Daisaku Ikeda
Daisaku Ikeda
Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), is a Buddhist
thinker, author and educator who believes that only through personal interaction
and dialogue across cultural and philosophical boundaries can human beings nurture
the trust and understanding that is necessary for lasting peace. To date, he
has traveled to more than 50 countries in pursuit of this ideal, holding discussions
with many distinguished political, cultural and educational figures. Topics
include a range of issues crucial to humanity - such as the transformative value
of religion, the universality of life, social responsibility, and sustainable
progress and development.
Ikeda was born on January 2, 1928, in Tokyo, Japan. His family's business was
producing a form of edible seaweed. An avid reader, Ikeda began composing poetry
at an early age. His interests include art, music, philosophy and photography.
Ikeda was seventeen when the Second World War ended in 1945. His four elder
brothers had been drafted for military service, and the eldest was killed in
combat. Ikeda's family suffered greatly, as did other ordinary Japanese, on
account of the war. The anguish of those days left an indelible impression on
the young Ikeda and prompted his life-long endeavor to root out the fundamental
causes of human conflict. Although the hardships of the war disrupted most of
his chances for education, he was able to graduate from Fuji Junior College's
department of economics.
In 1947, Ikeda met Josei Toda, the man who was to become his mentor and play
a decisive role in shaping the course of his life. Toda, later the second president
of the Soka Gakkai, was an innovative educator who was deeply committed to the
ideals and practice of Nichiren Buddhism. During the war, he was imprisoned
together with the first Soka Gakkai president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi - who later
died in prison - by the authorities because of their opposition to Japanese
militarism. Upon his release after more than two years of confinement in July
1945, Toda dedicated his life to the development of the Soka Gakkai and the
realization of a humane society.
Ikeda joined the Soka Gakkai soon after meeting Toda, and worked alongside his
mentor to launch the organization's movement to promote peace, culture, and
education. He also embarked on a course in self-education under Toda's tutelage,
exploring philosophy, literature, the natural sciences, economics, politics
and other disciplines.
Ikeda assisted his mentor for more than a decade until the latter's death in
1958. In 1960, Ikeda succeeded Toda as head of the Soka Gakkai, becoming its
third president, and in 1975 he became president of the newly formed Soka Gakkai
International.
Ikeda has defined the organization's objectives as: "Working for peace
by opposing all forms of violence and contributing to the welfare of humankind
by pursuing humanistic culture and education." "Peace," as it
is used here, is not the mere absence of war, but indicates a condition where
the dignity and fundamental rights of all people are respected. Ikeda recognizes
that peace must emanate from within individuals - a view based on the Buddhist
conviction that people inherently possess the ability to create value and harmony
in society, and between themselves and their environment. For Ikeda, culture
is the lively expression of this unique human characteristic. He also attaches
great importance to education as an essential vehicle for the development of
individuals' creative potential. Education and culture are, in this sense, prerequisites
for peace.
Referring to the United Nations as "the congress of humanity," Ikeda
emphasizes the importance of working with the world body for realizing these
goals. In the past, the SGI, which is registered with the UN as a nongovernmental
organization (NGO), has organized exhibitions on human rights, war and peace,
and development and the environment, in conjunction with various UN departments.
It has also carried out extensive refugee relief activities, and recently collected
nearly 300,000 used radios for presentation to the United Nations in Cambodia
to help facilitate free elections. In addition, Ikeda himself has made numerous
proposals on peace and international affairs.
The SGI leader has founded several institutions, such as the Soka schools (from
kindergarten through university level), the Min-On Concert Association and the
Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, in order to promote educational, cultural and artistic
activities and conduct exchanges with like groups and institutions on a global
scale. Ikeda has also initiated a wide range of grassroots exchange programs
and delivered speeches at a number of institutions of higher learning around
the world, including Harvard University, the Institut de France and Beijing
University.
Mr. Ikeda has received honorary doctorates from 20 universities, including University
of Glasgow (UK), Moscow State University, Sofia University (Bulgaria), University
of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Ankara University (Turkey), University of Nairobi
(Kenya), University of the Philippines. He has honorary professorships in 14
universities, including Beijing University and National University of San Marcos
(Peru).
For his humanitarian endeavors in a range of fields, he is the recipient of
numerous awards, including the United Nations Peace Award, National Order of
the Southern Cross of the Republic of Brazil, Honorary Cross of Science and
the Arts from the Austrian Ministry of Education, Medal of the Grand Officer
of Arts and Letters from the French Ministry of Culture, and the World Poet
Laureateship from the World Poetry Society.
Major books that he has written include: The Human Revolution (12 volumes),Choose
Life: A Dialogue with Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee; Dawn After Dark with Dr. René
Hughye; Before It Is Too Late with Dr. Aurelio Peccei; A Lifelong Quest for
Peace with Dr. Linus Pauling; Dialogue of World Citizens with Dr. Norman Cousins;
Choose Peace, with Dr. Johan Galtung; The Snow Country Prince, The Cherry Tree,
The Princess and the Moon and Over the Deep Blue Sea (children's books translated
into over ten languages).
Humanism and the Buddha, an essay by Daisaku Ikeda.