in this lifetime by exploring the topics of death and eternal life. In his The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life, Nichiren explains the ultimate Buddhist view, which frees people from both their fear of death and their unhealthy attachment to self. Daisaku Ikeda’s simple and straightforward commentary brings alive this important writing for the modern world. Thoughtful people of all faiths will resonate with his compassionate insights on the universal teaching of happiness that is Nichiren Buddhism.

''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.

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.

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.

Austregesilo de Athayde, President of the Brazilian Academy of Letters for 34 years until his death in September 1993, is perhaps best remembered as one of the most prominent and effective South American champions of human rights. Athayde played a major role in drafting the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted in December 1948. The dialogue begins with a discussion of some of the great modern espousers of human rights, including Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Athayde then recounts how the UN declaration came into being and describes his role in the process. Ikeda, meanwhile, explores the Buddhist ideas of mercy, freedom and equality, and discusses their potential to enrich the human rights movement. "The Dialogue" as a whole represents a provocative and thoughtful introduction to the compassionate thought of two leading proponents of social justice.

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.

One of the ''inventors'' of the nuclear bomb, Sir Joseph Rotblat very soon turned away from weapons research to make a prolonged and principled stand against the dangers of nuclear proliferation. A physicist of great brilliance, he metamorphosed into a campaigner of admired moral conviction and leadership. This series of dialogues between two leading ethical thinkers brings together the courage and humanity of Rotblat with the spiritual wisdom and global visionary outlook of Daisaku Ikeda, the leader of the world''s largest and most influential lay Buddhist organisation. Together they reflect on fundamental issues of war and peace, the ethics of nuclear deterrence and the trajectory of Joseph Rotblat''s career, from the Manhattan Project to the Pugwash Conference and his Nobel Prize. Rotblat''s life-long mantra was that scientists have a moral responsibility to save lives, not destroy them. The integrity of both writers emerges powerfully and inspiringly from their wide-ranging discussions, which serve as a stark warning against the dangers of a resurgent atomic weapons race.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

Encouraged by the words of the Snow Country Prince, Mariko and Kazuo nurse an injured swan back to health during the long winter.

In This Book Two Lay Religious Leaders Engage In A Dialogue Which Has Many Levels: It Is A Conversation Between An Indian And A Japanese; Between A Hindu And A Buddhist; And Most Importantly Between Two Global Citizens Who Have Spent The Better Part Of Their Lives Advocating Peace, Harmony And Global Consciouness.