Daisaku Ikeda
33 quotes
Biography
Daisaku Ikeda was a Japanese Buddhist leader, author, educator and nuclear disarmament advocate. He served as the third president and then honorary president of the Soka Gakkai, which is considered among the largest of Japan's new religious movements, but has also been described as a cult by medias and politicians.
"There are no greater treasures than the highest human qualities such as compassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart."
"When one takes action for others, one's own suffering is transformed into the energy that can keep one moving forward; a light of hope illuminating a new tomorrow for oneself and others is kindled."
"Even if things don't unfold the way you expected, don't be disheartened or give up. One who continues to advance will win in the end."
"it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings."
"Life is painful. It has thorns, like the stem of a rose. Culture and art are the roses that bloom on the stem. The flower is yourself, your humanity. Art is the liberation of the humanity inside yourself."
"Leave behind the passive dreaming of a rose-tinted future. The energy of happiness exists in living today with roots sunk firmly in reality's soil."
"A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, can even enable a change in the destiny of all humankind."
"Reality is harsh. It can be cruel and ugly. Yet no matter how much we grieve over our environment and circumstances nothing will change. What is important is not to be defeated, to forge ahead bravely. If we do this, a path will open before us."
"I cannot say this too strongly: Do not compare yourselves to others. Be true to who you are, and continue to learn with all your might."
"How aware are we of our own inner life, our spirituality-something so intangible yet so priceless? How much effort do we make to perceive that which is not obvious, which can neither be seen nor heard? I believe the exploration and enrichment of the human spirit is what determines our very humanity. Such enrichment provides an inner compass that can lead civilizations to greatness."
"Culture is an elevated expression of the inner voice which the different peoples of the Earth have heard in the depths of their being, a voice which conveys the vibrant compassion and wisdom of the cosmic life. For different cultures to engage in interaction is to catalyze each other's souls and foster mutual understanding."
"A person, who no matter how desperate the situation, gives others hope, is a true leader."
"What matters is the value we've created in our lives, the people we've made happy and how much we've grown as people."
"The person who lives life fully, glowing with life's energy, is the person who lives a successful life."
"True happiness means forging a strong spirit that is undefeated, no matter how trying our circumstances."
"Genuine sincerity opens people's hearts, while manipulation causes them to close."
"If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us."
"If you lose today, win tomorrow. In this never-ending spirit of challenge is the heart of a victor."
"Buddhism is an earnest struggle to win. This is what the Daishonin teaches. A Buddhist must not be defeated. I hope you will maintain an alert and winning spirit in your work and daily life, taking courageous action and showing triumphant actual proof time and again."
"Life passes by in an instant. In the twinkling of an eye, we grow old. Our physical strength wanes and we began to suffer various aches and pains. We practice Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism so that instead of sinking into feelings of sadness, loneliness and regret, we can greet old age with inner richness and maturity, as round and complete as the ripe, golden fruit of autumn."
"Prayer become manifest in action, and action has to be backed up by prayer. Only then can we elicit a response from the Buddhist deities and all Buddhism. Those who pray and take action for kosen-rufu are the Buddha's emissaries. They cannot fail to realize lives in which all desires are fulfilled."
"In the inner realm of life, cause and effect occur simultaneously. What ever the person desire with the passage of time, this causal relationship becomes manifest in the phenomental world of daily life. This is the ultimate law of whole universe."
"Leadership is not a matter of ordering people around but of first taking action yourself. By initiating action yourself, you will win others' trust, and they, in turn, will take action."
"After fully hearing out the views of everyone, one should judge things impartially and come to a decision. And once one has done so, one should rise to implement it without vacillation. Please make united efforts that demonstrate responsiveness to others' views."
"Significant discussions that foster mutual understanding are much more valuable than the self-complacent pronouncements of one person. Please conduct discussions that deeply penetrate the hearts of the participants — the kind that make them want to say :"That was really refreshing. I have so much hope now. That gave me confidence. I now have the strength to advance.""