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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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It is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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The institutions of human society treat us as parts of a machine. They assign us ranks and place considerable pressure upon us to fulfill defined roles. We need something to help us restore our lost and distorted humanity. Each of us has feelings that have been suppressed and have built up inside. There is a voiceless cry resting in the depths of our souls, waiting for expression. Art gives the soul's feelings voice and form.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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Lack of wisdom does not make a fool. A fool, in the truest sense, is the man who regards his own misfortunes or those of others as a source of doubt or criticism of the infinite mercy of the Gohonzon.-Josei TodaDaisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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‎"Those who give up dreams, do injury to their own hearts and cannot possibly enjoy a profound sense of fulfillment in the end.Daisaku Ikeda
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It is senseless to blame others or your environment for your miseries. Change begins from the moment you muster the courage to act. When you change, the environment will change. The power to change the world is found nowhere but within our own life.Daisaku Ikeda
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Reading is a dialog with oneself; it is self-reflection, which cultivates profound humanity. Reading is therefore essential to our development. It expands and enriches the personality like a seed that germinates after a long time and sends forth many blossom-laden branches. People who can say of a book, 'this changed my life' truly understand the meaning of happiness. Reading that sparks inner revolution is desperately needed to escape drowning in the rapidly advancing information society. Reading is more than intellectual ornamentation; it is a battle for the establishment for the self, a ceaseless challenge that keeps us young and vigorous.Daisaku Ikeda
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Instead of engaging in cutthroat competition, we should strive to create value. In economic terms, this means a transition from a consumer economy - the mad rush for ownership and consumption - to a constructive economy where all human beings can participate in the act of creating lasting worth.Daisaku Ikeda
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Become like the sun. If you do so, all darkness will be dispelled. No matter what happens, live confidently with the conviction that you, yourself are the “sun.” Of course, in life there are sunny days and cloudy days. But even on cloudy days, the sun is still there. Even when you are suffering, it is vital that you strive to keep the sun shining brightly in your heart.Daisaku Ikeda
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The willingness to challenge hardships taps the power within human beings to transform even a place of tragedy into a stage for fulfilling one's mission.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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A person, who no matter how desperate the situation, gives others hope, is a true leader.Daisaku Ikeda
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The heart is what is important." There is nothing more vulnerable, nothing more corruptible than the human mind; nor is there anything as powerful, steadfast and ennobling.Daisaku Ikeda
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Buddhism holds that everything is in constant flux. Thus the question is whether we are to accept change passively and be swept away by it or whether we are to take the lead and create positive changes on our own initiative. While conservatism and self-protection might be likened to winter, night, and death, the spirit of pioneering and attempting to realize ideals evokes images of spring, morning, and birth.Daisaku Ikeda
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Rise to the challenges that life presents you. You can't develop genuine character and ability by sidestepping adversity and struggle.Daisaku Ikeda
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The determination to win is the better part of winning.Daisaku Ikeda
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People can only live fully by helping others to live. When you give life to friends you truly live. Cultures can only realize their further richness by honoring other traditions. And only by respecting natural life can humanity continue to exist.Daisaku Ikeda
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Strength is Happiness. Strength is itself victory. In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. When you wage a struggle, you might win or you might lose. But regardless of the short-term outcome, the very fact of your continuing to struggle is proof of your victory as a human being.Daisaku Ikeda
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Salute to the Smiling Faces of the 21st Century.Daisaku Ikeda
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There are some among the so-called elite who are overbearing and arrogant. I want to foster leaders, not elitists.Daisaku Ikeda
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A great revolution in just one single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind.Daisaku Ikeda
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It is much more valuable to look for the strength in others. You can gain nothing by criticizing their imperfections.Daisaku Ikeda
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The economy is after all driven by people. No matter how dire the situation may be, as long as people are firm, a turnaround, revival and progress can be possible.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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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.Daisaku Ikeda
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To communicate the truths of history is an act of hope for the future.Daisaku Ikeda
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Ultimately, all human activities have as their goal the realization of happiness. Why, then, have we ended up producing the opposite result? Could the underlying cause be our failure to correctly understand the true nature of happiness?Daisaku Ikeda
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With love and patience, nothing is impossible.Daisaku Ikeda
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People need to be made conscious of a very simple reality: we have no choice but to share this planet, this small blue sphere floating in the vast reaches of space, with all of our fellow 'passengers.'Daisaku Ikeda
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Genuine happiness can only be achieved when we transform our way of life from the unthinking pursuit of pleasure to one committed to enriching our inner lives, when we focus on 'being more' rather than simply having more.Daisaku Ikeda
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Women are, in my view, natural peacemakers. As givers and nurturers of life, through their focus on human relationships and their engagement with the demanding work of raising children and protecting family life, they develop a deep sense of empathy that cuts through to underlying human realities.Daisaku Ikeda
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A commitment to human rights cannot be fostered simply through the transmission of knowledge. Action and experience play a crucial role in the learning process.Daisaku Ikeda
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I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.Daisaku Ikeda
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We are not merely passive pawns of historical forces nor are we victims of the past. We can shape and direct history.Daisaku Ikeda
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I have for some time urged that a nuclear abolition summit to mark the effective end of the nuclear era be convened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 70th anniversary of the bombings of those cities, with the participation of national leaders and representatives of global civil society.Daisaku Ikeda
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A healthy vision of the future is not possible without an accurate knowledge of the past.Daisaku Ikeda
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Leadership that exploits and sacrifices young people on the altar of its goals is nothing more than raw, demonic power. Genuine leadership is found in ceaseless efforts to foster young people, to pave the way forward for them.Daisaku Ikeda
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Where there is an absence of international political leadership, civil society should step in to fill the gap, providing the energy and vision needed to move the world in a new and better direction.Daisaku Ikeda
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The effects of human rights education can be dramatic in awakening people to the value and power of their own lives, as shown in the following stories.Daisaku Ikeda
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History is filled with tragic examples of wars that result from diplomatic impasse. Whether in our local communities or in international relations, the skillful use of our communicative capacities to negotiate and resolve differences is the first evidence of human wisdom.Daisaku Ikeda
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The wisdom and experience of older people is a resource of inestimable worth. Recognizing and treasuring the contributions of older people is essential to the long-term flourishing of any society.Daisaku Ikeda
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Living here on Earth, we breathe the rhythms of a universe that extends infinitely above us. When resonant harmonies arise between this vast outer cosmos and the inner human cosmos, poetry is born.Daisaku Ikeda
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In the past, human society provided encouragement and opportunity for people to extend support to each other, especially in highly stressful situations.Daisaku Ikeda
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Divorced from the cosmos, from nature, from society and from each other, we have become fractured and fragmented.Daisaku Ikeda